Homelike Qualities Matter In Alzheimer’s Care Facilities

Selecting a long-term care facility for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease is no easy feat. Caregivers must grapple with their loved one’s condition, the reality they can no longer provide adequate care and finding just the right place to oversee the person’s day-to-day living arrangements.

While nothing will make having to find a care facility easier to handle emotionally, there are certain traits that separate good choices from those that may not offer the kind of warm, loving environment caregivers would prefer. When touring facilities and interviewing staff members, these traits are important to consider:

• The facility’s surroundings – People living with Alzheimer’s disease tend to do better in environments that are peaceful, serene and visually pleasing. Lots of outside hustle and bustle that filters indoors can create more agitated environment.
• The facility’s furnishings –It is often best for people living with Alzheimer’s disease to be in environments that are as normal and homelike as possible. That means avoiding places that might feel too institutional. Look for homelike cottage settings or facilities that are designed with standard, comfortable and welcoming decorations and furniture.
• Staff attitude – Expertise, of course, is critical for

making sure a loved one is moved into a facility where proper care can be provided. Going beyond degrees on a wall, however, is also important. The best facilities have staff members who not only understand memory care, but also feel honored to be trusted with the care of other people’s loved ones who are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders. The best around-the-clock caregivers are often those who dedicate themselves to not only assuring residents’ health and safety, but also to ensuring they live their loves to the fullest under the circumstances.

Placing a loved one in a long-term care setting isn’t easy, but there are some excellent choices available. Take the time to find a comfortable, homelike setting where residents are treated like family and the best choice will become evident.