KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
At the Oakmont retirement community in Santa Clarita, residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s can count on a “specially-trained team” who “engage residents with the extra care and patience they may need.”
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Staff at Oakmont “provides a soothing environment and specialized activities based on music, sensory, and tactile stimulation” for residents of the retirement community in Santa Clarita who struggle with advanced memory loss, officials say.
The Oakmont team works to support residents with mild to advanced memory loss through a number of thoughtfully designed programming choices, including community engagement, activities and exercise, access to nature and the oversight of a full-time nurse and 24 hour care providers.
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Oakmont calls their care program for those with memory loss “Traditions Memory Care,” stating that “all Traditions team members participate in specialized dementia education, training, and routine evaluations.”
In addition to staff training and program specialization, the retirement community in Santa Clarita recently offered tips for family members when interacting with their loved ones who struggle with memory loss.
These tips came via David Troxel, MPH author and dementia care expert, who wrote about how to be a “best friend” to someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s in a recent Oakmont newsletter.
“In general, the recipe for excellent care is to keep the person living with dementia as healthy as possible, while at the same time surrounding him or her with friendship and meaningful activity,” Troxel said. “Socialization, in many ways, becomes the treatment for dementia, reduces dementia-related behavior, and helps the person feel safe, secure and valued.”
Troxel recommended that loved ones discuss events and places which were important to the person with memory loss, such as “past successes and favorite subjects.”
He also explained that staff with the retirement community in Santa Clarita understand that eating meals similar to the ones they grew up eating could be comforting.
“If a resident at Oakmont grew up in New Orleans, team members know and use this information to offer him some hot sauce with his meals and play some jazz for him in his room,” Troxel said.
Troxel additionally recommended showing positive emotions to loved ones with memory loss.
“Oakmont’s team members working in memory care smile, offer compliments and naturally demonstrate warmth and affection,” he explained. “When you are talking with your family member, do the same!”
Lastly, Troxel recommended patience and active engagement. Because it can be difficult for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s to communicate smoothly, “Oakmont’s team members learn to slow down, listen, provide clues and cues, and not argue or correct,” he explained.
Troxel suggested trying to include loved ones in activities such as singing their favorite songs or going over family recipes with them by listing ingredients.
“It’s amazing how many talents remain, particularly with an activity that’s in the moment,” Troxel said.
For more information on Traditions Memory Care, interested parties can visit the Oakmont of Valencia or Oakmont of Santa Clarita websites or call them at the numbers listed below.
Ed. Note: This article is a KHTS Community Spotlight based on a recent radio interview with Oakmont of Santa Clarita / Oakmont of Valencia.
Oakmont provides luxury senior living in Santa Clarita. Oakmont of Santa Clarita opened on Newhall Ranch Road in 2016, and a second community, Oakmont of Valencia, opened on Copper Hill Drive in July 2019. The Santa Clarita senior living communities are comprised of pet-friendly apartment units, with both independent and Santa Clarita assisted living options available. Residents can enjoy five-star amenities like a salon & day spa, movie theater, fitness center, restaurant-style dining, gardens and walking paths, pet park, wellness center and more. A separate wing of the community, called Traditions Memory Care, is dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Those looking for a retirement community in Santa Clarita, or simply “senior living near me,” “assisted living near me” or a “retirement community near me” can contact Oakmont staff for more information today.
Oakmont of Santa Clarita
28650 Newhall Ranch Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(661) 347-0051
Oakmont of Valencia
24070 Copper Hill Drive
Valencia, CA 91354
661-210-3340
