May 18, 2005—A Snoezelen Room, a gentle stimulation chamber designed for men and women suffering from dementia, will be featured in the new Alzheimer’s unit at the newly-named West Hartford Health and Rehabilitation Center.
The center, formerly known as the Brookview Health Care Facility, has been renamed West Hartford Health & Rehabilitation Center as part of a comprehensive facility overhaul designed to update the center and add new features. The new name was chosen to reflect the center’s status as an important part of the community for families and patients.
The West Hartford facility is the first in Connecticut to have a staff that has been certified and trained by the Dementia Care Professionals of America (DCPA), a division of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA).
The facility is also among the first in the region to feature a Snoezelen Room—a concept originally used to treat children with autism, but has since been found to have therapeutic effects on patients with Alzheimer’s. It features a soothing, multi-sensory environment for patients that provides stimulation and relaxation through the use of smell, touch, sound, color, and light. It has been found to be beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients since it provides a range of sensory stimuli and experiences to absorb, explore, and control in a safe, controlled and comfortable environment.
The new unit is designed to be highly secure and self-contained. The 30-bed unit also has a number of other specially designed features for Alzheimer’s patients, including brighter lighting, to eliminate shadows; special slip-resistant flooring; handrails, to promote mobility and independence; and noise-reduction measures including acoustical ceiling tiles and sound-absorbing design materials to minimize over-stimulation and distraction.
For more information, visit the centers Web site.
