8 Critical Observations and Questions for Families Choosing a Memory Care Community

As Alzheimer’s disease and dementia progress, individuals will eventually require 24/7 care for activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, and eating. Many family caregivers struggle to provide the necessary care due to their own family obligations, work commitments, distance issues, and safety concerns.

Memory care communities can offer valuable assistance to overwhelmed families.

These communities provide personalized memory care services, expertise in memory care, experienced professionals, and resources that families and caregivers may not have access to on their own.

Choosing a memory care community is a significant decision that can be emotionally and logistically challenging for individuals with dementia and their families.

In addition to selecting a community, families must also determine if memory care is appropriate for their loved one, depending on their diagnosis and where they are in the disease process.

In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to observe while visiting memory care communities and critical questions you should ask before choosing a memory care community for a loved one.

1. Assess the Community's Environment & Design

Memory care communities should provide a dementia-friendly environment and design. The overall ambiance should be warm, cozy, and comforting, rather than clinical and sterile.

Modern communities should feature a square, free-flowing layout that includes social areas, walking paths, plenty of natural light, and access to outdoor areas or secure courtyards.

Design elements should incorporate ample seating to encourage socialization, and cool colors such as green and blue, which have been found to be pleasing to people with dementia.

Resident apartments should be user-friendly, have safety features, and be easy to find and navigate.

2. What Are Your Care Approaches and Philosophies?

Does the community follow a philosophy of person-centered care, where each resident’s needs, likes, dislikes, and personal preferences are considered to create a better and more customized care plan?

Ask if they offer engagement-focused programming where activities and programming are customized to each resident’s talents and interests.

Consider your loved ones’ interests. Look for engaging and interesting programming that your loved one will enjoy. Does your loved one like to paint, read, or socialize?

A caring staff should be willing and able to create engagement opportunities specific to your loved one’s interests.

3. What Are Your Staff Qualifications and Training?

The qualifications, training, and experience of the staff who care for residents are essential.

While every state has its own training requirements for memory care staff, these requirements can vary significantly from one state to another.

When evaluating staff, ask the following questions:

• What training do you require beyond state standards?
• What is your staff specifically trained for?
• Are they trained in various types of dementia?
• Are they trained in my loved one’s type of dementia?
• Do you have a medical director or third-party medical staff experienced in gerontology and dementia?
• Do you have a vendor who provides psych nursing or a behavioral health team that partners with your community?
• Do you have experts who understand behavioral management?

4. What are Your Social, Recreational, Intellectual and Spiritual Activities?

People with dementia have individual needs and wants just like those without dementia.

Ask to see an activities calendar. Expect well-thought-out memory care programs to offer a variety of stimulating social and recreational activities tailored for individuals with dementia.

Your loved one should remain engaged and active, not sitting around watching TV or alone in their room. You want them to be active and have vibrant activities where they can exert energy and feel good about themselves.

5. How Many Residents Do You Have at My Loved One’s Cognitive Level

Memory care communities come in various sizes. You might find a smaller community with 12 to 14 residents or larger ones that accommodate up to 40 residents.

It’s important to consider your loved one's preferences and personality. Do they feel more comfortable in small settings, or do they thrive in larger groups?

During your visits, inquire about how many residents function at a cognitive level similar to your loved ones. If there are not many residents at this level, your loved one may have fewer opportunities to socialize with other peers.

In addition, placing your loved one in a memory care community too soon can lead to depression or isolation, especially if they’re still functioning at a higher cognitive level. They may not want to participate in activities where they’re not receiving adequate engagement and socialization.

6. Family Involvement and Support

Moving a loved one to a memory community is a difficult decision, and families need peace of mind. Memory care communities should always communicate with family members to ensure they are actively involved in every aspect of their loved ones' care and progress.

Consider the following questions when evaluating a memory care community:

• Will the staff discuss the care planning process with you?
• Will they notify you if there are any changes or concerns regarding your loved one’s care?
• Will they send pictures of your loved one participating in activities?
• Are you informed about their day, both good and bad?
• Do you know what they are eating, wearing, and who their friends are?

7. What Are Your State Survey Results?

Each state has different licensing requirements for memory care communities. Every year, a team visits these communities to evaluate performance. You should request and discuss the survey results for every community you visit. You can also find these results online on your state’s website for assisted living or personal care communities.

8. What Is Your Length of Stay?

Understanding the requirements for staying in your chosen memory care community is crucial. Length of stay requirements vary from state to state, so ask if your loved one can remain in the community as their disease progresses until the end of life.

Ask if the community has contracts with hospice services that can provide additional support for residents as needed.

You don’t want to go through the process of choosing a memory care community only to find out that your loved one will be discharged when they reach a certain level.

Wrap-up and Next Steps

Researching and choosing the best memory care community for a loved one is a time-consuming and emotional process.

Knowing what to look for and the questions to ask can help families evaluate communities effectively, obtain key information, and choose a community that meets their loved one's unique needs and preferences.

To learn more, listen to the “The Memory Care Checklist: Critical Questions Families Should Ask” & "Finding Your Memory Care Community Match" episode of The Disappearing Mind, an award-winning podcast hosted by National Dementia Coach Dawn Platt that helps listeners navigate along their personal journey with dementia through exclusive and direct perspectives of people diagnosed with the disease, their caregivers and experts in the field.