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 Rediscover 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.

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.

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.
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.