734-405-7500
Making the decision to move your loved one to memory care instead of one of the typical senior living communities in Michigan is a big one. It’s a difficult decision to come to because making the decision to place your senior loved one into memory care means acknowledging that their cognitive health is failing. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
However, you should realize that taking care of a loved one who can benefit from memory care is a taxing job. No matter how much you love your loved one, it’s a job that doesn’t end. you need to be on your game at all hours of the day, at any time of the day, and it can get overwhelming quickly. Memory care can help to alleviate some of that stress and give your loved one the full time care they need.
However, how do you know which type of care your senior might need? Here are some of the key differences between assisted living and memory care:
Assisted Living
If your senior is a part of an assisted living facility, it allows them to still retain the majority of their independence while only receiving a little bit of additional help with personal care and household tasks. Most senior living communities will provide seniors in assisted living with a small apartment setup but will provide three meals a day, housekeeping services, and activities to participate in.
Assisted living is perfect for the senior who struggles with day-to-day tasks, but not because of cognition problems. The ideal senior for assisted living still has their reasoning in-tact and can easily communicate their needs and wants, they just have a bit more trouble with completing the tasks they know need to be done because of physical challenges.
Memory Care
Memory care differs from assisted living in that memory care involves much more specialized care. These are centers for seniors who struggle with signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and are not as easily able to communicate their needs and desires. They struggle with personal care and housekeeping tasks and need more intense and constant care.
Instead of using an apartment setup like assisted living, memory care centers typically focus on having residents in a smaller bedroom with larger, more open common spaces. Because memory care residents are typically not able to cook for themselves, they don’t need the additional apartment space for kitchens or other areas and will instead take meals in dining areas – both to ensure they’re eating well and to ensure they don’t accidentally harm themselves if they were to try to prepare food on their own.
Memory care centers such as those at senior living communities in Michigan also typically have a lower staff to resident ratio than assisted living. Because those in assisted living have full comprehension about what’s going on, where they are, and are better able to make decisions for themselves, they don’t need as much constant care as those in memory care. They’re easily able to devote more of their time to each individual resident to ensure their safety and make sure that all of their needs are being met.
What Should I Consider When Moving My Loved One?
No matter if you’re planning to help your loved one move into assisted living or memory care, there are a couple important things you need to consider first:
1. Safety
The safety of your loved one should be your highest priority, and if you’re planning to move your senior into memory care, it becomes tantamount. Seniors who struggle with cognitive issues tend to wander around out of confusion, so it’s of the utmost importance that you are able to find a facility with good security. Are all of the entrances and exits locked in the memory care center? Are there simple floor plans without a lot of decoration to make it easy for your loved one to navigate? These are all factors you should take into consideration.
Even assisted living wings of the senior living communities in Michigan should have a solid safety procedure, and you should pay close attention to their policies. Do they have a sign in and sign out policy for visitors? Do they have staff on duty 24/7 just in case of an incident? Be sure to ask the facility before making any decisions on where to move your loved one!
2. Staff Training
For memory care especially, having a well-trained staff can make all of the difference between a good and a bad experience. Memory care residents need much more specialized care than those in assisted living because of their cognitive struggles. They will need more help with things like personal hygiene, eating or drinking, dressing themselves, and more, and it’s important that there is a well-trained staff available at all times to assist with your loved one.
While staff training is also of major importance in assisted living, it’s not as vital as that in memory care. Because the seniors in assisted living are better able to take care of themselves and communicate their needs, the staff doesn’t need to have the same level of specialized training, however, knowing that your loved one is receiving the best care possible no matter what area they may be in is a comforting thought.
3. Cost
Because of the additional staff and care in a memory care facility, the cost is higher than that in an assisted living facility. The average monthly cost of a memory care center is about $7,000 a month, while assisted living sits at about $5,400. If money is a worry when you’re moving your loved one and you believe they may be able to thrive in assisted living, it’s something to consider.
However, what’s important to note is that both memory care and assisted living are less expensive than a nursing home. The typical nursing home cost per month is about $11,000. That’s definitely more expensive!
Kinglsey Can Help With All of Your Needs
Here at Kingsley, we take pride in being one of the best senior living communities in Michigan, and we hope that you can look to us to be exactly what you need for your loved one’s health and happiness. Both our memory care center and assisted living facility are some of the best in the business. If you’re interested in making Kinglsey your senior loved one’s home away from home, contact us today!
