Seniors must make a decision later in life about entering an assisted living community or receiving memory care services. The resident’s prognosis determines if they can continue to live independently or if they need care around the clock. When reviewing the difference between memory care and assisted living, families can understand the needs of their senior loved ones and what services they require.  

Caregivers Must Complete Training

Caregivers that work in assisted living services are trained to manage everyday requirements and help the residents complete tasks such as bathing, dressing, and moving around. With these caregivers, their training is more extensive, as they must help residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The residents regress and forget how to complete vital functions. This could include swallowing and breathing. The residents are more likely to have anxiety and wander away from the community.  

A care center must provide assistance for the residents to help them improve their cognitive abilities. They may require more specialized training to provide better care for the residents and improve problematic behaviors. Some residents with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can become aggressive with caregivers, and the caregivers must have the correct training to manage those types of issues. 

Seniors Participate in Different Specialized Activities

Seniors participate in activities in a nursing home setting to keep them active and entertained. Most residents have conditions that require around-the-clock care, and the caregivers provide activities to keep them comfortable. These caregivers host activities for the entire group that allows them to enter a living room setting to prevent them from spending all day inside their rooms. 

Activities are directed toward increasing the resident’s cognitive abilities. The caregivers provide activities such as putting together jigsaw puzzles, and the residents are encouraged to socialize more with other residents with similar conditions. The caregivers must provide intervention for these residents when they become upset, agitated, or disoriented. At the different stages of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, the resident will experience a variety of symptoms, and the caregivers must provide activities that not only improve memory but also keep the resident calm.  

Care Is about Remaining Independent

Specialized care centers care for seniors and other individuals who are unable to remain independent and need assistance throughout the day or night. The residents will need to enter a nursing home community to receive medications, have a controlled diet, and other healthcare services. 

Memory care starts at earlier stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The resident can receive nursing care and remain independent according to the progression of their condition. With memory care services, many residents continue to live independently for many years after their diagnosis.  

Care Units Have More Security 

These types of care communities allow the residents to go outside in a secure area of the property. They can move around freely throughout the day. Residents who are at advanced stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s must stay in a secure wing of the community. This is to prevent them from leaving the community and becoming lost. The communities require a digital code to open the doors, and the caregivers can provide the code to family members.  

Early Stages of Dementia Don’t Require Extensive Assistance

Dementia residents will need more assistance throughout their stay in the community. These residents do not need the extra care until their disease has advanced to the point where they can no longer live independently.  

Help for Seniors 

Seniors are diagnosed with conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease every day. The diseases affect the cognitive abilities of the residents. In the beginning, the residents will need memory care services to improve their ability to remember important things and allow them to live independently. As the disease progresses, the residents must enter into a community to keep them safe and prevent them from wandering away from home. By understanding the differences in these requirements, families grasp the type of care their seniors need and ensure that they get it.   

Palm Vista Senior Living provides assisted and memory care living options for seniors. The community provides different levels of care depending on the residents’ conditions. This includes memory care and standard nursing home-style health care. The staff is compassionate and well-trained to manage a variety of conditions that could lead to diminished capacity and other detrimental conditions. Families that need to learn more about assisted living communities have the option of contacting the administrators and setting up a tour of the community.