Alzheimer’s disease causes brain cells to die, resulting in the shrinking of the brain and the deterioration of behavioral, cognitive, and social functioning. This makes it difficult for those suffering from Alzheimer’s to handle daily tasks by themselves as they eventually suffer severe memory loss and lose the ability to live independently as the disease progresses. With changes in behavior, personality, social withdrawal, and mood swings, caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be challenging, especially during mealtimes. Although there are no current cures for Alzheimer’s, senior living communities with memory care can help support Alzheimer’s patients with programs and services backed up by science and research. At our retirement community, our Memory Care unit in Fort Myers, FL consists of highly trained medical team members that will ensure that our residents with Alzheimer’s are well taken care of. In fact, we are one of the few memory care providers who have gained national recognition for our excellent memory care. Here’s how we help.
Getting to Know Our Residents
Sticking to familiar routines and meals can make mealtimes for those suffering from Alzheimer’s much more manageable. Here at our retirement community, we make sure that we foster a relationship with our residents and understand their likes and dislikes when it comes to food so we can serve them their favorite foods during mealtimes. Maintaining this familiar routine with the food they like can help them feel more relaxed knowing what to expect.
Reducing Stimulations
In order to help mealtimes go by more smoothly when serving our residents with Alzheimer’s, we enhance the dining experience by reducing noise in the eating area by turning off the radio or TV and serving them in a private space. We place each food on the plate or table separately instead of presenting them with too many options which could overwhelm and confuse them. We will never rush our residents and are patient in giving them adequate time to finish their meals. Additionally, the food served is cut up into smaller pieces and made soft enough to ease the chewing and swallowing process. Beyond simply serving our residents their meals, we also use mealtimes as an opportunity to interact with them and help them feel more comfortable with warm and welcoming services.
Other Benefits of Having a Memory Care Unit in Your Retirement Community
Besides making mealtimes easier, having a memory care option in your loved ones’ retirement community can help boost their independence, confidence, and self-esteem. This is due to the personalized treatment plans that include interactive activities such as music and art therapy to help them be engaged and stimulated both physically and emotionally throughout the day. They also receive extra special attention to prevent any unnecessary injuries, confusion, or stress on their mental well-being. At our retirement community, our caregivers are dedicated to providing our residents with the best care, balancing autonomy and freedom so they can enjoy the amenities we have to offer safely and live out their retirement comfortably and stress-free.
