Have you noticed a decline in cognitive and memory abilities as your loved one ages? In some individuals, this decline can be more pronounced, resulting in memory-related health conditions like dementia.
Memory care facilities address the unique needs and challenges your loved one may experience once memory loss occurs.
Memory care homes provide a supportive and safe environment where seniors will thrive despite their memory loss-related issues. The staff at memory care homes are well equipped to provide much-needed assistance to your loved one at this crucial phase in their lives.
Understanding Memory Care Facilities
A memory care facility is a place that provides specialized care to people with unique and challenging memory impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Memory care staff provide a supportive and safe environment where your loved one will receive excellent care that addresses their unique challenges.
Different memory care facilities have different memory care programs that help with varying levels of care. For instance, a memory care unit in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) focuses on providing comprehensive care to seniors with memory impairments. If their care needs changes, they can still receive care in the same location
Memory care in an assisted living home makes better sense if your loved one’s needs are a little independent (in the early stages of memory loss). However, it will be better to consider a nursing home if they require additional medical care besides memory loss.
The severity of your loved one’s symptoms will help you determine the best place for them. You can always have a conversation with your loved one about additional care or professional help before you search for an ideal facility to move them to; doing this gives them a sense of control.
Scope of care and services provided in memory care facilities
Your loved one will benefit from the following services once they join a memory care community:
- Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Access to recreational programs
- Housekeeping services
- Safe outdoor environment
- high-quality memory care
- personal care services
- Family support groups
- Fitness programs
- Transportation services
- Coordination with family and other healthcare professionals.
- Round-the-clock care and supervision.
Criteria for admission to memory care facilities
Admission to memory care facilities varies. Although some memory care facilities offer almost the same services, their admission criteria may differ.
Before your loved one can be admitted into a memory care facility, they must undergo an assessment process that helps the facility determine if it’s suitable for your loved one.
To qualify for admission to memory care, your loved one must be diagnosed with cognitive or memory impairment. Some of the symptoms the assessing memory care home staff will be looking for include the following:
- Trouble communicating or expressing their emotions
- Memory loss that hinders daily functioning
- Confusion
- Changes in behavior
- Declining physical health
- Dementia diagnosis
- Need for 24/7 supervision
- Incontinence
- Personality changes
- Difficulty in decision-making
Regulations and Standards for Memory Care
The search for an ideal memory care facility can be an uphill task. You may wonder how you will know if the facility offers the services it says it provides and who regulates what happens at a memory care facility. You can rest easy, as every state has regulations and standards that govern these facilities.
In most states, you will find that the agency that regulates assisted living is the same one that governs memory care. Regulations and standards for memory care require that the facility comply with state and federal regulations. The state will penalize a memory care facility when it violates the regulations, but these penalties vary with each state.
The state regulations include:
- Administrator training
- Information to give to the residents and their family
- Licensing
- Staff-to-residents ratio
- Pre-admission requirements
- Specialized and skilled staff training
- Memory care performance monitoring
Training and certification requirements for care staff in memory care facilities
Check if the staff at a memory care facility have training and certification in memory-related care, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care. This training ensures the staff have valuable and essential information and skills to help their residents.
These skills are essential for managing and communicating with dementia residents, caregivers, and families. The training also helps the staff understand how to encourage their residents to be more independent in performing activities of daily living (ADLs).
The staff at a memory care facility is required to take a training program that will cover the following topics:
- Fall prevention
- Mobility assistance
- Communication techniques
- Diffusing challenges
- Emergency procedures
- Preventing challenges
- Abuse prevention
- Detecting and reporting abuse in seniors
- Basic hygiene techniques
- Safety precautions
- Client confidentiality
Cost of Memory Care
Memory care is slightly more expensive than independent and assisted living. The higher cost is due to the extra services that seniors with memory issues require.
Usually, the cost varies at various memory care facilities depending on the following:
- Location
- The level of care provided
- Amenities
- Staff-to-resident ratio
- Size of living space
- The facility’s reputation
The cost of memory care in the United States usually ranges from $ 2,000 to $8,000 per month.
Ways to pay for memory care services
You can pay for your loved ones memory care using the following resources:
- Pensions
- Personal savings
- Financial assistance
- Home equity
- Medicaid
- Veterans benefits
- Long-term care insurance
- Life insurance
Understanding long-term care insurance and how it can cover the cost of memory care
Your loved one may have long-term care (LTC) insurance from a private insurer. This type of insurance covers the cost of LTC, especially as a person ages.
As a person ages, they may require non-medical long-term care, like assistance with ADLs.
Long-term care insurance will vary depending on the following factors:
- Age
- Gender
- Health condition
- Location
- Marital status
- Benefits covered.
Eligibility for LTC insurance
The best part about LTC insurance coverage is no age limit. You can take this cover at any time in your life, although it would be better if you bought it earlier. For instance, since most LTC claims are filed after a senior hits the 70s, buying a policy at 50 would be brilliant.
Sometimes, a person’s LTC insurance cover application may fail to go through due to the following:
- Use of some medications like narcotics
- Specific medical condition diagnoses like dementia and cancer.
What does Long-term care insurance cover in memory care?
- Accommodations
- Assistance with ADLs
- Skilled nursing services
- Therapy (occupational, speech, and physical)
- Some LTC insurance may cover housekeeping and laundry
Choosing the Right Memory Care Option
When your loved one has cognitive impairments, it will most likely be progressive. This means that they won’t get better with time but will require round-the-clock care as their condition progresses.
