When it comes to memory care homes, everyone wants the best for their loved ones. You wouldn’t trust just anyone to take care of your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. There are a number of aspects that separate the great memory care homes from the rest. Here are the key ingredients to look for in a great memory care home.
Caring and Compassionate Care Partners
The team taking care of your loved one in a memory care home should truly care about them and their well-being. Memory care is about so much more than just meeting the basic needs of residents. All residents in memory care homes deserve personal and individualized attention.
Here at Dolan Memory Care, we see all of our residents as people, not as patients. Our care team is compassionate and constantly going above and beyond to care for our residents. We know each resident has different preferences and needs, and cater our care to best serve each individual.
Qualified Staff
While care and compassion are so important, there is also more that a memory care home staff needs to provide. Team members should be qualified to provide all the daily services those with memory impairment need. A qualified staff is essential to a great memory care home.
Luckily, our staff is qualified and professional. This extends not only to the nurses, social workers, and Care Partners that interact with our residents on a daily basis. This extends all the way up to our leadership team as well. We are always sure to stay informed on the latest findings about memory care and Alzheimer’s. Our homes are owned and managed by a team that is always on the cutting edge of the latest findings, and that implements changes based on research and what is best for our residents.
Life Enrichment
Memory care homes should not be dull, boring places for their residents. They should be active, engaging, and provide enrichment to residents that goes well beyond basic needs. Great memory care homes will always have life enrichment programs and activities in place. These can include a wide range of activities: Everything from mental stimulation to physical activity and creative endeavors.
We provide all of those programs and more in our Dolan Memory Care Homes. We offer CST (Cogntive Stimulation Therapy) to residents, often host pet therapy visits, put together seasonal crafts and games for stimulation, and offer a variety of options for physical activity.
Supportive Design
The physical set-up and design of memory care homes should cater to the needs of those with memory impairment. This can include a variety of factors. First, for a sense of continuity and familiarity, they should feel as much like a “real” home as possible. Important areas, rooms, and doors should be clearly labeled. There should be supportive cues throughout the home to help those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. All exits should be secured 24/7 to prevent wandering behaviors. And last but not least, research has shown that those with Alzheimer’s and dementia function best in a calm and consistent setting. Keeping the number of residents living in each home low can help to ensure this type of setting where residents can thrive.
Dolan Memory Care Homes are designed with the specific needs of our residents in mind. You will find all of the above and more in each of our small and intimate homes.
Consistent Daily Routine
Consistency is key for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. A daily routine can help to prevent flare-ups of symptoms, and keep life feeling stable. Plus, taking part in daily tasks like food preparation and laundry can give residents a sense of purpose. Great memory care homes will provide residents with a consistent daily routine that emphasizes their strengths and helps to boost their cognition and sense of self.
Aging in Place
Having to make frequent trips away from the home or move between rooms or locations can cause undue stress for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The best memory care homes will prevent this by offering aging in place. This means that things like haircuts, doctor appointments, exercise classes, and more will be brought to the home, instead of residents needing to leave to take part in these things.
Dolan Memory Care takes this even further. Once a resident moves into our homes, they are able to stay in the same room forever. As their care needs or preferences change, they won’t need to move to a different home or even to a different room. Our aging in place model can help our residents be more successful and happy.
