LETTERS: Clarification
To The Editor,
I am writing to correct the article by Rowena Plett in last week's paper and the news that Marion County now has a state-of-the-art facility in the specialized care of people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. She makes an assertion in her article that other nursing homes in Marion County provide integrated care for those suffering from Alzheimer's.
The Alzheimer/Special Care Unit of Hillsboro Community Medical Center has been providing such specialized care in a separate dedicated unit for almost a year now. We have seen marked improvement in residents who are more comfortable in a setting specifically designed for their special needs. In addition, our residents who continue to live in the traditional portion of our long-term care unit also have benefited. All this on top of the fact that if more acute services are ever needed such as radiology or laboratory testing, it is all available under the same roof.
In fact, we have recently announced an expansion to our traditional residential living model called Adult Dementia Care Services. This service provides a relaxed environment for older adult care on a day-time basis. It provides a safe place for individuals not capable of full-time independent living. In addition to therapeutic social activities to reduce loneliness, it provides a respite for the family members currently responsible for giving care.
Michael J. Ryan
Administrator and CEO
Hillsboro Community Medical Center
