Pennsylvania Memory Care Facilities

Pennsylvania is a wonderful state located on the east coast of the United States. Along with other parts of New England, Pennsylvania is known for its high quality of living, scenic views, coastal shoreline, excellent healthcare, and well reputable doctors. It is hard to beat the well-rounded coverage of memory care in Pennsylvania.

The phenomenal service does come with a stiffer price; however, as dementia care homes in Pennsylvania do rank higher than the national average. Pennsylvania currently sits in the Top 10 for memory care cost, just making the cut at number ten for most expensive memory care homes in the nation.

Detailed Cost of Memory Care Facilities in Pennsylvania

While Pennsylvania Alzheimer's care homes do run higher than the national average, compared to the rest of the northeast, they are actually much more affordable.

The average median for the state is $169 per day, slightly higher than the national average. For a monthly stay, families generally spend about $5,000 and $60,000 for the year. It may seem costly, but for quality memory care communities, Pennsylvania rates are actually reasonable, especially for the east coast.

In fact, of the Top 10 priciest states for memory care facilities, seven are located in the northeast part of the United States, and Pennsylvania is the least expensive based on average monthly rates. New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Maryland and New Hampshire all rank within the top six. Pennsylvania Alzheimer’s care homes are substantially lower.

For example, one would expect to spend nearly $6,000 per month in New Jersey or Connecticut for memory care. On the other hand, Pennsylvania is almost $1,000 less per month, which equals savings of $12,000 or more per year. As a result, dementia care homes in Pennsylvania feature the same excellent healthcare and reputable skilled dementia care staff as other parts of the northeast, yet at far lower monthly rates.

Pennsylvania Alzheimer's care facilities can get even lower than the statewide median, as some dementia care homes have prices starting at $100 per day, with a few more in the $120 to $150 price range. The table below details average memory care costs in Pennsylvania, based on actual facility prices:

Understanding Senility, Dementia, and Alzheimer's Disease

Years before, people referred to the decline in a person's physical and cognitive abilities because of their advanced age as senility. Today, senility is treated more as an insult than a medical term because it presents 'being old' as the prime factor in the abnormal changes in a person's body and mind.

To the unaware, dementia may seem like senility because it shows a drastic decline in a person's thinking capabilities over time. However, it is incorrect to assume that having dementia and being senile is the same.

Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to the loss of cognitive abilities, memory, and language due to abnormal alterations in a person's brain. Unlike senility, dementia can affect anyone at any age.

Studies from the Alzheimer's Association posit that Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the United States. It was found that 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer's, with over 5.6 million individuals over 65 years old and 200,000 younger than 65 years old. Sadly, this number is projected to increase by up to 13.8% by 2050.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that affects a person's brain more and more as time passes. This damage causes disrupts a person's life as it slowly eats away memories, the ability to do daily living tasks, and eventually, their ability to move. Although it has been well over a hundred years since the disease was discovered and scientists have made groundbreaking discoveries about the disease, there is no cure available yet.

Without a cure, people with dementia and Alzheimer's try to live a peaceful life in their homes or with family members. In recent years, however, the surge in memory care units', availability of financial support from state and non-state programs, and the population's natural aging may have triggered the increase of admission to memory care facilities in Pennsylvania and other states. But is this also a good move for you and your loved one who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia?

Making the Move to a Pennsylvania Dementia Care Home

Every Alzheimer's and dementia patient is unique, and they go through the stages of Alzheimer's differently. That is why no one can accurately pinpoint the right time to make the move to a Pennsylvania memory care home.

However, to make the decision-making easier, geriatricians suggest looking into the changes in their behavior, safety requirements, health conditions, and needs, and then reassess your capability as a caregiver as well as your own condition and well-being.

Behavior

• Is your loved one who is usually neat and tidy suddenly forgoing hygiene because they forgot the purpose and process of taking baths?
• Is your family member becoming more frustrated due to their inability to recall simple daily tasks?
• Are they becoming more reserved and anxious?
• Are they often confused and disoriented?

Safety

• Can you still leave your loved one at home without being anxious that they might wander outside and get lost?
• Are you still able to let them drive without fear that they may forget how to drive along the way and be involved in an accident?
• Can they still recognize people whom they can ask for help when they get lost or hurt?

Health Condition

• Is your family member still able to eat, drink, and take their medicine independently?
• Are they able to do so at the right time?
• Are they having incontinence issues?
• Can they still move freely and independently?
• Are they still responsive?

Needs

• Do they need 24/7 monitoring?
• Do they require assistance in all their daily living tasks?

Caregiver Capabilities

• Are you able to provide the level of care that your loved one needs?
• Can you handle assisting them with their daily hygiene, even if it means handling incontinence?
• Can you physically move or carry them when the situation requires it?
• Are you able to give consistent care even in the long run?

Caregiver Conditions

• Are you becoming an irritable and impatient caregiver?
• Are you unconsciously neglecting your responsibilities unrelated to caregiving?
• Do you feel disconnected from friends and other family members?
• Do you feel like you tired all the time and close to burning out?
• Are you becoming sickly?

Your desire to personally care for your loved one may be strong, but you have to understand that there are people who can help you. When your loved one's needs surpass the care you can give, perhaps that is the right time to look for a new home in a Pennsylvania dementia care community.

