What to Look for in a Memory Care Facility

Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on October 18, 2017

What to Look for in a Memory Care Facility

Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, is a difficult diagnosis for individuals and their families. Some older adults may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, or they may have progressed to a later stage where simple tasks of caring for oneself have become impossible. Many families find themselves at the point where taking care of their loved ones becomes a difficult and overwhelming task and begin to look around for help.

You may find yourself asking, “What type of help do I need?” or “How much will it cost to move my loved one into a nursing home?” Senior Living Link has a national directory list divided into specific categories to help you get started with finding the best care for your loved one close to home. While conducting your search, learning more about memory care facilities that specialize in caring for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s may help guide you with the resources that are available in these special caring units.

What Does Memory Care Offer?

Memory Care units are equipped with services that include typical nursing home care as well as taking into consideration the enhanced necessities to provide a safe and comfortable environment for residents with various dementia diseases. Some examples of a quality memory care facility include:

• A trained staff that is educated on dementia care and willing to implement learning theories to improve and stabilize long-term care for a dementia resident.
• Safety measures to ensure that residents are accounted for and cannot wander off of the premises.
• A well-structured facility so active residents have room to move around and get to an enclosed outside space.
• The memory care facility offers 24/7 care with plenty of nursing staff that provides quality care. This is especially important for dementia patients because sleep becomes difficult and many residents will remain active during night hours.
• Sensory awareness activities that are included alongside other engaging activities such as listening to familiar music and watching loved ones on videos. This can be comforting to residents that have a hard time remembering unfamiliar faces that are caring for them.
• Organized personal resident care to be up to date on medications and aware of medicinal side effects that can cause a resident to act up or lash out.

Questions to ask your local memory care facility

As you seek information about nursing care within your local area, use these questions as a guide to help you make a decision about moving your loved one into a memory care facility. Another great way to know about the nursing home facilities that you are researching is to talk with current residents and family members about what they like and do not like about their nursing home. Remember, as the caregiver you know the most about the care and treatment that will be the best for your loved one. Here are some question you can ask:

• Do staff members respond in a positive and engaging way to residents offering daily choices for each individual’s routine?
• Do staff members use an appropriate level of communication (Recognizing that the residents are adults, not infants and providing eye contact and not raising voices in anger)?
• What is the nursing staff member to patient ratio during both the day hours and night hours?
• What programs and activities does the memory care unit offer?
• How are the rooms designed and are they private or shared rooms?
• What is the monthly cost for living and services?
• How are meals prepared and what is offered? Is there a way to request dietary preferences?
• What innovative ways does the memory care facility handle non-verbal communication, wandering, anxiety attacks, lashing out in anger, etc.?
• Does the memory care facility group residents according to different stages of dementia?

Learn More About Memory Care Facilities

With millions of AMericans facing the realities of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dimentia, it's importnat to seek out the best care facilities possible. Senior Living Link has a robust memory care facility directory and a dedicated team ready to help you find the right place for your loved one. Contact us today to learn more!