Memory care facilities are nursing homes specifically designed for seniors with Alzheimer’s or other types of Dementia. The 24 hour staff at memory care facilities are especially trained to work with the depression, aggression, and confusion associated with this disease. Most have special safety systems to prevent wandering and keep seniors secure.  Some facilities have special classes designed to help with memory retention and mental functionality.

Like other assisted living centers, they can provide daily assistance and medical care. Levels of care can be customized to accommodate the individual need of your senior loved one.

Services

Memory care facilities vary greatly in size, price, and services available. Most commonly, services that are offered include:

  • Comfortable private, or semi-private rooms
  • Daily means
  • Housekeeping and laundry service
  • Medication management
  • Exercise and physical therapy programs
  • Social programs and activities
  • 24-hour staffing and personal assistance

Specialization

There are no federal regulations pertaining specifically to memory care, but some states require

special licensing. However, memory care facilities follow federal and state regulations for nursing homes, and often times over-do minimum requirements due to the high level of care required for dementia residents.

Preparation

Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient without specialized training is difficult and can be dangerous.  Seeking out a Memory Care center for your senior loved one can provide the level of care to best meet the challenges.  In preparing to visit a Memory Care Facility, here are some questions you should be prepared to be asked:

  • Be prepared to discuss all levels of the loved ones symptoms, behavior and limitations.
  • What level of assistance does your loved one need?
  • Is your senior fairly independent or does he or she need help with basic tasks?
  • Are there other medical concerns that will need frequent attention or special care?
  • Is his/her condition worsening quickly, or degenerating slowly over time?
  • What is your monthly budget?
  • What financial instruments do you have in place to help cover costs? Are you expecting Medicare or other insurance to assist?

Evaluation

When visiting a Memory Care Facility be sure to know these facts:

  • Are you Medicaid/Medicare certified?
  • Do you have any health requirements or other requirements for your residents?
  • How many residents do you have in your facility?
  • What is the caregiver to resident ratio during the day and at night?
  • What qualifications are required of caregivers?
  •  How are you equipped to handle medical emergencies?
  • How do you handle emotional crises?
  • After visiting, did residents appear to be clean and well groomed?
  • Was the space clean and pleasant smelling?
  • How did the staff members interact with the residents?
  • Did anything you observed make you nervous about the facility or staff?

Dementia & Memory Care Articles

Dementia & Memory Care Radio Show Segments

  • 20-Week Lifestyle Plan to Reduce Dementia Risk

    Practical takeaways from global studies aim to reduce our risk for developing Alzheimer’s and dementia. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk more how to apply these recommendations to our everyday lives. One 20-week lifestyle plan was developed by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention Intervention and Care. The plan has four components that focus on diet, exercise, stress management, and support groups.

    There’s a 30% lower risk of developing cognitive impairment by changing to whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. Break down the diet to 14% total fat, 16%-18% protein, 63-68% complex carbohydrates. A Mediterranean diet checks all the boxes: a lot of fish, a lot of nuts. Hydration is also important.

    30 minutes of walking per day, even broken into chunks, is the best overall exercise you can do. Strength and resistance training three times per week is essential, even if you’re just lifting soup cans from the pantry. Other whole exercises, such as stretching, flexibility, meditation, in a home exercise program is recommended.

    Dr. Weiss says, “The last two things were: one, stress management and meditation, yoga, flexibility exercises, breathing strategies. And then the last one was the support groups, and they broke those support groups down into three times per week and they exercise together. They did stretch management techniques, they did straight support group talks, and lectures and education in those three times a week. At Senior Health and wellness.org, you can find some great information and other videos that I’ve done.”

    Learn more

    Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies.

    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

     

  • 12 Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s and Dementia

    Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about Alzheimer’s and dementia studies with an eye towards prevention. She discusses the FINGER survey (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) and ongoing global studies that study 12 modifiable risk factors: hypertension, smoking, type-2 diabetes, obesity, social isolation, alcohol, lessened cognitive activity, lower education levels, hearing loss, head injuries, lifestyle (physical activity and exercise), and air pollution.

