At some point does dementia just become long term care? I mean can you go into a regular nursing home instead of memory unit? I am trying to hold out as long as I can on placing my mom. Working home with caregivers 24/7. But at some point I do have to think about it because the money won't last forever.
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I think the memory care/secure environment has more staff assigned to it as the aides need to frequently eyeball the residents to assure they are safe. I could be wrong with the amt of staff to resident ratio.
We were thinking of relocating my MIL from NY down here in MD and toured a few memory care facilities and noted - as least the center's marketing person that took us for the tour- alluded the staff/resident ratio was 1:3.
The Memory Care floor was just in a separate wing where all the doors leading out were promptly locked and the staff needed a code to ride the elevator down one floor to the exit. That wing was locked.
It certainly didn't look like the residents were stopped from any activity but received more attention on that day. The staff had many residents out in the common area and were engaged with the residents in playing catch, looking through books, etc.
Not that I trust staffing ratios to be what they say they should be due to staff calling out sick & understaffing, thus you can't really verify.
Try to think of a secure unit as a good thing.
Good luck!
Yes, she can be in a nursing home. Memory care facilities are custodial care just like nursing homes. Memory care specializes in dementias and the NH has many different disabilities.
I hope none of us get to the point of wearing out. I'd like to enjoy my retirement! 🙁