It is never easy to place a loved one in a memory care center. If it were possible, you would just take care of them yourself. Unfortunately, there always comes a point where it’s time to let trained professionals take over to provide expert-level care. Something that should help put your mind at ease, however, is choosing a good location to place your aging relative.
But what exactly should you be looking for when performing online searches such as “assisted living with memory care near me”? To help with that, we put together a list of 6 things you should check on at any memory care facility:
Use of Innovative Therapies and Technology
There are all types of cutting-edge treatments being used and developed frequently in centers all around the country. A little research into what types of therapy help your loved one’s diagnosis may aid in finding the right location for them.
Prescription Stability Between Transfers
A common problem in some assisted living communities is that residents’ medications too often get adjusted or changed altogether without a reasonable cause when they make trips to the hospital and then back home to the center.
*Inquire specifically about how they ensure their resident’s medicines don’t get changed unnecessarily*
A Full Activity Schedule
Regular activities, socialization, and being away from their residence are essential for the long-term benefit of your older loved one. Making sure that wherever you place them offers these things is pretty important. Countless studies have shown these types of activities stimulate cognitive activity and can slow the progress of certain illnesses.
24-Hour Coverage by Registered Nurse
You never know when a medical situation/emergency is going to arise in a facility that assists people with dementia, Alzheimer’s, sundowner’s disease, and other age-related cognitive disorders; all you can be sure of is that at some point, it will happen.
*In addition to having a nurse available on-call 24 hours a day, also ask about the medical emergency procedure and protocols*
Qualified Nursing and General Staff, as well as Administrators
Assisted living memory care near me needs to have highly trained, licensed, and certified staff at many different levels in many different departments. Verify that everything is in order on this front.
A Low Employee Turnover Rate
The most educated and experienced staff in the world doesn’t mean much if the employee rollover rate is high. This means that a large portion of the caregivers that work there when you enroll your loved one into the facility may not be there even a year later.
*It is also a possible warning sign of a poorly run facility behind the scenes*
Searching for “Assisted Living with Memory Care Near Me” Is Becoming More Common
As more high-quality, specialty memory care centers are opening and advancements in treatment and therapy techniques are being made, more people are comfortable putting their aging parents or grandparents in one of these facilities.
Understand that you are not alone, and many people have struggled with these same decisions. It truly does help if you find a place where they will care for your loved one like they were their own family.
