There are nearly 850 assisted living communities in California alone, but not all provide memory care.
When you have a loved one who is struggling with their memory or dealing with the onset of Alzheimer's, it's difficult to know what to do. You may not have the time or resources to give them the help they need. In this instance, the only thing you can do is find a senior community that can help.
Finding the perfect memory care community to help your loved one navigate this situation can be tricky. Countless communities in California offer great services, but you always want the best elderly care for your loved one.
In today's post, we'll tell you how to choose the right senior community for older adults with memory issues. Keep reading and your loved one will get the care that they need and deserve.
The first thing you need to do is learn what memory care is. It's a service provided by assisted living communities that helps those living with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other memory problems.
Memory care services aren't part of the normal assisted living experience. You need staff members who are highly trained and sensitive to the unique challenges of these disorders. You also need an environment conducive to living with memory-related issues.
Now that you know more about memory care, the next step is to figure out what services your loved one needs. There's a major difference between normal age-related memory loss and actual memory illnesses.
Even within dementia and Alzheimer's, there are levels of severity. Your loved one may have advanced dementia to the point that it affects their behavior and social life. They may also have milder symptoms that only require occasional assistance.
Considering your loved one's emotional challenges, underlying health conditions, and social preferences will help you find a community that can accommodate their needs.
Armed with the knowledge of what memory care is and what your loved one needs, you can start your search. Looking for a memory care community begins the same way you'd search for any kind of business - online.
Perform an online search for memory care near you and separate the top options from the rest by looking at ratings and reviews. Client testimonials can tell you a lot about the level and quality of service you can expect from a particular assisted living community.
The one thing you can get out of reviews is red flags. You can eliminate that elderly community from your search if you see any negative reviews describing poor conditions or a negative experience with staff.
Looking at reviews should help narrow your search down to 3-5 elderly care communities. From there, you can start doing more hard research. Look at each community's website, first looking at licensing and accreditation.
California's Department of Social Services has a senior care licensing program. Ensure that the community you're looking at has the necessary accreditations to care for your loved one.
When you start contacting communities, try to understand what training the memory care staff have. Caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia is a very delicate process that requires professional expertise.
The community itself must be amply staffed. If your loved one needs near-constant assistance, you don't want to put them in a community where there aren't enough staff members trained in memory care.
The Watermark at San Ramon has been recognized by the Alzheimer's Association for incorporating evidence-based dementia care. You can trust that your loved one will get personalized care based on their needs.
Once you've gotten a sense of the community's staffing, turn your attention to the actual building and grounds. You need it to be safe and secure so that your aging loved one with memory issues is always safe and secure.
Those with dementia are prone to confusion. If the community isn't secure, there's a chance that they could accidentally leave the grounds, which can put them at risk.
If your loved one also has mobility issues, you need a community that's equipped to accommodate them. Look for one that prioritizes safety so that you don't have to worry about your loved one having a fall or other injuries.
A good assisted living community will be equipped with a wide range of amenities to make residents' lives as comfortable as possible. Look for things that encourage health and wellness, like fitness centers, restaurants, and salons.
It's crucial for an assisted living community to provide the resources for residents to live healthy lives. Physical activity and nutrition are two of the hallmarks of longevity and become increasingly crucial as people age.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet are proven to help with mental health and memory while staving off physical ailments like heart disease and even cancer.
A memory care community should also provide a wide range of programs for your loved one to participate in. Whether it's bingo night or supervised outings outside of the community, it's so important for residents to live fruitful social lives while they're in assisted living.
With memory care, there should be a lot of programming geared toward mental health. At The Watermark, we offer Prema Memory Support and Watermark University, both of which emphasize mindfulness, learning, and mental well-being.
Memory issues are challenging for everyone involved. These tips will help you find a memory care community that truly cares for your loved one.
If you're in San Ramon, the best option is to be right in your area. The Watermark at San Ramon is one of the top assisted living and memory care communities in California.
We offer a wide range of programs, comfortable rooms, and highly trained memory care staff. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your loved one live a better life.