Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Checklist- Senior Living & Housing

Is the location convenient for you to visit your loved one as frequently as you would like? If not, does their reputation for good care make the extra distance worth it? Is the area safe and free of crime? Is there a hospital nearby?

Are the doors locked with a system in place to alert staff if a resident wanders out? Wandering can be a serious concern for residents living with Alzheimer’s disease. Is there a secure outdoor area your family member will be able to use? Pay attention to the noise level in the building. Is there a lot of overhead paging? Does the staff shout from one end of the hallway to another? Excessive noises can be especially confusing and agitating to persons with memory loss. If this is a memory loss program within a nursing home or assisted living, is there a dining room specifically for this program? Does the community seem clean and well maintained? Is the community free from odors? (Occasional, isolated odors are to be expected but pervasive odors are not.) Is the temperature warm in the winter or cool in the summer? Ask if rooms are air conditioned (not just hallways but each individual room). Are rooms private or semiprivate? How many people will share a bathroom? Where is the shower? If it is a shower room, is it clean and odorfree? Are there smoke detectors and sprinklers? Is there a window in each resident room? Are there handrails in all hallways and grab bars in all bathrooms? Is there a 24hour emergency response system? Ask to see it and be sure it is accessible in the bathroom as well as the bedroom.

Does the resident programming staff have a commitment to working with the residents’ abilities? Does the calendar of activities and events show a consistent and planned daily schedule? Structure is important to persons living with memory loss. Do the activities recognize who the residents are? For example, is there an activities box with teacher-specific items for a resident who was a teacher? Who oversees the program services activities and what is their background? Does all staff participate in activities and are activities planned for all day and evening? Are there activities that help a resident feel busy and productive (i.e. folding towels, dusting, etc)? Is there a program schedule posted that begins at the time a resident wakes up and goes through the evening? What is the training for staff at the time of hire and then ongoing?

Are residents assessed to find ways to adapt their meal service to allow them as much independence as possible? (For example, creating a visual boundary with a contrasting colored placemat allows the resident to see the plate easier. Not wrapping silverware in a napkin but placing it on or next to the plate is another cue for residents.) Is the resident assigned seating so they eat every meal in the same spot? Is the dining room free from additional noises or loud music? Are residents transferred from wheelchairs to dining room chairs? Is the dining room small enough to help cut down on distractions? Are additional staff members available to provide extra help as needed? Are finger foods served if a resident is no longer able to utilize silverware? How are nutritional needs monitored?

Ask what the backgrounds are of all staff involved in caring for these residents. How much training is there at the time of hire and ongoing? Are background checks done? How is staff screened for their ability to work with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients? Observe the staff interaction with residents. Is it positive, calm and respectful? If the memory care program is part of a nursing home or assisted living, is there a program director specifically assign to this program? What is their background? What medical professional oversees the care? Is there a medical director? Is the facility licensed? How was their last survey? (Your SeniorLiving.net care advisor can help you research these surveys too.)

Is there an onsite support group meeting for families? Ask to attend a meeting. Ask for names of families who might be willing to talk with you about their experience with this particular nursing home or assisted living. Are they happy with the care? What things would they change if they could?

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