Study Modules > Module VII: Cognitive-Nursing Home

Nursing homes are facilities that provide care for individuals that can no longer be taken care of in the home or community settings. Nursing homes provide a wide range of services, from personal care to healthcare services. Most nursing home residents are assisted with support services such as bathing, dressing, transferring and toileting. Assistive technology and environmental modification can increase the safety of the caregiver and care recipient during these activities. In this module, we cover from commonly used assistive devices to newer devices on the market. The devices illustrated in the module are used to serve as examples only for the type of devices that are available to help the caregiver and care recipient, particularly in bathing and transferring. It is not our intent to recommend these devices over other devices available on the market.

Selection criteria of assistive devices in this module are in the order of: 1. suitability for various levels of physical and cognitive impairments, 2. ability to ease physical stress for caregivers, 3. easy availability, 4. great usability and convenient storage, 5. esthetic, variety of prices and 7. novelty to the market.

This material covers:

1. Nursing Home Statistics
2. Late Stage Alzheimer's Disease "The Disease Has Won"
   1. Symptoms of Severe Alzheimer's disease
   2. Common difficulties
3. Long-term care housing
   1. Skilled Care or Nursing Homes
   2. Hospice Care
   3. Research findings: Does caregiver burden decrease upon nursing home placement?
4. Devices for Caregivers in the Nursing Home
   1. Bath devices
      1. Rhapsody/Primo
      2. The Century
      3. Forelli Shower Trolley
   2. Transferring Devices
      1. The Miranti
      2. ARJO Stedy
      3. The Tub Cut™
      4. Vivax Mobility System
      5. The Soma Safe Enclosure /Bed
5. The Environment of the Nursing Home
   1. Stimulating the senses
   2. Changes to the physical space
      1. Snoezelen Room
      2. Bedrooms
      3. Dining Rooms
      4. Room identifiers
      5. Carpet designs
      6. Handrail installations
6. References
7. Resources

[ back to top ]