What Does Memory Care in a Home Setting Look Like?
When it comes time to choose a home for your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you have a choice.
And one option that doesn’t get a lot of attention is the smaller, family-style memory care center. And that’s a shame because some clients really thrive in this intimate setting. At Arthur’s Senior Living, we maintain a 1:3 staff-to-client ratio. That gives our staff ample space to treat our clients like family. Your loved one feels at home because they feel seen, heard and cared for every day.
In the following, we’ll lend you an idea of what that looks like in day-to-day life at Arthur’s.
Read How to Choose a Senior Care Home for Your Aging Parents
Freedom of movement
Being small grants us a freedom of movement that staff wouldn’t experience at a larger facility. There are no departments to coordinate activities and new plans. There are no messages or brilliant ideas that fall through the cracks. All you have to do is ask.
Clear communication
Whether it’s a request for a special meal or fixing a leak in the bathroom sink, your loved one lives with a communication system that’s simple and direct, with plenty of friendly faces. There’s just one person to ask, and it gets done. Oh, and if we are running late on lunch or with your loved one’s biweekly shower, no one is left to wait, wonder and worry. No one is too far away or too swamped to provide a simple update.
Read 7 Key Advantages of Small Homes for Alzheimer’s Patients
Easy transitions
Being small also tightens communication between staff. Our capable staff does it all. When there are side effects of a new medication to watch for, or a change in a client’s health care plan, we take time to learn and absorb the details. We study their health progress notes and quiz ourselves to make sure we understand their new plan. That’s important because you don’t have to worry about important details being missed by the weekend dietary crew or the activities staff.
Attuned to their needs
Because we spend so much time with our clients, we get to know them really well. We can tell if they’re feeling content and comfortable. We can also pick up on when they need something, whether it’s a snack, a little freshening up or a change of scenery. When they do need something, red tape isn’t an obstacle to getting things done. If we notice that Jim isn’t hearing very well, we simply pop out his hearing aid and try a new battery. Done. No one has to schedule an administrator to visit his room to check it.
Read Memory Care vs Assisted Living: 5 Important Differences
Family-like atmosphere
It’s difficult to put into words just how much we cherish the clients we support. We experience their personalities along with their struggles and triumphs every day. Being there for them at this time of their lives is powerful. We get to witness meaningful moments with their loved ones, the happiness they feel when they have a special dinner out.
The biggest upside to living in a home-like memory care center? No one gets lost in a crowd. Now that you have a glimpse of how staff interact with your loved one at Arthur’s Senior Care, sign up for a free Senior Care Consultation.