People often care for aging parents or loved ones with memory issues at home. However, caregiver burnout can happen. When you can no longer provide the highest quality of care or your loved one is not thriving at home, it might be time to think about a memory care community.
Before deciding whether your loved ones should stay in a memory care community, there are several things to consider like your loved one’s health, your budget, and the staff and services in a memory care community.
Understanding Memory Care
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) says “A memory care facility provides specialized residential care for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.” At Grand Brook Memory Care, we prefer the term “community” over “facility” so we will use that term in this overview.
Memory care is a specialized support and living option for people with memory issues such as those caused by dementia and Alzheimer’s. Most memory care communities have staff specially trained to assist your loved ones.
A memory care community also provides services and amenities similar to those found in assisted living. These include apartments with accessible bathrooms, communal dining facilities, light housekeeping, and assistance with daily living activities (ADLs).
Benefits of Memory Care
While it can be difficult to move your loved ones to a memory care community, caring for them at home is not always the ideal option.
Here are some benefits to consider when choosing memory care:
- Communities have programs that can slow the onset of dementia and other memory issues.
- Daily living support for activities such as bathing and dressing, including medication management.
- Physical therapists, psychiatrists, and other health care professionals are usually available on-site.
- Providing better nutrition, especially if the person with dementia previously lived alone and cooked for himself or herself.
According to the NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics), “91% of dementia special care units within memory care communities offer dementia-specific activities for residents, and 90% have doors with alarms to prevent patients from wandering.” The purpose of these features is to keep residents safe and engaged.
Tips on Choosing the Right Community
Visiting a memory care community during this process is critical. You want to see for yourself the overall atmosphere of the place. It is also an excellent idea to find out how many residents are in the community and how many staff work there. This will give you an idea of whether there are sufficient staff members to handle all resident needs.
You can also check their calendar for activities. A well-run community should include music, art, and other activities in its programs that keep your loved one engaged. You can also try at least one meal during your visit to ensure your loved one will be well-fed.
It is also crucial to check the community’s layout and physical environment. If your loved one enjoys nature, a suitable memory care community includes an outdoor area. Meanwhile, a memory care resident who used to be social will thrive more in a community with plenty of socializing opportunities.
When Is It Time to Move to Memory Care?
Deciding to transition into memory care is not easy. However, you must ask yourself whether it’s still safe for your loved one to stay home without 24/7 supervision and assistance. You can start the transition by creating a comprehensive memory care plan with a medical professional.
At Grand Brook Memory Care, we’ve been supporting families on their memory care journey for over two decades. If you’d like to speak with one of our compassionate team members or learn more about our specially designed memory care communities in North Texas, Indiana, Michigan, or Arkansas, please contact us today.
