“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while Waiting”
Families usually begin investigating memory care programs when a senior they love is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. Personal Senior Care Homes recommends creating a plan that meets their needs is critically important. The issue often is memory care is an unfamiliar term. We thought it would be helpful to explain what a memory care is and how it differs from traditional assisted living or nursing home environment.
What Does “Memory Care” Mean?
In broad terms, memory care is a type of long-term care dedicated to meeting the unique needs of older adults who have Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia. Memory care is typically part of an assisted living community, our specialty and unique standalone homes are ideal for adults with some form of dementia.
Utilizing specially designed living spaces in West Chester neighborhoods we keep seniors with memory loss safe while also enabling them to enjoy their best quality of life. Personal Senior Care Homes are rooted in getting to know each resident in order to provide personalized care.
- The senior can and usually keeps their personal physician. Personal Senior Care Homes (PSCH) team members to create an individual care plan. The plan is designed to meet the resident’s current needs and to look toward what they may require in the future. This process begins when the senior even moves in to their new home. PSCH’s caregivers receive special ongoing training to learn the best practices for communicating with and supporting residents who have memory loss.
Older adults in a memory care program also benefit from the following:
- Dining assistance: Adults with memory loss or dementia can struggle to eat independently. A noisy or busy environment can make focusing on food difficult, loss of hand-eye coordination can make using kitchen utensils challenging, and vision problems can make it tough to distinguish food on the plate. Our caregivers are at a much higher ratio than the typical 15-20 to one caregiving model. This is why at PSCH’s poor nutrition and weight loss are not the issue they can be in larger less resident focused homes such as ours. Our homes the caregiving is designed to address these challenges and are devoted to encouraging good nutrition.
- Life enrichment activities: Life enrichment activities are encouraged and allow those with memory problems to be and feel productive and successful. We at PSCH encourage activities based on the resident’s personal preferences. A calendar of daily events might include repetitive tasks known to soothe agitation, art or music therapy to help residents connect with memories and experience joy, and physical activity that promotes better sleep quality. We have a secure outdoor area for residents to safely enjoy the fresh air and participate in activities such as birdwatching or gardening.
- Family support: We are available for family support and realize how important it is for families to have access to their loved one. From one-on-one family visits or the occasional family outings we provide families with an opportunity to voice their fears, sadness, and frustration. Communication is key in our care of the resident. A loved one’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia can have a significant impact on everyone who loves them highlighting the fact that family involvement is welcomed and encouraged at our residences.
Dementia and Alzheimer disease can leave families with many questions. Navigating family dynamics and learning about our residentially based homes might be the right option the for your loved one and your family!