Landscape for alzheimer patients
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Landscape for Alzheimer Patients
Jean Beaupre & Steph Falkers
General Information About Alzheimer Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disease of the brain from which there is no recovery. The disease slowly attcks nerve cells in the brain and surrounding structures. This will then impair the person's abilities to; have emotions, recognize errors and patterns, coordinate movement, and remember. When the disease reaches its final stages; the afflicted person will lose all memory and mental functioning.
Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease should remain physically, mentally, and socially active as long as they are able:
Daily physical exercise helps maximize body and mind - ex. Daily Walk
Engage in as much mental activity as he or she can handle, this can slow the profession of the disease
Social interaction is stimulating and enjoyable for most people with early or intermediate stages
There are also many conservations methods that can help manage the progression of the disease:
Eating a proper diet
Getting Daily Exercise
Continuing intellectual stimulation
The implementation of memory aids
Providing a comfortable and stimulating environment
Therapy Activities
Music:
According to recent research Music Therapy can help improve eating habits, which is a main issues with Alzheimer patients getting the nutrition that is necessary.
Exercise:
Moderate exercise helps cognitive function. Example of cognitive functions are awareness, knowing surroundings, thinking skills, ability to learn, and judging for ones self. Physical exercise is good for the body and mind.
Activities:
Keeping a patient with Alzheimer's active helps to stimulates the mind. The individual will have less time to be bored and more active learning processes.
Relaxation:
Muscle tension can lead to many other health problems so an important factor in treating Alzheimer patients is to keep a state of relaxation. Many small things can keep the patient calm and relaxed.
Benefits of Therapeutic Activities
Music:
Keeping a state of relaxation is an important key in treating Alzheimer. Classical music gives off a strong sense of relaxation and peacefulness. There needs to be consideration when the music selection is made. The music is made to bring back previous memories but to stimulate the mind and beyond that to comprehend then people do tell this things. The purpose is to give the mind a mental work out while retaining new information. Studies have proven that Patriotic music is one of the worse music to play. They ideas that are associated with patriotic songs could potentially lead to memories that are depressing and in return may suffer more.
Music can be incorporated into the landscape with things like wind chimes, musical steps, birds, games, and much more. The rhythmic patterns can also with learning processes in the future.
Exercise:
Exercise is a preventable for so many health factors for young and old. Alzheimer patients have if not more benefits then the common person. Things like mental decline, good behavior, memory skills increase, and communication skills with everyday conversation. The depression rate went down a large amount with a normal exercise patterned incorporated in the day.
In our site we can use paths, gardening, and games as a daily exercise routines. The outside factor for these exercise places also gives more of an upbeat feeling then in a "class room" setting.
Activities:
Activities can consist of many types of things. Task that we may be concerned as "Busy Work" like folding papers and putting stamps on letters may actually benefit that patient. The last thing you want is for a person suffering from Alzheimer's to be bored. The simple steps that it takes to move your hand from pealing a stamp off a piece of paper to putting it on an envelope gives the mind enough activity. The main point is to stay away from "childish" activities. No activity should be too hard for the patient. Not being able to do something leads to frustration and gives the patient more reason to go into a state of depression. Challenges are fine but someone should be there to support and help along the way.
Suggests for our Landscape could be things like sporting areas. (mini-golf, horse-shoe, bocce ball, gardening, bird feeding, and more)
Relaxation:
A stress free zone is essential for any kind of recovery to be had. Many different techniques can be done to have a successful therapeutic center. A seat should support your back and legs and feet should be completely grounded. Breathing fresh air in deeply helps the heart rate keep a steady pace. The deep breaths helps think of happy thoughts either it's a memory or just a site the patient see. Relaxation helps to control anxiety, aggression and irritability.
Comfortable seating, enjoyable views, and calming sites will help for relaxation.
Alzheimer's Garden for Cheadle Royal Hospital
This garden was designed originally by Alison McCann, a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, and was completed by Ed Bennis, a lecturer at the school.
The garden uses remembrance therapy which is now recognized as an important factor in psychiatric care and can have a positive influence on patients' moods and ability to relax. The Garden at Cheadle Royal Hospital contains: a clothes line, wheelbarrow, dustbin, birdtables, and other items which research indicates create a 'homely' safe environment. Other tradition garden and orchard plants are also used such as: lilac, forsythia, hydrangea, and fruit trees.
http://www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/profile/ebennis/projectdetails/79
