Navigating Memory Care: Specialized Support and Home-Like Environments
Podcasts > Navigating Elder Care
Navigating Elder Care
Sunday, November 2, 2025
Laura Daniels welcomes highly respected senior care leader Mona Talukdar to discuss memory care, particularly focusing on the advantages of small, home-like communities. Mona shares her inspiration for creating specialized environments, explains how memory care differs from standard assisted living (focusing on mind support, specialized training, and environment), and offers essential guidance on knowing when it's time to transition a loved one. The conversation emphasizes safety, clinical-level care in a non-institutional setting, staff training in communication, individualized engagement, and how families can maintain a vital connection after the move.
00:00 Introduction to Navigating Eldercare
00:20 Host Laura Daniels: Guiding Families through Care Transitions
01:23 Introducing Mona Talukdar and Today's Topic: Memory Care
01:43 Mona's Background and Inspiration for Seasons Memory Care
03:09 What is Memory Care and How Does it Differ from Assisted Living?
04:29 When is the Right Time to Consider Memory Care? (Safety & Caregiver Burden)
05:58 Early Warning Signs Requiring Higher Support
07:37 Seasons' Care Philosophy: Routine, Predictability, and Joy
08:58 The Balance of Clinical Care and Social Wellbeing
09:28 Staff Response to Behaviors (Agitation, Sundowning, Wandering)
10:27 Environmental Features and Safety in Memory Care
11:48 Fall Prevention and Managing High Levels of Care
12:59 Family Connection and Emotional Support After the Move
14:24 Coping with the Guilt of Transitioning a Loved One
15:06 Engagement and Quality of Life: A Day at Seasons
16:03 Importance of Engagement and Avoiding Isolation
17:00 Adapting Activities for Different Stages of Decline
17:51 Collaboration with Physicians, Hospice, and Outside Providers
18:59 Role of Nutrition, Sleep, and Movement in Cognitive Support
20:25 Handling Changes in Resident Needs and Higher Care Levels
21:11 Advice for Families: Start Learning Early and Plan Ahead
22:15 Changing the Perception: Memory Care is Not a Last Resort
22:36 The Value of Small Settings and Deeper Relationships
23:17 A Success Story: Getting a Mother "Back"
24:09 Conclusion, Contact Information, and Listener Call to Action
Related Episodes
Hospital Discharge Checklist: Your Essential Roadmap for a Safe Recovery
Sunday, November 2
Finding Quality Care at a Skilled Nursing Facility with Roxanne Burgener
Sunday, November 2