    The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention Intervention and Care developed a 20-week lifestyle plan addressing the 12 risk factors. Broken down into four components, they involve 1) Modifying diet and nutrition; 2) Exercise routines; 3) Stress management; and 4) Support groups (having people interact on your team).

    Learn more

    Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies.

    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

  • Socialization Benefits With CarePartners Cottages

    CarePartners Cottages are secured campuses containing a small neighborhood of three or four apartments. These unique cottages are a great solution for many issues facing those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, including sundowning and socialization. Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living talks about the company, their special spot in the area of senior living, and the benefits of the cottages.

    Tracy says, “We have four cottages at my cottage community. Inside these four cottages is this amazing four season discovery garden, heated sidewalks, patio heaters, patio mister. So we can optimize the amount of time that folks spend outside, if they wish to. And I was on a tour with a family, and one of my residents was walking from her cottage to another cottage, and she had a cup of coffee in her hand. And she said, ‘Oh, we’re out of sugar. I’m just gonna go see the neighbors have any.’ And I thought, this is a perfect illustration about why this concept is unique.

    “It’s unique in so many ways. Sundowning is that period of time that some people start to have behaviors, anxiousness: I have to go to my job, I have to go home and make dinner. It could be between 2 and 5 or 6. Some people have it different times. What a natural intervention for sundowning. When we say, ‘ok, well, we’ll see you later,’ and they go outside and they walk on our sort-of-figure-eight sidewalks for a while and that anxiousness and that restlessness works itself out. And then they come back to us and we go, ‘oh, welcome back. Once you come on in, we have a snack, or we’re watching this great movie right now.'”

    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Top 3 Tips for Being With Seniors Who Have Dementia

    Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living shares three most important things to keep in mind during interactions with senior loved ones who have Alzheimer’s and dementia.

    They can’t make new memories, so correcting them and arguing with them just causes distress. Have a sense of humor when the unusual happens. And remember that every day is a new day – someone with Alzheimer’s and dementia lives in the moment, so if they get angry with you, they won’t carry that into tomorrow.

    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Socialization, Home Care, Memory Care, and a Sense of Purpose

    Socialization and relationships are important for our mental health, and it’s a core part of memory care at senior living communities. Mom or dad wants to be with peers as well as with family. Home care agencies are available to come in and provide assistance to seniors with activities of daily living. Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living joins Suzanne to talk about these factors for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

    Tracy says, “The beautiful thing about moving your loved one, either from a home environment or from, say, an independent living or assisted living to a specialized memory care is the folks. Everybody has dementia. No one’s going to say, ‘You’ve said that three times.’ No one’s going to say, ‘You know where the bathroom is, you’ve been there six times today.’ No one is going to say that.

    “One of the things we see when people come from other environments is people have been noticing that there’s something not tracking, they have noticed. So they shut down socially, they stop doing activities, they stop pursuing relationships. When they come into a specialized memory care, everybody’s in the same boat. There is, interestingly, a bump up in both the appetite and socialization, using their brain. They’re in their tribe Nobody’s going to make them feel ‘other’ in this environment. Some of these things are very stressful for families. For us, it’s a Tuesday. So we all understand how this works. We don’t get tired of reminding, or queuing, or any of that. So I think that specialized memory care is a beautiful place where we see people begin to actually function at their optimum level. They’re with other people in an environment, and with a routine, that is absolutely pleasant for them.”

    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Top Warning Signs for Dementia

    Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living joins Suzanne to talk about memory care. CarePartners has senior living communities in Washington and Arizona. She talks about the warning signs of dementia, comparing them with natural signs of aging.

    For instance, forgetting something in the microwave is common, but forgetting that microwaves aren’t a good place to keep your keys is not. Forgetting someone’s name is common, but forgetting their spouse’s name is not. If you’re afraid to leave them alone, if safety becomes a concern, the greatest thing you can give them is an elevated level of care: memory care.

    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Dementia: Self-Care to Mitigate Caregiver Burnout

    If you’re caring for a loved one who is cognitively impaired, this hour is for you. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne this hour to talk about giving yourself some grace and working on self-care to lessen burnout during the overwhelming experience of family caregiving.

