Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 26, 1992 TAG: 9202260072
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
BLACKSBURG NURSING HOME OPENS ALZHEIMER'S WING THURSDAY
The Grove, a renovated wing designed for the care of people with Alzheimer's disease, will officially open at Heritage Hall nursing home Thursday with a luncheon and tour."It's a structured environment," said Karen McCollum, director of admissions at Heritage Hall. "People with Alzheimer's disease are a very different population from geriatrics in general and they really thrive in this type of setting."
Three million Americans have this disease, a progressive neurological disorder. No cause or cure is known.
Symptoms include gradual memory loss, impaired judgment, disorientation, personality change, difficulty in learning and loss of language skills.
Patients moved into the 30-bed facility Dec. 1. It has a dining room, a private courtyard and separate entry. The work was done by the nursing home's maintenance staff.
Thursday's invitation-only luncheon and tour will give social services workers, hospital personnel, psychiatric experts and nursing home care providers a chance to see the facility.
Other visitors are limited to decrease disruptions. Tours are available weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Or one may call for an appointment, McCollum said.
The Grove is for patients who are able to walk or who are wheelchair independent. And since many Alzheimer's patients will wander, the wing is secured so patients do not have to be restrained.
"The schedules here are flexible," McCollum said. "For instance, if a person sleeps during the day and wanders at night, there are trained staff people who are always here to keep an eye on them. You can't force them into a behavior; you want them to be able to walk at will."
The staff has gone through extensive training and will be able to recognize and administer to the needs of each resident.
Because Alzheimer's is progressive disease, there will come a time when a resident will no longer benefit from living at The Grove, McCollum said. And when a person reaches this stage, it will be recommended that he or she be transferred to nursing home care.
Heritage Hall is owned and operated by HCMF Corp., which currently has three Alzheimer's units in operation in Virginia.
For more information, call McCollum at 951-7000.