Today is world Alzheimer’s day. An increasingly known neurodegenerative disease but with very varied forms, where each patient has the symptoms of her. In Nîmes, the Amaelles day care center takes care of these people but also of their caregivers, who are often isolated due to illness.
In the Vacquerolles district, the Amaelles day center welcomes around fifteen people every day. “In all, we take care of a fifty people who come each for one or two days per week”explains Sandra Issaly, Amaelles communications manager.
Here, no medical equipment, an equipped kitchen, home-made decorations by the helpers. “_We don’t pronounce the word “Alzheimer’s”_, it is not useful to compare them with their disease. consider these days rather as a senior club “Me Issaly explains.
On the agenda: breakfast, reading the newspaper, then cooking, board games or creating photo albums in small groups according to the wishes of each.
– Juliet Pierre
Elodie Andrieu is a medical-psychological assistant. With two other women specializing in social medicine, she spends the day with the group. “All activities are pretexts for memory exercises or reminiscence to slow down degeneration.“
Here we apply the Carpe Diem method, a very gentle approach that respects their choices and their desires. There is no established business plan. The main thing is to adapt to each person. We do it according to their abilities but also their difficulties. But they never confront their failures. We will always evaluate the person, because the person with Alzheimer’s becomes aware of his or her loss of memory or ability. We are also present to restore their confidence by entrusting them with responsibilities. Emilie Andrieu, medical-psychological assistant at the Amaelles day center in Nîmes.
Helping caregivers: “Since I’ve been here, I’ve come back to life”
The nursery is also a great help for healthcare professionals. “Since it is here, I live again“says Marie Desmarais, Paul’s wife, who suffers from Lewy Body disease, an Alzheimer’s-like disease with dementia, hallucinations and paranoia.
Every minute of my life is for him, night and day. Our life is completely separate. I haven’t been out of the house for 8 years, sometimes it’s very heavy and very stressful. So, since he comes here two days a week, he allows me to breathe a little. Shopping, taking care of the administration, a very important part of the life of the caregivers or simply going for a coffee with a friend to clear our heads, because we really need it. Marie Desmarais, her husband’s caregiver with Lewy body disease.
Amaelles also provides, attached to the nursery, a relief platform: a specific support structure for health workers. A psychologist and a nurse monitor nearly 250 health workers all year round, which they have tendency to isolate oneself and forget oneself in the disease. There are three such platforms in the Gard.
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