ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Monroe Community Hospital officially opened Friendship Place on Thursday, a newly renovated 25-bed memory care center designed for those living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
News10NBC has done extensive reporting on the nursing home bed shortage that is deeply impacting the community. A lack of available beds is causing a backlog of patients in our local hospitals. Finding a spot for anyone is difficult, and finding a spot for someone with memory issues is even harder because there are very strict rules about safety.
Friendship Place was designed to be more of a home and less of a nursing home. The way it looks, and the amenities were all designed with memory loss in mind. “Paint colors, flooring and transitions were intentionally selected to support wayfinding,” Alyssa Tallo says. Tallo is the Executive Health Director at Monroe Community Hospital. The facility also features bio-dynamic lighting, sensory activities, and memory boxes outside each room. “Every decision was made with the goal of creating an environment that works with the people who live here, not against them,” Tallo adds…