Hi, I’m Mike Awadalla with CarePatrol. I’ve helped families all over Pleasant Hill and the surrounding areas find senior living that fits. When it comes to dementia care, the options can be confusing. So let’s break it down.
Dementia care communities are built around one main goal: to keep people safe while helping them stay engaged and supported. These are not just standard assisted living facilities. They’re tailored for individuals with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s-related dementia, vascular dementia, and other memory challenges.
Two Types of Memory Care Communities
There are generally two ways dementia care is structured.
Some memory care communities are located within larger assisted living facilities. In those cases, there’s a separate, secure section for residents with dementia. Families often find this setup helpful when their loved one may still be relatively active but need a controlled environment. To qualify for this type of care, a dementia diagnosis from a doctor is required.
The second option is a stand-alone memory care community. These are designed specifically and solely for individuals living with cognitive decline. They don’t have assisted or independent living residents, just people receiving memory support. These communities are quieter, more focused, and built to provide structure throughout the day.
What Families Can Expect
Meals, housekeeping, laundry, and transportation are all included, just like in other senior living settings. But here, the staff is specially trained to support the behavioral and emotional needs of dementia residents. That matters. These caregivers know how to respond to confusion, agitation, and changes in routine.
Most importantly, these communities are secure. Doors are monitored. Wandering risks are reduced. And families get peace of mind knowing their loved one is in a place designed to protect them 24/7.
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Hi everyone, this is Mike Awadalla again. I am a senior placement agent. I help people find Senior Living options such as independent living, assisted living, dementia care, and residential care homes. Today, we’re going to concentrate on dementia and memory care communities. You’ll have to separate options with dementia and memory care. Sometimes, they are part of a large assisted living community, so if it is at that kind of level, you can have a separate section of the community for residents with dementia. So, a person must have a dementia diagnosis on their physician report to be allowed to live in the dementia care community. There are other dementia communities that are inclusive memory care communities, which means there is no independent living. It is not assisted living. It is living people who are only dementia residents. People with memory issues, and as you know, there are different kinds. It could be Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, could be vascular dementia. There are several kinds of dementia. Now, at a community that specializes for dementia, what makes them different than independent and assisted? The caregivers are specifically trained to care for a resident with dementia, but are they do the same thing: they provide all the meals, housekeeping, laundry, activities, and socializing. They also provide transportation to doctor appointments. So, at a dementia care community is, the main objective is to keep a person with dementia safe and secure at all times, 24/7. Thank you.
