Having a loved one with memory loss is not an easy task. You worry about them, and it’s not easy to know where to turn for help. Choosing the right memory care center can be challenging when juggling your responsibilities and caring for your loved one at home. But it’s essential to find memory care communities that offer the best care for your loved ones so they can enjoy their later years as much as possible. When choosing memory care, here are some questions you should ask:
What Level Of Care Does My Loved One Need?
The first and most important question is: What level of care does your loved one need? You’ll have to consider their current physical and mental abilities and the goal for their future.
To answer this question, you should assess your loved one’s current level of functioning. A few things that might help with this include:
- Do they remember who they are?
- Can they recognize family members or friends?
- Do they know where they are? Or why they’re there?
- How often do they get lost (if applicable)?
Is it possible that your loved one could regain some independence at some point—and if so, how much would it take for them to become more independent than before entering memory care? These are all questions you’ll have to ask yourself when determining what type of care best suits your Loved One’s needs.
What Is The Staff To Resident Ratio?
The staff-to-resident ratio is essential. The more staff, the better. The fewer people responsible for each resident’s care, the less attention they will get, which is not good!
If you’re looking at a community with more than one floor and you notice that there are only two aides on every shift working with seven residents total (or something similar), then this might be something worth considering as it may indicate that team members aren’t able to spend enough time with each resident as they would like or need to provide adequate care.
Does The Facility Offer Supervised Activities And Excursions?
As you may know, your loved one’s quality of life will be heavily dependent on their ability to stay mentally active. That’s why it’s important that they’re given a variety of activities and excursions throughout.
Finally, we recommend spending time with other people at least once or twice a week. Even if this means only talking briefly over the phone or having lunch with another resident who lives on their floor, it’ll go a long way towards keeping them engaged with others like themselves and feeling less isolated.
What Is The Typical Length Of Stay For A Resident?
The length of stay for a resident is important to know. If your loved one will only be in the facility temporarily because of a hospitalization, you may want to look into an adult day care or other temporary option while they recover.
If they are going to be staying longer, it’s helpful to have an idea of how often residents move on and return home. It can often feel like a lonely place when new people are constantly coming in and out, even if they’re just visiting friends or family members. If your loved one has dementia or another serious illness that requires long-term caregiving, this may not matter as much because they’ll likely be staying put in their new home—but it still feels good knowing that there are people around who will help them out!
