When shopping for a new home, there is little difference in basic elements of a house built in 1969 versus one built in 2009. At a minimum, each structure will have a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Once purchased, the furnishings in either would typical include a couch, tables, chairs, bed and television. Because one house may have a more modern design over another does not necessarily make it more of a home. The warmth of a home is created not by it's furnishings and fixtures, but by the love of those residing within the walls. A comfortable home maximizes someone's lifestyle to create meaningful moments and a stable environment.

The same principle should also apply for a caregiver researching a new living arrangement for a loved with with memory loss. As caregivers, we only want the best for our family. Unfortunatley, what's best isnt always obvious. Although a newly opened Alzheimer's community has state of the art amenities, it begs the question, is it enough to take it from a modern house to a meaningful home?  To a person with Alzheimer's or dementia, the furniture and fixtures are irrelevent. The focus is not to impress but rather to feel safe and to have purpose. Having meaningful moments help to decrease agitation and anxiety. Often, We find this evident when a person with memory loss is searching for their mother.  Typically this behavior is an indication of the need for safety and comfort.

When it is time to make the difficult decision of choosing alternative living arrangements for a loved one with memory loss, what should you look for? Instead of investing in the real estate of an Alzheimer's and dementia community (ie. room size),focus more on the lifestyle. How does staff achieve meaningful moments for their residents? Does programming include the social, spiritual, physical, and mental needs of an individual?  How do the staff interact with the residents? How did they interact with you? What training and experience do the staff have specific to Alzheimer's and dementia related illness.

Although a pretty new building may ease the caregiver's guilt, pretty and new make little difference in the life of the person with memory loss.  A focus on lifestyle is the basis of a quality memory enrichment program and is the difference between providing a home to thrive versus simply a house to reside.