Memory care: A senior living option for those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease

Living with someone who has Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia often becomes more difficult as the condition progresses. If you reach a point where you can no longer care for your loved one properly, a memory care facility may benefit both you and your loved one.

What is a memory care facility?

A memory care facility is a long-term care residence, or nursing home, for people living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, or Lewy body dementia. These facilities are designed to provide a safe environment for people with cognitive and memory issues, with regular routines to help ease stress and enhance their quality of life.

Dementia is a progressive disease, which means that while it may be slowed, it can't be reversed or cured. In the early stages of dementia, many people can be cared for at home, either by family members or by aides who come in to help. However, they eventually may need more assistance than what can be provided at home.

Moving a loved one to memory care can be a difficult decision, compounded by feelings of grief or guilt. But if your loved one has health or safety needs that you can't support, a memory care facility may be the best place for them.

Who can benefit from memory care?

A person with dementia may benefit from memory care if living at home has become unsafe or unhealthy for them or their caregiver, or when symptoms such as wandering outside the home or uncontrolled incontinence require around-the-clock care.

Memory care offers a safe and secure environment, with staff members trained to calm and reassure people with dementia-related changes in mood, behavior, and personality, such as increased anxiety or irritability. They offer a structured environment and activities to help residents feel connected and valued as their disease progresses.

Memory care can also bring peace of mind to the families of people with dementia. They no longer need to worry about their loved one's safety. They can be assured that the person is getting good medical and personal care. By eliminating day-to-day caregiving responsibilities, family members can return to their roles as spouse, child, or other loved one.

Services offered in memory care facilities

Memory care facilities provide a private or semi-private bedroom, three meals a day, assistance with daily activities such as bathing and dressing, medication management, and aides available at all times. They also offer care from health care providers, physical therapists, and psychiatrists, who often provide on-site visits.

Memory care services often include activities such as gardening, craft projects, cognitive games, exercise sessions, singing and music, and reminiscence therapy to help recall joyful memories from childhood. Families may visit at any time, either within the facility or to take their loved one out for the day.

Because people with dementia may wander, memory care facilities have doors with locks or alarms. Many facilities have enclosed outdoor areas, and some use tracking bracelets so residents have the freedom to go outside while still staying on site.

What to consider when choosing a memory care facility

When it's time to choose a memory care facility, it's helpful to consider the staff, environment, programs offered, and treatment provided. You may want to visit the facility at different times of day to get a full sense of what it's like to live there.

Some question to ask include:

• Do health care providers regularly check and assess residents' physical and mental health?
• Can special dietary needs be accommodated?
• How are families kept informed about the progress or changes in condition of their loved one?
• Is there any situation or condition that would lead to a discharge from the facility, such as a change in behavior or financial circumstances?
• What is included in the fee, and what options may cost extra?
• What activities do you offer to residents?

Costs of memory care facilities

The cost of memory care facilities varies widely from state to state and from one facility to another. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the average annual cost for memory care in a U.S. nursing home is $116,800 for a private room and $104,025 for a semi-private room.

Most families pay for the cost of a memory care facility out of their own pockets, although long-term care insurance, Medicaid, and veterans' benefits may cover some or all of the cost.

Medicare does not cover memory care facilities, but it covers some of the services that people there may need, such as physical therapy, doctor visits, certain medications, and assistive equipment such as shower seats and bedside commodes.