Wesley Hall

Too frequently the impairment of persons with dementia is considered to be caused exclusively by organic brain change. The impact of environmental intervention on functional impairmcnt due to dementia and the need for professionally developed environmental intervention programs are beginning to be recognized. This paper describes a model residential treatment project for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias designed and implemented by staff of the Institute of Gerontology, the University of Michigan. This research/demonstra- Lion project, called Wesley Hall, is structured to maximize capacities, compensate for deficits, and foster success and selfrespect on the part of residents. The description of the model identifies interventions or combinations of interventions that have been effective in reducing such behaviors as incontinence, restlessness and anxiety reactions. The project rejects the medical diagnosis of dementia alone as a basis for determining treatment. A case profile of one of the residents illustrates the value of designing individualized milieu intervention programs based on extensive knowledge about each person gained from observation and neuropsychological testing.