    Dr. Weiss talks about recognizing the symptoms of burnout, working on self-care, and giving yourself some grace. Burnout will lead you to have a short fuse, the last thing you need while caregiving. Take time and step back, find ways to de-stress, and have someone you can vent to.

    Knowledge is power. The more you are prepared, the better as your loved one’s dementia worsens. When it comes down to it, you have to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and finding people that can help. If you have to take a break, make sure you come back refreshed, don’t feel guilty about it. Have trusted people around you. You don’t want to wait till it’s too late to find the right people, because then you’ll be forced to make quick adjustments and not find the right people.

    Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies.

    Learn more:
    * Shawn Weiss
    * Senior Health and Wellness website

    Hear more podcasts about:
    * Aging in place
    * Dementia

    Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Dementia: 8 Tips to Become a Better Listener

    If you’re caring for a loved one who is cognitively impaired, this hour is for you. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne this hour to talk about the listening and non-verbal side of communicating better.

    We’re rushed, living hectic lives. When we walk into the room with our loved ones, are we empathetic, or just pretending to listen? With empathy, you’ll have more success with them doing what you need, like eating breakfast or going to the doctor.

    Not interrupting, not finishing their sentences for them, goes a long way. You’re going to learn more about mom, a long of things you can still learn from them if you just listen. Their long-term memory is still intact.

    Her advice: actually listen, don’t pretend to listen. Get over repetition. Don’t interrupt. Ask the right questions. Take inventory of your own weaknesses. Practice listening. Resist the impulse to correct errors. And don’t let yourself get offended.

    Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies.

    Learn more:
    * Shawn Weiss
    * Senior Health and Wellness website

    Hear more podcasts about:
    * Aging in place
    * Dementia

    Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

     

  • Dementia: How to Tweak Surroundings and Your Tone of Voice to Improve Communication

    If you’re caring for a loved one who is cognitively impaired, this hour is for you. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne this hour to talk about ways of adjusting the home environment to improve the quality of life for those who face cognitive challenges.

    Environment plays a major role in daily success, especially as symptoms progress. Adding lavender and vanilla through diffusers can provide a calming effect, reducing stress. It helps to set lights lower after dinnertime. Colors have a huge affect as well.

    Communicate with more of a soothing tone of view, and use calmer body language. Avoid jargon, and speak one step at a time. If you want to maximize what they can do, rather than toss out lots of instructions, because the brain is processing more slowly, give them one instruction at a time, and give them time to process it. Simple tweaks can help. For instance, avoid asking they want to take a shower, because they can say no. Instead, say “It’s time to take a shower, let’s go take a shower.”

    Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies.

    Learn more:
    * Shawn Weiss
    * Senior Health and Wellness website

    Hear more podcasts about:
    * Aging in place
    * Dementia

    Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Dementia: Communicating Better With Our Loved Ones

    If you’re caring for a loved one who is cognitively impaired, this hour is for you. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne this hour. This segment provides an overview of mental impairments, including dementia.

    12-18% of those over 60 years old have at least some mild cognitive disorder, and that is expected to grow by 20% by the year 2040. 80% of seniors in senior living communities have some kind of impairment. Most people want to age in place, particularly after Covid, and people are feeling ill-equipped when it comes to caregiving. People are looking for ways to help mom or dad, to improve their quality of life.

    There are more than 100 types of dementia. People have language deficits or an expressive aphasia, taking unnecessary risks, memory losses, confusion, decreased concentration, and some personality changes are some of the symptoms.

    Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies.

    Learn more:
    * Shawn Weiss
    * Senior Health and Wellness website

    Hear more podcasts about:
    * Aging in place
    * Dementia

    Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

  • Dementia: When Traumatic Memories Surface

    Alzheimer’s and dementia expert Forrest Stepnowski joins Suzanne to talk about dementia, particularly when someone with dementia has gone through a traumatic event. Forrest is CarePartners Living’s Executive Director of The Cottages at Renton, in Seattle.

