What is "Memory Care?"

It’s basically a locked ward. At its minimum, that’s all it is. Theres not necessarily activities, though there might be.

Interestingly and surprisingly, I didn't find a 'definition' in researching here.
The 'best' way to proceed is to talk to someone at a facility, either:
Admissions director
Administrator of a facility
Social worker

Discuss the conditions of the person and see if they fit into this category / and or what level of care they would need at a facility.

In my understanding working in the field, a "memory care" unit is a LOCKED FACILITY so residents cannot leave as they could 'wonder off,' if not out of the building, not knowing what they are doing or where they are.

It would be advantageous for you to learn how different parts of the brain change, as well as cells dying which limit cognitive functioning. This wouldn't at a definition for / of memory care criteria although from my experience, a person has lost their ability to understand / remember people (even their own spouse or adult child), be unaware of where they are, and/or could have hallucinations. They may do 'senseless' activities or acts such as putting soiled disposable underwear in the closet to hide it. They may be on a 'repetitive spin' of talking about the same thing over and over again (which could be non-sensical) ... they may see things that aren't there, they may not be able to speak (depending on what parts of the brain are affected).

Look at this website:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/advanced-dementia#symptoms

In part, it says:

What to know about advanced dementia

Dementia results in the loss or deterioration of cognitive functions such as memory, thinking, and decision making. Advanced or severe dementia is a later stage that results in greater impairment of physical and cognitive functions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Trusted Source
 note that about 5 million people ages 65 and over were living with dementia in 2014. They predict that this number will rise as high as 14 million by 2060.

Advanced dementia is a later stage of dementia. It results in increased loss of body and brain functions.

This article will explore what advanced dementia is, the signs and symptoms of the condition, and the treatment options available. It will also explore how a person may support an individual with advanced dementia and cover some frequently asked questions about the condition.

Advanced dementia is a severe form of dementia that typically occurs during the later stages of dementia. In addition to the loss of cognitive function, an individual with advanced dementia may experience symptoms that affect other parts of the body.

According to a 2020 reviewTrusted Source, most people with advanced dementia will need additional care, including institutional care, to help them manage these symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of advanced dementia / Symptoms of advanced dementia may include:

severe forgetfulness
increased need for help with personal hygiene, including assistance to use the toilet
reduced mobility
inability to speak
breathlessness
pain
increased health complications, such as respiratory or urinary infections
problems with eating
difficulty swallowing
psychiatric symptoms, such as agitation and lack of interest 

It is my understanding that a person needing memory care (24/7) has advanced dementia.

Google Teepa Snow (read her webinars, books, or You Tubes.

Gena / Touch Matters

Why would you think that "memory care" fixes anything?
Care means 'take care of' or 'look after'; it doesn't mean 'cure'.

Pyrite: Per Google, "Memory care is a form of residential long-term care that provides intensive, specialized care for people with memory issues. Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can benefit from the structured support and specialized 24-hour care offered by a residential memory care facility."

Disclaimer: Not my authoring.

I was interested in the answers to this question because we have different terms for and, possibly, different types of facilities in the UK.

My mum managed a sheltered housing scheme in the 20 odd years before she retired. That's where elderly people live in their own flats with their own front door, but they have pull cords and an alarm system to let the manager know if there's a problem. Mum would call everyone in the morning through the system.
She organised activities throughout the week in the community lounge and fêtes in the gardens during the summer. The residents had a social committee and they'd help wheelchair users get to the lounge for afternoon teas or bingo evenings.
Part of Mum's stated job was to promote independence, and people lived there with dementia until they were no longer able to look after themselves safely, when they would be transferred to a "home".
We lived on site and Mum would be called out at all times of day or night to deal with emergencies, calling doctors or ambulances. Now, managers often live offsite and travel to more than one scheme that they manage.

Then there's places like the one Mum lives in now. Pretty much the same as before, except it's one big building with everything under one roof and there are carers on site, so it's suitable for more infirm residents. There are usually various common areas, such as a lounge and games area (snooker and darts).
Also, many of these places have a restaurant and bar, a shop and a hairdressers, so residents have everything on their doorstep. I thought this might be equivalent to the assisted living that's frequently mentioned. It's often billed as a "forever home". This type of retirement home is taking over from the old style sheltered housing.

