According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, almost 70% of persons over the age of 65 will require long-term care at some point in their lives. Many people who need senior care are experiencing cognitive decline or memory loss. According to the World Health Organization, about 50 million people worldwide have dementia, with about 10 million new cases diagnosed each year.
You’re definitely faced with difficult choices if you’re seeking long-term care for an aging loved one. In terms of levels of care, amenities, staff training, and expense, senior living differs widely.
What is the difference between assisted living and memory care facilities near me, two popular and rapidly rising types of senior living? Before choosing between assisted living and memory care, it’s crucial to understand the differences between the two types of care.
Understanding the Difference Between Assisted Living and Memory Care
Memory care and assisted living Many of the same services are available in senior living facilities, including housing, meals, and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, grooming, and toileting. Memory care, on the other hand, caters to elders suffering from memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia.
To make the greatest decision for your aging loved one, learn more about the distinctions between assisted living and memory care.
Safety
Safety elements such as in-room emergency alarm systems and daily check-ins may be available in assisted living settings. However, enhanced safety is a big worry for elders with memory loss, as wandering, violence, and falls are all frequent but harmful dementia behaviors.
Memory care facilities prioritize environmental safety. Other wandering-prevention systems include keypad access, hidden exits, and doorbells that signal entering and exiting. Falls are prevented via facility layouts that reduce confusion. The facilities also include soothing therapies to help individuals deal with anger and disorientation, which can lead to aggression or self-injury.
Staff Education and Care
Both assisted living and memory care staff members have prior experience assisting residents with day-to-day duties. For those with dementia, memory care professionals are well-equipped and qualified to provide 24-hour care that preserves their cognitive skills, identity, and quality of life.
Memory care specialists can effectively avoid and control dangerous dementia behaviors like wandering and aggression. They also know how to balance encouraging people to be self-sufficient while still offering support. Memory care also offers a higher staff-to-resident ratio than assisted living and other types of elder care, so seniors get more one-on-one time.
Amenities
Although amenities differ considerably from one community to the next, many assisted living communities provide the following:
- Gyms
- Barbershops and beauty salons
- Gardens and courtyards are examples of outdoor environments.
- Accommodations that are pet-friendly
- Services related to transportation
- There is a library and a game room.
- Studio for arts and crafts
- Relaxation rooms or spas
Many of these amenities are common in memory care settings, but the most significant characteristic is that you’ll find unique layouts and design features to help orient individuals and prevent confusion. In memory care communities, design aspects may include:
- Common locations that are well described
- Color-coded walls to help people with memory loss find their way around.
- To keep patients from feeling trapped or constrained, there are outside gardens.
- Increased personalizing opportunities, such as memory boxes placed outside residents’ doors to guide them and make them feel at ease.
Therapies and activities
Assisted living facilities are for active seniors who need daily assistance. Assisted living provides a wealth of social options for this demographic. Even better, a variety of scheduled activities are often offered.
Memory care includes both group and individual activities and therapies tailored to the needs of seniors suffering from memory loss. Staff plan programs to help people preserve cognitive skills and meticulously manage calendars to offer a sense of familiarity and routine.
Personalized care, activities customized to residents’ interests, and programs that often cover all elements of health: physical, mental, and spiritual, are all common features of many memory care facilities.
Among the memory-enhancing therapies available in memory care homes are:
- Music therapy, which increases calm and lowers agitation in elders suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
- Art therapy may aid in the slowing of cognitive deterioration.
- Reminiscence therapy helps elders remember individuals, events, and locations by using their senses of smell, taste, touch, and sight.
- Companionship through pet therapy
Costs
Location, room size, shared accommodations, and services all affect the cost of assisted living and memory care. Expenses are also determined for each type of care.
- In-home care, weekly housekeeping, and transportation to and from medical appointments are all included in the monthly fee. ADL support is typically an extra fee based on need. A one-bedroom assisted living apartment averages $4,300 per month. Prices range from $3,000 to $6,500 per month based on location and area.
- Memory care communities or units provide specialized care and nursing services that are often not available in assisted living communities. As a result, memory care is more expensive, at $5,250 per month. Depending on the community and location, rates might range from $3,800 to $7,395 per month.
Assisted living vs. memory care: What services are offered?
Assisted living:
- Help with ADLS
- Meal Services
- Medication Management
- Care Coordination
- Housekeeping & Laundry Services
- Exercise Classes
- Transportation to Appointments
Memory Care:
- Help with ADLS
- Meal Services
- Medication Management
- Care Coordination
- Housekeeping & Laundry Services
- Exercise Classes
- Transportation to Appointments
- Specialized Care for Dementia and Memory Loss
- 24-Hour Care & Supervision
- Secured Entrances & Exits to Prevent Wandering
- Memory-enhanced Therapies
- High Staff-to-Patient Ratio
- Unique Layouts to Reduce Confusion
Who is eligible for assisted living?
Assisted living can benefit older persons who are active but require healthy meals and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as showering, dressing, or using the toilet. Seniors who want a comfortable, maintenance-free existence with opportunities to stay engaged and connected with a community of like-minded peers can benefit from an assisted living community’s lifestyle.
Who is a candidate for memory care?
While some seniors with early- to mid-stage dementia may benefit from assisted living, as the disease develops and symptoms deteriorate, many families choose memory care. Memory care facilities are pleasant, comfortable, and accessible.
Memory-enhancing therapy and specialized care provided by these communities enable seniors with memory loss to keep their cognitive abilities for as long as feasible. To avoid straying, seniors with memory loss benefit from round-the-clock care and supervision, strengthened security measures, and secured entrances and exits.
Assisted living and memory care are blended here.
Memory care is also available within assisted living facilities. For patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, several assisted living complexes feature specialist care units.
These apartments provide 24-hour supervised care and all memory care therapies and facilities in a separate wing or floor of a residential community. If a result, a senior with early dementia may be able to transition to assisted living and ultimately memory care as needed. This option may make the transition to memory care easier for seniors by allowing them to keep their existing assisted living friendships and staff interactions.
What should you do if you can’t decide between assisted living and memory care?
If memory loss is not an immediate issue for your loved one, assisted living may be an excellent choice. It’s a terrific option for seniors who are social and independent but may need some assistance throughout the day.
However, if cognitive impairment is a concern, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my loved one with Alzheimer’s or another kind of dementia prone to wandering?
- Do they use combative tactics like yelling or hitting?
- Is my family member in need of a lot of guidance during the day?
- Do they steal items that aren’t theirs?
- There are a lot of people who think that they should be watched all the time. Is this true?
- Does my elderly relative have sundown syndrome?
- Is my family member in need of a lot of help getting around? Yes, they can walk on their own, but do they need help?
- Do they get lost in locations they’ve been before?
- Is it possible that my loved one forgets to lock or close doors?
- Do they leave things on stoves or cause other types of fires?
- Has their judgment deteriorated to the extent where they dress, speak, or behave inappropriately?
- Has my loved one gotten estranged from me?
- Do they frequently lose things or have to retrace their steps?
If you responded “yes” to any of these questions and are concerned about the safety of your loved one, memory care may be the best solution.
With the help of our senior living professionals, you can choose the ideal senior care option for your loved one. Contact Alexi Senior Living‘s professionals at (815)534-5389 if you’re not sure of the Difference Between Assisted Living and Memory Care.
