It's estimated that dementia affects around fifty-five million people around the world. Having a loved one develop this type of memory disorder can be stressful and challenging.
However, it gets even more complex when you begin looking for memory care options. That's because depending on the stage of their condition, your loved one may have preferences about their care options.
When you combine this with the variety of care options out there and pricing considerations choosing the right option can feel overwhelming.
Luckily, in this guide, we'll walk you through some common memory care options, as well as considerations for selecting the right one for your loved one's needs.
Deciding if you need memory care can be challenging because dementia tends to progress fairly slowly.
In many cases, it might be hard to tell that something is wrong in the first place. That's why it's important to be able to recognize some of the early signs of Alzheimer's.
This can include things like difficulty communicating, changes in mood or personality, and getting lost or misplacing items. If you notice any of these symptoms it's important to see a doctor and get a diagnosis right away.
Make sure you pay attention to what the doctor says. This will have a lot of impact on which type of elderly care is appropriate for them.
As we mentioned, the specific diagnosis will dictate the level of memory care your loved one requires. It's important to keep this in mind when choosing care and living options. However, you also shouldn't forget about yourself.
Your schedule and stress levels will also play into this decision. So make sure you're being honest with yourself when choosing a care option.
Assisted senior living memory care communities are a popular option when an individual can no longer safely live at home.
They're also ideal if a family doesn't have the time to frequently check in with the individual. In addition to offering a small apartment, the programs also provide things like:
The services the senior community offers will depend on the specific program. As such, you should do your research when choosing one to make sure that it's a good fit for your loved one.
Your loved one might enjoy the independence that their home allows, but they require care. In these cases, you might want to consider home healthcare. The benefit of this option is that you can personalize it.
In some early cases, an individual might just need someone to stop by once a day to help with medication management or speech/physical therapy.
Other times, they might need permanent home companions to help with eating, dressing, and social activities.
The only downside is that these options can get quite expensive. One way to save money is to take your elderly loved ones to adult daycare operations.
If you have other family members in the area, you might want to consider family care. The main problem with this is that often one family member takes on more responsibilities than the others.
To help combat this you should make sure to set up a schedule. Make sure everyone is aware of their responsibilities. The hardest part of making a family schedule is organizing the logistics.
If people are working, it's not likely they'll be available at certain times of day. So the more people who can help out the better. It should also be noted that family care is generally most appropriate for the early stages of dementia.
That being said, there's no denying that seeing family every day can have a positive impact on dementia symptoms.
As such, even if you decide that a care community might be the better option you should still consider visiting as often as you can.
Just because aging parents have dementia doesn't mean they can't have meaningful moments and connections in their lives. As such, their memory care program should reflect this.
That starts with dining programs that offer cuisine that's both gourmet and nutritious. A great mealtime is instrumental in establishing a good rhythm of daily life. Ideally, their living conditions will have an at-home feel.
It's also incredibly important for individuals with dementia to be socially active. The power of socialization shouldn't be underestimated in slowing the onset of the disease.
As such, the community should have programs and opportunities in place to foster this type of connection with others. Lastly, they should be able to offer 24/7 personalized care.
This is especially important if the dementia has advanced significantly. The staff will need to accommodate the hands-on care that's required for these individuals.
If you have the resources, you can always do private pay for memory care. However, if you can't afford it, don't panic. There might be other options available. That starts with social security disability.
The SSA recently added Younger/Early Onset Alzheimer's to the condition list for Compassionate Allowances.
Signing up for this program can give you the resources to afford care. Some other options for affording memory care include:
You can also discuss financing plans with the care community you're choosing. They might be able to offer solutions that help you afford the monthly payments.
We hope this guide helped you learn more about memory care options for people experiencing dementia. During our thirty years of operation we here at the Watermark at Trinity have implemented a new approach to memory care.
All too often programs focus on what people with dementia can't do. We believe in emphasizing what the individual can do while providing them support in other areas.
So if you want to learn more about our revolutionary approach to memory care, schedule a visit with us today.