Then there are homes. Residents have their own room and can choose whether to stay in them or join others in the lounge or in activities. Food is provided, there are trained carers and at least one nurse. Some homes specialise in dementia care and will be closed and more supervised, or a home might have two different sections.
My dad was transferred to a home from the hospital when he was dying from cancer. The residents were all in various states of health and cognitive ability. The care was pretty good and the staff were always there to help.

There are more exclusive retirement homes where people have independence but still have food prepared, but I don't have any experience of such places. There are also retirement villages, which look nice (for a price).

Both my dad and stepmom are in an assisted memory care facility. There are no doubts that each facility is different based on their workers, etc. It was such a difficult decision but I have no doubts it has extended both of my parents lives. My dad has vascular diabetes, along with mental health problems and for a while I had a caregiver coming into the home to help distribute meds etc. However, it was a very expensive "fix" and was only for so many hours a day. My stepmother has SEVERE diabetes which has caused unspecified dementia along with many health issues that should be more along a skilled nursing level but wanted to keep them together and the Memory Care facility was able to take them both - and unfortunately her dementia was continually getting worse at home because she was unable to be a caregiver to my dad and take care of herself at the same time. The place they are at does much of what is mentioned above. They are able to share a double room (like a studio apartment), they encouraged to take their meals in the dining room but can eat in their room if they want, there are SO MANY social activities for them (please note - this is a memory care facility ONLY - so all 75 residents are in some form of dementia and they are each met where they are at)...they go on field trips, to museums, out to lunch dinner, they just had prom, they have car shows come in, every week someone comes in to play music and they sing. I understand what you mean by a "prison" because you are correct - it is on lockdown, but my father wandered more than once at home, so I feel much safer with him being "locked down" and there being caregivers, RN's, people there daily to watch him and my stepmom. It is for those of us who simply cannot quit our jobs to be full-time caregivers, and I do believe if you find the right place (and can afford it - I had to sell my parents home) it can make them happier. It is never an easy decision - this disease is the worst.

Yes, memory care does not fix anything, I can see how someone might think that.

It a place for people with dementia that need to be watched closer, so they don't wander off, or pee were they are not supposed to.

It's a place to keep them safe.

In simple terms, End of the Road

All the answers are great, but one thing not mentioned is the cost. Memory Care is EXPENSIVE. Of course, prices vary greatly, but I doubt you’ll find one that only accepts private pay under $4-5k a month. Medicaid facilities are gross, at least the ones I visited in my area.

ITs a bit of a concept without a totally clear definition, and one place's memory care may differ from anothers.

To make it more complicated, some places have an "in between" level. Eg I just moved my dad to a new place that has a level in between AL and MC, one could say its Memory care-lite..... I'll describe now in a new post

It doesn’t "fix" anything, and those with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia will not get better. Memory care is a facility where the resident can not escape and get lost. The caregivers are specially trained to handle all the mood swings of their residents, to help or perform daily functions with the residents i.e. bathing, brushing teeth, to administer medicine, to keep them as active and engaged as the resident's level of dementia allows, plus they are there 24/7 to make sure the residents aren't sick or injured somehow. Finding a good memory care facility is difficult but worth every cent!

It doesn't fix anything. Memory Care, as I experienced it for my mom, was further care with things that dementia takes away from people, such as mistaking toothpaste for food, bladder control, knowing where their room is, knowing what time of day it is, knowing the difference between what is made up and what is real, etc. Assisted Living helps with every day sorts of chores that get too difficult for seniors, but Memory Care is for when more help is needed because of wandering, so the facilities are locked and there is awake staff through the night. Both AL and MC made an effort to involve the residents in social activities, music, games, and exercise. Also, I found there were stricter rules about visiting. In MC a nurse was assigned to the facility and visited each resident every week because residents don't typically do well going out to appointments and the stage of dementia that got them into MC. I couldn't visit Mom as often, had to sign up for visits, but that was maybe because of covid. It's basically just more care.

My dad has been in memory care for 3 years. His situation has improved since he was living on his own because he was not taking care of himself even though we hired caregivers 4 days a week for a few hours. The care he gets at his facility is amazing. They have been able to get him off insulin and his diabetes is managed with his diet. He was having severe edema in his lower legs when he lived on his own but they have, with proper care by the staff, eliminated it and keep his legs propery wrapped. His medications are dispensed appropriately and they have recently reduced a lot of what he was taking (when he lived on his own, he would not allow anyone to touch his meds and insisted on managing his meds on his own - wouldn't allow one of those computerized dispensers.) The whole experience has greatly reduced his anxiety which was one of his biggest issues. The saddest part is that he recently turned 98 and really has no quality of life anymore. He is totally confined to a wheelchair and it is preferred he not leave the facility (all care needed is brought to him) because it totally messes him up and causes a lot of confusion. Yes, they've done a great job in prolonging his life but for what? In a recent conversation with the doctor that calls on him, we are at the point where dad is going to call the shots from now on. He had a cold a few months ago and refused to take any medications. And you know what? From now on, that's fine.

