What is Assisted Living?

The primary definition of assisted living is a long-term senior care option that offers supportive aid, health services, and housing. Essential services often include transportation, medical management, and 24-hour emergency care. Mom or Dad will be able to ask the staff for assistance with daily tasks.

Depending upon personal preferences, budget, and layout of the specific home, residents in assisted living may enjoy a private room or share space in an apartment. Assisted living centers should be licensed by the state in which they are situated, yet they are not federally regulated.

What is Memory Care?

A memory care facility is intended specifically for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other memory disorders. Sometimes these homes are referred to as SCUs – special care units. Typically, memory care units provide supervised services around the clock, and they are often located on a separate floor or area of a residential center. The staff is specially trained and qualified to assist and nurture people with cognitive problems or dementia, often through customized guided activities.

A unique and necessary feature of memory care is the high level of security, which is designed to meet the specific needs of patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Wandering is minimized, and the layout is usually easy for residents to navigate. Another benefit of memory care that is growing in popularity is outdoor gardens, which have been shown to enhance the lives of Alzheimer’s patients dramatically.

The state must license memory care facilities, and they are also regulated in 23 states by SCU disclosure rules, which require them to inform the public about their special services.

Which Basic Services Are Provided by Both Assisted Living and Memory Care?

• Emergency call buttons and systems
• Exercise/health programs
• Medical care access
• 24-hour staff and security
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Social programs
• Daily meals
• Transportation

Do Memory Care and Assisted Living Cost the Same?

A number of factors determine the cost of every senior care facility. The size of the rooms, shared versus private space, geographic location, and available services all play a role in the final expense. However, when comparing the price of memory care versus assisted living, there are additional considerations.

Assisted living is typically charged on a monthly basis, which includes room and board with two or three meals a day. Some of these homes provide laundry and housekeeping in the base rate, while others tack on cleaning services as an additional charge. In comparison, memory care also offers specialized nursing, which makes the cost considerably higher than assisted living. However, the final fee of both places depends upon the patient’s insurance plan or veterans’ benefits.

How to Make Your Final Decision? 

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How Active Is Mom or Dad? 

Some seniors are very involved in social and physical activities. They regularly participate in golden-age exercise groups, games, and art classes, as well as attend lectures and cultural performances. However, when it comes to bathing, dressing or preparing food, they may not be entirely independent. Sometimes this is because their mobility is impaired due to age or they have mild dementia. In general, these individuals are well suited for assisted living.

2. Does Mom or Dad Have a Memory Problem?

If your mother or father has progressive memory impairment, their needs will typically be more complex and specialized. They may require assistance that goes way beyond help with hygiene and getting dressed, and it can be unsafe for them to live without enough supervision.  In this case, memory care may be the most appropriate living solution.

3. Does Your Loved One Wander?

It is usual for patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia to wander off at any hour of the day or night. They are often found walking the halls or streets, lost and confused. This practice increases their risk of injuries due to slips and falls. Memory care homes are designed to address this problem with advanced security systems and staff that keeps an eye on patients at all times.

What is Your Final Step?

There is no substitute for seeing things for yourself. After you contemplate and have answers to the issues above, it is advisable to visit some local facilities that satisfy your parent’s requirements. Prepare in advance by compiling a list of what you want to know; the Alzheimer’s Association has a helpful, comprehensive checklist for choosing residential care, which you can adapt to meet your needs. 

Ideally, you should first visit alone to narrow down the options, and then bring Mom or Dad for a follow-up trip. They may have their own questions and concerns that you didn’t consider. Also, you can observe how they fit in with the crowd, as well as how the staff interacts with them. These are all clues that can help you match your mother or father to the type of senior care that’s best for them.

Last, but not least, no matter which setting you select – do not feel guilty about putting your parent in assisted living or a memory care facility. This decision is challenging and filled with emotion for all children. However, it helps to keep sight of the end goal – to optimize the quality of life for your loved one by keeping them comfortable, safe, and as independent as possible. For more information and assistance with your decision, please contact our friendly and compassionate staff at Lakeside Manor.

The post Memory Care or Assisted Living? Making the Best Choice for Mom or Dad appeared first on Lakeside Manor.

One of the most difficult decisions an adult child ever has to make is having to place their parent with Alzheimer’s in someone else’s care. A San Diego Alzheimer’s assisted living facility can help to make that decision an easier one. The focus on caring for Alzheimer’s patients ensures your parent will get the right type and level of care for their needs.

