Vitalia Senior Residences at Stow Concentrates on Alzheimer’s Awareness

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month, bringing the plight of those facing the diagnosis, and the need for a cure, to the forefront. Today, there are more than 6.2 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease, and while research continues, a cure is yet to be identified. Arrow Senior Living is working to heighten awareness of Alzheimer’s disease during the month of November through discussion and education. 

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to physically shrink. As these parts of the brain are destroyed, memory and other functions are impaired. It is a disease that progresses through several stages, beginning with mild memory loss. As the disease progresses into middle and late stages, behavior, language, and participation in activities of daily living are affected.

Though the disease is widely studied, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. There are medications that help treat the symptoms and help slow the progression, but nothing that will cure or reverse the effects.

To help engage residents with Alzheimer’s disease, we create an engagement profile prior to move in. We sit down with the resident and their family and learn everything we can about them. We learn their past and current daily routine, hobbies, occupation, and their likes and dislikes. By doing this, we get to know the residents on a more personal level, and we learn how to care for them and better know how to engage them in activities.

Once the engagement profile is complete, we use it to guide each resident through their day in a way that is meaningful to them. In our Memory Care Neighborhood, we like to focus on the resident’s remaining abilities, not their disabilities. We do this by offering choices, encouraging residents to complete what tasks they can do on their own, and encouraging participation in not only traditional activities, but also purposeful ones. It is important to help residents maintain their independence and feel like they are doing something meaningful in the Neighborhood.

At Vitalia Senior Residences at Stow, we continue to increase our knowledge of Alzheimer’s through ongoing education, so we can better empower those living with the disease and help their families to better cope. Our Memory Care Neighborhoods maintain awareness of this disease, while offering engagement, safety, and comfort to our residents.