Dementia Care in Rhode Island
Saint Elizabeth Community offers dementia and memory care in several settings across Rhode Island. Each has its own name and town:
- Private Duty home care, including “Alzheimer’s care”, from Saint Elizabeth Home Care, based in Warwick
- Specialized memory care programming at the Memory Care Center, an adult day center in Warwick
- Grandview Gardens at The Seasons Assisted Living in East Greenwich, now a member of Saint Elizabeth Community
- Long-term care for people who need 24-hour nursing or memory care, at Saint Elizabeth Home and the Saint Elizabeth GREEN HOUSE® Homes in East Greenwich
Dementia care looks different for every family. Your parent may still live at home with help from you and from professional caregivers. Or they may need a day program. Some need an assisted living apartment with memory care. Others need 24-hour nursing care.
The right choice depends on your parent’s needs today: their safety, health, daily routine and how much they can still do on their own. That choice can change as dementia progresses.
So the first step is not picking a building. It is understanding what support exists and which level of care fits your parent right now.
What dementia care means
Dementia care is support built around the changing needs of a person living with dementia. It can mean help with daily activities, supervision, nursing support, meaningful activities and a safe place to spend the day.
Dementia care does not have to begin with a move. Many people start with support at home or during the day. As needs grow, families may look at assisted living with memory care. Later, some look at long-term care.
How dementia care needs change over time
Dementia affects each person differently. Health, mobility, communication and safety all shape how much support your parent needs.
In the early stages, your parent may still manage many daily tasks. Companionship, reminders and a regular routine can help. You may also need a break during the day.
As dementia progresses, your parent may need more supervision and help with bathing, dressing, eating, medications, toileting and getting around. The Alzheimer’s Association notes that in the middle stages, 24-hour supervision will be needed, and that care becomes more intensive in the late stages.
Dementia care options at Saint Elizabeth Community
Saint Elizabeth Community provides dementia care in several settings across Rhode Island. Each has its own name and its own place.
Dementia care at home: Saint Elizabeth Home Care, Warwick
Saint Elizabeth Home Care, based in Warwick, offers Private Duty home care in Rhode Island. Care at home lets your parent stay in familiar surroundings.
Private Duty has two parts: Certified Home Health Aides, and Homemaker, Companion & Driving.
The Certified Home Health Aide services include:
- Alzheimer’s care
- Bath service and personal care
- Meal preparation
- Medication reminder
All Home Health Aides hold Department of Health licenses and work under Registered Nurse supervision.
Care at home keeps you involved in your parent’s day while a trained aide helps with the tasks that have become hard to manage.
Saint Elizabeth Adult Day Centers
Saint Elizabeth Adult Day Centers give your parent structured support during the day while they keep living at home.
There are four centers:
- Memory Care Center, Warwick
- Apponaug Adult Day Center, Warwick
- Bristol Adult Day Center, Bristol
- South Kingstown Adult Day Center, South Kingstown
The Memory Care Center, 140 Warwick Neck Avenue in Warwick, is the adult day center with specialized memory care programming. It is a day program. Your parent comes for the day and goes home.
At each center, services include:
- Nursing care and health monitoring
- Physical exercise
- Stimulating activities and nutritious meals
- A personalized plan of care
Participants, with their families, choose the number of days they attend, from one to five days per week.
Memory care in assisted living: The Seasons Assisted Living, East Greenwich
The Seasons Assisted Living, East Greenwich, now a member of Saint Elizabeth Community, is home to Grandview Gardens at The Seasons. Grandview Gardens is for “individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other memory impairments.” The Seasons offers “Assisted Living Residence and Specialized Memory Care Apartments.”
Some people living with dementia need more support than home can offer but do not need 24-hour nursing care. For them, assisted living with memory care may fit.
The Seasons is private pay.
Long-term care for dementia: Saint Elizabeth Home and the GREEN HOUSE® Homes, East Greenwich
Some people living with dementia eventually need nursing care around the clock. Saint Elizabeth Community offers long-term care at two locations, both in East Greenwich: Saint Elizabeth Home and Saint Elizabeth GREEN HOUSE® Homes. “Individuals in need of 24-hour a day, 7 days/week nursing or memory care reside at either location.”
At Saint Elizabeth Home, memory care is provided in The Cove, the memory care neighborhood at Saint Elizabeth Home.
The Saint Elizabeth GREEN HOUSE® Homes are four small nursing homes, each with 12 residents, next to Saint Elizabeth Home. Each resident has a private bedroom and bathroom. The caregivers are called Shahbazim: “specially trained certified nursing assistants” who cook, do laundry and work directly with residents. The GREEN HOUSE® Homes are private pay.
