Can someone with dementia live in assisted living? Yes, individuals with dementia can live in assisted living communities under certain circumstances.
Understanding the Needs of Individuals With Dementia
Living with dementia can present numerous challenges that affect someone's everyday life. Dementia isn’t one specific disease but can be caused by several disorders, resulting in many different outcomes. Living with dementia presents numerous challenges, the most common being memory loss, but it can also affect someone’s communication, judgement, and attention skills. As dementia begins to worsen, daily tasks become more difficult, this can lead to confusion and frustration which can lead them to feel anxious. Recognizing the stage of dementia someone is facing is crucial in determining whether assisted living is the correct option.
Exploring the Option of Assisted Living Vs. Memory Care Communities
Determining the correct memory care or assisted living community for your loved one can be an intimidating task. But when doing so, it is important to understand the differences between them; this will help you select the most viable option. Assisted living communities (we don’t use the word “facility”) provide a predominantly independent living situation, although care is available when needed. In comparison, memory care offers specialty care tailored to the individual.
Deciding between memory care or assisted living is contingent on the individual’s stage of dementia and whether they require specialized assistance and supervision. If the individual is in the early stages of dementia and can still perform daily tasks and is not at risk of wandering away from home, then assisted living may be a suitable living environment. However, if the individual's condition has progressed and they require help with daily tasks and need 24-hour support and supervision, memory care may be the more viable option.
At Bergen Gardens we have a nurse meet with potential tenants and their families to assess and advise which environment would be safest for the person if they choose to make their home with us.
Benefits of Assisted Living for Individuals With Dementia
Assisted living is a wonderful option for an individual living with dementia and it can provide an array of benefits for someone who requires specialized care and support. At Bergen Gardens, the community is a major focus. One of the ways meaning and community are created is through a citizenship model, where everyone living at Bergen Gardens has the opportunity to discuss and debate how they want to live, individually and collectively if they choose. Weekly, a Mentor (Care Partner) meets with interested people to discuss topics such as menu ideas and leisure activities or fundraising projects they want to work on. The job of a Mentor is to support what the citizens would like to achieve as a community and eliminate any roadblocks that stand in the way of the community reaching their goals.
Finding the Right Assisted Living Community for Individuals With Dementia
Many factors must be considered and researched when deciding on the most suitable assisted living community. The individual's families should be assured the assisted living community they are searching for has experts in senior care, with a staff educated and equipped to work with tenants who have cognitive impairment. Bergen Gardens offers a dementia-friendly community where people living with cognitive challenges, such as Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, feel safe and supported by the people in their community. With a uniquely designed environment, we focus on balancing quality of life with safety.
To properly assess an assisted living community’s capacity to meet the needs of its tenants with dementia, families must determine factors like the amount of staff, the various support services, the extent of its safety measures, and how the community’s physical environment can support their loved one. Bergen Gardens has been designed to support tenants living with mild to moderate cognitive challenges by offering to move them to a Memory Care Cottage within the building when living independently is no longer an option.
Conclusion
In conclusion, assisted living can serve as a viable option for individuals with dementia, provided careful consideration and appropriate accommodations are made. By understanding the unique needs of those with dementia, exploring the distinctions between assisted living and memory care, and selecting a community that prioritizes specialized care and individualized support, families can ensure their loved ones receive the comprehensive assistance and compassionate care they deserve. With the right support and environment, individuals with dementia can continue to live fulfilling and meaningful lives within an assisted living community.