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Fellowship Community Brings
he impact of Alzheimer’s growing gardens,” Sutter says.“Using
Disease is staggering:An esti- MAGIC TO MEMORY furniture from their environment
Tmated 5.8 million Americans helped residents embrace the new
age 65 and older were living with Alz- CARE RESIDENTS interactive games.”
heimer’s dementia in 2020, according to
the Alzheimer’s Association.That means Mengel says residents who were
about one in 10 Americans retirement previously disengaged are now more
age and up has some form of Alzhei- social, forming groups or partnerships
mer’s.As yet, there is no cure, but there to enjoy the games.This became
are treatment options and lifestyle especially important during the
changes that can slow the progression COVID-19 lockdown. She says that
of the disease.
That’s why Fellowship Community, because of their memory loss, many
a continuing care community in White- of the residents had a hard time un-
hallTownship, launched a Memory Care derstanding why loved ones weren’t
Initiative in 2019 designed to develop coming to visit.
new and inventive ways to promote ways to slow memory loss and cogni- From there, he says, Fellowship One resident had a challenging
engagement and improve quality of life tive decline — and they help residents staff performed extensive research time transitioning to the personal
for its residents. remain independent for longer, too. to determine the right combination care unit because her dementia kept
Although symptoms vary in severi- The staff evaluated a range of options, of a computer, projector and special her focused on wanting to go home,
ty and from patient to patient,Alzhei- such as smartboards, smart tables, and motion-detecting camera to run the
mer’s patients generally suffer from projectors, and finally discovered an software.The result wasThe Magical butThe Magical MemoryTable helped
memory loss and apathy.They have interactive table used in Europe for MemoryTable — and it’s had such a redirect her energy.And like a lot of
difficulty performing familiar tasks, and Alzheimer’s patients. positive impact, it won a McKnight’s other Fellowship residents,“now she
socialize less as the disease progresses. “But we found out we couldn’t use Excellence inTechnology Award. actively participates in group games,
“Dementia is very difficult to deal it. It wouldn’t interact because of the It’s now the main attraction in smiles and laughs, and even instructs
with; families have a very hard time language barrier,” Mengel says. Fellowship’s secure memory care unit, her friends on how to play the
with it,” says Cheryl Mengel, Fellowship’s That didn’t stop the Fellowship and they’re planning to add a second games,” Mengel says.
vice president of personal care.“So the team.“We discovered LUMOplay, a table in another unit.“The comput-
important thing is, you give residents start-up company in Canada … who er-generated system integrates the “The residents love it.The smiles
the best quality of life that you can.” had the software we needed to make projector and software with a camera are the best,” she says.
That led Fellowship to look into our own table,” says David Sutter, that senses our residents’ movement To learn more about Fellowship
interactive games. Studies have shown director of IT operations at Fellowship on the table while they participate in Community, call 610-799-3000
games are one of the most effective Community. games by pushing balls, chasing fish and or visit FellowshipCommunity.com.

Memory Care That

The Morning Call Deserves a High 5

| Your loved ones will be safe and secure at Fellowship Community.
Thursday, April 8, 2021 They’ll enjoy fun activities like our new Our Memory Care Specialist, Nancy Clee,

along with our dementia-certified staff help
interactive Magical Memory Table, crafts,
our residents live their best lives.
music and social interaction.

4 FellowshipCommunity.com • 610-769-8111