At what stage of dementia do people usually move to memory care?

My 96 yo mother is currently in Assisted Living at a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). She is in early stage 5 of Alzheimers. Can still do her ADLs. She does not wander and still knows her way around her facility.
I am wondering at what dementia stage people usually move from assisted living to memory care? I know the answer is "when they need it", but generally what stage of dementia does that equate to?

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At my IL facility the rule to move to MC is when a resident is combative or wanders OR Is a threat to their own safety or the safety of other residents.

Ask the facility if they have any guidelines.

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Reply to Moondancer

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I would think the staff at the AL would notify the administration if it was to the point that they could no longer meet her care needs or if it was unsafe for her to remain in AL.
While I am of the belief that a person with dementia should not be in AL but in MC for safety reasons (you never know when they may wander) I would say that in this case let the staff and administration be your guide on this. (I am sure they would not want to miss out on the added income that a move to MC would provide...not that I am cynical or anything)

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Reply to Grandma1954

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Your moms assisted living facility will let you know if and when your mom needs to be moved to their memory care unit, so I wouldn't be stressing over it or be worrying about what stage, because if you've seen one person with dementia, you've seen just one person with it. No 2 people are alike in their dementia journey, so just be glad she's functioning well where she's at.

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Reply to funkygrandma59

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I think that not sleeping through the night and incontinence (especially fecal incontinence) are often the straws that break the family caregiver's resolve.

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Reply to cwillie

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My grandfather lived at home with my family until October of 2024. He stopped being able to drive, do his own meds, cook and was a fall risk over a year or more before that. He can still dress himself and shower (when reminded). When he started telling wild stories to the neighbors about my husband and I we knew something was up. When he became violent and actually showed a gun we had him admitted to the hospital where they deemed him unable to live on his own and since he was a threat to my family he had to go to an ALF. Just last month (after NUMEROUS issues) the facility had to Baker Act him and it was decided he needed memory care.
As of today, it has only been a couple weeks, he has been doing much better. I felt so guilty about all of it but apparently he NEEDED the extra care and control they provide. He has dementia and PTSD and constantly confabulates these WILD stories (mostly about me since I am the only family member he has left). This facility seems to understand all that and have so far been much better at keeping him happy and at peace.
I pray you dont have to go through all the things I did to realize that its not your fault and you cannot save someone from themselves.

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Reply to laura9574

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My Mom ended up skipping memory care. She went from moving around and walking to bedbound.

We looked at a lot of memory cares over the years but she never needed them.

I think the timing for a move to memory care varies.

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Reply to brandee

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At my mom’s assisted living, they told me it was when the person would start to sit in random places, not knowing how to get back to the room/apartment. Other things, too, but that was one they specifically watched for.

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Reply to Goddatter

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If she still with it enough to do her ADL's, knows where she is and how to navigate the place, does not wander, and there's no behaviors that require a higher level of care and security then she's good. She doesn't need to go to memory care yet and may never need to.

It's usually time for memory care when the wandering, total incontinence, and the behaviors show up. If your mother isn't there then she's okay where she is. Has the AL told you to move her to memory care?

At what stage of dementia do people usually move to memory care?

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