    Forrest says, “Whether people choose to admit it, trauma — like we used to treat dementia — is an invisible diagnosis that no one wants to talk about. And even if we ourselves have exhibited or experienced something traumatic in our life, that can be very, very scary for us to bring up. Sometimes we forget that our memories come back, and people are getting hit by these memories of traumatic events to the point where… it could be child abuse. Dare I say rape, sexual trauma, all those things come back as dementia progresses itself. And that is something that people forget about. When you see somebody who has dementia, and you start seeing them layer up, and they’re being paranoid, and they’re being guarded, we have to look at that part. And when we discover that piece, we’re able to treat them better. We’re able to provide better care and understanding of why, we’re able to speak their language and help them with their care. All those things play a role.

    Suzanne asked about PTSD statistics. Forrest explains, “In Washington State is estimated that 80% of our population has suffered a trauma of some sort. PTSD is one of the number one hidden diagnoses, or least diagnosed. Different populations in the ’80s and ’70s – women especially were misdiagnosed as bipolar versus PTSD – be fair, in the ’80s, they didn’t even know what PTSD was. Everyone’s always had that identified to people who were soldiers, especially people from Vietnam.”

    Contact Forrest Stepnowski at The Cottages at Renton at (425) 528-7070. CarePartners has communities in Arizona and the state of Washington.

    Learn more:

    * The Cottages at Renton: https://www.carepartnersliving.com/cottages-of-renton/
    * CarePartners Senior Living: https://answersforelders.com/carepartners-senior-living/
    * CarePartners website: https://www.carepartnersliving.com/

    Hear more:
    * Shows by CarePartners: https://answersforelders.com/tag/carepartners-living/

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

  • Dementia: Learning to Speak the Language

    Alzheimer’s and dementia expert Forrest Stepnowski joins Suzanne to talk about learning to communicate better with those who have dementia. Forrest is CarePartners Living’s Executive Director of The Cottages at Renton, in Seattle.

    Forrest says, “One thing I try to teach caregivers I work with at CarePartners — and at the Cottages of Renton specifically, as well as family members, as well as people who come to us as community outreach — is when someone has dementia, you have to learn how to speak their language. You have to learn what is triggering them, especially if someone has a trauma history, which 80% of us out there do. And that can play a role to their paranoia, into their fears, into embarrassment, when they’re needing help. All those things play a factor. I simply tell people, if they say it’s 1945, it’s 1945. I don’t know what the story is about 1945, but whether positive or negative, find out. The sky is purple? The sky is purple. What’s causing it to be purple? That’s what we should be asking, not correcting.”

    Forrest adds, “The thing about dementia is people need to realize is those behaviors happen because there is a gap in the brain, the brain will slowly deteriorating. It becomes a black hole. If you look at a PET scan, the wave of the brain becomes smaller, and smaller and smaller, and it starts exhibiting a black hole. There’s no function in the brain after a while. When people have behaviors, they can’t help it. It’s their way of communicating. They’re trying to get it out. You know, it’s OK to hear those stories back then. You might actually learn something about your loved one that you didn’t know before. You’re like, uh did mom really meet President Hoover? From siblings, they’re still alive from that generation, ‘Oh, yeah, she did all that stuff like that,’ and people truly find a side of their parents or their loved ones they didn’t know it was there.”

    Contact Forrest Stepnowski at The Cottages at Renton at (425) 528-7070. CarePartners has communities in Arizona and the state of Washington.

    Learn more:

    * The Cottages at Renton: https://www.carepartnersliving.com/cottages-of-renton/
    * CarePartners Senior Living: https://answersforelders.com/carepartners-senior-living/
    * CarePartners website: https://www.carepartnersliving.com/

    Hear more:
    * Shows by CarePartners: https://answersforelders.com/tag/carepartners-living/

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

  • Dementia: The Environmental Four Fs

    Allyson Schrier, founder and CEO of Zinnia TV, joins Suzanne to talk about Teepa Snow’s four ideals for making the environment a safer place for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Teepa says an environment should be Friendly, Familiar, Functional, and Forgiving. Environmental wellness is one of the 8 foundational principles of wellness, a focus of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana.

    Allyson explains, “I want to look at the space through their eyes. And I want to ask myself, is this a space that’s friendly to them? Is it going to seem familiar to them, if I’m moving a loved one into long-term care, and I’m creating a space for them in that long-term care setting? Is it going to be reminiscent of where they came from? Is it someplace that’s going to appear friendly and familiar to them? And this can go with smells as well, bringing in flowers, bringing things that remind them of where they used to live.”

