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Have you been providing care for a loved one who is living with dementia? If so, you may have considered whether the level of attention needed is beginning to exceed what you can provide at home.

Below are a few situations that might prompt you to consider the need for memory care (you tell us if you’ve experienced any form of them):

Mom moved in with you a year ago and things were going well, but last week she left the water on in the bathroom by accident causing it to flood.

Dad just moved in with you and he keeps trying to walk down the stairs where his workshop was in his old house.

A neighbor came to your door recently with Mom because she noticed her walking around the neighborhood looking lost.

As a progressive disease, families often discover they reach a point, or something happens that makes them realize they are no longer able to keep their loved one safe, secure and engaged while living at home. A memory care community can provide opportunities to maintain a high quality of life, receive great care, enjoy engaging programs and quality foods all while remaining safe and secure.

What is Memory Care

A memory care community provides residential care for those individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. Check out our blog, Basics of Dementia: Types, Signs & Symptoms to learn more about the different kinds of dementia. Assisted living specializing in memory care is designed to create a welcoming and secure environment so residents can maintain a comfortable home life while receiving the many benefits of therapies and amenities tailored to meet their needs as the disease progresses.

Benefits of Memory Care

Care: At Northbridge all residents living in a memory care community or memory care neighborhood receive up to 60 minutes a day of personal care included in their monthly fee. Personal care consists of assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) – bathing, showering, dressing, ambulating, toileting, and eating. If a resident needs more care in addition to the 60 minutes that is included, Northbridge offers care packages. The care needs of the resident will be discussed prior to moving in and then revisited at care plan meetings. Residents in our memory care communities (as well as our assisted living communities) have access to care 24/7 from our wellness team.

Programming: At Northbridge, our Engagement teams program based on 4 Pillars: To Move, To Connect, To Feel and To Learn. This means that each day residents enjoy a variety of programs from Barre Balance Exercise Class to Cooking up Memories and even outings within the local community. For a look at what a typical months programming calendar looks like, check out Avita of Stroudwater’s calendar here.

Dining: all Northbridge residents enjoy our Eat Fresh, Eat Local Signature program ensuring they enjoy 3 healthy meals each day plus snacks. Our memory care neighborhoods are designed so that residents are able to maintain their independence for as long as possible. This means that depending on the resident and their needs, the dining experience might look different. Some residents might struggle using utensils, so finger foods are used whenever possible. Other examples include, plates used are colored to promote hunger and are rimmed to set them apart from the table setting. Small things like this ensure that residents living in our memory care program are able to maintain independence as long as possible.

Design: memory care communities are designed with the health, wellness and safety of the residents living there in mind. This means that most memory care communities offer secure neighborhoods that allow residents to wander without putting themselves at risk of getting lost. At Northbridge, our memory care communities are neighborhoods and feature apartments and common areas. Some of our common areas include- living room, dining room, outdoor (secure) courtyard and sunrooms. Our neighborhoods are circular allowing residents to walk around without hitting a dead end which may cause them to become frustrated. To learn more about the importance of design in memory care, read our blog: Design in a Memory Care Community – the use of Environment to Foster Independence.

Apartment types: most Northbridge memory care neighborhoods and communities offer private and shared apartment styles. Companion apartments are great for families looking for a more affordable option. So much of life happens outside of the apartment, especially in memory care, so your loved one’s apartment is just a place for them to sleep. There are also studio apartments available for those looking for a little more privacy.

Associate Training: Associates working in a memory care neighborhood receive dedicated dementia training to prepare them to care for residents, and their specific needs, as best as possible. At Northbridge, all associates complete an eight-hour, Brass Ring Dementia Training, created by Northbridge VP of Resident Engagement and Memory Care Services, Kelly McCarthy.

At Northbridge we offer standalone memory care communities, which we call Avita. These communities each feature neighborhoods within one building as well as common areas for the whole community to enjoy. Each neighborhood consists of apartments, common spaces and a courtyard and allow residents to wander throughout the neighborhood safely. There are planned events and programs where residents from multiple neighborhoods will come together.

Northbridge also has communities that offer Independent Living, Assisted Living and an Avita Memory Care neighborhood. In this model, memory care residents reside in a secure neighborhood with apartments, common areas and a secure outdoor courtyard. Often residents from our memory care neighborhoods will join residents on the traditional side (independent living and assisted living) for group programs.

One of the best parts about moving your loved one into a memory care community? Being able to take a step back from being the caregiver and a step towards becoming the adult child again. This will allow you to enjoy your time spent together instead of feeling overwhelmed with caretaking responsibilities.

We’re here to answer any of your questions and invite you to download our complimentary guide Just the Facts: Memory Care. Please contact us if we can provide further information or if you would like to schedule a personalized tour.