Caring for a loved one with dementia often involves difficult decisions, especially when it comes to finding the right long-term care.
One common question families ask is, “How long can dementia patients stay in memory care assisted living?” The answer depends on various factors, including the progression of the disease, the patient’s physical health, and available resources.
In this article, we’ll explore these factors and why memory care is often the best choice for dementia patients.
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Elements Impact the Length of Stay in Memory Care
Here are several factors that can impact the length of stay in memory care.
Stage of Dementia
As the condition is progressive, the stage at which a patient is can significantly influence how long he or she may spend in memory care. Patients in the early stages might require relatively higher levels of independence, while patients in the later stage would need 24-hour supervision. The more a patient’s dementia progresses, the higher the level of care becomes, which often extends his or her stay in memory care facilities.
Health and Physical Condition
The period of time that a person will stay in memory care is partly dependent on the health beyond the cognitive impairment. People with other health issues will receive more health care, which these centers do offer, so they will stay longer in memory care. A person diagnosed with dementia with no other physical problems will stay longer than one with cognitive and some physical problems.
Family and Financial Resources
Decisions on the length of time a loved one can live in memory care also tend to be made based on family resources. Memory care assisted living typically costs more than traditional assisted living. Since so many families want to make sure their loved ones are receiving long-term care, financial constraints also limit the duration of a stay.
The Average Length of Memory Care Assisted Living
While memory care assisted living stay duration is extensive, studies have shown that the average stay usually takes about 2 to 3 years. This is longer than some other types of assisted living but much shorter than the average time spent by most patients in nursing homes, which are skilled types. Most patients are admitted to memory care during the middle or latter stages of dementia. This explains why most patients stay in memory care for 2 to 3 years since these stages typically require this level of care.
However, the actual time spent in care will vary greatly based on disease progression. In any case, some patients may stay only for a few months in memory care, while others may stay for over five years, especially if they are otherwise physically healthy and their dementia is not progressing fast.
Why Memory Care Can Be a Good Choice Over Assisted Living
In case a family is looking to choose the best care option for a loved one, deciding between assisted living or memory care can get pretty tough.
Here’s why memory care is often the better choice:
Specialized Care for Dementia Patients
These facilities offer structured activities and memory-enhancing therapies and employ trained personnel to manage the unique needs of those afflicted with memory impairments. Facilities in this category will be much more capable of managing cognitive decline and accompanying behavioral symptoms of dementia.
Safety and Security
Memory care facilities may have additional lock-down features, such as:
- Locked outdoor spaces and very monitored entry points
- preventing the consistent wandering behavior in dementia patients.
Assisted living may be relatively free, which can increase the risk for patients with memory impairments. Patients in the structured memory care environment are ensured safe while granted independence.
Personalized Programs and Interventions
Memory care units involve the patient in activities that stimulate cognitive functions, including memory workouts, music therapy, and sensory stimulation. Such treatments ensure patients’ cognitive functions remain stable and improve the quality of life for dementia patients. On the contrary, assisted living can involve more general activities that have minimal cognitive orientation, which is not desirable for a patient with dementia.
Conclusion
How long a dementia patient can spend in memory care assisted living depends on several factors:
- What stage is the disease at?
- What is physical well-being?
- What is the availability of resources from the family?
The average length of patient stay in memory care is 2 to 3 years, though it can be longer.
Although long-term care is appropriate at the early stages of dementia, memory care may more easily meet the better needs of dementia patients in order to provide tailored services, safety, and support than in traditional assisted living. With the progression of the disease, memory care provided the patient with the compassionate, holistic care essential to produce the greatest quality of life in such a situation.
