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What is Alzheimer's Care?
Alzheimer's care facilities are live-in facilities that provide care for individuals with dementia who
cannot live independently. Both nursing homes and assisted living facilities can provide residential
care for Alzheimer's patients; however, the term Alzheimer's care facility typically is used to
describe assisted living residences.
Sometimes Alzheimer's care facilities are a part of a larger assisted living community which also
serves seniors who do not have dementia, but require some type of personal care or help. These
types of facilities tend to have a separate dementia unit although dementia patients may socialize and
interact with other residents during activities. Some assisted living facilities provide only for mild
dementia care and require residents to move should their dementia become more pronounced. Make
sure your loved one is thoroughly assessed before looking into Alzheimer's care units so you know
exactly what kind of care your loved one needs now—and what level of care they will most likely
require in the future. Ensure that your loved one isn't forced to move out of community by asking
questions as to what kind of care is available and under what circumstances a person would be
asked to leave the community.
cannot live independently. Both nursing homes and assisted living facilities can provide residential
care for Alzheimer's patients; however, the term Alzheimer's care facility typically is used to
describe assisted living residences.
Sometimes Alzheimer's care facilities are a part of a larger assisted living community which also
serves seniors who do not have dementia, but require some type of personal care or help. These
types of facilities tend to have a separate dementia unit although dementia patients may socialize and
interact with other residents during activities. Some assisted living facilities provide only for mild
dementia care and require residents to move should their dementia become more pronounced. Make
sure your loved one is thoroughly assessed before looking into Alzheimer's care units so you know
exactly what kind of care your loved one needs now—and what level of care they will most likely
require in the future. Ensure that your loved one isn't forced to move out of community by asking
questions as to what kind of care is available and under what circumstances a person would be
asked to leave the community.
Before making any decisions, prospective facilities should be toured and evaluated for:
- Care Capabilities. Figure out if the facility can manage your loved one's condition both
now and in the future.
- Safety. Rooms and bathrooms should have emergency call systems. Staff should perform
in-room checks on a regular basis. To prevent wandering, Wanderguard or other personal
monitoring systems should be used or the dementia area should be secured.
- Cleanliness. Take a look at residents to determine the level of personal attention and care
they are receiving—are they well-groomed and clean?
- Staff Attentiveness and Expertise. Make certain staff has specialized dementia training on
top of being good care providers. This means caregivers understand the disease and how to
communicate with individuals who are not always able to express themselves. They should
know how to manage combativeness, recognize signs of pain and be able to create solutions
for the challenges often associated with eating, bathing or toileting in dementia patients.
- Plans of Treatment. Ask management how often care plans are re-assessed. It should be
on an as-needed basis and every few months.
- Activities. Check not only the amount of available activities, but also how appropriate they
are for your loved one's cognitive abilities. Usually dementia programming mimics everyday
activities, such as having a dementia-safe kitchen for cooking activities, has time set aside
for art projects or reminiscence and incorporates some basic exercising.
- Menu Options. Keep in mind nutritional needs and also your loved one's personal
preferences, which may become more limited in moderate to later stages of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's care facilities provide room and board, some housekeeping, social activities, supervision
and assistance with basic activities like personal hygiene, dressing, eating and walking. A facility
that specializes in Alzheimer's or dementia care should also have safety precautions in place to
prevent wandering, such as personal monitoring systems or locked dementia units. Caregivers
should be trained in handling behaviors associated with dementia, such as Sundowner's syndrome
or combativeness. Facility staff either provides or arranges transportation for residents. Most
facilities offer three meals per day, as well as snacks in between meals.
These facilities are considered nonmedical facilities and are not required to have nurses, certified
nursing assistants or doctors on staff, although many facilities do have medical staff either onsite or
on call. Medications are usually stored and distributed to residents so that the dosage and timing is
monitored.
Facilities should be evaluated to ensure that the needs of the patient and family are met and
exceeded. It is often vital for all parties involved to have the facility located near family members in
order to allow for regular visits.
and assistance with basic activities like personal hygiene, dressing, eating and walking. A facility
that specializes in Alzheimer's or dementia care should also have safety precautions in place to
prevent wandering, such as personal monitoring systems or locked dementia units. Caregivers
should be trained in handling behaviors associated with dementia, such as Sundowner's syndrome
or combativeness. Facility staff either provides or arranges transportation for residents. Most
facilities offer three meals per day, as well as snacks in between meals.
These facilities are considered nonmedical facilities and are not required to have nurses, certified
nursing assistants or doctors on staff, although many facilities do have medical staff either onsite or
on call. Medications are usually stored and distributed to residents so that the dosage and timing is
monitored.
Facilities should be evaluated to ensure that the needs of the patient and family are met and
exceeded. It is often vital for all parties involved to have the facility located near family members in
order to allow for regular visits.
Planned Schedule. Individuals with dementia do better with a regulated schedule as such ask the
administration about what the everyday routine is.
administration about what the everyday routine is.
- Common Areas. Common areas should be free from clutter as dementia patients often have
trouble seeing low-lying objects, such as coffee tables, or distinguishing objects from one
another. Many good Alzheimer's care facilities have special areas, such as one for
reminiscence, a quiet room or sometimes even a Snoezelen. A reminiscence area may have
childhood toys or dolls, sports memorabilia or other items that help bring up memories and
can aid in helping dementia patients talk about their lives, especially with visiting family
members. Quiet rooms are places that often have low lighting and virtually no stimuli and
can aid agitated dementia patients. A Snoezelen is a room with specialized lighting, tactile
surfaces, calming music and sometimes pleasant odors; it works to stimulate the five sense
and can be soothing for some dementia patients.
- Décor. Lighting should be bright, even and warm. Carpeting, drapery and furnishings should
not have busy patterns as it can be mistaken for insects or other objects. Resident's rooms
should be clearly marked and it is a good sign when the resident's artwork and family photos
adorn the walls to personalize each room. Kitchens should not have microwaves or access
to anything with which a person might hurt themselves such as knives, scissors or exposed
burners. All taps should have well-marked hot water handles so that individuals do not
accidentally burn themselves.
- Secure Outdoors Areas. Individuals with Alzheimer's often benefit from spending time
outdoors; however, any patio or garden areas must be secured or fenced so as to keep
residents safe. Some facilities even have special gardening areas or greenhouses which can
be a very rewarding activity.
Residential Care Facility Listing
