Memory care communities provide people living with dementia a secure and supportive place to live. People living with dementia have unique and ever-changing needs because dementia does not follow the same path with every person. If you have a parent who has been diagnosed with a form of dementia, needs help with activities of daily living (ADL), and/or is no longer able to remain safely at home without support, it could be time to consider a memory care community.
An official diagnosis
An official diagnosis of a form of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is one sign that your parent might need supportive care. Dementia is a general term for cognitive change. Ask your physician for the official type of dementia to better enable you to make decisions about future care needs. No diagnosis of dementia follows a pre-determined path. It may progress slowly in some people and more quickly in others. The areas of the brain that dementia impacts can also vary, which is why it is important to know the official diagnosis. Some people can live independently at home for a while after receiving a dementia diagnosis while others rapidly progress to a place where they need around-the-clock support. Lifestyle and environment can impact the progression of the disease, so it is important to stay socially connected and engaged after a diagnosis. If you have a parent who has been diagnosed with dementia now is the time to consider future options, including memory care. Your parent may not need memory care immediately, but it is beneficial to know what options are available when that time comes.
Needs help with activities of daily living (ADL)
Another sign that it is time to consider memory care for your parent is when he / she start needing help with activities of daily living. These include eating, going to the bathroom, and bathing. If your parent can no longer do these essential tasks, or has trouble remembering to do them, it may be time to consider in-home care or a memory care community. With memory care, a care partner will be available to support your parent with daily needs and support independence.
No longer able to remain safely at home
For some people living with dementia, the first sign that it is time to consider memory care is some sort of accident or scare. If you have any concerns about your parent’s ability to remain safe while home alone then it is time to consider memory care or in-home care. Memory care communities are designed to help keep people living with dementia safe from any potential threats in the environment.
It can be difficult to see the signs that it is time to consider the option of memory care for a parent who is living with dementia. But memory care communities are often the best overall option. These communities are designed to meet the unique needs of these residents, and the staff has specific training to be qualified to work with people who have dementia. If you are concerned about the level of care your parent will receive in this type of community, take some time and visit one that is nearby. A community visit will give you a true understanding of the design and quality of services available in memory care communities.
