Memory care is a special part of what we do here at St. Anthony’s. That’s why we created Journeys, a specialized program for our residents with dementia. While a dementia diagnosis may turn us down a different path, we continue on life’s journey. Through our holistic Journeys program, St. Anthony’s residents enjoy the simple pleasures of life in a different, yet meaningful way.
To craft this important program, we turn our focus to six key signatures. Each of these areas are highlighted to provide intentional care for your loved one and to fulfill each and every need they have. Our six signatures are:
- Team Development
- Family Partnerships
- Life Enrichment
- Personalized, Supportive Environment
- Dining Experience
- Wellness
The second key signature in our Journeys program is family partnerships. We believe that your experience at St. Anthony’s matters — even if you aren’t residing with us. If you care about one of our residents, then we care about you. To us, families are an essential aspect of a support system and deserve that same support themselves.
Here’s an inside look at how we partner with the families of our residents at St. Anthony’s. With this insight, you’ll see how we truly work together with loved ones to provide outstanding memory care.
Guiding the Journey with Ongoing Support
We understand that families may grieve twice when their loved ones receive a dementia diagnosis. First, you may grieve the loss of the person you know and love. As symptoms increase, grief can compound. Then, a physical loss comes later. With this understanding, the team at St. Anthony’s is dedicated to supporting families and guiding them through their own journey.
Family is a very important part of the process in the Journeys program. For this reason, we’ve created initiatives you won’t find in other memory care communities — from ongoing support groups to regular education on dementia and its finer points. We believe that your mental health matters too.
Support groups have long been utilized as a forum to discuss problems, share experiences, and provide knowledge. The benefits of a support group include fostering hope, increasing understanding, learning coping strategies, building support networks, and learning from successful role models.
You are not alone in your journey as you seek to care for a loved one with dementia. At St. Anthony’s you will feel supported and uplifted as you live out your own journey.
Discovering a Unique Journey
It’s important for family members to understand that everyone’s dementia journey is different. While many individuals may have the same diagnosis, how their disease works is unique to that person. The insights of our resident’s family members are crucial in determining an ideal care plan.
Families can rest assured knowing we are always watching for the unique needs of their loved ones. We understand that some behaviors may be difficult. Our team is trained to uncover triggers for these behaviors and work to create a comfortable environment.
We’re here to listen to you and your loved one. We look forward to getting to know all of you and understanding who your loved one is beyond their diagnosis. Our team knows a special soul when they see one and we are ready to take excellent, compassionate care of residents.
Sharing Moments in Time
One of our goals in the Journeys program is to help families through their grieving process. We see that grief is a tremendous experience for the families of those with loved ones in memory care. There is no timeline to experience this grief. It is a process and at St. Anthony’s, we partner with families to make sure they’re supported throughout that.
One way we do this is by creating special moments with an initiative we like to call, Moments in Time. In even the most severe cases of dementia or Alzheimer’s, there are beautiful moments of clarity and memory. Many times, family members may not be present for these experiences. Unfortunately, there is no alarm clock for when a moment will happen.
Yet, for some simple moments, that loved one who’s been living in the darkness within their own mind comes back to themselves. It may be that someone who hasn’t spoken for a time hears a certain song and begins to sing along. Or it may be that a memory comes up from the surface and a joyful moment takes place.
With Moments in Time, our team is there to take a photo or video of that blessed experience to share with family members. That way, even if you aren’t physically present, you can be a part of your loved one’s journey and the beautiful moments they have.
The team at St. Anthony’s isn’t just here for your loved one. We’re also here for you and have created an intentional program to partner with families and keep everyone involved in meaningful memory care. It’s important to remember that helping a loved one with dementia involves you. You deserve support, security, and uplift throughout the process. St. Anthony’s is a place for you too.
Is memory care right for your loved one? Learn more about memory care at St. Anthony’s and our detailed Journeys program to support residents with dementia.
