If you or your spouse has been diagnosed with dementia, then you will have started to think about your future care needs. While you might be able to manage at home for now, you know that this might not work in the future.

As you start to look at options, make sure to include life plan communities in your shortlist. How do these communities work? Why should you consider moving into this type of care setting now?

What Is a Life Plan Community?

Life plan communities offer a range of care and nursing options that their residents can use over the course of their lives. They don't have the personal or medical restrictions of regular retirement communities.

So, for example, you might move into an apartment to start with. You might not need any medical or personal care now. You'll simply take advantage of living independently in a community full of people at your life stage.

However, if your medical or care needs change, then you can get more help. Life plan communities typically offer a full range of aged care services. So, you can move to an assisted living model or even into the community's nursing home if you need to in the future.

Why Move to a Life Plan Community If One of You Has Dementia?

One of the problems of moving into retirement care is the fact that you might not be able to stay in the same community forever. If a community can't meet more complex medical needs, then you have to move somewhere else.

If you or your partner has dementia, then this could mean that you will ultimately be separated. A person with dementia might need to move into a nursing home setting as their condition deteriorates. If the other partner doesn't need this level of care, then they will have to live somewhere else.

If you both move into a life-plan community, then you can both stay in the community for the rest of your lives. You can switch up the services you get according to future medical and personal care needs.

This is particularly useful if one of you has dementia. They can move into the complex's nursing home while the other partner stays in their apartment. You'll both be in the same place and will be able to spend your days together.

Life plan care also makes life easier for the caring partner. As dementia develops, the carer in the relationship has to deal with a lot of stress and added responsibilities. If you live in a life plan community, you have access to a full range of care and medical services and will always have the support you need.

To find out more about regular living and dementia care at this stage of life, talk to local life plan communities.

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