Memory Assisted Living

What Can You Expect from Assisted Living Facilities?

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With more people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, there has been a growing need for assisted living facilities that will provide proper care for patients suffering from such a debilitating condition.

Also known as residential care, congregate house, or domiciliary care, an assisted living facility is essentially a place where patients suffering from Alzheimer’s dementia can live as independently as possible but with easy access to support in their day-to-day needs.

 

Here are some of the things that you can expect from these assisted living facilities:

 

All Residents have Rights

The primary goal of an assisted living facility is to allow a patient to live an independent life despite his condition by providing an environment that promotes his dignity, autonomy, privacy, and safety among other things.

 

All residents of assisted living facilities have the right to:

  • Be treated with utmost dignity and respect
  • Freedom to interact with other residents in the facility and individuals outside the facility
  • Practice his or her religion or faith
  • Privacy at all times
  • Proper treatment plans including access to all medical and health-related services
  • Enjoy personal possessions during his stay in the facility
  • Be protected from neglect or abuse
  • Independent control of decisions and personal finances

Most assisted living facilities also allow the consumption of alcohol and tobacco as long as it’s done in moderation. Patients can also accept visitors at any time of the day and decide if they should allow guests to stay overnight as long as they follow the rules of the facility. Most of these facilities also allow patients to keep small pets or interact with the pets of others.

 

Some of the Services offered by Assisted Living Facilities Include:

  • Assistance with activities of daily living including bathing, eating, dressing up, and going to the toilet.
  • The provision of three complete meals every day
  • Emergency call systems in both private residences and common areas to alert the staff in case something happens
  • Educational and exercise activities that help promote total wellbeing
  • Proper administration of medication with the help of qualified healthcare personnel
  • Regular housekeeping and maintenance
  • Social and recreational activities to keep residents happy
  • 24-hour security services to protect the welfare of the patient
  • Wellness programs that focus on the different aspects of wellbeing
  • Transportation arrangements for when a patient needs to go to the grocery or pharmacy

When it comes to payments, the average monthly cost of living in an assisted living facility is about $2,000, but that number can range between $500 and $3,500 depending on the facility’s location, size, availability, and services.

Most residents who live in assisted living facilities are paying for these costs without assistance. This is why it’s very important to learn if assisted living is covered by your insurance and if not, where you can get public assistance to help shoulder these costs.

There are many assisted living facilities out there that can provide you or a loved one with the best dementia or memory care possible. You just have to look at what facility can cater to all your needs best.

 

Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

Memory Assisted Living

Choosing a Doctor for Memory Care: What Are Your Options?

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This year, at least 5.8 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia and that number is projected to reach nearly 14 million by 2050. This is why memory care assisted living is becoming a more important part of the country’s healthcare system and doctors are playing a very crucial role in helping the elderly suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease live the best life possible.

Doctors perform full evaluations for patients who are experiencing the symptoms of dementia and these are some of the professionals that you can rely on to help you make the right decisions regarding memory care assisted living:

 

Primary Care Physician

Also known as a generalist, a primary care physician is usually the first person that a patient consults with when he starts experiencing the symptoms of dementia. This professional is trained in general internal medicine along with some specializations, so he can diagnose and treat common medical conditions.

A primary care physician usually makes an initial assessment and determine if the patient has dementia or not, after which the patient will most likely be referred to a specialist.

 

Neurologist

A neurologist is one of the first specialists that primary care physicians refer to after doing an initial assessment of a patient. This doctor specializes in diseases of the nervous system including problems with the spinal cord, brain, and peripheral nerves.

It’s very important to remember, however, that not all neurologists cater to Alzheimer’s patients even if they are formally trained for it. Some neurologists choose to focus on other areas like Parkinson’s disease or seizures.

 

Geriatrician

A geriatrician is essentially a primary care physician with training in geriatrics or the field of medicine that focuses on the medical care of older adults, especially those who are aged 65 and older.

A geriatrician can diagnose and treat different medical conditions concerning the elderly including Alzheimer’s dementia.

 

Neuropsychologist

A neuropsychologist specializes in assessing different thinking abilities like memory, language, attention, problem-solving, and reading.

Most neuropsychologists today have degrees in clinical psychology and advanced training in neuropsychology, and they work closely with other specialists in the treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, especially in memory care assisted living.

 

To fully evaluate the condition of the patient to be able to make a proper diagnosis, these healthcare professionals use the following assessment tools:

  • Medical history. This means assessing the patient’s past and current medical problems including an extensive evaluation of medications, family history, and lifestyle to rule out other neurological problems and properly diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Mental cognitive status test. This allows for a proper evaluation of memory, thinking, and problem-solving capabilities. Mental cognitive status tests can either be short or extensive depending on the condition of the patient.

Finally, there are laboratory tests such as blood and urine samples that will help doctors rule out other medical conditions and give a definitive diagnosis.

If there are any suspicions for other diseases, a healthcare team can use laboratory tests to properly recommend the right treatment options for patients suffering from memory problems.

 

Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper