shared apartment dementia

Shared apartments: What is a common living concept for students is gaining popularity for seniors. Especially for dementia sufferers, living together can be valuable. Read here what a dementia shared apartment looks like, what the benefits of living together are and what it costs.

Many relatives care for grandma, father or life partner in their own four walls. With the advantage that dementia patients can enjoy a life in familiar surroundings. Often, however, the caregivers are overwhelmed when the dementia reaches a certain degree. It is then necessary to consider where the loved one can be accommodated and receive help. After all, no one wants to simply push family members away. An alternative could be the dementia shared apartment.

What is a dementia shared apartment?

Succinctly summarized: Nine to twelve dementia patients live in a large apartment with round-the-clock care from an outpatient nursing service. The layout is similar to that of conventional shared apartments. The seniors rent their rooms, which they can arrange as they wish. In addition to the individual living space, there are shared, common rooms. For example, the bathroom, kitchen and living room. In addition to their own domiciliary rights and key authority, they are also allowed to decide on new tenants. Or relatives decide for them as the disease progresses.

„In the past 20 years, numerous outpatient assisted living communities for people with dementia have emerged in Germany,“ announces the German Alzheimer’s Association online. The difference to a retirement home: the rental contract and care contract are independent of each other. In addition, there are tasks for relatives. They engage the ambulatory care service for their loved ones, manage the WG and take care of shopping, cleanliness and Co.

This is the case in the Oberhaching residential community, for example. Here, no provider determines what everyday life looks like; instead, the so-called „relatives‘ committee“ manages the shared apartment. Nine women with dementia live together, and three outpatient caregivers look after the senior citizens. The relatives take care of everything outside of care – for example, they organize shopping and meal plans. By investing their own time, there are no administrative costs and the „well-made“ money can be invested in the care service.

„Over time, we’ve realized the responsibility behind it. And on the other hand, that’s what everyone wants from us: To cooperate, to be there and to lead the whole thing,“ says Jutta Reitmeier, who has rented her mother in the women’s dementia shared apartment in Oberhaching. The BR24 report on the shared apartment even calls the concept the „new way in care“.

What are the advantages?

Quality of life is the keyword and the meaning behind a dementia shared living arrangement. „A normal daily routine contributes to this, which is structured by the outpatient care service through shared meals and activities,“ according to the German Alzheimer’s Association. In the process, seniors are encouraged in their abilities, encouraged to be independent and supported in everyday life. Individuality is a top priority – both in terms of wishes for the care program and the daily rhythm. And that is what sets the residential community apart from a senior citizens‘ facility.

The almost family-like structure brings trust, warmth and prevents isolation. And not just for the seniors themselves. The WG also helps relatives. Because the concept takes away the feeling of abandonment and the accompanying feelings of guilt. In addition, they can share experiences and feelings with other relatives who are going through exactly the same thing.

What does such a shared apartment cost?

Costs arise from rent, care and support, meals, purchases and maintenance of the shared apartments. So the exact costs depend on the living space, as well as the selection of the outpatient care service. For a dementia shared apartment, the employment of a gerontopsychiatric care specialist is also an obvious option. Relatives have to pay a little more for this, but the specialist is specially trained for the disease. And can thus contribute even more to maintaining the quality of life of the person with dementia.

In general, the costs are about the same as for a place in a nursing home. The difference for the relatives lies in their own time commitment: In a dementia shared living community, they have to help out, while in conventional senior facilities all activities are taken over. Financially, there is even support in the best case.

„Under certain conditions, people in need of care who live in a shared apartment in which at least three people in need of care live can receive 214 euros per month as a residential group allowance,“ says the German Alzheimer’s Association. To set up a dementia shared living arrangement, seniors in care level 2 can receive funds of up to 2,500 euros as well as additional money for living space adaptations.

However, these adaptations involve more than just accessibility in the case of dementia sufferers. In addition to traditional precautions, such as eliminating trip hazards, a dementia shared apartment needs special equipment. „For example, motion detectors or a device for surveillance protection that strikes as soon as a resident leaves the building or property,“ suggests the online portal „Mit Pflege Leben“ (Living with care).

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