Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia isn’t easy. As memory loss progresses, it becomes increasingly harder to tend to their needs at home. To help ensure their loved ones get the treatment and attention they deserve, many people turn to long-term care homes. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about finding long term care for Alzheimer’s patients, from the different senior care options available to how to pick the right home for your loved one.

Four Important Steps in Finding the Right Long Term Care for Alzheimer’s Patients

1. Get a Dementia Diagnosis

When it comes to memory loss, you want your loved one to receive care services as soon as possible. The earlier a patient starts memory care, the higher the chances of delaying cognitive decline. To determine if a loved one needs memory care, look out for the following signs of dementia:

• Increased wandering
• Increased irritability
• Difficulty communicating
• Difficulty completing daily activities
• Sudden mood changes

If you notice any of these signs, take your loved one to the doctor to get an official diagnosis. Once dementia is confirmed, it’s time to start looking for a residential care community.

2. Understand Your Care Options

The next step to finding long-term dementia care is understanding your care options. There are five main senior living solutions most older adults choose from:

• Independent living facilities: Designed for active older adults who can live on their own
• Assisted living communities: Designed for older adults who need assistance with daily living activities
• Memory care units: Designed for older adults dealing with memory loss
• Skilled nursing homes: Provide skilled nursing care to individuals with serious health needs
• Respite care: Provides short-term care

For adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, memory care homes are the best option. A memory care home is a residential care facility that provides a combination of medical care and personal care. It offers health services like medication management and assistance with activities of daily living, as well as special services related to memory loss. These include a safe, structured environment, a set daily routine and memory-enhancing activities.

It’s also important to note that, unlike in assisted living residences or other senior care solutions, the staff at memory care homes are specially trained to care for dementia patients. Staff learn how to deal with behaviors related to dementia, such as increased aggression, wandering and confusion. They also learn how to create personalized care plans that change as the disease progresses.

3. Research Dementia Care Homes

Now that you know what you’re looking for, you can start researching dementia care homes. Here are a few key factors you should consider during your research.

Location

You can immediately narrow down your search by focusing on a specific location. Try to pick a location that’s close enough for friends and family members to visit. If you’re looking for dementia care in the Maryland area, Cedar Creek Memory Care offers homes in Bethesda, Rockville and Silver Spring. All our locations offer cozy, homelike environments that make residents feel as though they’re joining a family.

Staff-to-Resident Ratio

Another factor to consider is staff-to-resident ratio. The higher this ratio is, the more personalized health care your loved one will receive. At Cedar Creek, we pride ourselves on our excellent staff-to-resident ratio. By maintaining a small environment, we help ensure every resident receives special attention. Not only do we cater to every individual’s health needs, but we also get to know their families, backgrounds and interests, contributing to our family-like feel.

Care Services

While every memory care home caters to patients with memory loss, they may differ in their exact care services. For example, some homes lean more towards assisted living than memory care by only giving assistance to early-stage dementia patients. Others may provide more skilled nursing care for late-stage Alzheimer’s patients.

At Cedar Creek, our staff is qualified to help patients in all stages of dementia, whether it’s early or late. Many residents join our community early, then remain with us as memory loss progresses. In addition to memory and dementia care, we provide end-of-life services.

Additional Amenities

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, engaging in memory care activities can improve a patient’s quality of life. Thus, you should look for a memory care community that provides an activities list, such as Cedar Creek. We offer a unique, individualized activity program that takes the interests of our residents into account. For example, if a resident is interested in learning something new, such as sewing, we can help create an activity session for them. Residents also enjoy in-house dining and housekeeping services.

4. Schedule a Visit

The last step in finding a long-term care solution is scheduling a visit with a memory care home. Many communities feature specialized staff who can walk you through the home and answer any questions you may have. This also gives your loved one an opportunity to get comfortable with the environment before moving in.

If your loved one is extremely nervous, you may want to hire a geriatric care manager to prepare them for the transition. It’s also helpful to work with a welcoming, supportive team, such as the staff at Cedar Creek.

Cedar Creek Memory Care: Contact Us Today!

Finding long term care for Alzheimer’s patients and dementia patients is a difficult process. Ultimately, you want to make sure your loved one is moving into an atmosphere that caters to their health needs and makes them feel comfortable.

At Cedar Creek, the best memory care facility, we do everything we can to support you and your family during this transition. Our dedicated caregivers are highly experienced in helping memory loss patients adjust well to their new environment. And, with our impressive staff-to-resident ratio and unique activities list, you can rest assured they’re receiving the personalized care they deserve. If you’d like to learn more about our homes, don’t hesitate to call us at (301) 384-4017 or reach out online.