It can be difficult to narrow down the options for memory care in Melbourne Beach, FL for your loved one given the wide range of options available in today’s world of senior care. Before looking for retirement communities, evaluate the needs of your loved one. Visit each of the communities you have in mind as it is important to know the types of services and amenities to expect. In the following article, we have compiled several tips to help you find the best fit for your loved one.
Understand the Needs of Your Loved One
The first step in selecting the best memory care community for your loved one is to make a list of their needs. Is your elderly parent able to perform daily living activities on their own, such as getting dressed, taking a shower, or preparing and eating meals? It is crucial to know how memory care workers will help them at all hours of the day and night if this is the case, throughout the assessment process. You may also wish to learn how the workers can provide proper monitoring of your loved one’s health needs if they have diabetes or another chronic health condition requiring regular medication or injections.
Understand the Services and Amenities of Memory Care
The services and amenities provided by memory care communities are extensive and can include anything from individualized diet plans to round-the-clock care coordination and even concierge assistance. The priorities on your memory care checklist should be based on your loved one’s individual requirements and interests.
Inquire About Memory Care Workers’ Training
Providing care for someone with dementia can be challenging. You should seek for evidence that the workers have experience with caring for people in this way through continuous learning. One approach to finding out if a community has an up-to-date understanding of dementia care is to find out how workers deal with challenging dementia behaviors including refusing care, anger, and aggressiveness. Inquire about preventative measures for challenging dementia behaviors and how care professionals respond when a person with dementia is in distress. Knowing what to inquire about in terms of community workers’ experience in a memory care community is also crucial.
Prioritize the Safety of Loved One
Family members looking at memory care communities typically prioritize a safe environment. Safeguards at memory care communities might range from in-unit motion detectors to keypad-locked doors and windows. Preventing wandering, a typical but dangerous tendency in people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease requires unique safety measures and standards in memory care.
Understand Care Plans and Assessments of Memory Care
Understanding residents’ preferences, past experiences, abilities, and care needs is key to the person-centered dementia care provided by many memory care communities. Caregivers invest in getting to know each resident and their loved ones beyond just the initial memory care assessment. The care team then creates an individualized plan of dementia care that addresses the resident’s specific needs and promotes their health and well-being.
Ask the community that you are considering about how they handle adjusting care plans for residents when their health deteriorates. Your loved one’s care plan should be reviewed every few months, at the very least.
