Madison Visionary Partners grant helps Alzheimer’s patients

MADISON – Madison Visionary Partners or MVP is accepting applications for Community Impact Grants from eligible organizations, especially non-profits. Deadline for applications is Feb. 21.

Funding from the grants has helped numerous groups in different paths of outreach, like a special set of patients at Madison Hospital, the first hospital in the area to adopt the “Alzheimer’s Friendly Business” initiative in 2018.

With cases of Alzheimer’s on the rise, the Forget- Me-Not program was started at Madison Hospital as an effort to care more compassionately for these patients who can experience disorientation, memory loss and forgetfulness, according to former MVP Executive Director Melanie Thornton. (Christina Hearne now works as MVP Executive Director.)

The Forget-Me-Not program reduces anxiety in patients with dementia. Madison Hospital’s entire staff — from the administration and nurses to the food service workers and cleaning crews — are all strategically trained for caring for patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

In Madison County, 11.9 percent of residents have dementia related to Alzheimer’s.

Part of the Alzheimer’s project involves reducing patients’ anxiety by providing specific items that research has shown to help keep dementia patients oriented and calm. These tools include “fidget blankets” to help patients focus on sensory items instead of becoming overwhelmed by environmental sensory input.

A Community Impact Grant from Madison Visionary Partners for $2,500 allowed Madison Hospital to purchase 90 fidget blankets in June 2024 for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Fidget blankets are a quick and comforting way to engage hands and mind in a fun activity that relaxes, calms and orients the patient. The blankets are carefully designed to include various levels of difficulty, Thornton said.

Working the blanket’s gadgets helps to relieve anxiety and keep hands busy in a safe and calming way, often preventing combativeness. “In fact, just holding a comfortable item can be what patients need to feel safe in a new situation,” Thornton said.

Helping to quell the fears of Alzheimer’s patients is important. The blankets keep them calm so they can receive medical care without behavioral issues.

Doctors cannot reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s, but caregivers can make a patient’s experience more comfortable. The blankets possibly can even help speed treatment and recovery times if the patient can cooperate better and keep from becoming delirious or anxious.

For more information, call 256-384-4358, email info@mvpmadison.org or visit mvpmadison.org.