Change is a constant in life. Though we know this is true, accepting it can be a more challenging prospect.

If someone you love is experiencing changes in their thinking skills, memory, or physical abilities, it can be tempting to look the other way or try to sweep things under the proverbial rug.

But the difficult truth is cognitive changes in seniors are usually progressive in nature. Often, the evolution is gradual. Sometimes, however, changes can happen more quickly.

Your loved one still deserves to be treated as the dynamic individual they are and enjoy the freedom of choice we all crave. But they may benefit from extra assistance and support to live a rich, full life and feel safe and secure.

Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia reach a point where they’re unable to live independently on their own.

Thankfully, Memory Care is a type of senior living that’s made to support and empower people with dementia, while offering their loved ones peace of mind.

But what is Memory Care and what does it offer?

In this article, we’ll unpack the key facts about Memory Care, so you can decide if this level of senior living and care is right for your loved one.

Senior living communities offer distinct levels of care, designed to cater to seniors with a variety of daily needs.

Memory Care delivers residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia the comprehensive care and consistent support they need to live in safety and comfort.

Memory Care communities focus on providing care from trained caregivers, who recognize residents’ personal preferences and needs.

Most quality Memory Care communities provide staff training and education in approaching and assisting individuals with dementia and understanding the condition and how it affects those who experience it.

Depending on the community and their approach to care, this may include staff training and education in:

• The effects of dementia on the brain and its symptoms
• Strategies to approach individuals with dementia who may have challenging behaviors
• The use of effective communication strategies for individuals with dementia, to promote understanding and engagement

Resident safety and security are also top concerns, as Memory Care residents may experience confusion, forgetfulness, or wandering behaviors because of their cognitive changes.

Memory Care communities are designed to promote a sense of familiarity and a home-like environment where residents can feel comfortable and at peace.

Memory Care communities are typically designed with easy-to-navigate layouts, to encourage residents’ independence, while upholding their security.

Memory Care communities also offer staff to resident ratios that allows for more personalized care and time with trusted caregivers.

In addition to consistent, personalized care in calming surroundings, Memory Care communities also provide consistent daily structure. This promotes residents’ engagement and independence, while offering the predictability of a regular routine.

This includes scheduled mealtimes and regular daily activities and programs for residents to participate in and enjoy.

Social engagement is another focus of Memory Care communities, as quality social connections are positively correlated with enhanced health and well-being in seniors.

Memory Care communities typically offer private and shared apartment options. Care is available 24 hours a day, with healthcare support onsite. Medication management is provided, as are housekeeping and laundry services.

Many Memory Care communities utilize unobtrusive monitoring to promote resident safety. Depending on the community, resident, and state, these may include:

• Pressure sensors for beds and wheelchairs for those who may forget not to get up without assistance
• Door alarms to alert staff when a resident may be attempting to leave a part of their community (these can be silent so as not to upset residents)
• Cues and reminders from staff to help residents remain safe
• Visual aids posted in residents’ room and within the facility to promote awareness of safety strategies and protocols

In addition to trained caregivers and medical support, residents in Memory Care also typically have access to additional support as needed.

These can include skilled therapists like physical, occupational, speech-language, and behavioral therapists. Social workers are also available to support residents and their loved ones. Music and art therapy may also be offered, along with programs like pet therapy visits.

​​If you are currently evaluating Memory Care options for a loved one, b​​​e sure to inquire about specific programs at the Memory Care communities on your list. Knowing what’s offered can help you select the ideal community for your loved ones’ preferences and needs.

Memory Care is the ideal level of senior living and care for those living with Alzheimer’s disease, other types of dementia, or conditions affecting cognitive skills (such as Parkinson’s disease or traumatic brain injuries).

Memory Care communities nurture the holistic health and well-being of residents, by providing consistent care and supervision, trained caregivers, and a safe and calming environment.

Those with progressive cognitive conditions like dementia benefit from consistent care to ensure their safety, as well as from programs and activities that stimulate their minds and bodies and encourage participation and social engagement.

Memory Care focuses on fostering empowerment, supporting independence, and promoting quality of life.

In addition to enrichment programs and social opportunities, Memory Care provides​ nutrition and​ dining ​assistance ​for residents.

