In addition to assisted living, Avanti Senior Living also offers memory care services. Salize, Avanti’s innovative memory care program, is specially designed for those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The topic of memory care can be a sensitive, and often confusing, subject for family members. The terms dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are commonly used interchangeably. However, these terms have several important differences. For example, dementia is a generalized word referring to the severe decline in cognitive ability that affects daily life. Alzheimer’s disease, however, is a specific disease and the most common cause of dementia. Here are a few facts about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease:

Dementia

  • Not a disease
  • Not a normal part of the aging process
  • Progressive and irreversible
  • Many types of dementia exist
  • Caused by damaged brain cells and their ability to communicate
  • Non-medical interventions, such as sensory stimulation can help
  • A set of symptoms that include cognitive decline, memory loss, and changes in behavior

Alzheimer’s disease

  • Currently no cure or prevention
  • Most common form of dementia
  • First affects the part of the brain associated with learning
  • Not an age-related disease. Can even affect those under the age of 65
  • Advanced symptoms include confusion, disorientation, and behavior changes
  • Progressive disease that eventually affects walking, speaking, and swallowing
  • Degenerative disease that causes brain cell damage and complicated brain changes

At Avanti Senior Living, we provide a holistic approach to care. The Salize memory care program is known to reduce the symptoms often associated with dementia (apathy, agitation, anxiety, and aggression) without the use of mood-stabilizing drugs. Such amenities healthy nutrition, medications management, specialized exercises, and engaged lifestyles help our residents live a life with purpose.