Memory Care at The Kensington Falls Church

Memory loss is life-changing for all involved.

We believe the degree of memory loss is an important consideration when planning care. Here, at The Kensington Falls Church, we empathize with both residents and their loved ones, each confronting the challenges of memory loss.

That’s why we have thoughtfully designed a memory care program geared for the whole family.

An essential element of any memory care program is understanding and appropriately adapting the care to the degree of memory loss. This understanding should be an important consideration when planning care.

The Kensington at Falls Church offers a full spectrum of memory care support across two specialized “neighborhoods.”

Our Connections neighborhood is for residents in the early to middle stages of dementia. Haven is for residents in the middle to late stages. Unlike traditional nursing home facilities of the past, the Connections and Haven neighborhoods are cozy environments where residents feel comfortable and secure and where loving professionals accommodate the specific needs that accompany each stage in the progression of memory loss.

If you have questions about the care our team at The Kensington Falls Church can provide, please don’t wait to get in touch with us.

What Makes Memory Care at The Kensington Different from Other Facilities?

Although we understand the debilitating patterns of Alzheimer’s and dementia, we are continually seeking ways to capitalize on residents’ strengths, despite deteriorating recall. We help residents and families find ways to enjoy the beauty of special times, even if only moments. We honor the past, savor the present, and look toward making the times that lie ahead manageable, comfortable and ultimately, peaceful.

To that end, we provide your loved one the following:

Licensed nurses on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Medication/diabetes management, including injections by licensed professionals.
Physical therapy and fitness center are on-site.
Rehabilitation, such as physical, occupational, and speech therapies provided by Genesis Rehabilitation.
Physician office is on-site.
Psychological/psychiatric services.
Extensive support programs, including wheelchair assistance, two-person or three-person assists, wound care, and if necessary, hospice.
The Kensington care team who specializes in Memory Care, in collaboration with a dedicated Director of Memory Care.
Individualized service plans tailored to personal wants and physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Comprehensive and ongoing caregiver and staff training geared toward memory care.
Regular family nights and support groups.
Accommodation of special diets—such as diabetic, renal, gluten-free, vegetarian—overseen by a registered dietician.
Pocket Programming to enable each resident to participate in small-group activities based on their interests and abilities.
Staff-to-resident ratios on days and evenings based upon resident needs.

In addition to providing what we consider the essential care described above, we also believe in the power of creating appropriate care environments. Our desire to deliver this differentiated care led to The Kensington Falls Church designing the innovative “neighborhoods” concept that takes into consideration the degree of memory loss a resident is experiencing.

This approach allows each resident to receive a spectrum of relevant and appropriate care. We offer two “neighborhoods” where memory care residents call home. Each of which is committed exclusively to residents who need memory care.

Connections

Connections is a cozy, intimate neighborhood for residents experiencing early-to-middle stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia. This neighborhood is specifically designed to care for residents who are showing increasing signs of memory loss.

Our goal in the Connections neighborhood is to help residents be independently engaged in activities that give meaning and purpose to their days. We continually assess residents’ maximum cognitive ability and recall. Then, we “meet them where they are” and make the most of their strengths to create comfortable, supporting moments for our residents and their families.

The Connections Resident…

Is in early-to-middle stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
May be experiencing increased anxiety, fear of getting lost, isolation, and depression.
May be having difficulty with daily tasks without reminders, creating frustration and confidence loss.
May wander and become agitated in the late afternoon/early evening due to sun-downing.

The Connections Neighborhood provides…

Fully secured environment to maximize safety.
Intimate, home-like living spaces to foster calm and comfort.
Porches, patios, and garden areas to enable residents to enjoy fresh air and sunshine freely.
Pets welcome to provide unconditional love.
Wander management technology to monitor resident whereabouts.

Haven

Haven is a soothing and peaceful neighborhood for residents with the middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia and designed for residents who are showing more advanced signs of memory loss.

Haven residents require a higher level of assistance and care, so our goal is to maximize comfort, minimize agitation and soothe compassionately. We strive to offer residents opportunities to become involved in ways that are meaningful.

The Haven Resident…

Is in the middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia.
May be experiencing difficulty recognizing family and friends, organizing thoughts and managing the activities of daily living.
May require assistance to maintain appearance, good hygiene, and manage incontinence.
May wander and become agitated in late afternoon/early evening due to sundowning.

The Haven Neighborhood provides…

Fully secured environment to maximize safety.
Wander management technology to monitor resident whereabouts.
Cozy and intimate living spaces that enable residents to explore safely and freely.
A kitchen filled with the happy sounds and smells of home such as bread baking, music, laughter, and soft voices to soothe and please the senses.
Pets welcome to provide unconditional love.
Lots of natural light and a fully secure outdoor terrace to create a cheerful environment.
Adaptive design features (painted walls and doors, motion sensors, specially designed carpet, memory boxes) to help with recognition and confusion.

Additional Senior Care Programs Available in the Falls Church Area

In addition to our memory care services and our unique neighborhood concept, The Kensington participates in a variety of life-enriching programs offered in the Falls Church area, including:

Falls Church Senior Center offers social activities, recreation programs, and trips for area seniors.
Falls Church Library provides its Senior Book Discussion Series, a general book discussion geared toward seniors.
Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church is a non-profit, volunteer-based, interfaith organization sponsored by area congregations, community groups, and businesses, to serve older persons in Northern Virginia.

If you have questions about the care our team at The Kensington Falls Church can provide, please don’t wait to get in touch with us.

Additional Online Memory Care Resources for Family Members

Memory loss is a complex condition that not only affects your loved one, but also impacts the entire family. There are extensive resources and support available to help you better understand the progression of this disease.

The Kensington wants to help support you as you research how to provide the best care and environment for your loved one experiencing memory loss.

Here are a few resources we recommend:

Alzheimer’s Association
Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center (1-800-438-4380)
Alzheimer’s “Online Community”
Caregiver Action Network
Caring from a Distance
National Alliance for Caregiving
National Family Caregivers Association

Another excellent resource is the Insight Memory Care Center. It’s a non-profit adult day health and resource center providing specialized care, support, and education for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory impairments. The Insight Memory Care Center also provided important support to families, caregivers, and the community.

Innovative technology can also provide support for families and caregivers. Here are a few helpful technology resources, such as wandering and tracking devices.

The Kensington and You – Partners in Providing Memory Care for Your Loved One

When a loved one lives at The Kensington, we encourage family and friends to visit as often as possible and to lean on us for support whenever needed. We know that by sharing caregiving responsibility, families are freer to enjoy the pleasure of time spent together.

Also, because we are equipped to handle health care needs, families get the added benefit of peace of mind and confidence that their loved one is fully supported in loving, capable, professional hands.

If your loved one is experiencing memory loss we cordially invite you to come and see The Kensington Difference for yourself, and how we fulfill our promise to love and care for your family as we do our own.