    The basics of the four Fs are:

    “Friendly is an environment that feels comfortable and like I belong there. So just looking at the kitchen for instance, we would want it to be something that speaks to who I was as well as who I am. So a color scheme that I love and that I find comforting a color, uses solid contrasting colors for dishware and towels, so that they are easily distinguishable from cabinets, countertops, and appliances. High contrast switch plates, so that it’s for me to find those. I also want to make sure to in this friendly vein that the light is really good. Add light strips underneath the cabinets for instance…

    “Familiar: I want to make sure that somebody is familiar with their space. We want to ensure that all food items are clearly labeled, that food storage containers are marked with contents, and a date. And we also think about removing some of the kitchen cabinet doors, using open concept shelving. So that is familiar, I’m familiar with all of the things that are in my kitchen.
    stripped down to its essentials, reducing clutter on the countertop. Use hooks to hang utensils on the wall, so that things are in plain view.

    “Functional: Reducing the quantity of items in cabinets and drawers to a minimum, stripped down to its essentials, reducing clutter on the countertop. I don’t know how many appliances you have on your countertop – I have way too many. Use hooks to hang utensils on the wall, so that things are in plain view… That table that I sit beside when I watch TV, does it just contain the things that I really need the most, or there are many other things that are going to make it hard for me to find what I need the most?”

    “The fourth F is forgiving. I want to make this kitchen a safe space. This goes throughout the entire house… removing kitchen floor mats to prevent falls. Ensuring that cords on small appliances are in good working order and not a jumble. And maybe having like a power strip where everything plugs in. Creating laminated cards with basic instructions for simple tasks like how to make a pot of coffee, how to cook oatmeal, or how to heat mechanics.”

    Learn more about
    * Zinnia TV subscriptions, with a two-week free trial: https://www.zinniatv.com/
    * Allyson Schrier: https://www.zinniatv.com/about
    * The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    * Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    * Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    Hear more
    * Podcasts with Allyson Schrier at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/allyson-schrier/
    * Articles and podcasts about Environmental Wellness: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/environmental-wellness/

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

  • How Colors Affect Those With Alzheimer’s

    Allyson Schrier, founder and CEO of Zinnia TV, joins Suzanne to talk about how those with dementia and Alzheimer’s are affected by different colors in their environment. Environmental wellness is one of the 8 foundational principles of wellness, a focus of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana.

    Allyson says, “We’ll talk about specific colors. We’ll also talk about colors in general. People who are living with dementia have challenges seeing contrast. An example, the bathroom at my house has a white floor, white walls, and white toilet. My husband [who had dementia] would go into the bathroom and he would shut the door and he would urinate on the wall. Why couldn’t he see the toilet? Because it’s the same color as the floor, same color as the walls. So what do we do? We replace the toilet seat with a bright-colored toilet seat.

    “As far as colors themselves go, red is a color that’s associated with warmth. And it’s also an appetite enhancer. It is the most common color of a plate that is used in long-term care settings – it creates contrast, and because it enhances appetite. So if I give somebody a white plate and on that I put some white pasta or rice, it’s very hard for them to actually see the rice or the pasta or the plate. Therefore, a contrasting color is really helpful.

    “Blue by comparison is considered an appetite suppressant. So maybe I wouldn’t want to have blue plates. Blue is also a color that promotes peace and calm, and can lower blood pressure and anxiety. So if I’m going to have a snuggly blanket that I’m going to cover somebody with, if it’s a red blanket, that kind of promotes thoughts about warmth. If it’s a blue blanket, then maybe that would promote a sense of ease and calm.

    “Which is something that the color green also does. And I think that it has to do with the fact that these are the colors in nature, right? If somebody runs to high anxiety, maybe I want to dress them in colors that will promote calm and soothing. Maybe a green top, for instance, with patterns. Lime green green is a color that draws lots of attention. If I’m going to put labels on cabinets, for instance, or I want to put instructions next to the coffee maker, maybe I use lime green paper or lime green sticky notes.”

