A recent article on Alzheimer’s from the New York Times presented a unique perspective on living with and treating the disease. It talks about a nursing home called Beatitudes that offers a different approach for their residents. They are allowed to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever they want. They can eat whatever they want, even if would be considered unhealthy—even unlimited chocolate or an alcoholic nip at night! They provide pretty much anything that gives the patients comfort.

This seems counterintuitive with much of the information available on Alzheimer’s where structure and consistency are considered a necessary part of living with the disease. However, Beatitudes is actually following some of the latest science that suggests that creating positive emotional experiences diminishes distress and behavior problems. They encourage their patients to eat their favorite foods regardless of its health benefits, or lack thereof. They have found that comforting foods improve behavior and mood because they send messages they can still understand: “it feels good, therefore I must be in a place where I am loved.” They also go beyond food to create the positive emotional experiences by integrating other pleasurable activities, such as art, music, and exercise. In many cases the cumulative effect was a discontinuation of antipsychotic medications, which come with many side effects for the patients, and focused on medicines that relieve pain and depression.

As a professional caregiver, I found these techniques very interesting and valid, but perhaps somewhat impractical in a home setting. People function around schedules – its part of life. It would be very difficult, without a full staff, to cooperate with the whims of the Alzheimer’s patient completely. Food, dressing, bathing in the middle of the night would be hard on the caregivers. That being said, there is plenty of room for compromise. “Do you want your shower before you go to bed or first thing in the morning?” A change of menu to include the patient’s favorite foods(let them choose), flexibility on meal times, favorite clothes (patient’s choice), familiar activities from their past, favorite scents such as colognes and perfumes, cuddly stuffed animals –whatever brings them comfort, even if it seems insignificant or strange to you. Making them feel it’s their idea, even though you limit the choices to those that work with your lifestyle, could probably have the same comforting effect.

It seems that some of Beatitudes’ techniques could be integrated into the home setting. It takes creativity, imagination, flexibility and a different way of looking at Alzheimer’s care to make these a part of the day. But, I believe well worth the effort. A happy, less agitated and combative (perhaps less medicated) Alzheimer patient would make life easier and be good for everyone!