Illinois nursing home tries new approach to Alzheimer's care

Many assisted living facilities are striving to change their daily model depending on a resident's needs and Bryan Le Blanc witnessed this firsthand during the last four years of her 93-year-old mother's life, according to The Chicago Tribune.


The staff at Maryhaven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center almost always shook things up as a way to better find out how Le Blanc's mother was best accommodated - from foot massages to aromatherapy.


"My mother was a very proper English woman.

You want your loved one to die with dignity. This type of quality-of-life care is the right approach," Le Blanc told the news provider. "When I look at all of my friends who are baby boomers with parents who are still alive, so many are going through this."


Jeannine Forrest, a palliative care expert, explained that Le Blanc's mother was part of an Alzheimer's care study which was trying to emphasize comfort over aggressive treatment for patients.


While there is no known cure for Alzheimer's, one new brain scan is pending approval by the FDA. The test may offer a number of serious planning benefits for families, because it could allow doctors to officially diagnose seniors with the condition, according to The New York Times.


© Copyright