Costa Mesa, CA, February 25, 1999 — An Orange County Register Publication
ALZHEIMER's: 'Eden Alternative' gives nursing home residents close contact with animals, plants and caregivers.
By STEPHEN WALL
The Costa Mesa Breeze
John Schuster was homesick. Last April, the 79-year-old man who suffers from Alzheimer's disease packed his bags, stuffed $700 in his pocket and stormed out of his Newport Beach home.
He wanted to go back to Des Moines, Iowa, his hometown.
"He wanted to recreate his days as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force," said his wife Dorothy, 74.
Without telling his wife or driving a car, Schuster managed to get to the airport, plop down $636 for a one-way ticket and was on the next flight to Iowa.
Three hours later, Dorothy found out through airline officials what happened. Relatives in Des Moines helped direct Schuster back to Orange County.
It wasn't the only time that Schuster had meandered away from home unexpectedly, his wife said.
One morning a few weeks later, Dorothy was awakened by the sound of a doorbell. Her husband was standing on the front porch, barefoot and in flannel pajamas, with three men in business suits who had found him wandering the streets about five blocks from his Newport Beach home.
It was then that Dorothy decided she could no longer care for her husband at home.
She admitted him to Silverado Senior Living, an 82-bed Alzheimer care home at 350 W. Bay St., which took over the Mesa Terrace residential facility in November. The 25,405 square foot center is modeled after a similar facility in Escondido created in June 1997. "I think he's on an even keel and he's doing pretty good right. now," his wife said.
Lead caregiver Haydee Reitmaier, below, helps Charlie Vaughn with some exercises in the activities room at Silverado.
Silverado is not a nursing home or a traditional assisted living facility. It is a new approach to long-term care for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
The licensed staff of nurses keep close tabs on residents' medical conditions and consult with physicians about prescribing drugs.
A psychiatrist specializing in geriatric care assesses the individual needs of Alzheimer's patients.
To eliminate the sterile feel common to nursing homes and hospitals, Silverado incorporates animals, plants and caregivers into the environment.
The Costa Mesa facility is undergoing an approximately $100,000 renovation to enhance walkways and flower gardens, refurbish activity rooms and convert nursing stations to country kitchens. That includes the installation of memory boxes, activity centers and additional decorative items.
Two dogs, two cats, 15 birds, aquariums and countless plants also inhabit the building.
It's all part of the "Eden Alternative," a concept developed by Harvard graduate Dr. William H. Thomas, who says that nursing home residents should have close and continuing contact with as much of the human habitat as they choose to embrace.
Case in point is Asher, a black labrador retriever.
Before the dog's arrival, Homer Hocker, 79, roamed the building with his eyes closed, said registered nurse Wendy Graca, Silverado's director of health services. Constantly drowsy, Hocker refused to eat, became dehydrated and lost weight. But the first time Asher rubbed against his leg, Hocker's eyes opened. "Asher would be a catalyst. Once he woke up for Asher, we would feed him," Graca said. Hocker, like many Silverado residents, also appears to be benefiting from a cut in medication. "Our philosophy is minimal medication," said Loren B. Shook, Silverado president and chief executive officer. "Medication is not administered simply for behavior control."
Shook says that many Alzheimer's patients are given unnecessarily high dosages of sedatives t control behavioral problems associated with the disease.
Psychiatrist Paul H. Kosieradzki, who regularly consults with Silverado residents, pointed out an additional problem. He also cautioned that health problems such as ingrown toenails or ulcers often go unnoticed and untreated because the Alzheimer's patient can't communicate how he or she feels.
Because these people are elderly, they often have a variety of medical problems unrelated to Alzheimer's such as heart or liver problems, he said. The medical condition often goes untreated while the behavioral problems that result from the pain are treated with sedatives, he said.
Schuster is one resident who was overmedicated. Before he was introduced to Silverado's approach to care, Schuster had trouble sleeping. He was given Benadryl for his condition.
His dosage was increased and he began taking it during the day for reasons that were never explained to his wife.
The use of Benadryl was discontinued on Schuster.
According to his wife, Schuster is much happier since he came to Silverado.
"Now if I take him to our house in Newport Beach and he says he wants to go home, he doesn't mean he wants to go to Des Moines. Now, when he says he wants to go home, he means he wants to come here (Silverado). This is home."
From South Orange County: North on the 405 freeway to 55 South. Take Victoria St. which actually exits onto Newport Blvd. Go straight on Newport Blvd. to the 3rd light which is Bay St. Our Community is located on the corner of Bay St. and Thurin.
From North Orange County or LA County: From 5 South, 405 South, 22 East, or the 91, connect to the 55 South to Newport Beach. Take Victoria Street which actually exits onto Newport Blvd. Go straight on Newport Blvd. to the 3rd light which is Bay St. Our Community is located on the corner of Bay St. and Thurin.
