Memory Care Residences

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Residences

A growing number of residences specialize in care for people with Alzheimer’s and related symptoms of dementia.  Some are stand alone facilities that are “Dementia Only” while others are a specialized unit in a nursing home or an assisted living facility. Another type of residence for people with memory care needs is Residential Care Homes. Residential Care Homes are typically single family homes that have been turned into a residence for 5 to 10 people, but they can also be purpose built. Residential Care Homes usually provide general care and/or memory care.

In Memory Care Residences twenty-four hour supervision is required along with security systems to safeguard residents. Residents may have shared or private rooms or small apartments. Some costs are basic, but they also depend on the level of care a person needs. Residences may have specialized building features that help minimize confusion and agitation; secured wandering paths, color-coded hallways, visual cues. Professionally run communities provide ways to help build self-esteem, preserve dignity, nurture independence, and remind residents of a happy time and place. Often, repeated basic skills and familiar tasks or routines help stimulate the mind and keep residents from feeling isolated or confused.

Of course nothing can compare to the attention of family and friends and many communities are extending visiting times and are providing private gathering places for people within the residence.