About Memory Care Facilities for Older Adults

Elder care for seniors with memory impairments isn't limited to nursing homes or lock down units anymore. Today's older adults with Alzheimer's disease or dementia can find the comfort and care they need in memory care facilities. Instead of being locked away from the rest of world, as was once done with seniors diagnosed with senility, they can live in appropriate private or group homes and receive support from compassionate and skilled caregivers.

Is Memory Care Needed?

While it is common for older adults to become forgetful as they age, it is atypical for them to become confused and agitated when it happens. Some of the warning signs and symptoms associated with memory impairments include:

• Changes in personality or mood
• Withdrawal from social activities, hobbies or family gatherings
• Poor judgement
• Consistently misplacing personal items or accusing others of stealing them
• Trouble speaking or writing
• Unable to understand spatial relationships
• Confusion with place or time
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks
• Inability to follow a plan or work with numbers
• Accidents with appliances such as forgetting to turn off the stove
• Forgetting to take medications
• Getting lost or confused in familiar surroundings

If one or more of these symptoms are present, consider seeking medical help from a general practitioner, neurologist, psychiatrist or similar type of professional. Remember, only a doctor can diagnose a memory impairment and therefore recommend a memory care facility.

Types of Memory Care Facilities 

There are three basic styles of memory care settings available for those with various levels of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. These long-term elder care facilities offer different levels of care depending on the residents' needs:

• Special Care Units: Commonly called Alzheimer's SCUs, these centers are specifically designed for those with advanced memory impairments. They are wings of larger residential care facilities or stand-alone facilities. The medical and non-custodial staff receive special training to work with older adults with memory disorders. They have open floor plans, softer lighting and security systems in place to keep seniors from wandering around outside
• Residential Care Facilities: Board and care homes an assisted living facilities are two types of residential care facilities. In many cases, both offer the type of care needed for those in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Older adults live alone or in shared rooms and receive help with various non-custodial activities.
• Nursing Homes: In California, nursing homes are also known as skilled nursing facilities. Patients receive 24/7 medical care and supervision in a hospital-like setting, which is typically a separate section or wing of a nursing home.

Look at the Entire Facility

When looking at a memory care unit, make sure its design and layout is specifically for seniors with this type of impairment. The facility should have lower noise levels, and locator signs and images/graphics identifying restrooms, sinks, bedroom doors, etc. A good memory care facility will have a low staff-to-resident ratio and offer therapeutic activities designed to work with memory impaired persons.