The Rouse Estate has adopted the Best Friends method for its care of people with dementia.
Reyd Martin, a 17-year veteran of the Rouse, is a Best Friends Certified Master Trainer (BF-CMT) and will lead the organization in Best Friends care.
“The Best Friends approach is a person-centered, compassionate dementia care approach grounded in the understanding that relationships are supremely important in dementia care and that they require the essential elements of friendship, respect, empathy, support, trust, and humor,” according to a release from Director of Marketing Kelsey Angove. “With Best Friends, the focus is on the individual – the person’s rights, history, and relationships with all care partners.”
“Adopting this care initiative supports facilities in their quest to create culture-changing communities of care,” Angove said. “Those who have used and endorsed the approach, including internationally recognized dementia experts, state-level agencies, Alzheimer’s Association chapters, and corporations providing care in a variety of settings, have found that the use of this adaptable approach improves the quality of care for the people they serve.”
“This approach to care is part of the Rouse’s ongoing commitment to meet the needs of our residents, their families, and our staff,” CEO Susan Teconchuk said.
“The acquisition of BF-CMTs demonstrates a commitment to providing the highest quality of dementia care available today as well as to ensuring ongoing, sustainable professional development for staff in the Best Friends care philosophy,” according to Angove.
Martin is the Rouse Director of Life Enrichment, and a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), a Certified Dementia Communications Specialist (CDCS), and a Certified Montessori Dementia Care Professional (CMDCP).
“We couldn’t have a better facilitator to champion this approach than Reyd,” Teconchuk said. “She embodies the elements of being a best friend in all that she does.”