Pennsylvania Memory Care Communities vs. Assisted Living Communities

People living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia can find a new home in an assisted living facility. Both facilities offer comfortable living spaces, healthy meals, and round-the-clock assistance and support services. But depending on which stage of Alzheimer's your loved one is, they may be better suited to one over the other.

Suppose that your family member is in the early to early moderate stages of Alzheimer's. In these stages, people can still move freely but may need minimal assistance with some daily living activity tasks like bathing and dressing. In this case, they would be more suitable in the apartment-style arrangement that an assisted living home has to offer. But, if they are at the more advanced stages of the disease, they may need the more specialized care that only trained staff at a Pennsylvania memory care community can provide.

Memory care facilities in Pennsylvania have qualified staff to give first-rate memory care, behavioral services, supervisory care, directed care, personal care, memory care-specific treatment administration, and individual and group therapy supervision.

The licensing and regulation of memory care homes in Pennsylvania fall under the state's Department of Human Services duties. They inspect these facilities ensuring the residents receive great-quality care and are treated with respect and dignity. They also check if the amenities are well-maintained, the staff is competent and well-compensated, and the community is well-managed. They also look into concerns related to these communities.

Requirements for Pennsylvania Memory Care Facility Admission

The Department of Human Services requires memory care communities in Pennsylvania to declare their admission requirements. Admissions are used to ensure that any admitted resident will receive the appropriate care that the facility can give.

With the staff's expertise, Pennsylvania memory care homes can accept Pennsylvania residents with dementia, Alzheimer's, mental health conditions, physical handicaps, and developmental disabilities.

However, they cannot accept those who need constant nursing care but without a third-party provider, ventilator-dependent people, and continuous IV therapies. Similarly, memory care facilities may refuse to take people who need to be continuously restrained and those who may harm themselves, other residents, and the staff.

As every patient is different, special considerations may apply to your loved one. That is why it is always a good idea to contact the facility of your choice and set up a meeting with the management and care staff.

Finding the Pennsylvania Dementia Care Facility for Your Family Member

Looking for the right Pennsylvania memory care community for your loved one is similar to finding a new home. You have to consider what they would like, what they would need, and how they will fit in the community.

If your loved one is responsive, ask them what they like in their current and previous homes. You can also ask them what they want to see or experience in their new home. Make sure to inquire about the type of help that they would need as well.

Suppose that your family member is no longer as responsive or coherent, enlist the help of a person who knows your loved one as much as you do, and brainstorm about what you think that your loved one will enjoy and need in their new home.

After taking note of their preferences, jot down their care needs and dietary requirements. Then compare the items on your list with an institution published amenities and services.

Once you have a list of prospective dementia care homes in Pennsylvania, call the establishment and schedule a facility tour and a meeting with the management and care personnel.

During the meeting, you may want to discuss your loved one's care needs as well as the available service, facility amenities, staffing situation, organized community activities, the family's involvement, the prospect of continuing care and aging in place, and other related policies.

Pennsylvania Memory Care Home Amenities

The best Alzheimer's care homes in Pennsylvania focus on a well-rounded approach to dementia. They realize that cognitive diseases are very complicated, and thus no two residents are treated exactly the same way. However, with that being said, certain common features are included in daily lifestyles.

Social engagement and interaction are highly encouraged. The Skilled staff understands that seniors are best suited to thrive with Alzheimer's when they are not isolated. Visitation with friends and family should be actively encouraged, along with clear lines of communication when health may deteriorate or the moods of the loved one shift noticeably.

Personal leisure activities and productivity tasks can assist with cognitive abilities while also endorsing an improvement of well-being. Activities can include individual games or puzzles, along with group exercises like playing cards or gardening.

The top-ranked memory care communities in Pennsylvania also work to provide high-quality daily meals, housekeeping, institute security measures to help warrant wandering, and other standard amenities of dementia care like security pendants and medication management.

Affording Pennsylvania Dementia Care Home Admissions

When you need a little help in affording the cost of Pennsylvania memory care communities, the following state and non-state programs may be able to help you.

• OPTIONS Program Eligibility
  • Pennsylvania residents
  • Must be 60 years old or older
  • Must need a high level of care
  • Must be Medicaid-ineligible
  • Must not be living in residential care facilities
  • Dom Care beneficiaries may also be eligible
• PA Domiciliary Care Program Eligibility
  • Pennsylvania residents
  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Must require help with daily living activities
  • Must be mobile or semi-mobile
  • Must not need intermediate nursing care
  • Private payers and Supplemental Security Income-eligible
• Living Independence for the Elderly Eligibility
  • Pennsylvania residents
  • Must be 55 years old and above
  • Must need nursing or rehabilitation facility-level of care
  • Must be financially eligible according to County Assistance Office standards
  • Must live within the service area
• Community HealthChoices Waiver Eligibility
  • Pennsylvania residents
  • Must be Medicaid-eligible
  • Monthly income must not exceed $16,612 for single applicants and $22,491 for couples
  • Must need nursing home-level of care or receiving Medicare assistance

Veterans benefit, reverse mortgage, long-term care insurance, and life insurance may also be other channels you may look into as additional channels for support.