Author: Sarah Williams
Reviewed By: Catherine Braxton
No federal laws or regulations mandate how many caregivers there must be per resident in memory care facilities, but some states set minimum caregiver-to-resident ratios, often different for day and night. Other states may not define staffing numbers but will usually require enough trained caregivers on duty to adequately meet residents’ needs and respond to emergencies.
Facility licensing terms also commonly include provisions concerning the availability of administrators, managers and on-call medical professionals. As long as facilities comply with state rules and regulations, they can employ as many staff as they choose. This means some communities have more caregivers per resident than others.
Because people living with dementia often have demanding care needs and benefit from structured daily routines and social interactions, a facility with more staff members allows for one-on-one time and hands-on care. A higher number of caregivers also enables the care team to promptly and adequately respond to incidents without disrupting other residents’ routines. Memory care staff can face diverse, unexpected challenges, such as managing behavioral symptoms, so additional team members can be beneficial.
Although limited research exploring staff-to-resident ratios in memory care facilities exists, studies indicate the benefits of more staff in other long-term care settings. A larger care team often correlates with higher standards of care and a better quality of life for residents. However, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests facilities focus on acuity-based staffing, which is more effective than looking solely at staff numbers. This means facilities should consider individuals’ needs and routines — typically evaluated during routine assessments — when determining appropriate caregiver resources.
Various factors can affect ideal staff numbers, including the collective care needs of all residents and the diversity of enrichment programs in a community. Generally, people with mild dementia require less hands-on care than those in more advanced stages of disease progression. Additionally, group engagement and therapeutic interventions may be beneficial for such individuals, which can reduce the number of necessary staff, while those with moderate to severe dementia might require individual therapies and companionship.
