Did you know that there are several special awareness days—and even entire months throughout the yearly calendar—that strive to bring attention to memory care and brain health issues? For instance, November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, created by President Ronald Reagan back in 1983. And, here at Homestead Village, memory care and support are always a priority, 365 days per year.
Despite all of the awareness and prioritization around brain health matters, however, families facing a new dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis for a loved one naturally have a lot of questions about their options. Today’s blog post seeks to provide a few answers to some of the biggest things families want to know about memory care, including how we approach memory support throughout our continuum of care available within our Life Plan Community.
What is Memory Care?
In short, memory care is a specialized set of healthcare and other services that are designed to help those with cognitive impairments thrive despite setbacks like an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis.
Memory care is offered in a variety of settings, such as on-site at nursing and assisted living facilities, and as a Home Care service. The best memory care is simultaneously compassionate and engaging, promoting life enrichment in a safe and secure environment regardless of an individual’s functional memory status based on formal assessment scales.
Who Should Consider Memory Care?
As we already mentioned, memory care is for adults with cognitive impairments relating to dementia. However, it is often the family and/or loved ones of these individuals who will actually make the decisions about how and where memory care will happen.
There are a few troubling signs of cognitive decline that you should look out for. Changes in hygiene, mood, demeanor, and increased forgetfulness of a parent or other older loved one are a few early warning signs.
Even if your loved one has not yet received a formal dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis, it may be time to consider memory care options. Similarly, if you yourself have recently been diagnosed with memory loss of any type and are preparing for future care needs, we encourage you to explore available resources for support.
How is Memory Care Approached in Organizations that Provide a Continuum of Care?
Here at Homestead Village, we believe communities like ours that provide a wealth of varied services—customized to fit all Residents’ unique healthcare and daily living needs—provide the best approach to memory care.
Such organizations are typically known as Life Plan Communities (or Continuing Care Retirement Communities, which is an older designation). These communities offer a true continuum of care that is designed to change as an individual’s needs change over time. And because these changes often occur on a shorter timeline with certain memory conditions, Life Plan Communities are uniquely able to respond with care adjustments on demand.
Campus Community-Based Care
The best memory care programs tend to be fully residential with round-the-clock Personal Care assistance included. Memory care that’s based within a specially-designed and comfortable household environment—such as our new Harvest House neighborhood home—helps Residents stay safer and happier over time.
Memory Care at Home
Sometimes, moving to a retirement community campus to receive memory care is just not possible. And because individuals with memory support needs do best with predictable routines, remaining in a familiar home where they have lived for many years, may serve them best.
In these situations, finding reliable Home Care service providers that can also offer strong memory support is crucial. Our motto at Homestead Village is THRIVE WHERE YOU ARE®, and that encompasses providing care to individuals in their private homes beyond our campus borders.
What is Memory Care Like at Homestead Village?
As we’ve already touched on, memory care here at Homestead Village is comprehensive and compassionate. We customize memory care plans to take each individual Resident’s other healthcare and lifestyle needs into account, which means that memory support is offered at both the Personal Care level and within our Skilled Nursing facility at the Apostles Center for Care.
Memory Support in a Personal Care Setting at Harvest House and Gelhard House
For individuals who require help with activities of daily living (ADLs), but who do not have many other healthcare needs, we offer high-quality memory support in a personal care setting at Gelhard House and Harvest House. Designed like comfortable households with central living space that features inviting living rooms, sunrooms, and country kitchen dining areas, Gelhard House and Harvest House provide resources and serve residents and families during the difficult journey of memory loss.
Memory Support at the Apostles Center for Care (ACC)
When more in-depth care is needed for individuals with multiple health concerns, our Apostles Center for Care (ACC)—a fully accredited, Medicare- and Medicaid-approved nursing care center—is equipped to help Residents with memory care needs. In fact, one of our three households in the ACC is dedicated explicitly to Residents who require memory support.
Compassionate Memory Care That Your Loved Ones Deserve, Right Here In Lancaster
Whether you or a loved one have memory support needs that can be met at the Personal Care level or more advanced requirements that would benefit from Skilled Nursing care, Homestead Village can help. Get in touch today to connect with our caring and knowledgeable team, and find out more about all of our memory care services.