When seniors and families begin to consider moving to a senior living communities they quickly realize that there are all sorts of different types of communities to choose from. As with any business, senior living communities focus on offering services to meet the needs of residents in their target market. Some communities take a general approach, offering what appears to be a full spectrum of care to everyone from the active independent senior to the senior needing dementia care. These communities tend to be the larger ones that have a wonderful suite of amenities to offer but at the same time may be limited in their ability to adequately handle people needing a high level of m care. Other communities focus on providing more specialized care for people with specific issues often needing more one on one care such as those living with more sever dementia or those with acute medical issues. These specialized communities can be found among smaller ones, but again, senior care communities come in many different types and sizes.
It is important to note the difference between Assisted Living communities and Assisted Living Memory Care communities. Sometimes these communities will have assisted living and memory care in the same building or on the same campus.
Memory care is a system of care that is for those who have Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia. This kind of care is not just to ensure that your aging family member is receiving proper care, but also to ensure that they are safe, secure, and that the care staff is trained in dementia care and have programs to help residents live with their dementia.
Assisted living, on the other hand, is focused on helping residents that may need a little to perhaps a lot of assistance dealing with the activities of daily life. This may be as simple as making sure residents are safe, providing meals, and possibly ensuring residents take their medicine correctly. Often they will also go further and provide assistance with the very basics of living such as taking a shower, going to the bathroom or dressing. In some cases they will even provide higher acuity levels of care including services such as injection assistance, two person transfer, and hospice care.
What level of care does my loved one need?
People become residents of a particular senior care community because that community will best serve their particular care needs and situation. Or, at least, that is the way it should be. Not everyone has the same set of criteria or needs the same things. Some simply need a community where they are safe, have access to transportation, good nutritious meals and the ability to socialize with their peers. Others need help with various basic functions of living. Some residents may even need more help, such as those who are nearing the end of life or living with more severe dementia. The amount of care and life enrichment that the senior in your life needs is unique and finding the best community for them can be very challenging. And of course, finances are an important part of the equation.
Whatever the needs of your elderly loved one, you can find a senior living community that caters to their needs. Just be sure to do your research, consider working with a placement professional, and tour highly rated senior living communities in your area, ones like the Manor on Marston Lake in Littleton, to learn first hand what they offer.