The Rodriguez family made the difficult and emotional decision to move their beloved grandmother, Ana María Rodriguez, into memory care. But which memory care community?
Ana is a person living with dementia (PLWD). She has resided at the family home for several years; but the family cannot provide the assisted care she needs.
The Rodriguezes are not alone. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, approximately 5.8 million people in the USA are living with some form of dementia. Most live in their own senior home or a family home. The Rodriguezes made the mature assessment that they need a memory care unit in a residential assisted living community.
Their ultimate goal is to provide Ana with the best care, safety, and quality of life. Now, they need to assess memory care communities. But there are so many factors to consider. What activities for memory care residents should they look for in a memory care unit? What are these memory activities for dementia patients even like? What kind of qualifications should a care community for dementia patients have?
It can be overwhelming to know where to start. This blog will provide a comprehensive list of questions to ask potential memory care communities, helping you make the best choice for your loved one’s care and well-being.
What is memory care?
Memory care is a specialized form of long-term/assisted living care designed for those with dementia or other cognitive impairments. Dementia is a progressive syndrome without a cure. So, the goal of a memory care community is to mitigate symptoms, provide a safe, healthy environment, and improve quality of life.
What is the difference between memory care and nursing homes?
The main difference between memory care and nursing homes is their specialization. Nursing homes provide more general long-term care for various health conditions. The staff of a memory care unit focuses on cognitive decline.
What services do homes for people with dementia provide?
Memory care units and homes for people with dementia provide various helpful services. We’ll explore and assess the activities for memory care residents and memory activities for dementia patients later on.
- 24-hour supervised care
- Assistance with daily living activities (bathing, dressing, eating, etc.)
- Medication management
- Specialized dining programs
- Cognitive therapies and activities (e.g., art therapy, music therapy)
- Structured daily routines
- Enhanced safety features (e.g., keypad entry, enclosed outdoor spaces)
- Social engagement opportunities
- Transportation to medical appointments
- Personalized care plans based on individual needs
Understanding the Memory Care Community’s Care Philosophy and Staff Training
With any independent senior living or continuing care retirement community, we recommend touring multiple options. Seeing a memory care unit and the dementia caregivers in action lets you see exactly how they work. Start by assessing your own loved one’s needs.
- Does my loved one wander or get lost?
- Require 24-hour supervision?
- Need help using the bathroom?
- Mobility assistance?
- Any additional medical needs like diabetes?
If you’ve served as a dementia caregiver, then you probably already have an idea of the assisted care your loved one needs. Ana is increasingly irritated, agitated, and paranoid. She’s not a danger to anyone; she’s just vocal and mean. Unfortunately, these behaviors are not uncommon.
“Challenging behaviors are often seen as symptoms of dementia,” explains Holly McMurray, Senior Vice President of Care and Compliance. “However, these behaviors are a response to dementia symptoms. Put yourself in their shoes. Aren’t we all more irritable when we feel lost, confused, and unable to focus? When we see challenging behaviors, we see them as signs that needs are not being met. When we address the root cause, we see a reduction in difficult behaviors.” All memory care staff would ideally be trained to be patient and understanding. But that’s not always the case. Watch how the staff treats residents.
What kind of qualifications should care communities for dementia patients have?
The required qualifications for memory care vary from state to state. Generally, they must complete some specialized training, like essentiALZ—Alzheimer’s Association Training and Certification.
At Cogir, our associates undergo comprehensive training to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide exceptional care. In-person training programs delve into the various forms of dementia. Associates learn to recognize and respond to the unique needs of each condition.
Engagement and socialization are essential to cognitive wellness and our training. Our staff implements activities that stimulate cognitive function, promote emotional well-being, and enhance the quality of life for residents. This includes understanding how different therapies—music therapy, reminiscence therapy, and sensory stimulation—can be tailored to the specific stages of dementia.
Communication strategies are a critical component of the training. Associates learn to communicate respectfully and effectively to maintain dignity as dementia progresses. They also learn to provide emotional support to families.
A good memory care community would also require continuing education so its staff continues to grow, such as the monthly training Cogir provides to ensure our associates are up to date in dementia support techniques. Aside from that specialized training, there are also CPR and AED certification requirements. Most memory care units also have registered nurses on staff.
When it comes to memory care staffing, what is a good staff-to-resident ratio?
When you tour homes for people with dementia, ask about their daytime and night-time ratios. These ratios compare how many staff members are available for the residents, ensuring adequate attention and personalized care. An excellent daytime ratio is 1:5 to 1:8, meaning one staff member is available to five to eight residents. Nighttime ratios are typically higher, 1:8 – 1:10.
Here are some questions you can ask when touring a memory care unit or a home for people with dementia.
- What is the staff-to-resident ratio during both day and night shifts?
- How does the community ensure adequate staffing during absences or high demand?
- Are non-caregiving staff included in the ratio? If so, what roles do they play in direct care?
- How does the community handle residents’ needs during nighttime hours?
Evaluating Safety and Security Measures of Memory Care Communities
When visiting a memory care community, gauge the overall atmosphere. Does the memory care unit look clean and well-maintained? Are there safety features like handrails in the bathrooms and living areas?