However, even if some conditions can be depressing, especially as you watch your loved one slowly lose a part of themselves, it’s important to remember they can still be happy and content.
For this reason, you want to choose the proper memory care home where they can continue to lead a quality life while enjoying their golden years in dignity.
The following are some factors to consider when selecting a memory care facility.
1. Safety and Security
One of the most crucial factors to consider while searching for an ideal memory care home for your loved one is their safety and security. You need to have peace of mind knowing your loved one is safe and receiving the best care available.
Most memory loss-related issues involve confusion, and your loved one may wander off. You need a place where they will have freedom of movement and be safe.
Some of the security features to check include the following:
- Secure entry points
- The anti-wandering features in place
- Monitoring systems and surveillance cameras
- Well-trained staff to supervise and monitor the residents when they are in open spaces
- Emergency response system
2. Cost
Another factor to consider is the cost of memory care. You need to look into a place that you can afford. Several factors will affect the price such as
- Location,
- The level of care that your loved one requires
- Facility’s amenities.
Visit the facility before committing and then decide once you know the pricing structure of the facility.
While checking for the pricing of each memory care home, it is crucial to understand if their cost is all-inclusive and that there are no additional charges for services like housekeeping. Ask if the home accepts long-term insurance, assistant funding programs, and government subsidies.
Ensure there is transparency in the memory care pricing; determine if the pricing will change if your loved one’s condition progresses and requires more services.
3. Social Interactions and Engagements
When looking into an ideal memory care home for your loved one, check for one with activities that promote social integration. You can do this by visiting the facility unannounced and seeing how the seniors interact firsthand.
Social interactions and engagements are crucial, especially to seniors with memory care issues, as they help them maintain their emotional and cognitive ability for longer.
Ask your tour guide about their programs and how often seniors participate in these activities. Determining if the facility has specifically designed memory care programs for its residents is crucial. Some of the programs include:
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Cognitive stimulation therapies
- Gardening
4. Location
Although your loved one is moving into a memory care home, you want a place where you and other family members can easily visit. At this stage, your senior loved one will require emotional support from their family and friends.
While researching the facility, check on the security of its neighborhood. This will show if your loved one is moving into a safe environment.
Visit the facility and check its surrounding areas. If the place doesn’t fit your expectations, kindly check at other homes in the area. What’s important is ensuring your loved one moves into a safe and secure neighborhood.
During your visit, assess the facility’s inside and outside cleanliness. A well-maintained home will contribute to your loved one’s well-being. You will also have peace of mind knowing your loved one is in a clean place and will not be prone to infections that result from uncleanliness.
5. Recommendations and Reviews
When considering an ideal memory care home, ask for recommendations from your loved one’s support groups, healthcare professionals, and people with firsthand information about the facility.
You can also check the facility’s reviews online while perusing its website and learn how it handles negative reviews.
A reputable home will address negative reviews and show that it cares about its residents’ welfare. Reviews will also help you decide, as they will shed light on what to expect after having your loved one move into the facility.
6. Licensing
While at the facility, verify it is licensed and meets all the state’s memory care or assisted living regulations and requirements. You can ask your tour guide about the facility’s compliance with state and federal regulations regarding its services.
You can also research the resident’s record regarding compliance and ask how they conduct their staff’s background checks to ensure their residents are in the safe hands of trusted people.
7. Staff’s Expertise and Training
When considering a memory care facility for your loved one, you will want a place with highly trained staff. Look for a home where all the staff members are well-trained to handle and assist residents with memory impairments, especially people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Find a facility with certified nursing assistants (CNAs), registered nurses (RNs), and licensed Practical nurses (LPNs). Doing this will ensure your loved one is in better hands.
Getting your loved one into a facility that accepts Medicaid and Medicare, would be better since the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services (CMS) regularly checks on the nursing staff. These regular checkups ensure that your loved one doesn’t suffer abuse and negligence while at the nursing home and other assisted living communities.
8. Look Into The Facility’s Contract
Before deciding on a memory care community, reviewing the facility’s policies and contracts is vital. While going through the document, pay close attention to the following:
- Admission Criteria: Check the admission criteria and what might lead to discharge from the facility.
- Privacy: Check to see the facility’s position on privacy. What does the contract say about a resident’s privacy, and do they ensure their dignity while providing daily care and assistance?
- Family involvement: Check the facility’s position on family involvement in a resident’s daily activities, participation, and visitations.
- Emergency Procedures: Check the facility’s procedures and protocols to learn how it handles medical evacuations and emergencies.
- Medical management: find out who administers and documents medications.
Conclusion
There is nothing as heartbreaking as watching your loved one struggle with memory loss. This will get more complicated, especially when you are responsible for their well-being. You may have to struggle with how to provide care and feel guilty for considering a memory care facility.
However, being aware of some memory care requirements can be vital. You want your loved one to be in a safe and supportive environment, and you need to understand the emotional and financial implications of having your loved one access memory care services.
When choosing a memory care facility, remember that your loved one is an individual with unique needs and preferences. Therefore, explore several care homes before choosing one that addresses most of your loved one’s unique challenges.
At Amy’s Eden Senior Care, we provide exceptional memory care services for seniors struggling with memory loss. Contact us today to learn more about how we provide care, and how we can help your beloved senior.
