Anyone whose loved one has suffered from memory loss understands how difficult the experience can be, and how critical good care is for such patients. Seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s need quality care that is both safe and comfortable in their later years.

Today, more than 5 million seniors are living with Alzheimer’s, a figure that could increase to 16 million by 2050 as the population ages. About one in 10 Americans over age 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia, two-thirds of which are women, who tend to outlive men in general.

How to care for the elderly once their memories begin to slip away? It certainly can be painful and burdensome for families. About 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. A quarter of these are “sandwich generation” caregivers, which means that alongside their responsibility for seniors, they are caring for children under the age of 18.

In New York City, families caring for aging seniors on their own suffer from high costs and the emotional toll associated with memory loss. Not to mention, seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s run the risk of wandering and losing their way, which can be especially dangerous in a big city like New York. Seniors here may also be more likely to develop dementia given the correlation between air pollution and the disease.

At Allure Group, we take the care of all seniors very seriously. The comfort and safety of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, therefore, are paramount. We have a program called the “Memory Plaza” for this very reason. Families can rest assured that their loved ones are secure, active, and stimulated, instead of bombarded with unfamiliar sights and monotonous activities as they might in another facility.

Allure’s Memory Plaza is designed to meet all the needs of Alzheimer’s and dementia residents, which starts with a locked, secure unit. That might bring to mind isolation, but inside the environment is anything but. The Memory place simulates a NYC neighborhood complete with park benches, plants, fish for your aging loved one to enjoy. We also incorporate of “life stations” that allow residents to be independent in their environment, decreasing the anxiety that is associated with the unfamiliar.

By incorporating reminiscence therapy into the living environment, as well, Alzheimer’s and dementia residents at the Allure Group’s facilities are focused and able to engage in daily routines. Family residents are free to come visit, whether to join their loved ones in the lush scenery or on an excursion.

We hope that programs like this will encourage unpaid and strained caretakers not to take the burden upon them alone. Allure is here to help by providing great care and space for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients that is cost-effective and high-quality.

In even better news, a nationally representative study has shown that dementia is waning compared to other issues like diabetes and high blood pressure, leaving one million fewer people with dementia than there would have been under the rate in 2000. The cause of this is unclear, but it gives us hope.

That said, people will continue to age and live longer, which will increase the number if not the rate. For those that do develop Alzheimer’s and dementia, whether the number is many or few, we are proud to continue providing the best care in the city.