    Learn more about
    * Zinnia TV subscriptions, with a two-week free trial: https://www.zinniatv.com/
    * Allyson Schrier: https://www.zinniatv.com/about
    * The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    * Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    * Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    Hear more
    * Podcasts with Allyson Schrier at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/allyson-schrier/
    * Articles and podcasts about Environmental Wellness: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/environmental-wellness/

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

  • Dementia: Environmental Red Flags

    Allyson Schrier, founder and CEO of Zinnia TV, joins Suzanne to talk about things in an environment that we should be mindful of if we have someone with dementia in our lives. Environmental wellness is one of the 8 foundational principles of wellness, a focus of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana.

    Allyson says, “I guess I’ll start with clutter. It becomes increasingly difficult for people to find things when they are living with dementia, and also decision-making becomes very, very challenging. So when I’m talking about clutter, I am talking about things like tripping hazards, of course… Obvious things that people could trip over… throw rugs are a very, very bad idea, especially when we have people who are maybe using a walker.

    “Also make it easier for people to find things. So if for instance, the things that my mom really uses all the time are maybe her TV remote and cell phone, for instance, then on the table next to where she sits should just be those two things.

    “Similarly, I think about a person’s closet. In your mind, go into your own closet. I want people to be really, really successful in what they set out to do when they have dementia. And I want them to do as much as they can for themselves as long as possible. Maybe what I do, I just leave in the closet the four shirts that they most love, two pairs of pants that they most love. And as their dementia progresses, maybe I change that up, so there’s just one shirt and one pants. So when I say, ‘hey, why don’t you go get dressed?’ they can easily find the things that they need.”

    Allyson cites a number of other helpful tips involving the kitchen, floors, and yards.

    Learn more about
    * Zinnia TV subscriptions, with a two-week free trial: https://www.zinniatv.com/
    * Allyson Schrier: https://www.zinniatv.com/about
    * The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    * Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    * Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    Hear more
    * Podcasts with Allyson Schrier at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/allyson-schrier/
    * Articles and podcasts about Environmental Wellness: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/environmental-wellness/

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

  • Communicating Better With Dementia Patients

    Allyson Schrier joins Suzanne to talk about how a brain with dementia works differently, and how to change our approach for communicating with someone who has dementia. Allyson realized that slower-paced visuals, with music instead of words, or with the words captioned, would be easier for those with Alzheimer’s to engage with.

    This led to her cofounding Zinnia TV, an app for mobile devices and connected TVs for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia that creates engagement, reduces challenging behaviors, and encourages adherence to activities of daily living. Creating an environment that supports us is part of environmental wellness, one of the 8 foundational principles of wellness, a focus this month for the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana.

    Allyson says, “What’s really relevant for today’s conversation is the changes that impact the way that I experience the world. So, as we know, our brains are our computers, right? They’re input/output devices, and there are like 86 billion neurons that are constantly interacting with my entire body. In a very simplistic way, we can think about it such that when I am taking data in, there’s a whole bunch of communication that’s happening within my brain. Many, many, many neurons that are involved. Same thing when I am doing output, when I’m speaking, and the same thing when I’m thinking. One of the things that happens with all dementias is that those neurons, and the connections between the neurons, start to die. The brain is still going to try and have this communication, neuron to neuron to neuron. But what’s going to happen is it’s gonna go over here, and it’s gonna go ‘Ahh, bridge out, let me go this way.’ ‘Yikes, that bridge is out, this way.’ And so the result is that our processing speed slows way down. It’s not unusual for a person very early on in dementia to miss four or five words that’s spoken to them. Because I’m working so hard to process word number one, I eventually start falling behind.”

    “At a time when they’re experiencing hearing loss anyway, when they’re experiencing things like macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts… And so you add to that the visual and the auditory processing changes, and other visual changes that occur as a result of dementia. So it means that, to create a an environment that is friendly, that takes these changes into account, I want to avoid visual and auditory clutter. So I’m going to be successful having a conversation with somebody where there isn’t a lot of competing noise. So, busy restaurants? No. While we’re shopping at Target? Not necessarily. In a room where the TV is going and there are people talking? No.

