It's estimated that 5.6 million people in the United States have some form of dementia. This disease can be devastating for many reasons. One of the well-known ones is the pain that comes from forgetting important details and relationships.
However, another unfortunate aspect is the level of specialized care it requires. As the disease progresses, dementia patients can start being a hazard to both themselves and others.
The good news is that there are types of memory care that can both improve lives and slow the progress of the disease.
So, what is memory care at Trinity? And what are the benefits that come with it? In this guide, we'll answer these questions so you can decide which type of memory care is right for your needs.
Memory care is a specific type of ongoing medical care that's designed for people with Alzheimer's or other dementia-related conditions, as memory conditions progress can impact daily living and safety.
People with advanced Alzheimer's might have trouble taking care of themselves. Or, they could be prone to wandering. At its core, personalized memory care services provide an environment that lowers the stress of having this condition.
It does this by establishing a routine for residents. This can include social events and activities designed to entertain and stimulate cognition in people with memory conditions.
Senior memory care can come in a lot of different forms. However, the most common ones take place in assisted living communities.
These environments are designed with safety measures to ensure that people with memory conditions can be independent without wandering too far.
Memory care can be expensive. So why is it worth it? For starters, residents get access to specialized staff trained to deal with memory conditions. This staff provides structure and cognitive support throughout the residents' entire days.
However, the biggest benefit is the improved quality of life. As this study notes, when nursing homes have specialized dementia care it can lead to far better outcomes. In many cases, it can significantly slow the onset of the disease.
However, for people with advanced dementia, it can still provide them with a meaningful and stimulating day-to-day life.
Rather than living in confusion and fear, with Trinity memory care residents can enjoy good food, social connections, entertaining activities, and memories.
There are many different types of memory care programs out there. Unfortunately, they're not all made equally. To ensure that your loved one not only gets the care they need, but also the quality of life, make sure to consider all of these factors.
There are three main memory care options that you will need to choose from. The first, and most popular, are memory care programs offered in assisted living communities.
This is the type of program we offer here, Discovery Village Trinity. With this type of care, the resident will live in the community.
They'll provide care and activities for the individual. It's a great option for families who want to give their loved ones the care they need, but don't have the time to provide the care themselves.
The second option is home health care. This is a good option for individuals who are adamant about not leaving their homes. With it, professionals will come to provide care at the individual's home.
During the early stages of dementia, this will likely just involve a few visits to deal with assistance and medication management. However, eventually, the person will need a full-time companion to be safe.
The main downside with this option is it's quite costly.
The last option is family memory care. As the name suggests, this is when the family deals with every aspect of care.
Interacting frequently with family can indeed have a positive impact on slowing dementia. However, it requires a lot of time and energy from the family. As such, it's not a realistic option for everyone.
The staff is who your loved one will be spending most of their time with. As such, you want to make sure that they're kind and qualified individuals. So during a tour get to know some of them if they're able.
Ask about how they approach care with the residents. See why they got into this kind of work. This will help you feel secure knowing that your loved one is in good hands.
You want to avoid assisted living communities that claim to have good food when, in reality, they serve plain, processed meals. So, inspect the meals by walking through the eating area.
Or, better yet, try the meals yourself. This will give you a good idea of whether it's good enough for your loved one.
You also want to make sure they'll be entertained and stimulated by activities throughout the day. Specifically, they should be utilizing brain-boosting activities that help keep their minds stimulated. This is essential for slowing down the onset of the condition.
Dementia is a progressive condition, meaning the symptoms start mild and gradually get worse as it advances. And, unfortunately, there's no cure. As such, some memory care communities might be equipped to handle people in the early stages, but not the advanced ones.
So ask about future care. See what the plan is for people as their condition worsens. That way, there's a plan in place to provide continuing care throughout the person's entire life.
We hope this guide helped you answer the question, What is memory care at Trinity? Here at Discovery Village Trinity, we firmly believe that people with dementia can still live meaningful lives.
Our program reflects this in the way our residents embrace the richness of each day. Whether it's interactive art or music therapy, we provide a safe space for people with memory conditions to laugh and develop friendships.
So if you want to learn more about our memory care program, schedule a visit with us today.