Key Takeaways
- Safety risks and confusion signal that memory care is needed.
- Behavioral and mood changes often mean dementia is progressing.
- Memory care communities provide routine and meaningful activities.
- Memory care supports your loved one and eases caregiver stress.
1. Increased Forgetfulness
In the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, it’s common to forget the correct word for an object, misplace things, or struggle to make plans. In the moderate stage of dementia, however, forgetfulness becomes much more pronounced.
Memory care may be needed when your loved one:
- Forgets their personal history and important life moments
- Can't tell you their address or phone number
- Doesn’t know where they are, even in familiar places
- Needs help choosing weather-appropriate clothing
- Forgets how to properly or safely use household appliances
Forgetfulness can often lead to bigger concerns, so it’s a good time to consider a move to memory care before those concerns escalate.
At Sunrise, our caregivers in our memory care communities—known as Reminiscence Neighborhoods—spend time getting to know each resident as an individual. They take time to learn about each resident’s family, past career, hobbies, preferences, and everything in between. This helps them build strong connections and become trusted companions who can provide support when residents feel confused.
2. Wandering and Safety Risks
As dementia progresses, forgetfulness and confusion become more pronounced. You may notice that your loved one:
- Wanders and becomes lost in once-familiar places
- Drives erratically, has unexplained damage to their car, or gets lost while driving
- Forgets to turn off the faucet or stove
- Falls more often or has unexplained bruises
- Skips medications or takes them incorrectly
- Has aggressive outbursts
Unsafe behavior usually begins during the middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease. If you’ve had a few close calls or dangerous situations with your loved one, it may be time for a memory care facility.
At Sunrise, our Reminiscence Neighborhoods are thoughtfully designed to encourage meaningful engagement and help residents navigate with ease in safe, comfortable spaces for those enjoy walking and exploring. This intentional design helps minimize the negative effects of wandering, which can be common in dementia.
3. Financial Difficulties
Mismanaged funds are often an early sign that your loved one may need extra support or help. In fact, older adults showed signs of poor financial management up to six years before a dementia diagnosis, according to a John Hopkins study.
Occasionally forgetting to pay a bill isn’t necessarily cause for concern, but memory care may be needed if you notice:
- Consistent missed payments or multiple bills marked “final notice”
- Increased impulse shopping, especially expensive items
- Forgetting recent purchases and buying duplicates
- Frequent cash withdrawals from the bank
- Giving away large sums of money
Managing finances requires planning and judgment—skills that decline with dementia. If your loved one has recently had issues managing their finances, it could signal that it’s the right time for memory care.
4. Poor Personal Hygiene
With forgetfulness becoming more frequent as dementia progresses, individuals with dementia may fall behind in self-care tasks. A loved one who needs help with their hygiene may have:
- Body odor
- Poor oral health or bad breath
- Unclean clothes
While these signs make it clear that your loved one needs help with self-care, they might struggle to accept help due to a sense of lost independence. Memory care communities have caregivers specially trained in dementia care to provide support while preserving dignity, offering choice, and promoting independence by assisting rather than doing everything for them.
At Sunrise, our memory care caregivers provide personalized support with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, medication management, and more. They are specially trained in person-centered dementia care and empathetic communication techniques to deliver these services efficiently.
5. Declining Physical Health
As dementia progresses, it may affect your loved one’s overall health. Forgetfulness can lead to poor management of existing health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Your loved one may also make unhealthy food choices or struggle to prepare meals, leading to unhealthy weight changes.
Mobility also declines as dementia affects parts of the brain that control balance and movement, which can impact both balance and depth perception. This can lead to unsteady walking, shuffling, bumping into objects, and increased difficulty in processing visual information. Research shows that 40% to 60% of individuals with advanced dementia fall each year.
Brain changes also make it difficult for seniors with dementia to control their bladder and bowels. Unmanaged urinary incontinence can increase the risk of urinary tract infections and skin breakdown.
Keep an eye out for signs such as:
- Unintentional weight loss or gain
- Decreased mobility
- Skin irritation
- Falls
- Poor nutrition
- Incontinence
Moving to a memory care community can help manage these challenges with caregivers who are available to provide medication support, mobility assistance, and incontinence care.
At Sunrise, each resident receives an individualized service plan that adjusts care services to meet their needs. This can include medication administration, health management, special precautions for those at risk of falling, custom meals based on dietary restrictions, and assistance with mobility.
