Moving a loved one to a memory care community brings up many emotions for both the individual and their loved ones. It’s normal to struggle with the change and acceptance that other individuals will be providing an intimate level of care to your loved one requires trust. Finding the right memory care community in Decatur, GA is a crucial decision in your caregiving journey. It’s important to invest time to thoroughly evaluate your care options and the staff who will be providing care. These questions will guide you in making the most educated decision on your loved one’s future care.
What is the staff-to-resident ratio?
It’s important to understand how many staff members will be available to support your loved one at a given time. Inquire about the staff-to-resident ratio average throughout all shifts. It’s critical that the community is equipped with the right amount of staff to thoroughly care for all residents at all times.
How long has the staff been with the community?
Talk with some of the staff members to learn about their history at the community. Try to converse with a range of team members - managers, activity professionals, and the resident assistants, to understand how long they have been with the community.
High retention rates amongst the staff will result in better, stronger connections with the residents. The team will be able to better get to know your loved one and accommodate their needs and preferences.
What training and experience do the team members have?
Memory care requires a special set of skills in order to provide quality, personalized support. Ask about what requirements are needed to hire a new staff member, and what kind of ongoing training and education is provided.
How does the staff handle medical emergencies?
While we all hope that a medical emergency will never occur, it’s important to understand what constitutes a medical emergency and how staff is expected to respond. Knowing how the team supporting your loved one will react in an emergency, will give you confidence that your loved one is in good hands.
Evaluate Interactions between Staff and Residents
Watching the way staff and residents interact is key to understanding the day to day happenings at the community. When you’re touring the memory care community, take time to evaluate interactions between staff and residents.
Don’t just focus on group activities, but how staff interacts with residents who may not be participating in the group program. Talk with the staff members about how they encourage residents to participate in programs who may be apprehensive to take part.
If the opportunity arises, talk with the resident assistants in addition to the management team providing the tour.
How do staff tailor programming to residents?
Engagement opportunities are a key benefit of memory care communities. Connect with the programming coordinators to learn about how the program calendar is determined. Ask how programs may be tailored to accommodate resident interests and abilities over time.
Do family members participate in care planning?
Ask the staff about the involvement of family members in the resident’s care planning. Inquire about how frequently care plans are revisited and adjusted. Many family members feel comfortable with some involvement, but don’t want to feel responsible for ensuring proper care.
How frequently does staff communicate with family members?
Talk to the staff about how frequently you’ll be in contact with the community’s team. Family members should feel welcome to participate in care planning, but also not feel like they must be present to feel like their loved one is receiving quality care.
Visiting a memory care community can be an overwhelming, emotional time. It’s important to slow down and take time to thoroughly assess and understand what the community and its team has to offer. Having in depth conversations with a range of team members will help to set reasonable expectations, and build a solid foundation of trust.
With these questions answered, you can have confidence in taking the next step towards memory care in Decatur, GA. Check out our Dementia Care Checklist to help you make an informed decision about your memory care options and all that memory care can provide.
