At the very first sign of memory impairment, you tend to panic as to whether it is time to move from assisted living to memory care. Despite that desire to pursue what you are thinking of, it can also be a stressful idea. Before you look into the signs that will dictate the move, you have to establish the difference between these two senior living options.
Assisted Living Defined
Assisted living communities are made so that residents can be provided with the care that they need when they require assistance in their daily living but would love to keep their independence and privacy when they desire. Assistance rendered can include personal care, grooming, wound care, medication management, etc.
What Are Memory Care Communities?
These are classified as long-term healthcare centers providing care to people who are experiencing cognitive conditions such as dementia. With memory care, one gets 24-hour supervised care, bathing assistance, incontinence care, and memory-enhancing activities. Usually, a team member may address the needs of residents with memory-related problems at a lower ratio than in assisted living. Generally, they are made so that residents with safety concerns can be guided accordingly.
Signs to Make the Transition
Wondering if the move from assisted living to memory care is necessary for you? Below are the signs to look out for, but it is always the best option to consult your doctor or your healthcare team in your retirement community for their professional opinion.
- It’s Recommended by Your Assisted Living Community: Clinicians have been working closely with you in your assisted living community. They are the ones who understand your health conditions so if it is recommended by them, it is to ensure that you will receive the safest care ever.
- Safety Is a Problem: When your conditions have progressed to the later stages of dementia, there is a tendency that you will tend to wander around, thus posing harm to your situation. Even with team members or caregivers ready to attend to your needs, there will be a point when you may get lost under the watch of the carer. The same thing happens when you no longer find time to eat or drink, forget to take your medications, and worst, getting bruises for an unknown reason.
- Inability to Address Physical Concerns: You tend to feel anxious to express your frustrations or pain that you are feeling, or you are feeling that you are not able to express your urge to use the bathroom,
- Sudden Decline in State of Health: A sudden change in one’s appetite or the lack of interest in mingling with others can be signs that you are suffering from declining health.
Unmet Cognitive Needs: There are instances when your family members may have received feedback that you are having conversations that are not as usual or the same as other residents in your assisted living community. You may also notice that you are struggling to understand what’s going on during activities
