Many older adults find themselves trying to make the right choice for their future living community. The most common choices are assisted living and memory care—but how are they different?
There are 5 key differences between assisted living and memory care:
By learning these differences, you can make a decision about the right type of care for your loved one.
Assisted living communities are specifically designed for every member of the community to stay independent—while still getting access to the care they need for a high quality of life. In these communities, older adults can live in home-style apartments or condos and get help with:
Each community member gets a customized care plan so they can get the exact care and support they need while still maintaining their independence.
On the other hand, memory care is designed for adults experiencing some form of memory impairment like dementia or Alzheimer’s. In these communities, they’re supported by experienced caregivers well-trained in helping older adults who may be dealing with these conditions. Additionally, most memory care communities are a secure living environment, this assures a greater degree of safety for individuals who are prone to wandering.
In assisted living, your loved one gains access to a wide range of programs and classes. These are all designed to give community members a way to socialize with the people around them.
Assisted living typically offers classes and programs where your loved one can learn new things like:
Along with these classes, there are all kinds of events to keep things interesting. Whether a social event, a planned outing for the day, a special event, or even movie nights on the premises, these programs help bring entertainment, socialization, and excitement to every member of the community.
Memory care is often a little bit different. Instead, the offered programs and classes are designed to help stimulate the mind. With these programs, community members can challenge their brains and build their memory muscles. There’s also a strong focus on helping every adult in the community maintain their physical health. Also, the schedule of activities in a memory care community may be somewhat less varied. This is to provide a sense of consistency and stability for each resident.
While both types of communities prioritize safety above almost everything else, there’s an important distinction between the two.
When older adults have a form of memory impairment, they often begin wandering and exploring—it’s a common behavior among individuals with some type of memory loss. Memory care communities take this into consideration and often implement extra security measures.
There are often:
These are designed to provide community members with a stress-free and supportive environment. Assisted living communities may not have these additional measures.
Because the community members require different types of care in memory care and assisted living, the level of staff training often differs between each option.
In assisted living, the teams working on-site are trained to help with daily needs, like bathing and managing medication. They’re trained to support older adults who want to remain independent, so they help where they can and help take care of the community as a whole to nurture your loved one.
In memory care, the staff undergoes additional training to help deal with the complications caused by memory impairment. They’re well-trained in helping support adults dealing with memory loss in a compassionate and effective manner. They’re also experienced in understanding the different stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s and knowing how to provide the right care needed for each stage.
Both types of communities provide access to medical care, but the extent can differ depending on where you live. Assisted living communities often have a medical consultant on-site who can help in case of an emergency.
But, because these communities are designed for older adults living independently, they don’t always offer a licensed healthcare professional. Instead, they’ll often provide transportation to nearby hospitals and health practitioners.
Meanwhile, memory care communities typically have a team of healthcare professionals working on-site. These individuals are well-trained in helping community members deal with cognitive decline and memory impairment and can help with other conditions that may arise.
Deciding between assisted living and memory care greatly depends on what your loved one wants from their future community. If they want a focus on independence while they live their life in full, assisted living may be the right choice. If they need support for memory impairment and other cognitive concerns, memory care could be the place for them.
No matter the situation, our team at Juniper Village at Spring Creek is here to support your loved one through this transition. We’re here to answer any questions and nurture your loved one through this next step. To see for yourself, book a visit with us today!
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