Chris Guay: Hello! I'm Chris Guay with Emeritus Senior Living. I'm here to talk to you about care and housing alternatives for residents who need a higher level of assistance due to Alzheimer's, Dementia, and other memory loss disorders. Memory care for these residents is provided in a dedicated community or specialized section in an assisted living or skilled nursing home. Because of the nature of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia, it is crucial to find a community where the staff is highly skilled and experienced in caring for this fragile population, and has significant safety precautions in place. Once you know the particular special care needs of your loved one, here are some of the things you need to look for when visiting a care facility. In the area of an environment, is the layout of the community easy to navigate? Do hallways lead residents back to public areas? Do the residents have privacy for bathing, toileting, and hygiene? What safety measures are in place for residents with Alzheimer's and Dementia? Are there door and window locks, motion detectors, monitoring systems, adequate lighting, and no slip flooring?

In the area of care staff, do the caregivers have special training and effectively communicating and caring for residents who suffer from Alzheimer's or Dementia? How much time does the staff take to gather information about a resident in order to provide them the best care? How does the staff handle disruptive resident behavior, such as wondering? How to caregivers deal with the progression of the disease? Remember, if your loved one has memory loss, they're going to need more attention. Look for a place that can provide that specialized care.