Did you know that the Autumn View Gardens assisted living community in Creve Coeur offers four levels of care? They include assisted living, memory care, respite care and hospice care.
If you or someone you love is facing a dementia or Alzheimer's diagnosis, you might want to find out more about how memory care in an assisted living community works. Our services are designed to support the overall health and wellness of every resident while ensuring they can live as active a lifestyle as possible. At the same time, knowing that someone is being cared for by our experienced and compassionate staff can bring peace of mind to loved ones.
Find out more about some of the benefits of memory care in an assisted living community below.
Memory disorders can lead people to do things they wouldn't otherwise, including wandering dangerously. Individuals may leave their homes and wander into streets or other areas of risk, and even when that's not the case, they could wander their homes. This often occurs at night, putting individuals at risk for falls or other injuries.
It can be hard for loved ones to assist individuals who are experiencing these symptoms. A spouse or adult child has to sleep too, but if wandering is an issue, there's a chance no one in the house is sleeping well.
In assisted living communities that provide memory care services, 24-hour staff and the use of technologies help keep people safe. Exterior doors may be set to lock unless there's an emergency or sound an alarm if someone passes through, for example.
Those dealing with a memory disorder can feel isolated or lonely. Within an assisted living community, they're offered a wide range of activities that are appropriate for their level of mobility and cognition, whatever that might be. Assisted living staff are available to help and encourage individuals as they join in on social activities, attend outings or eat with others in the dining room.
Memory care staff use experience and knowledge about working with individuals with memory disorders to make life as streamlined and easy for residents as possible. Activity schedules that follow specific routines and layouts that are easy to navigate and reduce confusion help individuals with memory loss establish routines that can support more enjoyable days.
Staff are on hand 24 hours a day to ensure needs are met. If someone wakes in the night in fear or is confused about where they are, staff can reassure them or help them back to their assisted living apartment. If someone isn't sure about which activities they signed up for or when an appointment is or they need assistance with activities such as dressing or choosing the right foods, staff are on hand to provide that support.
In an assisted living community, residents have access to professionals who can help them manage chronic conditions, take the right medications, get exercise and even eat well-balanced meals on a daily basis.
At the same time, staff is always cognizant of the need for independence. At Autumn View Gardens assisted living community, our staff works with each resident to determine their needs and provide the right level of support. Some residents might need or want staff to administer medications daily to avoid errors or memory concerns. Others may want to handle their own medications with some regular support from staff to ensure everything is going well.
In a memory care level of service, staff provide specific therapies that can help delay the onset of disease symptoms. While these are not a cure, they can support the individual in living as full a life in retirement as possible. Even as symptoms progress, staff work to encourage participating in activities that help with socialization and protecting the cognitive functions that remain.
Many times someone who is dealing with memory care may be working with a variety of care providers. That can include loved ones, geriatric care managers and a range of physicians. If someone is also dealing with another chronic condition, such as heart disease or cancer, the care team gets even bigger.
For someone with memory issues, this can be overwhelming and frustrating. Keeping up with appointments and instructions from all these providers might seem or even be impossible. Assisted living community staff can help by supporting a main contact, such as a loved one, in coordinating care. They also can ensure that care instructions are followed on a daily basis.
For more information about the benefits of a memory care level of service, contact us today to schedule a visit.
