Past retirement age, the prevalence of neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders increases. It requires special caregivers to care for people suffering from these problems. Due to this, they might be more expensive compared to other options such as letting your loved one live in an assisted care community, specifically one that provides memory care.
Choosing the right memory care facility is essential for this to work. The criteria you can use when selecting a memory care unit which will provide maximal results include:
Tailored Services
There are no two individuals who have the same memory care needs. Individuals respond differently to different medications and tolerance varies between people as well. Optimal results can only be gotten when the memory care provided is specific to an individuals needs. This requires a thorough initial evaluation to identify the type of memory degeneration they have. Other factors such as the state of other organs, the medication you are on and your general medical history will need to be evaluated before a treatment plan can be executed successfully.
Access to Rapid Medical Care
Living in a memory care center allows you to have quick medical intervention when necessary. If a retirement living community has a special program for age-related mental deterioration, they should also have a means of having acute complications treated promptly. This could be either by having a specialist doctor onsite, or by having arrangements to quickly take a guest to the nearest hospital on site if they suddenly deteriorate.
Provision of Memory-Enhancing Activities
Treating age-related memory deficits can be tough and usually requires a multidisciplinary approach. Games and other activities which stimulate the mind are often overlooked. This is despite a lot of recent evidence showing that tasks such as solving a puzzle every day can make one’s memory sharper. A retirement community that has memory rehabilitation services should provide these activities and games to guests who need them, even if they are taking drugs for the memory problem.
If you suffer from memory impairment, engaging in activities which will boost your memory also gives you an opportunity to mingle with other people with similar illnesses. Forming friendships with them and talking about your journeys so far can be effective at reducing the effects of stigma you may have.
Housekeeping
The community you choose to move in should offer housekeeping and maintenance services as well. This frees up your time to do other things to sharpen your mind such as the games and activities. One may also forget to do basic chores such as laundry and keeping the apartment neat. Having a dedicated team member to do housekeeping and maintenance will allow you to live in a clean environment without, all without having to exert yourself doing it.
While a lot more goes into taking care of someone with memory care needs, the assisted living community you choose should have at least the above. It will make it easier to reverse the damage done to the brain, as well as preventing the disease process from progressing further.
