We were excited to see RiverBender.com pick up the news that we've added a memory care unit to our Godfrey, Illinois community. It's not just an expansion of our Forget-Me-Not™ care model, but also an example of the growing trend of integrating memory care treatment options into the model of assisted living communities across the country.
The inclusion of memory care floors and apartments within the developments of senior communities certainly helps from a practical standpoint, in that should the need arise for a resident to have the services of a memory care team and facility, the close proximity eases the process, but it's also significant in that it reflects an acceptance and engagement of the fact that the challenges of memory care will arise and should be addressed at the community level.
It is no longer the case that assisted living residents requiring memory care support are geographically isolated from the place where they've lived, and perhaps a spouse or friends continue to live.
This approach reflects the essence of our goal to provide a place where living can still be about experiencing a quality of life and the daily success of personal growth.
The gaps in memory care are being filled with the breaking of ground on each new community and facility, but there is much work to do yet.
Initially, we need to continue to educate ourselves, family and friends on the facts about memory loss. While it may lead to conditions such as Alzheimer's, this is not always the case, as one blogger reminded us in a timely post this week. The facts about memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's are growing as researchers continue to investigate and publish remarkable findings on the subjects, some of which we've discussed in this blog.
Next, we need to challenge our communities to respond in a determined way to the issues confronting an aging baby boomer population. This means not only encouraging the development of businesses focused on assisted living services, but also playing an active role in those communities, by visiting regularly, volunteering, and taking the time to pay attention to all the good stories coming out of the memory care world, where the challenges are met on a daily basis.
As the New Hampshire Sentinel Source points out, things like visiting a senior center can be a difficult reminder of what appears to be life in diminished circumstances, but if one gets involved, asks questions, and makes an effort to participate in activities, the time transforms from a difficult experience to a healthy one, which delivers peace of mind to resident and visitor alike.
It all starts with one's attitude.
(Image Courtesy of Beverly and Pack on Flickr)
