A new approach to Alzheimer's Treatment: Let them eat chocolate!

Creative Approaches to Alzheimer’s Care

Recently the New York Times ran an article about a creative assisted living center in Phoenix called Beatitudes. What began as a ministry of a church has turned into a fascinating and open-minded approach to elder living and helping people with Alzheimer’s Disease. What makes their approach different is their willingness to be flexible and bend rules to bring emotional and physical comfort to their residents. Recently an Alzheimer’s patient came to them after being kicked out of several facilities for not being cooperative with the program. The woman, as it turns out, wanted to shower at 2 am, eat chocolate at every meal, and have a doll. The caregivers at Beatitudes thought the solution was pretty simple. Give her a doll and some chocolate. If she wants to bathe at no, that’s fine. She’s been a model resident ever since.

I mean, the dear woman is 94 years old. Let her eat chocolate at every meal if she wants.

Dementia patients at Beatitudes are allowed practically anything that brings comfort, even an alcoholic “nip at night,” said Tena Alonzo, director of research. “Whatever your vice is, we’re your folks,” she said.

“The state tried to cite us for having chocolate on the nursing chart. They were like, ‘It’s not a medication.’ Yes, it is. It’s better than Xanax.”

Read the whole article here.

At AlzCare, we’re trying to treat our Alzheimer’s friends with this same philosophy. We have rules, to be sure. The safety of residents is a priority for us, as it should be. And certainly Alzheimer’s patients cannot be indulged to the point of putting their lives in danger. But with these things in mind, we try to be very flexible to create a loving environment that allows people to be individuals. We DEFINITELY allow our residents who are so inclined to have their “night cap” in the evening. I remember once we had a gentleman who had been sleeping for years on his leather couch. He found it hard to sleep in a bed.

“No problem,” we said. We moved his familiar leather couch right into his room, and that’s where he slept.

Recent studies have shown that emotional well-being and happiness is at LEAST as important as medication in the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The point of all of this is simple: Alzheimer’s patients need to be afforded simple dignities and be valued as individuals. It’s the right thing to do.

J Green
AlzCare

AlzCare – Assisted Living for Alzheimer’s Disease in Texas. Caring for our Alzheimer’s friends in a loving, home environment.