Though both assisted living and memory care communities provide compassionate, person-centered care to meet the unique needs of each individual, there are key differences between the two that make memory care—or as we call it at Village Shalom, Memory Support—better suited for adults living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Learn the differences between these two levels of senior living and the signs your loved one could require professional dementia care, so you can confidently decide on which option is right for your family member.
What’s the Difference Between Assisted Living and Memory Support?
Assisted living is ideal for older adults who need help with activities of daily living (ADLs), which are essential tasks that must be completed each day for a high-quality life. ADLs include dressing, personal grooming, eating, and safely moving around your home and community. While help is available from a professional caregiver 24/7 if needed, the overall goal of assisted living is to provide just the right amount of personalized assistance to help each resident maintain an independent lifestyle.
Memory Support, also known as memory care assisted living, is a specialized form of assisted living where residents receive personalized assistance with ADLs, plus 24-hour specialized care for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Residents are still encouraged to live as independently as possible, but their schedules are more structured, with dementia-based programming provided throughout each week.
The Village Shalom Approach: The Household Model of Care
At Village Shalom, our Memory Support utilizes an industry best practice known as the Household Model. This approach is designed to create an intimate, welcoming living space that reduces anxiety and fosters a true sense of belonging.
- Intimate Group Settings: Our community features smaller groupings of residents to keep the scale of the environment at a normal, residential size.
- Deep Relationships: Consistent staffing assignments mean that our cross-trained team members get to know each resident personally, nurturing their cognitive, physical, and psycho-social needs.
- Resident-Directed Life: In our households, residents have a greater say in their daily lives, including when they get up and how they spend their days.
Care Designed to Help Older Adults with Dementia Thrive
Though caregivers are available in assisted living whenever residents need them, memory care communities like ours at Village Shalom are designed to provide 24/7 supervised care to meet the unique needs of older adults with dementia.
Key Benefits of Memory Support:
- Smaller Number of Residents: Communities specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia care typically have a smaller number of residents and a higher number of staff members than you would usually find in assisted living. This ensures each resident is getting the personalized, compassionate care they need and have more opportunities to build meaningful relationships with their neighbors.
- Private Luxury Suites: Residents live in private suites that prioritize dignity and comfort. These suites can be personalized with familiar furnishings and keepsakes to help the environment feel like home.
- Enhanced Safety Features: To keep residents safe and provide family members with peace of mind, our community features secured entrances, courtyards, 24-hour on-campus security personnel, and continuous monitoring.
- Secure Outdoor Spaces: Residents have access to protected outdoor courtyards where they can safely enjoy nature while remaining physically active.
- Intentional Community Layout: Simple layouts make navigation easy for residents. This allows those who may wander to do so safely and helps residents find their way to common areas and back home with less assistance.
- Strategically Placed Décor: Personalized entrances and unique décor—like memory boxes at the door—help residents connect with their environment and associate certain areas with specific events. For instance, memory boxes tell residents they’ve arrived at their front door.
- 24-Hour Care: Village Shalom provides 24-hour licensed nursing care and specialized care plans tailored to each individual’s needs, preferences, and established life patterns.
- 40+ Hours of Specialized Programming: We offer at least 40 hours of dementia-based programming per week, including music and art therapy, sensory stimulation, and memory games designed to promote cognitive health, encourage an independent lifestyle, and help residents socialize.
- On-Site Amenities: Residents enjoy upscale conveniences including a salon, spa, chapel, and restaurant-style dining featuring kosher meals.
Signs It’s Time for Specialized Care
Some seniors in the early stages of dementia can maintain an independent lifestyle in assisted living. However, older adults in the middle or late stages may require more comprehensive support. It’s difficult to know when it’s the right time for a higher level of care, because dementia symptoms can vary from day to day.
Common signs your loved one might require specialized dementia care include:
- Frequent falls, bruises, or difficulty standing.
- Unusual weight loss or weight gain.
- Increased wandering or getting lost.
- Social withdrawal.
- No longer maintaining their living space.
- Increased agitation or aggression that’s become difficult for family caregivers to manage.
- Difficulty managing activities of daily living.
- Incontinence.
- Exhaustion from disrupted sleep patterns.
Keep in mind there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for knowing when it’s the right time to move to a memory care community. If you think you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of dementia, it’s best to seek the advice of your primary care provider or a cognitive health specialist.
Discover Compassionate Care and Vibrant Community at Village Shalom
Our senior living community in Overland Park, KS, features households that provide all the comforts of home and whole-person care that honors each individual’s unique history, preferences, and interests. Choosing the right environment ensures your parent can live with the dignity, luxury, and specialized support they deserve.
Talk to an advisor about Memory Support today! Call Justine Ogdon at 913-430-4896 or email jogdon@villageshalom.org.
