Michigan Memory Care Facilities

Michigan is an intriguing state literally divided into two. The northern half of the upper peninsula sees colder winters and more secluded landscape, yet cheaper housing for memory care facilities in Michigan. The lower half, or the lower peninsula features bigger metropolitan areas like Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Ann Arbor, and a larger selection of quality dementia care homes.

The state ranks 12th in the nation in terms of affordability for memory care communities. For the Midwest, the only other state with cheaper Alzheimer’s care homes is Indiana. Michigan fairs better in the rankings compared to nearby Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Wisconsin.

Cost of Memory Care in Michigan

The cost of memory care homes in Michigan is very reasonable. The average costs for memory care are only $146 per day, lower by $14 per day as compared to the national average.

In a given month, savings can work up to approximately $420 and more at Michigan dementia care facilities, adding up to more than $5,000 per year, which is why many consider Michigan Alzheimer’s care homes not only a prime destination in the Midwest, but all of the United States.

The projected monthly cost for Michigan memory care communities is just over $2,500 per month, and $30,000 per year. Compared to expensive areas of the U.S. like the east coast and west coast, these figures are outstanding.

The state is home to nearly 10 million people. Detroit is the biggest city in the state with a wide range of options for quality dementia care. Affordable special care homes in Michigan can be found in this city of more than 700,000 residents, with prices that range between $90 and $130 per day.

Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing and Ann Arbor also have a very good selection of high quality and affordable dementia care homes since they are larger cities with more options. The communities of Dearborn and Clinton are also popular among seniors, including those looking for Alzheimer’s care.

Michigan Dementia Care - Amenities

Michigan dementia care homes feature a nice balance of quality service and amenities. Standard features include daily servings of meals that provide good nutritional value, regularly scheduled programs with guest speakers and coordinators, leisure activities, and personal productivity activities.

Staff can also assist residents with daily functions like getting in and out of bed, bathing, getting dressed, using the restroom and other aspects of personal hygiene. Your loved one will be properly cared for by friendly, knowledgeable and helpful skilled staff and caregivers.

Well trained and specialized nurses and doctors ensure constant monitoring throughout the process, as well as providing updates to family in the event of unexpected shifts in behavior or daily habits. As a result, you can expect terrific care in Michigan dementia care facilities with great lines of communication.

Admission Requirements to Adult Foster Care Facilities in Michigan

Michigan does not officially recognize the term assisted living for homes and facilities which provide services to support individuals who are not able to function or perform normal daily activities. The most acceptable and widely used terms in the state are Adult Foster Care Facility and Homes for the Aged, both of which can accommodate memory care residents.

These care facilities accept individuals 60 years old and above. In some cases, they can accommodate a person under 60 through a waiver from the director of a facility. Acceptance requires a written agreement between the home and the potential resident and/or their authorized representative. This document stipulates the home’s services, fees, and policies on admission and retention.

Another requirement is the service plan, a written agreement between the two parties identifying the specific care, maintenance, services and activities suitable to the resident’s particular physical, social and behavioral needs, preferences and competency. This service plan must be updated annually or if there is a significant change in the resident’s needs and/or condition.

If a potential resident is undergoing treatment or taking prescription medications at the time of admission, they must provide a written statement from their licensed health care professional before admission. It should state the details of the treatments and medications and must be included in the service plan.

At least 12 months prior to admission, a potential resident must get a tuberculosis screening, as per methods recommended by the local health authority and the test results must be included in the resident’s records in the home.

A foster care home cannot admit a potential resident who requires continuous nursing services such as those provided in nursing homes. However, if the home can prove that it can provide these services, or if the individual is receiving services from a home health agency or a licensed hospice program, then the home may accept the person’s application.

The home’s director must read the Resident Rights for AFC Family Homes or Resident Rights for AFC Group Homes, whichever is applicable, to the potential resident before admission. The director must also offer them a copy of the document.

Security in Michigan Adult Foster Care Units

Michigan requires foster homes or homes for the aged, including those that provide memory care, to abide by these rules:

1. Treat a resident with dignity.

2. A resident’s personal needs, protection and safety must be consistent with their service plan.

3. One supervisor of the resident care – fully dressed, awake and on the premises – must be present on each shift and responsible for the resident’s safety during an emergency.

4. The supervisor must ensure residents are treated with kindness and respect as well as protected from accidents and injuries.

5. Have adequate staff on duty at all times.

6. Implement a staff training program on first aid, fire prevention, and containment of infectious diseases.

7. Maintain the safety and sanitation of the home’s premises according to policies on public health and welfare.

8. Provide sufficient light for any exterior ramp, step and porch.

9. Install a handrail on both sides of exterior steps and railing on the open sides of an above-grade porch.

Michigan – Regulations for Adult Foster Care Establishments

The State of Michigan does not issue licenses to assisted living or independent living facilities. However, a home for the aged or an adult foster care home may require a license if the level of care they provide includes specialized programs for individuals who are developmentally disabled or mentally ill. In such case, they may send their application to the Michigan Adult Foster Care and Homes for the Aged Licensing Division.

Assisted living is not regulated on the Federal level. Hence, the laws, statutes and regulations surrounding these facilities are very different from one state to another. In Michigan, the Department of Human Services and its Bureau of Children and Adult Licensing (Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) regulates adult foster care (AFC) facilities and homes for the aged (HFA).

