Memory Care Assisted Living: Is It Right for Your Loved One?

October 10, 2017 by ·

Some time ago, a family member of yours was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. The doctor advised them to seriously consider long-term care options. That doctor was concerned about the safety and well-being of this individual in the years ahead. While they have been able to take care of themselves with only minimal reminders for a while, dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s, will progress.

Assisted Living in Fairhope AL: Memory Care

Assisted Living in Fairhope AL: Memory Care

At some point in time, you begin to realize they might benefit from a different living environment.

You’ve been looking into memory care assisted living. You just don’t know if this is right for them at this point in their life. It’s not as easy to determine what may be beneficial for a loved one, so the best thing is to sit down and discuss it openly and honestly.

Can they make lucid decisions still?

If this loved one still has cogent and lucid moments in life, this is the time to sit down and discuss it if it hasn’t been discussed in the past. They may have wanted to remain at home for the rest of their life, but what if things are progressing differently than what was expected? What if they are anxious more often than not? What if they are getting physically or verbally aggressive to you, other family and friends, or even caregivers who were hired to look after them?

The staff at assisted living often have a great deal of experience dealing with dementia.

Not every assisted living community is the same, so it’s important to understand which ones provide support for those diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or some other mental challenge.

Having highly experienced and well-trained staff on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week can provide a great deal of support and comfort for those loved ones who are struggling to figure out the right thing to do.

It’s also a good idea to look into various activities that may take place at the facility. Some of these activities could provide not just an emotional boost for the senior, but it could potentially provide mental stimulation, which can be beneficial in some cases.

No, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia at the moment, but there are things people can do to improve quality of life, memory, and comfort for themselves as the disease continues to progress.

The best thing is to find out from the senior himself or herself whether they would consider assisted living for their future.

If you or an aging loved one are considering assisted living in Fairhope, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

Filed Under: Alzheimer's and Dementia, Assisted Living in Fairhope AL · Tagged:
About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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