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Caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is challenging. As progressive diseases, they require increasing levels of care that family members are typically not prepared to provide. As the disease progresses, the care and supervision needed is 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is more than any one person can provide. Among the best options for families is a memory care community.
What is memory care?
Memory care is a specialized type of long-term care designed to support people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Memory care is often located within a larger senior living community, although they are sometimes standalone communities.
Access to these specialized communities offering a supportive environment staffed by a team of professionals specializing in memory issues can make a significant difference for the residents and their loved ones.
How does memory care differ from other types of long-term care?
Memory care offers many of the same services and amenities as other types of long-term care like assisted living communities. Both help with personal care, meal preparation, healthcare services, and activities. However, memory care communities provide specialized care, enhanced safety features, and a team of professionals trained to work with people with cognitive challenges.
Advantages of memory care communities
People living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia face unique challenges and require specialized care. Residents in memory care communities have access to a team of experts that are trained to improve the quality of life for people with cognitive issues.
Below are some of the advantages of memory care communities:
- A specialized care and wellness program tailored to the needs of the individual
- Trained emotional support
- Structured routines to provide comfort and stability
- Specially designed activities to provide cognitive stimulation
- Medication management
- Nutrition and wellness focused on the needs of older adults
Services and amenities provided in memory care communities
Memory care communities such as Allegro’s Ensemble Memory Care Program are nurturing home-like environments for memory care residents. They place special focus on creating a community that is as safe and secure as possible.
Customized care plans are designed around memory care research that’s intended to reinforce familiar routines and objects and stimulate engagement.
Check out some of the services their memory care residents have access to:
- Fitness center
- Special cognitive ability programs
- Enhanced security measures to deter wandering and keep residents as safe as possible
- Staff specially trained in memory care
- Spacious private apartments
- Life stations filled with items residents were familiar with in their lifetime
- Sensory dining experiences, including music and warm towels
- Chef prepared meals
- Movie nights
How much does memory care cost?
The average monthly cost of memory care in the U.S. is $6,935. Memory care costs can be partly covered in various ways, including:
- Long-term care insurance
- Savings
- Retirement accounts
- Family contributions
- Veterans’ benefits
- The sale of a home
- Reverse mortgages
Consult your insurance professional and financial advisor to help you explore options for paying memory care expenses.
Wrap-up
Memory care is vital in enhancing the lives of people with memory loss. Memory care communities improve their residents' overall well-being and quality of life by providing specialized support, enhanced safety measures, memory care specialists, and various cognitive and social activities.
To connect with an Allegro advisor, contact us today.
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