Memory Care for Alzheimer's / Dementia Patients

Bridge to Rediscovery: A Memory Care Program That Enhances Quality of Life

There are many different forms of dementia, caused either by disease or trauma, and all are devastating to the people suffering from it and their loved ones. With dementia, a person’s world gets smaller, less certain, less safe. Providing constant care and support for someone with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia takes a toll on your energy, your emotions, and your family relationships. Five Star memory care services, including our award-winning Bridge to Rediscovery Alzheimer’s care program, can help everyone in your family enjoy a better quality of life. Based on the same Montessori methodology used in school systems, the BTR program is personalized for each resident, leveraging their strengths in building a foundation of learning and success. See firsthand how our award-winning Bridge to Rediscovery program has touched the lives of our residents and their families.

8 Key Principles of Montessori-Based Dementia Programming

Montessori-Based Dementia Programming (MBDP) was developed by Dr. Cameron Camp; Five Star has four credentialed trainers in MBDP, and our train-the-trainer program ensures that staff at all our communities offering memory care services are adept in the methodology. The eight key principles of MBDP are:

Observe the residents to understand their interests, capabilities, strengths and needs
Keep verbal instruction to a minimum simple, clear and pleasant
There are many “right” ways of doing a program
Cue participants, encourage to do the program for themselves, help as indicted
Provide immediate and frequent verbal encouragement
Build on skills and capabilities
- Simple to complex and concrete to abstract
- Work from left to right and top to bottom
Use repetition to promote success and positive engagement
Use programs that build and help retain skills and capabilities

For Residents with Memory Loss, Bridge to Rediscovery Strengthens Connections, Celebrates Life
Bridge to Rediscovery (BTR) is an innovative program offered exclusively at Five Star Senior Living communities since 2007. Recipient of an Assisted Living Federation of America Best of the Best Award, BTR is care service designed to provide a safe and nurturing environment where seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can flourish and share a positive life experience.

Safety and Happiness are Our Top Priorities
BTR is a program of living, rather than a standard set of activities. Everything the resident does every day is a program specifically designed for their abilities, likes, and favorite topics, whether it’s personal care, eating, dressing, or watching TV. Many people with dementia lose the ability to feed themselves if they don’t continue to work on the skills it requires. Often, residents who come to a BTR neighborhood unable to feed themselves regain the ability with our specialized dining program and care.

Seeing is Believing
Dining in BTR successfully uses platters and butler style service. This allows those with memory loss to feel empowered to make choices based on their individual tastes and preferences. cont.

Seeing is Believing
When presenting our platters of delicious choices, memory care residents can instantly be served. Their choice is presented with immediate satisfaction.

Eating on the Go
Some of our residents prefer to eat on the go- and that’s ok! Having familiar flavors baked into a portable meal option is a fun way for even our most active residents to get the nutrition they need. cont.

Eating on the Go
Whether you’re choosing the turkey quinoa meatballs or the scrumptious cheesesteak empanadas filled with sautéed beef, cheese, and vegetables, eating on the go has never been so delicious.

Choice and Consideration
Our chef prepared platters offer selections that are enticing and ready to eat while preserving dignity.

The Two Finger Bowl
Our signature Two Finger Bowl gives your loved one the freedom to enjoy their favorite soups without the need for utensils.

Simply Pick It Up
Finger foods are an essential way to engage those who no longer are able to, or simply choose not to, use utensils. Our chefs create bite-sized versions of resident favorites, such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. cont.

Simply Pick It Up
Each recipe is designed to create a delicious, nutrient dense and well-rounded meal that can be eaten in as few bites as possible. Picture a cocktail party, with attractive hors d'oeuvres being offered to you- hard to resist, right?

Dessert Anyone?
No meal is complete without a sweet finish. Our beautifully plated desserts are not only delicious, but eye-appealing. cont.

Dessert Anyone?
Served with a fresh cup of coffee in our easy-to-hold Two Finger Mugs, your loved one is sure to feel right at home.

Snacks on Your Time
For those with memory loss, eating on a schedule can be a challenge. For this reason, we offer snacks and beverages at any hour.

Early Morning Options
Continental breakfast items allow early-risers to dine when the time is right for them.

Pureed
Our BTR dining program ensures that a variety of diet and texture needs are met. Our chefs take special care to ensure our residents have a well-balanced and enjoyable meal. This turkey shepherd's pie takes the pureed meal to the next level with a beautiful presentation.

Fiestaware
As part of memory care dining, we also focus on table settings and dinnerware. We accommodate our residents, who may have impaired vision and hearing, by using brightly-colored dishes, glasses, and place mats to distinguish space and objects placed directly in front of them. It fosters a sense of independence and confidence, something we strongly emphasize in our memory care program.

People with dementia tend to wander, which puts their safety at risk. At Five Star communities where dementia care is offered, our BTR neighborhoods are secured so that residents can leave only under supervision or in an emergency. All of Five Star’s memory care communities are designed with visual cues and themes to stimulate memory and help residents find their way, contrasting colors to help residents identify their surroundings, electronic door security inside and out for safety, and comfortable, familiar furniture designed for the unique needs of seniors receiving treatment for dementia. We do offer walking groups and access to exercise classes because strength-building and movement are important for their health.

Individualized Attention for Each Resident

When a person diagnosed with dementia begins living in a Five Star community with memory care services, we undertake a comprehensive life review with that individuals, asking very detailed questions about what they like, how they do things, and then we develop a customized plan of action to help them function at their highest possible level.
Families are intimately involved in the process. We ask family members to bring in a box of materials that reflect and represent who their loved one is, what they were like and what made them special before they became cognitively impaired. Through recreational and occupational therapy, we can restore some of their functionality; by building on their strengths, we can keep them engaged. For example, if someone loved art, music, or dancing; was a lawyer, doctor, or engineer; or enjoyed sports, gardening, or cooking, we would provide them with relevant books and activities that would interest them.