This video by David Coleman from CBC news discusses the best long-term care option that you may not be aware of if deciding on a place for a loved one with dementia.
Many long-term care homes take away a person’s options when they have dementia or other medical conditions. Patients are confined to bed, or sedated to keep them from falling.
The CEO, Sue Ellen Biddy, of Sherbrook care home in Saskatoon, says most care homes focus on only the safety of the body but ignore the spirit and the happiness of living.
In Sherbrook, the residents have the freedom to make choices while taking precautions to protect against injury. For example, one resident with a fall risk wears a helmet to protect her head and is allowed to go where she likes instead of being sedated as she would have been elsewhere.
The best long-term care home, according to both staff and residents, is one where the resident has a room they can decorate, have a pet, and make decisions according to their daily preferences. This gives them a life they can still enjoy instead of becoming lethargic and depressed. The best long-term care home considers body and spirit.
