Baltimore, MD (July 2009)—Health Professions Press’ thought-provoking book Rethinking Alzheimer’s Care (1999) is listed as a recommended resource in the new interpretive guidelines for nursing homes from the Centers for Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS). The new guidelines focus on more resident-centered care practices, with revisions that promote better environments and quality of life for residents.

One of the first resources in the field to articulate a thoroughly person-centered approach to dementia care, Rethinking Alzheimer’s Care, is cited as a resource in the guidelines because of its emphasis on preserving the dignity, autonomy, and emotional health of long-term care residents with cognitive impairments. Authors Sam Fazio, Dorothy Seman, and Jane Stansell encourage care staff to view the behaviors of individuals with Alzheimer’s as characteristics of a person rather than as problems or symptoms. They assert that by doing so, “families and other caregivers can begin to perceive and approach these individuals differently, with adaptations, understanding, and solutions.”

The new CMS guidelines, along with resources such as Rethinking Alzheimer’s Care, can effectively guide long-term care staff in reframing and better understanding resident behavior. To illustrate the point, the CMS guidelines describe how a “bad behavior,” such as running away from the facility, may actually be purposeful or “agenda” behavior if the resident believes, for example, that her children are at the bus stop outside. This realization can change how staff interact with the resident.

In his newest book, The Enduring Self in People with Alzheimer’s: Getting to the Heart of Individualized Care (Health Professions Press, 2008), Sam Fazio provides new reasons for using a person-centered approach with individuals with Alzheimer’s. This enlightening resource provides some of the first-ever documented research on the persistence of “self” in people with even advanced dementia. Additionally, it summarizes many current best practices for ensuring that personhood is maintained throughout the course of the disease.

Care staff would benefit from using Rethinking Alzheimer’s Care and The Enduring Self in People with Alzheimer’s as primary resources for ensuring the health and dignity of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Surveyors can use the resources to make sure that all long-term care facilities uphold these standards. Both books are available from Health Professions Press.

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Sam Fazio, Ph.D., has a doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. He has worked for the Alzheimer's Association National Headquarters since 1994 in a variety of areas including Education and Training and Program Services. He currently works as Director of Medical and Scientific Relations where he oversees the international research conferences, scientific journal, and social/behavioral research initiatives. Dr. Fazio is also involved in several research projects with older adults in the Chicago area related to the persistence of self, person-centered care, and health and wellness.