Determining Whether Assisted Living or Memory Care Will Provide You with the Care You Need
Are you considering a new living environment for you or your loved one? Depending on their specific needs, you may have considered an assisted living, memory care, or other similar community.
Today, we’re going to discuss the differences between assisted living and memory care communities to help you make a more informed decision. While we can provide some tips, please also be sure to discuss your options with your primary care provider.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living communities provide care to seniors on an as-needed basis. This living situation is best suited for individuals who desire to live a largely independent life but can benefit from services like nursing, medication administration, meal preparation, housekeeping, and transportation.
These senior living communities emphasize programming, amenities, social activities, and promoting a high quality of life for their residents. The staff supports seniors’ lifestyles by helping them in the areas that they do require assistance while allowing them to act autonomously otherwise.
What to Look for in a Great Assisted Living Community
If you are browsing options for assisted living in your area, look for ones that offer:
- Fresh and healthy daily dining options
- Qualified and caring professional staff
- Professional and courteous housekeeping staff
- Reliable and safe transportation services
- Enriching and Engaging activities to build friendships among residents
What is Memory Care?
Memory care communities support seniors who experience symptoms of Alzheimer’s as well as other types of dementia. These are closed communities that provide constant care and supervision to your loved one to ensure their safety, wellbeing, and personal enrichment.
Meal plans, activity programming, and care protocol all focus on supporting the residents. These communities also offer activities designed to help the person feel more present and engaged in the world around them.
What to Look for in a Great Memory Care Community
As you’re considering memory care options, look for communities that exhibit the following traits:
- Safe and secure living environment with enclosed spaces, wellness checks, emergency response protocols, and other similar security procedures.
- Enriching programming that engages and supports the individual.
- Professional and prompt housekeeping services like cleaning, laundry, and unit maintenance.
- Person-centered diet and nutrition programs.
Should You Look for a Pet-Friendly Community?
If you or your loved one already has a pet at home that would like to bring with them to their assisted living or memory care community, be sure to look for one that does allow animals. Not all facilities will, and some may restrict the type or size of pet that you can have with you.
Should you decide that you want to pursue a pet-friendly community, call the staff and ask about their pet care policies. Do the staff assist residents with pet-related chores? For example, someone who may be living with memory impairment could require assistance with routinely feeding or walking their pet dog. If the staff does not provide petcare services, you may want to seek another living option.
Get Assisted Living and Memory Care in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida
Finding the right assisted living or memory care community can help you or your loved one live an enriching and fulfilling lifestyle. Look for one that offers a caring and supportive staff, person-centered programming, and healthy dining options.
At Embassy Healthcare, we provide a wealth of senior care services across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida; including assisted living and memory care. If you are interested in touring our facilities or speaking with our team members, contact us anytime.
