Memory Care
Helping You Find the Right Memory Care Community with Confidence
If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or a type of memory impairment, you are likely overwhelmed. It can be stressful just knowing you need to find a facility (aka Community) that can provide your loved one the care they need in the special kind of safe environment they require. You need to be clear on what a Memory Care Facility in Denver offers. Then, you can determine if it is the type of facility you need.
These specialized facilities create individualized care plans for each resident, designed to keep residents safe and comfortable while encouraging them to function at their highest possible level. Some Assisted Living Facilities/Communities have special memory care units. Other communities are entirely dedicated to memory care.
Features of Memory Care Assisted Living
- Secured Environment
- Lower caregiver-to-resident ratio to provide more support
- Private apartments, studios, or rooms
- Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, incontinence, and medication management.
- Three daily meals plus snacks, with dining rooms that encourage social interaction.
- 24/7 caregiver staff for safety and peace of mind.
- Housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance
- Specially designed social activities to keep residents appropriately engaged.
Key Questions & Considerations
- Determine the level of care provided. You want to be sure the facility can meet the specific needs of your loved one.
- Inquire about the training and certifications of the staff. Do they know how to deal with a resident’s refusal to eat, bathe, drink fluids, or comply with daily routines? What is the staff-to-resident ratio for day and night?
- Find out what services are included in a flat rate and what services will result in an extra monthly fee.
- What is the level of personal assistance provided to each resident?
- Discuss medical emergencies and determine how they are handled.
- Ask detailed questions about security. Those in need of memory care often wander and become disoriented. Ask specifically how the facility prevents this from happening.
- How are meals provided, and are special dietary requirements honored? How do they handle food allergies or accommodate those with special dietary requests?
- Inquire about housekeeping and laundry services. How often are these services provided?
- What is the protocol for handling special care needs, such as wandering, physical aggression, diabetic issues, and other problems unique to an individual resident?
- How do they communicate with family members?
- Do they have residents whom they determine must be discharged? If so, what is the process and policy?