What Steps Are Important In Senior Memory Care
Some form of memory decline is common in most seniors, so all aging adults can benefit from taking some steps to prevent their memory, But, of course, some of the memory loss issues can play a bigger role in health and daily living. Here are some steps for senior memory care that apply to different people along this spectrum.
Health, Diet and Exercise
Minor memory loss is something to monitor, it can potentially be helped with the right vitamin supplements and dietary changes. Sometimes, a cognitive decline is related to an underlying health issue. In short, have your loved one see a physician about an overall tune-up in health.
Engagement
Moderate memory loss requires a bit more effort to maintain. When a senior is on a decline towards memory loss, a key component of treatment is keeping them as engaged as possible, both mentally and socially. This may be the time to consider an assisted living facility, where your loved one has better access to a community. Or, living in senior apartments could be a great way to put your loved one near like-minded peers, where they can get more involved in their community and have better access to senior resources; it all depends on how you judge their state of health to be.
Memory Care Facilities
At the more severe end of the spectrum, memory care requires daily attention and, potentially, custodial care. In an assisted living facility that accounts for memory care, your loved one would be attended by staff with geriatric training. They can help in a number of ways. The most basic is simple daily interaction that helps your loved one feel emotionally and mentally connected. These facilities also can provide custodial care for help with dressing, cooking, bathing, and other tasks that may not get done correctly otherwise.
Memory care units are also careful about monitoring cognitive symptoms for signs of decline. Memory loss can affect verbal skills, emotional states, and other parts of a person's cognitive functioning. By keeping records of a person's temperament and seeing how it changes over time, the memory care facility can see if what they are doing is helping or not.
At the same time, advanced medical care is probably needed for those who suffer from memory issues. They might not be able to seek the healthcare they need, so instead, the facility takes charge of monitoring the person's vitals and overall health.
For seniors who do not have severe memory loss yet, it's a great time to take charge by using diet, exercise, and activities as a way to stave off memory issues. But for those seniors who need additional care, thankfully, there are facilities who can devote attention to these individuals.
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