Virginia Memory Care Facilities

Virginia dementia care homes have seen an increase in popularity and demand over the last decade. The state wedged between the iconic Appalachian Mountains to the west, and Atlantic Ocean to the east, is one of the more beautiful places to live for seniors, and the rates for memory care here are definitely affordable.

The Old Dominion state ranks within the Top 20 of most expensive states for memory care, yet at 16th, a vast majority of the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states of the U.S. are well ahead of Virginia in terms unaffordability. As a result, you can expect to find good value at the top ranked Virginia Alzheimer’s care facilities.

Detailed Cost of Memory Care in Virginia

Virginia dementia care homes average in price at $164 per month, or a little under $5,000 per month at approximately $4,900. The median is right around the national average, just $4 dollars more per month compared to $160. Thus, seniors can expect the same quality of care and healthcare coverage in Virginia as in other parts of the mid-Atlantic and northeast, but at cheaper costs.

The bottom ten percent of Alzheimer’s care homes in Virginia (otherwise known as the least expensive) charge only $3,000 per month, or approximately $100 per day. Meanwhile, the top ten percent (or most expensive) average a little over $8,000 per month, or about $270 per day. A difference of around $5,000 per month does exist between the least expensive to the most expensive, so if your family is on a tight budget, it is advisable that you do a little extra research to find the most affordable providers.

The state currently has a population of around 8 million residents, with Virginia Beach by far the most populated at 425,000+ people. Norfolk (population 240,000+), Chesapeake (population 222,000+) and Richmond (population 200,000+) are all massive metropolitan areas as well.

Newport News, Alexandria, Hampton, Portsmouth and Roanoke all have significant populations in a very dense part of the United States in terms of large cities. The best selection of affordable dementia care facilities in Virginia are often found in these larger cities, though some rural areas also provide them. The table below details average memory care costs in Vermont:

Memory Care vs. Assisted Living in Virginia

In Virginia, facilities that offer memory care are under the division of the assisted living facilities or ALFs. These communities are licensed and regulated by the Virginia Department of Social Services, Division of Licensing Programs.

Memory care within assisted living communities is referred to as "special care units" in Virginia. These special care wings are designed specifically for seniors with varying stages of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

Virginia Dementia Care - Amenities

Alzheimer’s care facilities in Virginia are traditionally part of a larger assisted living center or nursing home, though some of the homes are also part of a memory care community that is exclusive to Alzheimer’s patients.

Regardless of the situation, standard amenities include daily meal servings, programs scheduled throughout the day, activities intended for personal productivity and leisure, housekeeping, extended visitation hours for friends and families of residents, and security features specifically designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s.

Getting lost and wandering are common, unfortunate symptoms of Alzheimer’s. So, safety features like 24/7 monitoring, security pendants, automatically locking doors, color coded walls for navigation, easy room identifications, and other similar amenities are common in the best Virginia memory care communities.

Virginia Memory Care Admission Checklist

Before a senior can be admitted to a memory care community in Virginia, they must have a physical exam administered by a physician working outside the facility. The person’s required assistance and services will also have to be identified, so a Uniform Assessment Instrument or UAI is also completed for the potential resident.

Being diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia is required for admission. If the senior has or exhibits any of the following, then a Virginia assisted living facility may decline their application.

• Reliant on a ventilator
• Requires a level of care that the facility is unlicensed to provide
• Requires a level of care that the facility is not capable of delivering (maybe due to lack of equipment or staff skills and training)
• Requires IV therapy injections (some exceptions may apply)
• Diagnosed with Stage 3 or 4 dermal ulcers, unless an independent physician determines that the Stage 3 ulcer is already healing
• Requires to be isolated due to airborne infectious sickness
• Requires 24/7 nursing care
• Requires psychotropic treatments without suitable prescription
• Is a potential threat to self, other residents, and the facility's staff

Secured Memory Care Units

Assisted living facilities in Virginia are designed to be safe and comfortable for their residents. In special care units like memory care, the state requires that a higher level of security is applied.

Given the residents' profile, tightened security necessitates all doors leading outside the community to be controlled and monitored. All windows should also be installed with protective measures and devices to ensure maximum protection for the residents.

While all entry and exit points are controlled, there must be a walking area easily accessible to all residents. This creates a balance between limiting their capacity to leave the premises and giving them the freedom to explore and exercise within the compound.

Memory Care Regulations in Virginia

Like other states, Virginia has imposed strict regulations on memory care units to ensure that an excellent quality of standardized service is always delivered to all of their residents.

