BOSTON: Dementia care providers are deeply divided over care delivery methodologies.
Existing seniors housing providers are attempting to reinforce their hegemony in the sector by either ramping up development of stand-alone memory care models, expanding existing facilities or building new ones to add memory care to existing senior housing communities.
Others are choosing to ape the Dutch Retro Community (Hogeway), but are all caught up in a care timewarp. The care models are changing rapidly and most providers, despite their best intentions are the “institutionalisers” of the 21st century, ruling via restraint and chemical coshing.
Despite the existence of enlightened providers, the vast majority of dementia minders rely on four walls and locked doors.
Here are 10 views and/or methodologies:
5. Next-level technology
Brain fitness applications are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to technology that can make a huge positive difference in the lives of those with dementia. In the next decade, technology could revolutionize memory care in seemingly countless ways, helping people remain at home longer and enabling senior living operators to refine their services.
Some cutting-edge work is in the realm of technology that can help people compensate for memory loss. For instance, wearable cameras with facial recognition capabilities could provide people’s names as they approach someone with dementia.
Technology that can assess a person’s cognitive load could help inform day-to-day decisions. This is especially useful because people with early-stage cognitive issues might experience good days and bad days. Depending on what the technology says about how well someone is performing cognitively on a given day, a person might be able to judge whether is safe to drive or perform other hazardous tasks…