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. 

Does Your Love One Need Alzheimer's Care?

If you have an elderly loved one who is showing signs of forgetfulness, you may want to find out if he or she needs Alzheimer's care or another type of elder care. Most seniors, at some point, suffer from various degrees of memory loss. However, there is a difference between what is normal, age-related memory loss and Alzheimer's disease. While there are similarities between the two conditions, Alzheimer's disease is much more serious and requires a doctor's diagnosis, special care and attention.

Alzheimer's Disease vs. Normal Forgetfulness 

As seniors age, they typically experience minor changes in their thinking and memory functions. They may forget where they put their eyeglasses, the television remote or even part of an experience, such as a birthday party. Eventually, sooner than later, they remember where those items are or the main events of the party. However, individuals with Alzheimer's disease typically can't recall anything about losing those items or the birthday party when asked about it.

Another difference between Alzheimer's disease and normal memory loss is the way senior citizens processes and follows instructions. With typical age-related memory loss, individuals can usually follow written or verbal instructions without much trouble, albeit a bit slower than those who aer younger.
Alzheimer's patients, however, have more difficulty understanding and following the directions and eventually can't complete the tasks at all.

A final difference between these two types of memory impairments is remembering and completing simple day-to-day tasks such as bathing, dressing, housekeeping, etc. Those suffering from a severe memory impairment lose their ability to complete these duties, while average senior citizens slow down, but don't fully lose the ability.

Is Alzheimer's Care Needed?

If you've come across any of these circumstances with a loved one, and want to know if he or she needs Alzheimer's care, this checklist may help. However, these are only guidelines, as severe memory impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia, can only be properly diagnosed by a physician. Early diagnosis allows patients to seek proper treatments in a timely manner. According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's disease:

1. Forgetfulness that impacts every day life
2. Increasing difficulty with solving problems
3. Issues with completing typical daily tasks
4. Frequently losing track of time, day of week or passage of time
5. Unable to show the connection between spatial relationships and visual images
6. Increasing difficulty with speaking and writing words and sentences
7. Inability to retrace steps especially when it comes to misplacing items
8. Trouble making decisions or have poor judgement when it comes to important issues such as handling money
9. Becoming reclusive especially in social situations
10. Severe and sudden changes in personality and mood

Types of Alzheimer's Care 

If your loved one receives the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, there are several elder care options available:

• In-Home Care: Especially in the onset stages of this disease, many families hire caretakers or nurses to come into the home and help with their loved ones' daily needs. 
• Residential Care Facilities:Another option for those with early onset Alzheimer's disease, these board and care homes or assisted living facilities allow residents to remain independent, but receive help 24/7 with their various daily living activities.
• Nursing homes: Also known as skilled nursing facilities, these long-term care facilities offer seniors in the more advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, specialized care in a hospital-like setting. They receive ongoing supervision and medical attention, as well as take part in various activities designed for their special needs. 
• Alzheimer's Special Care Units: These care facilities are specifically for residents in the advanced stages of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The staff (including medical personnel) are specially trained to work with patients with severe memory impairments. The design of the units are relative to those living there: Softer lighting, open floor plans and security systems in place.

Don't Hesitate 

Consider your loved one's needs not only now, but six months or a year down the road when deciding if Alzheimer's care is truly needed. Medication and treatments can slow down the process of the disease, but it is not preventable or curable. It is a degenerative condition that needs immediate attention. If you think a loved one is showing some of the warning signs, speak with his or her doctor immediately.

Understanding Alzheimer's Care

While traditional types of elder care are appropriate for those with mild memory impairments, there are special Alzheimer's care facilities designed to accommodate seniors suffering from the more advanced stages of this disease. Memory care communities or assisted living facilities with Alzheimer's Special Care Units (SCUs) are two options that offer more supervision and assistance than traditional types of elder care.

Seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease will typically do well in an assisted living facility or with in-home care. However, these arrangements are usually only short-term. Age-related memory impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia, are degenerative, so having a long-term plan in place will save time, heartache and stress down the road when the disease progresses.

What Alzheimer's Care Entails 

Seniors with age-related memory impairments need balance and structure in their lives. From the care facility's design to meal times and activities, everything seniors require in an Alzheimer's care residence should fit these needs. Especially in the early stages of the disease, residents are anxious and frustrated when they can't do something right or if their routine is off kilter. 

Administering Care to an Alzheimer's Patient

Here are some basic tips caregivers and family members should keep in mind when caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease or other severe memory impairment:

• Establish a routine: Making a schedule of the senior's day makes life less confusing. Schedule more strenuous tasks such as bathing, medical appointments or exercises during the time of day when he or she is most calm.
• Exhibit patience: Simple tasks such as putting on shoes or brushing hair may take a little longer to do now. As a caregiver, you need to allow time for the resident to do these things and not rush him or her.
• Restrict choices: Limit options to at few as possible. For instance, two choices for drinks at a meal or two sweaters to choose from when dressing.
• Provide basic directions: Don't complicate situations by giving more than one step at a time to complete an activity or task.
• Be flexible: A seniors needs and wants may vary from day-to-day. Adapt his or her routine as necessary to accommodate these changes.

Basic Structure of an Alzheimer's Care Facility 

Memory care communities or conventional assisted living facilities with Alzheimer SCUs both have medical and non-medical staff trained to work with residents who have severe memory impairments. Memory care centers offer programs, support services and activities typically not found in other types of senior housing. The dwellings are larger but have securely enclosed areas both indoors and out.

Assisted living SCUs are wings or sections of typical assisted living facilities designed specifically for elderly persons with memory impairments. Depending on the facility, the residents may or may not integrate with the rest of the residents in the facility.

Alzheimer's patients typically need help in one or more of the following areas:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Meal preparation
• Medication disbursement
• Housekeeping
• Laundry
• Shopping
• Healthcare or financial decisions
• Puzzles or other games/activities

 

Both elder  care options typically include:

• Lower noise levels
• Softer lighting
• Locator signs and images or graphics identifying items such as restrooms or sinks
• 24/7 supervision
• Low staff-to-resident ratios
• Open and unique floor plans
• Therapeutic devices and activities designed to help memory-impaired persons

The bottom line is finding an Alzheimer's care facility that specializes in this type of care. Don't be fooled by facilities that claim to help all seniors regardless of their age, disability or impairment. Most importantly, visit several Alzheimer care facilities to see how the residents live.