For many older adults, senior living communities provide a supportive environment that offers social activities and mental stimulation, with just the right amount of support for health and safety. 

While independent living or assisted living are good options for most seniors, those struggling with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia may eventually need a higher level of care. This means that at some point, you may face the question of when to move from assisted living to memory care.

Memory care facilities offer dementia patients more specialized care with staff trained in memory loss. They have therapies, activities, and programs that specifically support the needs of someone who is losing their cognitive abilities. They also have staff trained to support seniors as they deal with the realities of dementia.

By making the transition from assisted living to memory care, family members get peace of mind that their loved ones are well cared for, supported, and safe. In addition, a memory care community and staff that understand dementia may be able to slow the cognitive decline of an elderly loved one, which is another perk.

So, how do you know when it is time to make that transition from assisted living to memory care? 

10 Signs It’s Time to Move from Assisted Living to Memory Care

1. Personal Hygiene Is Starting to Suffer Due to Dementia Symptoms

Dementia can make it hard for older adults to remember basic personal hygiene, but these tasks are essential to a loved one’s health and dignity. 

Poor personal hygiene can lead to serious medical conditions and hurt your loved one’s dignity. In the right memory care community, staff are trained to ensure the seniors under their care are taking care of these vital daily living tasks. Staff can also provide more support for these tasks than is possible in an assisted living community.

2. A Senior Has Started to Wander

The Alzheimer’s Association warns that it is highly common for people with memory difficulties to wander, with six out of every ten people with dementia getting lost or confused because they cannot remember where they are or do not recognize their surroundings. 

Wandering is a serious safety concern, particularly if the older adult wanders outside of the assisted living community or regularly seeks an exit. 

Memory care facilities offer a safe, secure environment with flowing floor plans that naturally direct residents back to communal areas or their rooms. This design allows residents to have independence within the community without the safety concerns associated with wandering; They also have safety features such as door alarms or alert systems that prevent dangerous exits.

3. Your Loved One Is Not Taking Their Medications

Medication management is one of the care services offered in a memory care community. Staff will assist with organizing and administering medications to ensure your loved one is taking the right amount at the right time. 

While many assisted living communities also offer this service, memory care staff are specially trained to manage medication for residents with memory loss and have stringent protocols in place to ensure all medication is taken as prescribed.

4. Your Loved One’s Social Life Is Suffering

Lack of interest in hobbies or socializing are common symptoms that get worse as dementia progresses. One of the benefits of assisted living and memory care facilities is the social activities they provide. 

However, seniors with dementia may have difficulty socializing without the support of memory care-trained staff. Staff members choose appropriate activities to support seniors with memory care and gently encourage them to participate with others. Families often find that their loved one feels less isolated and lonely once they make this move.

5. You Notice Unexpected Health Changes

Health changes, such as weight loss or unexplained injuries, in addition to memory problems, can indicate it is time to change your senior’s living environment. Sometimes, seniors with memory loss forget to eat or struggle to eat enough in a community dining room. 

Memory care facilities have special dining plans and schedules that reduce distractions and ensure residents get sufficient nutrition. Making the switch from assisted living to memory care can mean additional support to avoid these types of health concerns.

6. Your Loved One’s Behavior Changes

Behavior changes, such as increased aggression or negative mental health symptoms, can be because of a poor amount of support for memory care. Staff in memory care units have more training to support the emotional and mental health of their residents than those in other senior living communities, like assisted living or independent living. Team members are also trained to deal with the problematic behaviors that come with increased confusion in the later stages of dementia.

7. Assisted Living Facility Activities Are Hard

Assisted living facilities often have activities for seniors to choose to participate in. However, dementia can make it difficult for them to take advantage of these events. In a memory care community, social activities are woven into the daily schedule that everyone participates in, increasing the likelihood that your loved one will participate.

8. You’re Feeling Increased Stress

While this is not as cut-and-dried, if you feel like you need to regularly check on your loved one to ensure they are getting the right support, and you worry that caregivers are not well-versed in memory loss issues, then it is probably time to make the switch to memory care. Many families find that making the change helps to reduce stress as their loved one has the right care and support.

9. Your Loved One’s Cognitive Needs Are Not Met

All seniors need mental stimulation to thrive but assisted living facilities may not have the right activities to meet the cognitive needs of seniors with dementia. To begin, planned activities may be difficult for a senior with memory loss. Also, the other residents may have conversations that your loved one can no longer follow. 

This change can lead to isolation and worsening mental health. To support your loved one’s needs, memory care communities have activities designed to meet the cognitive needs of their residents, with an understanding of changing needs as dementia progresses.

10. Assisted Living Staff Are Voicing Concerns

One of the most obvious signs that it is time to make the switch to a memory care community is when your loved one’s assisted living community staff members are stating their concerns. 

Often, caregivers who interact with your loved one daily more clearly see the subtle changes as dementia progresses. If staff are asking you to consider making the change, then it is time to start looking for the right senior living community to assist your loved one with their memory care needs.

Making a Seamless Transition from Assisted Living to Memory Care

If the signs are pointing to making a switch from your loved one’s assisted living community to a memory care community, there are some steps you can take to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Follow All Legal Requirements

There are many legal requirements necessary to transition from assisted living to memory care. Each state is different, so talk to the assisted living community to learn what is required in your state. 

To transition to memory care, you may need a doctor’s evaluation or specific state forms. You will also need your loved one’s legal representative to agree to the change, so it helps if all family members are on board with the move. 

Start conversations with the assisted living facility’s staff to learn of these requirements so you are ready to make the transition to memory care when it is a necessity.

Consider a Continuing Care Community

If your loved one is in a community that offers multiple levels of care, then making the switch may mean nothing more than moving to a new apartment or care level within the same community. 

If you anticipate transitioning from assisted living to memory care later, consider choosing a continuing care community when choosing senior care options.

Get the Staff on Board

Work with the staff at the assisted living and memory care communities to help with this transition. They can give you insight into what might make it easier for your loved one.

Keep It Familiar

If possible, bring familiar items from the assisted living community to the memory care community. For example, if your loved one can have the same decor in both spaces or if you can set up the layout to be similar, they will feel more at home in the new community.

Maintain Relationships if Possible

If your loved one has specific relationships that are helping them with their mental health, then look for ways to maintain those relationships. Planning visits with friends from your loved one’s community or relatives they feel close can keep those familiar faces in the senior’s life.

Memory care communities provide peace of mind to families of seniors with dementia and other memory concerns. With the right safety protocols and staff training, they provide a high quality of life with less stress and risk. If your loved one is starting to show signs of cognitive decline, now is the time to start discussing making the transition from assisted living to memory care.

Get Memory Care Assistance from CarePatrol 

If you think it’s time to transition a loved one from assisted living to memory care,  CarePatrol senior care advisors at CarePatrol are here to help. 

At no cost to you, our local senior advisors review your needs and the services of the memory care communities in the area to pair you with the right option for your family. We vet every community in our network to ensure that we can recommend the right options for you. By taking you on tours of the communities, your questions will be answered. Reach out to a CarePatrol Local Senior Care Advisor today and let us help you.