As more individuals suffer from memory loss, the use of memory care units in health facilities like nursing homes and assisted living facilities becomes more common.

Community Care Center Administrator Maradith Janssen says that while memory care units have been around for a while, they were mostly found in nursing homes over the last fifteen years, and began becoming more prevalent in assisted living facilities in recent years. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio about that change.

“Most nursing homes that started with memory care units, they’ve closed those units because of how the shift of the referrals have went. And the memory care units that are out there with the nursing homes are becoming more (like) behavioral health units that are with people who have significant behaviors or drug histories and different things like that.”

Janssen mentions that memory care units have become more used in assisted living, because they don’t have as many of the regulations that memory care units in nursing homes do. She explains that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, as just because someone has some memory issues doesn’t mean they need everything taken care of for them. Janssen adds that just like when it comes to deciding when a nursing home or assisted living facility are needed, families should talk to facilities about their memory care units, and work to find the right place that their loved one needs.