Tag Archives: Memory care

Memory care: The specifics that matter

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


When caring for patients facing different forms of dementia or memory loss, it can be tempting to look at the big picture only. Will they be safe? Will they be clean? Will they remain physically healthy and as happy as possible? These are all important questions to ask when looking at the care a loved one will receive when diagnosed with a memory disorder. But it’s also important to make sure the memory care facility you are considering focuses on the individual details that will aid in well-rounded care.


Details matter. Here are some of the specific care elements you should consider when choosing a memory care facility for aging adults.

Layout and design

The design of an assisted living community should make it easy for residents to find their way around on their own for as long as possible. The layout should optimize wayfinding, ensure safety and create freedom. Wide hallways, creative labeling, and naming of hallways and sections, bold colors and shapes can all contribute to a safe and vibrant community.


Sliding doors over swinging doors add an extra element of safety, and soft amber lighting over areas such as the restroom can trigger memory and make it easier for patients to locate a spot over and over.

An understanding staff

A staff that is not only trained and certified to care for those with memory problems, but who are also sympathetic, caring, and engaging is key when it comes to creating a positive environment for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Looking at certifications and qualifications is important, but it’s also vital to look at the details of their behaviors and attitudes toward their patients.


It’s important that caregivers know when to just go with the flow and when to encourage a patient to try to remember. There will be times when it’s best to go along with an idea even though it’s obviously wrong, and times when it’s best to redirect and distract them. Treating your loved one like a resident and not just a patient can have a huge impact on their overall well-being, and you want to work with a staff you like and can trust.

Peace and stability

A memory care facility that can manage any type of memory care can be beneficial as the needs of your loved one change. Things can become unfamiliar and scary as memories begin to fade, but being in a familiar environment and surrounded by friends can keep patients in good spirits and often slow the progression of the disease. When a facility supports all stages from independent living, to minimum care to advanced memory care, it can make sure your loved one is getting the best care, right from the beginning and they won’t be jarred by sudden moves, changes in staff or location.


A part of this stability comes from a peaceful living environment. Alarms should be as silent as possible to avoid distressing patients, and all areas of the facility should be designed with peace in mind. Fireplaces, pianos, patios and plenty of sunlit areas can all add to a feeling of peace and contentment and help keep patients calm no matter their stage.

An active social life

When memory patients are at home being cared for by a loved one, it can be easy to create a bubble and cut off the outside world. But, maintaining an active social life is key to making sure they feel like belong. Even if they don’t participate in activities or conversation, just being surrounded by it, listening, thinking and reacting will activate and stimulate certain areas of the brain. Organized activities and an active community help make sure patients stay involved and maintain a social life.


Social time is also a great time to promote activities and games that build memory muscle, keep brains active and renew remaining capacities for memory.


So, when choosing a memory care facility, don’t just look at the pictures. Pay attention to the details and make sure your loved one will be cared for in every aspect of their everyday life.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


The importance of objects in assisted living memory care

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


When you wander the halls of the Vista Springs Center for Memory Care and Rediscovery, you’ll find not only the luxury accommodations our residents have come to expect but also a few unique features meant to speak directly to the care and treatment of the residents in our assisted living memory care facility.


While the halls, rooms, and decor of our facility are all specially design to accommodate residents with memory conditions, caring for these community members goes beyond even tiny details like color and layout. Bold colors, shapes, and textures are used to help anchor residents to their environments and strengthen memory muscle but objects and activities take memory care to the next level.

Sensory stimulation

Using objects and activities to trigger emotions and memories is called Sensory Stimulation and it’s a popular technique when it comes to treating and caring for those with memory disorders. These objects can create a connection with the rest of the world when the patient has lost the ability to create that connection on their own.


In sensory stimulation, one or more of the fives senses will be aroused in a positive way when an object or activity is offered. The technique is used for a wide variety of conditions like autism or brain injuries but is popular in treating those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. These objects can help create a safe and stimulating environment.

Sensory stations

Within the Vista Springs community, this technique is used via stations set up throughout the memory care facility. These stations are set up for different activities such as clothes folding, diaper changing, shirt buttoning, and dishwashing. There are even cribs with babies to rock to sleep and cases filled with objects that would have been important during different time periods.  


These simple activities take patient’s back to times they remember fondly; raising their children or actively participating in life. Sensory stations and various activities can be especially positive if a patient is upset, discouraged or scared. Activities they once engaged in mindlessly around the home will bring them comfort, decrease agitation, and maintain motor skills.


These types of stations and objects help focus on the person, the things they once enjoyed, and their daily lives; not the disease.

Comfort and communication

While these objects and stations may not improve their memory or slow progression of the disease, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia, they do offer other perks for the patient and their caregivers.Engaging in familiar activities can improve overall mood, raise self-esteem and confidence and improve well-being.


And, for those who experience trouble communicating and everyday tasks, certain activities can offer alternate outlets of communication. If they have a hard time speaking, simply picking up a pen or pencil to draw may bring back old memories or give them a way to express themselves, even if it’s not through words.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


How to find the right memory care facility

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living


By Vista Springs Assisted Living


It’s a difficult and stressful time when an aging loved one begins to show signs of dementia. Memory loss can be frightening and sad, but people with dementia can still live out their golden years happy and full of life, provided they receive the care that’s right for them. Moving to a memory care facility can give them the attention and stimulation they need, but how do you choose the best one? Start by asking these questions:

What are your loved one’s unique needs?

