Geer Offering Assistance in Newly Formed Facility

Geer Village, the Canaan retirement complex that is home to many Norfolk seniors, has opened a new unit providing assisted living for the memory impaired. It is only the second such unit in Connecticut especially devoted to residents with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

The secure third-floor unit opened in mid-December and has six single apartments plus one that can accommodate two residents. One unit will be reserved for what is called “respite care”, where a family can place a relative for a one-month stay. “We have had a tremendous amount of interest, despite limited advertisement,” says Executive Director Linda Pierce, RN. “We expect to be fully occupied within a month.”

Residents will need to furnish the apartment themselves, and while all meals are provided, each unit contains a refrigerator and a microwave. Residents are encouraged to have breakfast in an attractive common room, while other meals are usually taken in the main dining room. Nursing service is provided around the clock within the unit.

As memory impairment increases, the value of what Pierce calls “a gentle approach to staying on” becomes greater. The full range of Geer activities is open to all residents. “I will customize programs to suit each resident,” says Kathy Barlow, LPN, who was on duty during a mid-January visit.

Many with mild memory impairment continue to live comfortably at home, often with some help from a spouse or relatives. But life with someone with MCI is subject to numerous risks. Visitors to the homes of persons suspected of having the disorder are advised to look for burned or partly melted kitchen equipment. Consider the following excerpt from the useful 33-page booklet, “Helping Memory-Impaired Elders: A Guide for Caregivers”, produced by Oregon State University and available on the internet:

“For several years Joe had known he was having memory problems. … Recently, Joe encountered a detour while driving home from the neighborhood grocery store. He arrived home two hours late. He had become lost 3 blocks from home. … [H]e covered up by telling his worried wife that the had run into an old friend. … Joe felt worthless. Growing old was depressing.”

The 139-page Senior Living Guidebook to be found at SeniorLivingSource.org is also recommended.

Gary Small, a distinguished longevity scholar at UCLA, will be giving a free lecture at Geer Village, February 1, at noon. He will speak about his latest book, written with Gigi Vorgan, entitled “The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program.”