Memory Lane Home Living
Memory Lane Home Living Inc. is a small private not-profit home for up to 5 elderly women with mild dementia who can no longer safely live on their own. These women continue to have their independence in a supervised setting. They participate in everyday living with in the home and in the community. We are located in the heart of Richmond Hill, On, and have walking access to parks, churches, community and senior centres, the library, shopping and more.
Using a non-medical model for dementia care from Europe we create a co-housing type of structure where families and their loved ones have a say in their care and experience a sense of community with the other residents and their families. This specific model of care is from Berlin, Germany and is called “Freunde alter Menschen” in partnership with the “Les petits frères des Pauvres” organization originating in France. There are over 300 of these homes successfully operating in Berlin and over 600 of these homes operating in all of Germany for the past 20 years. The success of these “living communities” is the home setting where a small number of residents are given opportunities to feel useful, and they have a small constant reference group which gives them a sense of “belonging” in this dementia journey. Klaus Pawletko, the sociologist who has been in charge of setting up these homes in Berlin believes that these small home environments help to reduce medication and give the families of the elderly “a peace of mind” that their loved one is being well cared for.
At Memory Lane Home Living, we use a person-centred care model and insist that all who volunteer and are part of the in-home support team have training/experience with this model of dementia care. Person centred care is usually achieved in a small setting were the ratio of supervision is low and the emphasis is on relationships. Dr. David Sheard out of the UK believes that relationships are the most important part of dementia care. He would say that in order to develop relationships we have to be able to meet the elderly where they are in their dementia journey. This chapter of their life should be a journey of love, compassion, care and belonging.
For more information please call us at 905-237-1419 or visit our website at www.memorylane homeliving.ca
