Questions To Ask When Searching For Dementia Care

Seniors with advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s disease need assisted living opportunities to help manage their daily life activities. These loved ones cannot live alone and are prone to wandering off and getting lost, and loved ones cannot handle the healthcare requirements for their loved ones without nursing care. Families ask questions to find the best community for the aging loved one that offers security and a high standard of care.  

What Level of Medical Services Are Provided?

Senior communities offer differing levels of medical care for residents. Dementia residents need daily medication, health monitoring, and comfort care. The residents might face emergencies that require hospitalization, and the community must offer fast emergency services in life-threatening situations. Family members assess dementia care according to how well the staff meets the resident’s needs.

Later stages of dementia lead to falls that cause broken bones, and the residents become disoriented frequently. How well the staff manages dementia throughout each stage defines whether the community is appropriate for the elderly loved one.

Does the Staff Have Adequate Training for Dementia Residents?

Assisted living communities offer a nursing staff with appropriate training to manage the care of dementia residents. Families can ask about the nursing staff’s credentials and determine if the senior community presents the best living environment for the elderly loved ones. They can also read reviews about the community outlining the quality of the nursing staff, and complaints show if a community presents any dangers to the senior.  

What Memory Care Services Are Available?

A memory care community offers many services and activities to help residents with cognitive decline. Therapies show residents how to improve their memory and recall everyday words and expressions. Families assessing memory care services want to learn about the options their loved one has within the community, and the staff provides specific details about how they conduct memory care services and how often the senior receives these services. 

Are the Living Spaces Private or Semi-Private?

Senior communities offer semi-private and private living spaces for residents, and the families review the living spaces and determine if the community meets the elderly loved ones’ needs. Many seniors want privacy and don’t want to share a room with others, but the families must compare the cost of semi-private and private rooms. Some insurance policies don’t cover private rooms, and the families may face additional expenses if they want a private space.  

How is the Community Secured?

Security is critical for seniors with dementia. Assisted living communities to provide a secured wing to stop residents from wandering outside the community and being injured or lost. Families enter a code on an access panel connected to the entry door to get into the secured wing, and they can rest assured that their loved one remains safe within the community.  

What Is the Policy for Visitors?

Seniors with dementia need consistent visits with family and loved ones, and senior communities present visiting hours for all residents. Elderly loved ones with dementia need routine and follow a schedule daily, and visits should accommodate the new way of life without disruptions. Families review the visiting hours and discuss the senior’s needs with the community staff.  

What Meal Services Are Available? 

Meal preparation services are available to residents in retirement communities, and the kitchen staff prepares three meals daily according to the resident’s dietary restrictions. Most communities encourage families to bring their loved one’s favorite snacks to keep in their room, and the staff prepares foods to meet all the resident’s dietary needs. Communities offer a variety of cuisines or on-site restaurants that give seniors more food options to meet their dietary restrictions and keep them happier.  

Beautiful Homes for Seniors

At Pioneer Place Memory Haven, our staff meets all expectations and provides the highest standard of care for residents with dementia. Our community is safe for everyone, and all dementia residents remain in a secured wing of the community. Families with questions about assisted living for an elderly loved with dementia are welcome to contact us and set up a private tour. 

Phone 253-539-3410