When Is It Time to Move to a Memory Care Community?
Most of the time, your mom or dad is currently in some kind of comprehensive care program, and this is the next step in their journey. If they are still living independently, you should get with their doctors if you suspect it’s the right time to move
This has been a pattern developing for some time and cannot be delayed any longer
Your mom or dad is experiencing issues that force a decision for their safety
If you are sure the time may be right for your mom or dad, Start here
QUICK ANSWER:
When Moving to a Memory Care Community May Make Sense
Memory care is needed when safety, routine, and awareness are no longer reliable.
What Families Usually Notice First
This is an urgent time to act because they are clear dangers to themselves and others around them. Their actions, however small, may have serious consequences.
It’s the progression that makes this even less safe because of things like…
Missing medications
Confusion about where they are, which leads to wandering.
Episodes of delusions and hallucinations.
The time is right now to
Signs It May Be Time to Consider a Move
Families needing to move to a Memory Care Community with whom I’ve worked have noticed a progression in things like…
Safety risks when they cook or, even, leave the house alone
Dangerous lack of routines make simple things a threat
Bad personal hygiene because they either refuse to bathe or forget that they haven’t recently.
Regularly getting lost as they wander out of the home or even follow something they think they see.
This is the right time to explore which communities in Denver offer Memory Care.
What A Lot of Families Get Wrong
A lot of families are in some stage of denial when it gets to their mom or dad needing Memory Care. It’s critical to recognize the behavior is dangerous and not to
Just to be sure…
• Wait for an official diagnosis
• Try to control the situation that is out of control
• Underestimate the risks of not doing anything
How the House Fits Into All of This
From the experiences I’ve had with people that need this kind of care, the familiarity of the home is actually counterproductive and increases confusion because
The home causes confusion because their memory and reality no longer line up.
Outdated mental “maps” as their brain relies on old memories and if something is different from their memory, confusion and frustration worsens.
False sense of independence is dangerous because their brain doesn’t know their inability to do certain things - which are more dangerous now.
Familiarity without clarity happens when familiarity is disrupted or inconsistent making participation and navigation more difficult
Find out more about what happens to the house
Now is the best time to get
A Simple Pathway
Identify patterns
Understand care level and which communities offer the right level of care
Act before a crisis
Check out the more in-depth Right-Sizing guide
Or
Explore some of the options in Denver
What to Do Next?
You don’t need to figure out everything today.
Instead, take the first step to get clarity and or you may already know, so it’s time to Start Here