Today’s older adults have a variety of options when it comes to senior living, with various communities that focus on serving specific populations with specific needs.
Memory care communities are perhaps the most specialized senior living solution and can benefit seniors and their family members by providing a calm environment, wellness resources, and personalized assistance. Exceptional communities find customized ways to meet the needs of those they serve, providing nutritional support adaptations, positive socialization, and a comforting environment to support overall health.
But what exactly does all of that mean when it comes to your loved one’s daily life in a memory care community?
If you’ve ever wondered what really happens in a memory care community, you aren’t alone. Unfortunately, many negative stereotypes surround senior living, and it’s easy to get lost in what is true and what is a myth.
Here at Cedarhurst, we love inviting visitors into our communities to give them a glimpse of what life is really like here. Although not every resident has the same preferences, history, and interests, we can offer a peek into what daily life can be at any of the Cedarhurst memory care communities around the country. Let us give you an inside look into what a day in the life at any of our memory care communities is like.
Welcome to our home!
Not everyone in our communities comes with the same preferences, and we aim to tailor every detail to what makes every individual feel comfortable, happy, and valued. The perfect example of how we meet unique needs for everyone we serve? The morning routine.
We get to know each of our residents by asking lots of questions so that we can meet their preferences, including what their morning wake-up time was throughout their life. We use this information to customize a positive experience for them every morning.
This means that the morning starts with their preferred routine, not ours. Some residents are early risers and have always been, so we honor that. Our caregivers know who likes to get up early and who prefers to sleep in, and we offer assistance with morning personal care based on when residents need it.
The morning is full of warm greetings and smiles as our residents choose to read the morning paper with a caregiver or grab a cup of coffee before breakfast starts. Speaking of breakfast, this is the first of our daily chef-styled meals, and our residents enjoy fueling up with nutritious and comforting foods for the day. Of course, we have plenty of tea and coffee too, and our caregivers know who prefers cream and sugar, and who takes it black.
After breakfast, you can find our residents participating in scheduled activities with our team. Typically, we like to get our bodies moving with a fitness class set to favorite music or to work our minds with a quick trivia session. You can also find our residents watering plants in the courtyard, chatting in the living room, or participating in individualized activities based on their history.
Cedarhurst memory care communities are vibrant in the morning and just as active in the afternoon.
Lunch is always quite the social affair, with team members popping in to say hello to residents and share an inside joke. Our meals are always a highlight of the day—and for good reason. Our team of cooks and servers ensure everyone around the table has an enjoyable experience, personalized to their tastes and abilities.
After lunch, you can find some of our residents getting on our community bus to a local museum or getting ice cream from a favorite spot. Other residents might be enjoying a travel presentation all about Ireland, music therapy, art therapy, or a walk in the courtyard. We aim to keep a pleasantly busy routine, but of course our residents set the tone and pace. If someone is feeling like a rest is in order, we will help with that too.
Family visitors are always welcome in our communities, and many visitors stop by in the afternoon as well. We love to encourage them to attend programs with their loved ones, as well as to stop by to say hello to the team of caregivers and nurses. Some family members might even check out an educational presentation or participate in a scheduled support group.
People living with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia are prone to increased anxiety, confusion, and agitation in the late afternoon and early evening hours. Our team members work to create a calm and comfortable environment to reduce those feelings of anxiety before they begin.
You can find our team members lowering the lights, turning on calming music, and even using aromatherapy to add to a more relaxed evening. Programs and activities are focused on sensory stimulation and relaxation. You might find a few residents enjoying manicures and hand massages while others are helping out by volunteering to fold napkins for the upcoming dinner meal. Of course, you can also find family members enjoying a meal or after-dinner snack with their loved one.
Our team of caregivers knows that people living with dementia can struggle with sleep issues, including having difficulty falling asleep or winding down in the nighttime hours. It’s common to find caregivers leading reminiscing groups with our night-owl residents or even dancing in the hall with a resident who could use a little extra TLC. Of course, our caregivers are also there to provide assistance to residents when they are ready for bed, based on their personal preferences and needs.
Throughout the overnight hours, our caregivers don’t stop their dedication to serving residents. They are there around the clock to provide personalized assistance with a task in the middle of the night, gently redirect a restless resident back to bed, or step in to help in case of an emergency.
The best part of Cedarhurst communities is that they are each truly unique. While our foundational principles of exceptional, personalized care and meaningful interventions apply across all of our locations, each individual community shines in a distinctive way because of the residents who live there.
Ready to learn more about memory care? Download our free resource The Insider’s Guide to Memory Care Pricing to learn more about how much memory care costs. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that your loved one can likely afford it.
Then, consider scheduling a tour of the Cedarhurst community near you. We would love to show you around and highlight some of the programs and people that make the community so special.