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Dena Boss, left, marketing director at Liberty Village of Maryville, and Chaela Pollard, Memory Lane director, stand next to a memory at “Memory Lane – Fitness for the Mind” at Liberty Village.
Games and activities at “Memory Lane – Fitness for the Mind” at Liberty Village of Maryville are color-coded to designate what is appropriate for the three different functional levels of their residents.
The residents at “Memory Lane – Fitness for the Mind” at Liberty Village of Maryville eat and drink using red plates and cups, which have been shown to increase appetite by 25% and fluid intake by 84%.
Games and activities at “Memory Lane – Fitness for the Mind” at Liberty Village of Maryville are color-coded to designate what is appropriate for the three different functional levels of their residents.
Liberty Village of Maryville has unveiled a newly enhanced memory care program for its residents and future residents.
“Memory Lane – Fitness for the Mind” made its debut on July 28 at Liberty Village, located at 6955 State Route 162 in Maryville. The program is designed to exercise the brain, enhance memory and maintain independence.
“Through years of research by the Alzheimer’s Association, Liberty Village has been able to create a structure with specialized and individualized programming for the patient, in order to help them maximize their function and physical ability,” said Dena Boss, marketing director for Liberty Village of Maryville. “They are using the Allen Cognitive Scale, which is performed by a licensed professional, and it’s designed to determine the patient’s exact level of memory impairment. Once the assessment is completed, it is color-coded in order to help the memory care specialists to quickly identify the activities and enrichment programs for the resident.
“The research has proven that the program we are doing here is helping the residents. It’s not going to stop or prevent the disease, but it can delay any new or worsening symptoms. We’re keeping the residents engaged and keeping their minds active. We are working with our residents on what they are still capable of performing. We are taking those abilities and capitalizing on them in order to let the patient feel a sense of self-worth accomplishment, thus minimizing frustrations and behaviors.”
The Fitness for the Mind program has been developed to uniquely focus on a resident’s strengths. Using those strengths, the staff at Liberty then implements personalized therapeutic programs that have been specially designed to focus on existing memory function, allowing the staff to exercise the resident’s brain.
The therapy teams will complete an in-depth assessment of each individual to target his or her remaining abilities. Enrichment programming will be offered throughout the day that is catered to that person’s specific cognitive abilities. These programs are designed to enhance those abilities as well as provide opportunities for social interactions, intellectual stimulation, as well as recreation.
“We started on this program two years before the pandemic, but COVID stopped the rollout for it until now,” Memory Lane Director Chaela Pollard said. “Memory Lane – Fitness for the Mind is an individualized program for the residents, and it’s color-coded and individualized to keep their mind busy. The program is much easier for my staff to be able to work with each resident.”
Each resident at Memory Lane is designated by their functional level through a color code.
Activities and games at Memory Lane are also color-coded, with a sticker on each activity designating what levels it is suited for.
“The staff knows what color a resident is, and it lets them know what activities to do with each person and how to teach them to play the game,” Pollard said.
Liberty Village has changed out its dinnerware for red, which is an appetite stimulant, which has been proven to increase appetite by 25% and fluid intake by 84%.
Likewise, Liberty Village has changed all of the toilet seats on Memory Lane to black with a contrast wall, helping the resident to easily identify, which in turn will reduce falls and help them to remain independent with their self-care.
The memory care specialists at Liberty Village have been provided with rigorous training related to caring for those afflicted with memory impairment. They are available around the clock to ensure that all interactions are guided by evidenced-based interventions that will stimulate each resident’s cognitive abilities.
Specialized programs are provided daily to enhance brain power and exercise the mind. Programs are guided by recommendations from highly trained professionals and are based off of the individualized assessment of each resident’s unique level of functioning.
Allowing each resident to maintain as much independence as possible is of paramount importance to the staff at Liberty Village. Focusing on that independence, Memory in Motion programming allows each individual to do as much as possible on their own, with guided support and assistance where needed by the memory care specialists.
Memory in Motion programs feature independence with everyday tasks such as dressing, bathing and maintaining personal hygiene. Fitness for the Mind programming also focuses on programs to keep the residents walking, eating independently and maintaining continence for as long as possible.
In addition, Liberty Village offers monthly support group meetings, with the next meeting slated for 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19 in the Memory Lane Activity Room. Pollard will lead the group.
Boss emphasized that the event is for the entire community and not only for people who family members on Memory Lane.
“A lot of other people need that support, and we want to make sure we’re providing that for them as well,” Boss said. “In turn, we’re building a relationship with them.”
For more information or to tour Liberty Village of Maryville-Memory Lane-Fitness for the Mind, call 618-288-3800 or visit https://libertyvillageofmaryville.com/.
Scott Marion is a feature reporter for the Intelligencer. A longtime sportswriter, he has worked for the Intelligencer since December 2013. He is a graduate of Brentwood High School and the University of Missouri School of Journalism.