Villagers who are experiencing early signs of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia are encouraged to remain in their cottage or apartment as long as it is safe to do so. When the memory function of one of the spouses is impaired, a married couple can remain together in their cottage or their apartment far longer than if they had remained isolated in their house on “Main Street.” The Village Health Services program can further simplify life when daily tasks become burdensome.
(If your spouse has received a diagnosis of dementia, we encourage you to consider a move to Residential Living soon, to help them adapt more easily to new surroundings.)
Education is the key
Memory Care education is paramount at Cross Keys Village. Every team member receives ongoing specialized education on this subject. We don’t mean just nurses and caregivers: we mean everyone, from cooks to groundskeepers, and from painters to the billing office. This enables us to assist those who make Cross Keys Village their home with greater respect and empathy. We are also trained in how to intervene when we identify a situation that might be potentially unsafe.
Security and comfort
The Personal Care and Healthcare programs feature neighborhoods designed around the special needs of residents with memory loss, including some secure neighborhoods (with locked exits) for residents with poor safety awareness. Daily activities are designed to be satisfying, and varied without being overstimulating.
In our innovative Brookside Memory Care Residence, residents are introduced to a comfortable and comforting environment during the intermediate stage of their disease, making the later progression in their condition easier on them and on their families and caregivers. Brookside offers a comprehensive recreation program, incorporating mind (brain fitness), body (food and exercise) and spirit (the arts and spiritual elements).
