Responding to the challenge of providing appropriate services to persons experiencing progressive dementing illness such as Alzheimer's disease, GentleCare® is an alternative system of care that maximizes client function for longer periods, compensates for dysfunction caused by the disease, and protects the health of family and professional care providers. It seeks to arrange an environmental fit between the person with dementing illness and the physical space, the programs, and the significant people whom the person must interact. GentleCare® accommodates and supports existing levels of function and development, rather than challenging the person with dementia to adapt and perform in ways no longer possible.
The system includes:
• A correlation between disease pathology and client behavior
• Environmental design concepts
• A system of programming that helps locate the client's
appropriate zone of activity
• Daily living care planning and implementation
• Numerous innovative, creative strategies
• Nutritional assessment and strategies that create powerful treatment
opportunities
• Stress identification, prevention and reduction that eliminates catastrophic
incidents
• Functional assessment that provide individualized care plans
• A unique system of therapeutic partnership with families, communities and volunteers
• Evaluation
Organizations that use the GentleCare® system report:
• Increased client function
• Reduced catastrophic incidents
• Decreased staff and family stress
• Reduced use of psychotropic medications
• Cost containment
• Increased community commitment and involvement
For more information, visit www.gentlecare.com.