You want your loved one to feel comfortable and safe. When a loved one can no longer stay home, it may be time for specialized memory care services that provide round-the-clock care. At a senior living community with Heartfelt CONNECTIONS – A Memory Care Program offers nationally recognized care in a comfortable, homelike setting. It uses the connection between head and heart to help loved ones and their families continue to thrive.

A locked down facility (like a prison) that provides meals and hygiene.

They also post a sign with the "word of the day."

This is memory care. It's basically minimum security prison with eldersitting (same as babysitting only with old people not kids) and hygiene care. The residents are locked in the area of the facility they live in. Some memory care facilities have an outdoor area where the residents can access whenever they want, but it is contained. The memory care resident cannot get out of that area. They also cannot wander freely in other parts of whatever facility they live in.

Visitors must be buzzed or 'coded in' when they want to visit a resident in memory care. If they want to take that visitor out of the facility, they must sign special disclaimer paperwork assuming responsibility for that resident.

Memory care provides meals and hygiene care to the residents. They also give them their medications and there will be some kind of activity or other going on as well. It is different than being in skilled care. Skilled care in a nursing home is for people who have conditions requiring acute medical care. Dementia is not a condition requiring skilled nursing care. Though some residents have medical conditions and dementia together.

Memory care "fixes" nothing. Dementia does not get better. It gets worse. A person goes into memory care because they cannot safely live at home anymore because of dementia. Or because they don't have people who can give up their jobs, families, and lives to take care of them and their every need 24/7.

Actually, there is nothing pleasant about dementia or the need for Memory Care Assisted Living. Hopefully, you'll never have the misfortune to find out all about "dysfunctional" memory issues, either, or the need for a "supervised lockdown" situation or your hint cynicism will dry up and turn into sadness in a hurry.

"Memory Care" is a generic term. Facilities that offer MC are not claiming to fix memory. They offer appropriate care and protects the recipient in an environment that (hopefully) contributes to a higher quality of life for that person. They give relief to the family of that person. So, I guess you can say it fixes (or is a solution for) caregiver burnout and care needs for the recipient.

"Is there any source of info on what EXACTLY ...memory care.... fixes?"

Thanks to the interweb, you are able to do a browser search to find answers to questions like the one you posted here. Do I sense a hint of cynicism in your question? If so, why?

Pyrite, my Dad lived in a memory care unit of a senior living facility. The Staff is trained in the different aspects of dementia and how to guide the resident. One has to be qualified to live in Memory Care, and the admissions are able to tell if memory care or assisted living would be best.


Example, my Dad had "sundowning" where in his mind he would go back to the 1940's and think his room at the senior facility was his hotel room. He would call me at my home thinking I was my Mom, telling me his meeting ran late and that he would be staying overnight at the hotel, etc. I would play along with this so not to scare him.


Dad had a nice room in Memory Care which he called it his "college dorm room". The Staff goes around to all the rooms and wake up the residents, get them ready for breakfast in the main dining room. During the day, housekeeping would come in to clean up and change the sheets/towels. Residents would get help with a shower as most with dementia have trouble with showering/bathing.


The facility would offer entertainment or activities for the residents. Also, the front desk of the building is manned and the Staff knew who was in Memory Care and who was in Assisted Living. Memory Care residents could not leave the building without someone being with them. At night the Memory Care floor is locked (no different than us locking our doors at home) so those who "wander" are kept safe on that floor. This can vary depending on what company owes and operates the senior facility.

It's a buzz word and selling point that has a different meaning in every region and facility. At it's core it is a locked unit for those who are physically able bodied but who are no longer capable of living on their own because of impaired decision making skills due to dementia. Staff is (supposedly) specialized and and activities are geared to appeal to those people. It is the place where those with behavioural problems are housed, not just those who may wander but those who may be combative or violent and those who resist care. Some memory care facilities will keep their residents until the end of life, but others move those with advanced dementia and to a nursing care facility.

From my understanding, it's long-term care for persons diagnosed with some form of dementia that is far enough along that they cannot care for themselves.