Care Plan

Within the first three months of a resident’s admission to an ALF in Virginia, they must go through a one-on-one personal assessment in order to promptly identify their physical and mental state, needs, and services required. Within one month following this initial assessment, a comprehensive care plan must be completed. If possible and necessary, a behavioral assessment and a fall risk rating should also be accomplished. The care that each resident will be receiving and duly provided by the facility is outlined in their individual care plans.

This care plan is reviewed, updated, and modified annually. It can be more frequent should there be any changes in the health and behavior of the resident.

Facility

The State of Virginia specifies that the private rooms and units in memory care facilities should provide 100 square feet for a single occupant, or at least 80 sq. ft for every person if there are several occupants. In a single bedroom, the maximum number of occupants is only two. The only exception here is the year when the community was built. Residences constructed before 2006 are allowed to have a maximum of four occupants per room. But regardless of the year a facility was erected, it should provide one toilet and sink for every four residents and a shower or tub for every seven residents.

Staffing Ratio and Training

The State of Virginia does not specify any staff-to-resident ratio for memory care homes. But the rule of thumb is that there should always be an adequate number of workers equipped with both the knowledge and skills to assist and care for the residents with dementia at all times. These staff members must also be ready to implement the facility's fire plan or any emergency evacuation protocol. In addition, there should be one CPR-certified staff on duty 24/7.

In Virginia, every assisted living community should have all its staff under contract. This team must include a licensed healthcare professional who provides the overall plan and guidance on the residents' care. The facility should also employ a licensed pharmacist for medications and prescriptions, as well as a dietician for residents who require special diets. Licensed nurses are likewise required to be part of the critical staff members for treatment and nursing care.

Personnel directly working with the memory care residents should have completed training specifically for dementia care. These team members must go through six hours of upskilling specific to caring for residents with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

All staff of a facility must be subjected to background checks as part of the pre-employment checklist. No facility can employ an individual convicted of a barrier crime. This regulation is defined in 22 VAC 40-90-10 of the State of Virginia.

Medication Management

Living facilities in Virginia are mandated to have their medication management plans in writing and included in every resident's care plan. Residents capable of and competent in self-administering their medicines are permitted to do so. Otherwise, assistance can be provided by staff members who are licensed and registered medical aides.

When Is The Right Time to Move To Memory Care?

Making the choice of moving your loved one to a memory care facility can prove beneficial when done at the correct time and under the right circumstances.

Your loved one, the facility workers, and the rest of the family will find it more advantageous to transition them when it's not already too late. Since the progress of dementia is unique for every person, you can watch out for changes in their health and behavior, and then use those as the basis in finally deciding to make the move.

You want your senior to adjust to the memory care community environment as seamlessly as possible so that even while their dementia progresses, they can still enjoy socializing engagements and having well-trained professionals to assist them. Moving them to memory care is the best decision you can make because you are putting their safety and needs as your top priority.

Here are some changes and experiences you and your loved one will expect to go through in the following weeks, months, and years after dementia is diagnosed. With each sign indicating that the worst is yet to come, you can make the best decision now, and together.

• Declining physical health
• Mental, emotional, and psychological challenges
• Incontinence and mobility issues
• Violent outbursts and confrontations
• Wandering away, getting lost and being found cycle
• Involving the police and local law enforcement for assistance
• Family discords
• Isolation and depression
• Poor time management
• Inadequate nursing care

Making a choice for the family or as a family member will never be easy, but moving your loved one to memory care doesn't mean that you stop being a family. You may not be there with them 24/7, but you can remain involved and be an active participant in the life of your senior.

Questions to Ask When Touring a Memory Care Community in Virginia

Getting a schedule set for you to tour a memory care facility in the state of Virginia could be an overwhelming experience. It is an indication that you have to make a decision soon, and to be 100% sure with it because many people will be affected by your choice.

On the other hand, a tour may also ease your worries and calm your fears. It can be an avenue for you to have your questions answered and reduce your hesitations.

When you visit a prospective memory care community, you must leave your expectations behind and go inside with an open heart and mind. Learn as much as you can by putting your questions out in the open. Don't let anything stop you from seeking clarifications because this is the perfect opportunity for your questions to be answered.

It would be best to list down your questions before the tour, and then you can ask more as you go along. Here are some items to get you started, but it is highly recommended that you make specific inquiries tailored to your family member's characteristics.

• How many doctors, RNs, licensed medical practitioners do you regularly employ?
• On average, how many residents does the particular unit have?
• What are the security measures you have in place?
• How does a resident's day to day life/activities look like?
• How do you handle emergencies and special situations?
• How can I remain involved in my loved one's life despite our separation?
• What should I expect from the facility while my loved one is staying here?
• What makes you the ideal memory care unit? What sets you apart from others?