South Mountain Memory Care is an excellent assisted living community in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. It is within enticing Lehigh County which is part of the Keystone State.
South Mountain Memory Care is poised and ready to provide a safe environment for your loved one with our carefully thought out design and smaller population.
While small scale is critical, there are other design elements we included:
- Separate bedroom suites with clear paths from bedroomto bathroom designed to reduce the stress associated with toileting and bathing.
- Abundance of natural light that helps regulate circadian rhythms which can alleviate sleep disorders, sundowning and seasonal depression.
- Wayfinding and orientation with the use of colors, aroma therapy and artwork, including views to the outdoors that promotes use of exterior spaces and walking.
- Safety and security, not only is it important for residents to be safe and secure they must perceive themselves to be safe and secure. This can be achieved with restricted window openings and secure garden fences. Secure outdoor spaces give people with dementia a secure place to go outside and helps reduce elopement attempts because residents no longer feel “cooped up”.
- Consistent staff assignments with the same staff assigned to the same house at the same time in order to foster a sense of familiarity, an ability to truly know each individual and cater to their needs.
- Smaller, intimate gathering places for those residents that feel overwhelmed by larger crowds.
The approach to resident care at South Mountain Memory Care is to support to residents' physical and mental needs in a warm and uplifting environment. Everything from the building design to staff training to resident programming is structured to meet those goals. The community offers residents a nurturing environment.
Understanding each resident. Upon moving to our community, our staff will perform a life history of the resident with help from the family. We will understand who each individual is, where they lived, what they like, where they worked and more to get a full picture of each resident's unique identity. Each staff member caring for the resident will be familiar with the resident's life history as they seek to support the resident's needs.
Communication is key. From the first day a resident moves in our staff communicates with the resident and family to understand the resident and their needs. This communication is dynamic and on-going as we care for the resident. It is vital that the resident and family members share their thoughts and feelings on a regular basis. South Mountain Memory Care will provide frequent updates and maintain an open line of communication with the residents' loved ones.
Access to staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Residents receive assistance and care as needed for bathing, dressing, toileting, and other activities of daily living. Staff is specially trained to care for those with dementia and cognitive impairment.
Residents have their own private suite, closet with storage and private bath. Residents are provided a spacious room. Families are encouraged to decorate the space with photos, furniture and personal effects that provide memories and comfort for the resident.
Safety is important. The community is designed to encourage residents to walk about and explore the interior, but it is also decorated in a manner that hides exits and discourages exit seeking. All external doors are locked with passcodes and alarms to protect residents. Residents are free to go outside and enjoy the secured patio area, weather permitting.
Medication management. Given the health challenges of residents, medication management is overseen by staff to ensure that residents take their medication in the proper way.
Three nutritious daily meals and snacks. All meals are prepared by our chef with nutrition and dietary needs (low salt, liquid, etc.) in mind according to each resident's care plan.
Structured activities and programming. All activities are intentionally structured with purpose -- to engage residents and stimulate cognition and physical activity. A game of chair volleyball with a beachball may appear to be informal, but the activities director's goal is to improve balance and range of motion for the participants.
Sensory boxes and remeniscent stations to help put residents at ease and mitigate any agitation.