    “I want to give people plenty of time. It can take somebody up to 20 seconds to respond to a question when they have dementia. So I want to make sure that I give somebody adequate time to respond. I want to slow down the way that I ask my questions, maybe use fewer words. The hearing range that we loose first is the highest range. So therefore, rather than using my high voice, I want to maybe use a lower voice when I’m talking.”

    Learn more about
    * Zinnia TV subscriptions, with a two-week free trial: https://www.zinniatv.com/
    * Allyson Schrier: https://www.zinniatv.com/about
    * The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    * Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    * Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    Hear more
    * Podcasts with Allyson Schrier at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/allyson-schrier/
    * Articles and podcasts about Environmental Wellness: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/environmental-wellness/

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
    Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

  • Being Accepted with Dementia at Senior Living, Part 2

    Michelle Cornelius, VP of Memory Care at Cogir Senior Living, joins Suzanne to talk about the social wellness of those with dementia in senior living communities. This segment focuses on how senior living communities have responded after having had to isolate seniors during the pandemic.

    Michelle says, “We really have seen effects from COVID starting with families not wanting to have a person move into memory care or assisted living, because you didn’t know when you would see that again. And so people are moving in much later in the disease process than they used to, which makes adjustment harder sometimes. And then, when a person was in assisted living or memory care, we told them they had to isolate. And so we’re sending people to their rooms and we’re providing meals in the rooms and activities in the rooms and doing things one-on-one, instead of bringing them to groups. Dementia is use it or lose it. So if I tell you to go to your room for three months, and now I’m telling you it’s OK to come out, you’re not coming out.

    “We’ve had to start with a lot of small group involvement. We can still have our great activity calendar where the people who are ready to come out are participating. A lot of the staff have gotten involved, one or two people at a time encouraging people to come out for those one or two things that are most purposeful and meaningful for them. Increasing their volunteer portion of what the resident is doing in memory care: I am much more likely to come out if I’m leading the activity than if I’m just participating in the activity. And then getting the family involved. When the family visits, they say I’m coming over because they’re having a party. Let’s go to the party that they’re having.”

    The Vitality Revolution podcast series is sponsored by Humana.

    Hear more:
    Michelle Cornelius episodes on Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/michelle-cornelius/
    Social Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/social-wellness/
    Occupational Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/occupational-wellness/

    Learn more:
    Cogir Senior Living: https://www.cogirseniorliving.com/
    Michelle Cornelius: https://cadencesl.com/cadence-living-hires-michelle-cornelius-as-vp-of-memory-care-engagement/
    The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    You can reach Michelle Cornelius at [email protected].

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/

  • Being Accepted with Dementia at Senior Living, Part 1

    Michelle Cornelius, VP of Memory Care at Cogir Senior Living, joins Suzanne to talk about helping those with dementia adjust socially and find their fit in their senior living community.

    Michelle says, “Their nonverbal communication skills increase, and they do a really good job of picking up on how others around them feel. And so if they walk into a dining room and they feel like they’re being ostracized, they’re not very likely to want to come back to the dining room, because they know that they don’t fit in. And so when we can join people together in pairs or groups or in areas where they can be themselves, it’s much more comfortable. It’s great to be in a group of folks who have early memory loss, even may not be living in memory care yet, but they all recognize that they have issues, and I’ve had people say to each other, ‘I’m losing this, this is going, I don’t remember it anymore. Have I told you this before?’ And I know they’ve told the story before, but the other resident says they haven’t heard it. It’s great to be in that setting where you’re accepted.

    “They may not know the other residents names, but you’ll see ladies holding hands, walking down the hall, and they gravitate to the same person every time, even in early memory loss. If you feel comfortable with the person, this is who I’m going to find as my support. It also helps the environment feel safer, because now there’s somebody else here that I’m gonna stick with, and somebody else with me when I’m feeling lost, or don’t know where I am.”

    Regarding what you as a loved one can do to help them adjust to living in memory care, Michelle says, “Participate in the life of the community. When you visit, don’t go lock yourself behind a door in the person’s apartment or their room. Join in the activities, join in the meals. And when you’re going to leave, don’t say goodbye. Consider when you walk in the door, the hug you give them when you walk in, that’s your goodbye hug too. Leave them with a good feeling, and that means they’re involved in an activity, they’re involved in a meal, they’re doing something that brings them joy. And now you’re just going to go, and it can be a 10 minute visit. It doesn’t have to be a two hour visit.”

