Memory Care

The senior living experts at Assisted Living Locators of Minneapolis are Dementia Care Certified® and can help you understand what’s happening with your loved one and how to best care for him or her.

Choosing A Memory Care Facility

You are not alone. Caring for someone with dementia at home is by far the biggest challenge for family caregivers. Please don’t feel guilty that you are considering memory care. Taking care of your loved one does not mean that YOU must take care of your loved one. It often means letting trained professionals do the job. Remember, you need to take care of yourself.

70% of our practice at Assisted Living Locators Minneapolis is memory care. Here is our approach to finding the right facility.

Stage 1

Mild Cognitive Impairment or Early Dementia

Symptoms

Short-term memory loss, difficulty paying bills, and following multi-step instructions. Repetitive questions and conversations. Frustration.

Best Facilities for Stage 1

A memory care environment that caters specifically to high-functioning seniors with a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In the early stages, programming to slow the decline of brain function is key. We recommend communities offering positive social engagement opportunities and engaging activities with people who are at a similar cognitive level.

Stage 2

Moderate or Mid-Stage Dementia

Symptoms

Loss of time and place orientation, forgetting parts of their history, hands-on help with activities of daily life such as getting dressed. Sometimes persons with moderate-stage Alzheimer’s will hallucinate, have delusions, or paranoia. May be exit seeking.

Best Facilities for Stage 2

This is the toughest stage for placement because the person is usually in transition and from person-to-person needs can vary greatly. Depending on whether the decline is physical, cognitive, or both we assess to determine whether a small board and care home or a larger unit with more activity is appropriate.

Stage 3

Late-Stage Dementia

Symptoms

Loss of awareness of events and surroundings. Totally dependent on others for physical care. May be non-verbal. Unable to walk or eat without assistance. Near the end, may be in bed most of the time as the body shuts down.

Best Facilities for Stage 3

Hands-on, close supervision is required for this level of care. We recommend board and care homes for people with late-stage dementia. Board and care homes are limited to six residents. The good ones we work with have at least a 1:3 ratio and specialize in the long-term care of people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.

Most Common Types of Dementia Explained

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Cognitive issues not related to aging that are severe enough to be noticeable to other people, but not serious enough to interfere with daily life.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Memory Loss

Early Symptoms Include:

Memory loss that disrupts daily life
Poor judgment, leading to bad decisions
Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
Losing track of dates or knowing current location
Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
Repeating questions or forgetting recently learned information
Trouble handling money and paying bills

Challenges in planning or solving problems
Wandering and getting lost
Losing things or misplacing them in odd places
Difficulty completing tasks such as bathing
Mood and personality changes
Increased anxiety and/or aggression

Vascular Dementia

Speed of Thinking/Problem Solving

Early Symptoms Include:

Confusion
Trouble paying attention and concentrating
Reduced ability to organize thoughts or actions
Decline in ability to analyze a situation, develop an effective plan and communicate that plan to others
Slowed thinking
Difficulty with organization

Frontotemporal Dementia

Behavior and/or Personality Changes

Early Symptoms Include:

Behavior and/or dramatic personality changes, such as swearing, stealing, increased interest in sex, or a deterioration in personal hygiene habits
Socially inappropriate, impulsive, or repetitive behaviors
Impaired judgment
Apathy
Lack of empathy
Decreased self-awareness

Decreased self-awareness
Loss of interest in normal daily activities
Emotional withdrawal from others
Loss of energy and motivation
Inability to use or understand language; this may include difficulty naming objects, expressing words, or understanding the meanings of words

Lewy Body

Visual Hallucinations, Tremors or Rigidness

Early Symptoms Include: