Environment

People with memory loss are more comfortable in small, familiar, residential settings. New Dawn offers three single-story buildings each with 16 individual apartments with private bathrooms. Our interior décor is designed for our residents, not just their children and grandchildren. We understand that too many things can be overstimulating and stressful so we avoid clutter and have quiet areas and a bathing spa for relaxation. Our homes evoke happy memories, such as Craftsmen-style furnishings, soothing colors and even a retro refrigerator in the kitchen. Residents enjoy the sunroom, activities room and on-site beauty and barbershop because we know they always want to look their best.

 

Nutrition

• Delicious menus developed by a registered dietician

• Nutritious snacks and beverages are available at all times

• Menus emphasizes foods rich in Omega-3 and antioxidants

• Special diets as prescribed by a physician

• Nutritional supplements when prescribed by a physician

 

Health and Wellness

• Residents maintain their own physicians or can use the community physician

• Nurse on-site every day around-the-clock

• Medication administered or supervised by a nurse

• Blood pressure and general health monitoring

• Regular weight checks

 

Communication

• Monthly newsletter regarding activities, events and news items

• Weekly email from staff keeps you in touch

• Cameras allow you to see a resident online

 

 

Cognitive Action Therapy Techniques (CATT)

Each of us travels our own life journey and though we can’t always control life, we can strive to live life to the fullest. At New Dawn, we respect our residents' past, as well as their present. We focus on creating the very best experience for every resident and family member. When confusion and frustration cause anxiety, we redirect rather than correct. We learn all we can about the individual’s likes and dislikes and then help them continue the activities they know and love. Each resident has a personalized plan and often find new interests that bring them joy and happiness.

 

New Dawn fights cognitive decline by encouraging residents to engage in both mental and physical exercise. We call our program Cognitive Action Therapy Techniques (CATT). It is so much more than a typical activity program. The program at New Dawn is exceptional because we have a full-time activity professional in every building every day. Our smaller environment and high staffing ratio allow us to provide specialized individual activities for the residents. Research shows that keeping our minds active not only helps maintain our mental functions but may actually improve abilities even in individuals with dementia. We know that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory impairment vary in their level of ability. A deficit in one of our senses is often compensated by another sense. Engaging and stimulating as many of the five senses as often possible increases the likelihood of a “connection” between the resident and the activity.

 

Here’s how it works. We learn all we can from family, friends and the resident about the person they have always been—their occupation, hobbies, family life, vacations, favorite music and foods. Then we develop activity programs based on these interests. The following is an example:

 

Residents who love the beach but can no longer visit may watch beautiful scenes of rolling ocean waves while

the sounds of seagulls and sunbathers play in the background. Wearing sun hats and holding beach towels can provide cues while they relax their bare feet in a small pool filled with warm sand. Flashes of recognition bring smiles and evoke happy memories as they sip their cold fruit juice umbrella drinks.

 

• Residents wearing aprons and rolling dough in baking classes with the cook

• Residents wearing Denver Bronco hats, eating popcorn and drinking frosty

• mugs of non-alcoholic beer while watching the game on our 50” flat screen

• Residents relaxing in a modified yoga class

• Residents watering the plants

 

Our It's Never 2 Late (www.in2l.com) computer center offers a variety of options to stimulate the mind including music for all tastes, games like tic-tac-toe and solitaire, brain exercises like puzzles for all levels and even an airplane flight simulator. Family and friends are all welcome to use the equipment including the Wii game console. Music is one of the best ways to stimulate the mind and our music therapist is very adept at getting everyone engaged and having fun whether it is a sing-along, playing instruments like a drum or a bell or just sitting back and enjoying someone playing a guitar or piano.

 

Sunshine is important for the body to create vitamin D and to boost the immune system and exercise benefits a person at any age in life. New Dawn is completely enclosed with a secure perimeter fence so residents can enjoy regular, supervised walks on the continuous walking path.

 

No matter the interests or abilities, New Dawn’s CATT program benefits residents by improving the quality of their life. Our CATT program is another way in which New Dawn continues the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.