What To Expect When Your Elderly Parent Moves To A Senior Memory Care Community
If your elderly parent has been battling dementia or Alzheimer's disease, maybe you have come to terms with the fact that it's time for them to move into a licensed senior memory care community. Even though you know that it's the best solution for their long term care, you might still want to know more about what you can expect. If that's the case, read on for information that might be helpful to you.
Of course, by choosing a licensed facility, you already know that the memory care community complies with all of the state requirements. The entire staff will have the training and the experience needed to work with residents who suffer from memory loss. In fact, even janitors, kitchen workers, and those who work in the dining room have been given special training for working in a memory care environment.
You have probably been told that you can decorate your parent's room with furniture and other familiar items from your parent's house. In addition, the front door of their bedroom will be personalized so that they will always know which door leads to their room.
Expect your parent to be in a small group apart from other residents who are in their own small groups. That will mean that the staff can give the residents better one-on-one attention.
The entire memory care community will be designed in a way that will make it easier for your parent to get to different areas of the facility. For instance, areas might be designated by a certain color that will be easy to navigate. Many memory care communities have often designed their facility so that the residents won't wander aimlessly.
Your parent will have different kinds of therapy that might help with memory loss. For instance, art, music, and even visiting dogs might be helpful. You might be encouraged to bring photographs that could help your parent recall a special memory.
While keeping your parent happy and occupied is certainly important, obviously safety is another important matter. At the senior memory care community facility, there will usually be twenty-four-hour supervision. The staff and family members will have a code that is needed to enter the facility.
When you visit your parent, consider taking walks with them in the outdoor area of the facility. If you have a dog, find out if you can bring him or her along.
To learn more, visit a senior memory care community.