Trying to find the right place for your family member can feel daunting, particularly if they have a health issue that requires a sudden change in circumstances. Memory care communities specifically cater to older adults who require dementia care. It’s distinct from assisted living in a variety of ways, which we’ll discuss in this article. We’ll also provide more information about the best memory care facilities in Bethesda, MD.

What Is Memory Care?

A memory care community is a high-level senior care facility that offers specialized treatment and accommodation to individuals with memory issues. There’s a strong focus on safety in the design of the buildings and carefully structured routines that minimize stress and maximize well-being. Help with personal care is provided for memory care residents, and dining and meal choices are chosen with the unique nutritional needs of dementia care clients in mind.

In many memory care programs, residents benefit from regular visits from specialty health care workers such as geriatric nurse practitioners or occupational health or physical therapists. What’s more, the staff working at dementia care facilities are specially trained in Alzheimer’s care and health monitoring of individuals with memory issues.

What’s the Difference Between Memory Care and Assisted Living Facilities?

There are many differences between assisted living and memory care senior living solutions. People with early-onset dementia may require additional help with daily living tasks such as grooming, bathing, and medication administration, which is catered to in assisted living facilities. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two senior living options:

• Cost: While location and choosing a private vs semiprivate room affects both memory care facilities and assisted living communities, a memory care facility generally has higher costs associated with it due to the specialty care offered.
• Architecture: Some assisted living communities have a purpose-built memory care unit, with extra security measures in place. However, in general, memory care units are specifically designed to prevent wandering and keep residents feeling safe and secure.
• Medication: In an assisted living facility, the laws vary by state as to whether residents can administer their own medication. But in Alzheimer’s care facilities, all meds are given by trained staff.
• Staffing: In assisted living senior housing, the staff is trained to help residents with daily life, while an Alzheimer’s care facility has a specially trained team.

Auxiliary House

The first of our Bethesda memory care facilities is the Auxiliary House, which is located in Montgomery County and convenient to people in Maryland and Washington, DC. This two-story property consists of eight studio bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom. Clients can socialize with fellow residents in the cozy communal living room, sitting area, or outside next to the vegetable garden when the weather’s nice.

Auxiliary House boasts a 1:4 staff-to-resident ratio, so you can rest assured that your loved one gets the care, attention, and support they need.

Hillwood

Hillwood is another of Cedar Creek Memory Care’s senior living facilities designed for people with memory-related issues. This eight-bedroom facility is comfortable and homey, with dementia and Alzheimer’s services catering to individuals needing varying levels of physical and cognitive support. Residents enjoy three nutritious meals a day, with any dietary requirements or medical conditions that affect nutrition taken into account.

Hillwood also has an exceptional daytime caregiver-to-patient ratio of 1:3 on average, and highly trained staff are on hand 24 hours a day to provide personalized care.

Who Is Memory Care Suited To?

If you’re still wondering whether a senior living facility that caters to memory disorders is necessary for your loved one, consider the following:

• Do they show signs of aggression or irritation?
• Have they been wandering from home?
• Do they get lost in familiar places?
• Are issues with mobility causing frequent falls?
• Is depth perception becoming a problem?
• Have they lost an unhealthy amount of weight?

Help Your Loved One Retain Dignity and Independence

If your loved one is experiencing memory problems due to Alzheimer’s disease or any other dementia-related illness, we can help. Get in touch with Cedar Creek Memory Care senior living community today for more information. We’re in Bethesda, MD, and serve the local area, including Brighton Gardens, Forest Hills, Rockville and Silver Spring, MD, and Washington DC.