Renovating to create a home

After four years and numerous proposals, The Bridge at Bay St. Joe is renovating with hopes of providing unique long-term results.

The Bridge at Bay St. Joe is a healthcare facility that focuses on dementia patients and provides long term care for over 100 live-in residents between the ages of 55 and 104. Unlike other facilities, the Bridge takes the focus off medication and attempts to provide patients with therapy through functional activities.

The Bridge is crafting its renovations around newly-developed studies and research that spotlight how certain changes in a patient's environment can have a positive effect in treating their illness. 

"We are trying to change the environment to accommodate our patients rather than having our patients change to accommodate us," said Ron Reid, The Bridge at Bay St. Joe administrator.

With symptoms of dementia including memory loss, anxiety and unusual behaviors such as wandering or rummaging without purpose, the major changes at the facility deal with providing patients with a home-like, less institutionalized atmosphere in hopes to reduce anxiety and offer a calming, more natural ambiance.

"It's basically going to be a wonderland for demented patients," said Reid.

In order to make a more home-like atmosphere, The Bridge will be completely remodeling inside and out.

Inside, contractors are replacing the tiled floor with hardwood, laminated flooring as well as repainting walls and framework to give a stronger sense of home. To reduce shadows and glares on the floor, which can be misinterpreted as wet spots or indentations, they will also be using softer, less harsh lighting.

The color scheme chosen for the facility will be neutral calming colors.

According to numerous studies,  rooms that are very glaring and bright with shiny surfaces cause noise to echo and bounce which is difficult for a person that has a cognitive impairment to compensate for sensory loss. This can frighten patients and make it harder to function.

Each individual room will be painted on the outside to look like an actual apartment complex with a painted window and a mailbox outside each room to give the patient a sense of home and ownership. According to Reid, patients may forget any reassurance given to them by the caregiver and may have to rely on nonverbal indications of safety and supportive comfort for reassurance.

"Studies have shown that providing a less sterile environment cuts down on behaviors," said Mitzi Jones, business office manager. "I think it is going to be much more comfortable for them."

Scattered throughout the facility will be "bus stops" for patients with the behavior of wandering. Reid said that many wanderers will walk until they exhaust themselves. "Bus stops" will provide these patients with appealing areas that will trigger them to sit and wait instead of wandering aimlessly.

Outside, contractors are creating walkways and building fences to give patients the opportunity to have a safe place to enjoy the outdoors without numerous caregivers having to keep a close eye on them. The hope is that by providing this area, a wanderer can wander at their leisure and once more content, will exhibit less behavioral symptoms and reduce their use of medications.

Funding for the project came directly out of the company; according to Reid there was no state or federal funding used.

With 15 to 20 contractors working 14 hour days, Reid hopes the project can be fully completed within 45 days.

"The changes that I have already seen have been unbelievable," said Jones. "When it is complete I think it will be wonderful for community and the surrounding areas."