What Are the Main Tasks of a Certified Care Specialist in Memory Care?

If you are looking to become a certified care specialist in memory care, we would first like to thank you. It isn’t an easy job that just anyone can do. It truly takes a special type of person to work as a certified care specialist in memory care, as working with seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia takes a special skill set. It can be a hard job, but it’s also a rewarding one. It takes a lot of passion, compassion, training, and empathy. If you are wondering about the types of things you may be responsible for in a job like this, here are the main tasks of a certified care specialist in memory care.

Know Residents’ Medical Histories

Often, memory care residents cannot remember their medical histories themselves. Because of this, it is the job of certified care specialists to know the history of the residents they are caring for. This includes both familial and personal medical histories. It’s up to the certified care specialists in a memory care community to ensure resident takes their medications at the proper time each day, attend their doctor’s appointments, receive appropriate follow-ups, and so on.

Assistance With Daily Living

In addition to medical needs, memory care specialists provide assistance in residents’ everyday activities, including personal care. This might include assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, and other grooming. Certified care specialists are also responsible for implementing personalized care plans for residents.

Understanding Residents’ Distress

Working with seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia requires having special expertise to make sure you fully meet each resident’s needs. Memory care specialists must be specially trained in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. This ensures that caregivers will understand both the physical and emotional distress that the residents are experiencing.

Getting Residents to Activities

It’s important for memory care residents to have socialization and participate in activities with others, but it can be scary for them to not really know what’s going on. It’s the job of care specialists to assist with specially designed activity programs to engage residents and to make sure they are comfortable and able to participate. Additionally, it’s important to help and encourage residents during these activities as well.

Maintain a Caring and Compassionate Environment

Not only do certified care specialists in memory care maintain a caring and compassionate environment for the residents so they are comfortable and know they are safe, but they also communicate with residents’ families. This includes keeping a resident’s family members in the know about any progress or medical changes.

Being a certified care specialist in memory care is an important and necessary job. If you are interested in becoming one, contact us here at Solterra Senior Living or keep checking our job opportunities. We are happy to let you know about any openings we have here in our memory care community and encourage you to apply if the above responsibilities sound like something you want to do.