Does Dad Need Memory Care? These 3 Questions Can Help You Decide

Dad has been a little different in the last six months—a little distant. He’s forgotten his keys numerous times, but that can happen to anyone, right? Well, yes and no. There are a handful of things that might suggest it’s time to look into a memory care community, but it’s hard to decide when the right time is for a dear loved one.

First, let’s look at the prospect of an assisted living or memory care campus in Arizona. There are a couple of main differences between the two, and there are a few questions to ask in order to decide which is right for your parent or loved one.

What Is Assisted Living?

Assisted living communities are there for people who are predominately independent but might need a little support with day-to-day tasks, such as dressing, bathing, or keeping track of their medications. People who opt for assisted living are generally cognitively present and able to care for themselves for the most part.

What Is Memory Care?

Memory care is available for people who have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. There isn’t really a clear line as to when someone should be placed in memory care, but there are a series of things to look out for and reflect upon. These three questions will help you to decide if memory care is right for the loved one in your life.

1. Is your loved one at risk of going out for a walk and not being able to find their way home?

Do they wander for long periods of time? Could they get lost? If the answer is yes, this would be an example of a time to start looking for memory care placements as you don’t want your loved one to wander off and go missing.

2. Have you or others noticed a change in behavior from your loved one?

Have there been increased moments of emotionally-driven outbursts where they have hurt themselves or become unpredictable and potentially a danger to others? If so, this is another sign that memory care might be a good option for their well-being.

3. Have there been other behavioral changes that might signify memory care as a course of action?

These behavioral changes would be particularly related to judgment. A few examples could be public nudity, playing with food, throwing things around in stores, or other things that demonstrate a disconnect from their present location.
These are just a few things that could indicate a good reason to look into memory care for your loved one. There are numerous communities that provide fantastic care for people who need a deeper level of support for their dementia or Alzheimer’s, and if you’re looking for memory care in Arizona, look no further than BridgeWater Assisted Living. We offer memory care in addition to assisted living communities. Reach out to us today to schedule a tour of one of our campuses.