Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia require specialized care tailored to meet their needs. When you’re navigating your options, it’s difficult to choose between a Memory Care community and in-home care for dementia, because both come with unique benefits.
Read this guide on dementia care and find out how you can confidently choose the right path to helping your loved one live a happy and healthy life.
What Is a Memory Care Community?
A Memory Care community is a warm, enriching environment where your loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia can live in a positive and safe environment. Caregivers are always close by, neighbors are encouraged to socialize, and everything your loved one needs is readily available.
These communities also provide 24-hour care, personalized services, specially trained staff, and programs that address the complex mental and emotional needs that change as symptoms progress.
At Friendship Village, our Memory Care Team includes certified Montessori Dementia Care Professionals. We focus on each resident’s individual needs in order to create a more engaged and fulfilled community using the Montessori Inspired Lifestyle® approach.
What’s It Like to Live in a Memory Care Community?
Memory Care communities offer dementia-friendly neighborhoods designed with the needs of residents in mind. You’ll find enclosed courtyards, circular hallways, and apartment homes you and your loved one can personalize.
Here are other features you might find in a Memory Care community:
- Private, 1-bedroom apartments with dementia-friendly floor plans
- Memory boxes outside each apartment to help residents remember which room is theirs
- Emergency calls systems that instantly connect with on-site caregivers
- 24/7 on-site security staff
- Motion-activated lights
- Spacious lounges and game rooms
- Secure outdoor spaces with walking paths
- Community gardens with comfortable seating
The environment in Memory Care also promotes interaction between staff and residents. For instance, the Memory Care neighborhoods at Friendship Village senior living communities in St. Louis have cozy common spaces and social calendars full of events and activities, like brain fitness classes and guest presentations, to keep residents engaged and socializing.
What Is In-Home Care for Dementia?
In-home care for dementia includes a wide range of services provided in the home, rather than in a Memory Care community. Many seniors who are especially attached to their home or need to be close to their family prefer in-home care.
Aging at home is helpful for those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia because it allows your loved one to stay connected to a community they lived in for years. Often, visiting the same grocery store, passing by the same parks, and eating at the same restaurants they’ve grown to love can help them retain precious memories.
How Can I Coordinate In-Home Care for Dementia?
With a bit of organization and a lot of outside help from the experts, you can coordinate a care plan for your loved one. These are a few in-home services you need to provide a high quality of life for your loved one:
- Help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing and eating – especially during the late stages of dementia
- Help managing agitation that may occur during the transition from daylight to darkness.
- Therapy or programs that stimulate the senses and inspire positive memories
- Personalized care from a qualified caregiver while you’re working, running errands, or caring for other members of your family
Many experts agree that in-home care for dementia is actually the care of two people: you and your loved one with dementia. Providing the required care and support for people with dementia is a full-time job, and many family caregivers can quickly become overwhelmed with the many responsibilities.
At Friendship Village, we offer a full list of home care services to assist you in caring for your family member with dementia, such as:
- Companionship
- Bathing assistance
- Hygiene assistance
- Incontinence assistance
- Prompting and mental cueing
- Safety supervision
- Ambulation (walking) assistance
- Respite/adult day services
Respite care, also called short-term care, is the perfect way for you to make time just for yourself. Spend a day relaxing at home, get ahead on work, or dedicate extra time to another family member who needs your attention, and we’ll make sure your loved one gets the care and attention they need to enjoy their time at our senior living community.
Which Dementia Care Option Is Right for My Loved One?
The decision between a Memory Care community and in-home care for dementia is very personal. It’s important to remain flexible, because your loved one’s situation will change. In-home care may work well during the early stages of dementia, but your loved one could require a different level of care as their symptoms progress.
If your family member abandons activities of daily living completely, becomes withdrawn or their behavior is putting themselves, you or your family in danger, it’s most likely time to consider Memory Care at a senior living community.
Is Your Family Searching for Dementia Care in St. Louis?
The experts at Friendship Village can help you understand your options and help determine the best plan for your loved one. To learn how you can receive a free in-home consultation from our home care managers or find out more about our Memory Care neighborhoods, contact our senior living representatives online today, and we’ll get in touch right away!