Dementia-related diseases are often much more debilitating than other conditions common in nursing home facilities. Finding a safe place for a loved one with dementia comes with unique challenges.
Memory care programs provide the more intensive levels of assistance that these residents need.
Dementia and memory care statistics
Caring.com reports that about 95,000 people in South Carolina are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and the Alzheimer’s death rate in the state is the highest in the country. The rate of dementia-related diseases has been increasing in many states across the nation.
Memory care costs more than assisted living, but it may have a lower price tag than other nursing home care options. On average, memory care programs, whether at a specialized facility or as a wing in a nursing home, cost about $4,375 per month. This is considerably lower than the national average of $5,064 per month.
Quality memory care programs
According to the BrightFocus Foundation, experts recommend that family members looking for a memory care program should choose a place close enough that they can visit regularly, if at all possible. They should tour memory care centers to see what the rooms are like and what kind of activity there is in the unit. Interviewing caregivers, other staff, and residents’ family members will help provide a fuller picture.
Here are some of the considerations for family members when determining a memory care facility or program’s quality of care:
- Caregiver training
- Staffing levels
- The ratio of residents to staff
- Procedures and practices for handling difficult behaviors
- Emergency plans
Other factors that may be important include whether residents may stay at the facility through the end of their lives and whether hospice can come in.
Residents of facilities not fully equipped to handle dementia patients may be subject to abuse, including physical and chemical restraints. Family members should not hesitate to take action when there is abuse or possible evidence of danger.
