If you have an aging loved one dealing with Alzheimer’s, finding the right place for them can be a difficult task. It can be almost impossible to care for them yourself due to the difficulties that such an illness can pose, but it’s also understandable that you will be very careful about who you choose to leave a beloved family member in the care of.
When searching for an appropriate Memory Care Community, here are just a few things you will want to look for to make sure that you’re finding a place where you can feel comfortable leaving your loved one, a place where they will be properly cared for.
1. Is The Community Secured?
Any elder care community should have some form of security, something securing in some way. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they need fences around the buildings or that the community needs to feel like a barracks. It simply means that there needs to be a way of keeping track of people and making sure that the people in the charge of the facility are kept in the facility and under supervision.
2. What Level Of Care Is Available?
There are various levels of care for your aging family member that an elder care facility can offer. If they have special needs, if they have medical issues, if they need special attention, you will need to find a facility that is capable of meeting those needs.
3. What Training Has The Staff Had?
The training of the staff is extremely important in discerning how they are likely to treat your loved one, and more importantly, in the quality of care, they can provide. The training of staff for elder care facilities can vary wildly, with some including almost no training, while others require a related degree and certifications in care, and even in specifically caring for those with memory issues.
4. Are Rooms Private?
Depending on the facility you visit, rooms in elder care facilities vary in quality and occupancy. Some of them are single-occupancy rooms, rooms that hold only one person and are reminiscent of a dormitory room or a small apartment. Others have two people to a room, somewhat like a hospital. It’s up to you what you want for your aging loved one in their memory care facility, but you should take into consideration their wishes as to how they live with a roommate or without one.
5. Can The Facility Accommodate Special Needs?
If your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s or a related affliction, you know that there are issues the illness poses that are different from other elder care issues. Chief among these are issues like making sure they take their medication, insulin, or whatever else they may need. In some cases, this may also include the need to accommodate things like wandering, aggressiveness, and more.
6. What Meals Are Provided?
A nutritious meal is important, no matter how old you are. Your elderly loved one needs three meals a day, and they may even need a snack or two throughout the day. Another important thing to ask about your elder care or memory care facility of choice is that you make sure that they’re capable of accommodating special dietary concerns, from gluten-free concerns to Kosher meals and more.
7. What Programs Do They Provide?
Just because someone is aging and suffering from memory problems, that doesn’t mean that their life is over. A chance to socialize, to enjoy the twilight years of life, and to just have fun is something that everyone deserves. It’s also good to have an exercise program of low-impact and low-stress workout routines that can help to keep the body active as well as the mind. A good elder care or memory care facility will provide both of these.
8. What Is The Cost?
There’s nothing wrong with having some concern about the cost of this care. Elder care in general and memory care in specific can become quite expensive. Making sure that you can afford the care is important to make sure that your elderly loved one will be able to enjoy their twilight years without repeated uprooting.
If you have any specific questions about your own loved one’s care or their needs, be sure to ask any elder care or memory care facility that you are considering those questions. You’re looking to entrust someone with a valued and loved family member; the least they can do is provide you answers to your questions, perhaps even a tour of the facility.