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aceypoo1 Asked January 2018

Do most memory care facilities provide activity directors?

We live in medium sized town in Central Texas with only 3 facilities designated “memory care”. While the staff are very loving, no one is trained to work with them. As a result they just sit in chairs with “Andy Griffith” playing ALL DAY everyday! Are there any state laws governing services provided?

Midkid58 Jan 2018
The Memory Care facility in my neighborhood does have a small "activities" calendar--and when a sweet neighbor lady was admitted to this place, I did ask her husband what they did all day...he said that he spent most of everyday with his wife, caring for her. The "drama" of taking memory care patients out of the facility was too great, so they discontinued those. Too many "wanderers", I think. Also, the people in this particular facility cannot maintain a conversation and have no idea where they are. Most also don't recognize LO's anymore either. Everyday is like every other day. It's well run and clean, but quite depressing to spend time there.

I know there is someone who tries to get those who are mobile involved in Bingo, or a movie night, or some kind of in-house activity. Nothing big or time consuming.

This place isn't an expensive "bells and whistles" kind of facility." It's clean, the food is OK, but it's not a place I'd want my mother. Probably there simply isn't money for activities that you'd see at an ALF or IL situation.

We take "church" to the center every week. The residents who participate can't often last through a half hour service. They just get up and walk away.

Sunnygirl1 Jan 2018
I think that my state has some requirements. I've noticed that the MC facilities that I have toured do have scheduled activities. Of course, each resident has limited abilities and they vary. Coloring may be ideal for a few, but, some may not be able to handle it. My LO could color for a short time, but, then lose interest. Assuming that all of the residents are that way, you would need many helpers to provide one on one direction of activities.  Stretching is good for some, but others are not physically able to stretch much.  

 Based on what I've seen, the facilities/staff do try. There is room for improvement, but, I can see how daunting of a task it may be. I think that music is an under utilized tool, that these facilities do not fully appreciate, though most do have music time each day. 

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Guestshopadmin Jan 2018
Licensing of memory care facilities in the State of Texas does NOT require an activities director or activities be provided for residents. Non-profit or facilities with a lot of Medicaid patients are run on shoestring budgets, and most of them in Texas in my experience have little in the way of activities outside of a jigsaw puzzle table or weekly sing along. Unless a family member or volunteer organizes it, most of them don't have the staffing for 1:1 involvement of residents.

geewiz Jan 2018
The memory care facility my Mom was in had an activity director and there was a schedule of activities for 10 hours each day. This was an assisted living memory care facility, not in Texas. Perhaps, nursing home memory care areas do not have this.
This is a good point to ask about when visiting facilities. Not all assisted living (AL), Memory care (MC) or nursing homes (NH) offer the same services. Ditto for hospice care.
As far as state laws, call your State office of aging and ask what is required. Alternatively, you might enlist some community service groups/church group/school groups to visit and do activities. The middle school near my Mom's place would do a 45 minute version of their winter concert at her MC. The brownies would come and do a craft activity. One church group came every month and sang religious songs. And, the private grade school across the street would come and do a Halloween parade with the younger kids in their costumes.

gladimhere Jan 2018
My mom too was in memory care. They did not have activity director. The caregivers would try to get the residents involved with some activity. There is no attention span in those with dementia, any activity has to be very short. Have you spent an entire day there? Or asked what activities that are done? Did the facility say there would be activities?

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