Memory care is a specialized type of assisted living which supports the changing needs of those with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment. At Lantern Crest, situated in the rolling hills of San Diego, the dementia care team supports the transition between independent living to memory care.
The Ridge provides compassionate care for your loved one with a dedicated facility that’s tailored to elder and memory care services. For most families who have a loved one with cognitive impairment, the number one growing concern is typically safety. At the Ridge, we help provide a safe, welcoming environment staffed by specially trained caregivers to create a structured space that offers a sense of familiarity and ease.
Lantern Crest was founded to help better meet the growing needs of San Diego residents and their family members, and what’s unique about Lantern Crest is that the Ridge is that it’s just one community among many communities, so seniors have a broad range of living options — from independent living and assisted living to dementia care.
How Does Alzheimer's Care Make a Difference?
It’s our mission to improve the living conditions and to reestablish a sense of fulfillment and purpose for those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
At the Ridge, our intuitive, specially trained staff provide stellar care for seniors struggling with dementia by:
Creating a safe environment. Creating a strong facility and patient security is the first priority of specialized assisted living. Memory care facilities allow residents to explore their community and outdoor spaces safely alongside a staff of trained caregivers. Licensed nurses are typically scheduled on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Reinvigorating the senses. Outings help engage residents in local points of interest, while special social events involving families and friends help create a sense of ease, connection and comfort.
Developing familiarity. Routines which focus resident’s energies on productive activities help create a sense of familiarity and can help reduce the reliance on behavior medication.
Re-engaging self-esteem. A balanced menu of quiet, memory-exercising activities, creative craft workshops and invigorating play are tailored to each resident, stimulating large motor skills and helping ensure they are able to function at the highest level possible and enhancing self-esteem. These types of interactive activities help provide a stronger sense of purpose.
Building community. Family, friends and a sense of belonging is an important part of overall well being, allowing residents and their family members to be included in events, activities, and day-to-day communication and to celebrate life in their own special way.
Supporting family and loved ones. Access to a well-trained, knowledgeable and caring staff helps family members remain at ease knowing their loved ones are being well taken care of.
Benefits of Alzheimer's Care in San Diego
As a specialized type of assisted living, Alzheimer’s care can result in drastic improvements to quality of life for those with dementia. Our employees take the time to learn your loved one’s life story and understand their unique needs. With this human-centric approach, we then develop a comprehensive care plan that’s individually tailored to each resident.
Our goal is to preserve the dignity of each of our residents and to not only sure their physical well being, but their emotional, and spiritual well-being, too. We’ve found that using this approach, many residents within our community experience:
Improved focus. The structured environment of our thoughtfully designed communities have been planned out so residents with Alzheimer’s disease can enjoy the freedom to move about and be a part of both indoor and outdoor activities. We’ve found that the more independence we can safely allow our residents, the less agitation they experience. Activity-based programs also help to decrease wandering by redirecting residents’ attention and interest into positive outlets.
Decreased dependence on medication. As routines are established, self-esteem improves and many times psychotropic medications can be reduced or eliminated.
Improved overall health. Both the social setting as well as the routine of meal time helps increase the enjoyment around eating, and intake often improves. Our providers understand the holistic needs of residents, which includes regularly meeting dietary and hydration needs.
Additionally, residents typically sleep better and develop healthier patterns of rest, while toileting routines and better-established habits (with the assistance of staff) helps reduce incontinence.
What Levels of Care Does Lantern Crest Offer?
Alzheimer support is attuned to the level of support residents’ needs. Whether in the beginning, mid, or late-stages of memory decline, this specific type of care provides specialized assistance for all San Diego residents at The Ridge.
Onsite nursing allows for care that extends beyond just memory, and includes support for diabetes, arthritis, incontinence, anemia and more. Our residents receive a wide range of important lifestyle services and amenities including:
Choice of studio or one-bedroom apartment with private bathrooms
Three home-cooked meals and nutritious snacks
Weekly housekeeping, linen, and personal services
24-hour emergency response
Stellar care by intuitive, compassionated, well-trained staff
A safe environment
A planned calendar of recreational events and outings with family and community members
What Type of Training Do Alzheimer Providers Have?
Our San Diego Alzheimer care providers are trained according to the requirements established by the state, along with extensive, additional, ongoing training on dementia so they are better able to assist residents in different stages. Memory specialists understand:
How specific approaches work for different residents
The criticality of engaging residents in different activities throughout the day.
The empathy, patience and compassion needed while providing around-the-clock care
When Is the Right Time to Place a Loved One in Memory Care?
Deciding that the everyday care and support of a family member or loved one may require the full-time expertise of a specialty care community involves a lot of different factors and may be a difficult and complex decision.
In order to best evaluate an ideal environment which will provide compassionate and successful care, consider the following decision making steps:
Step 1. Realistically consider the future. Before making any decisions, it’s necessary to establish a realistic and factual picture of your family member’s current and future memory-loss needs. For example, at-home arrangements may not remain effective as the disease progresses.
Step 2. Consider other decision makers. It’s important that all the decision makers and those within the family have an open discussion about the best path for the family member with cognitive decline. Everyone should agree and keep 1) well-being and 2)quality of care as the primary goals.
Step 3. Assess their current level of care. What does their current care look like, if any? Do you feel like they are receiving adequate and compassionate attention for their unique needs?
Our San Diego Alzheimer specialists understand the many complex facets of caring for someone with memory loss. We’ve found that a personalized approach to assisted memory care, and assessing each resident’s health and care needs, individually, is often the most successful system for this type of support.
About Lantern Crest Senior Living
Since 2013 Lantern Crest has been providing the best in independent, assisted and memory care in San Diego. We offer spacious, luxurious living spaces, 24-hour care, award-winning dining experiences, as well as a wide range of wellness, entertainment, and concierge services.
We continue to grow and develop based on the needs and desires of our residents and seek to provide transparency into the actual costs and requirements for our senior living residents. We believe senior living should be focused on continual fulfillment and growth, and we believe there’s no cap to learning and enjoyment.
