People with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia experience a wide range of symptoms, and their care needs progress at different rates. If your loved one is still at home, you may have concerns about their safety and ability to care for themselves. If they’re already in an assisted living community, you may be considering whether or not it’s time to move them from assisted living to memory care.
Here, we discuss the differences between normal cases of forgetfulness and signs of dementia, as well as senior living options that can ensure a loved one with dementia has access to appropriate long-term care.
What Are Some Signs That Memory Loss May be Serious?
To some extent, growing forgetful with age is normal. As the body ages, natural biological changes affect a person’s cognitive abilities. Certain medical conditions can also contribute to mental decline, particularly when blood and oxygen flow is disrupted, since both are vital to brain function.
However, when casual memory lapses begin to affect daily life and safety, it may be time to start thinking about when to move from assisted living to memory care.
Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Forms of Dementia
- Persistent memory loss. Occasionally struggling to recall a word or missing an appointment is fairly normal, but an early sign of Alzheimer’s or dementia may be frequently forgetting significant dates like loved ones’ birthdays, habitually losing things, or repeating the same questions again and again.
- Changes in behavior or abilities. Someone with increasing memory loss may display new personality traits or fears about completing everyday activities. Agitation, anxiety, and withdrawal are also common. You may notice your loved one grappling with basic decisions, exercising poor judgment, or becoming overwhelmed while tackling familiar tasks.
- Confusion that poses risks. Misplacing keys or eyeglasses is one thing, but taking a walk and forgetting how to get home is completely different. Actions that place your loved one in potential danger should be taken seriously so they don’t put themselves or others in harm’s way.
- Disorientation about time, location, or people. For someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, confusion about time and people can become profound. They may have increasing trouble recognizing family members or believe they’re living in a different time or place.
If you suspect your loved one may have Alzheimer’s or dementia, know that early intervention has many benefits. A medical professional can help you determine whether the symptoms you’re seeing are truly a form of dementia, offer advice about treatment options, and help you plan for the future.
A professional assessment has other practical advantages, like medical benefits and long-term cost savings. In addition, a physician can weigh in on decisions such as when to move from assisted living to memory care.
Are Assisted Living Services Advanced Enough for Someone with Memory Loss?
For many people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, an assisted living community can provide a safe setting with a little extra support to complete activities of daily living. This living option is ideal for someone who desires independence but benefits from help when they need it.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia, so at some point, the disease will progress, and the level of independence that assisted living provides is no longer safe or realistic. That’s when a move from assisted living to memory care is necessary. Not all communities offer assisted living with memory care facilities, so it’s a good idea to do your homework before you transition to memory care.
Assisted Living vs. Memory Care: Key Differences
While many of the services offered in assisted living are similar to memory care, there are nuances in how the care is delivered. Memory care services are specifically designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Here’s how it differs from assisted living:
- Specialized teams. Memory care team members receive specialized training to understand and address the unique needs of individuals with cognitive decline. They are skilled in de-escalation techniques, communication strategies for those with memory loss, and providing engaging activities designed for cognitive stimulation.
- Secure setting. Memory care residences typically have secured entrances and exits to prevent residents from wandering, which can be a common concern with dementia. The layout is often designed to be easy to navigate and minimize confusion.
- Therapeutic programming. Activities in memory care are specifically designed to engage residents with cognitive impairment. These might include music therapy, art therapy, reminiscence therapy, and sensory activities. The goal is to provide stimulation, reduce agitation, and enhance quality of life.
- Individualized care plans. Because dementia affects individuals differently, memory care focuses on individualized care plans tailored to each resident’s specific needs, abilities, and preferences.
In essence, memory care offers a more specialized and secure setting with targeted care for the unique challenges of those living with dementia.
Assisted Living with Memory Care: How Querencia’s CCRC Design Supports Continuity of Care
Querencia at Barton Creek is a Life Care community, meaning that residents have the option of moving from assisted living to memory care, which is designed to reduce confusion while providing added protection and security. Licensed professionals who specialize in memory loss deliver 24-hour supervised care. Familiar schedules, comfortable surroundings, and a full-time lifestyle coordinator help ensure each resident’s unique needs are met with compassion.
In addition, unique therapeutic programs like MUSIC & MEMORY® use custom, personally curated playlists to enliven resident spirits and tap into comforting memories.
If you’ve reached a point when a move from assisted living to memory care is in your loved one’s best interest, you’ll want a memory care community that delivers a level of care you can trust. Use the contact form below to learn more about Querencia’s approach to Alzheimer’s and dementia care in Austin. Or, contact us.
