Your Best Memory Care Homes in New Mexico

Your Best Memory Care Homes in New Mexico

Overview

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 7 in 10 seniors will, at some point in their lives, need long-term care. In some estimates, almost 68% of seniors in nursing homes or residential care have cognitive impairment to some degree.

Resident with trained staff in memory care

Resident with trained staff in memory care

What is memory care?

A memory care community is either a wing/unit of a residential care facility or a residential care facility that is specifically designed for people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Its goal is to provide personalized care that will lead to a high quality of life for residents while also reducing the symptoms such as depression, anger, aggression, and wandering.

Some nursing homes and assisted living facilities also have staff or medical teams specially trained to deal with people who have dementia. They may have a specific wing in the community for those residents. However, despite the prevalence of cognitive impairment, not all residential care facilities and nursing homes offer the same kind of care for people with dementia.

The US Department of Health and Human Services reported in 2017 the different percentages of nursing home and residential care facility residents with cognitive impairment and residential care facilities offering beds to address dementia care needs.

The US Department of Health and Human Services Reported in 2017

The US Department of Health and Human Services Reported in 2017

Despite the national data suggesting that over 60% and 40% of nursing home residents and residential care facility residents, respectively, in the USA have dementia, only about 17% residential care facilities offer beds to address dementia care needs. Moreover, the definition of a memory care from one state to another is not so consistent; thus, the Alzheimer’s Association encourages people who have a loved one suffering from dementia to advocate for consistent policy as regards memory care.

Basically, memory care communities provide a high quality of life for its residents while taking additional measures, such as putting security measures in place or locking some units so that residents can neither wander nor leave to ensure their safety. There are other communities as well that take a less formal approach to security, but they are securing the outside grounds so that no one can leave the property.

Memory care facilities also help your aging loved ones to manage their healthcare and medications by giving you the option of specialized care. They not only care for the residents’ medical needs; they also offer opportunities to engage in activities that work best for people with cognitive impairment. Some communities even offer activities that are known to be beneficial for people with cognitive changes, such as musical entertainment, therapy pets, or the opportunity to spend time in the gardens.

Things to know about memory care

Care for your aging loved one can come with a higher price. According to CareScout, monthly cost for care for aging adults ranges from $1,560 to $9,000—this is based on the data from 440 regions across the USA. Generally, dementia care is estimated to add an average of $13,000 annually to the expected costs for residential care. But the costs vary depending on the services needed as well as your location. Moreover, some facilities may not disclose additional charges for memory care upfront unless you personally inquire for them.

The good thing about living in a memory care unit is that it offers several benefits, including less use of antipsychotic medications and physical restraints for patients, less likelihood of tube feeding, improved medical care for other health issues, and of course higher quality of life for our aging loved ones.

Although many facilities may declare that they have staff trained in memory care or in a memory care wing, it is noteworthy that, as part of the Nursing Care Center Accreditation Program, the Joint Commission has crafted specific requirements for a Memory Care Certification in 2014.

The following are the five key areas that memory care accreditation considers:

Care coordination

To ensure comprehensive care, your loved one’s team will work together, as well as your aging parent as appropriate.

Knowledge and competency of the staff

In order to prepare the staff to work with people who have cognitive impairments, they can demonstrate training and other necessary skills.

Ability-based activity programming

There are activities available that fit your aging loved one’s physical function, language, attention span, cognitive ability, reasoning ability, and memory.

Behavior management

The behaviors linked to dementia are addressed first using non-pharmacological means, such as taking a look at scheduling, environment, and other potential causes for behavior.

Safe and supportive physical environment

In order to keep all residents safe and to reduce stress and overstimulation, the physical environment is well managed by the staff.

Memory care certification that are optional

Facilities need not have a specific area or a wing to house residents with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. To be certified, a facility must demonstrate the following instead:

Services and amenities provided in memory care facilities

Staffed by trained professionals providing care to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, memory care communities are licensed facilities designed to accommodate residents (older adults) with progressive cognitive impairment.

Memory care facilities offer similar care provided in an assisted living community, including help with daily living activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, and medication management. Collaborative care coordination is one of the most crucial amenities which is tailored to your aging parent’s needs and abilities.

Similar with assisted living, the following are also provided in memory care communities: meals, private or semi-private units, social activities, housekeeping, transportation to doctor’s appointments and other outings, and access to round-the-clock nurses.

Research suggests that activities such as art, gardening, music, and dancing help people with cognitive impairments, but it also depends on their physical abilities. Thus, some memory care facilities also organize these activities led by their trained staff or volunteers.

There are also memory care programs that support faith for your aging loved one who has always been involved in a faith practice. Those having trouble remembering names and new faces may still be comforted by the rituals, music, and traditions associated with their lifetime of religious observance.

Majority of the memory care communities are intended to make residents feel oriented, secure, and safe in their environment. To prevent the residents from wandering, they include specially designed features such as doors with alarm and secured courtyards. They also used security cameras and personal monitoring devices. As part of the commitment to safety, food and drinks made available are also considered.

Cognitive therapies and programs are offered by many of these communities to keep the residents’ brain active and engaged. Likewise, light stretching and other appropriate physical activities may be offered to protect the balance and flexibility of the residents.

Moreover, many memory care communities planned activities in the facility involving families of residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease so that they can still enjoy their family.

Quality Time with Family in Memory Care

Quality Time with Family in Memory Care

Comparison between memory care and other senior care options

Understanding the different types of long-term residential care available is important as you start considering the right long-term care solution for your aging loved ones.

To help you make the best decisions, here is a look at two different but increasingly common residential care options for your aging loved ones—memory care and assisted living.

Assisted living

Assisted living is designed for generally healthy older adults needing some help with their daily living activities. Residents in those communities still live as independently as they can, even knowing that their helping hands are just one call away. They typically have apartments or private studios, but some also prefer to share an apartment with another resident. Most apartments are equipped with kitchenettes, full bathrooms, enough space to engage in hobbies, relax, and enjoy time with family and friends.

Many assisted living facilities also organize a variety of social events, classes, and activities for residents. They further organize regular outings to shopping centers, restaurants, and other attractions to help residents stay active and engaged in their communities. Moreover, they also offer transportation to their doctor’s appointment.

Types of care provided

Assisted living

Assisted living communities provide trained staff on site to assist the residents with ADLs; at most communities, facilities and nurses are available around the clock to help residents with basic activities including bathing, eating, dressing, and toileting. Additionally, some have on-site medical clinics.

In most communities, additional levels of care are provided for older adults needing more assistance, including pain management and physical therapy.

Memory care setting

Memory care facilities, on the other hand, have well-trained nurses or staff to provide care to residents with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other cognitive impairments to ensure their wellbeing.

They provide residents with highly supervised care including assistance with ADLs and managing medication. They also ensure that the residents are able to enjoy the highest quality of life possible by organizing fun, stimulating activities specifically designed for adults with dementia.

Most memory care facilities offer secure private and shared rooms equipped with emergency call systems. In order to lower the likelihood of a resident wandering, the rooms are highly monitored. These facilities generally provide meals, transportation to nearby clinics and shopping, social activities, specialized exercise programs, and 24-hour staff supervision.

Costs

Assisted living

Assisted living communities typically charge a base monthly rate covering daily meals, some transportation, housekeeping, and rent; additional services like laundry and specialized care may either have additional cost or are already included in the community’s overall monthly fee.

The average cost for assisted living may vary depending on its geographic location, apartment size, and healthcare requirements of the resident. According to the Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care Survey, its monthly average cost ranges from $3,293 to $6,965.

Memory care

The cost for memory care facilities, on the other hand, is higher compared with assisted living as people with cognitive impairment typically require more specialized and extensive care than other healthy older adults. Its costs, however, cover the same types of services as in assisted living communities.

Depending on where you live, the monthly average cost for memory care ranges from $3,700 to $7,000.

Best memory care homes in New Mexico

One of the top cities for memory care is New Mexico. This diverse state consists of a diverse array of memory care providers, from urban centers to rural desert towns.

BeeHive Homes of Assisted Living Albuquerque NM - Dementia Care & Alzheimer Care Facilities

BeeHive Homes of Assisted Living Albuquerque NM - Dementia Care & Alzheimer Care Facilities, located at 6401 Corona Ave NE Building B, in the heart of Albuquerque, is a leading operator of assisted living, dementia & Alzheimer care communities. Phone: (505) 796-9139

BeeHive Assisted Living Santa Fe NM - ( Alzheimer & Senior Care / Dementia & Memory Care )

BeeHive Assisted Living Santa Fe NM - ( Alzheimer & Senior Care / Dementia & Memory Care ), located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, offers Dementia and Alzheimer's services for your aging loved one. Phone: (505) 629-1714

BeeHive Assisted Living Homes of Rio Rancho NM #1 - Dementia Care & Memory Care

BeeHive Assisted Living Homes of Rio Rancho provides an assortment of community features. It provides free wi-fi and high speed internet as well as guest parking. This community, located at 204 Silent Spring Road Northeast, Rio Rancho, New Mexico, provides the support of dementia & memory care. Phone: (505) 591-7021

Memory care communities come in different names in different places across the USA. If you are preparing or looking for your best memory care home in your area, you can utilize the internet and search the following terms: “memory care near me,” “alzheimer's care facilities near me,” and “dementia facilities near me.”

Conclusion

Memory care and assisted living are two communities intended for our aging loved ones. However, these two are different. The former is designed for older adults with cognitive impairment, while the latter is intended for generally healthy seniors who need assistance with their ADLs. But there are also some assisted living communities that have a wing or unit for memory care.

Should you have an aging loved one who is generally healthy but needs help with ADLs, an assisted living community is for you. But if your aging parent has cognitive impairment, then you can look for memory care facilities in your area. 

 

Keep Your Brain Young!

  Have you ever noticed the vast difference between the cognitive abilities of people in their eighties and nineties?  Some of these differences are due to genetics, and some are due to injuries or lack of injuries.  But some, you can be sure, are due to the amount of mental engagement those individuals have in their world on a daily basis.  How do we intentionally help those we are caring for, and even ourselves, engage more with the world around them? 

  1. Appeal to the senses.  If you are working with a patient or loved one who is not mentally engaged at all, be sure to try and involve several senses.  Smells can trigger different areas of the brain than verbal or auditory communication.  Try using essential oils, or even brewing coffee or making cookies when you're with them.  Some people respond very well and become more mentally alert when good smells are close.  If you know someone has freshly mown grass, try going for a walk to smell the grass. This may be particularly helpful if the person grew up in the country and may associate the smell as mown hay.  Use tactile sensory activities with them, as well.  Think soft, rough, corrugated, corduroy, silky, scratchy, woven, etc.  Some people are heavily in tune with their sense of touch and will respond better if their tactile needs are met.  Visual and auditory stimulation is usually quite easy to maneuver in every situation, but also think about taste.  Some people respond well to sour, sweet & bitter tastes and it will encourage involvement and engagement with the world around them.  These suggestions can be helpful for in cases where mental aging or engagement has become nearly atrophied, but they can also be useful in less severe cases and in every day life for the rest of us, especially if your life is becoming too mundane and similar.  Try to focus on different sensory activities and enjoy the mental engagement to your surroundings that results.  Even young students who are taking tests notice a difference if they smell peppermint before taking an exam!
  2. Another important factor in keeping your brain young is getting enough sleep!  I know that this is particularly difficult, especially when we age.  Sometimes our bodies become sore and we cannot sleep any longer.  Sometimes our rhythm of sleep is broken and it is difficult to get back into a healthy pattern, but do your best.  Your mental health and clarity depends a great deal on being able to sleep.  Sleep is when our bodies heal.  It is also astounding how many problems in the real world are worked out during sleep. 
  3. Work on puzzles.  You do not need to become a jigsaw master, but working on crosswords, logic problems, Sudoku and other puzzles can help keep your mind young and active.  In addition it will give you a good topic of conversation with others if you become stumped.  It's always more interesting to try to solve a crossword clue than to talk about the weather for the 4th time in a day.  It also tends to lead to other topics of conversation...and that is good on a number of levels.
  1. Social engagement.  Conversation with others is good for our mental pliability.  You never know what will come up in conversation.  The act of conversing with others has certain rules, but the topics are never quite the same.  It also tends to present other puzzles that might keep your brain young as you try to solve them.  If you have a friend who is have a particular problem with their plumbing or a gardening question, it might be an opportunity for you to help them troubleshoot or solve the problem or puzzle. 
  2. Eating right and staying fit will also help you to keep your brain young.  Neurotransmitters are produced in the gut.  Exercise stimulates certain growth in neurons.  You need whole body health in order to have a brain that is healthy.  It will never be enough to sit all day and do crosswords.  Your brain is connected to your body.  If one part is unhealthy, the whole thing is unhealthy.  Working on your health is incredibly important if you want to keep an active, supple mind. 

