A television hums softly in the corner. A staff member plays cribbage with a patient at the other end of the room. The smell of baking cookies lingers throughout. The atmosphere of the Special Care Unit (SCU) at West Park Hospital's Long Term Care Center (LTCC) is relaxed and inviting.

The dementia special care unit is for Alzheimer's and other dementia patients. Some of the patients have special needs due to loss of memory and they just need a smaller, quieter environment.

The first LTCC dementia unit opened in October of 2000, but it only had ten beds and was full nearly all of the time. When community members were being turned away because of lack of space, the decision was made to remodel the east wing to accommodate a larger population. The 20-bed unit was completed and opened in February 2005.

Many of the rooms have a view of Heart Mountain. Since opening the unit, there have been as many as 15 patients at one time, but they often have openings. Patient safety is always a high priority and this unit is secured to ensure the safety of those who might have a tendency to wander or get lost.

Family members have a separate entrance for their convenience and they can visit at any time. Residents are also assisted in attending activities and special functions outside of the SCU, with their families and with staff. Family members are an integral part of the special care provided for these patients. It's also part of our Planetree philosophy – using a patient-centered model of care.

The staff truly enjoys working in this unit. They keep consistent staff members in the unit so that there are always familiar faces to the patients. The staff has developed a scrapbook with information and history of each special care unit patient. This helps them in giving quality care, because they use something called “validation therapy.” This type of therapy relies on becoming a part of their reality.

One example of this is they often show old classic movies. A local community member donated a large number of classic movies to the center and the residents of the special care unit particularly enjoy them because it is common for them to remember events from many years ago, but not the more current years.

West Park Long Term Care Center is a skilled nursing facility fully licensed by the Wyoming Department of Health to provide skilled, intermediate, rehabilitation, custodial, respite and hospice care. Certified by Medicare and Medicaid.

A full range of clinical services including physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy, x-ray, laboratory and pharamacy are readily accessible through West Park Hospital. A full complement of professional staff including Registered and Licensed Practical nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants on duty 24 hours per day, and residents are seen regularly by their personal physician.

A wide variety of entertaining and stimulating activities is provided. A small, lovely chapel with several denominational and non-denominational services provided each week. An on-site beauty shop is also available. Secured unit for residents with Alzheimers Disease and other dementias. Beautiful, modern, smoke-free facility with a focus on patient-centered care consistent with the Planetree philosophy.

Our residents' families are an extremely important aspect of our care model. We encourage and support family members to visit and participate in the daily lives of our residents. Compassionate care is provided and individual dignity is promoted. We strive for a home-like environment whenever possible.

• Personalized, compassionate nursing care by committed healthcare professionals
• Ready access to the full array of West Park Hospital clinical services
• Each resident's care is under the direction of a West Park Hospital credentialed physician who sees the resident on a regular basis

An application for residency is available from the LTCC office or by mail if requested. All residents considering admision are required to have a primary care physician with privileges at West Park Hospital who agrees to manage the resident's medical care during his or her stay at the LTCC.