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Alzheimer’s & Dementia

We're here to help your loved one with dementia or mental illness achieve optimum health through observation, diagnosis, treatment, memory care activities and personal care. Call us for a pre-screening!

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Specialized care for Alzheimer's & dementia patients

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias can be scary, especially if they have a sudden change in their mood, actions or need for care. NMC Health is here to help, and here to make your loved one feel safe, protected and welcome.

In our inpatient NMC Health Senior Behavioral Health Center, we’ll help your loved address the acute memory based or mental health issue they are experiencing. We want to help our patients get back into routine and able to return home. If this is not possible, we will help determine what level of care would be most appropriate.

Our Senior Behavioral Health Center is for adults over the age of 55 with symptoms associated with:

  • Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body dementia, Vascular dementia & other dementias
  • Delusions, hallucinations, etc.
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Behavior that hurts themselves or others
  • Changes in sleep, appetite or mood
  • Trouble with daily tasks and refusing help
  • Mental illness such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, major depression or other psychotic disorders

Senior adults may be going through some big life changes that can be too much to handle. This can be due to a decline in mental function, losing their independence or the loss of a family member.

We’re here to help all seniors through feelings of depression, anxiety and confusion.

Program Admissions

Is your loved one the right fit for our Senior Behavioral Health Center? All patients admitted to this unit should:

  • Be medically stable
  • Require geriatric psychiatric nursing care 24 hours a day and close supervision by a physician
  • Have the potential to improve functional skills with help from medical staff

A pre-admission screening will be completed to determine eligibility for admission. To request a pre-admission screening, call our Senior Behavioral Health Center or submit a request via our information form below.

If you have a medical emergency, call 911 or visit the NMC Health Medical Center Emergency Department.

Learn about Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia in which plaque builds up on the neurons in your brain, which can change your memory function. Sometimes, you might feel like you’re in a fog. Other times, you might not be cognizant enough to recognize your loved ones. It can be scary and overwhelming for families and caregivers, but also for the person experiencing the memory loss. At NMC Health, we’re here to help. Visit our Senior Behavioral Health Center for a pre-screening and let us help you manage your Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementia today.

FAQs

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Dementia is a disorder in which a person loses part of their memory or thinking skills. There are many early signs to Alzheimer’s. These include:

  • Sudden or gradual loss of memory
  • Trouble putting words together
  • Forgetting places or faces
  • Poor decision making
  • Frustration or trouble with day-to-day activities


There are various stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. In the mild stage, people may start to show signs of memory loss. In the moderate stage, those symptoms get worse, and they might have a hard time recognizing family or good friends. Eventually, someone suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia will need total care.

At NMC Health, we do our best to make your loved one feel cared for safe in our secure unit. With the help of licensed social workers and psychiatrists, our staff will help our patients:

  • Manage their medication
  • Work together in groups for group therapy
  • Practice memory exercises with puzzles, games and music.
  • Visit with our trained therapy dog


Your loved one is in good hands. They will see their doctor just about every day during the week. Patients will have an opportunity to sit in a common area and interact with others. They can even go outside and enjoy the fresh air and flowers in our secure garden patio, the Barrick & Kristi Wilson Terrace.

This homelike environment will help your loved one get back on track. As a family member, you’re a big part of your loved one’s care.

One of the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is memory problems. You or a loved one might feel hazy or “cloudy,” and have issues remembering familiar names or faces. We refer to this as “brain fog.” It can come and go or remain consistent.

If you’re having trouble finding the right words or remember the directions to someplace you travel often, you might want to speak with your doctor about this memory loss.

When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it may manifest itself in several stages: 

  • Early Stage Alzheimer’s – You might experience memory loss and brain fog
  • Moderate or Middle Stage Alzheimer’s – In this stage, the memory loss and confusion gets worse. You might have issues recognizing family and friends
  • Severe or Late Stage Alzheimer’s – In the final stage of Alzheimer’s, you might sleep more and find it hard to swallow food. This can lead to weight loss. Eventually, you’ll need someone to take care of you full-time

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s and other dementias, but they do believe it has to do with plaque building up in the brain. It also might have something to do with genetics. There could be other environmental factors such as your diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors, but not much is known about the disease.

Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. There are, however ways you can work with your loved one to improve their memory function through memory therapy. Our Senior Behavioral Health Center works with patients who have Alzheimer’s & dementia. They go through music therapy, memory care and group therapy to try to keep their minds as sharp as possible.

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Library

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