“EMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL.”

“EMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL.” “She was free to have her disease ... and not constantly fight her decline,” expressed the daughter of a woman with Alzheimer’s who had recently moved to a care community. The transformative experience was shared by the daughter in a recent Sacramento Bee article (“Fear, stigma make Alzheimer’s patients slow to seek help,” 10-13-12). The daughter also noted how refreshing it was when someone recognized the person still living inside the disease. “I learned to go into my mother’s world, because she wasn’t coming into mine. ... You have to recognize the childhood of the disease but not be condescending about it.”

 

Though the mother’s care provider is not named, the daughter’s sentiments do reinforce the fundamental goal of Eskaton’s approach to caring for individuals suffering the devilish manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Webster’s defines empathy as “the ability to share in another’s emotions, thoughts or feelings.” In Eskaton’s “Dawn of a New Day” Memory Care, an empathic approach distinguishes the commitment of its caregivers who:

§   Make personal connections with residents.

§   Engage residents in activities that promote self-expression and cognitive challenges.

§   Partner with families; and provide support and regular communication.

§   Respect the physical environment of individuals and the community.

“The success of Eskaton’s Dawn of a New Day program is based on establishing very personal connections between our residents and our care team,” explains Teri Tift, Eskaton’s director of quality and compliance. “This is why we place a great deal of significance on recruiting, training and retaining staff who inherently and intentionally embrace this empathic approach.”

 

Eskaton also engages memory care residents in very unique ways. The Kids Connection buddies residents with local elementary school children who make regular visits; ARTZ: Artists for Alzheimer’s helps residents explore their creativity; and urban gardens provide individuals with a constant, growing sense of purpose.

 

Empathy in memory care is about discovery. Not finding what is lost, because that may never be found; but rather about seeking new ways to communicate, connect and not condescend.