Banner Alzheimer’s Institute
Specialists with the Institute's Memory Assistance and Planning Service (MAPS) craft strategies to help people meet the day-to-day challenges associated with Alzheimer's and to prepare for the future. The plans vary, based on the unique needs of the individual, but they include information about dementia, financial and legal services, safety tips, and methods of coping with behavior issues.
"With Alzheimer's patients there are different realities, just like with cancer care," said Jan Dougherty, director of BAI's Family Services and Community Outreach program and the creator of MAPS. "Our challenge is to present a message of hope and to help people take charge of their destinies."
MAPS prepares patients and families by telling them what to expect and giving them strategies to deal with the changes.
"To have an idea of where you're going is really important," Dougherty said.
So is living in the moment. And that's a fundamental message at the heart of the program.
As Alzheimer's progresses, it gradually robs its victims of their memories and the ability to think, communicate and function. But certain aspects of the individual remain and appreciating what?s left is important.
MAPS specialists teach families how to connect with loved ones afflicted by Alzheimer's disease through music, gentle touch and activities like scrapbooking.
"We are helping families create the precious moments," Dougherty said.
Dougherty has spent much of her career helping families deal with Alzheimer's disease. She has been a registered nurse for 28 years, most of it dealing in geriatrics.
In 1985 she became the first Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center where she frequently consulted with other staff members dealing with challenging older patients.
In 1998, she went to work for the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association in Phoenix where she created the Dementia Care Paths and Best Practices for Dementia Care. These programs established guidelines for case managers and other professionals to anticipate patient and family needs instead of waiting for a medical or behavioral crisis to occur.
The holistic approach focused on all elements of care including home safety, tips for bathing and personal care, strategies for behavior management, recommendations for respite services, suggestions for caregiver health and legal and estate planning.
In 2004, Dougherty went to work for Hospice of the Valley where she developed an end- of-life program for Alzheimer's patients. When the Banner Alzheimer's Institute recruited her to lead its Family Services and Community Outreach program, Dougherty leaped at the opportunity.