Individuals with dementia may experience difficulties with eating and drinking safely and effectively. Changes in the brain and body may lead to swallowing problems, chewing issues, or challenges with self-feeding or getting adequate daily hydration and nutrition.

Memory Care communities support residents during meals and snacks with individualized support, dietary modifications, and adaptive equipment. Swallowing therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and nursing staff work with Memory Care residents and their loved ones to ensure they’re able to eat and drink safely and enjoy mealtimes.

Memory Care residents also require assistance to complete daily tasks. Staff are always available to support them throughout the day. This includes personalized assistance as needed with grooming, dressing, bathing, using the bathroom, standing, and walking.

Dementia symptoms often make it difficult to live at home alone or without consistent assistance. But Memory Care communities offer a positive alternative to life at home for those with dementia.

Memory Care communities also support residents in continuing to feel in control of their daily lives. Through choice-making, engaging activities, and personalized support, Memory Care communities provide an enhanced quality of life for those living with cognitive change.

Family involvement is also typically an important aspect of Memory Care. Loved ones are encouraged to visit and are kept in the loop of their loved one’s life.

Now that you know ​what ​Memory Care is and who it’s for, let’s explore how MorseLife Memory Care delivers award-winning care in our exceptional West Palm Beach Memory Care communities.

Memory Care at our beautiful West Palm Beach, FL senior living community delivers innovative programming and specialized support, with a focus on life-enrichment. Our community, approach, and offerings cater to those with progressive memory disease.

Our highly trained caregivers take the time to get to know our residents on a deeper level, so they can offer the personalized support and care each of our community members deserves. This includes communicating regularly with families to share information and learn a resident’s history, preferences, and personality.

At MorseLife, we believe people always come first. Your loved one with dementia is more than a collection of symptoms, and they deserve to be empowered and supported as the unique individual they are.

Our exceptional, specialized programs foster engagement and active participation, enhancing our residents’ daily stimulation and quality of life.

We offer two unique and exceptional Memory Care community options, to meet a variety of Memory Care needs.

When someone you love has increased daily needs and progressive memory issues, it can be stressful for both of you.

When providing care for them at home is no longer a viable option, MorseLife Memory Care offers an excellent alternative.

Delivering luxury Memory Care accommodations, ​innovative therapies, ​engaging activities, and personalized care—MorseLife Memory Care provides much more than the average Memory Care community.

• Our private​, spacious​ resident ​apartments​​ ​ promote security and autonomy, and our home-like surroundings provide a calm, familiar setting where residents feel safe and at ease
• ​​Our ​full-service dining room provides ​​ ​three sumptuous meals each day with snacks always available, and our onsite salon delivers the pampering and self-care experience our residents deserve to feel their best​​​
• ​​​Our specialized services and innovative programming like ​​Music & Memory™, virtual reality, ​​iN2L, and the Happiness Programme are designed to enhance the mind, body, and spirit of those with cognitive issues.​​​​
• Our secure resident courtyard and gardens encourage safe exploration and foster joy
• And our in-house clinic ensures residents’ health and wellness needs are always met

Our residents’ loved ones appreciate our range of floor plan options and all-inclusive care. They also love our signature programming and innovative approach to Memory Care.

Our unobtrusive resident monitoring includes an individualized resident locator system, to enhance safety and reduce wandering behaviors. These innovations offer loved ones peace of mind, knowing the safety and security of our residents is our top-priority,

From state-of-the-art technology that enhances resident’s lives and security, to staffing ratios that mean highly trained caregivers are always available ​to ​offer respectful assistance and considerate support—your loved one will discover more life as a valued resident of our exceptional MorseLife Memory Care community.

Discover more about MorseLife Memory Care and download our free community brochure.

When your loved one needs memory care to ensure their safety, comfort, and security, you may worry this level of care will be out of your budget.

At MorseLife, we believe everyone deserves access to the care they need to thrive. That’s why we created our Resnick Memory Care community. Here, we deliver top-quality ​assisted​​ ​ living and ​memory ​care that’s designed to be affordable.

In our Resnick community, your loved one will receive award-winning care that’s made MorseLife a senior ​health​​ ​ leader for more than 40 years, at a price point that works for your monthly budget.

