Senior living communities are not all the same. They can vary by size and location, as well as by type of support they provide. One of the most common senior living options is designed to serve adults living with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. These memory care communities are a crucial component of the adult’s safety and quality of life plan.
No matter if your loved one has recently received a diagnosis of dementia, or if they have been living with it for a while and you are worried they need more support, it’s never too early to begin researching your options. The first step? Understanding what memory care is.
Memory Care or Dementia Care?
Memory care communities can go by many names, including dementia care. You can find memory care communities most commonly in assisted living communities. However, skilled nursing facilities can sometimes offer memory care neighborhoods that offer more complex care for residents who need it.
Features of Memory Care
A memory care community is highly specialized, designed and staffed specifically to meet the challenges that can come with cognitive decline. The memory care experience begins with the environment, where you can find features like:
- Secured entrances and exits
- Areas to safely enjoy the outdoors, such as a courtyard or garden
- Apartments with personalized touches, such as favorite photos, furniture, and bedding
- Home-like bathrooms
- Community dining rooms that feel like restaurants or home kitchens
Residents enjoy a day and evening with comforting routines as well as stimulating events. For example, residents might enjoy listening to a team member read the morning newspaper while they have a cup of coffee before breakfast. They might also enjoy a reminiscing session after breakfast to talk about music of a certain era and then sing along to a live entertainer that afternoon.
Finally, an important feature in memory care is the team that works there. Residents receive around-the-clock support from caregivers and their care is overseen by licensed nurses. Each team member that works with memory care residents, from caregivers to dining room servers, take initial and ongoing educational courses all about dementia. They learn best practices and interventions so that they not only understand the disease progression, but also how to care for residents throughout their dementia journey.
Special Considerations and Adaptations
Living with dementia means finding new ways to approach familiar situations. Memory care communities are staffed with dementia experts, which means residents receive personalized care and adaptations as they need them, based on current science and tried-and-true best practices. These include adaptations for dining or nutritional needs, mobility challenges, and cognitive needs.
Team members use the history of each resident to find unique adaptations or interventions. Family members are welcome to share information about their loved one, as the more information team members have to draw upon, the more personalized the intervention. Family members are a major part of the memory care experience, including being involved in regular care plan meetings to discuss what is working and brainstorm about what could be improved.
Memory care communities are safe and calm havens not only for residents, but also for those important family members. Families can find support groups and other resources at their memory care community, as well as an open invitation to enjoy being a son or daughter again while attending an event with their loved one.
Finding Memory Care Communities
If your loved one is living with dementia, a memory care community can provide the home they need to remain safe and healthy. We’d love to give you a personal tour of a Ciel memory care community near you. Contact us to schedule one today.