    The Vitality Revolution podcast series is sponsored by Humana.

    Hear more:
    Michelle Cornelius episodes on Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/michelle-cornelius/
    Social Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/social-wellness/
    Occupational Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/occupational-wellness/

    Learn more:
    Cogir Senior Living: https://www.cogirseniorliving.com/
    Michelle Cornelius: https://cadencesl.com/cadence-living-hires-michelle-cornelius-as-vp-of-memory-care-engagement/
    The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    You can reach Michelle Cornelius at [email protected].

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/

  • Crafting a Sense of Purpose For Those With Dementia, Part 2

    If you have a loved one experiencing some Alzheimer’s or dementia, and you’re wondering how to help them find purpose and meaning each day, this show focuses on ways to help. Michelle Cornelius, VP of Memory Care at Cogir Senior Living, joins Suzanne from Phoenix to talk about providing a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and motivation for getting up each day for those with dementia.

    Michelle says, “Our calendars change every month, and they’re really individualized by the community and the culture of each community, because what we do in Phoenix is very different than what we do in some of our Mid Atlantic properties or our California properties. Some of it is just weather related — I can do things in the winter in Phoenix that you can’t do elsewhere. Some of it’s based off the culture of the location. Even the foods we serve vary depending on where you are. Folks in the Phoenix area are used to a little spice in their food, but in other areas, they don’t want that.

    “And then we have to vary the amounts of support that people need as well. People in the early stage of dementia, we want to make sure we’re incorporating a lot of reminiscing and a lot of things that trigger their memory. And it’s a different type of support than for folks who are in the later stages, where we need to give a lot more time. We need to use a lot more sensory integration. So we might have trivia. and trivia is gonna look very different for people in the early stage than in the late stage. Our exercise groups will look very different depending on what stage a person is in their disease process. and the amount of support they need to be successful.”

    The Vitality Revolution podcast series is sponsored by Humana.

    Hear more:
    Michelle Cornelius episodes on Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/michelle-cornelius/
    Social Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/social-wellness/
    Occupational Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/occupational-wellness/

    Learn more:
    Cogir Senior Living: https://www.cogirseniorliving.com/
    Michelle Cornelius: https://cadencesl.com/cadence-living-hires-michelle-cornelius-as-vp-of-memory-care-engagement/
    The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    You can reach Michelle Cornelius at [email protected].

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/

  • Crafting a Sense of Purpose For Those With Dementia, Part 1

    Michelle Cornelius joins Suzanne from Phoenix to talk about occupational and social wellness for those with dementia. Michelle is VP of Memory Care at Cogir Senior Living. Michelle talks about ways that occupational wellness — having a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and reason for getting up each day — can be incorporated in the social calendars of people with dementia at senior living communities.

    “For example, we had one guy with dementia who used to teach line dancing classes. We scheduled him on the calendar to teach line dancing. He didn’t remember what he had taught the previous week, the residents didn’t remember what he’d taught them the previous week, he’s taught the same two measures of the song in the course every week, and the residents loved it. It didn’t matter that they were relearning something that they had already done.

    “I had another woman who did that with crocheting. She was the head, and it had her name on it, so it was Crocheting with the resident’s name on the calendar. She didn’t know how to turn her rows any more, so she would do that initial row, and when she’d get to the end, she’d stop, and we’d say that’s our time for the week, and next week we’re going to turn and start over, and we just did it every week. She taught us the same thing. And the residents were learning.”

    The Vitality Revolution podcast series is sponsored by Humana.

    Hear more:
    Michelle Cornelius episodes on Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/michelle-cornelius/
    Social Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/social-wellness/
    Occupational Wellness episodes: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/occupational-wellness/

    Learn more:
    Cogir Senior Living: https://www.cogirseniorliving.com/
    Michelle Cornelius: https://cadencesl.com/cadence-living-hires-michelle-cornelius-as-vp-of-memory-care-engagement/
    The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
    Humana: https://www.humana.com/
    Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/

    You can reach Michelle Cornelius at [email protected].

    Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/

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