Understanding Direct Admittance to Memory Care: What Families in Johnson County Should Know

If you think a loved one needs additional support around the house due to memory loss, timing matters. Direct admittance into a memory care community allows your family member to quickly get the help they need when symptoms, safety needs, or cognitive changes make it necessary. However, it’s important to know that not all communities allow for direct admittance. Santa Marta’s memory care in Johnson County does provide this option.

What is Memory Care?

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 7.2 million Americans over 65 are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss. Memory care is a specialized subset of assisted living designed for residents with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Providing this level of care requires significant personal attention and interaction.

At Santa Marta, our memory care neighborhood provides person-centered care built around smaller staff-to-resident ratios to ensure your loved one’s specific social, medical, and safety needs are met.

Activities of Daily Living Evaluation

An important part of the memory support admission process is assessing how your loved one manages Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Developed by Dr. Sidney Katz in the 1960s, this system evaluates how well your family member completes basic routines that contribute to daily life. The six ADLs are:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Toileting (going to the bathroom)
• Transferring (being able to get in and out of bed)
• Continence (being able to control bowels and bladder)
• Feeding

For each ADL your loved one can complete, they receive a “1.” If they cannot complete it, they receive a “0.” The higher the score, the more independently they can live.

Is It Time for Memory Care?

Here are five signs that your loved one may need memory care:

• Behavior changes: Dementia can cause your family member to act in dramatically different ways — for example, someone usually reserved may become unusually outgoing.
• Physical safety risks: Memory loss can cause confusion that leads to leaving appliances on, wandering, or getting lost.
• Physical decline: Weight loss, frailty, or medication mismanagement may indicate cognitive decline.
• Caregiver health: If a spouse or partner providing care is struggling, your loved one’s well-being can also be affected.
• Incontinence: Loss of bladder or bowel control can cause skin issues and lead to more serious health concerns.

Benefits of Our Memory Care Community

Designed by dementia care experts, memory care promotes independence within a safe, homelike environment. Your loved one will receive assistance with daily activities and around-the-clock care from trained staff who understand their needs. Additional benefits include:

• Total well-being: Specialized programs enhance physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual wellness, while addressing issues like wandering and memory impairment.
• Improved quality of life: Increased nutrition, social interaction, and independence contribute to overall well-being. Services such as meals, housekeeping, laundry, and medication management are included.
• Social opportunities: Secure environments allow your family member to safely participate in social and cognitive activities.
• Peace of mind: Knowing your loved one is cared for 24/7 provides reassurance and relieves you and your family from the oftentimes demanding role of caregiving.

Learn More About Memory Care at Santa Marta

When someone you love is diagnosed with dementia, it affects the whole family. If you’re exploring dementia care options in Johnson County, KS, and would like to learn more about our direct admittance policy, we’d love to talk. Our memory care uses innovative, evidence-based activities to create a whole-person program designed to empower and engage your loved one. To get the conversation started, contact one of our senior living counselors today.