An AFC requires a license if it provides room, board, and personal care, supervision to between three to twenty senior citizens who are mentally ill, developmentally handicapped or physically disabled, 24 hours a day, for at least 5 days a week, and for 2 or more consecutive weeks. An HFA requires a license if it provides room, board and supervised personal care to 21 or more adults aged 55 or older. Both are not allowed to provide continuous nursing care, but their residents may receive hospice or nursing services from third party agencies.

In addition, both facilities must provide their residents the following services:

- Assistance with grooming, maintenance of medication schedules, and development of social skills in an environment that is as least restrictive as possible.

- Guidance in daily living activities, including independent travel within the community.

- Safety and protection from physical harm, humiliation, intimidation and exploitation.

- Memory care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of dementia

Health of Employees

The care home must ensure that each staff on duty is in good health. It must maintain files as evidence, particularly tuberculosis screening results using methods recommendation of the local health authority. In addition, each employee’s file must include records of accidents or illnesses which occurred on duty, if these pose a risk on other employees or on the residents.

Michigan law also requires senior home directors to provide free annual tuberculosis screening for all its employees. They may choose the method to be used as long as it is approved by the local health authority.

Food

When preparing meals for residents, adult care homes in Michigan are required to apply the recommended daily dietary allowances of the Food and Nutrition Board. In order to meet the nutritional needs of each resident, a home must prepare meals according to age, gender and activity.

Care homes should serve a complete meal residents three times daily and at regular times. Snacks and beverages must also be available. And when feasible, they must accommodate individual preferences.

When Is Your Loved One Ready for Michigan Memory Care?

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) reported that in Michigan, one in eight adults aged 45 and over experience confusion or memory loss often, which get worse over time. In medical terms, this condition is known as subjective cognitive decline.

More than half of the adults in Michigan afflicted with the disorder have not consulted a health care professional, even as it has resulted in functional difficulties in 49.1% of them. This means a decrease in daily activities, socialization and work hours.

A decline in cognitive function is one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. This illness has no known cure, and it gets worse over time. In the early stages, a person experiences mild forgetfulness. As the disease progresses, they slowly lose the ability to perform even simple tasks such as paying bills, remembering names, and finding their way home.

Up to this point, caregiving may still be done at home by a friend or family member who can help with cleaning and cooking and accompany the afflicted individual on errands. However, 18.3% of adults in Michigan with memory problems live alone. If their condition escalates to the later stages of dementia, they will be at high risk for malnutrition, accidents, falls and illnesses resulting from poor hygiene.

The risk is greater for 85.3% of adults in Michigan with memory problems and also suffering from at least one other chronic condition. Arthritis, asthma, COPD, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes all require complicated treatments and regular medication.

If you have a loved one with dementia, you may need to consider placing them in one of the adult foster care homes or homes for the aged in Michigan that provide memory care services. Whether or not someone is willing to care for them in the comfort of their home, you must study other aspects that might prevent them from having the best possible quality of life.

In a foster care home, residents receive care from professionals in a home-like setting. The facilities and physical structure are designed to address the needs of persons with dementia until the later stages when they are already incapable of personal care such as hygiene, grooming and eating.

Questions to Ask Michigan Memory Care Homes During a Tour

If you believe it’s not yet time for your loved one to be in an assisted living environment, the State of Michigan suggests a search in the database of their Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). In this website, you can learn about facility options in very city and county of the state.

You may check the reviews for each facility to provide an insight on what you and your loved one can expect in terms of experience and services. The Reports Available section offers information on violations, complaints and issues that you can make note of. Should you decide to place your loved one in an adult foster care home, it will become imperative to visit each facility in your list of options. Your notes will serve as guide on the questions you need to ask the homes’ directors, which must include their facilities’ policies and procedures on safety, security, food, dwelling units, and medication administration.

Memory Care vs Assisted Living in Michigan

The BRFSS reported that in Michigan, 45.1% of all adults provide up to 20 or more hours per week of unpaid care to loved ones with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. Their tasks range from household upkeep to personal care like feeding and bathing.

The impact of caregiving in the state is evident in statistics that show 27.2% of caregivers with a history of depression and 21.4% with frequent poor mental health. They are also more prone to anxiety than non-caregivers.

In 2003, the Michigan Dementia Plan was initiated to increase support for family members functioning as home caregivers to their loved ones with dementia. Also included in the plan is the improvement of facilities that offer residence and care for individuals with dementia, which could encourage family members to consider institutionalization. Given that some may see this option as financially prohibitive, the Plan launched efforts to increase the slots of long-term care Medicaid waiver in the state.

Presently, Michigan residents have the option of placing their loved ones with dementia either in a foster care home or in a home for the aged. The state has also addressed issues of lack in education about dementia among staff in these homes. Now, family members just have to determine the needs of their afflicted loved one in order to find the best fit.

Understandably, this is a difficult decision to make. But with the improvements made by the State of Michigan to ensure the optimal care of individuals with dementia in foster care homes, placing a loved one there can prove to be beneficial for all involved. The dementia or Alzheimer’s sufferers will improve life quality with 24/7 professional care, and the caregivers will regain their physical and mental health.