What You Don’t Know About Memory Care
Memory care is more than upgraded assisted living. It’s tailored to the needs of patients with dementia conditions and involves the most innovative training and techniques for cognitive support and stimulation. While dementia is not curable, many researchers feel that the right support and therapies can help slow progress and improve the overall quality of life. If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia and you are looking into professional memory care at a senior living community, here are some facts you should know provided by our Tapestries Memory Care team in South Jersey.
- It’s a holistic approach. Memory care isn’t just about stimulating the mind and helping to slow dementia conditions; it’s about treating someone’s care needs as a whole. This is especially important because people with dementia often have trouble expressing themselves or managing other health problems. It’s very important for everyone involved in providing care to be observant, understanding, and just be on the same page overall. Seniors with dementia need to have an involved care team that includes medical professionals, therapists, and family members, and advanced memory care provided at a senior community brings all these aspects together.
- It addresses different abilities. Every senior in memory care is unique in terms of their condition, personality, and their abilities. The service tailors activities and routines around each person rather than treating dementia patients as a one-dimensional group. After all, some people in memory care are in the earliest stages of cognitive decline and are still quite active and independent, while other people may be in the late stages of the disease and juggle other complex health conditions and limited mobility. Matching activities and routines to individuals is part of what makes this such a special service and creates the most abundant atmosphere for all.
- Minimal medications and positive behavior management. It’s very common that seniors with dementia conditions to experience behavioral challenges. They can become destructive or aggressive, lash out because they are feeling fearful or confused, or resist the care that they require. In many instances, this is treated with medication, but in UMC’s Tapestries memory care neighborhoods, the approach is different. Because there is a team of trained specialists who are highly experienced in dementia conditions, there’s an emphasis on non-pharmaceutical interventions to redirect negative behavior, calm a patient, and distract them towards something more positive. From the warm and welcoming environment to therapies and direct intervention, Tapestries Memory Care professionals are equipped to manage disruptive behaviors without turning to medications unless it is strictly necessary.
- Freedom and family involvement. While memory care environments are designed with safety, security, and supervision in mind, it’s also a space that creates as much freedom, independence, and normality as possible. At UMC at The Shores, there are natural spaces to explore, cozy rooms to relax in, individual and group activities, caregivers who provide companionship, and events where family and friends are actively involved. From recreational spaces and dining spaces where families can visit and spend time together, we recognize that bonds of love are essential to the well-being of every memory care resident.
Welcoming, enriching memory care in South Jersey
At UMC at The Shores, we offer exceptional memory care in Cape May County. We aim to create a safe, compassionate, and enjoyable space for seniors with dementia conditions, where the quality of life is a priority. Our team is fully trained in techniques for dealing with dementia, for supporting cognitive function, and for helping families and loved ones through this illness.
To find out more about memory care in Cape May County, contact us today or visit our website at https://umcommunities.org/theshores/
