What makes memory care different from assisted living? Both
services are very similar in the sense that they are designed to enhance
seniors’ quality of living in a community. There are, however, differences that
are pretty significant as seniors with memory loss conditions require more
comprehensive care. Our Tapestries® memory
care team in Pitman, NJ has compiled the three major differences
between the two senior care services. Read on and you may just be surprised to
learn something new!
Fact #1: Memory care associates are specially trained.
Seniors struggling with dementia experience stress
differently than those without dementia. This condition changes the brain’s
ability to process everyday happenings, so it’s very important that seniors
with dementia are able to relieve stress effectively each and every day.
Caregivers to those with memory loss conditions have to familiarize themselves
with effective stress-relievers, since they may differ greatly from what works
for seniors without dementia.
In our Tapestries memory care neighborhood, Life Enrichment
Team Specialists (LETS) are well versed in the latest dementia training,
including many different methods that help residents alleviate stress. Some
strategies may include having the resident listen to music from their era,
engage in activities of movement that require their full attention, or put them
in a social situation. Seniors with advanced dementia may become confused and
disoriented, causing loud outbursts or inappropriate physical movement. These
moments must be addressed but handled gently, and with infinite patience. In
this way, our team prevents your loved ones from hurting themselves or others
until they return to a calmer state.
Fact #2: Our Memory care apartments are dementia-safe.
Slightly different than our apartments in assisted living,
apartments in the Tapestries Memory Care neighborhood are designed to be
completely dementia-safe and easier for residents to navigate. Apartments do
not have kitchens that could cause injury – for example, if your loved one was
to leave the stove on. All memory care apartments are also located within the
same wing of the building so that it is much easier for these residents to convene
in safe, common areas and for specially trained staff to monitor them.
Fact #3: Care is dependent on the person – it’s not
one-size-fits-all.
Understandably, seniors with dementia require more support
than those who
are more independent. While our community offers assisted living residents
assistance with ADLs (activities of daily living), meal plans, and access to
social activities, memory care is more intensive. Our specially trained memory
care team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for those in the
Tapestries neighborhood. They also fully understand the importance of having
your loved one with dementia engage in a routine that makes sense to them. This
core philosophy of our program encourages each resident to direct their own
schedule. Since our team is always available, residents can eat when hungry,
and sleep when tired – they don’t have to follow the assisted living dining
schedule.
Dementia
support for seniors in Gloucester County
At UMC at Pitman, our Tapestries® memory care neighborhood
has a welcoming, dementia-safe apartments where seniors can enjoy their
hobbies, release their tension, and have meaningful and engaging experiences
every day. Residents make their own choices and are able to direct their
schedule and life at Pitman. With our Life Enrichment Team Specialists on site
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we can ensure your loved one is safe, secure,
and well taken care of in our specialty neighborhood.
If your loved one is showing early signs of dementia and you
are having difficulty caring for them, please call us to find out whether a
move to a dedicated memory care neighborhood is the right choice. To learn
more about professional memory care in Gloucester County, please visit our
website at: https://umcommunities.org/pitman/
This blog was originally published at https://umcommunities.org/pitman/blog/3-facts-about-memory-care-you-didnt-know/
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