Caring for a memory-impaired loved one in the home often puts enormous pressure on caregivers, who may not have the time, resources, or physical strength to provide necessary care.
Depending upon the severity of memory loss, caregivers can experience anything from frustration to desperation on a daily basis. Spouses of those with memory loss can become irritated when they can no longer count on their partner for things he or she had done during their many years together, such as paying bills, cooking, or odd jobs around the house. Their own health may deteriorate while trying to care for their partner.
At a more advanced stage, the memory-impaired have difficulties performing daily activities such as personal hygiene and toileting, and they may also have tendencies to wander from home. This means that caregivers, whether young or old, not only have to provide care 365 days per year, 24 hours per day, but they must also keep their loved one in sight at all times. There is no one who would not be exhausted by such a deprivation of rest and personal time, even if their family and economic situation allowed them to continue providing care in the home.
Our Assisted Living Residences and their Memory Care Wings not only relieve pressures placed on caregivers, but they take elder care to the next level by improving the lives of the memory-impaired. Assisted Living Residences are suitable for those in the earlier stages of memory loss: although these individuals may still be able to take care of their own personal hygiene and are not at risk of wandering, the amount of supervision and cuing that they require can still be more than their family members can easily cope with. In Assisted Living the memory-impaired benefit from recreational programs, socialization with people of their own age group, and supervision in taking their medications.
Our Memory Care Wings are specially designed to meet the needs of the more severely memory-impaired. We provide a safe and structured environment where those with memory loss are not in danger of wandering from their home and getting lost. We are limited to 24 residents: our small, family-size atmosphere enables our elder caregivers to provide individual and personal care. Furthermore, our elder care specialists are well trained to meet the needs of those with memory loss. As professionals they are dedicated to being patient with residents who ask the same question many times per day or who are completely disoriented. The fact that they work 40 hours per week, instead of the 24/7 schedule that a home caregiver works, allows them to give their best to our residents each day.
Recreation is another way in which we greatly improve the lives of the memory-impaired. At home it is very difficult—and sometimes next to impossible—for caregivers to provide sufficient recreation and socialization. Our memory care recreation programs are specially designed so as to foster a feeling of security, community, well-being, and success. For example, all mornings begin with breakfast followed by an exercise program. On Tuesdays we all walk to the ice cream parlor in the afternoon. Structure and habit create a feeling of security because our residents know what to expect next.
We have a walking club that helps maintain mobility and promotes good physical health. When possible, we walk in our outdoor courtyard and garden area, where residents can enjoy the outdoors without the danger of accidentally wandering away. Our walks are also an outlet for constructive rambling. We chat and point things out along the way.
Our craft programs are adult in nature, but the steps and skills required are simplified. Many programs are geared towards using past skills and memories, such as cooking, listening to old music, reading stories and poetry, or listening to radio shows. Group reading is a big hit: since reading is a skill that is maintained for a long time, this activity promotes a sense of accomplishment and success.
We also use validation therapy in order to make our residents feel accepted and understood at an emotional level. For example, if a resident says “I have to go home because my mother is waiting for me,” the emotion that they are expressing is that of missing their mother or family or being lonely. Our recreation staff is trained to not to respond to that individual by correcting and embarrassing him or her, but instead by saying something such as, “What was your mother like?” This fosters connections and keeps the residents dignity intact. Residents may not remember what they just ate, but they know how they feel. Our elder care specialists respond to that with positive feedback.
We encourage families to continue to participate in their loved ones lives as much as they are able, both by helping us to get to know their loved one and by coming for visits, meals, and parties. We even have couples where one individual lives in the Assisted Living environment of our residence and the other in Memory Care. They take their meals together and go on outings, visit, and attend activities and events together. Without the pressure of constant care, families are able to enjoy the company of their memory-impaired loved ones much more after they have come to live in our residence.
We emphasize the benefits of a memory-loss recreation program because we believe that it is our job not only to undertake the basic care of an individual, that is, keep them safe, fed, and clean, but to really enhance their lives much more than could ever be possible outside of a specially designed residence. In our opinion, improving the lives of the memory-impaired helps both the individuals and their families nearly as much as relieving the overwhelming daily stress and anxiety of 24/7 care.
Heather Heights, Brompton Heights, and Orchard Heights Assisted Living Residences offer the very best in luxury senior housing and elder care. We offer a professional and caring nursing staff, available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Our residents enjoy a community-like atmosphere with all of the comforts of home and more: meals prepared by our award-winning chef, an old-fashioned ice-cream parlor where residents meet with each other and loved ones, a full-service beauty shop, in-house laundry, and housekeeping.
If you are looking for luxury elder care in NY state, we would love to have you pay us a visit. We will be happy to give you a tour of both the Assisted Living and Memory Care Residences and discuss the high-quality elder care that we provide.
Our Web Sites: Heather Heights | Orchard Heights | Brompton Heights |
