In Long Term Care Setting
The long-term care resident, unlike the counterpart in acute care, spans a broad level of acuity, from being relatively able to function and move with some degree of independence to being bed-ridden and unable to communicate. In between these two extremes, however, are those who are agitated, confused, who may wander, who are unable to sleep and those that have enough cognitive capacity to be depressed about the situation in which they find themselves. Two specific factors that differentiate the long-term care resident from other patient populations are, first, the length of time spent in a facility and, two, the challenge of chronic conditions as opposed to acute status.
The environment of care holds within it the key to resident safety, functionality, mobility, and overall quality of life.
The C.A.R.E. Channel offers comfort and familiarity to the resident who is confined to a bed. It provides a soft, ambient auditory environment that distracts from the otherwise disturbing sounds. It is a great alternative to commercial programming, which at times can be disturbing and disorienting for the resident.
Sleep deprivation/light sleep levels
Similar to the acute care patient, sleeping is a challenge. Unfamiliar surroundings that never become familiar to the patient suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's means that sleeping and waking up is frightening. The result may include yelling out, wandering, attempts to get out of bed that pose the greatest risk of falls, and, at the least, continual agitation from not getting enough rest.
The C.A.R.E. Channel, including its sunset and sunrise programming and midnight starfield, becomes a companion to help relieve the fears. Nature is familiar even when the scene is new.
Sundowning
Sundowning is an symptom dreaded by families and by caregivers. Residents who otherwise may be quiet and considerate change personalities, become irritable, sometimes verbally abusive, totally confused about where they are and who is with them. According to Mayo Clinic one cause of sundowning is the foreign environment which includes multiple and diverse activities in the early evening; shift changes of the staff, visitors, housekeeping...any distraction. The C.A.R.E. Channel can mitigate the causes in several ways: provide a soothing auditory environment that masks distracting noises; offer familiar nature images viewed in an unfamiliar setting; consistency in its availability every day.
You can find a partial bibliography of recent studies relevant to long-term care, the use of music, healing environments, pain management and sleep improvement in our topical bibliography.
In addition to long term care, The C.A.R.E. Channel is effective in a variety of healthcare settings:
