We’re used to hearing the terms memory care and assisted living, but what is secure assisted living? Quite simply, it’s a long-term memory care option that offers a higher level of safety measures for seniors experiencing beginning to moderate stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

So what does it mean when communities offer secure assisted living for memory care?

Secure assisted living means a community offers a safe, serene space for memory care residents to feel calm while their needs are taken care of by trained staff with the experience and expertise to provide the right level of support no matter what stage of dementia a resident is experiencing. Secure assisted living units can be stand-alone or be part of a larger senior living campus, hospital, or nursing facility. 

What are the benefits of secure assisted living?

Person-centered secure assisted living offers a warm, therapeutic environment in which those with memory loss can remain as independent as possible for as long as possible while navigating their memory loss journey. 

Benefits for residents:

• Active, independent lifestyle for as long as possible
• Dignity and a sense of pride and accomplishment in day-to-day activities
• Engaged eating with specialized diets
• Self-worth, self-esteem, and overall health and well-being
• Reduced fear, anxiety and frustration

Benefits for family members:

• Know your loved one has the best quality of life possible
• Return to the loving relationship you once shared
• Opportunity to make the most of your time together
• Resources, counseling and other services

What to look for in secure assisted living. 

Not all memory care options are created equal. In-home care may seem like the best choice, until you realize it is a 24/7 job that gets very expensive very quickly. Another disadvantage of in-home care is that it usually doesn’t focus on personalized programming and dining options. In general, while this may sound like a great option, in-home care just can’t provide the level of support throughout the entire memory loss journey that a secure assisted living community can.

At a minimum, look for a memory care program that offers:

• Support from certified nursing assistants in activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming, dressing, eating
• Medication management by nursing professionals
• Nutritious chef-prepared meals
• Dementia-friendly programs and activities
• Nursing staff available 24/7
• Vital sign and blood pressure checks
• Transportation coordination to medical appointments
• Regular housekeeping

Pomperaug Woods offers secure assisted living in Southbury, CT.

At Pomperaug Woods, we call our approach to memory care Heartfelt Connections – A Memory Care Program®. Whether you call it secure assisted living or memory care assisted living, all that matters is that our residents proudly call it home. If you’d like to know more about our innovative approach to secure assisted living, let’s get in touch. We’d love to show you around the neighborhood.

While it’s true that as people grow older, they experience some of the same changes, such as vision loss and decreased flexibility, the aging process can vary greatly from one person to the next. Couples often see this firsthand. One partner might be healthy and active, while the other may have a chronic or life-limiting illness. It can result in the partner who enjoys good health becoming a caregiver for their spouse, sometimes to the detriment of their own well-being.

Older adults who are exploring senior living options for couples often find a Life Plan Community (also known as a Continuing Care Retirement Community), such as Pomperaug Woods, to be an ideal solution. Residents who call one of these communities home benefit from having a full continuum of care available on one campus. It’s a choice that allows couples to remain loving partners instead of weary caregivers.

The Challenge of Caregiving for a Spouse or Partner

It’s a scenario that plays out often. One spouse or partner experiences a significant change in health and the other becomes their primary caregiver. That may be a manageable arrangement in the short-term, such as after a surgery or an accident.
If it’s for a longer period, however, it can cause the family caregiver to develop health issues of their own.

There’s ample evidence to show that caregiving for a loved one can take a physical and emotional toll:

• Develop health issues: Family caregivers are at higher risk for a range of medical conditions –– including depression, migraines, back pain, obesity and diabetes –– than peers who aren’t caregivers.
• Neglect self-care: Spousal caregivers commonly overlook their own well-being. It’s common to see them skipping physician appointments, eating a poor diet and falling behind on important health screenings. Developing unhealthy habits to cope, such as smoking or drinking too much alcohol, are other concerns.
• Experience early mortality: Unfortunately, a spouse or partner over the age of 66 who assumes the caregiver role has a 63% higher mortality rate than their non-caregiving peers.

These are just a few of the reasons why it’s a good idea to get to know more about the senior living options available for couples.

The Advantages of a Senior Living Community

At a community like Pomperaug Woods, senior couples can take advantage of a forward-thinking approach to ensure they have access to the type of living they need now, and the care they may require in the future. If one partner or spouse is in the earliest stages of dementia, a couple might be able to initially reside in independent living. In time, it may be necessary to transition the senior with dementia to memory care. These specialized neighborhoods are secure spaces designed to cater to the unique needs of adults with memory loss.

Another situation that happens among couples who opt to move into a Life Plan Community’s independent living is that one spouse develops a chronic or life-limiting illness. Their condition might require assisted living, skilled nursing or hospice. With a full continuum of on-site care available, the transition can be seamless. The bottom line is that couples benefit when the senior living community offers a variety of levels of care to accommodate changing needs.

Visit Pomperaug Woods for a Personal Tour

The best way to make an informed choice for the future is to visit continuum-of-care communities in person and get to know the residents and staff. Pomperaug Woods is the only not-for-profit LifeCare®  senior living community in Southbury, CT. We believe that by sharing experiences, residents find purpose and joy in life, and we invite you to share in that experience.

Contact us today to schedule a time for your personal tour of our senior living options for couples. You’ll see for yourself why J.D. Powers has awarded us top honors in customer service for three years in a row!