If your loved one needs extra support, memory care may be just what they need. This senior lifestyle is ideal for older adults with cognitive conditions like dementia. While your loved one has supportive care, there may be questions about wanting to leave the community.
Your loved one can always leave for trips or activities with others. Residents can leave their community temporarily or decide to move out when needed. Often when a loved one moves out of a memory care community, they may need additional 24-hour support.
Knowing everything you can about memory care is important before making a final decision for your loved one.
What Is Memory Care?
Memory care is a specialized lifestyle designed to meet the unique needs of older adults with memory loss, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. It’s a holistic approach focused on providing care, support, and specialized programming in a safe and secure environment.
Dementia changes communication in the brain, affecting cognition, behavior, and emotions. As dementia progresses, living independently can become difficult.
When cognitive decline affects independent living, memory care offers crucial support. Memory care can help improve the quality of life for residents as their needs change with time.
What Does Memory Care Offer?
While every resident has unique needs, memory care helps ensure everyone receives daily support. Your loved one has a customized care plan that details the care they need, whether it’s help with mobility, eating, or dressing.
These needs can change with time, and so can your loved one’s care plan—memory care staff can adapt daily support as needed.
Outside of specialized care for medical conditions and dementia, support in a memory care community focuses on the activities of daily living (ADLs). These activities become more difficult with age and medical problems, and your loved one may need extra support throughout the day.
The activities of daily living include:
- Moving: Moving is the ability to move and change positions (like sitting) without additional support.
- Dressing: Dressing is the ability to wear appropriate clothing and put it on independently.
- Hygiene: Hygiene involves bathing, grooming, and keeping your teeth, hair, and nails clean.
- Toileting: Toileting is the ability to sit down and use a toilet independently.
- Continence: Continence is the ability to control your bladder and bowel movements.
- Feeding: Feeding is the ability to cook for and eat independently.
Besides support with daily living, memory care communities offer many services and amenities. Residents can enjoy life without worrying about housekeeping or laundry while having access to prepared meals, onsite beauty salons, and concierge services.
Can Your Loved One Leave Memory Care?
The answer to leaving memory care depends on what leaving the community means. Residents can leave the community whenever they like for shopping, trips, or other visits, and they and their families can determine if they’d like to move out.
Your loved one can always leave the community, whether they leave on a trip with you or a scheduled activity with other residents. They also spend time outside—residents live as independently as possible, with help available whenever needed. But part of the specialization of memory care is to provide continued safety to loved ones who may wander.
While memory care may not be right for everyone, it’s important to understand the level of care someone with dementia can require as this disease progresses. The transition out of memory care will likely require some adjustments, including the need for eventual 24-hour care.
Have an open line of communication with your loved one’s doctors to ensure they receive the best possible support, whether in a memory care community or at home.
Signs Your Loved One May Need Memory Care
Recognizing the signs that a loved one may need memory care can be difficult. However, certain behaviors and changes can indicate it’s time to consider professional help.
Some signs it may be time for memory care include:
- Memory loss: Memory loss typically worsens as dementia progresses. Consider memory care if your loved one struggles to remember names or family members.
- Wandering: Wandering is a common symptom of later-stage dementia. Your loved one may feel confused about their surroundings and walk around with uncertain purpose—which can sometimes place their safety at risk.
- Personality changes: Dementia can lead to personality changes as it affects how your loved one thinks and behaves.
- Struggles with hygiene: Your loved one not brushing their teeth or wearing dirty clothes may mean they can’t care for themselves.
- Difficulty with daily activities: Struggling with daily activities may mean your loved one needs extra support.
If you notice any of these symptoms in your loved one, it’s important to have an honest conversation about the next steps.
Give Your Loved One the Best Possible Care
Memory care professionals can provide personalized support and care to help your loved one maintain their cognitive abilities and quality of life. Help your loved one thrive by investing in their future early. Visit our community and see how memory care can benefit their needs, now and in the future.
Contact All American Assisted Living at Raynham if you’re interested in memory care for your loved one.