At Resnick, we offer robust programming, compassionate care, and personalized support. Our goal is to enrich the lives ​of​​​ all who call our community home.

Our highly trained caregivers provide individualized care and respectful assistance, while our comfortable, home-like community design uplifts and empowers our residents to feel safe and secure.

As a valued member of our community, your loved one will receive the support and encouragement they need to feel actively engaged in daily life. We believe everyone deserves to live life on their own terms, and dementia doesn’t change that.

Discover more of what we offer at our Resnick Memory Care community in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Just because your loved one has increased cognitive needs doesn’t mean they can’t continue to live a rich, involved life, full of opportunities for contentment, exploration, and connection. Discover the innovative Memory Care options you’re seeking at MorseLife.

Download our free guide to Memory Care: Compassionate Care, Fulfilling Lives. In it, you’ll learn important facts about Memory Care, who it’s for, and how to finance it. Feel free to print and share this helpful resource with your loved ones. Reach out to our team for personalized support and assistance with your Memory Care questions and needs.

MorseLife Memory Care is raising the bar as the first senior community in the U.S. to implement the Happiness Programme, a first-of-its-kind technology created by Social-Ability, that sparks laughter and happiness through interactive light displays, for everyone living with cognitive challenges.

Residents at MorseLife Memory Care can now experience a variety of activities like popping bubbles, playing games, painting, playing the piano and enjoy virtual scenic views from around the world without leaving the comfort of their residence. The 360-degree projector creates engaging environments displayed on surfaces including sheets, ceilings, tables and screens, that help improve physical mobility and cognitive function. “Our residents are actively participating and moving in new, purposeful ways,” shared Savannah Blevins, Memory Care Director.

The program has also helped reduce falls by keeping residents engaged and less likely to wander. Surveys show that participants experience improvements in social, physical, and cognitive well-being, along with reduced stress.

“MorseLife Memory Care leads with innovative programs that significantly impact the lives of seniors with memory disorders,” said Keith Myers, President and CEO.

Residents also enjoy music and art therapy, lectures, fitness classes, and more, all in a luxury setting with restaurant-style dining and private rooms.

Learn more at MorseLife Memory Care.

MorseLife Health System Introduces Virtual Reality (VR) Technology

 

MorseLife has launched a new three-dimensional virtual reality (VR) program to provide residents enhanced opportunities for engagement and inspiration.

“With VR you can travel to Paris, fly in a hot air balloon, swim with dolphins or even visit a childhood home. These visually-rich experiences elicit excitement, educate, stimulate memory, uplift the spirit and so much more,” said Keith Myers, President and CEO of MorseLife Health System.

Virtual reality is a powerful tool that immerses immobile and cognitively impaired residents in visual experiences outside their physical realm of possibility. While all MorseLife residents can benefit from VR, its transformative benefits among the memory impaired living at the Memory Care Residents at MorseLife have been particularly noteworthy. Areas of the brain closed off by the disease process are stimulated through VR sensory experiences, evoking healthy physical movement during the interactive process. Psychological problems and mood disorders are also reduced as residents immerse themselves in the program where they can enjoy vibrant 360-degree surroundings, discover new places or reminisce about their past.

VR is easily customized to each patient’s passions and interests with an extensive library of content and experiences, including interactive games, apps, and a family engagement platform. Participants need only a viewing headset to take museum tours in foreign countries, attend bucket-list cultural events, fly across the globe, climb a mountain or even visit the church they were married in.

“One unanticipated delight has been the connection with families,” said Robert Holway, MorseLife Life Enhancement Coordinator. “The VR system offers a Family Portal, which allows families to contribute to their loved one’s viewing events by uploading personal photos and home videos. It’s a beautiful way to get the grandchildren and children of our residents involved.”

The Memory Care Residences at MorseLife Introduce iN2L Technology to Engage Seniors

Simple Touch Technology Offers Opportunities for Connection, Learning and Fun

The Memory Care Residences at MorseLife continue to introduce innovative new programs and therapies to encourage joy and personal fulfilment among residents. One new program recently introduced to counter the isolation experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic is iN2L, an easy-to-use engagement technology that caters to each resident’s wide range of abilities and interests.

iN2L requires no computer experience.  Residents simply touch a picture on the screen and begin enjoying fun activities that encourage conversation, interaction, and learning with each other, their caregivers, and family members. The iN2L library of activities includes history, travel, movies, classic television, music, trivia, quizzes, games, puzzles, fitness programs, spiritual content and more.