  Our brains and our mental agility are so important to our quality of life & for the quality of life of those we care for.  It is our duty to do all we can to keep them in top shape so that we can continue to benefit the world around us even as we enter our sunset years.  Let us not give up or give in too early.  After all, there are a great many examples of men and women who contributed great things to the world after they were quite old according to the world's standards.  They did not lie down and atrophy.  They pressed onward, and greatly influenced the world!

Remembering Forgetfulness

 

 Forgetfulness seems to be a problem in the aging population.  Honestly, it’s become a problem in people much younger than ever before.  Things like stress, lack of sleep and underactive thyroid can be underlying issues when it comes to forgetfulness, as can alcohol use.  In this article we’ll be talking about common forgetfulness, not the deeper & more serious issues like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  If you suspect these might be playing a role in your own forgetfulness or that of a loved one, please seek help from a medical professional right away.  There are some promising things coming out in that field, and the sooner you get help, the better it is for treatment.

 

Forgetfulness seems to become more prevalent after we have a few years under our belts, but there are things that can make it worse than you’ve noticed before.  Let’s start with lack of sleep.  During the process of sleep, our bodies are not just resting.  This is the time period when things in our short-term memory are being transferred to our long-term memory.  If your sleep is interrupted too many times, this working process is not completed and it is impossible for those memories to “stick” in long term memory.  Be sure you’re getting adequate amounts of sleep by sticking to an evening routine.  Turn off devices with light emitting from screens.  Be careful of what you eat and do right before bed to be sure it will not upset your sleep.  If you continue to have trouble sleeping, talk with your doctor about other things that you can do to help overcome the insomnia.  You will most likely see an increase in your ability to remember as soon as your sleep issues are dealt with.

 

Forgetfulness can also be increased in people with heavy amounts of stress.  Stress can be caused by good or bad changes in your life.  If you have a large amount of stressors in your life, do not be surprised if your memory is compromised.  If you’ve moved, gotten a new job (even if it’s a good shift) and had a loved one die in the past few months, your stress levels will go up and your memory will likely be affected.  If you have enough stress that you are feeling out of control & unable to cope, be sure to talk with a counselor about it so that you can get the help you need to move forward.

Forgetfulness can also point to other health issues.  If you are feeling like your brain is foggy a lot of the time, it may be pointing you to look at your thyroid.  Especially if the brain fog is accompanied by extreme fatigue, weight gain and hair loss, you should have your thyroid levels checked.  Once you know whether it is an issue or not, you’ll be able to choose a course of treatment that will work for you.

Multitasking is another, often overlooked cause of forgetfulness.  When we multitask, our brain is not allowed to put things into our short-term memory securely.  We switch to the next task before the thought is allowed to sit.  If we add to that sleepless nights, our brains do not have a chance to take those short-term memories and transfer them to long-term storage.  When we multitask, we are, in effect, training our brains to forget just as quickly as a task is performed.  If we do this often enough, it becomes the standard by which our brains operate.  If we are consistently checking our phones, for instance, in the middle of another task at five minute intervals, our brain will automatically make allowance for that and switch off to check our phone even if we were not planning to do so.  Brains thrive on habit formation.  Make your little habits work for you instead of against you.  Set a time or two each day to deal with messages that might come through on your phone or email.  Decide not to check them other than that.  If someone urgently needs to reach you, ask them to call you so you know it’s important.   Force your brain to attend to longer and longer periods where you’re working on only one thing at a time.  You’ll notice that it is difficult, but it also feels great!

Lack of hydration can cause a decrease in your mental awareness. B-12 deficiencies can contribute.  Lack of exercise can slow you up enough to decrease acuity.  There are a wide host of things that can contribute or cause forgetfulness.  Be sure to address your health from an overall health perspective.  You may be amazed at how much all of those small changes can add up to huge life change! Most importantly, remember forgetfulness!  Forgetfulness is your body’s way of screaming at you to let you know that there is something that is not right within your functional and cognitive systems.  It is something that you need to fix in order to be healthy.  Do not neglect it!

