When you are beginning your journey of selecting a memory care community for your loved one, there are many things to consider. People living with Alzheimer’s or dementia require specialized care in a secure environment – which almost all memory care communities offer. However, determining what life would be like on a day-to-day basis is important to make sure they receive the best care while living a happy and fulfilled life.

To help you in this discovery process, we have put together a checklist for you to use during your community visit. These questions will help you determine if the community is a good fit for your loved one.

Resident Care

• Does each resident have a formal, written care plan?
• In addition to ADLs (feeding, toileting, dressing, bathing, walking, and transferring), what care does the community offer?
• At what point can the community no longer care for a resident?
• How regularly do they complete health assessments? What do they involve? 

Community

• Do they exclusively offer memory care?
• How is the memory care area laid out?
• Are resident’s rooms private?
• How easy are residents’ rooms to find?
• What are the physical security measures in place?
• How wheelchair-friendly is the community?

Safety

• Do the residents have any safety devices, such as a pendant?
• Are the floors non-slip?
• How often are staff checks completed during the night?
• How well lit are the common areas?

Comfort

• Are the doors labeled clearly for residents to understand?
• How are the colors of the community? Are they comforting and peaceful?
• Is the community pleasant and clean?
• What is the furniture like in the common areas? 

Life Enrichment

• Do residents enjoy the food?
• Do they accommodate dietary restrictions or personal preference?
• What activities do they do to support the other areas of wellness (social, spiritual, etc…)
• Does the community utilize pet therapy?
• What do they do to encourage residents to do things they love?
• How often are exercise classes offered?
• What activities happen on a monthly basis?

Team Members

• What kind of specialized training do team members have?
• How does the staff interact with residents?
• What is the staff-to-resident ratio?
• Is there an RN, LVN, or CAN on staff?
• How do they deal with a resident's challenging behavior – like aggression or mood swings?

While this is not a complete list, this is an extensive one that will aid you in picking the right memory care community for your loved one. We would love to have you visit one of our communities. Find your local Fieldstone Memory Care community to get started.