New Regina unit offers dedicated care for dementia patients

A new unit that will treat those suffering from dementia is scheduled to open Monday in Regina.

The Southern Saskatchewan Dementia Assessment Unit is located at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre. It’ll include five beds and a dedicated resource team to help those with a very challenging form of the affliction that struggle to be addressed with more standard care.

“This is going to be the option where if someone is needing a very high level of support, they’ll come here,” explained Debbie Sinnett, executive director of long term care with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region.

She described the wing as more of a home environment rather than a typical unit in a hospital, citing bedrooms, a living room and dining room. The goal is for patients to stay for up to three months before being released back into their home communities with a specialized care plan that look closely into the underlying causes of their behaviours.

Sinnett said she’s confident in the staff who will be working with patients.

“It’s a brand new unit so there’s always a bit of concern. We spent a lot of time with our staff on some education and training to support them but this is new to this unit and so there certainly is some apprehension of staff but also lots of excitement.”

Potential clients will be screened to determine whether their needs are best met in the community or if they need more attention at the new dementia unit.

The province contributed $1.4 million in the most-recent budget for capital renovations along with $1.15 million in ongoing operational funding.