A PERSONALIZED APPROACH AT PARK PLACE OF ST. JOHN
efits in keeping the person engaged in their daily life.” Staff members receive hands-on training, including role-play and real-time coaching. This helps them
led by Pastor Mark Prestriedge provide spiritual nourishment and comfort for residents who have long held their faith close. Because every person’s past shapes their present, families are invited to play an active role in the care process. The staff takes time to learn each resident’s history, whether they spent years as nurs- es, worked nights, raised a family, or ran a small business. “We ask questions like: What brought them joy? What was their routine? What did life look like before memory loss? What was and what is currently important to them and their family,” Megan said. “It helps us build a care plan that supports them medically, socially, and spiritually.” “At Park Place of St. John, we do not see memory care as a checklist,” Heather said. “We see it as an opportunity to walk with someone on their unique jour- ney. And we believe, as Teepa Snow says, ‘Until there is a cure, there is care’. And that care can change everything.”
Caregivers receive specialized training through Providence Life Services’ education initiative, based on Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care. This equips
tune in to subtle shifts in com- munication or cognition, pre- venting distress and encourag- ing independence in a safe and empowering way. Rather than rig- id schedules, days are built around each person’s natural rhythm. Activities are offered in group and one-on-one formats, always tailored to the individual. “We’re not trying to fit residents into a program,” Heather ex- plained. “We’re building the pro- gram around them.” Faith-based offerings are also a key part of the daily rhythm. Bible studies and small group services
“We’re not trying to fit residents into a program,” Heather explained. “We’re building the program around them.”
them with real-life tools to meet residents’ changing needs with the “just right” level of support. “It is usually a very good thing for caregivers to be focused on completing tasks efficiently.”, said Heather Gomez, Director of Edu- cation at Providence. “However, in memory care, the way each task is completed becomes more import- ant than efficiency. First, we con- nect with the resident in a friendly way, then we support the resident according to their strengths and abilities. This may take a little more time, but it has great ben-
MEGAN TENGERSTROM Vice President Operations Providence Life Services
HEATHER GOMEZ Director of Education Providence Life Services
8 PROVIDENCE MAGAZINE | Issue No. 1 • 2025
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