Keeping Mental Abilities Sharp

  We all know that cognitive abilities are some of the first things that show signs of aging.  Slight bits of forgetfulness, cloudiness of thought, or general confusion could be signs of something more serious than aging, and if you suspect that, the first step would be to get a doctor's opinion.  Whether or not there is a more serious problem, though, there are certain activities that can slow down mental deterioration.  The following activities are simple enough for anyone to do, will help people of all ages, and will not interfere in any program that a doctor has set up for you.

One of the very first things that can help combat mental lethargy is conversation.  This may seem like an obvious strategy, but many people are surprised by how few conversations are had by those who are becoming more home-bound with age.  Things that used to be common, such as a conversation with a gas station attendant, asking directions to a new location & getting help to find a needed item at the grocery store, become rare occasions as mobility & transportation opportunities decrease.  This time period in life can also become discouraging if many of our peers are passing away & we can no longer correspond with them by phone or letter.  Conversations with those of us who are still here & who care can make a huge impact on their day to day lives.  Find ways to ask questions that will stimulate their brains.  Ask for advice on a certain problem you face (we can all keep learning, & their input may prove invaluable).  Ask for their opinion about current situations in our communities, country & world.  Ask if they can remember the components of a favorite recipe or how to fix a particular kind of household problem.  You'll find it will most likely benefit both of you.

Another easily managed activity is to engage in a well-loved hobby, or perhaps even learning a new hobby/skill. Sewing & quilting can be helpful at keeping mental agility.  There may need to be modifications made (magnifying glasses, needles threaded in advance, etc) but it is worth it for the amount of pleasure we'll gain & from the mental benefits we'll receive.  Woodworking, painting, gardening, animal care, weaving, and furniture repair could be other options.  If the outcome of the hobby/skill benefits another person, or our community, it's even better as it gives a stronger sense of purpose.

An incredibly simple step to take to promote mental acuity is to change the daily schedule slightly.  Routine is important to all of us, but sameness & monotony can make it difficult to distinguish one day from another.  A slight change from day to day can help keep mental faculties sharp & also give something to look forward to & look back upon with joy.

Finally, remember to schedule in time for games and puzzles.  Crossword puzzles that include current events are helpful to keep us engaged in the world around us.  Games scheduled with family, neighbors or friends can pass the time, keep us active mentally & help us engage socially.  Chess, checkers, & card games are simple enough to find, but also consider newer games in which you may have to learn new rules in order to play.  You may just find a new favorite to share with friends!

 

Nature and Dementia

All of us have probably experienced the benefits of nature at one time in our lives or another.  The calming sound of waves on the beach, the gentle rain on a roof or the canopy of the forest, or even the calm breeze through the pines can knock our anxiety levels down a few notches.  What few people realize, however, is that there is genuine scientific evidence that reveals that which we’ve all experienced…nature is good for us!  It’s even better for those suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s.

It is so good for us, in fact, that in Finland regular doses of nature incorporated in their governmental health policy.  They may prescribe a walk in a natural area as treatment for anxiety, alcoholism, attention problems or depression.   But Finland is not alone as a country finding ways to combat the ailments of our century.  South Korea, Canada & the US are all studying nature’s effects on the human psyche.  Many questions are being answered as scientists delve into these areas of study, but it is mostly confirming what we all seem to know intuitively.  Nature is good for us.  It calms us down & helps us become more thoughtful.

Because Dementia & Alzheimer’s can be diseases that have some social stigmas attached to them, the diseases themselves are often accompanied with extreme depression or anxiety.  Regular outings into nature are incredibly helpful for those suffering from any of these diagnoses.  When you’re in nature, none of those things matter so much.  You can find a beautiful caterpillar, for instance, and be allowed time to pay attention to the exquisite detail of something that is currently in front of you without needing to remember its relationship to everything else in your world.  You can watch it for a long period of time without needing to rush.  You can remain calm & it will not judge your actions.  You are given time to think, to wonder & to be amazed.  You are given the freedom to be you. 

Of course, it is prudent to have someone along with you on your trips into nature.  We are not advocating that patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s wander in the woods alone as treatment.  But, as often as possible help those you care about to experience nature in meaningful ways.  Perhaps they’d like to bring along drawing supplies, or a camera for the outings.  Meaningful occupations that will bring attention & mindfulness are never amiss with patients & loved ones that struggle with these diseases.  It will likely improve their (and your) quality of life for years to come!