Dementia care offers services & support for patients and families

Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Care and Education Campus is providing support and education for people living with all types and all stages of dementia and their families.

Located at 44th Street and East Indianola Avenue, the campus provides a full spectrum of services and surrounds family members with compassionate support. Everyone in the community is welcome to utilize the Education Center, which hosts a variety of support groups, music and fitness activities offered at no charge. For short-term acute needs, patients may stay at the Levine Home Inpatient Care Unit for round-the-clock care. The campus also features a small assisted living center for those living with dementia, plus an adult day club to provide socialization and give caregivers a break.

Maribeth Gallagher, Dementia Program Director for Hospice of the Valley, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss what the campus offers and how it can help those with dementia or who are caring for someone with dementia.

“We’re trying to shatter the stigma associated with dementia and propose can you live well with dementia, in order to do that, when we know better we do better,” said Gallagher in regard to the reasoning behind providing the services they are to dementia patients and their loved ones.

One of the services that Gallagher expanded upon in the interview regarded Memory cafes. She explained how Memory cafes are places where people can come and have a blast and feel connected with others.

Gallagher also described another service provided known as Adult Day Club.

Gallagher mentioned that, “This is another place people can come and spend the day singing, dancing, having conversations, and that really allow their partners to be able to leave them there and not feel guilty because they know the person is better for being there.”