Signs That It’s Time for Your Loved One to Receive Memory Care

Is it forgetfulness or is it dementia? It’s not unusual to forget someone’s name or an anniversary or birthday. And we’ve all misplaced our keys or forgotten why we walked into a room. So how do you know when memory loss is more serious and a sign your loved one needs memory care? It’s a question few people want to answer, and it’s often easier to think your family member’s memory issues aren’t a real problem yet.  

In 2024, an estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older (10.8% of older adults) are living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia and 73% of those are 75 or older. In fact, the percentage of people with dementia increases with age: 5% of people aged 65 to 74, 13.1% of people aged 75 to 84 and 33.3% of people aged 85 and older. 

Multiple studies have shown that moving someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia into memory care communities sooner, rather than later, can result in a better quality of life with improved mental, physical and emotional outcomes.  

Can Someone with Dementia Be Left Alone?

While your loved one may want to live at home for as long as possible, memory loss can create more issues than occasionally misplacing an item. Here are 13 signs your family member may need full-time care. 

1. 1. Easily forgotten: Forgetting recently learned information is one of the common early signs of dementia. Other signs include forgetting important dates or events, repeating the same questions over and over, and increasingly using memory aids.
2. 2. Challenges planning or solving problems: Look for changes in the ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. This could also mean having trouble following a familiar recipe, keeping track of monthly bills and difficulty concentrating.
3. 3. Problems completing familiar tasks: It can become hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes it may mean having trouble driving to a familiar location, organizing a grocery list or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
4. 4. Time or place confusion: This could result in losing track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. It could also lead to trouble understanding something if it’s not happening immediately or forgetting where they are or how they got there.
5. 5. Difficulty with vision and distance: This can cause trouble with balance or reading. They can also have problems judging distance and determining color or contrast, causing issues with driving.
6. 6. Trouble with language: Note if there’s an issue following or joining a conversation. Or stopping in the middle of a conversation and having no idea how to continue or even repeating themselves. They could even have trouble naming a familiar object or use the wrong name.
7. 7. Misplacing things: Someone with dementia could start to put things in unusual places and be unable to retrace their steps to find them again. As the disease progresses, they could start to accuse others of stealing. 

1. 8. Poor judgment: Look for changes in judgment or decision-making, including problems dealing with money or paying less attention to grooming.
2. 9. Behavior changes: A person living with memory loss might become more anxious or easily irritated. 
3. 10. Unsafe at home: Many people with Alzheimer’s often experience falls and broken bones due to problems with balance. They can also have trouble recognizing when something is an emergency and even forget how to call 911. If they leave the house, they may get confused and have trouble remembering how to get home. This can be especially dangerous if they live somewhere with extreme cold, heat or near a busy road.
4. 11. Diminishing social life: If your family member used to be highly social but is now limiting their social activities, it could be because people with dementia are often afraid of forgetting people’s names or not being able to follow the conversation.
5. 12. Feeling burned out: If you’re the primary caregiver for your parents, being overwhelmed can be hard to recognize. But your well-being is important, too, and it’s hard to care for another without caring for yourself. If you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, you’re in danger of losing your job because you’re late or leaving early or neglecting your own relationships, it might be time to consider a memory care community for your loved one.
6. 13. You have a feeling: Even if you don’t see all the signs above, you may still have a sense something’s wrong. If you notice your family member starting to change, it’s best to start exploring your options as soon as possible. That way, you’re prepared if the time for a change is needed.

What is Memory Care?

While most people think of memory care as a nursing home for dementia patients, it’s actually designed by dementia care experts to promote independence in a safe and homelike setting. Residents receive assistance with activities of daily living and round-the-clock care from a knowledgeable, well-trained staff who get to know their likes and dislikes.  

Your Partner in Memory Care

Planning for the future can be overwhelming. Choosing a community with a solid plan makes enjoying today easier. Lake Seminole Square offers award-winning memory care at our sister community located just down the street, Freedom Square of Seminole. While staying inside the home may seem attractive to aging adults, those with dementia and Alzheimer’s require specialized attention. To schedule a visit or learn more about the memory care services offered by Lake Seminole Square, call us, use our Community Assistant chat feature or contact us here.