North Dakota Memory Care Facilities

When it comes to the subject of high-quality senior living, North Dakota Alzheimer’s care homes and dementia care facilities are rarely mentioned in the national discussion, yet they are excellent. The North/Midwest state tends to hide compared to other states in the area like Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio, yet North Dakota dementia care offers great value.

Statistically speaking, the state ranks just at the national average for average monthly costs. Compared to some states in the region, North Dakota dementia care homes are modestly priced and available for families on all types of budgets. Furthermore, Medicare or other health insurance is sometimes accepted at select North Dakota Alzheimer’s facilities to cover partial costs of care. All you need to do is ask the facilities you have narrowed down your search to, if you are considering a memory care facility as the next residence for a loved one.

Cost of ND Dementia Care Facilities

Regardless of the type of facility, North Dakota memory care communities are priced at about $158 per day, right at the national average. The projected monthly cost for North Dakota dementia care homes is $4,700, and $56,400 per year.

All services and amenities the facility offers are included in the daily cost, from food (meals, snacks, beverages) and living space (varies based on the selected type) to the staff members who take care of the resident. Programs, activities and one-on-one therapies are also part of the monthly expenses.

Some of the services these facilities provide may cost extra on top of the monthly rate. The state mandates them to disclose such items, so you should always ask for a breakdown of the daily expenses to determine what you’re paying for.

Both memory care and assisted living homes offer both private and semi-private living spaces. Private units are more expensive because they house only one person per unit. Each one is equipped with a private bathroom with sink, toilet and tub or shower. If you’re on a budget, you can opt for a semi-private unit and have your parent or grandparent share their living space with another resident of the community. This type of unit also includes a bathroom with sink, toilet and tub or shower.

It is important to ask your loved one if they are comfortable staying in the same unit with another person, or if they prefer their own company. However, if a private unit is not within your budget, you must inform them ahead of time in order to set their expectations.

Why Choose a North Dakota Memory Care Facility?

In a state that only has 670,000+ residents, there are really no massive cities. The biggest, Fargo, only has just over 100,000 people. For those that want a slower pace of living and quiet neighborhoods for their loved ones, North Dakota memory care facilities are excellent. The midsize towns of Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot and Mandan all feature a great selection of dementia care options, after Fargo.

If you’re a North Dakota native, finding a memory care community close to you offers valuable advantages. You can visit them anytime, and more often, and even take them home on special occasions. Also, if a medical emergency arises, you can be present at the site quickly.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 70 percent of adults over the age of 65 will require long-term care at some point.

North Dakota dementia care homes exist in a variety of settings. Some units are part of a larger assisted living or nursing home, where a section may be dedicated to Alzheimer’s and dementia, yet the residents still associate with other members that may not be suffering from one of those types of diseases. The purpose is to provide specialized care unique to Alzheimer’s or dementia, while also providing more hands-on medical attention.

Meanwhile, other memory care communities in North Dakota are 100 percent exclusive and dedicated to Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Just because these units are completely specialized to dementia care, it does not necessarily make them better than services offered in nursing homes or assisted living centers. It all depends on your preferences.

Nevertheless, the majority of these memory care facilities have staff members trained and experienced in handling individuals with dementia. In the event that any resident suffers from sundown or experiences confusion, restlessness and irritability, they will know exactly what to do to manage the situation and alleviate the person’s symptoms.

What to Consider When Looking for a Memory Care Facility

Now, what you need to focus on is how to find the right place that could provide your loved one with the right treatment and care they need during these times. North Dakota does have quite a number of senior care facilities in the state, so it may be challenging for family members to find the perfect place.

Dementia is a syndrome that causes deterioration in cognitive functioning. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among the older population. Thus, these conditions must be your major considerations as you embark on your search for the best residence that suits your loved one’s specific needs and preferences.

With that said, it is important for every family to create a checklist of the items they require in a facility based on those specifics. Here are some factors you’ll want to consider:

• Monthly cost and inclusions
• Health insurance acceptance
• Amenities and features
• Treatments
• Staff-to-resident ratio
• Security
• Living spaces

Before transitioning your loved one to a North Dakota memory care facility of your choice, you should schedule a tour visit. This way, you’ll personally see the living spaces and whether these will give the comfort your family member deserves. It also gives you the opportunity to ask the staff important questions that will help you determine if they are indeed the right choice.

Remember to ask about the business, the structure and the staff, specifically their license, certifications, and the type of training the staff received. You should also make sure there are certified dementia care managers (CDCMs) among the personnel, as well as the level of care they provide and their service plans for each patient. Knowing their emergency procedures during medical situations is equally important.

