Memory Care Caregiver: Could This Be Your Career?

Memory care caregivers are trained in dementia care techniques — a specialized type of care for people with Alzheimer’s disease or any other form of dementia. The care can be offered within a private home, in a care home, nursing home, memory care facility, or within a wing of an assisted living community.

Memory care caregiver duties support and improve memory care patients’ quality of life by reducing a patient’s confusion and supporting their individual needs with compassion and patience. Well-trained memory care staff are also knowledgeable about a variety of dementia care therapies and memory-enhancing activities to best maintain the health and well-being of memory care patients.

Memory care caregivers have experience working with dementia patients, and they know it takes skilled compassion to care for an individual through the various stages of dementia. A memory care caregiver’s prior experience and training prepare them to recognize common dementia symptoms and behaviors. This means they can de-escalate situations and redirect attention related to common dementia behaviors in healthy ways.

We’ve compiled a list of general qualifications based on memory care caregiver job descriptions. The typical requirements for a memory or dementia care caregiver include the following:

• High school diploma or equivalent. Accepted equivalents, such as General Education Development certificates (GEDs) or accredited home-school certificates, may vary by state or by employer.
• Previous caregiving experience. Prior experience or a certified nursing assistant (CNA) license can show a caregiver’s ability to offer compassionate care.
• Physical and emotional capacity. Caregivers are required to respond to a patient’s needs, both physical and emotional. They should be physically able to assist with things like toileting or transferring and emotionally able to provide companionship or behavior management.
• Effective communication skills. A memory care caregiver must be able to communicate with confidence, clarity, patience, and professionalism.
• Flexible schedule. Many memory care patients require 24-hour care from a rotation of staff members, so it’s important for caregivers to be available and prepared for the possibility of shifts occurring outside of normal business hours.
• Ability to keep records and write reports. It is common for a team of caregivers to fill out shift reports and care notes to help ensure delivery of quality care from all members of a patient’s care team.
• Participate in dementia training. Many memory care facilities require caregivers to complete a set number of hours in dementia training or require them to complete a certification prior to working. Caregivers may also have to complete a set number of additional hours of training per year.

Memory care caregiver licensing requirements

In the United States, there isn’t a national requirement for memory care caregivers to be licensed or certified, so it is often left to the state and employers to decide whether professional training, licensure, or certification is required. Whether or not a state has specific memory care caregiving requirements, many memory care-specific facilities or homes will require their staff to take memory care training courses and earn certifications. These best practices ensure they hire individuals who can properly care for someone with dementia.

The duties of a memory care caregiver differ from day to day, due to the person, but these duties are generally person-centered and help support an individual’s cognitive ability. Through their daily tasks, caregivers offer memory care patients a comforting sense of routine, tailored activities, and much more.

Memory care caregiver duties are extensive and varied, but they typically include the following:

• Prevent wandering. Individuals with dementia are prone to wandering, so caregivers help ensure they get from place to place safely.
• Help residents maintain a routine. By skillfully assisting with activities of daily living and any other well-being-related needs, caregivers help create a comfortable routine for their patients.
• Follow a care plan. Caregivers should collaborate with a patient’s loved ones and physicians to craft an effective care plan, and everyone involved must adhere to the plan.
• Manage behavior. Caregivers must be able to identify and manage common dementia behaviors, such as agitation and aggression, and know how to patiently help the dementia-affected person return to a calm state.
• Assure safety. Dementia can cause a person to unknowingly put themselves in danger, so caregivers must be ready to help prevent falls, the ingestion of harmful chemicals or objects, and keep track of the person with dementia at all times.
• Attend regular trainings. Many caregiving companies and communities will require their staff to attend regular trainings on a monthly or yearly basis. It is important for memory care caregivers to remain up-to-date on dementia-related topics.

With the right combination of training and experience, seasoned memory care caregivers and staff are the cornerstone of a best-in-class memory care facility. Memory care-certified caregivers along with specialized services and amenities all work to promote a high quality of life for residents in these specially designed communities.

To help choose a best-in-class memory care community for a loved one, keep an eye out for the following:

• How the memory care director plays a role. Every memory care facility has a director to ensure a smooth operation. Take note of how they oversee the staff, residents, and the quality of the programs they promote.
• How the memory care staff is trained. Get a feel for the level of memory care education the staff has to gauge their understanding of the disease.
• How memory care nursing plans are crafted. Learn how the nursing staff use assessments, diagnoses, and other techniques. Have them show you how involved they are in managing your loved one’s care.
• How patient care is approached and managed. Witness what professional techniques caregivers put into action, like person-centered care, to know your loved one is in the right hands.

Caregivers should always offer a sense of friendship and family with their care. They should always have a true intent to help the dementia-affected individual be who they fully are, despite the challenges that dementia brings.

If you need help finding a memory care community in your area, reach out to a Senior Living Advisor at A Place for Mom. Our free service can help you find memory care communities in your area with certified and experienced memory care caregivers.

This article originally appeared on APlaceForMom and was syndicated by MediaFeed.

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