Assisted Living vs. Memory Care: Which Is Right for Your Loved One?

Assisted living vs memory care is one of the most important topics in American culture. But did you know that there are more than 800,000 Americans residing in assisted living? According to the AHCA, this statistic is one that's only growing each year.

Senior care and memory support in Fort Pierce are among the best in the nation. While exploring your senior care options, exploring Fort Pierce as a spot to spend your golden years is a natural draw.

If you're curious about assisted living vs memory care, we're here to help. Read on for a quick overview of the two levels of senior living and what you should expect from each.

What is Assisted Living?

Our first step is to define these terms. While many of us are familiar with the terms, it's difficult to know precisely what these things mean.

Unfortunately, while the terms can feel overwhelming, understanding what each term entails is absolutely critical. Not understanding the levels of senior living can lead to you choosing inaccurate care.

At the Lynmoore at Lawnwood, we focus on offering amenity and service-rich programs for assisted living. Our programs feature a range of exclusive lifestyle programs that provide you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing our professional team is always available.

Benefits of Senior Assisted Living

What benefits come with your assisted living program? Here are some of the many benefits to keep in mind when choosing senior care.

Comprehensive Care and Support

One of the greatest focuses of assisted living is to offer personalized assistance - it's in the name! Assisted living highlights being there to help you complete your daily tasks and living activities.

These can come in different levels of senior living. Speaking to your caretakers will often help you to customize the level of care you're receiving.

If there are certain tasks you don't feel comfortable accepting assistance on, your professional assistants will often be happy to respect your wishes. While they won't allow you to endanger yourself, they aren't there to force you to accept aid.

Inclusive Amenities

Most senior care options are amenity-rich, and assisted living communities are no different. Our residents enjoy a wide range of amenities, including but not limited to:

Delicious diet-friendly meals
A vibrant calendar packed with enriching events
Comprehensive concierge services

These amenities are ideal to enhance the quality of your life and your overall well-being. Best of all, they allow you to maintain your freedom.

Professional Health and Wellness Team

Assisted living communities also offer the support of a dedicated team of health professionals. Residents will have access to expert care and medical support to help provide peace of mind.

This dominantly takes the form of aiding with medication management. Medication management is critical for ensuring you're keeping track of your daily medical regimen.

Community Connection

Growing old has plenty of challenges, but did you know that loneliness is one of the greatest issues we face? According to BMC Public Health, about 50% of all individuals over 60 are at risk of social isolation.

The community connection that assisted living communities offer helps to counter this. Residents in Fort Pierce have the chance to engage with their peers in a supportive community environment to reduce these feelings of isolation.

Comfort and Care

Comfort and care are the most important parts of our lives in an assisted living program. At Fort Pierce, our community is full of features made to help you feel safe and sound. These features include:

Kitchenettes in living dorms
Walk-in showers
Emergency alert systems
Visitation from third-party physicians
Assistance with showering, bathing, and dressing

These are just some of the ways our assisted living program supports you.

Moving to Memory Care

With all this understood, what is it that memory care offers that assisted living doesn't?

Memory care is often seen as a more thorough, "intense" version of assisted living. People living in memory care programs often need assistance with most of their tasks. You may qualify for memory care if:

You are battling dementia symptoms
You're struggling to remember general, everyday information
You're concerned about growing old and need greater care
Your personalized care plan focuses on memory services

Memory care can feel more restrictive, but restriction isn't the point. Greater care can often mean more guidelines. Oftentimes, residents will begin in assisted living and graduate into memory care.

Personalized Care Plans

One feature of memory care programs is personalized care plans. Dementia support can range from individual to individual, which makes customizing your senior care options crucial. In assisted living vs memory care debates, this is often the first point raised.

Some care plans even include individualized diet plans. According to MyPlate, seniors require specific diets to help improve certain medical conditions.

Memory support in Fort Pierce can often include a completely customizable plan. Speak to your representatives and caretakers to see what sort of plan you can create together.

Purpose-Driven Life Enhancement Activities

Life Enhancement Activities are activities meant to improve your quality of life in various ways. These are often purpose-driven, meaning they focus on engaging you in meaningful ways. Some ways this is tackled are through:

Creating art, often music or paintings
Encouraging communication and growing relationships
Focusing on writing and creating a legacy

Like your care plans, these activities are fully customizable. Think of what your purpose is and discuss these life enhancement activities with your representative.

A Focus on Safety, Convenience, and Health

Above all, memory care focuses on ensuring safety, convenience, and health. Happiness comes as a natural result, but safety is above all else during dementia support programs.