What Happens Behind Closed Doors? Investigating Care Practices in Nursing Home and Assisted Living Memory Care Units

In the United States, long-term care providers, such as nursing homes and assisted living communities, are meeting consumer demand through housing and care options designed to support the growing population of people living with dementia. One approach to providing dementia care is the development of “memory care units” within existing nursing homes and assisted living communities. Memory care units provide a setting more tailored to the cognitive and functional abilities of these individuals. There is emerging evidence about the optimum strategies for memory care environments; however, little is known about the implementation, prevalence, and quality of practice- and environment-based strategies in memory care units. This article provides insight into the prevalence of memory care unit practices using data from Ohio. The analysis points to policy and practice opportunities to address the quality of life and care for people living with dementia.