1. What is memory care?

People who experience memory loss still deserve a quality of life. But is there a community that exactly offers special care and treatment for the people who are living with Alzheimer’s disease among other cognitive impairments?

Memory care is a kind of specialized care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Its communities provide residential spaces and typically feature safe, secure, and uniquely designed environments where highly-skilled and trained medical staff closely monitor the health of its residents around the clock.

Memory care services include a 24-house care supervision, specialized staff, memory-enhancing therapies, among other logistical services needed for seniors living with memory loss.

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2. What are the benefits of memory care?

The care being provided by memory care facilities encourages the residents to keep up with the things that they love and make the most of each moment. Ultimately, this specialized care enables the residents to improve the quality of life. Here are some of the lifelong benefits your loved ones can expect from a memory care facility:

  • a secure, calming environment
  • trained and nurturing medical personnel
  • effective dementia therapies
  • unique designs to prevent wandering
  • lower staff-to-resident ratio
  • personalized approach to dementia
  • care coordination with other health care provider

3. How does memory care help seniors with memory loss?

Dementia is a progressive disease impairing one’s ability to remember, think, make decisions, and respond to the environment.

As the dementia disease progresses, behavior of the patient becomes more difficult to manage. Thus, it may no longer be healthy for a person with such disease to live at home and may need a 24-hour supervised care in a secure facility.

In memory care communities, the residents’ safety is the utmost priority. They provide a conducive environment, and are well-equipped with personalized facilities that promote a sense of safety, relaxing, and familiarity to the seniors with memory loss. This prevents the residents from wandering that may cause them to get lost or hurt.

4. What’s the difference between memory care and other senior care types?

Memory care differs from other assisted living, nursing, and memory homes because the former comes with specific facilities and services needed by its patients including memory enhancing therapies, transportation to appointments, and unique room layout and design to avoid confusion and wandering.

The level of care provided by memory care is based on the specific needs of a person living with dementia.

Home care, on the other hand, is one-on-one supportive care given by a professional caregiver in the place where the client lives, instead of the care provided in memory care facilities. Home care is more expensive than memory care as its cost is based on the needs and charged per hour.

5. Is memory care right for my loved one?

Memory care is highly advisable for seniors experiencing any types of dementia disease. It is important to understand your loved one’s type and stage of the disease and the care they need to help you plan the treatment.

For some patients with mild to middle-stage dementia, putting them at home or in an assisted living facility would still work. However, severe dementia symptoms with worsening behaviors highly require more assistance in a structured environment that will help them cope with the memory loss.

​​6. When is it time for memory care?

When dementia worsens, that is the time to seek specialized care and treatment from skilled medical personnel.

Bring your loved one to memory care if:

  • Patient’s dementia behaviors become intolerable and overwhelming to manage, this      includes agitation and aggression;
  • The patient’s regular hygiene can’t be met;
  • Unmanageable sleep disorders;
  • Your relative wander too much that it compromises the safety;
  • Unfavorable environment that puts your loved one at risk;
  • You can’t keep up with your loved one’s medications;
  • Unable to provide adequate nutrition;
  • Caregiving risks your own health and other family members’.

7. What does memory care cost?

On average, the cost of memory care ranges from $2,000 to $7,000 a month. This covers the fully-secured environment including 24-hour care, medical staff, memory-augmenting activities and therapies, as well as the provided meals, housekeeping, among other personal care services.

Additionally, other factors that affect the memory care price include location which represents different values, amenities, and the type of care you choose. Other optional costs are services like meals, medication, and group activities. For instance, memory care residents could add payment for laundry services, recreational outdoor activities, personal care services such as haircuts and cosmetic treatments.

If your loved one prefers a solo bedroom with their own bath instead of a studio or living with a roommate, then expect a higher accommodation rate.

8. How do I choose a memory care facility near me?

Because memory care facilities come with a variety of services and offers that may be overwhelming for you, it is important to identify your loved one’s specific needs and preferences first before making the decision. For instance, a safe community is the key priority for a patient who wanders. Aggressive behavior on the other hand requires a community’s proper approach and handling.

What is the best way to pre-evaluate your prospect memory care facility than pay an ocular visit? In this way, you will be able to assess the facilities and the type of care services they offer, including the design of the compound, types of meal they provide, and witnessing the health personnel on how they interact with the residents. Some of the memory care have already adapted to the current situation under COVID-19 by offering virtual tours if the opportunity won’t require physical visits.

Before visiting the facility, it would be helpful to prepare a list of queries that includes safety protocols, functions and amenities, staff training, among other important matters that are relevant to their services.

9. How do I move a loved one to memory care?

Moving your loved one to a memory care facility could be traumatic and may trigger anxiety, such as whether your relative could adapt or accept this major life decision. In the course of moving out, expect some stress such as talking to your relatives about moving to a memory care facility, downsizing their plans, and packing their belongings.

But taking the one at a time approach and seeking professional guidance could help you balance your fears and offset the transition process.

Here are some do’s and don’ts in moving your senior relative to a memory care facility.

Do’s:

  • Before the move, visit the facility with your loved one;
  • Work with a professional on the transition process;
  • Make sure to pack your loved one’s valuable items;
  • Consider the timing of moving based on your senior relative’s mood;
  • Have your loved one’s room organized and things unpacked before they arrive at the facility;

Don’ts

  • Add anxiety to your loved one by telling them about the move too much;
  • Avoid seeking a companion or a professional help;
  • Have too many relatives involved in the moving decision and packing process;
  • Move during the time of the day where your loved one is more active and agitated;
  • Involve your loved one with the unpacking in the facility where it could trigger homesickness.

10. How do I ease my loved one’s transition to a memory care facility?

Being separated from your loved one and taking them to a different environment could be an emotional experience and come with a lot of stress. The personal belongings and room that your senior relative would leave behind will remind treasured memories.

To ease your loved one’s transition to memory care, you should:

  • Be realistic of expectations;
  • Arrange their new place like home;
  • Rely on staff expertise;
  • Keep track of your senior relative’s care;
  • Stay in touch;
  • And focus on the bright side.

Keep in mind that being too emotional with this process could also affect your loved one’s capability to adapt to the major changes in their life. Be optimistic to help encourage your senior relative with their new environment. Bank on the positive aspects such as the care services and social programs that the memory care homes would provide.

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Whether you are looking for a community in your local area or you need to support a loved one from another state, we are here for you. We provide services from consultations to making the right and relevant senior living arrangements for your loved ones.