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Features To Look For When Selecting A Memory Care Facility For Your Parent That Has Alzheimer's

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If your parent's Alzheimer's is getting worse, your number one concern might be safety. As a person's mind begins experiencing difficulties, the person may have trouble doing normal daily activities, and he or she might begin doing things that are abnormal or even dangerous. If you have these types of concerns, moving your parent to a memory care nursing home is probably the best decision you could make. As you begin looking for the right facility, here are several important factors to look for.

24-Hour Care

For anyone with Alzheimer's or dementia, 24-hour care is a necessity, and this is how most memory care facilities are. The difference is that you may run across assisted living facilities or nursing homes in your area that may not offer services 24 hours a day. As you compare these facilities, you will need to make sure that there are staff members working around the clock to provide care for your parent. This is the only way to make sure your parent is safe at all times.

Locked Door System

In addition, finding a facility that has a locked door system is also vital. People with Alzheimer's tend to wander, and this can include wandering off outside if they have access to get out. A common system used in memory care facilities involves bracelets or ankle bracelets. One of these is placed on each resident in the facility, and when a person wearing one of these goes near an exit, the door will automatically lock to stop the person from leaving.

This type of system is designed strictly to stop residents from leaving the facility, yet it offers freedom for them to walk around the hallways in the building.

Therapy Options

Therapy is something that comes in many forms, but one type that can be soothing and helpful for people with Alzheimer's is music therapy. A person with Alzheimer's might not remember his or her name, but there is a good chance the person will remember all the lyrics to a song he or she knew many years ago. Music therapy is designed for many purposes, but one purpose is to trigger memories like this. If your parent doesn't know who you are but could sing you the lyrics of an entire song, it might put a smile on your face.

In addition, some facilities offer other types of therapy too, and each type can be stimulating and soothing to your parent. Some of these options include art therapy, light therapy, and aroma therapy. Pet therapy can also be useful for Alzheimer's patients, and this too is something you can find at some memory care facilities.

Snoezelen Room

A Snoezelen room is one other feature you might want to look for as you select the right place for your parent to move to. This type of room is designed strictly to stimulate your parent's senses. This includes stimulating your parent's sense of touch, smell, sight, and hearing. In a Snoezelen room, you will find a variety of different things. Some things are designed for your parent to touch, while others are designed for people to look at.

Studies have found that individuals that visit Snoezelen rooms experience a variety of benefits, and these include:

  • An improvement in mood and behavior
  • A reduction in fears
  • A calming feeling
  • An increase in self-esteem

These are just a few of the benefits your parent could experience from spending time in a Snoezelen room.

If you are concerned about the safety and wellbeing of your parent, now is a good time to start looking for a good memory care facility in your area. You can start your search by checking out a community like Alta Ridge Communities.


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