Tag: Philadelphia best dementia care

Spring Into Connection: Meaningful Activities for Older Adults Living with Dementia

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

As spring arrives, it brings renewed energy, warmer days, and more opportunities to connect. For older adults living with dementia, this season offers a meaningful chance to engage in ways that support well-being, spark joy, and strengthen relationships. At NursePartners,, our focus is always on creating purposeful experiences that meet each individual where they are.

We believe great care is not just about meeting needs. It is about creating moments of connection that enhance quality of life.

A Positive Approach to Care

Our care philosophy is rooted in the Positive Approach to Care, developed by Teepa Snow. This approach focuses on ability rather than loss. Instead of asking what someone can no longer do, we focus on what they can still accomplish and enjoy.

This mindset allows our caregivers to:

  • Build trust through supportive and respectful interactions
  • Adapt activities to match each person’s abilities
  • Create success driven experiences that reduce frustration
  • Foster dignity, independence, and purpose
  • Every interaction becomes an opportunity to connect.

Spring Activities That Create Meaningful Moments
Spring provides a natural setting for engagement. With the right support, even simple activities can become powerful experiences.

Enjoying the Outdoors

Fresh air and sunshine can have a calming and uplifting effect. Whether it is a short walk, sitting on a patio, or enjoying a garden, being outside stimulates the senses and encourages relaxation. Our caregivers focus on the experience itself, helping clients feel safe, present, and connected.

Gardening with Purpose

Gardening offers both physical and emotional benefits. Simple tasks like watering plants, arranging flowers, or planting seeds provide a sense of accomplishment. These familiar activities can reconnect individuals to past routines and create a feeling of contribution.


Reminiscing and Conversation

Spring often brings back memories of family gatherings, holidays, and time spent outdoors. Looking through photos or sharing stories helps clients reconnect with their identity. Our caregivers guide these conversations in a way that promotes comfort and positive emotion.


Music and Gentle Movement

Music remains one of the most powerful tools in dementia care. Listening to familiar songs or encouraging light movement can improve mood and increase engagement. Each experience is tailored to the individual’s preferences and energy level.


Daily Tasks with Meaning

Everyday activities such as folding laundry or setting the table can provide structure and purpose. These moments are not about completing a task perfectly. They are about helping clients feel involved, capable, and valued.


Creative Expression

Spring inspired arts and crafts allow for creativity without pressure. Painting, coloring, or simple hands on projects encourage self expression and engagement at any ability level.

Care That Adapts to the Individual

At NursePartners, we understand that no two individuals experience dementia the same way. That is why our care plans are personalized and flexible.

Our caregivers are trained to:

  • Adjust activities in real time based on ability and mood
  • Provide just the right level of support
  • Recognize cues and respond with empathy and skill
  • Create a balance between engagement and rest

This approach leads to more positive outcomes and a higher quality of life.

More Than Care. A True Partnership.

Spring is a season of renewal, but meaningful engagement should be part of every day. Through our commitment to the Positive Approach to Care, we help families feel confident that their loved ones are supported, understood, and genuinely cared for.

At NursePartners, we do more than provide care. We create connection, purpose, and peace of mind for the families we serve.

If you are looking for compassionate, skilled support for a loved one living with dementia, our team is here to help you every step of the way.  Call us today at 610-323-9800.

 

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Free Evaluations for those living with dementia

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

Do you have a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia? NursePartners is offering a free evaluation that can serve as the basis for their plan of care*. This offer is valid until May 31 if you mention this ad. We are available 24/7/365 at 610-323-9800.

We work with families to weave together an authentic plan of care, incorporating the client’s life histories, preferences, and strengths. This serves as the bedrock for a care plan that focuses on what the client still can do, instead of what they cannot.

NursePartners was founded in 2002 and only cares for older adults. This is because we are passionate about our work and caring for those who have cared for us. Each case is managed by a registered nurse and certified dementia practitioner. They handpick certified nursing assistants to work with each client, based on the employee’s experience, passion, and interests.

Over the years, we have supported clients living with many different types of dementia including:

  • Alzheimer’s
  • Frontotemporal
  • Lewy Bodies
  • Vascular
  • Mixed

No two people are the same, and the journey through dementia is different for everyone. We understand this and have worked with many families over the years. NursePartners practices the Positive Approach to CareTM as developed by Teepa Snow. To learn more, click here.

 

 

* NursePartners waives the evaluation free for clients that plan to use the evaluation as the basis for a plan of care with services through NursePartners.  This is confirmed through payment of a deposit prior to initiation of services.  Clients who would like a plan of care for private use may also contact NursePartners.

Connecting while Quarantined, engage your Senior living with Dementia

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

We are all having a tough time living life “on hold” and changing our daily habits. However, we understand the end goal and the reasons why we are making these temporary changes.

What if we were living with dementia? For someone whose brain is dying, they cannot rationalize the situation in the same way. We are asking them to change their daily habits, the very habits that help keep them occupied and living with a sense of purpose. If we think changing our habits is hard, it is extremely challenging for a Diamond or Emerald stage person living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. Teepa Snow discusses this dilemma in a recent podcast here.

We can mitigate this additional stress though targeted engagement. NursePartners works with clients to build personalized plans of care and add meaning to the lives of older adults living with dementia. We strive to do activities with our clients that are reflective of their life histories and hobbies, adjusting tasks to meet their current skill levels.

During these times it is important to continue to engage with those living with dementia, to make sure they still feel connected, and help ward off the depression of isolation.  If your loved one lives in an assisted living or nursing home, it is likely that the facility is no longer providing their usual calendar of social activities.  If all residents are isolated to their rooms, how are they being mentally stimulated?

NursePartners goes above and beyond simply performing hygiene related tasks, making engagement a cornerstone of our service. If you have not tried us yet, call us to learn more: 610-323-9800.

The GEMS™ brain change model

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

NursePartners embraces the GEMS™ brain change model developed by Teepa Snow.  Unlike other scales, such as the Global Deterioration Scale or the Dementia Severity Rating Scale, the GEMS focuses on creating constructive opportunities to engage with the person living with dementia.  Clients are still seen as people, rather than former individuals lost to the disease.

The GEMS allows us to adapt our care approaches to connect with the person in their moment.  We acknowledge what is lost, but use other senses to build meaningful relationships with our clients.

Services begin with a comprehensive assessment that goes beyond the clinical needs.  We want to know as much as possible about our clients’ preferences and personal histories.  This will allow us to connect from day one, building a durable and trusting relationship.   NursePartners changes the plans of care as we learn new information about each client.

All carepartners attend an initial orientation where they actively participate in a dementia workshop.  Carepartners learn the positive physical approach to care and contribute to a dialogue about the disease.  Dementia coaches then stimulate real life scenarios, filming each carepartner as they approach the hypothetical client.  Carepartners watch themselves as they approach clients, recognizing their strengths and acknowledge an area for improvement.  Scenarios are repeated until carepartners feel confident in the learned approaches.

Carepartners then complete a proprietary training module and final assessment, ensuring that they have understood the training.  At this point, they are ready to be assigned to a client living with dementia.  NursePartners admin will then assess if a client and carepartner would be a good match based on their personalities, interests, and general disposition.

All families are given a description of the GEMS model.  We want them to also connect with their loved one, continuing their relationships.  We help families understand that care techniques must adapt as a person progresses through the disease.  Here is a good summary of the six GEM levels.

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Want to learn more about how we can help your loved one living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia?  Call us today at 610-323-9800.