When is the Right Time for Memory Care?

When your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia has reached the point of needing more care than you can provide in the home, how will you know what is the right fit for them? Memory Care Communities abound in South West Florida. How will you ever find the right one? That is where Ultimate Resource Health Network comes in. Our team of experienced placement advisors do not charge families for our placement services. We know every facility in the greater SWFL area, and we know the right questions to ask to help you along the way. Let us help you compare options, get pricing, and save time while finding the best facility for your needs.

Should My Loved One Be in Memory Care?
It’s important to keep in mind that memory care units are typically for people with mid- to late-stage dementia, says Ruth Drew, director of information and support services at the Alzheimer’s Association. Therefore, some people who may need memory care are already living in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Such facilities sometimes have memory care units, which are run by staff members trained in working with people who need additional care with day-to-day living.

“Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease and as care needs intensify it may not be possible for family members to provide around-the-clock care as needed,” Drew says. If you’re wondering whether a loved one should be in a memory care environment, it may be helpful to consider a series of questions regarding the well-being of a person with dementia, says Sandra Connell Jones, an adjunct instructor at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Jones, who’s

also an adjunct at Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee, is a member of the Positive Aging Consortium at MTSU, where she teaches in the psychology department and the aging studies program.

Here are some questions to consider:
. Is it safe for the person to continue living in his or her current environment?
. Is the person’s behavior likely to cause harm
to others?
. What does the person want, need, and say about the situation?
. What do medical professionals and other family members suggest?
. Are there resources and support systems which can help the person to continue to “age in place,” or is a move necessary to provide care and
protection?
. It’s useful to ask, “If I were the person, what would I want done for me?” Jones says.

If you’re worried that a loved one may need memory care, get a primary care doctor, a geriatric psychiatrist, or a neurologist to diagnose that person, Drew says. The Alzheimer’s Association lists an array of care options on its website.

Different Memory Care Options
If a medical professional recommends memory care, here are some options, according to Nora O’Brien, executive director of Willow Gardens Memory Care, on United Hebrew’s campus in New Rochelle:

1. Assisted living. Many individuals diagnosed with mild or moderate stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can live to the fullest with some help, such as the kind provided in an assisted living environment. “Assisted living provides supportive care based on individual needs; that means we develop a customized care plan to provide an array of services including medication management, assistance with personal care and daily living, nutritious meal service and an enriching activity program,” O’Brien says.

2. Dedicated memory care community. A dedicated memory care community is a specialized form of assisted living that provides comprehensive care in a secure environment, O’Brien says. “That means that residents are free to move about, often in indoor and outdoor spaces, without the fear of getting lost,” she says. Physical spaces are often designed with visual cues and artwork to help with navigation and ease anxiety. Meal preparation, medication management, assistance with daily life and personal care and enriching activities are all part of a memory care community that meets residents’ health care needs and keeps them engaged in the world around them.

3. Skilled nursing. A secure memory care unit in a skilled nursing facility is the best memory care option for those with greater health care needs, O’Brien says. The same daily care that is provided in assisted living and dedicated memory care is applied, with a greater emphasis on meeting the medical needs of those with chronic or complex illnesses.

Need more information, reach out to Ultimate Resource Health Care Navigators at 239-994-8116 to see what options are available in your area.