House of Three works with Alzheimer’s patients, families
Their company doesn’t specialize in memory care, Jennifer Edwards of the House of Three explained, but it’s often a good fit for people with Alzheimer’s disease. They work closely with the Schmieding Center at University of Arkansas Medical School, and recently hosted an event that will help families understand aging a little better.
The House of Three provides round-the-clock care for senior patients in a home setting. In fact, each home has three residents plus caregivers nestled into a neighborhood. There are two House of Three homes in Bella Vista, although neighbors may not even realize they are there.
The House of Three also works with families of the residents so they can experience a demonstration at a Schmieding Center event that lets them “experience” what it’s like to have dementia. Edwards offered to host an event so more family members could have the experience.
For many patients, Alzheimer’s isn’t the only issue, Brandi Schneider of the Schmieding Center explained. There are other challenges to overcome. To give people an idea of what it’s like, they are first asked to don goggles designed to simulate macular degeneration. A black disc blocks the center of the goggles and the edges are yellow.
Next, head phones with a constant random noise are added, then heavy gardening gloves that reduce motor skills and finally, shoes fitted with lifts made with uncomfortable ridges allow a healthy person to feel neuropathy.
Once they are dressed, they are asked to do some everyday tasks — maybe sorting pills and paying bills.
Almost everyone expresses frustration, Schneider said, but for most people it’s easy to remove goggles and gloves and return to normal. Dementia patients don’t have that option, she said.
For some dementia patients, it’s the frustration that drives negative behavior.
There’s no way to simulate the loss of short-term memory, but that’s one more frustration that Alzheimer’s patients must endure. Sometimes devices such as a labeled pill box no longer prove useful because patients can’t remember what day it is, she said.
A smaller, quieter environment can help, Edwards said. Often, dementia patients, don’t respond well to a large institutional setting. At House of Three, the caregivers can get to know not only the patient, but also the patient’s family and help them adjust.
Not only are there roundthe-clock caregivers, House of Three also has cameras installed so family members can check in on their loved ones from a smart phone or a computer, she said. There’s a full-time nurse on staff for four homes and a doctor who is willing to do house calls, she said. Therapists will also visit the houses, she said.
Each of the houses is renovated before the residents move in, so each resident can have their own handicapped accessible bathroom. Each house has a deck or a porch so residents can enjoy the outdoors. Alzheimer’s patients sometimes wander, but Edwards said the calm, home-like atmosphere helps the patients stay put.
House of Three has two additional homes in Rogers.
Edwards doesn’t think the program will expand very much right away.
She knows all the residents and the caregivers. The tend to stay full, even though they don’t advertise. But there is still a need, she said, so someday there may be more Houses of Three.
For more information, contact the House of Three at 479-270-9975 or the Schmieding Center at 479751-3043.