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According to the US Census Bureau, 78 million Americans will be aged 65 and older by 2035 compared to only 76.7 million people under the age of 18. This is mainly because baby boomers are now entering late adulthood and will be part of the elderly population in a couple of years.

With this in mind, the need for memory assisted living facilities has grown stronger, especially with more elderly people suffering from dementia. But how do these assisted living facilities cater to the need for memory care?

Here are four key concepts that were presented in a white paper co-published by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and design firm Perkins Eastman called “Excellence in Design: Optimal Living Space for People With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias:”

Minimizing Overstimulation

Most patients with dementia and other cognitive impairments easily get overwhelmed with large spaces and groups, and it causes them to be confused, uncomfortable and irritable.

Add to the stress of visiting the doctor and you’ll easily see a patient getting distracted and stimulated in this kind of environment. This is why memory assisted living facilities need to focus on creating a smaller and quieter environment for dementia patients.

A Sense of Familiarity

Nothing is more frustrating for a patient with dementia than to feel that he is in new territory. This will make them feel disoriented and uncomfortable, which is why it’s very important to design a space with things that are familiar to them.

Memory assisted living facilities should think about the things that will make space feel homier to the patient like the abundance of natural light, objects from home and just a relaxing atmosphere.

Proper Directions

One of the most important things for any assisted living facility is to design a space where dementia patients can easily find their way. Aside from thinking about a proper layout, memory assisted living facilities should also have proper landmarks and visual cues to minimize the stress in patients and lighten the load of the healthcare staff.

Safety should also be a priority in these assisted living facilities because patients with dementia are at a higher risk for accidents due to their impairments.

Family Areas

The journey to assisted living is just as important for the family as it is for the patient. Since bringing a loved one to a facility is such a huge step for any family, they need to feel that they are supported every step of the way.

Family areas like waiting rooms and patient rooms should be designed with the patient and his family’s comfort in mind. They should be able to feel like they’re at home where everything is accessible and they can enjoy their private time together as a family.

Assisted living is now one of the most in-demand healthcare services in America due to the aging population. This is why it’s very important to have these four key concepts in mind when designing a space where dementia patients can still enjoy the best quality of life.

Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

People with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can choose to live alone rather than move to an assisted living facility. It’s a choice.

In some cases, however, it’s a matter of when.

Because there are situations where living alone is no longer safe or suitable for people with dementia.

Signs that Assisted Living is the Best Choice

When you or a loved one are facing safety issues at home, whether alone or with other family members. For instance:

• Frequent slips and falls, resulting in injuries.
• Bouts of physical aggressiveness to yourself or others.
• Loss of appetite or not eating regularly, resulting in unusual weight loss.
• Missing medication doses or taking too much medication.
• Starting to wonder and/or forget where you are and what you’re doing.
• Vulnerable to or is being victimized by a financial scam.

And a bigger sign that assisted living is a safer choice is when you or a loved one with dementia is believed to be physically harmed by a caregiver.

If you notice any of these signs, you should start looking for a facility to move in. Make sure to look for memory assisted living, where a facility has in-house memory care units for dementia patients.

Researching for Memory Assisted Living

Contact the Nearest Alzheimer’s Association

It can provide you with vital information on dementia care facilities near you. It will also provide social and emotional support to make the entire process easier.

Start your Search Early on

It is highly recommended that you look for dementia care while you’re still able. Don’t wait for the situation to go bad before looking for one as you’re likely to make a hasty decision. Once you know or are diagnosed with early onset of dementia, start looking for memory assisted living facility near you.

Put your Affairs in Order well in Advance

Before you start losing your memory or control of a situation, start outlining your care wishes. After diagnosis, your family or loved one is responsible for taking care of your financial and legal planning issues. With a plan in place, however, you will have a say on how and where you receive dementia care.

Speak to a lawyer with regards on who to give powers of attorney and health directives. They can also help deal with the legal paperwork.

Moving into Memory Assisted Living

Moving into aged care is never easy for both the patient and the family. There are ways to soften the blow, however.

• Visit assisted living facilities you’ve been looking at with your family. Have lunch with the residents. You can also attend events to increase the warm familiarity.
• Pair up with other social and outgoing residents. This will ease the fear of living alone in an unfamiliar environment, a feeling many seniors moving into aged care residences share. Once you make a friend or two, moving in won’t feel so lonely.

And all throughout the process, from research to moving, have your family help make arrangements. Just like you would want to have a say in your dementia care, they want to participate in ensuring your welfare too. The more involved they are the less worried they will be of leaving you in memory assisted living.

Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

Recently retired individuals can take advantage of senior living facilities offering various amenities and services for the active senior. This includes huge apartments, excellent dining, maintenance, and housekeeping services, aside from transportation and security.

What Is An Independent Living Community?

If you want to live on your own after you retire, then an independent living community should be right for you. This is where you can live in a condominium, home, townhouse, and even a motor home or mobile home.

You may rent or live as part of a cooperative but think of it like an old neighborhood with restrictions, usually over 55. In fact, this can be an attractive living community offering seniors only social environments with lots of conveniences.

Services Provided In Senior Living

There are a number of services available in independent living for seniors. Here are some of them.

• All utilities except telephone
• Bi-weekly housekeeping
• Cable TV
• Continental breakfast
• Full mid-day meal served in the dining room restaurant style
• Chapel, coffee shop, theater, technology room
• Personal storage unit
• Semi-weekly shopping transport
• Washer/dryer hook up in most apartments

Common examples of independent senior living communities are retirement homes. However, such properties may not provide health care or assistance with ADLs or activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting, among others.

