provides meals and help with daily activities. The main difference between assisted living and memory care is the specialized support memory care facilities offer people with memory loss. Assisted living may be a good solution for some seniors with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s. However, as their symptoms progress, they’ll likely need the support offered at memory care facilities. Memory care staff receive regular, thorough training in dementia care to help prevent and manage difficult dementia behaviors, like sundown syndrome. Memory care also provides a secure environment with locked entrances and spaces designed to prevent wandering, along with memory-enhancing therapies to help seniors keep their cognitive skills as long as possible. That increased security, plus specialized staff and more one-on- one time between caregivers and residents, makes memory care facilities significantly more expensive when compared to assisted living. Keep in mind that many assisted living facilities also offer memory care. These communities often have a separate wing designated for residents with memory loss, where trained staff provide the dementia-specific care and therapies that elderly adults with memory loss need. The transition to memory care may be easier for these seniors as they’re able to stay in the same community even as their disease progresses. Read more: Memory Care Architecture and Design: A Human-Centered Approach.
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