Dementia is characterized by a group of symptoms that negatively affect a person's quality of life and can ultimately lead to death. Diagnosis is made when a person is demonstrating failings of at least two brain functions that result in symptoms such as memory loss, paranoia, difficulty in learning and retaining new information, and inability to plan. A dementia unit is a facility or part of a nursing or adult care home that specializes in providing care for people who are afflicted with these problems.
There are no specific licensing requirements for a dementia unit. A person who is interested in placing a family member in such a facility might want to investigate several locations before making a placement decision. The person should take notes on specific qualifications to make an informed decision about the best unit available.
Noise levels are important to dementia patients. The quieter the facility, the better, as dementia patients can become distressed by exposure to continuous loud noises. The dementia unit should be located on a quiet street, not only to reduce overall noise, but to decrease the risks of a patient being hit by a car if the patient is outside.
It is important for a dementia unit to be equipped with locked exit doors or have the patients wear alarm bracelets. This is for the protection of the residents. Wandering dementia patients can get lost, in addition to being at risk for being involved in car accidents or being robbed. If the facility has locked doors, it is important that the dementia unit have safety procedures in place in the event of a fire or other situations in which residents need to be evacuated.
Architecture is an important key to choosing a dementia unit. One-story buildings are preferable over multi-story buildings to reduce the risks of residents falling or becoming lost. In addition, a building with a circular "wandering zone" is preferable to one that only allows residents to wander in hallways. Wandering into dead ends can be frustrating for dementia patients.
The colors used to paint the facility can have an impact on residents' quality of life. Colors should be bold and "color coded." For example, all of the bedroom doors should be one color while the bathroom doors should be a different color.
Staffing is also an important factor in deciding on the best dementia unit. The lower the ratio of residents to staffers, the better. It is also important to find out if the staff has credentials or special training about how to work with people who have dementia.