Sometimes a spouse may be faced with making a similar decision. Couples who grow old together feel obligated to take care of one another no matter what happens. The problem is that Alzheimer’s typically occurs in seniors. A spouse with diminished physical and mental abilities is unable to provide the quality of care their loved one needs.

The first issue to deal with when it’s time to place a loved one into an assisted living facility is overcoming the guilt. It is normal to feel guilty about passing the care of a loved one onto someone else, but it is almost always the best decision for the patient.

Few people have the time or physical strength needed to provide the kind of care that an advanced Alzheimer’s patient needs. In fact, more than one-third of the people who provide care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s have experienced a decline in health due to their responsibilities.

Once your loved one’s condition has progressed to the point that they can’t take care of themselves and you are unable to do so effectively, putting them into a San Diego Alzheimer’s Assisted living home is the best choice you can make for them. From there you will need to began the process of choosing the correct facility. Do your research and make sure you come prepared to conduct due diligence and ask the right questions during your visits.  

What Alzheimer’s Is and Isn’t

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that worsens over time. It is not simply a normal part of aging and, despite advances in treatment, the disease is not curable. There are currently over five million people with the disease and the number is growing. Experts predict that the number of cases could more than triple by the year 2050. This means that a growing number of people will have to make the decision about how they will provide care to their loved ones.

A cruel fact of life is that by the time our parents are older and have special needs, we have other responsibilities that limit what we can do for them. The symptoms of the disease are often mild in the beginning and progress slowly over time. You may start to notice your loved one forgetting things that they never would have before, such as a birthday or an appointment. During this initial phase, they are usually able to care for themselves even if they live alone. Family members who live outside the home probably won’t recognize the symptoms in the early phases.

Memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients progresses backward. The first memories to go are those that are the most recent. The person may not recognize their spouse or their own children during later stages. It is usually between these two extremes that family members begin to notice the changes in behavior. The need to place them in Alzheimer’s assisted living often becomes apparent once their condition makes it dangerous for them to be unsupervised.

Why a Nursing Home or Senior Assisted Living Isn’t the Same

Nursing homes are designed to provide care for people of all ages who are no longer able to care for themselves. Many of the seniors in a nursing home are either bedridden or have limited mobility. Those in traditional assisted living facilities may still be able to do some things for themselves but need a little help with others.

Alzheimer’s assisted living focuses on providing patients with the disease with the type of care that will improve their quality of life. Activities like Reminiscence Therapy are valuable tools for restoring a sense of self and identity. Music and craft therapies can help to evoke buried memories, encourage self-expression, and aid in dexterity.

All Alzheimer’s patients are not the same and they don’t respond to the same routines or treatments. Some patients may have difficulty speaking or stop talking altogether. Vision problems may cause problems with reading or telling colors apart. Some patients begin to lose things and there may be changes in their moods and personality. Some become introverted and stop socializing with other people while others begin to act out and become more aggressive. By choosing a facility that focuses on the needs of Alzheimer’s patients, you can rest assured that these individual symptoms and changes will be considered.

Some Alzheimer’s patients begin to wander off and must be monitored to keep them on the grounds and safe. One of the most important features to look for in a facility for your loved one is their ability to provide a safe and secure environment where there is no danger that they will wander off.

Caring for Alzheimer’s patients goes beyond providing for their basic needs. The best care includes different types of activities that are structured to the patient’s established lifestyle and their individual needs. Every Alzheimer’s patient has the right to the best care to preserve their identity and keep their memories for as long as possible. You have the right to have peace of mind that your loved one is in a safe and secure environment, getting the best possible care.

If you are wrestling with the decision to place your loved one into Alzheimer’s assisted living, ask yourself the following question: Am I able to devote the time and skill needed to give my loved one the same level of care that an Alzheimer’s focused assisted living facility will provide? If the answer is no, now is the time to start researching your options.

Contact Lakeside Manor today and schedule a live tour of our assisted living facility for Alzheimer’s patients. Be sure to bring a list of questions you need to be answered to ensure we are the best choice for your loved one’s care. We are confident that we have all the answers to put your mind at ease and to help make your decision one that you can feel good about.

The post When Is It Time for a San Diego Alzheimer’s Assisted Living Home? appeared first on Lakeside Manor.