St. Croix Hospice Launches Dementia Care Program

St. Croix Hospice has announced the new North Star Dementia Program, providing specialized care to persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, reports RiverTowns.net . The hospice has branches in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The new program includes a team of health professionals certified in dementia care by the Crisis Prevention Institute to concentrate on proactive behavioral management that will lead to a safer, more comfortable environment and better quality of life for beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. According to St. Croix's Jennifer Lemere, this includes non-pharmacological methods for treating dementia and teaching families about the disease. "A diagnosis of dementia affects not only the sufferer but their whole family," states St. Croix Chief Clinical Officer Mandy Cogswell. "Declining physical health, as well as memory loss, mental deterioration, and behavioral changes, combine to create significant emotional stress for caregivers."