Haven Haus is a 28 bed secured unit that is designed to meet the special needs of the resident with dementia. Haven Haus is completely self-contained, with a dining room, day room, activity room, an activity aide and outside patio. There is a psychiatrist that visits the residents at least monthly and in conjunction with the medical physician, the resident’s medical and psychiatric needs are better met.
Alzheimer’s disease, which is a dementia, is affecting a large part of the U.S. population partly because people are living longer. While there is no cure for dementia, there are medications that can help to slow the progression of the disease.
Regardless of the type of dementia the person is suffering from, the signs and symptoms are very similar.
Common behaviors noted in residents suffering from dementia:
- Wandering, constant movement
- Short term memory loss is usually affected more than their long term memory
- Tend to do better when a routine is established
- Have short term attention span
Residents afflicted with any type of dementia will go through three steps of the disease:
- Early
- Mid-stage
- Late or terminal stage
The amount of care that a resident will need, will depend on what stage of dementia he/she is in. Haven Haus is geared toward the individual resident. We attempt to adapt the environment to the needs of the individual. Some residents can participate in small group activities, while others will need one-to-one interaction.
Behavioral problems are common among older adults who have dementia. Sometimes by giving an agitated resident an antipsychotic medication, we take away his voice because his screaming out was his voice. Behavioral difficulties occur when a person’s coping ability is insufficient to meet the environmental demands.
It then becomes the facility’s responsibility to adapt the environment to meet the resident’s needs:
- Beware of over-stimulation
- Under-stimulation may induce stimulus-seeking, such as restlessness, wandering and yelling
MISSION STATEMENT: To provide quality physical, emotional and psychosocial care to our residents whose cognitive functioning has been impaired because of dementia. By providing a homelike atmosphere and encouraging our residents to be involved in activities of daily living, we enhance their ability to live a dignified and fulfilling life.