If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, you may be concerned about all of the changes that you are either facing or will face in the future. While some common fears caregivers express include how to deal with difficult behaviors such as anger and agitation or how they should plan for the future, it’s also important to understand the impact dementia can have on safety.
According to Alison Wall, Senior Living Consultant at TreVista Antioch, an assisted living and memory care community in Antioch, CA, memory care communities can provide a level of safety for seniors that their homes may not be able to provide. “While many caregivers like to keep their loved one with memory loss in their home as long as possible, it can be more difficult as their dementia progresses,” says Alison. “Making adaptations to the home can help for some time, but when your loved one begins getting lost, wandering and dealing with sundowning, it can get much harder. This is where the increased safety of memory care communities can help.”
The Safety of Memory Care Communities for Seniors
Memory care communities are specially built for seniors who have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Through research, experience and knowledge of the disease, the team at memory care communities can anticipate problems and safety hazards and proactively find ways to prevent accidents, keep your loved one safe and ensure you peace of mind.
- Constant supervision and care. Seniors often need around-the-clock care as their disease progresses. Whether they need to be monitored closely for wandering, need nurses to check in to ensure their needs are met, or need extra care when dealing with sundowning, memory care communities can provide the high level of care and supervision that’s needed.
- Protection when wandering. Not only are seniors with dementia able to wander safely throughout the community, but many memory care communities also offer specialized areas for seniors to wander in. There may be multi-sensory rooms and outdoor courtyards and gardens with walkways that your loved one will have constant access to, which can allow them to feel comforted, relaxed and calm.
- Alarm mechanisms. Memory care communities are equipped with a number of safety mechanisms that help to provide an extra level of comfort for families. Whether they use alarms or provide seniors with emergency call systems, help and security are always within reach.
- Safe bathrooms. When seniors live in memory care communities, they are in an environment equipped with an array of features to keep them safe, such as non-slip rugs, handles in the shower and by the toilet, raised toilet seats and buttons to press for help. When they live at home, these items may need to be purchased and installed. These fixtures can be costly to implement but are crucial for your loved one’s safety, so it’s important to ensure bathrooms have these features.
- No need to worry about cooking or kitchen safety. Kitchen safety can be a huge source of concern among caregivers of a loved one. Whether your loved one may fall on slippery surfaces, cut themselves on sharp knives or forget to turn off the oven or stove, kitchens are one of the biggest sources of safety hazards. In memory care communities, caregivers won’t need to worry about these hazards as your loved one will not need to cook because delicious and nutritious meals will be prepared for them.
- Programs and activities tailored to their needs. By providing seniors with an array of programming that is tailored to their needs and preferences, seniors with dementia are able to remain engaged and active throughout the day. This can decrease the likelihood of naps which can decrease the symptoms of sundowning for more peaceful, relaxing evenings, also lessening the chances of wandering.
- Therapies to reduce agitation and aggressive behaviors. Memory care communities provide multiple forms of therapy ranging from music and art therapy to pet and reminiscence therapy. This can help them to remember their past experiences, provide opportunities for relaxation and increase their cognition, which can decrease agitation, aggression and even wandering.
- Expert supervision during outings. As memory loss progresses, caregivers may not be able to continue taking their loved one on trips and outings. At memory care communities, the team can take them out safely and at specific times, allowing them to have the best experience possible.
- Medication management. Seniors may need to take a variety of medications and vitamins. Each of these may need to be taken at different times each day, with food or without. Instead of you or your loved one thinking about it, the team at memory care communities can safely manage and administer medication. They can even study how different medicines will interact with each other to determine if there will be negative side effects or toxicity.
For more information on memory care communities and how they can help to increase your loved one’s safety, please turn to the team at TreVista Antioch. We can help you see how each of our safety features can benefit your loved one and enhance everyone’s peace of mind. Call us today at 925•329•6292.
Making the everyday extraordinary.
Family-owned and operated, Agemark Senior Living is the new owner of TreVista Antioch. Known for creating warm, welcoming communities, vibrant lifestyles and engaging programming, Agemark has been one of the most premier and trusted senior living providers since 1987. As Agemark’s newest community, TreVista Antioch is located on 10 acres in a prime location close to shopping and local attractions, as well as the great outdoors. Our beautiful community features a personalized, resident-centric approach to care that provides support, all while helping residents live full, connected lives.
At TreVista Antioch, we provide assisted living and memory care set in a beautiful environment that not only meets our residents’ needs but makes them, as well as their families, feel more at home. Although our gorgeous community is a plus, we truly believe it’s our programming and caring, dedicated staff that makes TreVista home. With our family-oriented inspiration and resident-centric approach, our residents flourish and experience days full of joy and meaning. Our staff learns each resident’s likes and dislikes and their values and pasts, right down to the dreams they never thought they could accomplish, in order to customize their care and make their dreams a reality.
LifeCycles wellness programming encourages our residents to connect, engage and enjoy life, every day. Our LifeCycles programming is designed to focus on the four dimensions of wellness: physical, social, spiritual and intellectual. This is achieved through a wide range of daily activities and routines, from outings and excursions to local events and programming at the community. At TreVista Antioch, our residents have the tools and care they need to make each day fulfilling, engaging and vibrant. Contact us to learn more!
Call us at 925•237•1952 for more information or to schedule a personal visit today.
TreVista Antioch is part of the Agemark family of senior living communities.
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