For memory care patients, the new engagement technology program particularly helps to:

• Facilitate easier connections between residents and their loved ones. Video visits on large screens only require a few pre-programed basic taps and loved ones can leave pre-recorded messages to provide comfort to residents at any moment.

• Redirect residents who may be feeling anxiety, depression, or loneliness to a more positive experience such as viewing cherished family photos and videos, playing a favorite game, watching a movie or listening to an uplifting tune.

• Remember events, people and places from their past lives, which is an important aspect of memory care. iN2L programing provides residents and caregivers quick access to a personalized profile full of positive visual and auditory activities that impact mood and the quality of daily life.

The Memory Care Residences at MorseLife offer residents access to other exciting and cutting edge cognitive therapies such as the Music & Memory ™ program, where residents engage in ballroom dancing, music and art therapy, and have access to iPods with personalized playlists that connect them to the music they love. To find out more, visit https://morselife.org/memory-care/.

An Update on Cannabis Care at MorseLife

Dr. Melanie Bone Discusses the MorseLife Cannabinoid Initiative with Cannabis News Florida

Dr. Melanie Bone, medical director of the cannabinoid initiative at MorseLife, recently shared the project’s many successes, initial findings and obstacles in a column published by Cannabis News Florida. The cannabinoid pilot program was authorized by the state of Florida and introduced at MorseLife in 2019, offering cannabinoid-based therapies to senior residents in a variety of care settings.

Dr. Bone touches on the varying attitudes and perceptions of senior residents toward cannabinoids, ranging from fear to curiosity. She also details the surprising obstacles to enrolling patients in the program, such as expired driver’s licenses and other forms of identification, which are necessary to apply for a medical marijuana card.  Furthermore, only one caregiver can be designated per resident to legally deliver and administer treatments, which poses a challenge in a nursing home environment where one caretaker often administers care to multiple patients.

She also notes positive observations from her work at MorseLife, which include residents reporting using fewer opiates, anti-anxiety drugs and sleep medications when using cannabis.

Dr. Bone’s hope is that through grassroots adoption more residents will join the program and the knowledge gained from their participation will help guide protocols for usage at other senior care communities across the country.

To read more, please visit https://cannabisnewsflorida.com/update-on-cannabis-care-at-morselife-health-system/.

10 Warning Signs of Memory Loss

You’re talking to someone you know well and all of a sudden you can’t remember their name. Or you walk into a room purposefully, and then forget why you did it in the first place. You draw a complete blank, and your mind immediately defaults to “Alzheimer’s.”

Don’t worry; these are just normal signs of aging, or typical of a brain that is on information overload. More seriously, it may be a symptom of depression, side effects of medication, stress from retirement, or the death of a loved one or even having an underactive thyroid.

After a certain age, almost all of us are concerned about our mental acuity and progressive memory disease, whether in ourselves or our loved ones? When should we begin to worry?

According to the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org there are ten warning signs that you should not ignore.

1. Disruptive memory loss

As the term indicates, disruptive memory loss is persistent, progressive memory degeneration. Typically, it negatively impacts daily life and includes forgetting recently learned information, important dates or events, asking the same questions repeatedly, and increasingly relying on reminder notes on the refrigerator, medicine cabinet, or family members for everyday things.

2. Difficulty planning or solving problems

While it’s normal to make occasional errors, working with numbers, following recipes and cooking, keeping track of monthly bills, or taking much longer to do things may become significant challenges that impede quality of life and even present potential hazards.

3. Struggling with familiar tasks

With today’s complex technology, recording your favorite TV shows may be confounding, but not necessarily a sign of memory disease. However, forgetting the way to familiar locations, trouble writing a grocery list, or remembering the rules of a favorite card game could be cause for concern.

4. Confusion with time or place

Forgetting the day momentarily but figuring it out later is normal. We all do it.  But losing track of dates, seasons, or the passage of time is common in those with early Alzheimer’s. They may also forget where they are or how they got there, or have trouble understanding something if it is not happening in the present or immediately.

