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While disorientation and unfamiliar surroundings make the residents agitated
and frustrated, an environment providing good cues assists in way finding,
reducing wandering and enables residents to live with self-respect. Although
people with dementia often cannot remember recent events, they retain their
long- term memory until the later stages of the disease (Gwyther, 1986).
Interestingly, the emotional components of memory may remain even after
other components are lost (Coons, 1985). Thus, familiar objects may provide
important opportunities to exercise and celebrate the remaining capabilities
of the individual. It has been reported that personal identification beside
the door of their room enables the patients to find their rooms more easily
(Zandi and Woods, 1988). Objects encourage reminiscence by acting as a catalyst
for long-term memory (Rapelje, 1981). Bio-boards also help residents identify
their room as the residents readily identify pictures of themselves in their
younger years. A picture of cutlery on kitchen cabinets and also on wardrobes
encourages participation in domestic chores and guides the resident in putting
away objects on their own, leading to functional independence and demanding
lesser staff time (Schiff, 1990 & Brawley, 1992). The inability to find
the bathroom may lead to the problem of incontinence (Gwyther). But, appropriate
environmental cues have helped 50% of the people with dementia to regain
urinary control (U.S Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1987). Providing
graphical cues on bathroom doors not only helps in easy identification but
also contributes to the problem of incontinence by acting as a reminder
to use the restroom (Hiatt, 1985). Signs at eye level increases visibility
and convenience for the cognitively impaired patients who at a later stage
do not have a wide range of head movements.
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