When an elderly family member or friend is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or another kind of dementia, it completely alters the course of life for the entire family. People with this degenerative cognitive disorder lose their memories and their ability to do everyday things over the course of their lives.
As the disease gets worse, the older person may become harder to care for, which may cause the family to look into other care options that will keep their loved one safe and give them the care they need.
Memory Care is one of these available choices. People who have dementia or other degenerative cognitive diseases are able to get full-time treatment at memory care communities, which are part of the more general category of senior communities known as assisted living.
Engagement is one of the most important parts of the programming for memory care communities. If approached correctly, active participation can help the older adult function better and slow the progression of the condition.
The following is a list of the seven ways that staff at memory care communities support and engage residents:
1. Physical Activities
Everyone, including elderly people with dementia, benefits from movement in the form of better cognition in a direct and immediate way. It is possible to boost participation and promote greater overall health and well-being for residents of a memory care community by encouraging them to move around, even if they are participating from a wheelchair.
2. Arts and Crafts
Artistic activities are among the most popular hobbies in memory care communities because they allow seniors to express themselves, strengthen the brain-hand connection, and participate in entertaining and interactive activities. Crafts, like painting, coloring, making scrapbooks, crocheting, knitting, and other similar activities, are creative ways to get people involved and interested.
3. Music Therapy
Music is a key aspect of dementia care. Since music memories are stored in a different part of the brain than the part of the brain that is being attacked by the disease, older adults who have dementia respond particularly well to music, whether they are simply listening to it, singing, or tapping along with it, or dancing, which can get them up and move around.
4. Movie Nights
Movie nights inject an air of enthusiasm into memory care, whether they involve showing a film to the residents for the first time or re-watching an old favorite. Aside from that, it gives the residents a chance to get involved with the action, the characters, and the story as a whole, which is a good mental workout.
5. Games Nights
Playing games is the ideal technique to generate meaningful engagement, which is essential in the field of memory care and the key to achieving success in this field. Puzzles, scavenger hunts, and board games are all great ways to have fun while also getting your brain working and strengthening your connections with others.
6. Visitation (In-person and online)
Even though family members of older individuals residing in memory care are strongly encouraged to make as many visits as they can, the staff is aware that family members cannot be physically present all the time. As a result, many memory care communities make tablets available to their residents so that they can communicate with their loved ones via video chat applications, such as Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, and other communication apps. The engagement and stimulation provided by in-person and online visits help keep residents busy and prevent them from feeling bored.
Memory care communities provide these services so that families can spend more quality time engaging in activities they enjoy with their elderly loved ones, rather than simply fulfilling the position of caregiver. Community residents have access to memory care services on a regular basis. The goal of these services is to keep residents as healthy as possible by making them feel as good as they can, highlighting their strengths, and slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
7. Continued Learning
The provision of learning activities that are mentally stimulating is yet another fantastic technique to encourage brain activity in those who have dementia. Many communities that provide memory care also offer onsite classes, such as computer and information technology, art, and photography, in addition to lectures on various topics, including history, travel, and other interesting subjects that help stimulate the mind.
Expert Help Finding Memory Care in Northern Virginia
You don't have to go through the process of selecting the ideal memory care community for an older adult on your own if you don't want to; it's an important but frequently challenging process. Whether your loved one requires memory care, assisted living, independent living, or any of the other senior living options available, Assisted Living Locators of Northern Virginia is a company that specializes in helping families find the senior living community that is the best fit for their elderly family member. Our team will do all the necessary research based on your loved one's needs, give you a list of the best communities in the Northern Virginia area, and take you on a tour of those communities to make sure all of your questions and concerns are addressed.
For more information or no-cost assistance with independent living, assisted living, memory care, in-home care, or other senior living options in Northern Virginia’s Prince William County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Arlington County, or Alexandria, please call our local elder care experts today at (703) 878-7870 or contact us via e-mail.
