3 Facts About Memory Care You Didn’t Know

What makes memory care different from assisted living? Both services are very similar in the sense that they are designed to enhance seniors’ quality of living in a community. There are, however, differences that are pretty significant as seniors with memory loss conditions require more comprehensive care. Our Tapestries® memory care team in Pitman, NJ has compiled the three major differences between the two senior care services. Read on and you may just be surprised to learn something new!

Fact #1: Memory care associates are specially trained.

Seniors struggling with dementia experience stress differently than those without dementia. This condition changes the brain’s ability to process everyday happenings, so it’s very important that seniors with dementia are able to relieve stress effectively each and every day. Caregivers to those with memory loss conditions have to familiarize themselves with effective stress-relievers, since they may differ greatly from what works for seniors without dementia.

In our Tapestries memory care neighborhood, Life Enrichment Team Specialists (LETS) are well versed in the latest dementia training, including many different methods that help residents alleviate stress. Some strategies may include having the resident listen to music from their era, engage in activities of movement that require their full attention, or put them in a social situation. Seniors with advanced dementia may become confused and disoriented, causing loud outbursts or inappropriate physical movement. These moments must be addressed but handled gently, and with infinite patience. In this way, our team prevents your loved ones from hurting themselves or others until they return to a calmer state.

Fact #2: Our Memory care apartments are dementia-safe.

Slightly different than our apartments in assisted living, apartments in the Tapestries Memory Care neighborhood are designed to be completely dementia-safe and easier for residents to navigate. Apartments do not have kitchens that could cause injury – for example, if your loved one was to leave the stove on. All memory care apartments are also located within the same wing of the building so that it is much easier for these residents to convene in safe, common areas and for specially trained staff to monitor them.

Fact #3: Care is dependent on the person – it’s not one-size-fits-all.

Understandably, seniors with dementia require more support than those who are more independent. While our community offers assisted living residents assistance with ADLs (activities of daily living), meal plans, and access to social activities, memory care is more intensive. Our specially trained memory care team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for those in the Tapestries neighborhood. They also fully understand the importance of having your loved one with dementia engage in a routine that makes sense to them. This core philosophy of our program encourages each resident to direct their own schedule. Since our team is always available, residents can eat when hungry, and sleep when tired – they don’t have to follow the assisted living dining schedule.

Dementia support for seniors in Gloucester County

At UMC at Pitman, our Tapestries® memory care neighborhood has a welcoming, dementia-safe apartments where seniors can enjoy their hobbies, release their tension, and have meaningful and engaging experiences every day. Residents make their own choices and are able to direct their schedule and life at Pitman. With our Life Enrichment Team Specialists on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we can ensure your loved one is safe, secure, and well taken care of in our specialty neighborhood.

If your loved one is showing early signs of dementia and you are having difficulty caring for them, please call us to find out whether a move to a dedicated memory care neighborhood is the right choice. To learn more about professional memory care in Gloucester County, please visit our website at: https://umcommunities.org/pitman/