It can be easy to get discouraged when a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. You may assume that they can no longer have life-affirming experiences or that they can no longer have a positive quality of life. But nothing is further from the truth – especially if you choose a professional memory care center for their residence. These facilities offer carefully designed environments created to affirm your loved one’s dignity and the life they have left to live. Memory care centers not only look after daily needs but strive to maintain a resident’s dignity and self-respect. If you are on the fence about moving your loved one to a memory care center, consider these benefits:
- Physical safety: Those with dementia can easily become disoriented, and they tend to wander. Therefore facilities designed for memory-impaired individuals incorporate significant precautions to guarantee each resident’s safety. These efforts include physical security – such as locked doors and barriers to exit – and having professionally trained and certified personnel keep residents at all times.
- Emotional security: Living with memory loss can be exceptionally upsetting and can cause significant anxiety and stress. Residents need to feel safe and secure where they are and to be able to achieve a sense of orientation (knowing where they are and that they belong.) A safe, comfortable and reassuring environment will allow residents to feel that they are well cared for and that there is nothing to worry about. This assurance is not only necessary for the resident but for the family who loves them.
- Enrichment and engagement: Individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s require access to activities that provide both reassuring structure and brain-healthy flexibility. This is achieved through various activities that require a response, change, and interaction, typically through recreational and social means. Enrichment opportunities may include creative outlets such as painting or cooking, engagement through social hours and ice cream socials, and participation in animal therapy visits and events.
- Excursions: One of the more exciting ways memory care centers can benefit your loved one’s overall wellbeing is through various tours and outings. Whether a trip to the theater, the farmer’s market, or the beach – excursions help many memory care residents thrive and develop new interests as their older memories fade. Keep in Mind: COVID-19 has significantly affected many people’s feelings of safety when out and about. While a professional memory care center will take steps to ensure your loved one’s safety, be sure to communicate any strong feelings you may have in that regard.
- Medical Care: Those with cognitive impairment and memory loss require the same level of medical attention and pharmaceutical care as other senior citizens – perhaps even more. Memory care facilities should offer specialized medications and nutrient-rich diets, as needed by each individual resident, administered by professional staff.
- Preservation of Dignity: An individual who experiences memory loss should not be robbed of their dignity or their opportunity to experience a vibrant quality of life. Memory care centers work to provide individual, specialized care to make sure that your loved one has access to the life they deserve.
A Banyan Residence in The Villages is dedicated to providing excellent care and quality of life for our memory care residents. If you are in The Villages and are looking for a compassionate, safe, and dignity-affirming home for your loved one, contact us for a tour of our facilities.
