Finding the right assisted living or nursing program with memory care for your elderly loved one can be an emotional and stressful challenge. Additionally, you face the added difficulty of finding an appropriate program for them when they have a memory disorder or struggle with dementia. A substantial portion of America’s elderly population struggles with dementia at various levels. Even at the initial onset of symptoms, dementia can be incredibly disruptive to your elderly loved one’s life and diminish their ability to live independently.
As you navigate all of the options for elder care available in your area, you are likely to face many tough questions and experience confusion when it comes to the finer details of the programs available to your elderly loved one. For example, what is the difference between memory care and dementia care? Ultimately, these two types of treatment programs focus on the same thing: maintaining or hopefully improving your loved one’s memory. However, there are some differences you should know before committing to one type of treatment over the other.
What to Expect for Your Loved One in Memory Care
As the name suggests, “memory care” is a type of elder care program with a specific focus on memory-related conditions. Your loved one might expect a wide range of healthcare-focused services from most nursing homes and attractive amenities from assisted living facilities. Memory care specifically focuses on the neurodegenerative conditions that interfere with memory, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. “Dementia” is a broad term used to describe a decline in brain function that comes with age, while Alzheimer’s disease is a specific neurological condition and leading cause of dementia among elderly individuals.
When your loved one enters memory care with Rocky Mountain Assisted Living, they will not only have a standard care plan that entails the best services you would expect from a nursing home or assisted living facility, but also an individualized care plan that’s specifically focused on memory care. Memory care requires a very different professional skillset than standard elder care, so it’s crucial to choose the right care team if your loved one needs memory care or dementia care.
Memory care from Rocky Mountain Assisted Living can provide several benefits including:
- 24/7 access to medical support when they need it most.
- Flexible options for activities and treatments designed to improve memory.
- Individual and group counseling sessions focused on bolstering memory function.
- Physical activities that encourage physical wellness and an active lifestyle.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy designed around the individual’s unique needs.
- Physical safety features that account for mobility while reducing the risk of wandering.
Memory care programs from Rocky Mountain Assisted Living will focus on maintaining memory functions and improving them as much as possible with consistent engaging therapies and treatments. We believe the holistic memory care plans we offer can help any elder experience a wide range of noticeable benefits. These benefits can provide any elder with a memory condition with a more fulfilling quality of life and the reassurance that comes with having instant access to the care and support they need.
Memory Care vs Dementia Care
Dementia care is typically more involved than memory care. It’s reasonable to think of memory care as the early stage of treatment for dementia whereas “dementia care” specifically focuses on elderly individuals that have been formally diagnosed with dementia and are experiencing the later stages of the condition.
When an elderly individual receives memory care soon enough, this can potentially reduce the need for dementia care in the future. When a memory condition is left unchecked for too long, or if an elder does not receive the ongoing support they need to effectively manage a memory condition, dementia can worsen and interfere with their life more acutely.
While memory care can help your elderly loved one manage their memory condition more effectively and enjoy the most independent lifestyle possible, dementia care can provide more expansive medical care. Advanced dementia can interfere with daily life for your elderly loved one in countless ways, and a proper dementia care plan will address these individual concerns.
When an elderly individual needs dementia care, their condition has likely progressed to a point where treatment should focus on mitigation of their symptoms and helping them maintain the best quality of life they possibly can. While memory care often works in tandem with assisted living programs and patients can generally enjoy some level of independence, dementia care is more clinical in nature and more closely aligns with the nursing home experience for many elders.
The earliest symptoms of a memory disorder appearing can be enough to interfere with daily life, but fully diagnosed dementia generally involves several additional risks and medical concerns that require more careful treatment and more support for the patient’s everyday life.
What Type of Care Is Best for My Elderly Loved One?
It’s natural to feel uncertain when you need to find the right elder care program for your family. Memory care generally offers superior results to individuals who need support with everyday life but are capable of handling many everyday tasks and functions unassisted. Dementia care is more suitable for elders with advanced neurodegeneration who experience substantial difficulty performing everyday tasks.
Rocky Mountain Assisted Living focuses on individualized care plans. When you need to find the right nursing, assisted living, or memory care facility for your elderly loved one, we can carefully review the details of your situation and help you determine what type of care would be the most beneficial for your family member while providing them with the highest level of independence in their everyday life.
We operate many different facilities throughout Colorado, each with their own unique charm, amenities, and memory care services. We understand that no two residents are exactly alike, so no two memory care plans should be exactly alike, either. Rocky Mountain Assisted Living will work with you to determine the level of care your elderly loved one requires to ensure the highest quality of living possible from our team.
Memory care and dementia care are the most critical services we provide. If you are unsure what type of care plan your loved one needs, we would love for you to contact us at Rocky Mountain Assisted Living to schedule an appointment with our team, and we can discuss our services and memory care treatment we provide.