Monday, 31 January 2022 14:46

What’s Difference Between Assisted Living Care and Memory Care?

As life expectancy continues to grow in America, there is an expanding need for senior living services. According to Consumer Affairs, the U.S. will need nearly 1 million new senior living units by 2040. With that being said, it is important to have insight into the possibile living options for yourself, or your loved one’s, future. There are many different kinds of living arrangements for seniors, but assisted living care and memory care are two of the most popular options.

They both provide quality care for seniors but offer different care levels and amenities. In this article, we will dive into the differences between assisted living care and memory care so that you can get an understanding of what will work best for you and your family.

The Key Differences Between Assisted Living Care and Memory Care

Assisted Living

Many seniors can experience a decline in their ability to independently complete day-to-day tasks as they grow older. Not only is this a frustrating experience for seniors, but it can put weight on other family members to provide a helping hand. However, family members are not always close by or available often enough to provide support. This can be a painful period for all family members involved.

An assisted living community provides several types of resources and support to sustain the livelihood of seniors once they are no longer capable of living fully independently. In assisted living communities, you’ll often find many impressive amenities such as spacious housing options, meals, and a helping hand with grooming, medications, transportation, and more.

Beyond help with daily tasks, assisted living communities to provide residents the ability to enjoy socialization and activities with people their own age. This makes assisted living a great option to find a new community at an older age.

Memory Care

Memory care facilities have many similarities to assisted living residences. They offer resources and support for seniors, but as the name implies, memory improvement and support are the central focus of any memory care community. With many seniors affected by Alzheimer's and dementia, it is increasingly valuable to have communities that make memory care a priority.

Everyday living is a whole other ordeal when memory loss is added into the mix. Confusion and loss of memory can cause feelings of anxiety, frustration, depression, and many other mental health struggles. As dementia progresses, seniors may forget how to do normal activities of daily living, such as brushing their teeth, eating, showering, and dressing. Memory care facilities ensure that these residents get those needs met.

Typically, memory care has a smaller staff-to-patient ratio because people with dementia have greater care needs. Staff members at these facilities often have additional training in dementia care as well, so they can adequately support the needs of their patients.

Looking for a Long-Term Senior Care Community?

If you're interested in finding a quality, caring home for your loved one in one of our memory care residences, contact us for a tour today. At The Creeks, we tastefully blend assisted living care and memory care services in home-like settings. We will answer any questions you may have about our locations, amenities, and pricing.

We look forward to providing the top level of care and loving home for your family member with dementia. Contact The Creeks today to get started.