Sunrise Senior Living's Alzheimer’s & Memory Care Program is focused firmly on the individual and on providing a safe, familiar, yet stimulating environment. Our team is trained to value each senior and to recognize the different tastes, preferences and needs at each stage of their lives. Providing care for seniors with memory impairments can be challenging, but Sunrise has created a care option that works - innovative and effective programs with multiple levels of support. We recognize that memory loss affects every resident (and their loved ones) differently, so our focus is on understanding each individual senior and providing care they respond to positively. The Sunrise Signature Experience extends to the families and caregivers of our residents. Click here to read more on Sunrise’s informative blog and find a community near you to learn about support groups offered. Sunrise also offers a self-guided study called Journey of Discovery that helps caregivers understand their loved ones’ world with Alzheimer’s disease to make communication more meaningful and joyful.
Our People are the Difference
Compassionate care starts with our team, who are extensively trained through our award-winning Sunrise University, to help manage the unique needs of residents living with memory loss and cognitive decline. They look for opportunities to help residents succeed at familiar tasks, perhaps something as simple as making the bed or baking a sheet of cookies. Getting to know seniors and their individual personalities is key, so that the team can help create situations in which residents feel safe, secure and engaged.
In fact, we’ve created a position at each of our communities, nationwide, called a Life Enrichment Manager to help those in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s cope with unfamiliar disease. The primary job of a life enrichment manager is to work with residents to identify what past activities can be drawn upon to reengage them in more purposeful lives, today. Life enrichment managers ensure that they provide the most enriching experiences as possible for residents by scheduling time to talk with their families so they can learn about past routines, preferences and dislikes.
Sunrise is an Authorized Validation Organization, which means that we train select team members in the Validation © Method of interacting with those dealing with dementia. Validation is a method of communicating with and helping those who are disoriented that allows for better understanding and communication between those with dementia and their caregivers. Visit the Validation Training Institute’s website, here.
Learn more about our people and Designated Care Managers, a Sunrise Difference
A Signature Alzheimer’s & Memory Care Program
Our Reminiscence Neighborhoods are designed for seniors with mild or more advanced Alzheimer’s or other forms of memory loss. Offering a fresh approach, we begin with understanding the stories and details of a senior's life so we can help them attain what we call "pleasant days." Our professional team is dedicated to maintaining the dignity and individuality of every resident. They design personalized programs with multi-sensory experiences, daily exercise and outings, group activities and regular contact with children and pets, depending on what benefits each individual senior. The physical health and well-being of residents is also monitored, with nutritious daily meals and snacks, and a hydration program that ensures residents drink beneficial amounts of water and juice each day.
The Reminiscence Program incorporates a variety of elements to engage residents and nurture their spirit. Every Reminiscence Neighborhood provides Life Skills Centers and Reminiscence kits that help involve residents in familiar daily routines such as gardening, sewing, office work and household chores. In order to create a calming setting for our residents, we provide Snoezelen environments, which incorporate soothing, multi-sensory stimulation. “Snoezelen” comes from a Dutch word for “explore” and “doze” and it includes soft music, aroma therapy, peaceful sounds and visual displays. We also have personalized Snoezelen kits that can be brought to a resident’s room or other area of the neighborhood.
Programs for Early Signs of Memory Loss
Seniors in the early stages of memory loss who may not require the level of structure and assistance of a Reminiscence Neighborhood may benefit from Terrace Club or Avon Place, which are offered in many Sunrise communities. These programs offer structured activities based on recent research in brain function. This unique approach helps seniors stay focused, be less anxious and strives to slow the progression of further memory loss. A specially trained team guides each resident to make their own choices each day, resulting in increased independence and self-esteem.
Want to learn more about the early stages of memory loss? Click here for more information on Sunrise’s programs and The Alzheimer’s Associations 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s.
The Individualized Service Plan (ISP)
Because we respect the fact that individuals have their own needs and preferences right from the beginning, we meet with each resident and family before they move in - and at regular intervals afterwards - to help determine appropriate care and service. A team of our community professionals comprised of the executive director, Reminiscence coordinator, health care coordinator, and our designated care manager then work together to create an individualized plan that is monitored on a daily basis. We focus on preserving each resident’s dignity, encouraging independence and enabling freedom of choice. The plan might include help with personal hygiene and grooming, dressing and clothes selection, showering and bathing, assistance with eating, continence management, mobility, socialization and medication management. Learn more about the Individualized Service Plan, a Sunrise Difference.
Sunrise Services & Amenities Offer More Value
Services and amenities vary by location, but all Sunrise communities providing Alzheimer’s & Memory Care generally provide the following:
- Therapeutic activities including social, educational, devotional and recreational programs.
- Specially trained team to meet the unique needs of Alzheimer's residents available 24 hours a day.
- Monthly wellness visits by a licensed nurse
- Living spaces designed to help Alzheimer's residents function as independently as possible
- Private or companion suites with a choice of floor plans, comfortable quality furnishings and artwork, and wall-to-wall carpeting
- Emergency call response system in each suite
- Variety of comfortable community areas including elegant community dining room, private dining room for family or guests, café/tea room, 24-hour bistro, sunroom, media, television, and living room areas
- Secured walking paths surrounded by beautifully manicured and maintained landscaping, gardens and grounds
- Fire safety system
- Weekly housekeeping and daily trash removal
- Weekly personal laundry (except dry cleaning)
- Concierge services
- Full service beauty/barber shop (additional cost)
Find an Alzheimer's & Memory Care community near you. Sunrise has developed tools to help caregivers with their everyday role of caring for someone with memory loss. Click here to visit our Resources to Remember section.
Please contact individual communities for specific offerings. Care and service levels, and their designations, may vary by state and/or community.