Easing the Transition to Memory Care from Assisted Living

Communities that offer both assisted living and memory care under one roof are a relatively new option in the senior living continuum of care. This option is particularly beneficial for individuals who need to transition to memory care because it provides the ability to transition to a similar residence with additional security and supportive services when memory challenges escalate.

“Bethesda Hawthorne Place offers both assisted living and memory support,” said Lea Ann Coates, residency counselor. “When a resident makes her or his home with us, our staff gets to know their individual routines. Our care partners know when forgetfulness begins to impact a resident’s ability to remain safely in assisted living. We look for the changes in the senior’s daily behaviors, and we share our observations with the family when something seems off. Together, we determine if moving to memory support in a secure environment is the best option.”

When to Transition to Memory Care

Knowing the signs of dementia or memory loss can help you determine when it’s time for your senior loved one to make the transition to memory care. However, according to Lea Ann, the staff at Bethesda Hawthorne Place looks for the following signs in their senior residents. Documenting these changes in behavior helps determine the need for a transition from assisted living to memory support:

• Difficulty regulating sleep/wake patterns, staying up late at night or sleeping all day.
• Frequent calls to the front desk reporting items as missing or stolen (when in fact, the items have been misplaced or hidden by the resident).
• Leaving his or her apartment at odd hours. For example, waiting in the lobby for a family member to be picked up for an activity when it’s 4 a.m.
• Difficulty making needs known or calling for help.
• Dressing inappropriately for the time of day or the season.
• Entering others’ rooms, with the thought they are entering their own residence.
• Forgetting to come to meals or participate in activities, particularly if this is something they previously did on their own.
• Forgetting or neglecting hygiene.
• Asking the same question multiple times.
• Continually asking when family will be coming to pick them up and take them “home.”
• Isolation due to fear of being “different.”

Continuum of Care at Bethesda Hawthorne Place

When assisted living residents are making a transition to memory support at Bethesda Hawthorne Place, they will move into our dedicated memory support neighborhood.

The transition to memory care at Bethesda Hawthorne Place provides a secure environment, where individuals with memory challenges receive additional prompting and direction to complete activities of daily living. Team members undergo specific training to recognize hallmarks of a dementia-related diagnosis, such as increased confusion or exit seeking, and have the skills to re-direct individuals to a more comforting or purposeful activity.

Other features of the Bethesda Hawthorne Place memory support neighborhood include:

• Safety, security, and comfort
• Nursing care available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Medication management
• A secure outdoor memory garden with a walking path
• Family-style and private dining accommodations
• Scheduled transportation

For more information on Bethesda Hawthorne Place and to schedule a tour, contact Lea Ann Coates at 314-853-2551 or by email at lacoates@bethesdahealth.org.