Thanks to changing views on aging, new technologies, and modern healthcare, the memory care experience has improved over recent decades. Senior living and memory care are now designed to be attentive, personalized, fulfilling, and, most importantly, an experience centered around compassion and understanding.
Despite these changes, however, various misconceptions surrounding both memory care and the senior living industry remain prevalent. We’ve debunked five of the most common myths we regularly hear as a memory care community below.
1. Moving to memory care will mean giving up independence.
It’s often assumed that moving to an assisted living or memory care community requires seniors to sacrifice the independence and autonomy they hold dear. On the contrary, modern senior living communities like Alpine View Lodge are committed to ensuring this is not the case. Before a senior moves into an assisted living or memory care community, a detailed care plan will be constructed based on their wishes and needs. This plan allows senior residents to receive the perfect level of support that empowers them to retain choice and independence in everything they do.
2. It’s a family’s responsibility to care for their loved one.
Stigma, unfortunately, still exists around moving a loved one into residential senior care. The negative connotations of putting a loved one in a ‘home’ may even be enough to put some families off the idea of assisted living altogether. In fact, moving your parent or loved one to a memory care community can be the ultimate act of love and support. Conditions like Alzheimer’s disease are not simply a natural part of aging; they’re complex illnesses requiring expert care that family caregivers cannot be expected to provide. Attempting to do so may lead to a senior receiving inadequate support and family caregivers becoming burned out, especially in the later stages of the disease.
3. Senior living communities have a depressing and impersonal institutional feel.
Senior living communities are often set up to feel like a traditional home, with a choice of comfortable private spaces and social, communal rooms to enjoy. Residents are encouraged to decorate their personal space with their belongings, including artworks, ornaments, photographs, and furnishings. This focus on creating a genuinely homelike environment is especially important for seniors with dementia, providing comfort and familiarity that can ease disorientation and anxiety. In communities with higher staff-to-resident ratios like Alpine View Lodge, caregivers can also truly get to know each resident and cater to their likes, dislikes, and needs.
4. Memory care is only for seniors with advanced dementia.
Moving to an assisted living community with a memory care program can benefit seniors at any stage of a neurocognitive condition like dementia. Many residents living in memory care communities are seniors who need a little assistance with some activities of daily living (ADLs) like eating, taking medication, caring for personal hygiene, and grooming. With this support, seniors are empowered to enjoy a life of freedom and enrichment as they live with their disease. A dementia diagnosis should not mean a person has to miss out on living a life full of joy and purpose, and the right memory care community will nurture a great sense of well-being in its residents.
5. Memory care is unaffordable.
Another widespread myth is that moving a senior loved one to assisted living is expensive. Some families may even avoid considering residential memory care altogether, assuming it’s simply out of their budget. But take a moment to consider the hidden costs associated with living at home: utility bills, groceries, taxes, home maintenance, and more. If a senior also requires in-home care or adaptations to their home for declining mobility, the costs of aging in place can be great. On the flipside, memory care plans often include all these things, including 24/7 care and a range of activities and social events on-site. Some communities even include housekeeping and laundry within their all-inclusive services.
Alpine View Lodge Is Shifting Attitudes Towards Memory Care
Many families initially reach out to us feeling apprehensive about moving their loved ones into a senior care community. As a proud memory care and assisted living provider, we’re committed to changing perceptions of memory care for generations to come. While education is vital, we believe in leading by example first and foremost. Seniors in our care benefit from 24/7 dignified support from caregivers, each highly trained in memory care and some with over 30 years of experience.
Each individual with dementia has a unique personality and preferred daily routine and is impacted differently by their disease. Drawing upon their vast expertise, our staff can offer the highly personalized care each resident deserves. No two seniors with dementia are the same, nor should their care be. Our caregivers are dedicated to getting to know residents and bonding personally; we believe in treating residents as we would our beloved relatives.
Our invitingly cozy and tranquil community is surrounded by natural beauty, serving as the perfect peaceful place for seniors to retreat and live the enriched life they deserve. With an impressive variety of events, activities, and classes, seniors in our community enjoy new experiences every day, supported by a solid foundation of practical care tailored to their needs. Alongside our attentive care and activities, other services include housekeeping and laundry, medication management, and a daily meal service tailored to individual residents’ likes, dislikes, and dietary requirements.
If your loved one needs memory care support and you are ready to explore the unique benefits of choosing Alpine View Lodge assisted living, get in touch today to organize a guided tour.