What The World Can Teach Us About Dementia Care

Memory care has changed significantly over the past decade as research, care models and ideas from around the world have shaped a more person-centered approach to dementia support. For Senior Lifestyle, that means looking beyond established practices and learning from new research and ideas about how to better support people living with dementia.

Trina Anderson, Divisional Director of Embrace Memory Care for Senior Lifestyle, believes that learning from different countries, cultures and care models can help providers create more meaningful experiences and better outcomes for residents and their families.

Learning from memory care around the world

Around the world, memory care is increasingly focused on the individual rather than the diagnosis. Countries and organizations are learning from one another, incorporating research and examining different approaches to dementia care.

Anderson points to Europe as an example, noting that European countries have often been leaders in dementia research and innovative care models. Norway’s dementia village concept, for example, emphasizes independence, dignity and quality of life within a supportive environment.

These approaches can offer valuable perspectives for providers elsewhere. Anderson also believes there is value in examining countries with both high and low rates of dementia to identify practices that may contribute to better experiences and outcomes.

The goal is to learn from approaches that can improve care while adapting them to the people and communities being served.

“By studying innovative models and research from countries leading the way in dementia care, we can continue to improve the support we provide to residents,” Anderson says.

That willingness to learn and evolve is an important part of research-informed memory care.

The principles of quality memory care transcend geography

While approaches to dementia care may vary between countries and cultures, Anderson believes some principles remain consistent.

At the center of high-quality memory care is seeing the person before the disease.

People living with dementia should have opportunities to live with purpose, make choices and remain engaged in their communities. Whenever possible, they should be supported in making decisions about daily life and encouraged to contribute in ways that reflect their abilities and interests.

These principles help preserve a person’s sense of identity when care could otherwise become focused primarily on symptoms.

“When people are treated with dignity, respect and understanding, they can thrive rather than simply exist with a diagnosis,” Anderson says.

That perspective has implications for everything from community design and programming to daily interactions between residents and care teams.

Culture shapes how dementia care is experienced

Although these principles can apply across cultures, the way families and communities approach dementia can differ considerably.

Cultural expectations around family, aging and caregiving can influence where and how someone receives support. In cultures where elders are highly honored and cared for within the family, relatives may be more likely to provide care at home for as long as possible. That can place a strong emphasis on maintaining dignity, family involvement and meaningful roles within the household.

Culture can also shape attitudes toward treatment. Medication may play an important role in managing symptoms, while families and healthcare providers may also consider non-pharmacological approaches that support engagement, purpose and quality of life.

Access to healthcare resources creates another point of difference. Screening, diagnostic testing, specialists and emerging treatments can affect how early someone receives a diagnosis and intervention.

Despite these differences, Anderson sees a common goal across effective approaches: preserving dignity, independence and quality of life for as long as possible.

Why research-informed care matters

A research-informed memory care program recognizes that our understanding of dementia continues to evolve. Providers must be willing to examine current practices, consider new evidence and adapt when better approaches emerge.

Anderson says these programs look to the latest evidence and best practices for dementia care while remaining open to new ideas.

Programs that rely primarily on tradition or operational experience can face a different risk. Established practices may continue simply because they have been used for years, even when new research suggests there may be more effective ways to support residents.

That doesn’t mean experience has no place in memory care. In fact, Anderson sees experience and research as complementary.

“The best memory care programs combine experience with research, continually evolving to provide the highest quality care and support,” she says.

That commitment to continuous learning is particularly important in a field where research continues to reshape our understanding of dementia and the ways it can be supported.

Putting global principles into practice

At Senior Lifestyle, these principles are reflected in the Embrace Neighborhoods approach to memory care.

A central principle is personalization. Embrace focuses on the person rather than the diagnosis, with support and programming shaped around each resident’s interests, abilities and life story.

Residents are encouraged to make decisions, participate in meaningful programming and maintain independence whenever possible.

The approach also incorporates six pillars of wellness: physical wellness, social connection, cognitive engagement, stress management, nutrition and sleep. Personalized programming adds another layer by connecting daily experiences to the individual resident.

The goal is to understand what quality of life means to each person and advocate for the preferences and needs that help make that possible.

As Anderson explains, “As our understanding of dementia evolves, we evolve with it.”

What families should look for in a memory care community

For families evaluating memory care, identifying an evidence-informed program requires looking beyond a list of services.

Anderson recommends paying attention to what families see and experience when they visit a community.

Do residents appear engaged in meaningful experiences? Does the environment feel warm and welcoming? Are people participating in ways that reflect their interests and abilities, or does programming appear focused primarily on keeping residents occupied?

The language team members use can offer another important clue. Families can hear whether residents are regarded as individuals with preferences, abilities and life stories or whether the focus is primarily on diagnoses and limitations.

Evidence-informed memory care should recognize that people living with dementia can continue to make choices, contribute to their communities and live with purpose.

Families can also ask about ongoing team education, how the community incorporates current dementia research and how often its practices are evaluated.

Finding flexibility within the structure of memory care

Research-informed, person-centered care doesn’t mean eliminating structure. Senior living communities need consistent standards around safety, meals, personal care, team availability and programming. The focus is on creating enough flexibility within that structure to honor individual preferences.

Anderson says communities can offer choices within established routines. A resident may have preferences about when to receive certain care, what to wear, which programming to attend or what to eat.

Even small choices can reinforce a sense of control. If a resident doesn’t want a full breakfast, for example, offering a muffin or another lighter option can address nutritional needs while respecting the person’s preference.

These choices reflect a broader principle of person-centered memory care: consistency provides structure, while flexibility allows care to remain responsive to the individual.

Where memory care is headed next

The next five to 10 years could bring significant changes to dementia care.

Anderson expects earlier and more accurate diagnoses, advances in treatment and continued improvements in community design to influence the field. As researchers learn more about how dementia begins and progresses in the brain, earlier intervention and new treatments may become possible.

At the same time, she expects memory care environments to continue moving away from institutional models toward communities that feel more like home while providing appropriate safety and support. These environments could create more opportunities for freedom, choice, purpose and engagement.

Perhaps the most important change, however, will be how society understands dementia itself. People living with dementia are individuals whose brains are changing because of a disease they cannot control. Their diagnosis does not erase their identity or their ability to experience connection, purpose and meaning.

Anderson says the future of memory care will depend on bringing scientific progress and person-centered care together. By continuing to learn from research and from one another, providers can create environments where people living with dementia are supported with dignity, purpose and compassion while receiving care that evolves with their needs.

Learn more about Senior Lifestyle programs, community locations and living options available across the country.