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| Imagine spending your life with someone who knows all of your secrets and shares your past. They know how you like your coffee and how you read your morning paper. They remember how nervous you were on your wedding day and how happy you were about the birth of your children. They remember the day you got that promotion and the day you lost your job. They know your favorite color, movie, book, and type of music. Then one day that person doesn’t remember you. They don’t remember their own name, where they live, or their own children. You’re left to deal with the loss of their companionship, and you become their 24-hour caretaker. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can have this effect on families. The person is still there physically, but they are lost to you. Sometimes they can be lucid, but you never know when those moments may occur. So you spend each day waiting for that glimmer of quality time that you can spend together. In the meantime, you have to take care of all of their needs and keep them safe. Amy Barth, administrator of Arbor Springs in West Des Moines, says that this kind of care is exhausting. “Dementia and Alzheimer’s caregivers often think it is a socially unacceptable topic to discuss with others. So they often find themselves dealing with their situation alone, not knowing where to go.” Amy says she wants those caregivers to know that they can come to Arbor Springs whether they have a need for residential facility care or just support from someone else who knows what they are going through. She advises caregivers to reach out for resources regardless of if they are still caring for their loved one in their own home or they are in a facility. Arbor Springs also offers respite care, which allows the loved one to stay for a short time. It allows the caregiver a weekend off to rejuvenate. She says that oftentimes, caregivers feel guilty and that they have failed. She says it’s OK to let someone else take over for awhile. Amy mentions that unless you find yourself in a situation like this, you may not know that a facility like this exists. She adds that the older the population becomes, the better chance there is that you or someone you know will someday have to deal with this issue. She emphasizes that Arbor Springs has the means to help the family as well as the individual. They can provide services under Medicare. They also have on-site therapy services that can help a loved one who may have fallen and broken a hip and needs therapy. The individual can come for therapy and then return home. The therapists and the staff fully understand dementia, Amy says. Arbor Springs is an award-winning facility that is devoted to the care of Alzheimer’s and related dementia. Its program is designed with a home-like setting that promotes social interaction and individual independence. The staff at Arbor Springs believes the person precedes the dementia, Amy shares. The facility is set in a residential area. It has been designed to offer residents comfort, safety, and a secure environment with a feeling of being at home. Built in 2004, it is a 56-bed private-pay facility designed specifically for those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s. There are six secure neighborhoods—each with either nine or 10 private bedrooms, a large, home-like living room, a dining room, a kitchen, and a secure courtyard. Amy says she got into the field in 1992 as a CNA while going to college to be an administrator. She earned her degree in 1997. She first became interested in the field while she was in high school when she needed a summer job. Her only options were to work in a factory or a nursing home. She chose the nursing home, and she had the opportunity to work in a lockdown dementia unit. Amy soon found that she had a passion for working with the elderly. Amy says, “My heart is in this industry. It’s what keeps me going.” She adds, “The disease is more understood now. People are getting properly diagnosed and treated. Early diagnosis can delay onset with proper medication. If you have the diagnosis, you will succumb to it. There is no cure, but early diagnosis can get you the medication to help delay the symptoms.” George, a caregiver whose spouse is a resident of Arbor Springs, says he was introduced to the facility by a good friend whose wife was a resident there. When the time came that he needed help, he says he was impressed with the staff, their attention, and how they treated the residents with dignity. George and his spouse have been married for 56 years, and he visits her daily. He says there has only been one situation at Arbor Springs so far that was difficult. As he was getting ready to leave one day, his wife wanted to go with him. One of the staff members noticed, and she quickly distracted her by asking her to help her with something. “I could leave without causing her further pain,” he shares. George was in the Korean War, and was shot at daily. That was scary, as was the time when he lost his job at age 56. But he says that those incidents were easier to handle than this situation with his wife because there was always something he could do about it. Now there is nothing he can do to fix this. He says life is easier for him now that he knows she is being cared for. Amy says she has seen improvements over the years with dementia care, but they still struggle with finding the right people to staff the facility. It is a physically and emotionally draining career, and the burnout rate is high, she states. It takes a special person, she adds. And with the economy the way it is, the cost is prohibitive and people tend to stay home rather than seek residential care. Sometimes they wait too long in a situation that will almost always end with the need to be placed in a facility. At every chance, Amy speaks to the public, she says. She shares facts about dementia, and would like to hear from groups who may be interested in arranging for her to speak. She says Arbor Springs’ mission is to educate the community, and she takes that duty very seriously. Arbor Springs is located at 7951 EP True Parkway in West Des Moines. Call 223-1135, or send an e-mail to info@arborsprings.org. |
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