Is Independent Living Right For You?

You are healthy today, but you cannot read the future. You want to be around your peers as you value security. It comes down to independence but does not need to bother about some tasks, such as housekeeping and yard work.

Independent living is suitable for people who can still live on their own but may enjoy access to assistance when needed. Thus, residents have convenient access to dining, entertainment, and medical care, among others. Furthermore, residents enjoy a safe living environment but with minimal assistance. This is different from assisted living that is suitable for people who have difficulty with daily activities at home.

Assisted Living Vs Independent Living

The decision of choosing between assisted living and independent living will depend on the primary needs of your senior loved one. There are communities offering both assisted and independent living for seniors options wherein residents can adjust their lifestyle on the basis of changing needs.

If the senior or older adult chooses an independent living environment, it means that he or she should manage daily activities without extra assistance. Therefore, the senior must be able to deal with daily activities including, completing household chores, driving, maintaining personal finances, managing medication, personal hygiene, and preparing meals.

Final Thoughts

Any type of change in your house may seem to you as if you are losing your independence, as you get older. Nevertheless, independent living can help you in making life easier for you than losing independence. That is why independent living for seniors play an important role in managing your needs when you embark on your new independent living environment. Feel free to browse along this website to know more about how to manage your needs as a senior.

Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

It could be a difficult process to find a nursing home close by for yourself or a family member these days. This might even be a new emotional and financial crisis for all involved, but this could also be an opportunity to make a better decision for those who are well prepared.

Nursing Homes 

Basically, nursing homes offer 24-hour safety monitoring, advanced onsite medical care, and daily living assistance for their residents. On top of that, they also sponsor social interactions, which include art classes, birthday parties, cooking classes, and even movie nights.

Standard Nursing Home Benefits 

• Help with activities of daily living, which include bathing and dressing
• Laundry and housekeeping
• Management of medication
• Private and semi-private rooms
• 3-cooked meals a day
• Variety of therapies, such as memory, physical, and speech therapy
• Social activity calendar

Although there are some common points, nursing homes have many variations. In fact, some have adopted qualities of centers for an assisted living facility.

Begin the Search 

Perhaps the most potent way of searching for potential nursing homes nearby is to ask for help.

• Ask your family members, clergy, friends, neighbors, or your doctor regarding their experiences with nursing homes.
• Try to approach the discharge planner of a hospital or ask a social worker for any recommendations.
• You can also call a social service agency and converse with the case manager regarding possible choices for nursing homes.
• You may also contact a local agency for aging regarding recommendations.

Pick the Right Nursing Home 

After doing the steps earlier, you should take a trip to visit the site that seems promising to you. At the same time, try to formulate questions such that is written on the list below.

• Is the staff friendly and respectful?
• Is the nursing home tidy?
• Are they offering social, cultural, recreational, and religious activities that would be of interest to you?
• Is it possible for you to select your bathing, bed, or waking times?
• Is it possible for you to get food or drinks anytime?
• Are you able to have visitors as you please?
• Is it allowed for you to have a pet?
• Is there any transportation provided?
• How is privacy observed there?
• Is it allowed for you to decorate your room as you please?
• Is there any good natural lighting?
• Is the room equipped with telephone or TV?

Quality of Care 

Basically, nursing homes should meet 150 requirements that range from food storage to security, from physical to mental abuse. Thus, you need to have a copy of the care plan you are going to enjoy. This may be based on your health information in which an assessment will be done on the first 14 days and at least every 90 days thereafter.

Finally, you need to decide if the nursing home is indeed best for senior care. This is because nursing homes are fast becoming similar to assisted living facilities. As a matter of fact, there are those that look around for nursing homes but end up finding assisted living as a much better choice.

Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

Getting the best care possible is a priority in finding senior housing communities for a loved one. You want assurances that they will be looked after and knowing that they lessen your worries. What factors should you look for in senior housing communities that will help you make the best possible decision?

Visit the facility

Unless you have friends or family who can recommend an assisted living facility, your most likely starting point would be an internet search. Websites can provide you with basic information about the community, their staff, and services, but nothing compares to seeing the place with your own eyes.

Your own experience can tell you whether or not a place is right for your loved one. After all, it’s you who best knows those who are closest to you.

During a visit, take all the time you need to make an assessment of the place. Take note of how clean the place is and pay close attention to smells. While detecting odors are normal in senior housing communities, smelling them all throughout the property points to a larger issue. You can always ask the manager what the problem might be.

In assessing a property, it’s important to not just explore the insides of the facility; the outdoor areas are equally important as well.

Observe how the staff treats the residents

It’s always best to have questions prepared during a visit. Doing so allows you to get a better view of the place. One of the most important questions to ask is about the number of staff who will be assigned to residents. The answers given can give you confidence in their ability to care for your loved one.

Other than that, observing how staff treat the residents can tell you a great deal about the level of care your loved one will receive in the facility.

Take a close look at the residents

Personal care is so important which is why it should be on your list of questions for the facility manager. If they have the right to know the bathing preferences of a possible resident, you also have the right to ask about how they go about the process.

Another way to gauge the personal care process of the facility is to look at the state of the residents. Do they look well-groomed? Are they dressed properly? Being satisfied with the responses to these questions allows you to rest easy knowing that a facility will take good care of your loved one.

Ask the opinion of other families

If you know someone who has a loved one residing in the facility, don’t be afraid to ask them questions. This, when weighed will all other other factors to consider, will help you make the right decision.

Making sure a loved one feels comfortable in new surroundings is crucial for their well-being. You can make sure of this by paying a visit to the facility and exploring the area to make a proper assessment.

Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco