Understanding Memory Care: Programs, People and Purpose

When families initially consider memory care, they often picture a place of safety and medical care, or a place of last resort when caring for a loved one with dementia becomes too difficult at home. But memory care is about more than just medical care. It’s about community, connection, and preserving daily moments of joy for people with dementia.

Entrusting the care of your loved one to a memory care community is an emotional decision filled with uncertainty, fear, concern, and guilt. However, memory care communities can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with dementia and provide valuable support and helpful resources for their families.

What to look for in a Memory Care Community

Choosing memory care is a significant step for individuals with dementia and their families. Depending on your location, there may be hundreds of memory care communities to choose from, which can make it challenging to thoroughly research, visit, and select the best option for your loved one.

The primary goal of memory care is to provide the highest level of care guided by an understanding of respect for the individual and the science of aging. This approach allows families to have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are genuinely cared for.

Here are some key factors families should consider when visiting memory care communities:

Programs with Purpose

Purposeful programming is essential. Activities should do more than just fill time. They should connect with each resident's identity, enhance memory, encourage movement, and provide meaning.

Person-Centered Care

Great memory care communities seamlessly integrate nursing care, dining services, and family involvement into a person-centered approach. This means that healthcare plans are personalized, meals are created to meet the needs of individual residents, and families are actively involved in their loved one's day-to-day care.

Thoughtfully Designed Environments

Design matters in memory care communities. Environments should include simple design principles, natural lighting, contrasting colors, and thoughtful layouts to help reduce confusion, encourage, and support independence.

Outstanding Leadership & Culture

Leadership plays a pivotal role in the culture. Visibly engaged directors and low staff turnover are signs of a healthy, thriving culture. Are directors accessible and involved? Is there a sense of joy and engagement among staff and residents? Or are there signs of disengagement, idle residents, inconsistent routines, or a lack of communication?

A Vibrant Environment

Memory care communities should feel alive, not like a holding space for people with dementia, but a place where life is still unfolding in every moment for every resident, regardless of their stage of dementia. Residents should be seen laughing, participating, and engaging with one another.

24/7 Support and Care

Memory care communities should provide round-the-clock support with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, mobility assistance, toileting, and meals. Your loved one should receive professional care from registered nurses and compassionate and supportive staff.

What Makes Memory Care Different

Families often wonder what makes memory care communities different from other forms of long-term care, such as assisted living. While both offer support with daily living, memory care is thoughtfully designed to provide high-quality care, dignity, purpose, and compassion for individuals with dementia.

Dementia Trained Staff

Compassion, consistency, and a deep commitment are at the heart of an exceptional memory care team. Memory care staff are not just workers, they’re observers, interpreters, and companions.

Unlike family caregivers, who don’t have the dementia education or training to properly care for a person with dementia, memory care staff receive state-mandated training in behavior management, communication, and personalization.

They understand dementia-specific barriers that can make personal care difficult, like a resident resisting a shower, not because they’re being difficult, but because they forgot they haven’t showered, or feel unsafe.

Staff are trained in proven techniques such as validation therapy, redirection, and de-escalation. They know how to use calming tones, and gentle cuing to support the person in a way that can reduce fear and foster trust.

This professional level of training doesn’t just improve care but also reduces hospitalizations and improves the quality of life for residents.

Socialization and Belonging

One of the most significant advantages of memory care is the opportunity for social interaction and engagement. At home, family caregivers are inundated with daily care, making it challenging to prioritize socialization for their loved ones.

In memory care communities, residents participate in daily activities, such as morning coffee groups, musical time, devotional readings, storytelling circles, and birthday parties. This allows residents the opportunity to give back, build relationships, create a legacy, and channel their energy into something meaningful and enjoyable.

Peace of Mind for Families

Families often struggle with worry and fear when transitioning a loved one to memory care. The right community offers peace of mind, knowing that their loved one is not isolated but is engaged, supported, and has many opportunities to make new friends.

Therapeutic Engagement

The most effective activities for people with dementia are based on a therapeutic approach, not just to pass the time. These activities are evidence and science-based, helping individuals with dementia preserve memory and enjoy the benefits of socialization.

Memory care communities offer a variety of activities, such as music therapy, sensory gardens, art sessions, guided movement, memory boxes, and pet therapy.

According to a 2019 study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics, structured and person-centered engagement activities significantly reduce agitation, anxiety, and apathy in individuals with moderate to severe dementia. The study revealed that behavioral symptoms decreased by 20% when daily activities were consistently offered over a 12-week period.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, individuals with good social connections have a lower risk of developing dementia. In addition, adults who are less socially active may develop dementia an average of five years earlier than their socially active counterparts.

When individuals with dementia are active and socially engaged, their senses are activated, which can help calm the mind and increase their connection to the environment.

Dining Programs

Dining in memory care involves more than just delicious food. Dining programs are tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with dementia. Staff members are trained to recognize changes in appetite that can be associated with dementia.

Residents may forget they’re hungry, not remember they just ate, or struggle to sit through an entire meal. To encourage participation, staff may use techniques like hand-over-hand feeding, prompting, visual cuing, or they may sit and eat with residents.

Menus are approved and tracked by registered dieticians. Fortified foods are offered for residents who eat smaller portions, and aromatherapy with essential oils like peppermint or citrus is used to stimulate appetite. Staff may track residents' weights to monitor nutritional intake and ensure that residents are well-nourished and adequately hydrated.

Outings and Joyful Living

In memory care communities, life and new experiences don’t end with dementia. Quality memory care communities plan simple, safe, and meaningful outings such as scenic rides, visits to a garden center, ice cream trips, or watching children perform music.

These experiences reconnect residents with the world and recreate new joyful memories that enhance mood and expression.

Wrap-up

Memory care is not just a place, it’s a promise of dignity, structure, comfort, and joy. It’s an environment that supports the uniqueness as a person, honors their personal legacy, and adapts to their changing needs.

The right memory care program doesn’t just meet medical needs. It will allow your loved one to be the wife, son, or daughter they were before dementia. It fosters relationships and provides purposeful moments every day.

To learn more, listen to the “From Declining to Thriving in Memory Care Communities” 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.