While a diagnosis may give general guidelines as to how your loved one’s dementia may progress and what sort of care they need, every individual has a different experience with memory loss. Any memory care facility that you consider should be able to understand and respond to unique needs. From physical ability to behavior considerations, the care facility’s staff should be able to demonstrate knowledge of and experience with caring for different needs associated with aging and dementia.

What level of care does the facility offer?

Depending on your loved one’s needs, you should look for a facility that offers a variety of care options. All memory care facilities should offer 24-hour supervision, medical monitoring, and help with daily activities. There are also a few specific considerations that you should be sure to ask about during the decision process, such as:

  • Which meals are provided, and what is the quality of those meals? Aging adults, especially those with dementia, may begin to lose their appetites. Varied meals with different colors present on the plate may keep them interested.
  • What type of training has the staff received?
  • What are their emergency response procedures?
  • How often are housekeeping and laundry services provided?
  • What is the staff to resident ratio during the day, night, and on weekends? Having too many different people caring for residents with dementia may be distressing for them, so knowing how many people are on call and how many will be providing personal care is important.

Both you and your loved one should be confident in the level of care and comfort provided by the facility before considering it further.

What sort of activities are offered?

Reports and studies published by Alzheimer’s Disease International and the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group link cognitive and physical stimulation to unchanging and even improving cognitive ability in people with dementia, and therefore it’s important that a memory care facility offers a variety of activities that are fun and easy for residents of all ages and cognitive levels. Ask about how often activities are held, residents’ level of freedom, and if people are grouped by cognitive level, which may be more comforting to your loved one.

What are the facilities like?

You may think a familiar setting, such as a comfortable family home, may be better for your loved one if they are showing signs or are diagnosed with dementia, but the level of care that must be provided is hard for families or even hired caregivers in a space that is not designed with ease of care in mind. The memory care facility that you choose should be as homey as possible to help your loved one transition to living there. What type of housing do they offer? Do they have private or semi-private rooms and apartments? Are memory care buildings laid out in such a way that residents won’t get lost, confused, or anxious? The experience of living in a memory care facility should be as enjoyable as possible, so pay attention to the details.

The new care needs of your loved one when they begin to show signs of dementia can seem overwhelming, but they don’t have to be. In the right care facility, you can be sure that they are receiving the best care possible, and that they can live full lives with the assistance they need.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Understanding dementia behavior

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living


By Vista Springs Assisted Living


For people recently diagnosed with dementia, or caretakers, friends, and loved ones of someone with dementia, changes in behavior can be frightening and difficult to deal with. Yet it’s important to understand that the person with dementia is not any less themselves because of their condition. Being able to recognize responsive behaviors and realize what causes them to occur can help bridge the gap between someone with dementia and those around them.

What is Dementia?

Dementia refers to a number of different causes of loss of cognitive functioning, including Alzheimer’s, frontotemporal disorders, Lewy body dementia, and vascular dementia. It is characterized by loss of capacity to remember and reason such that it interferes with a person’s life. Functions such as memory, language skills, hearing, visual perception, focus, and problem solving may gradually become impaired. In some cases, people may lose control of their emotions or display seeming changes in personality.


Despite common perceptions, dementia is not a normal part of aging, and it can be managed with proper memory care. Part of this care is ensuring a secure, stable support network for the diagnosed person, but this can be hard when many dementia behaviors are misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Responsive Behaviors

People with dementia will often display responsive behaviors to stimuli — or lack thereof — for which they do not have a response that is considered “normal” or “acceptable” for others. Yet these behaviors are not intended to upset others, and may be the best way the diagnosed person can convey an idea, wish, or concern. Unfortunately, some common responsive behaviors are misread as rude or inappropriate, creating further communication barriers and potentially, more emotional distress for the person with dementia.


Some common responsive behaviors include screaming, babbling, making strange noises, restlessness, grabbing people, and aimless wandering. It’s important to note that some responsive behaviors, such as swearing, violent contact, and sexual impulses can be distressing to others, and should not be dismissed as normal behavior. However, you should always be mindful of the possible causes of such behavior, and attempt to reach a solution that prevents further harm to either party.


There are a number of factors that could contribute to causing responsive behavior. These include:

Physical:

Is the person hurt, sore, or uncomfortable? Is she hungry or thirsty? What visible changes can you see that could indicate physical distress? Someone who is physically uncomfortable may have less control over her reactions, and resolving the discomfort could help with addressing the behavior.

Emotional: 

Have you noticed the person becoming more anxious, teary, or melancholy? Does he seem to be lonely? Has he become suspicious of others, or fearful of something? While shifts in emotion are harder to address than physical needs, distracting the person with dementia could help them regulate negative emotions. Try reminiscing about happy times in earlier life, as long-term memories are more likely to remain readily accessible to those with dementia.

