7 Ways Memory Care Can Help Your Loved One with Dementia

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When it comes to healthy aging, quite honestly, there’s a lot to do. You’re supposed to make sure to keep your body active and your brain engaged all while maintaining your social connections as well. Sure, the benefits to your overall well-being are worth the effort, but retirement is supposed to be a time with less responsibility on your plate, right? Well, it turns out that in senior living you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Here’s how programs like our Vivid Life make keeping active, engaged, and connected easy and fun! 

Benefits of Healthy Aging 

Good things happen when you focus on healthy aging. In addition to feeling better overall, which in and of itself is a win, other benefits of keeping active, engaged, and connected include:  

  • Improved ability to do everyday things ​ 
  • Reduced impact of illness and chronic disease​ 
  • Enhanced mobility, flexibility, and balance
  • Improved sleep
  • Increased energy level
  • Reduced feelings of depression and stress
  • Increased feelings of happiness and self-confidence
  • Reduced risk of cognitive decline 
  • Increased mental adaptability and cognitive reserve 
  • Improved memory recall and problem-solving skills 
  • Improved concentration and attention to detail  

How Senior Living Can Help 

At home, particularly when living alone, it can be hard to stay as active, engaged, and connected as you’d like. From lack of opportunity to lack of motivation to lack of transportation to mobility challenges, and more, it’s tough, we get it! That’s why we created the Vivid Life program in our senior living communities. It’s composed of three parts: Vibrant Body, Vibrant Brain, and Vibrant Connections. Here’s what each entails:  

Vibrant Body We offer amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pool, walking trails, gardening opportunities, and even a dog park to help you stay active. A sample of activities includes:  

  • Walking club – Daily walks at different outdoor locations using pedometers to measure steps. 
  • Yoga – At least once per week for gentle yoga, and once per week for mindful breathing. 
  • Fitness classes – At least two times per week using a variety of hand weights, resistance bands, and circuit-type exercises. 
  • Tai Chi – At least once per week with a live instructor. 
  • Non-traditional exercise – Dancing, gardening, etc. at least two times per week. 
  • Physical games and sports – Golf, putting, bowling, croquet, bocce, and ping pong available daily with organized events one to two times per week. 

Vibrant Brain We offer monthly calendars filled with classes, events, creative arts, and enrichment opportunities to help keep you engaged. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Visiting lecture series – Twice per month with topics such as cultural, historical, local interest, career-oriented, etc. 
  • Creative art series – At least one per week with a theme that runs 3-6 weeks, such as poetry writing, storytelling, painting, digital photography, etc. 
  • Learning series – At least three times per month with an emphasis on learning something new such as foreign language, sign language, technology, hobbies, etc. 
  • Games – At least one time per week and may include poker, bridge, Scrabble, etc. 
  • Mindfulness – A meditation class once per week and gratitude discussion group twice monthly. 
  • Church service – At least once a week through visits by local churches. 
  • Stress reduction – At least once per month class that offers deep breathing exercises, nature walks, music appreciation, spa-type treatments, etc. 

 Vibrant Connections We offer resident-led clubs, social events, outings and volunteer opportunities for any interest to help you stay connected. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Outings – At least twice per month and may include going to concerts, art shows, museum visits, theatre productions, etc. 
  • Intergenerational programming – At least once per month and focuses on building relationships between young adults/children and residents. 
  • New resident welcome party – At least once per month to formally introduce all new residents, and includes ice breakers, social games, etc. to encourage connection. 
  • Philanthropic program – At least once per month provide residents the opportunity to give back to the community, such as volunteering for a local food bank or pet shelter. 
  • Resident-led clubs – May include game clubs, professional clubs, common interests, etc. that meet at least monthly.  

What’s more, it’s all right outside your door (or transportation is provided offsite) and all in a supportive environment with home maintenance, housekeeping, and restaurant-style dining freeing your time to make it even easier to stay active, engaged, and connected. 

Learn more about Vitality Living’s Vivid Life programs. Or find a Vitality Living community near you today to schedule a tour. 

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When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, most families assume the best place to care for them is at home. It’s the most comfortable and familiar environment, right? However, you may be surprised to find that the specialized care and supportive environment in senior living memory care communities offer ways for your loved one to thrive that are not as easily achieved at home. Here’s how memory care can help your loved one with dementia.

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What is Memory Care?

Memory care is a type of senior living that is designed just for those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. These communities nurture and support residents with specially-trained staff, 24/7 supervised care, and an environment that’s secure, yet comfortable with features that typically include:

  • A private or companion apartment
  • Chef-prepared meals
  • Medication assistance
  • Personalized support with bathing, dressing, eating, and other daily tasks
  • Planned social, fitness, and recreational activities
  • Housekeeping and laundry services

Benefits of Memory Care

We believe an engagement-focused philosophy of care and support offers the most benefit for residents in memory care. As such, our Vital Brain Program is founded on the belief that everyone has an innate ability to learn and succeed no matter the degree of cognitive impairment. By focusing on what your loved one can or wants to do (instead of the skills they may have lost), they can still live their best life regardless of their level of cognitive impairment.

Specific benefits in our memory care communities include:

  1. Tailored care – We know dementia affects each person differently, so the services and support your loved one receives are tailored to their specific needs and abilities including fitness goals and nutrition.
  2. Specialized training – Our staff participates in ongoing training that’s specialized to include a deeper understanding of dementia and how to care for the specific needs of those with memory loss.  Our staff also specializes in techniques for managing challenging behaviors and effective communication strategies.
  3. Daily opportunities to build cognitive strength – Each day your loved one will have numerous ways to engage their brain through cognitive health programs and creative outlets such as art and music.
  4. Daily opportunities to connect with others – We offer social activities and amenities that encourage connection with others, in addition to opportunities to learn and experience new things in small group settings. 
  5. Stress reduction – Spending time in nature with walking paths, conservation space, and a meditation pond can offer a sense of calm, comfort, and relaxation. In addition, residents enjoy our Mindful Meditation classes.
  6. Dining that promotes independence – Not only will your loved one benefit from chef-prepared meals that are as delicious as they are nutritious, but our dining experience also promotes independence with finger foods and dishes that are easy to chew in an environment that’s comfortable and relaxed. However, dining assistance is also available when needed.
  7. Supportive design – Our memory care communities feature a neighborhood concept that’s specifically designed for independence, engagement and success with calming lighting and colors chosen as well as plenty of access to fresh air and sunshine.

Check out The Beginner’s Guide to Recognizing Early Signs of Dementia to learn more. Or, contact your nearest Vitality Living community today to schedule your virtual tour!

 

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