If you are looking for a retirement community for yourself or your loved one but are unsure about the differences between assisted living and memory care, here is a list of the differences between the amenities and programs for these two senior living options.
Safety and Security
Safety elements such as in-room emergency alarm systems and regular check-ins may be available in assisted living settings. However, enhanced safety is a must for mature individuals with dementia, because wandering, violence, and falls are the typical harmful manifestations of dementia that tend to occur frequently.
Memory care institutions have a strong focus on environmental security. Community layouts incorporate design aspects that minimize confusion to prevent accidents from falls. Furthermore, memory care homes provide calming therapies in relaxing environments to help residents cope with irritation and disorientation, which can lead to aggressiveness or self-injury.
Therapies and Activities
Assisted living communities are built for active mature adults who may require assistance with daily duties. Assisted living, therefore, provides a plethora of social options. Even better, a diverse assortment of organized events is frequently available, catering to a variety of interests.
Memory care includes both individual and group therapies and activities tailored to the needs of mature adults suffering from memory loss. Staff members plan programs in order to assist residents with preserving their cognitive abilities. They also meticulously manage calendars to offer a sense of familiarity and routine.
Personalized care, activities customized to residents’ interests, and programs that frequently cover all elements of health: spiritual, mental, and physical, are all common features of many memory care communities.
Care and Team Member Training
Both memory care and assisted living staff members have prior experience assisting residents with everyday duties. Memory care personnel, on the other hand, are well-equipped and educated to offer 24-hour, individual care, allowing residents with dementia to preserve their cognitive skills, quality of life, and sense of identity for as long as it is needed.
Memory care professionals know how to avoid and manage problematic dementia behaviors like wandering and aggressiveness in a caring and effective manner. They also know how to strike a balance between encouraging residents to be as self-sufficient as possible while yet giving the assistance they require. Furthermore, because memory care has a larger faculty-to-resident ratio in comparison with assisted living and other forms of senior care, residents receive more individualized attention.
When Should One Choose Assisted Living?
Assisted living can benefit older persons who remain active but require healthy meals and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as showering, changing, or using the bathroom. Individuals who want a comfortable, maintenance-free existence with opportunities to stay involved and involved with a group of like-minded contemporaries might benefit from an assisted living community’s lifestyle.
When Should One Choose Memory Care?
While a few mature adults with early- to mid-stage dementia may benefit from assisted living, as the disease develops and symptoms deteriorate, many families choose memory care. Memory care communities are designed to create a pleasant, comfortable, and easy-to-navigate atmosphere, which helps to lessen confusion and agitation.
Memory-enhancing therapy and specialized care provided by these communities enable mature adults with loss of memory to keep their cognitive abilities for as long as feasible. To avoid straying, residents with memory loss benefit from 24-hour care and monitoring, strengthened security measures and protected entrances and exits.
