Don’t Wait Too Long: Helping Loved Ones Thrive in Memory Care or Assisted Living

When it comes to caring for a loved one with dementia or who simply needs a little extra help with a few daily tasks, the timing and level of support can make all the difference. Evans, Ga.’s premier senior living community, Brandon Wilde, understands how emotionally challenging it is for families to transition a parent or spouse into memory care or assisted living. That’s why, Director of Health Services and Sales, Lisa Story is passionate about helping families make these decisions with confidence — and sooner rather than later.

“Too many people wait until it’s too late,” Story says. “By the time they seek help caring for their loved one, they are no longer a good candidate to receive all the benefits of memory care or assisted living — they need skilled nursing.”

Story sees this pattern all too often: families begin by exploring assisted living, only to discover their loved one’s condition has progressed beyond that level of care. “Assisted living is ideal for residents who still maintain a level of independence but need some support with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, or managing medications,” she explains. “They’re still able to get up and down on their own and don’t require hands-on physical assistance throughout the day.”

Moving into assisted living or memory care earlier can help seniors maintain their physical health by preventing falls and giving them onsite access to medical care so that potential issues are caught before they become crises. Health and wellness is also improved by giving residents ample opportunities for socialization and access to engaging activities, staving off two of the main causes of physical and cognitive decline — isolation and boredom.

A licensed practical nurse (LPN) for more than 25 years, Story has spent most of her career in geriatric care. Her passion for working with older adults began early—caring for her grandparents as a child—and never wavered. After briefly stepping away from nursing during the pandemic to work for a local magazine and support her young children, Story joined the staff at Brandon Wilde, where she combines her clinical expertise with her marketing acumen to help families navigate the senior living journey. “This job brings together everything I love,” she says. “It’s not just a job — it’s a calling.”

Memory Care at Brandon Wilde

At Brandon Wilde’s Windsor House, memory care is approached with dignity, compassion, and decades of experience. The team—including nurses, med techs, and certified nursing assistants—offers stability and familiarity. Many of them have worked at Brandon Wilde for 20 to 30 years. “They come to work here and never leave because they see how special our community is and the difference they can make in our residents’ lives every day,” Story says. “That continuity of care matters. Our residents have the same caregivers day in and day out — people who really get to know them and care about them. That sort of connection is impossible in communities with high turnover rates.”

A Safe, Supportive Setting

Windsor House features 25 identical suites thoughtfully designed with dementia care in mind. Residents enjoy private accommodations with a living room, bedroom, walk-in shower, and kitchenette. “The layout of the hallways form a circular path to allow safe wandering because a lot of folks with dementia do like to walk,” Story explains. “The spacious central courtyard provides residents access to the outdoors in a secure environment whenever they’d like.”

Story acknowledges that families often resist the idea of moving a loved one into memory care, citing fears about whether they will feel comfortable in their new home and even feeling guilty that they aren’t caring for them directly. “But in reality, residents can thrive at Windsor House in ways that they simply can’t when being cared for by an adult child,” she says. “They’re not sitting in front of a TV all day. They’re socializing and eating much better. They’re also getting all the attention that they need, which takes that pressure off of the loved ones, who are often working and caring for their own children.”

Activities That Connect and Engage

Brandon Wilde’s memory care residents benefit from robust, tailored programming. With a smaller community size, activities staff can offer more one-on-one engagement. Music is a frequent feature, with live performances several times a week. There’s also bingo, outings around campus via golf cart, and ice cream socials at the ever-popular sundae bar.

The Windsor House team is currently enhancing their training in Heartfelt Connections, a signature LCS program designed to help caregivers meet residents where they are emotionally. “Twenty-five years ago, we were taught to reorient and correct residents who are asking for deceased spouses,” Story says. “Now we know that can lead to anxiety. Instead, we console, redirect, and approach with empathy.”

Family Peace of Mind

When a loved one enters memory care at Brandon Wilde, it allows adult children and spouses to return to their role as family — not full-time caregivers. “Let us take care of the activities of daily living,” Story says. “You go back to being the daughter, the son, the spouse.”

Meals are made-to-order, fresh, hot, and tailored to preferences. Medical care is available on-site from a physician and nurse practitioner, minimizing the need for stressful trips to the hospital. Lab work and imaging can often be done without leaving the community.

Story emphasizes that entering memory care earlier not only leads to better care outcomes, but also preserves independence and social connection. “If you wait too long, you risk falls, unmanaged medication, depression, and missed opportunities for community,” she says.

The decision to move a loved one into memory care is never easy. But at Brandon Wilde, families find reassurance, expert care, and a warm welcome.

Learn More

To learn more about memory care and assisted living at Brandon Wilde and the exceptional Heartfelt Connections program, call 706-868-9800 to speak with a member of our team today.