6. Behavioral and Mood Changes
Unpredictable moods and behaviors, often referred to as distressing behavioral expressions, are one of the most difficult dementia symptoms for caregivers to cope with. Behavioral symptoms can decrease the quality of life for the loved one with dementia and their caregiver.
Behavioral expressions and mood changes that may signal the need for memory care include:
- Paranoia or suspicion
- Irritability
- Intense anger
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Apathy
- Hallucinations or delusions
Sundown Syndrome
Sundown syndrome, or sundowning, refers to increased agitation, irritability, and restlessness in the evening. Many people with dementia experience sundowning due to disrupted sleep cycles caused by the condition.
It may be time for memory care if your loved one frequently experiences sundowning. Structured routines and outdoor activities in a memory care community can help manage symptoms. For example, planning at least 15–30 minutes of morning or early afternoon sunlight can help reset their internal clock. Outdoor activities, when weather permits, are another way memory care communities can help manage some dementia symptoms.
To help manage behavioral symptoms, Sunrise memory care caregivers use the Validation method—an approach that meets residents where they are emotionally and cognitively. Instead of trying to orient residents to reality, caregivers listen attentively and validate their feelings to help them feel heard and respected.
7. Social Withdrawal
In the early stages of dementia, navigating conversations can become difficult, especially because names and new information are one of the first things a loved one with dementia may forget. Social withdrawal is the way many individuals cope. They may choose to stay at home rather than risk putting themselves in an awkward or embarrassing situation.
Your loved one may also start avoiding hobbies that they used to enjoy. Cooking, reading, and crafts can become more difficult if they require following directions and planning.
Unfortunately, social isolation is not only an early-stage dementia symptom, but a risk factor for developing dementia. A recent study found that in many cases, socially isolated individuals with dementia experienced a faster rate of cognitive decline months before their dementia was officially diagnosed.
Moving to a memory care community helps promote senior socialization and involvement in hobbies. These communities offer social activities tailored to residents’ abilities, helping prevent isolation and improve quality of life.
At Sunrise, our memory care activities encourage reminiscing, also known as reminiscence therapy. This can happen in small groups or one-on-one to help ensure that residents receive personalized attention and are able to easily interact with their friends. Reminiscence therapy also connects residents with meaningful past experiences, which has been shown to improve mood and overall well-being.
8. Caregiver Burnout
As you or family members help your loved one navigate their dementia diagnosis, it’s often easy to forget that your mental and physical health matters too. Neglecting your own health and life can cause resentment, making it more difficult to provide the care you know your loved one deserves.
As dementia symptoms increase, it can become increasingly difficult to manage, leading to caregiver burnout. This can take a toll on you, your other family members, and your own health and finances.
Signs of caregiver stress that can lead to burnout and signal when it’s time for memory care include:
- Consistently feeling overwhelmed
- Physical and emotional fatigue
- Depression or anxiety
- Social withdrawal
- Increased irritability
- Sleep problems
- Health issues
When caregiving impacts your well-being, it’s a strong indicator of it being time for memory care. Professional support allows you to focus on your relationship rather than constant caregiving demands—leading to a better quality of life for both of you.
How Living in a Memory Care Community Can Help
If you think it’s time for memory care, choosing a supportive community can make a world of difference. A quality memory care setting provides a safe, secure environment while offering meaningful activities and personalized support. These communities are designed to reduce stress, prevent isolation, and help residents maintain dignity and independence as much as possible.
What to Expect From Memory Care at Sunrise
At Sunrise Senior Living, our Reminiscence Neighborhoods are specially designed for residents living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. These neighborhoods are designed to feel like home, with warm, welcoming spaces and a layout that promotes comfort and safety.
Residents benefit from:
- Personalized care plans tailored to their unique needs
- Small group activities and one-on-one engagement to encourage social connection
- Secure environments that allow freedom of movement without compromising safety
- Specialized caregivers trained in dementia care and communication
Our approach focuses on enhancing quality of life for both residents and their families. If you’ve found yourself wondering when memory care is needed, how to know when memory care is right, or when to move to memory care, Sunrise is here to help. Our team can answer your questions, explain the signs it’s time for memory care, and guide you in finding the right support.
Find a Sunrise senior living community near you to learn more about our Reminiscence Neighborhoods and how we provide personalized care for those living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.