Many memory care unit layouts, such as with room labels and secure outdoor spaces, are designed to reduce confusion and wandering. They might have signage, color coding, or high-contrast colors to help memory care residents. For example, Cogir of Folsom’s dedicated memory care community has a circular shape with wide hallways that create a sense of independence for the residents while also helping with staff supervision.
Many memory care communities have access control, locked exits, 24/7 supervision, and ADA-compliant devices to prevent wandering. Seeing the outside in a memory care unit can also help with residents’ sense of time. Ask if they have secure outdoor spaces like therapy gardens, courtyards, or walking paths. Cogir of San Rafael’s memory care community has a spacious and secure courtyard, as does Cogir of Folsom and many other of our memory care communities.
Hopefully, you will not encounter any medical emergencies while touring homes for people with dementia. However, it is good to ask how the assisted care community handles medical emergencies.
Some safety features of memory care are out of sight but nonetheless present. For example, many of Cogir’s retirement communities partnered with Safely You to incorporate their advanced fall prevention. Their program involves installing cameras with specialized software that can detect when a resident falls. The engineers behind Safely You programmed the cameras to automatically delete footage every seven seconds if there is no fall. However, if there is a fall, caregivers are immediately alerted.
Implementing the pilot program in the participating memory care units has been proven to reduce fall-related ER visits by 80% and falls by 40%. It also helps prevent and treat injuries that result from silent falls. A silent fall is when a resident falls but self-recovers. By itself, that sounds good; it sounds like independent living. However, silent falls result in injuries that go unnoticed and thus untreated. Safely You’s program also helps assisted care staff respond much faster to falls. The staff can now respond to falls in under two minutes, while the industry average is 40 minutes.
What activities for memory care residents does the memory care community host?
Memory care communities offer various cognitive and physical activities to engage residents and support their well-being. Some common memory care activities include brain games and puzzles, memory recall exercises, reading and storytelling sessions, and art and music therapy. If these activities are done as group activities, then that’s even better.
Physical activities are just as important. Some memory care units conduct gentle exercise classes like chair yoga, stretching, and walking clubs. Some even include therapy animals, which can provide additional balance and social opportunities.
Here are some questions to ask when touring:
- What is your approach to activity planning for residents with dementia?
- How do you tailor activities to individual residents’ interests and abilities?
- Can you describe a typical day’s schedule of activities?
- How do you encourage community among residents?
- What types of physical activities do you offer?
- How do you incorporate cognitive stimulation into daily routines?
- Do you have programs specific to different stages of memory loss?
- How do you involve families in activities and programming?
- How do you measure the effectiveness of your activity programs?
Are there any specialized memory activities for dementia patients?
That differs between memory care units. Many of Cogir’s memory care units, including San Rafael and Folsom, work with Eldergrow™ for therapeutic gardening. This memory care program engages residents physically, socially, cognitively, creatively, and spiritually. Gardening can act as a natural antidepressant and provide a whole host of memory care benefits. Eldergrow Gardens can elevate mood, reduce agitation, improve self-esteem, improve sleep quality, and increase motor skills.
Trust your gut when touring memory care units. For the Rodriguezes, they instantly knew their grandmother would benefit from Eldergrow. She gardened for most of her life, but it wasn’t something they could provide.
Are there specialized programs for different stages of memory loss?
As mentioned above, dementia is progressive. So, you will have to think about the late-stage programs and potentially end-of-life care. No one wants to plan for their loved one’s mortality, but it is necessary.
Many retirement communities have early-prevention memory care programs. Cogir Senior Living has CONNECTIONS. It’s a holistic program that seeks to slow progression of cognitive decline and help residents maintain independence for as long as possible.
What’s the cost of memory care?
When touring memory care communities, don’t be afraid to ask about the costs.
- What is included in the monthly fees, and are there additional costs?
- What payment options and financial assistance are available?
- How does the community handle changes in care needs and associated costs?
- Are there any move-in incentives or discounts available?
- What is the process for assessing care needs and adjusting fees accordingly?
Ask yourself: Are they transparent about their price structure? Or are they withheld about their prices? Are there any potentially hidden fees? Let’s close out by discussing the average cost of Alzheimer’s care.
What is the average cost of a memory care community?
The average cost of memory care in the US is around $6,160 per month. However, depending on the location, amenities, and level of care required, this can range anywhere from $3,500 to over $8,000 per month.
What is the cost of Alzheimer’s care?
The average monthly cost of Alzheimer’s care is around $6,200. Nursing homes’ Alzheimer’s care tends to focus on end-of-life care, so their costs tend to be higher.
Conclusion:
Selecting the right memory care community is a crucial decision that requires careful consideration and thorough research. By asking these essential questions, you can ensure that your loved one will receive the highest quality of care in a safe and supportive environment. Take the time to visit multiple communities, speak with staff and residents, and trust your instincts to make the best choice for your family.
About Cogir Senior Living
What sets Cogir apart is the company’s devoted approach to creating healthy, vibrant communities that offer residents exceptional independent living, assisted living, and memory care lifestyle options. Cogir Senior Living develops, owns, and/or operates 80+ lifestyle communities throughout the United States.