Senior Living Memory Care
July 24, 2020
Moving her elderly father into Memory Care at Silvergate San Marcos, the area’s premier retirement community, was a welcome relief for Janet Hershey last year. As the youngest daughter of Joe Henriksen, Hershey took on the responsibility to research and find a senior living care solution for her father after her mother passed away a few years ago.
Without his wife of 63 years at his side, Janet knew her father’s day-to-day care needs would change dramatically. Encouraged by her siblings, she set about finding a caretaker for her father. Janet, like many adult children, turned first to in-home care.
Initially, the family’s plan for a live-in caretaker seemed to be the natural next step. Wouldn’t it be best to keep Dad at home, she thought? All she had to do was find someone who could come in and help with meals, housekeeping and everyday tasks around the house. How difficult could that be?
As the months passed, Hershey and her sisters cycled through five caretakers trying to find the right person for their father. During that time, their dad’s memory started to faulter and the trio of siblings seemed to face new challenges and concerns on a regular basis.
“It turned out staying in his 2,500+ square home wasn’t the best solution in the long run,” said Hershey, who was visiting her father with provi- sions at least twice weekly while still managing her own family obligations and homelife. “He had started to wander the house after the caretaker would retire for the evening. The stairs inside the house became a concern for falls, and the pool in the backyard started to feel like a hazard to us. We realized we couldn’t protect the man who had been our rock throughout our lives. We knew we needed to make a change.”
Senior Memory Care
Hershey set out to find a safer, more stable environment for her father. She visited a number of memory care facilities in San Diego county during her search for care, but time and again, she left disappointed with her interactions with the staff or not feeling right about the living environment.
“I needed my family to be comfortable with where my Dad would be,” said Hershey. “After I toured Silvergate’s Memory Care Suites, I called my sisters immediately and told them, “This is it. I found the perfect place for Dad. Silvergate feels like home.”
The Memory Care Suites at Silvergate are specifically designed to provide a safe, structured environment for seniors living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory loss. Regular resident routines lower stress and help seniors navigate their day. Caregivers help residents with personal care tasks, but are also specially trained to handle the unique challenges that can accompany memory impairment.
“In our assisted living environment, residents manage their own time. Staff doesn’t need to check in on them as regularly,” said Joanne Gomez, LVN and Resident Care Director for Silvergate. “In our memory care neighborhoods, the staff ensures residents are eating healthy meals, partaking in activities and moving forward with the next activity in their day.”
Hershey and her family chose Silvergate after learning of the building’s comforting neighborhood design, being impressed by the longevity of the caregivers, and the many opportunities for engaging socialization.
Added benefits in Silvergate’s dedicated Memory Care Suites building include egressed secured doors and enclosed outdoor spaces to keep residents on site and safe. Inside, rooms and doors are clearly labeled to help residents find their way around. Outside, beautiful enclosed walking paths lead to destination seating areas, including a shady gazebo at the south end of the building.
“We transitioned our father with the help of Silvergate’s amazing caregivers, and we’ve been thrilled with how well he is being cared,” said Hershey. “I wish we’d brought him here long before we went through the hassle and problems we had with in-home caretakers. He’s so much better off at Silvergate.”
Senior Living Memory Care Near Me
For more than 30 years, Silvergate has delivered outstanding care to seniors with the same compassion and respect they would want for their own families.
Reservations are now underway in the newly remodeled and reopened units. To set up a private, in-person tour of the Memory Care Suites, call David Nelson at 760-744-4484 or visit SilvergateRR.com.
Follow