This document provides a case study about an Alzheimer's wing in an assisted living center. It discusses the challenges faced, including patients wandering and security issues. It analyzes the roles of stakeholders like nurses and staff in addressing challenges through assessment, observation, and search protocols when patients go missing. Programs discussed include Alzheimer's Association services and electronic monitoring. Strategies include recognizing at-risk patients, understanding wandering behaviors, and engaging patients through activities and animal therapy. Collaboration between all staff is key to safely implementing strategies.

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Case Study # 5
Keta Augustin
4/29/2015
Hcs 449

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Introduction
 Case Study Review
 7 Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
 Analyze the challenges faced by the health care organization in the case study.
 Analyze the role each stakeholder has in the strategies to address the challenges of the
health care organization in the case study.
 Analyze what programs and services are available to address the challenges.
 Analyze strategies that could be used to address the challenges at the health care
organization.
 Analyze what role collaboration has in implementing strategies within the health care
organization in the case study.
 Analyze methods for implementing the strategies to address the challenges of the health
care organization in the case study.
 In conclusion

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Case study
Janice is the head nurse in a 24-room Alzheimer wing of an assisted-living center. All 24 patients
in this wing have various stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Due to the nature of the disease, the unit
is permanently locked so that patients are not permitted to leave the area. Flo, one of the
residents, is frequently found to be waiting at the door and attempts to leave when the door is
opened. Janice has informed the entire center about security issues in her wing and all staff
members are required to ensure that no one enters or leaves when the doors are opened. One
evening, Janice receives an emergency call from Flo’s family saying that when they arrived to
visit her, she was not on the ward. Janice now has a series of notifications to make. Who does
she need to notify? What follow-up procedures should be put into place to ensure this does not
happen again?

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7 Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
Stage 1: Normal Outward
Behavior
Stage 2: Very Mild Changes
Stage 3: Mild Decline
Stage 4: Moderate Decline
Stage 5: Moderately Severe
Decline
Stage 6: Severe Decline
Stage 7: Very Severe
Decline
(WebMD, 2005)

5. + Analyze the challenges faced by the health
care organization in the case study.
 Ethical considerations
85 years old male with end stage dementia (Tekniikantie, 2015).
 Challenging behaviors
(Ex: wandering, agitated, etc. )
 Risk management
Ex: elderly women was freezes to death outside Alzheimer’s care
center (LaBoe, 2013).

6. + The reasons for behavior changes.
 Bodily concern initiated by the sickness or drug
 Struggle to complete easy task or doings
 Agitated from a loud or intense setting
 Unable to communicate effectively.
 And so on.

7. + Analyze the role each stakeholder has in the
strategies to address the challenges of the
health care organization in the case study.
 Do a patient assessment test.
(correlate with the clinical staff, the Nurse, and the other employees).
 Arrange for proper observation to patient who is at risk for
wandering.
(correlate with the sitters, security, and all staff members).
 Create a search process for missing patients.
(I will elaborate more about this procedure through the
shareholder role of collaboration slide. )

8. + Analyze what programs and services are
available to address the challenges.
 Alzheimer's Association (Lovette, 1999).
 Safe return
 Electronic bracelet
 Missing person protocol

9. + Analyze strategies that could be used to
address the challenges at the health care
organization.
 Recognize patients at risk by different pattern and color of
hospital gown.
 Understanding wandering
 Addressing potential triggers.
 Pay attention to hospital repairs and safety.
 Plan activities and other
 Distractions
 Address problems as they arise.

10. + Analyze what role collaboration has in
implementing strategies within the health care
organization in the case study.
When concerning with a lost-person procedures.
 The nurse will pledgee the procedure of condition L
 The facility operator will say the code through the facility and
describe the patient.
 Also, the facility will notify the police immediately.
 If needed, the facility use trained dogs to help in the search.
 The Facility also designate a staff to inform family members.
Lost-person procedures include all of the staff members: housekeeping,
nursing, maintenance, and security to help with the organized search in the
facility complex.

11. + Analyze methods for implementing the
strategies to address the challenges of the
health care organization in the case study.
 Designing facilities for patient needs
 Staffing for patient needs
 Encouraging family support.
Engaging patients in distractions (Schmid, 2009).
 Animal therapy (Vann, 2015).

12. + In conclusion
 When dealing with Alzheimer patient it is always good to remain
calm and thoughtful.
 Remain flexible and patience
 Do not argue or try to persuade the individual.
 Accept requests and answer to them
 Avoid taking the patient behaviors personally
 See the behavior as a certainty of the illness and work through it.
*clinical staff member and security must work closely with safety officials to
guarantee the safety of Alzheimer patients.

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Reference
LaBoe, B. (2013, December 09). Elderly woman freezes to death outside Alzheimer's care center.
Retrieved from TDN.com: http://tdn.com/news/local/elderly-woman-freezes-to-death-outside-
alzheimer-s-care-center/article_786a405a-60fb-11e3-9a87-001a4bcf887a.html
Lovette, K. (1999). Services Available to Families of Alzheimer’s Patients. Retrieved from Health
Information Press: http://www.grandtimes.com/Services_Available.html
Schmid, J. (2009, June 14). Games for People with Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved from Best Alzheimers
Products: http://www.best-alzheimers-products.com/games-for-people-with-alzheimers.html
Tekniikantie. (2015). Ethical Issues in the Care of Dementia Patients. Retrieved from Hitpages:
http://www.calhospice.org/included/docs/education/8E_Ethical_Issues_Care_Dementia_Patien
ts.pdf
Vann, M. (2015). How Animal Therapy Helps Dementia Patients. Retrieved from Everyday Health:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/alzheimers/how-animal-therapy-helps-dementia-
patients.aspx
WebMD. (2005). Alzheimer's Disease Health Center. Retrieved from Health Solutions :
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-disease-stages

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Questions