5. Trouble with visual images and spatial relationships

Problems judging distance, determining color or contrast are common cataract problems, but when present with other symptoms could also be an indication of Alzheimer’s. Vision problems that lead to difficulty with balance or reading may also be a sign of Alzheimer’s.

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing

Often, those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may want to avoid other people or lose interest in socializing because they begin to have trouble following a conversation, or they regularly struggle for the right words when speaking with others or have difficulty naming a familiar object. If this is new behavior, it could be a sign of the disease.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

We all have trouble finding our car keys from time to time, but usually, just retrace our steps to find them. A person with Alzheimer’s may put things in unusual places, e.g., car keys in the freezer or oven, and are unable to go back over their steps to find them again. As the disease progresses, they may suspect others of stealing their missing items.

8. Decreasing or poor judgment

Who hasn’t made a bad decision or mistake? On it’s own, its unlikely to be a symptom of Alzheimer’s. Still, those with progressive memory loss may experience uncharacteristic changes in judgment or decision-making, such as when dealing with money or neglecting grooming and personal hygiene.

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities

As mentioned in #6, a person living with Alzheimer’s disease may lose the ability to hold or follow a conversation, causing them to withdraw from hobbies and social activities. Or, they may have trouble with things that once gave them pleasure, like keeping up with a favorite team or activity.

10. Changes in mood and personality

It is often said that as we get older, we become more “set in our ways.” But individuals with Alzheimer’s may demonstrate profound mood and personality changes, or become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious at home, with friends or when out of their comfort zone.

MorseLife Health System is a not-for-profit national leader transforming perspectives on aging by designing a dynamic integrated model of residences, healthcare, and services to optimize and reaffirm life for older adults at every stage.

Moving To MorseLife:
A Decision to Care for Herself and Her Husband

In her apartment on the fifth floor of The Tradition at MorseLife, Libby Klein’s living room is adorned with photographs of her beautiful family, including bar and bat mitzvah memories, weddings and anniversaries.  Peering throughout the room, Libby notes how blessed she has been over the years as she comes to terms with the passing last December of her beloved husband of 67 years, Seymour.

Libby and Seymour lived in Brooklyn where they married and made a home for them and their three children.  Seymour had been a successful financial advisor on Wall Street after serving in the military during and after World War II, and Libby had been a teacher and real estate broker in Manhattan for nearly 45 years, as well as a published author.

“After the children were grown, we bought a home in Boynton Beach and became snowbirds for nearly 18 years,” she said.  “However, after Seymour became progressively worse with Alzheimer’s disease, we decided to remain here full-time with the help I needed to care for him.”

Libby noted that she could have been stubborn when her children intervened and suggested that she could no longer care for Seymour on her own.  “We had a gorgeous home in Boynton and we were so happy there,” she said   “But the reality was Seymour needed more than just an aide coming to the home – and that’s when my children told me about MorseLife.”

After great consideration, Libby decided to move to The Tradition at MorseLife, with Seymour across the campus in the Memory Care Assisted Living residence.   “He received very good care throughout his time in the memory care residence, and I was able to walk over every day to spend quality time with him,” she said.   “I always felt the residence was a warm, comfortable place for Seymour with all of its care and activities, and of course, the smell of chicken soup wafting from the open kitchen!”

Libby noted that she felt it was smart to listen to her childrens’ advice as the move was the right decision for her.   “When we moved here two years ago, I knew that at The Tradition, I wouldn’t have to worry about the daily responsibilities of running a home, and even more important, would not have to take on the daily needs of Seymour on my own,” she said.  “While I did spend a great deal of time with Seymour each day, I also knew that I was leaving him in good hands when I went back to my apartment.”

Seymour passed in December, and today Libby is focused today on spending time with her good friends at The Tradition and maintaining regular contact with her family and friends in New York.   “My goal now is to visit my family in Scarsdale in August, enjoying time with all of my children, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren,” she said.  “I am looking forward to it!”

When she returns, she looks forward to finishing her second novel, a follow up to her crime novel of two years ago, Sudden Impulse, and to taking more time to be prolific and creative.