Garden Terrace: Alzheimer Rehabilitation

But Alzheimer’s need not be devastating to you or your loved one, according to Kyle Hofer, Assistant Rehab Services manager with Garden Terrace in Salt Lake.


What are Some Major Symptoms with Alzheimers?

There are several but here are some of them:


Loss of short term memory

Difficulty with performing familiar routine tasks

Forgetting simple words or substituting unusual words

We know that therapy programs help people rehab arms, legs and backs after surgery or injury, but rehab for patients with Alzheimer’s disease isn’t something we typically hear about. What type of rehab programs does Garden Terrace have for Alzheimer patients:

There was a time when people didn’t think much could be done rehabbing dementia patients. However, over the past ten years or so, we now know that dementia patients can find help through physical, occupational and speech therapy.

What Can Rehab Programs do for Patients?

The goal of therapy at Garden Terrace is to maximize the quality of life of all residents. Through some of their specially designed programs, they are helping dementia patients regain skills such as eating, walking, standing, dressing.

One example of this therapy is of a patient who is in danger of falling. They can evaluate them and determine why they are experiencing trouble with balance. It could be a number of things. They then would begin working with them to improve their balance and thereby lower their risk for falls.

The therapists at Garden Terrace can see how this is working and it gets them excited. They love what they do because it makes a difference in people’s lives.

There Must be Special Programs, Tools or Equipment the Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists Use with Alzheimer’s Residents. What Are They?

Be sure to check with Garden Terrace about three important programs:

The Montesorri,

The Spaced Retrieval

The Allen Cognitive Method

These are Not Typical Therapy Programs and tools. Therapists have Special Training to Work with Alzheimer Patients. What are They?

Working with this population and these programs requires special training. The therapists at Garden Terrace participate in several hours of specialty training and certification so they can provide dementia residents with some of the cutting edge therapy techniques available. Spaced Retrieval, Montessori and Allen Cognitive are all techniques that work best when therapists are properly trained to implement them. These are all unique programs found to be successful in working with this population of people.

They are excited to see some of the most brilliant therapists not only engage the residents, but get excited about what more can be possible as they all learn together.

Family Members get Excited, Seeing their Family Member Thriving. How do Family Members React to Dementia Therapy?

Many families come to Garden Terrace at a time when the disease has progressed to the point they no longer know what to do or how to interact with their loved one. Their loved one doesn’t recognize them, is acting differently than they had before and many times they are just lost as to what to do.

Therapy programs offer them an opportunity to get involved in more meaningful ways with their family member. They can educate them and provide them with tools and techniques to interact with their loved one again. It is a very emotional thing to witness and very fulfilling. They are giving support not just to the patient, but the family as well. That’s really what Garden Terrace does. It strives to offer help to the whole family.

Garden Terrace also helps family members get connected to the local Alzheimer’s Association chapter. They are a resource to families with education and support. So many of the breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s disease can be attributed to the work supported by the Alzheimer’s Association. Check them out.


Check out Garden Terrace by visiting them at 1201 East 4500 South in Salt Lake City, by giving them a call at (801) 261-3664 or online at www.lcca.com, part of the Life Care Centers of America

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