Valley View to Host Expert on Specialized Care

Ashley Stephenson has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant, Medication Technician and the Memory Care Unit Coordinator at Valley View for eight years. In that time, she has worked hard to make the memory care unit, where they care for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's, at Valley View Home a better place to live.

Stephenson has worked to implement "memory boxes" which use memorabilia from a resident's life to calm and divert residents who may experience anxiety or other reactions to memory loss. She implemented an essential oils therapy to also help soothe and calm residents, and she even trained her dog Red to be a therapeutic dog for the home.

Stephenson has gone so far as to pursue her restorative aide certification, so that she can implement a restorative aide therapy program within the memory care unit that evaluates the residents daily needs as well as long-term needs, before pursuing a daily regimen. As Dana Nixdorf the Director of Nursing at Valley View put it, "Geriatrics is her [Stephenson's] passion." Stephenson has been constantly evaluating the ways to make memory care more successful at Valley View.

Last year, Stephenson attended the Long-Term Care Association Conference in Billings and attended a workshop featuring Pamela Longmire, RT, BAS, CDP, the Long-Term Care Lead Nursing Home Quality Improvement Specialist, who gave a presentation specific to dementia care. In her pursuit to improve memory care at Valley View Stephenson invited Longmire to come to Glasgow and present to care providers and nursing home staff at Valley View.

According to Stephenson Longmire uses a, "positive approach to care," that focuses on understanding the different types of dementia and tailoring support and care towards the type. Stephenson explained that each type of dementia reacts to stress, daily interactions and general daily tasks differently, and that continuity and that Longmire focuses on distinguishing the types of dementia to provide the best care for the resident.

Longmire is scheduled to be in Glasgow on April 10 at Valley View Home. Presentations will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Space is available but limited, and If you wish to attend to learn about care or you are a care provider to a dementia patient, you can call Valley View Home at 228-2461 and ask for Stephenson to reserve a spot in the training.