I.D.E.A.S., Inc., is committed to assisting organizations in the creation of more supportive settings for older people, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. We firmly believe that successful care settings are grounded in a clear philosophy which directly impacts all aspects of the setting, from specific care practices, to operational systems such as meals and laundry, to staff training, to the design of the physical environment—inside and outside. Our dedicated team of professionals is specially trained to assist facilities in articulating their philosophy and model of care, which can then be refined into a set of prioritized therapeutic goals. These goals then serve as the basis for making decisions at all levels of care planning and implementation, including design decisions.

I.D.E.A.S., Inc. is also committed to the value of systematic research as a foundation for our consulting activities. Over two-thirds of our annual budget comes from research grants, primarily from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health. Recent grant activities include creating a low-cost alternative to traditional environmental consultation services for settings for people with dementia and the development of training videos for caregivers of people with HIV-associated dementia. Current research projects include an exploration of the impact of different models of care on special care units, the role of therapeutic kitchens, and a two year evaluation of a newly constructed, innovative nursing home. I.D.E.A.S., Inc. also maintains a comprehensive library on environmental issues related to the elderly, along with a product resource library of products available for both the home and alternate care settings.

I.D.E.A.S., Inc. is a multi-disciplinary firm, with expertise in architecture, sociology and aging, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology and health care administration. Beyond its consulting activities, staff have published numerous articles and book chapters on various aspects of long term care, and typically make more than 25 conference presentations per year, in the U.S. and abroad.