What to Look For in Assisted Living Near Fletcher, NC: Memory Care
Senior living communities come in many shapes and sizes. Some are industrial, with hospital-like wings for seniors in need of attentive medical care. Others are practically resorts. However, special care must be taken in designing an assisted living near Fletcher, NC, and the primary component is memory care.
Dementia is a challenge that many seniors face in their final years, signified by incomplete tasks, difficulty remembering recent events, and periodic confusion. If your loved one is showing signs of dementia or has already progressed past being able to stay at home alone, it’s important to find the right memory care home where they can stay safe, happy, and comfortable.
What should you look for in memory care-focused assisted living near Fletcher, NC? What kind of environment is the healthiest for your beloved parent or grandparent who is already experiencing the symptoms of dementia? That is exactly what we are here to talk about today. Look for these essential attributes.
A Cozy Environment That Feels Like Home
Seniors with dementia often lose track of time and place. They often return to the present and find comfort in familiar surroundings. If your loved one can no longer stay safely at home, the next best thing is an environment that feels like home. It’s best to avoid hospitals and industrial senior care facilities where everything is stark and unfamiliar. This is even more important if your loved one did not enjoy hospital visits in the past.
Instead, look for a senior care home that is homey. Look for facilities built more like houses than hospitals, with cozy common rooms with couches and paintings instead of a stark clinical environment. This will reduce the confusion and dismay a senior may experience when confused or returning to the mental present. A looping design that can be pleasantly walked along is also a bonus for the same reason.
A Low Ratio of Residents to Caregivers
Look for senior care homes that ensure the safety of residents by never overreaching their capacity to provide care. Prioritize a low ratio, like one caregiver for every five or six residents. This ensures that each caregiver has the time and energy to give their full attention to every patient in their care. Unlike in overly large or populated hospital wings, a low ratio like this is the signature of smaller and more boutique senior care communities.
Plenty of Sunshine and Sunny Places to Sit
Scientists have found that sunshine can reduce the progress of Alzheimer’s and generally improve daily brain function. Any memory care facility should have a place where seniors can safely soak up the sun. Both indoor and outdoor spaces are important when seniors are enjoying bright sunshine and the mental benefits that come from a good sunbeam. Look for seating circles, sunrooms, and chairs on sunny porches.
Personalized Resident Rooms
As you are touring senior care facilities, casually glance at the residents’ rooms. The more personalized each room is, the better fit the facility is for your loved one. This is not just a matter of posters and artwork. Family photos and personal keepsakes are especially important for seniors in memory care. Your loved one will be able to decorate and enjoy themselves. Their room can also become a friendly source of reminders and good memories.
A Dedicated Memory Care Unit or Service
Lastly, ensure that the senior care facilities you explore have a dedicated memory care unit or a memory care program that seniors may be a part of. Memory care suggests that staff are trained in helping patients with dementia both inside and outside a dementia episode. The staff will know how to provide the best possible care. Also, the space will ideally be secured so that seniors with dementia can be safe and happy.
Explore Homestyle Memory Care With Silverbell Homestead
If you are looking for assisted living near Fletcher, NC, you will find great homes for the elderly at Silverbell Homestead. Our cozy space is designed to provide seniors with supported independence for as long as possible. We maintain a low resident-to-staff ratio to optimize the quality of assisted living care we can offer. Also, many of our staff are trained to provide memory care for select residents.
Our grounds are designed to offer a comfortable homestyle environment so that residents with dementia who may be experiencing an episode are comforted by their surroundings. Contact us today to learn more about memory care and assisted living near Fletcher, NC.