One question we often receive from families is when we should move our loved on to a memory care unit. It’s one of the toughest decisions a family must make for their loved one, and often it’s heart-wrenching.
To give the best advice, we first think it’s necessary to know the difference between assisted living care and memory care.
Assisted living is care for residents who – for the most part – can still live independently. These seniors still have their mental skills and may be very active, but they often need help performing some common tasks, like getting dressed and cooking meals. Assisted living facilities allow residents to continue to live as independently as they can, but to also have those helping hands when needed.
Memory care, on the other hand, is specialized care for those with memory loss, often referred to as dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type. With this and other forms of dementia, a person experiences declines in memory, thinking, reasoning, and decision-making. Unlike assisted living, memory care facilities are for people whose loss of cognitive abilities make it unsafe for them and those caring for them to remain at home. Because of this, people with dementia need special care.
Memory care units, like assisted living, are designed to give residents as much independence as possible. But memory care units are medically-necessary. Within a memory care unit, our staff goes beyond help with daily tasks. We offer more structure in daily routines. Shared spaces allow memory care residents to dine and do other activities together. Additional security measures are also necessary because many residents with dementia may wander, and keeping our residents safe is a top priority.
Now that you understand the differences between assisted living and memory care, you might want to know when you should move your loved one to memory care. As mentioned previously, it’s a tough decision for any family, and often a family encounters resistance and guilt when making this decision. Below we’ve listed several questions that a family or caregiver must consider when making this decision.
- Is your loved one becoming unsafe in their current home?
- Is the health of your loved one at risk?
- Is the health of your loved one’s caregiver at risk?
- Is the caregiver becoming stressed, irritable, and impatient when taking care of your loved one?
- Is taking care of your loved one beyond the caregiver’s physical ability?
- Is the caregiver neglecting family, work, or personal responsibilities?
- Would the structure and social interaction of a memory care facility benefit your loved one?
If you answer yes to any of the questions, you should consider moving your loved one to a memory care facility. Our staff at Homeplace of Henderson always welcomes your questions and will always be available to assist you in making these tough decisions. Like you, we want what’s best for your loved one. For more information, please call Jessica Beaven, Executive Director of The Homeplace of Henderson at (270) 577-0534.