Family members care for some people with dementia, while others are confined to nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Memory care facilities are suitable for people with dementia who exhibit certain behaviors that interfere with their day-to-day activities. Staff members in memory care facilities have been educated to cope with people who have dementia and need specific care.
Signs to Look Out For
The conditions listed below may indicate that someone needs memory care.
Behavioral Changes
Dementia patients may begin to act in a completely different way. Someone who has always been self-sufficient may develop a phobia of driving, decline social invitations, and isolate themselves from others. Someone who is conscientious about their appearance may forget daily hygiene or how to do basic tasks like bathing and hairstyling, and they may be too embarrassed to seek help. An individual’s anxiety or agitation levels may rise.
Disorientation and Confusion
When you have dementia, driving may be risky since it can cause confusion and disorientation. Someone suffering from dementia, for example, may lose track of the rules of the road and continue to speed through a red light. Some dementia patients wander away from their homes and are unable to find their way back. It’s conceivable for someone with dementia to lose track of where they’ve been and end themselves in a new place. When your loved ones put their physical safety in jeopardy on a daily basis, it’s time to look into memory care services.
Deteriorating Health
Physical changes are often the first signs that someone is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The fact that someone has become thin or frail might signal that he or she has ceased shopping for food or taking prescribed medications. Some dementia sufferers have trouble remembering to take their prescribed medications. Some individuals also forget whether or not they’ve taken their medication, causing them to take more than they should.
Illness or Death of the Caregiver
Some people with dementia are cared for by their families, who are typically spouses or significant others. When a caregiver dies or develops a serious illness, the spouse or significant other who is being cared for often needs more attention.
Incontinence
Caregivers can handle a lot, but when incontinence becomes a serious problem, many people seek help from memory care centers. They are feeling overburdened, as if it is more than they can handle or more than they consented to. This might have an influence on nonprofessional caregivers, such as family members, as well as medical professionals who are brought in to provide assistance. They would benefit from long-term care with skilled nursing.
Conclusion
It’s important to keep in mind that memory care facilities are often intended for people with dementia who are in the medium to late stages of the disease. Some people who may need memory care are currently residents of a nursing home or assisted living facility to prevent this circumstance. Memory care units are sometimes provided at these facilities, and they are staffed by people who have obtained specific training in dealing with people who need greater support with everyday routines.