You do not have to choose one setting for every stage. You can choose for your parent’s needs now, and look again as those needs change.
Signs your parent may need more dementia care
Your parent may need more dementia care when the current support is no longer enough to keep them safe through the day. Memory changes alone do not mean your parent has to move. Look at how dementia is affecting everyday life.
Ask yourself whether your parent can stay safe alone, manage personal care, take medications correctly and prepare food safely. Think about wandering, nutrition, changes in behavior and whether they need someone with them through the day.
The Alzheimer’s Association suggests weighing four things when choosing care: safety, health, care needs and social engagement. Those same four can tell you whether the current arrangement still works.
Care built around the person
Dementia care is about more than memory loss. Your parent’s preferences, routines, relationships and sense of who they are still matter, and good care plans around them.
Activities are part of that. The National Institute on Aging advises caregivers to match the activity with what the person with Alzheimer’s can do. At Saint Elizabeth Adult Day Centers, “One of the key ingredients of aging well is remaining active, physically and mentally.”
What to look for when choosing dementia care
Look past the name of the setting. Ask whether the provider can meet your parent’s needs today, and what other levels of support exist if those needs change.
- Safety and supervision: how the setting supports people who need supervision, and how staff respond to changes in behavior, mobility and communication.
- Staff training in dementia: what training staff receive in dementia and memory care, and how they learn each person’s routines and history.
- Daily activities: whether activities are part of every day and suited to what your parent can do.
- Personal care: what help is available with bathing, dressing, eating, toileting and medications, and what happens when more help is needed.
- Family communication: how you will hear about changes in your parent’s condition.
- A visit: how staff speak with residents, and whether the setting feels calm, respectful and welcoming.
At Saint Elizabeth Community, “Our staff has received additional training and education about caring for individuals with memory care needs.”
Dementia care does not have to mean one immediate move
You may assume that looking for dementia care in Rhode Island means choosing a new home for your parent right away. It does not. Care can start with help at home.
A day program can add structure during the day. Assisted living with memory care may fit when your parent needs support where they live. Long-term care provides 24-hour nursing when your parent’s needs call for it.
The real question is whether the current arrangement is still safe, supportive and sustainable for your parent and for you. Planning early gives you time to understand your options before a crisis forces a rushed decision.
Talk with our care navigation team
Finding the right care starts with our resourceful & dedicated team.
Call Kathy Parker, Director of Admissions & Care Navigator, at 401-773-7473. You can also reach Saint Elizabeth Community’s main line at 877-732-3264, or read more about finding the right care.
Frequently asked questions about dementia care
How can I prepare for a dementia care assessment?
Gather information about your parent’s medications, daily routine, health conditions, recent changes and the areas where they need help. Notes from family members and current caregivers give a clearer picture of your parent’s needs. Have these notes ready when you call Kathy Parker, Director of Admissions & Care Navigator at Saint Elizabeth Community, at 401-773-7473.
What should I ask a dementia care provider before choosing services?
Ask about staff availability, dementia training, emergency procedures, care planning, family communication and how the provider handles changes in care needs. Ask what services are included and which may need separate arrangements. At Saint Elizabeth Community, “Our staff has received additional training and education about caring for individuals with memory care needs.”
How can I help my parent adjust to a new dementia care setting?
Familiar routines, personal belongings, favorite activities and regular family visits can make a move easier. Share your parent’s preferences and history with the caregivers so their days feel more familiar. At Saint Elizabeth Adult Day Centers, participants, with their families, choose the number of days they attend, from one to five days per week.
Can dementia care take some of the caregiving load off me?
Yes. Dementia care can add support with supervision, personal care and activities. The right type depends on your parent’s needs, and it can help you keep caregiving sustainable. Saint Elizabeth Home Care, based in Warwick, offers Private Duty home care in Rhode Island, including “Alzheimer’s care”.
How often should dementia care needs be reviewed?
Review care needs whenever you notice changes in safety, mobility, communication, behavior, health or your parent’s ability to manage daily activities. Regular conversations with caregivers and your parent’s doctors help show when more support may be needed. At Saint Elizabeth Community, finding the right care starts with our resourceful & dedicated team.
Where does Saint Elizabeth Community provide dementia care?
Saint Elizabeth Home Care, based in Warwick, offers Private Duty home care in Rhode Island. The Memory Care Center, an adult day center in Warwick, has specialized memory care programming. In East Greenwich, Grandview Gardens at The Seasons offers memory care in assisted living. Saint Elizabeth Home and the Saint Elizabeth GREEN HOUSE® Homes, in East Greenwich, provide long-term care.