Hagerstown Assisted Living and Memory Services

Assisted Living Services

Our assisted living services are designed to help residents be as independent as possible, with the understanding that some people need a lot of assistance. For example, a resident may be able to bathe themselves, but having had a fall in the recent past, they may be afraid to be alone. In such cases, we might help them into the bath, or simply stay in the apartment just in case they need our help. We also recognize that many residents worry that they may need a lot of care in the future and want to be able to stay here in the comfort of their own home. Our community is able to provide that higher level of care to help ensure residents will not have to move, including should they become memory impaired. Care is primarily provided by our Resident Assistants, all of whom are either Certified Nursing Assistants or Certified Geriatric Nursing Assistants. We also have Med Techs who, along with our nursing staff, handle medication management. Every resident wears an emergency call pendant, giving them the confidence to enjoy activities and remain involved. But should they have a problem, they simply press the button on the pendant. All of our staff members wear pagers and are immediately alerted if there is a problem.

Memory Care Services

Of our 98 senior apartments, 20 are dedicated to memory care residents. Our program is located in a separate part of our building and locked, with access to a secured outdoor patio area. It is also staffed by a team of experts who have received highly specialized training in Alzheimer’s and other memory impairments. In line with many of the Emeritus Memory Care programs, we follow the Join Their Journey philosophy. Our residents can’t tell us what they need or even who they are now. So we ask our families to complete a bio sketch, which provides a glimpse into their life history. That way, if a resident gets frustrated, we can plan activities that are most comforting to them and allow them to live their life in a familiar manner. For example, if they always took baths in the morning, we would continue that routine here. In addition, we create a care plan tailored to their needs around six “signatures.” These include establishing routines to ensure their safety and security; providing their favorite snacks and meals; making sure we offer a supportive home-like environment that offers familiar surrounds, sounds and smells; offering “life stations” in which they can enjoy hobbies or activities that are relevant to their past interests and careers; and including family members in their care. We also have a family counsel, with several family members who volunteer as “ambassadors” for other families who have newly diagnosed loved ones and may need some extra support. We also believe strongly in documenting mom or dad’s good days, to help reassure families that their loved one is still able to enjoy some aspects of life. Toward this end, we put together what we call “Moments in Time,” with photos and notes of the resident enjoying different activities throughout the day.