ANDREWS, Texas — The John R. Parrish Westbrook Village and F. Marie Hall Cottages Memory Care Unit is a 22-bed memory care unit at the Permian Regional Medical Center that has been built and designed to specifically cater to each of the dementia patients in Andrews that will be housed there.
The unit is dedicated to John R. Parrish, a former board member whose vision has now become a reality.
"He had a vision that Andrews County needed memory care and the board has carried that on and we've seen it through," said Sydney Faulks, Administrator. "I think it’s huge, a wonderful dedication to someone that had this vision long again."
What makes this facility unique is the intricate details to every room to help every patient during their stay, from detailing on doors to memory boxes for photos and keepsakes.
"What stands out physically is the beautiful facades on the resident doors that help residents to find their way, the furnishings, the Snoezelen room which is a feature people can use whenever they’re in the mid to late stages of dementia that helps to enact the senses," Faulks said.
"It’s huge to be able to provide a meaningful day for someone so if they feel comfort in the box outside their room, having familiar items to them then that’s great. If our program director's able to really know a lot about that resident and understand what their history was then we can give them jobs in the facility that can help provide meaning and purpose to their day," said Faulks.
With this new unit, the PRMC staff hopes to provide accessible and local care for patients and their families.
"Really and truly I think what’s gonna set us apart the most is the care and the people providing the care," she said, "I think it’s huge to know that you can have a place that can take care of your loved one and keep them nearby."
The unit is expected to be open by early May 2023.