If you’re looking into options for long-term care for yourself or your loved ones as you age, you may be wondering what exactly is a memory home and how does it differ from traditional retirement homes? The main distinction is that memory homes are focused on people who have dementia, so they can be catered to their specific needs. Memory homes are specialized places that focus on the unique therapies and difficulties that are associated with patients with dementia. If you’re interested in learning a little more about what kind of care a memory home provides, read on:
A Different Approach to Care
A memory home is more likely to be up to date with the studies around dementia and ways that you can slow the onset and minimize the negative consequences. For example, studies have shown ample benefits to outdoor exercise, and so this will likely be a regular part of a patient’s care in a memory home. Likewise, patients with dementia suffer from difficulties such as aggression and confusion, and staff in a memory care facility like Assured Assisted Living will be better trained to deal with these situations.
Specialized Staff
Because the staff in a memory care home are dealing with dementia patients all the time, they’ll be able to hone their skills in dealing with all aspects of dementia. In a traditional retirement home, you may be surprised that very few of the staff are trained for dealing with dementia, however in a memory care home, you’ll see that almost all of the staff have had specific training to know how to best care for their patients.
Facilities
In a memory care home, you’ll notice that they’re generally much smaller than a traditional retirement home. This is in part due to the fact that caring for someone with dementia is a lot more labor-intensive than caring for someone who is just aging. Memory care facilities will often be built with dementia in mind and have subtle differences from a retirement home. For example, they’ll often be brightly coloured to help with mood and you may even find a fish tank in the dining area as often people with dementia struggle with appetite, and this can be a good distraction. Overall, the facilities at a memory care home will be more specialized to cater to the differences aging with dementia
If someone you love is struggling with dementia and you have the option for specialized care for them, it can really help improve their quality of life and ensure they age comfortably.
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