Intellectual:

Have you noticed that the person has had more trouble forming sentences, or loses her train of thought halfway through a conversation? Has she had recent issues with memory, or with performing activities of daily living? In many cases, the person with dementia may be aware of their loss of cognitive functioning, an experience that is frightening, frustrating, and embarrassing. Try not to point out areas of difficulty, and use clear instructions and visual cues to help them perform tasks.

Environment:

Environmental factors can play a large part in the comfort of a person with dementia. For example, if the lights are too bright or too dim, the person may be overwhelmed or unable to see clearly, causing distress. Is the area too noisy? Is there enough stimulation to give him something to focus on? Small changes in environment can ensure the person is comfortable with their surroundings.

Social:

Are there hints from the person’s background that may give insight into their responsive behaviors? Because long-term memories are often more accessible than short-term, people with dementia may draw upon scenarios and behaviors that they learned growing up, routines they learned at school or during their professional life, or cultural or religious practices.

Capabilities:

A natural reaction for caretakers of loved ones with dementia is to attempt to do everything for them, but loss of control and self-management can be distressing and even hurtful to the diagnosed person. As a result, responsive behaviors may be a reaction to underestimating (or overestimating) a person’s ability to perform certain activities of daily living. Enabling them to perform self-care tasks for themselves may help slow loss of function and manage responsive behaviors.

Actions of Others:

Is there anything that you or others are doing that could upset the person with dementia? While asking them to remember something or explaining why a behavior is inappropriate may seem harmless, and indeed necessary to a caregiver or friend, the person may interpret such statements as disappointment, anger, or frustration. Be understanding, offer an apology, and distract them with a new topic of conversation or something to do with their hands.


The most important thing to remember when working towards understanding dementia behaviors is that responsive behaviors are purposeful. While it may seem that the diagnosed person is lashing out or performing behaviors unconsciously, they are actually reacting to a circumstance in a way that seems natural to them. Part of providing memory care — whether formal or informal — is the ability to recognize and work through these responsive behaviors, creating better communication between the person with dementia and their caregivers.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Student photography guides senior citizens in their living space

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Calvin senior Lynn Park is one of the students who provided photography for the hallways at Samaritas. (Photo courtesy of Calvin College)

By Hannah Ebeling, Calvin College

 

“I think the ability to take what you are learning in an academic setting and translate that to a real-world situation is such a helpful process,” said Jennifer Hoag, professor of photography at Calvin College. “You have to really think about what is needed and break down the criteria to be successful.”

 

Last fall, an intermediate digital photography class was given the opportunity to do just that.

 

Samaritas, a faith-based senior living home, approached Hoag because they wanted some new artwork for the walls in their memory-care unit that caters to residents in varying stages of dementia. Hoag visited their facility over the summer, and since everything looks similar, she said it was even tricky for her to navigate.

 

Art to help memory-care residents

 

“What Samaritas hoped for were images that could help their residents navigate the hallways,” said Hoag. “I thought it sounded like a really interesting project for students to think about the function of their photographs rather than thinking of them strictly as art.”

 

In groups of four and five, students came up with a theme for each of the facility’s hallways. “Students each approached the project in a very different way,” said Hoag. “Some groups decided they would get together and photograph with each other. Others worked more independently, but together decided how they wanted their photographs to look stylistically and went about it that way.”

 

This opportunity would act as the students’ final in the class. Hoag said she was not sure how the project would be received, but the students loved the idea right from the very start. They appreciated being able to serve in this way and have their work displayed in a setting, while being useful.

 

“I think the experience gave me a good chance to put into practice all of the things we had been learning in class, and with practice comes improvement,” said photography student, Marisa Seifert. “I think it is so important for students to gain this real-world experience and to engage in the community, not only for the personal benefit of experience, but also to benefit those around us who may be in need of certain services or skills. We can learn from them, and they can learn from us.”

 

Students put a lot into this project, said Hoag. Many bought their own props and went as far as baking and decorating a whole cake for the perfect shot. “A group of students even got together to make breakfast for their breakfast-themed collection,” she said. Samaritas plans to put these down the hallway that leads to the dining area.

 

“My favorite part about this project was seeing how my classmates interpreted the assignment in a different way than me,” said Seifert. “All of the photos were unique and beautiful in their own way.”

 

Students use what they learn to serve

 

The staff from Samaritas was very involved in the process and came to talk to the class. “The aging process can often affect the eyes, so they helped us understand which colors to avoid,” said Hoag. “We chose to use brighter colors within a certain spectrum.”

 

Once the photos were printed a representative from Samaritas joined the class for their final evaluation and critique. “She was able to walk around and see all the images that were made,” said Hoag. “She was really pleased with what the students came up with and already started talking about doing this again for another section of their facility.”

 

“It’s not often that I get to incorporate a service-learning aspect into the class,” said Hoag. “A lot of the photo assignments are very conceptually and technically driven and are not very collaborative. I loved the idea of having a collaborative project incorporated in the class and at the same time have students think about the function of the project.”

 

The 24 large prints of the students’ work will be mounted and hung at Samaritas Senior Living Home at the end of February.

 

Reprinted with permission from Calvin College.