Perception Shift: How Commonwealth, Heritage, Northbridge Are Retelling The Story Of Memory Care

Many members of the public hold misconceptions about memory care and its place in senior care. Operators are putting in the effort to dispel those misconceptions through education.

A large part of that is caused by people not fully understanding memory care or its nuances compared to other product types, according to Kelly McCarthy, vice president of resident engagement and memory care services at Northbridge Companies.

“We’re making sure that we give our frontline associates the tools to be able to welcome people and open that door and see the wonderful things that are happening,” McCarthy said during Senior Housing News’ BRAIN conference in November.

Operators are deploying a variety of strategies to shift the public’s perception of memory care, such as creating educational materials, utilizing social media and expanding partnerships with hospice and home care agencies.

According to Maureen Charlton, regional director of resident programs at Commonwealth Senior Living, prospects sometimes see memory care as a last option and not a first line of treatment. Operators must own the strength of their programming to vault over that challenge.

“We have a great product. We have something that is often better than home for most people,” Charlton said. “We’re offering that engagement. As an industry, getting that word out and just saying, ‘This isn’t less than. This is often better.’”

What is working

Omaha, Nebraska-based Heritage Communities wanted to try something out of the box to help prospects understand memory care better: a fictional story. The company partnered with an author to produce “In a Good Place,” a book that follows the story of an adult daughter searching for senior living for her struggling mother. The book is an easy touchpoint for the company to talk about, and it can lead to new conversations, according to Amy Birkel, chief operating officer of Heritage Communities.

“It’s been a great resource because it is literally no pressure with no sales pitch,” Birkel said. “It puts our directors of sales or other leadership members in a position of being an advocate and a resource by giving these books out to the public and to our prospects as they come in.”

Heritage isn’t the only operator utilizing literature in their sales process. McCarthy also wrote and published a book titled “Brass Ring Memoirs,” which centered on practical methodologies for caregivers to implement within their settings. The book is utilized for training caregivers at Northbridge Companies, but the company also gives it to families so they can better understand the process of caring for a resident in memory care. McCarthy added it gives prospective families measurable goals to attain in their loved ones’ care.

Northbridge also hosts training seminars for first responders so they can have a better understanding of what residents experience. The operator developed a mobile dementia experience, which has materials such as modified gloves to restrict finger dexterity and simulate what people living with dementia struggle with. The benefits are twofold, according to McCarthy: Responders are better prepared when coming into a community, and it serves as additional mental health training requirements.

Commonwealth relies on the partnerships it has built with hospice and home care agencies, along with the Alzheimer’s Association, to spread awareness and show the reality of residents in memory care. By doing so, Charlton said it positions the operator as the community expert.

“Building those relationships and setting ourselves up as knowledgeable through support groups and education, I think really makes a difference,” Charlton said.

All three operators also rely on resident and family testimonials to help spread the word about what their memory care programs are doing well. While some, such as Charlton, ask for reviews, others take additional steps to make it as easy as possible.

Northbridge has built out QR-based review kits that are given to families, and the company also uses third-party platforms such as HeartLegacy to create videos using the day-to-day life within memory care settings.

“We give our engagement directors cell phones for that reason,” McCarthy said. “We want them to use their phones, it doesn’t have to be as professional. It goes into the third party app that can really make it look wonderful, but having it be organic is the best thing.”

Birkel utilizes the relationships built with residents’ families to get reviews and testimonials. Doing so can help more than just spreading the word about the programming.

“When you capture those beautiful moments where you have this family, where you have made a change in their life for their loved one, share it with your associates,” Birkel said. “Don’t forget the impact that has. Those are the folks that did it right.”

The power of social media

Outside of resident testimonials, social media also acts as a practical tool for shifting perceptions on memory care. For Birkel, that begins by showcasing fun moments from around the community and broadcasting them on platforms such as TikTok. Doing so also acts as a way to attract younger generations for associate roles.

“If you start with that, you’ve got people paying attention, then you can put in the education component of really trying to explain what cognitive impairment is about and how much life there is to live, no matter what stage you’re in,” she said.

With the holidays approaching, Northbridge uses it as the opportunity to showcase how traditions can have an impact on memory loss. The operator also highlights staff through a “My Why” series, which showcases why they work in senior living. The series acts as an educational, marketing and recruitment tool, McCarthy said.

Charlton and Commonwealth are trying to use social media to “make senior living sexy,” primarily through video platforms to bridge the gap and get younger generations engaged. Alongside engagement, it allows current staff to have fun with spreading the word about senior living, Charlton said.

“A lot of the younger generation want meaning and connection in their vocation,” she said. “Is that not what senior living is? We’ve got to somehow bridge that gap and really make it sexy again, somehow, through social media.”

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