Memory Care Unit

    “Reflections” is a 21 bed facility offering special care for persons with various forms of dementia, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease.  Our goal is to offer the opportunity for success and feelings of self-worth to each resident, to enrich each person’s life and to help him or her to function at their maximum capacity.

    It is estimated that 1.5 million Americans suffer from severe dementia and that this number will increase five-fold by the year 2040.  Dementia is both a health problem and a social problem for those it afflicts.  A positive self-image is scarce among persons with dementia.  When we create an environment in which residents feel safe and appreciated, their sense of well-being and, to some degree, their functioning can improve.  Reflections provides this kind of setting.

Environment

    Residents at Reflections will experience an environment created just for them.  Every effort has been made to design homelike living space. Colors and lighting have been carefully chosen to complement the activities that take place in each area.  Noise is kept to a minimum.  Public address systems and phone bells have been turned off. Hallways and common areas are open and free of impediments so that residents can walk safely. Families are encouraged to individualize residents’ personal space with articles from home.

    Reflections is not a locked unit.  However, access to other areas in the building and the outdoors is restricted for safety through the use of Wandergard®, a signaling device that alerts staff when a resident wanders from the unit. Within the unit, residents walk freely.  Residents also enjoy a secure outdoor area with walking paths, flowers, bird feeders and other outdoor amenities.

Staff

    Caregivers at Reflections have received extensive training in providing care and services to persons with dementia.  Consistency is important.  Caregivers are assigned to work on the Reflections unit after careful screening and are solely assigned there. Residents are assured that the same caregivers will assist them routinely.

    A licensed nurse, certified nursing assistants and activity staff form the key staff of Reflections.  Regardless of their title, they are “cross-trained” to provide care and programming.  This allows for more flexibility in the provision of care and services. 

    Reflections is a self-contained unit.  Residents stay within the unit for most cares, activities and meals.  This too allows for more flexibility, permitting the resident to follow his or her own schedule, rather than that of staff.

Programs

    Programming for individual abilities and interests is what Reflections is all about.  Small groups, predictable routines, consistent atmosphere, activities that are adapted to various levels of memory loss and finding success in each individual is key to our activity and social programs. 

    Our goals are to:  maintain physical well-being, increase self-esteem, provide intellectual stimulation and maintain connection with the outside world.  We encourage socialization, expression of feelings, independence and use of remaining abilities.  Routine is essential, yet is flexible to allow for variations in attention span.  Activities are designed to stimulate the senses and memory and are accomplished in simple steps that are easier to follow.

A typical day at Reflections might look like this:

Visitors

    Families and friends are encouraged to be part of resident life at Reflections and are always welcome.  Persons with dementia may not always cope well with large group activities or several visitors at one time.  We therefore ask that all visitors stop at the nurses’ station on arrival and before departure so that we know who and how many visitors are on the unit at one time.

Admission Criteria

   Reflections is designed primarily for those who have a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease as well as related dementia disorders.  Individuals who qualify for the unit will meet one of the following criteria:

Individual has some or all of the following characteristics:

1. significant memory impairment
2. short attention span
3. difficulty communicating needs
4. inability to perform self-care activities
5. impaired judgment
6. some degree of disorientation to person, place or time
7. behavior that disrupts the environment
8. has experienced a change in prior behavior evidenced by withdrawal, disinterest, suspicion, etc.
9. Individual has a diagnosis of dementia and can participate and benefit from consistent, daily programming in a small therapeutic environment to maintain functional and cognitive abilities.

Individuals with long standing history of aggressive behavior cannot be considered for admission.

    Residence at Reflections may be short or long term depending on individual needs.  Discharge may occur if a resident’s condition improves or if it reaches a level that requires more medical care than programmatic intervention.  Residents who no longer need the services of Reflections may wish to transfer to Crossroads’ skilled nursing unit.

Other Information

    Reflections is a special care unit within Crossroads Care Center, a 52 bed skilled nursing facility licensed by the State of Minnesota.  Crossroads Care Center is certified for Medicare and Medicaid and accepts most long term care insurance.  Residents of Reflections may meet Medicare Part A coverage guidelines for a period of time during their stay. 

    Physical, occupational and speech therapy are available to residents of Reflections.  All residents are assessed on admission to determine if they would benefit from one or more therapies. 

    A wide range of medical, activity, dietary and spiritual services are available to Reflections’ residents.  More information about these services is available in our facility brochure.

For more information contact:

Karen Rye, Admissions Coordinator
Crossroads Care Center
965 McMillan Street
Worthington,  MN  56187
Phone:  (507) 376-5312

“Yesterday is already a dream and Tomorrow is only a vision, but TODAY well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of HOPE.”

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