Ensuring Your Loved One’s Security

This is perhaps the most essential question of all: How safe and secure is the facility?

Among the greatest challenges of dementia patients, especially those with Alzheimer’s disease, are confusion and memory loss. Many cases of patients cared for at home have at least one instance of wandering and getting lost. For caregivers and family members, this is a stressful situation.

Due to the risk of accidents posed by wandering, you’ll want the assisted living facility you choose for your loved one to be a tightly secured place. It must guarantee that no resident goes out unnoticed and without a caregiver by their side. Their security measures and policies should be up to par with the type of care they provide the residents.

North Dakota Memory Care vs. Assisted Living

Memory care homes and assisted living residences are not the same in North Dakota. However, some assisted living facilities may include memory care units. But what exactly is the difference?

Memory care facility is a distinct form of long-term residential care establishment that particularly caters to patients with dementia. North Dakota special care units (SCUs) typically offer 24 hours of supervised care, 7 days a week.

The most distinct feature of these facilities is that the physical layout of the place, as well as the security services, are all designed to support individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. They make the site easy to navigate and ensure the residents are kept safe within the area.

Additionally, the memory care communities in North Dakota are required to secure a state-issued license in order to operate. They are further regulated by special care unit disclosure laws in 23 states, which mandates care providers to disclose all the special services they offer.

Assisted living facilities, on the other hand, provide housing, meals, and daily living support services on a long-term basis. Health care and medical services may also be included. In these establishments, care is available to residents from staff members on duty around the clock.

Assisted living facilities vary depending on the nature of services they offer. These often include transportation and medication management for residents requiring frequent treatments for their health conditions.

Which type of care facility should you choose?

If your elderly loved one has dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, finding a special care unit in North Dakota ensures that they get not only the best but also the right kind of care.

Individuals with early stage dementia may still be independent and would require assistance only with complicated tasks, such as cooking and cleaning. For them, assisted living is the better choice. If their memory loss results in forgetting to take medications, staff members in these facilities are allowed to remind them of their respective schedules.

However, if your loved one is already at the later stage of dementia, then a memory care facility is advisable. These establishments offer a higher level of security, and their staff are required to undergo training specific to the care of persons with dementia.

Therefore, you must determine if a community offers the right kind of care your loved one requires before making the final selection.

When Should You Transition a Loved One to a Dementia Community?

Most of the time, families bring their elderly loved ones to a senior care facility when it becomes more difficult to keep a close eye on them. This is especially true with dementia patients who require hands-on care and attention 24/7.

If you believe no one in your family can provide your loved one with proper care, it will be more beneficial to all concerned to ask for help. Transitioning them to a memory care home or assisted living facility will assure a better quality of life and professional healthcare assistance.

North Dakota Dementia Care - Amenities

North Dakota memory care communities have traditional amenities like housekeeping, food service, scheduled activities and programs, and other events. Additionally, assistance with activities of daily living that include taking a bath, dressing, using the bathroom, moving from one part of the facility to another, or transportation to other places can be provided.

While friendly and caring staff always keep a close eye on the residents, they maintain a certain level of independence. Nevertheless, the most important service of any memory care facility is to provide programs, activities and therapies to help ease the symptoms of dementia and strengthen the cognitive functions of residents.

Each facility offers a variety of therapies and activities, which mostly focus on stimulating the senses and sharpening the mind, such as art and music therapy. Pet therapies are also very common as these help in easing the stress of the residents in addition to exercising their cognitive and motor skills. Crossword puzzles and Bingo competitions are two games popular with residents.

When vetting facilities for your loved one, make sure you study the programs and activities on their calendar. The schedule should be carefully plotted to avoid overstimulation. As the day ends, residents must begin relaxing with aromatherapy or other similar therapies to calm their nerves. They must avoid increased confusion and irritability that comes with sundowning which, according to experts, is most likely triggered by sunset.

Dementia-trained caregivers in the best North Dakota dementia care homes are known to provide great service with friendly attitudes and treat residents with the utmost respect and dignity. Personal privacy is always considered as much as possible in a monitored setting.

Lastly, the top North Dakota Alzheimer’s care homes can assist with wandering and getting lost, two unfortunate symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Security features often include automatically locking doors, security pendants for residents, 24/7 monitoring and building features like color-coded walls or sections to make the large building as uncomplicated and straightforward as possible.