St. Anthony's Senior Living

When to Seek Memory Care for Aging Parents

It’s natural for aging parents or loved ones to need support. Senior living is a wonderful option for those who appreciate independence but want the benefits of additional assistance when it comes to extra responsibilities. When the challenges that may come with a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis mean a loved one requires around-the-clock assistance to stay safe and be well, memory care can be crucial.

At St. Anthony’s, we’ve created independent living and memory care residences that feel like home. Because there is nothing more important to us than caring for the people who led us so far as parents, teachers, friends, and neighbors. These pioneers paved the way with their philanthropy, wisdom, and generosity. We’re here to help them continue to live purposeful, beautiful lives whether that’s living independently or with memory care support.

How do you know if your loved one needs independent support or memory care? When is it time to explore these options, and how can you determine when it’s right? Keep reading to find out if a memory care senior living environment may be the most helpful for your parent or loved one.

When Independent Senior Living is the Right Choice

By looking at the signs that may mean independent senior living is the right choice, you can begin to see the difference between this type of senior living and memory care senior living. If your family member is experiencing some of the challenges below, senior living may be a helpful environment:

  • Keeping up with house and yard work has become overwhelming, or hired help is becoming more expensive.
  • A lot of time is spent alone and isolated because of the inability to drive, or the location of home is far from everyday necessities.
  • Navigating stairs or other home features is becoming more difficult, and perhaps dangerous.
  • Bills and other obligations sometimes go unpaid, or due dates go by without notice.
  • Winter weather causes isolation and other issues with the struggle to shovel snow or drive in difficult weather.
  • There’s not much to do around the house and boredom is slowly setting in.

For these reasons and more, seniors and their families choose independent living. But what makes memory care senior living the right choice? Keep reading to find out what signs might mean extra support is needed.

When Memory Care is the Right Choice

While independent senior living is often a great first step, other times more care and support are needed. A dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis by a medical professional is the number one indicator that memory care may be the right fit. However, other simple signs may also point you in that direction. If your loved one is experiencing the challenges below, memory care may be the right living environment:

  • Sometimes it’s difficult to speak or express thoughts through writing.
  • Frequently struggling with directions, even while in a familiar neighborhood or store.
  • Daily hygiene tasks take longer than usual or are forgotten altogether.
  • Becoming more worrisome, or acting with out-of-the-ordinary paranoia and nervousness.
  • Retaining new information is a struggle when it used to be simple before.
  • Conversations are labored or using words in a conversation that don’t seem to fit.
  • A lack of awareness that something could be dangerous (like leaving a stove burner on, for example).

It’s important to remember that memory loss looks different for everyone, and symptoms will be different for every person facing dementia. For this reason, it’s important to pay attention and notice challenges over time.

Considering memory care? Our professional and compassionate team at St. Anthony’s is here to help you and your family understand whether independent senior living or memory care support is the right answer.

At St. Anthony’s, we’re proud to make the transition from independent living to memory care simple and smooth. The move feels natural, as our memory care apartments echo the design and feel of independent living.

Memory Care at St. Anthony’s

When memory care is the right environment for your loved one, you’ll find peace of mind and a feeling of home at St. Anthony’s. We’re proud to have crafted memory care into something wonderful. This is a home away from home that actually feels like home. Of course, you and your family will find the 24/7 compassionate, expert care our memory residents need. But you may be surprised to find that’s only the beginning of how we care for and love our residents.

Through a specially created Journeys program, we support our residents as they continue a meaningful and beautiful life journey, however different it may look. With an emphasis on team development, life enrichment, family relationships, and more, we ensure that our memory care residents enjoy life to the fullest.

Similar to independent living arrangements, our memory care apartments were designed with respect, privacy, and livability in mind. We’ve carefully constructed each apartment with pocket doors and thoughtful design features to ensure these things.

Also, unique to St. Anthony’s memory care is our focus on faith. Our residencies are sponsored by the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph and we welcome those of all faiths to enjoy an uplifting, warm environment. Memory care residents have the opportunity to enjoy attending mass, singing hymns, going to prayer sessions, or simple spiritual discussions. In this way, St. Anthony’s truly cares for the mind, body, and spiritual soul.

Ready to learn more about memory care? Discover compassionate holistic memory care at St. Anthony’s. Learn more about how we create a better future for the people who pioneered the past.

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