Senior-living communities with a focus on memory care—whether standalone memory-care campuses or facilities with specialized wings or areas—offer care that’s specifically designed to benefit residents with dementia, including seniors with Alzheimer’s. As research on these conditions has advanced, so have the approaches to care. From music therapy to mindful design, here are some of the ways memory-care communities are evolving.
Updated Programming
Activities have gotten more sophisticated and more tailored to each person’s interests, says David Schless, president and CEO of the American Seniors Housing Association. “And that’s a very significant change.” Previous approaches sometimes infantilized dementia care—if someone liked gardening, for instance, they might get to just pretend to garden. “But now,” Schless says, “there’s a lot more effort to create real—safe—experiences,” offering individuals more dignity and respect.
Also growing in popularity: music therapy. Though the concept isn’t new, there’s more research to support it—and more interest. “People connect with music in ways that are really transformative,” says Schless. According to the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, music therapy is one of the most effective therapeutic interventions for people with dementia—it can enhance cognitive function and alleviate agitation, depression, and aggression. Arts for the Aging and Levine Music are just two local communities that have partnered with area facilities to bring music therapy to seniors living with dementia.
Many communities are also implementing sensory programming, such as aromatherapy and culinary programs in which meals are crafted to provide familiar, nostalgic scents and tastes. Ultimately, Schless says, it’s about “understanding what somebody enjoyed doing and finding appropriate and safe ways” to let them do it again.
New Tech
Technological advancements are being put to use, too. A prime example, says Schless, is prevention of falls—wall-mounted sensors, smart insoles, and other wearable devices alert staff and assess future risk of such accidents. Meanwhile, virtual-reality programs that simulate golfing, travel, and other experiences allow residents to tap into favorite pastimes. And circadian lighting systems help regulate internal clocks to achieve better sleep—a common challenge for people living with dementia.
Mindful Design
Newer floor plans offer circular flows, removing dead ends that can frustrate residents. And Schless says more facilities are offering access to safe and monitored outside areas: “We know how important outdoor spaces are.”
On some campuses, residents live together in small homes that provide familiarity and foster a sense of independence.
Choosing the Right Memory-Care Community
To find the best place for your loved one: Visit, visit, visit.
“Always make sure you visit in person—never do it online or over the phone,” says Sheila Griffith, vice president of programs and services at the Alzheimer’s Association’s National Capital Area Chapter. “And hopefully you can take your loved one who’s living with the disease, too—that’s the ideal way to do it.”
Schless recommends seeing several communities and going to each at different times of day. “You’re observing, you’re talking to family members, you’re talking to staff members,” he says. “A really important part of doing your home-work is to go and spend time observing. [Look for] that personal feeling of, yes, the staff are warm, they’re friendly, they’re caring.”
And, he says, think carefully about proximity to friends and family. “It’s ideal if the community is relatively easy to get to, because the more family can visit, the better.”
Before Moving In
Not ready for a residential community? Griffith says it’s common for families to keep loved ones home as long as they can—and you can explore different levels of care along the way.
First, Griffith suggests asking for help in what she calls your “care community”—adult children, neighbors, friends, and family. From there, paid in-home care may be appropriate, along with adult daycare centers, where people living with dementia can go a few times a week for more stimulation while providing respite to the caregiver. (Some areas and organizations, such as the Arc Montgomery County, in coordination with the county, offer mini-grants to help with the cost. To see if such programs exist in your area, search for “caregiver respite funding.”)
Ultimately, Griffith says, it’s usually safety risks that lead families to discuss a move. At that point, Schless notes, it’s important to remember that the transition, though hard, is temporary: After a week or two, families often find that their loved one is content, more engaged, and less agitated.
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
