Alzheimer's and other dementias present with different symptoms and at varying rates in different patients, so it's helpful to know all the signs of cognitive loss. Below are some of the hallmarks of cognitive disorders.
If you suspect your loved one might be experiencing memory loss, you should encourage them to see their doctor for a definitive diagnosis, because various other conditions (medication reactions, infections, etc.) can mimic dementia, and some (like an aneurysm or stroke) can be life-threatening.
Signs that a loved one may need memory care include:
Frequently misses or forgets about routine meetings or appointments
Residential memory care typically encompasses 5 key aspects:
1. Promotion of a stress-free residential setting, which reduces the frequency of behavioral outbursts
2. Skilled nursing services for residents who have serious physical ailments, who can no longer care for themselves due to advanced dementia, or both
3. A structured, reliable routine, to keep residents' from feeling anxious and to aid their recall
4. A secure living environment optimized to allow residents who wander to do so safely
5. Guided learning programs, memory games, and creativity-based therapies, all designed to slow the progression of dementia or Alzheimer's
Episcopal Retirement Services has developed a full suite of innovative, engaging memory care therapies to address different residents' varying and ever-evolving needs. You can read more about some of them here.
The cost of memory care depends on several factors: the level of memory care that your loved one needs, insurance coverage and provider-based factors (e.g., for-profit vs. not-for-profit retirement care providers).
For example, Episcopal Retirement Services is a not-for-profit retirement care provider, and care for individual residents is sometimes subsidized, by arrangement, through our charitable arm. Should a resident outlive their finances through no fault of their own, they will never be asked to leave our communities.
Insurance coverage of memory care depends on the insurance provider and is plan-specific.
Medicare and Medicaid cover long-term residency and care in skilled nursing homes, but they do not yet cover memory care services.
Managed Medicare HMOs/PPOs and private health insurance plans typically do not cover residential skilled nursing or memory care, although some offer additional riders to cover those services. Check with your agent to learn about the terms of your current plan and find out about your coverage options.
Private long-term care insurance typically covers residential assisted living and skilled nursing services, but may or may not cover memory care. Again, it's best to consult your agent to find out what your plan does and does not cover.
Today's memory care communities aren't anything like the artificially-lit, institutional-feeling nursing homes that were so common a generation ago.
Most modern memory care centers are now designed to promote "safe wandering," because most experts on aging now agree that wandering can be in and of itself a stimulus for preserving memory.
Corridors are well-lit with natural sunlight and carpeted. Walls are brightly painted (sometimes color-coded to help wandering patients navigate). Entryways are secure, and all the hallways and common spaces are closely monitored by staff members, to help prevent fall-related injuries.
Many memory care centers include large, open areas, where seniors can see and chat with their peers, because socialization is also thought to slow the progression of dementia in some cases.
First and foremost, you and your family should visit different personal care homes, to see firsthand the condition of the facilities, to get a feel for how happy the residents and staff are at each, and to figure out which one your loved one would be most content living in.
It's helpful to go into those visits with a list of criteria and questions to compare memory care providers. After your visits, sit down with your loved one and systematically score each against those criteria to develop a "shortlist" of preferred memory care homes.
Then, re-evaluate your preferred provider list against your loved one's insurance coverage and budget needs, to see which one will best balance your loved one's desires vs. resources.
Click below to download our free checklist, Preparing for your Loved One's Move into Residential Memory Care, where we discuss this topic in depth.
Episcopal Retirement Services' memory care communities serve seniors and their families in the Cincinnati area.
We practice the Continuing Care Retirement Community concept, so each is part of a larger community of seniors, including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing. Our residents can age along the continuum of care, as their needs change, without having to move to a new care setting.
Cincinnati, Ohio
The person-centered care at Marjorie P. Lee’s Luther, Morris and Kirby households, in Cincinnati’s Hyde Park neighborhood, will help your loved one to have a rich, fulfilling life, even in the face of an Alzheimer's or dementia diagnosis.
Luther, Morris and Kirby Households’ memory support programs offer individualized attention in a stimulating, family-like setting. Our highly-trained staff attends to the specialized needs of residents with memory loss to ensure they continue to live with freedom, choice, and purpose in their daily lives.
Our residents remain active and enjoy spending time together in the open dining and living rooms, while maintaining the privacy of their own, spacious apartments, to which we not only allow, but encourage residents and families to add their own decorating touches.
Residents enjoy our secure courtyards, lush with plants and flowers of the season — perfect spots for gardening, nature-watching, eating outside or simply enjoying beautiful days.
