Studio apartments are often an excellent option for those who are looking for memory care services in their assisted living community. While these accommodations may be smaller, they’re also easy to navigate and provide convenient access to almost everything in one room. Having a studio apartment in a premier retirement community can actually provide residents — especially those with memory loss — with a higher quality of life.
If your older loved one needs assisted living memory care services, consider looking for a studio apartment. Studios can help them maintain a level of independence while not being too overwhelming. They can also offer other benefits.
Less Disorientation
Large spaces can be disorienting for people with memory loss. With too many rooms and too many things, one- and two-bedroom apartments can stir confusion and disorientation. Having a smaller studio space ensures everything is in one room — easy to see and access.
Downsized Yet Personalized
As older adults move into assisted living memory care, they often need to downsize. With a studio apartment, they can choose the furniture and decor that mean the most to them without cluttering their new home. They can fill the studio with their favorite pieces, so it feels like the space is really theirs. Downsizing into a studio apartment also means there’s less to clean or trip over and more to enjoy in the community at large, just beyond their studio.
Residents enjoy and benefit from creative activities like art that give the opportunity for non-verbal expression. Creative activities also help reduce agitation and boost mood, as well as give a sense of accomplishment and purpose.
Social Engagement
Most retirement communities have large, beautiful common areas where residents can engage with staff and neighbors whenever they feel like it. Then, when they return to their apartment, they’re in a cozy, comfortable space that meets their needs. This way, they have access to spaces both large and small, depending on how they’re feeling on a given day.
By living in a studio, residents are encouraged to leave their rooms to explore the retirement community. Social engagement is critical for slowing cognitive decline, and it lifts residents’ spirits and helps them enjoy the day.
Nutritious Meals
While a studio apartment doesn't have the large kitchen your aging parent or spouse once had, premier retirement communities have superb dining services. At Marjorie P. Lee in Cincinnati’s Hyde Park neighborhood, for example, residents come together for delicious meals in the Dining Room. Group dining offers additional opportunities for social engagement. On days when residents cannot make it to the dining room, meals can be delivered to their apartment. That way, they can count on a balanced meal plan without worrying about cooking.
Specialized Services
Though your loved one may lose square footage, moving into an assisted living memory care studio apartment means they will gain professional support from a well-trained staff. At Marjorie P. Lee, our residents have access to the healthcare services they need, even as those needs change. We have also developed a suite of cognitive therapies available to residents in our assisted living memory care neighborhoods. This program, known as Living Well Memory Support, uses a combination of software, music, art, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions to engage residents and stimulate their minds.
For seniors with memory loss, healthcare needs can change at any time. By choosing a retirement community that offers services above and beyond what your loved one requires now, they’ll be taken care of even as their needs evolve. Also, moving into a studio apartment allows your loved one to take advantage of the independence, social engagement, and safety these spaces offer.
To learn more about the assisted living memory care studio apartments available at Marjorie P. Lee, call us at (513) 871-2090 or fill out our information request form.
