Life Engagement

We appreciate and acknowledge every resident’s individuality and their lifetime of achievements and success. Our Life Engagement program is designed around this philosophy. It begins with seeing each person as the person they are on the inside – not just seeing the disease. The disease state does not define a person. At Autumn Leaves we strive to engage residents with the social aspects of life. We have developed the life engagement program, a rich activity program that has the effect for each resident to lower anxiety, decrease frustration, and increase feelings of safety and fosters a sense of purpose. This in turn increases abilities and independence. We understand that challenging behaviors are a reflection of underlying uncomfortable emotions such as fear, anxiety, and boredom or frustration – we explore the trigger and change the environment to address these feelings.

Personalized Memory Care Engagement

By getting to know each resident on a personal level, we are able to offer personalized memory care activities for each and every resident. For instance, if a resident enjoys board games or puzzles, we make sure that there are plenty available. If we know that a particular resident routinely becomes anxious at specific time of day, we can anticipate the behavior and redirect their focus. Our life engagement program demonstrates personalization by utilizing the six elements of life engagement that capture the essence of a resident – who they are, their lifetime of achievements, successes, and accomplishments – and then provides the tools for our community team to connect with them at each interaction throughout the day.

The Six Elements of Life Engagement

• Artistic Expression – This allows our residents to create artwork that expresses their feelings, personality, and creativity.
• Physical Activity – This is very important for individuals with dementia. Physical exercise has been shown to slow physical deterioration, while reducing the risk of falls.
• Spiritual Support – Spiritual activities aid in the psychological and emotional well-being of our residents. We provide times of meditation, song, and prayer in an atmosphere that is sensitive to our residents’ diverse spiritual traditions.
• Community Connections – We encourage the residents to continue to serve others. This instills a sense of purpose in the dementia resident and allows the staff to further evaluate their talents and abilities.
• Continuing Education – This engages the residents on a cognitive level and stimulates different parts of the brain by introducing and reintroducing information. It also can provide opportunities to reminisce.
• Lifestyle & Leisure – This provides opportunities for residents to engage in the specific recreational activities they enjoy: dominoes, checkers, card games, and musical memories.

Our Dementia Care Core Beliefs

Life Engagement at Autumn Leaves is founded on seven dementia care core beliefs:

• Respect
• Excellence
• Safety
• Quality of Life
• Engagement
• Commitment
• Team Work

Memory Care Assisted Living Staffed with Fully Certified Managers

Every Autumn Leaves Life Engagement Manager has met or exceeded state required certification. Each one participates in continuing education trainings to stay up to date with current trends, techniques required to effectively manage a memory care assisted living residence.

Engaging Family and Friends

Much of our understanding of our residents’ interests and talents come from the Life Portrait that the family members provide. For maximum life engagement, it is essential that loved ones and friends feel welcomed at Autumn Leaves. We inform and invite the resident’s family to any and all community events, including our monthly family night. Once a resident joins an Autumn Leaves community their family becomes part of our family.

Call 888-662-8886 today to speak with an Autumn Leaves representative or to schedule a tour.