Today, I am continuing this series on senior housing options with memory care options what they are and when you might need them. You can find the first in the series called “HOME HEALTHCARE WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?” and the second one “WHEN TO CHOOSE ASSISTED LIVING AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?”. I really hope they have been helpful to you!
What is MEMORY CARE?
According to SeniorAdvice.com memory care is: Memory care services provide facilities similar to those that are available in standard nursing homes, but also provide availability to a nursing staff that specializes in memory disorders, and who can provide individuals with the care that they need to live comfortably despite their disease. These facilities benefit from additional security to help ensure the safety of residents and to prevent them from wandering or otherwise harming themselves.
Memory care facilities are popping up everywhere and finding the right place to care for your loved one who had been diagnosed with Alz/dementia has never been more important. Once again research is everything. Checking out reviews, talking to other family members and hearing their experiences, touring these facilities and not being afraid to ask the “tough questions” will assure that you find the most loving environment for your loved one.
When looking for any kind of senior housing options I always suggest heading to senioradvice.com first. Their senior housing search engine just can’t be beat when it comes to gathering all of the information that you need to make the best decision possible. After putting in your zip code only you will pull up a list of memory care facilities in your communities. Everything from how many patients they can hold to how many complaints they’ve had.
Their article “SELECTING THE RIGHT MEMORY CARE COMMUNITY” has so much valuable information when it comes to choosing the community that fits your families needs. The first thing you have to do is to properly assess your families’ needs. There are also a lot of other things to consider like:
- Expense
- Location
- Services available
- Living arrangements
- Staff to patient ratio
These are very important questions that need to be asked. Not only providing a loving, caring environment, but also keeping your loved one active both physically and mentally is so important at this stage. It can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to transitioning your senior to this new environment.
We all have those memories of visiting a nursing home as a child. When I was 11 I went with my best friend and her mother to visit her grandmother and I can still remember the horrible stench, the older people sitting in wheelchairs in the hallway just begging for attention and stimulation. It’s something I have never forgotten and probably the #1 reason I opted for home care. Things have changed and today as we learn more about Alz and dementia we know that mental stimulation is so vital.
For years, it was thought that medicating our seniors was the best thing for them, but what it taught that while that may make the life of the caregiver easy it was definitely not in the best interest of the patient. For some like my mother, for instance, she is in almost perfect health except for her mind so keeping her activity level up along with the mental stimulation it provides will keep her healthier and more engaged for a lot longer than what would have been possible not even 10 years ago.
I think that as more and more communities come on board it will provide a healthy way of weeding out the bad and highlighting the good and places like Senioradvvice.com with their senior housing search engine are providing families with real-time information that will allow them to make safe and loving decisions which will ultimately improve the life of their loved ones.
Once again if follow these steps making a decision on memory care just might be a little easier.
- Decide what your family needs first. Narrow down exactly what you are looking for and exactly what you don’t want.
- Research! Start at senioradvice.com and get a list of memory care facilities in your community.
- Read reviews
- Visit the community more than once on different days at different times. Stay for lunch try the food, look at the faces of the other residents.
- Talk to other residents and their family members because they will tell you exactly what they like and don’t like and they have the least to gain from giving an honest opinion.
I hope these tips have allowed you to start your search with a leg up. I’d love to hear your experiences with memory care! Was it a good experience or maybe not. Let’s hear it!
This has been a compensated post, but all opinions and ideas are as always completely my own.
These are very helpful tips. Thank you. I do remember visiting a nursing home when I was young. It left an indelible memory. It wasn’t a good one.
Just like people there’s a mixture of good and bad ones. It’s hard to tell which are which at first glance.
This sounds like an awesome opportunity. It’s so important to make sure you find the right care for your senior loved one and that you both feel comfortable with the option you choose. Nice post! Thanks so much for sharing!
When we were looking for an assisted living center for my grandmother we checked reviews like you suggested and it made a difference. The more you know about the home before you place your loved one in their care the better their stay will be. We also took pictures and notes so that we could remember which ones we liked when we toured the facilities.
It’s always a good idea to check reviews! I love Senioradvice.com they are so helpful in this already stressful situation.
This is the time where our grandparents needs us the most and we just don’t have all the time in the world. Choosing a second home for them is very critical. We should make sure that they are being taken care properly. These are very helpful tips to guide us.
I like the idea to check review of any home care service agency that will give you caregiver. It is a blessing to provide elder care to your love one. keep this going.
Exactly !! even i liked that because by checking the reviews we can get the idea about the home care service provider !!
Selecting the right memory care facility is so important as you want some place that is mentally and physically stimulating. Those with memory loss diseases need so much more care so it’s good to find out all the information you can about the facility before placing them.
Thanks, Brian, I appreciate the comments.
Hey!!!
When it comes to choosing the best senior care living option for you or for your aging loved one, you want to be sure that you make the right choice. To achieve this, you need to know the different senior care housing options available in your community.
These senior communities provide medical care and staff to their senior residents if they need any help. So one should careful while choosing any senior care community.
Thank you for the great sharing.
Thank you Tom! I appreciate your comments!
Hey Rena !!
Great share !!
Whether your search for senior housing is prompted by a serious medical condition or the desire for a lifestyle change, finding the right place to live can be challenging and stressful for both you and your family. However, the earlier you assess your current needs and how those needs may evolve over time, the more choices and control you’ll have. By learning about the different types of senior housing available, you can make the choice that’s right for you and ensure you enjoy a happy, healthy, and fulfilling home environment as you age.
Keep sharing !!
Have a great day
Thank you, Corey! Your perspective is terrific! Thanks for commenting.
Home caregivers are far better able to handle many routine and critical situations because they have the necessary experience and training.
Find the best senior housing that could offer you what a senior really need. If you find an institutions that lacks for their services for seniors, then you’re gonna be ending up unsatisfied and that could cause you stress.
that’s awesome. specialized in memories. I wish every nursing care has that.
Thanks for explaining that you should consider the location of the home care service. I would want them to be close to my grandparent’s house. That way, they are never too far away from getting some help. It might also be smart for me and my family to check with the BBB for a good home care service.
My grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and since I barely have the time to attend to her needs, I’m thinking of leaving her under the care of a senior home community service. I’m glad you shared this; I’ll make sure to check the service’s living arrangement first before coming up with a decision. I’ll also keep in mind to visit the community on different days, so I will be able to observe the facility further.
In a world where people are living alone more or having to move away from family and friends for economic reasons, Retirement Village life will help you feel that you are part of a real community, something that is often lost in today’s world.
So many retirees live alone or far away from friends and family. A retirement village will give you a feeling of being part of a community of like minded people. These are people in a similar stage of their life who are also looking for connection with others.
For dementia patients, especially their family members, memory care services are a big boon because for family members it is really tough to care for them considering their professional and other comittments.
The elderly sleep a few hours and their awakenings can be abrupt. Before going to sleep, check that the light in the room is light.