What’s the Difference Between Memory Care and Assisted Living Near Phoenix?
Are you looking for assisted living near Phoenix for your loved ones? It’s important to first figure out what type of assisted living will actually work best for your loved one—is it an assisted living or a memory care unit? The two may sound similar, and many people might assume they’re close to the same, but they aren’t. You want your loved one to be living in an environment that addresses all of their needs and that will be letting them live to their fullest potential.
They’re similar, but memory care is more specialized, if that’s a component your loved one needs. Memory care is a form of assisted living, but it’s optimized to better care for adults that have progressive cognitive impairments. Memory care places also tend to provide 24-hour supervised care.
Let’s take a deeper look at what the difference really is between memory care and assisted living near Phoenix.
Assisted Living
At BridgeWater Assisted Living, we view ourselves as a helping hand. You and your loved one are in charge, and we’re here to support, guide, and partner with you. Together, we’ll come up with a care plan that’s personalized to your loved one’s and your family’s needs. Because of this, your loved one will be able to be as independent, engaged, and active as they want to be and as you want them to be. Plus, at our assisted living communities, your loved one can spend their free time wherever they want—whether that’s inside or outside their apartments. They’re always welcome to join in on the different events and activities that we may have going on.
We make sure that we customize our care to meet our resident’s specific needs. This can vary from assistance with medication management, dressing, bathing, and so on. Assisted living offers 24-hour personal assistance, an emergency call pendant, and weekly housekeeping services. Dining services are also included, and three chef-prepared meals each day are served in our communal dining rooms, restaurant-style.
If your loved one has a medical appointment or just wants to go on a shopping trip, we have scheduled transportation they can utilize. There are also many activities that they can participate in on-site, such as games, exercises, and the option to join presentations and classes that will keep the mind active.
The important theme of assisted living is that you and your loved one are able to make your own decisions about how your loved one will be spending their time and living their life.
BridgeWater assisted living can be found in Avondale, Deer Valley, and Midtown Phoenix. The Deer Valley location features four levels of assisted living care so you can choose the one that fits the needs of your loved one best.
Memory Care
Memory care at BridgeWater Assisted Living is still resident-centered, but it’s different from the various levels of assisted living care. We know that adults affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia need a different type of care. We also understand the challenges these adults face, as well as the challenges their family members face. This is why at BridgeWater we have Equilibrium, a philosophy that focuses on a proactive activities program for residents experiencing Alzheimer’s or dementia symptoms. This program creates positive health and wellness outcomes for loved ones.
Our program directors use a combination of music, mindfulness, art, and cognitive therapies to keep spirits high, bodies active, and minds engaged. We track the results of our Equilibrium approach and share them with our residents and their families in real-time. This program not only stimulates the brain, but it does also measures how each of our residents feel on a daily basis. Because of this, activities and therapies can be adjusted to fully suit each resident’s needs.
Some measured positive outcomes of Equilibrium are improved memory, greater sensory awareness and motor function, a reduced need for pharmaceutical interventions, enhanced communication skills by the ability to communicate and by improved language, and decreased wandering, restlessness, depression, and anxiety.
BridgeWater memory care can be found at our Midtown location in downtown Phoenix, right off Indian School Road on 3rd Avenue. Four different care levels are available to ensure your loved one gets the full attention care needed. These four care levels are clinical oversight, supervisory, personal care, and personal care plus. This community also provides assisted living, as mentioned above.
Every Resident Is an Individual
Not every adult living in assisted living or memory care needs the same level of care. We understand this at all of the BridgeWater Assisted Living communities and want to work with you, your entire family, and your loved one to ensure that the proper level of care is being achieved. If your loved one needs memory care rather than just assisted living, we offer that too and will work with you to determine which level is the best one. If memory care isn’t needed, we’ll also work with you to find the best assisted living fit for what your loved one does need.People sometimes confuse memory care and assisted living, but they aren’t the same, and the difference is important. We hope that the above information has helped settle any confusion you may have had. If you would like more clarity, please feel free to give us a call today. We’re happy to hear all about your loved one’s needs and even schedule a tour. If you’re unsure whether your loved one really needs memory care or assisted living, we can talk with you about that as well and work together to come up with a decision. We assure you that your loved one will always be the focus of the care and that the care will be tailored to their needs.