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When you watch your parent struggling to remember something or just observe that his memory has begun to fade, it can be devastating for everyone If you’re trying to find the ideal housing for your parent who’s suffering with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, you should be looking at various aspects of an
assisted living facility before zeroing in on any one. In fact, there are several important services you should examine when visiting an assisted living facility for Alzheimer’s patients.
This is the right time for you to give him some secure memory care. Memory care refers to a long-term caring solution for those aged people who have been diagnosed with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, or those who suffer with problems with a minimum of two tasks of daily life.
Memory Care Residential Homes
Memory care residential homes are specialized residential homes that offer professional services and are designed for those with varying degrees of memory
impairment. Such homes are ideal for those whose degree of mental impairment makes it difficult for a senior to live by himself.
However, they may still not need intensive care offered by professional nursing. Despite this, good memory care residential homes offer trained and professional nursing staff and caregivers
with a low caregiver-resident ratio, so that they can render personalized attention to seniors suffering from dementia or other mental conditions in a more home like environment.
Costs of living in Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Facility:
Check that your parent can afford to live at such a centre on his own
finances. Do they have an insurance policy to help out with some medical expenses?
At this point, if your parent also receives Medicaid, they cannot use this government insurance to co-pay for these expenses. If you’re looking at Alzheimer's
facilities, be prepared to pay about $3500-$7000 in monthly fees or more, depending on the level of
care. Required.
When you should consider a move to assisted living:
--> When your parent find it difficult to perform his daily activities
--> When they slip on personal hygiene
--> When they repeats themselves frequently
--> When they wander away from home
--> When they lose memory
--> When they lose items often
--> When they forget to take medicine or takes more than required
--> When they lose interest in social activities
Here are some parameters of choosing the right Alzheimer's facility for your loved one.
What can you afford? If your parent needs help with his daily activities, they will benefit from residing at an assisted living facility. Bear in mind that the cost of such long-term care increases at 4.5% per annum, so you need to plan accordingly. Next, determine, with the help of your financial advisor, how to convert each financial asset your parent has into a revenue stream that can generate monthly payments. Ask if this facility accepts Medicaid and if they will continue to care for him, if he runs out of money.
Specialized Alzheimer's and Dementia Care:
As the disease progresses, your parent is certain to need specialized and personalized care. So, check the facility’s staff is properly trained, experienced
and certified to take on this responsibility. At these facilities, there is usually a doctor or registered nurse on
staff or on call for an emergency. Also, verify that the staff arranges for, or provides transport for residents to visit the doctor when family can’t take them.
Amenities of Alzheimer's or Memory Care Facilities:
Caregivers at Dallas assisted living facilities attend to seniors’ personal needs. Fee's includes
utilities, three meals per day, recreational activities, some medical care, housekeeping, handicapped accessibility, emergency program and 24-hour security.
Security:
You’ve seen your parent grapple with this condition, so you know just what it entails. You know the symptoms and its terrible side-effects - that patients
often forget who they are and what they are doing. They sometimes wander away from home. So, ensure that the facility you’re looking at is high on security and surveillance systems.
Often, such facilities secure such patients behind locked doors and monitor them throughout the day and night.
Ask if they lock the doors from the inside and outside for
dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
Check that the designated walking paths are either in a figure-eight or circular pattern, since Alzheimer's patients cannot process paths set at right angles.
Routine:
Does the facility offer its residents a never-to-be-broken daily routine? This often helps those who suffer from
the many forms of dementia. A daily routine would obviously include meal times, daily activities, personal care, etc. Activities should be a part of their day so that they
are kept busy and will be less agitated. If kept in familiar surroundings, they will be more comfortable.
Home-Like Environment:
For those suffering with memory loss, it’s best to live in a memory care facility with a home-like ambience where common spaces are provided
for socializing with others, for meals and other activities. These facilities are so designed that they have pictures or signs to help residents feel in familiar surroundings.
These centers are comfortable, and instill a lot of confidence in their residents, with the staff’s ability to offer the best care. With memory care rendered at these homes,
individuals can still retain their independence and yet be as safe as larger
facilities you have a parent or aged family member who finds it difficult to cope with his or everyday tasks on his own, a good solution would be to place them in an Assisted Living Facility. Fortunately, such
senior living facilities are plentiful and take very good care of our family members. Dallas, Fort Worth has many such
senior living facilities which care for their residents with the utmost
thoughtfulness, care and concern. In fact, in 2013, there were more than 700 assisted living facilities in DFW alone.
We are here so your family member in need can get the necessary love, attention and support that
will see them through each day. It might be difficult for you and your family to give your senior all the time and attention they need in their condition. In an assisted living facility, you will find a residential
space for your senior and help with transportation, meals, medications, going to the restroom, showering and many social activities.
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