Mississippi is home to around 500,000 senior citizens, making the need for senior living communities clear.
That said, when your loved one is among the 7 million Americans dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia, a regular senior community won’t do. To ensure your loved one gets the proper care to help them deal with their very unique and ever-changing symptoms, you need the expertise of memory care.
In today’s post, we’ll tell you how to find memory care in Biloxi and explain what our community provides that others might not. Although seeing a loved one deal with cognitive issues is always difficult, you can rest easy knowing there are quality communities available to help them enjoy a relaxing and leisurely lifestyle.
Keep reading and learn a bit more about Alzheimer’s care in Biloxi.
What Is Memory Care?
When you start looking into memory care facilities, you’ll notice that there are a few different options. First, there are independent living communities, or “retirement homes,” which are geared toward healthy seniors who want to downsize their lives.
For seniors who are dealing with age-related mobility issues and illnesses, assisted living is the right choice. These communities have staff around 24/7 to help residents get dressed, bathe, eat, and take medications. They have a customized care plan but still get to enjoy time around their peers, as well as activities and amenities in the community.
Memory care involves all of the same things as assisted living, but with specialized staff and programming to help residents deal with cognitive decline. The symptoms and struggles of Alzheimer’s and dementia are unlike any other age-related health issue and need to be treated as such.
The biggest difference you’ll notice in a memory care community is how the staff are trained. With our Alzheimer’s care in Biloxi, you get access to the SHINE® Memory Care program.
Our curriculum has been recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association due to its dedication to science-based treatment methods. All workers and nurses are continually educated to ensure our community residents are getting proper memory care.
How to Find the Right Memory Care in Biloxi
Now that you know what a memory care community provides, it’s time to discuss how to find the right cognitive care in Biloxi. Every community brings something different to the table, but not all are created equally. Here are some of the most important factors to consider in your search.
Location
The transition into memory care can be tricky. When you remove your loved one from their comfort zone, they can feel like a fish out of water. When they’re also dealing with cognitive issues, the problems can worsen.
It’s important to keep them in familiar surroundings. Finding a memory care community near home makes the transition easier. It also allows family and friends to visit regularly, which also helps the change.
Reputation
When you start searching for cognitive care in Biloxi, you need to figure out how to separate the best from the rest. Believe it or not, the easiest way to do this is with reviews. No one can tell you more about daily life in a memory care community than the loved ones of current and former residents.
If there are any red flags about how residents are treated or the state of the community, you’ll find out in the reviews. Find a couple of communities with sterling reputations and take tours.
Amenities
The amenities in memory care communities are paramount to residents’ quality of living. Whether it’s a beautiful garden to walk around or an entertainment room, the community’s amenities are what give residents the ability to relax and enjoy their leisure time.
Activities
In any type of assisted living community, the daily activity calendar is a crucial part of daily life. This is true of memory care as well. Even though programming is geared towards aiding dementia symptoms, seniors still need to look after their physical and emotional health.
An activity calendar should include plenty of healthy activities to keep residents’ fitness levels high. Seniors need around 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week to avoid various injuries and illnesses. Activities might include light yoga, walking around the community, or aerobics.
Activities also allow residents to socialize. Social isolation is one of the biggest problems among senior populations, especially those suffering from memory issues. Communities should prioritize activities that bring residents together for fun and games.
Dining
The health of memory care residents also depends on nutrition. If seniors don’t get the right vitamins and nutrients, they’re far more susceptible to things like diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.
It’s not always possible or safe for memory care residents to cook for themselves. Fortunately, SummerHouse Bay Cove care is home to Sensations dining. Our in-house restaurant provides a rotating menu of delicious and nutritious meals for your loved one to enjoy each day.
Safety and Security
Did you know that 6 in 10 Alzheimer’s patients wander at least once? The community must be kept safe and secure to minimize the risk of injuries and wandering.
Our Biloxi senior living community is designed to make it easy for residents to get around with ease. The grounds are always monitored so that residents are independent without putting themselves at risk of getting lost.
Transportation
As mentioned, giving our residents a sense of independence is very important to us. It’s generally not safe for memory care residents to leave the premises by themselves. For that reason, we provide complimentary transportation so they can explore safely.
Whether they need to go for an appointment or they’re visiting with family, we’ll ensure they get to and from their destination easily.
Choose SummerHouse Bay Cove for Your Loved One’s Memory Care
Now that you know what to look for in memory care in Biloxi, it’s time to make the right choice for your loved one. SummerHouse Bay Cove is Biloxi’s top assisted living and memory care community.
Our staff and programming are nationally recognized, but that’s just the start of what your loved one will experience. We also have fine dining, fun amenities, and healthy activities that maximize their quality of life. Contact us today to schedule a tour of the community.