Is your loved one showing early signs of dementia? Is he or she increasingly unable to perform activities of daily living? Or perhaps you realized that your loved one no longer seems to enjoy the hobbies that they once used to love? These are signs that your loved one might benefit from moving to a memory care community.
Moving to a memory care community is a big transition in one’s life. However, choosing a memory care community to move into is an even harder task.
It can be difficult to decide which memory care community is best for your loved one. You might be confused about how to choose a memory care community that will meet the needs of your family member, given the wide range of amenities and activities offered at different communities.
To help you make the right choice of memory care community, we have a list of useful tips that will help. Read on to learn more!
Get to Know What Your Loved One Needs and Wants
The first step in finding a memory care facility is to list and prioritize your loved one’s needs.
For instance, is your loved one in need of assistance with activities of daily living like eating, bathing, or dressing? If so, it’s crucial to consider how the memory care team will help them day and night. In other words, it is crucial for you to make sure that the memory care community that you choose offers round-the-clock care.
On the other hand, if your loved one needs regular medication or injections for diabetes or another chronic illness, you’ll want to find out how staff can adequately monitor their medical requirements.
Pick a Memory Care Community that Puts Safety First
Safety is often the top priority when you start looking for a memory care community for your loved one. Memory care communities typically include a variety of safety technology and features, from state-of-the-art motion sensor equipment in apartments to secured windows and doors with keypads.
Check to see that the memory care community that you are considering includes:
- Emergency alarm systems
- Emergency exits
- Interior parks for safe wandering
- Secured entry systems
- Automatic lights
- Grab bars and handrails
- Call buttons
Additionally, it would be helpful to schedule a tour of the memory care community and ask these questions to get to know more about their safety protocol:
- What measures are taken to help residents efficiently navigate the premises?
- What types of medical services are available?
- What is the team member-to-resident ratio? Does it change during the night?
Understand Memory Care Plans
By taking into account residents’ preferences, prior experiences, present abilities, and care requirements, many memory care communities provide person-centered dementia care.
The memory care team would often spend some time getting to know your loved one before performing a preliminary assessment for memory care. After that, the care team creates a tailored care plan that addresses your loved one’s particular requirements while working to promote their health and well-being.
At this point, it is crucial for you to enquire about care plans. Find out to what extent and how frequently care plans are reviewed, and who is involved, including nurses, family members, executive directors, or others. Because dementia frequently progresses, care plans must be regularly reviewed.
