Memory Care near Saint Catharines, ON

Memory Care in St. Catharines-Niagara, ON

Memory care is a specific care provided to seniors who suffer from memory impairments such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. These conditions often affect more than just memory, and it is important that seniors receive the proper care to help them adjust and manage their illness. Memory care is often provided as part of assisted living or nursing home care, though it is usually a separate wing. Seniors receive the same social environment and activities as other residents, but many of those activities revolve around helping seniors deal with their memory loss. St. Catharines-Niagara has several communities that offer memory care as a part of their services, and other facilities that specialize specifically in memory care, so seniors and their loved ones have plenty of options to choose from.

Living in St. Catharines-Niagara

Also known as "The Garden City," St. Catharines is a great place to live for the young, the old, those with a family, or even individuals. The people are renowned for their friendliness, charm, and pride. The city has beautiful landscapes with long patches of green surrounding crystal clear waters. There is a thriving night life, plenty of diverse restaurants, and an arts scene that attracts locals and tourists alike. The city is safe, clean, and beautiful. Retirement would certainly have its advantages.

Knowing When it's Time

If your loved one has moved beyond simple forgetfulness, such as forgetting to walk the trash to the curb on trash day, or forgetting to buy milk at the store, then it might be time to consider a memory care facility. If your loved one stops cooking because they can't seem to remember the steps, if they fail to take their medications on schedule, if their personal hygiene changes, their physical appearance changes, or their behavior becomes erratic, then it's time to look into memory care facilities.

Services Offered by Memory Care Facilities

The specific services offered by a memory care facility will vary by location, but in general, families can expect the following:

• Comfortable accommodations, either private or semi-private
• Daily meals
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Medication management
• Exercise and physical therapy
• Social programs and activities
• 24-hour staffing and assistance
• Memory activities and learning opportunities
• Security

Residents do not have to worry about daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry; however, some aspects of these activities may be woven into their care program as part of their recovery tasks. Each community designs an individual care plan specific to the senior entering the facility, and the activities and amenities will suit their care needs.

Questions to Ask a Community

Once you determine that your loved one needs a memory care facility, it is important to find one that best suits their needs and personality. The last thing you want to do is put them in a community they don't like, especially when they're dealing with something like memory loss. Here's a few questions you should ask each community you visit to help you narrow down your options and choose one that will help your loved one lead a fulfilled life while still receiving the care they need.

• How is the community secured?
• What is the staff to resident ratio for both day and evening hours?
• What medical services are available to residents?
• Can the community care for wheelchair bound or bedridden patients (if applicable)?
• How does the community handle residents who become physically aggressive or disruptive?
• What does memory care include?
• How often are families updated about the well-being of the resident?
• What are the living arrangements?
• If the facility works with aging seniors who do not have memory impairments, are the two groups separated during meals and activities, as well as treatments, or are the two groups kept separate at all times?
• What types of therapies and activities do they offer? For example, does the community offer art and music therapy? Pet therapy? Light treatments? Walking clubs?

Watching a loved one succumb to memory ailments can be difficult, and if you don't get them the help they need quickly, in severe cases, they may hurt themselves or others around them due to their erratic and aggressive behavior. As their memory goes, their fear picks up and, often, their fight response. This sometimes accounts for their aggressive behavior, so it's better to place them in a safe community with trained staff members who know how to use distraction, redirection, and other techniques to keep residents calm and safe. You can help your loved one live a full and relatively independent life by finding the best community to suit their needs.