Questions to Ask a Memory Care Community

If someone close to you is one of the five million Americans suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, you know the pain of watching the mind of someone you love disappear.

For many people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, the best option is a memory care facility that can provide the high levels and specialized types of care your loved one needs. Memory care communities offer specific long-term care plans designed to meet the individual needs of those suffering from memory loss.

Questions to Ask a Memory Care Community

1. How Personal is Care?

Ask the community if staff members help memory care residents with mobility, communication, and activities of daily living like eating and dressing. You want to make sure the memory care community you’re considering is well-suited and specially trained to deliver the appropriate level of care your loved one needs now and the future needs that may arise.

2. What is the Cost of Memory Care Services?

Affordability is a key factor when deciding if a memory care community is right for you and your family. Inquire about the price of admission as well as services like meals and social activities. Determine what the bottom line is for your loved one’s stay. Once you do, you’ll be able to properly investigate what insurance will cover and what it won’t, and what the overall financial obligation will be.

3. What is the Staff to Resident Ratio?

Making sure your loved one enjoys their time in a memory care community is of paramount importance for everyone’s peace of mind, including the patient. A community must be adequately staffed to ensure they are capable of providing care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A good benchmark when reviewing a memory care facilities staff to resident ratio is a ratio of one caregiver for every six patients.

4. How Well is Staff Trained?

Is staff trained specifically to treat people with memory issues? Does ongoing training exist on the latest developments in the field? What about holistic treatment for the residents? While asking questions, observe. Is the atmosphere warm and caring? Are patients engaged? Look particularly for activities that serve as brain exercises.

5. What Security Measures are in Place?

Patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s are highly vulnerable to wandering away. To ensure the safety of residents, a memory care community needs to have doors that are locked at all times and a monitored surveillance system, at the very least. Memory care communities without these safety features and controls in place should not be considered.

Nye Health Services – Memory Care Norfolk, NE

Nye Health Services was established in 1989 on the philosophy that older adults deserve services that recognize the individual and are tailored to their unique needs. As a company, we do not aspire to be the largest, instead, we aim to uphold our mission by providing award-winning health services that make our residents feel genuinely cared for and connected while realizing life’s joy.

For more information about our Memory Care Services and to schedule a visit, please visit our Memory Care Services page or contact us directly. At The Meadows, we are dedicated to helping individuals live each moment to the fullest, fostering a sense of purpose and connection in their lives.