Studio apartments are often an excellent option for those who are looking for memory care services in their assisted living or personal care 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 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 or personal care 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.
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.
As older adults move into assisted living or personal care memory care apartments, 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.
Senior living 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 secure neighborhoods of the retirement community. Social engagement is critical for slowing cognitive decline, and it lifts residents’ spirits and helps them enjoy the day.
While a studio apartment doesn't have the large kitchen your aging parent or spouse once had, retirement communities have superb dining services. At Episcopal Church Home in Louisville, for example, residents come together for delicious meals in the Dining Room. Group dining offers additional opportunities for social engagement. On days when they 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.
Though your loved one may reduce square footage, moving into an assisted living or personal care memory care studio apartment means they will gain professional support from a well-trained staff. At Episcopal Church Home, our residents have access to the healthcare services they need, even as those needs change.
We have enriching activities scheduled in our assisted living memory care neighborhood. The program combines 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 Episcopal Church Home, contact Elizabeth Pace at (502) 273-5481 or by email at epace@erslife.org. You can also fill out our information request form.