As your aging loved one continues to mature, you’re likely to be introduced to various senior living options including memory care, memory care is tailored towards elderly residents that suffer from memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. If your loved one is displaying the following signs, it may mean that they need memory care to live healthily and actively.
Shift in Demeanor
A telltale sign of a memory disorder is a change in your loved one’s behavior. Cell loss in the brain can lead to behavioral impairment, along with lower brain function. A common example observed in potential memory care community residents is suddenly anxious or irritable attitudes or even social withdrawal. There’s usually a stark difference from their usual personality and habits, making this one of the easier signs to detect in a loved one. Hence, this is one of the easier warning signs to discover your loved one’s need for memory care.
Unusual Living Environment
Memory disorders can be suspected from the way your loved one treats their living environment. For example, if their clutter (such as dishes, spoilt food, and trash) begins to pile up due to neglect. Another part of them abandoning the upkeep of their home is forgetting to pay the bills, indicating their inability to maintain enough memory to fulfill home maintenance responsibilities. This can lead to severe consequences depending on the situation, which is why memory care can be a life-saver for your loved one. Memory care communities assist in home maintenance and management, compensating for the symptoms of memory disorders.
Safety Concerns at Home
Memory disorders can raise various safety concerns about your elderly loved one. For example, dementia patients experience a higher level of risk of a fall injury, which can lead to a bruise at best and a fatal injury at worst. Moreover, elderly individuals suffering from a memory disorder tend to wander, which can lead to another range of worries about your loved one. Memory care communities heavily emphasize their safety features due to this, such as security and emergency systems that compensate for certain elderly individuals’ wandering habits.
Experiencing Caregiver Burnout
A certain level of stress is always at play when taking care of a loved one. It’s a huge commitment of effort, time, and emotions. If the caretaker of your loved one, whether it’s you, another loved one, or an in-home nurse, is starting to show obvious fatigue or exhaustion, it could be a sign that you need to outsource care. Handing caregiving responsibilities over to a memory care community can prevent further burnout, and improve your relationship with your loved one without the element of codependency in your interactions. Memory care communities are backed by professional, trained team members that are experienced in handling and working around the symptoms of memory disorders in residents.
Welcoming Memory Care Community at TerraBella Marchbanks
If you’re looking for a memory care community in the Southeast for your loved one to enjoy a more fulfilling, satisfying retirement life backed by a dedicated team, TerraBella Marchbanks is a great fit. Read more about our unique approach to memory care today.
