There are thousands of assisted living facilities across the United States, but when it is time to choose one to care for our friends and relatives, we may hesitate. How can you tell different senior care centers apart? What makes one retirement home stand out from all the others? Long-term residents and staff agree that the best senior living arrangements all have a lot in common. When you find a place that treats its residents with dignity, that maintains rigorous levels of hygiene, and that allows its residents to participate in activities that they love to do, you may have found a place that your loved one can call home.
It is understandable that families of people with dementia would be looking for care options. The term “dementia” actually refers to a wide range of memory loss issues, some of which can be cured. Alzheimer’s disease, however, is a common form of dementia that is currently incurable. More than half of all people who need help with Alzheimer’s care are women, and the disease is one of the top five leading causes of death for seniors across America. If your loved one is showing severe problems with memory, coordination, and self-care, then it may be time to look into a retirement home that has memory care facilities.
Assisted living apartments that offer memory care activities for seniors are becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States. In addition to daily self-care tasks like brushing hair and changing clothes, memory care assisted living apartments can help residents with their favorite activities such as gardening, doing puzzles, and listening to music. Providing personalized care for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is essential to seniors’ sense of well-being and accomplishment. One of the qualities that makes great senior care facilities shine is the level of personalized service that staff are trained to give to their residents.
When you take a tour of outstanding memory care assisted living apartments, make sure that you check the residents’ satisfaction levels and the cleanliness of the entire facility. Residents should be dressed and looking good, and there should be no ambient dust or debris in any of the hallways. Care options for Alzheimer’s patients can vary, but you want to make sure that the housekeeping staff is keeping everything clean. Residents in memory care facilities should have a range of activities available to them: it can be a little overwhelming at first to move into a new home, and residents should be able to interact with staff and peers regularly.
There are many types of dementia, and people in the earlier stages may exhibit confusion, profound memory loss; staff in the best assisted living apartments understand the psychology of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Memory care facilities work with their residents to help them feel safe. Regular resident-focused activities could include dancing and singing, making art, and interacting with a trained therapy dog. People with memory issues may seem angry at times, but that is part and parcel of dementia. Staff will work with residents to help them feel in control of their environment. As long as your loved one feels comfortable, they will be able to participate in activities and interact with their fellow residents.
The best thing about retirement homes is that they can help you maintain your independence. If you can cook for yourself, then they will make sure that you are able to engage in that activity. If you love to walk outdoors, play board games or video games, knit, or any other activity, you can rest assured that staff at the best senior living centers will help you stay active in your hobbies. It may sound a little bit different at first, but assisted living apartments and memory care facilities can actually help you remain more independent. Take a tour of your local retirement home: you may be very glad that you did.