FAQs

Common Questions and Answers

Have you ever wondered, “When is the right time to start looking for a place for my loved one?”

Memory decline in loved ones can be overwhelming. If you have been caring for your loved one with memory illness and are searching for assistance with placement, Oklahoma Memory Care Institute is here to help.

We offer a place to call home for short-term as well as long-term stays. Short-term could be for a loved one who just needs to come for therapy, post-hospitalization, or who just can’t return home until they get a little stronger. This is covered 100% by Medicare for the first 20 days. Secondary insurance typically picks up the copay associated with the cost on days 21-100. Short-term may also mean respite care. Respite care is typically private pay for 1-2 weeks and provides families who need a little interval a break.

We accept Medicaid, Medicaid pending, some long-term care insurances, private pay, and respite services for payment for all our long-term care patients. Long-term care is, unfortunately, not paid for by Medicare Part A or B. Hospice is also accepted; this is typically covered by Medicare. (Sometimes hospice companies will cover 100% for 5 days of respite care.)

We provide memory care for the full continuum from the earliest onset through the end of life, with a strong focus on dignity preservation, purposeful days, and normalization.

Do you find yourself asking, “Will she be safe? What do you do to protect them from elopement?”

All doors are secure. We use behavior management and environmental modifications to keep residents who are exit seekers away from the doors. We have posters that look like bookshelves and koi pond stickers that we place on the floor to stop elopements and keep residents from going out the door. We also have highly trained staff who pay attention to altered awareness with patients who are at higher risk for elopement difficulties.

Do you want to know what special programs we have for those with dementia?

Oklahoma Memory Care Institute offers activities that promote self-esteem and self-worth. This includes sensory programs that are built to enhance the senses, including touch, smell, taste, sound, and sight. These include music therapy and memory therapy with reminiscence participation. At Oklahoma Memory Care Institute we also promote exercise therapy with both activities and games, along with restorative exercise that stimulate brain function through large and small motor activities. We love to go for walks, inside and outside, and play games! We focus on keeping the resident’s physical, mental and psychosocial well-being at the highest levels possible. We know that all three areas must be nurtured and loved.

We offer a pet store with a pet adoption service, where patients can adopt different lifelike animals that offer sound and movement. We have real-life fish in a large tank they can sit and watch! Pets promote love, affection, and feelings of love and belonging. They are encouraged to take their pets to their rooms and may change pets at any time…or even adopt another!

We have rotating programs such as household chores that include baking, sweeping, folding laundry, sewing, and housekeeping. These activities promote a sense of familiarity, comfort, and a sense of purpose for many residents.

Oklahoma Memory Care Institute has also incorporated a beautiful nursery area where residents can adopt a baby and gather any items needed for its care, such as bottles, diapers, and blankets. Many residents choose to keep the baby in their room. We love to see this type of love and care. This gives our residents a sense of belonging and purpose when awakening each day.

We immerse ourselves in singing, dancing, and listening to different types of music that residents enjoy. This stimulates different areas of the brain and often sparks memories and joy.

Arts and crafts are an important way to show our self-expression. We have everything from painting and drawing, to knitting and crochet, to sewing, and creating art from other mediums. It is wonderful to see what our residents want to create! We often can make presents for family members too!

Working out our brain is just as important! We do brain wellness activities such as reminiscing, current events, trivia, puzzles, and games to keep everyone on the top of their game!

We know you want the best for your loved one. Especially when it comes to food!

We use a specifically designed diet for memory function improvement. This may include Mediterranean meals, KETO meals, or comfort food. Patients do get to choose their diet program and foods. We incorporate snacks throughout the day and look for different opportunities to include hydration therapy throughout the day. As you may know, getting memory care patients to drink can sometimes be difficult. At Oklahoma Memory Care Institute we get creative with our hydration! Our staff works hard to find unique ways to engage with our memory care patients and to get them to participate.

Are you worried about when you can visit?

We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and follow COVID protocols. Please schedule any late evening or night visits with our staff.

Are you trying to figure out who will cover the expenses or pay for your loved one to live at Oklahoma Memory Care Institute?

We accept self-pay/private pay, Medicaid, Medicaid Pending, and some long-term care insurances. We also accept Medicare for any post-hospitalization acute care needing rehabilitation. Keep in mind that any secondary co-insurance will cover any copay past day 21, when admitted for a short stay- rehabilitation post hospitalization.

Wonder why we call ourselves an Institute?

Our objective is to provide care for those with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and memory loss. We help our patients manage social skills related to their memory care; we go beyond the care of the resident by being available to assist and educate families with the disease process.

We recognize that families are just as important as staff within the caregiving environment. Alzheimer’s is truly a family disease and requires more comprehensive family involvement than in non-dementia long-term care facilities. Family members provide valuable input into the overall care planning process. Here at Oklahoma Memory Care Institute, we provide education and support to families throughout their entire journey.

At Oklahoma Memory Care Institute, we have properly educated caregivers that are essential for providing excellent dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Our staff undergo intensive orientation and participate in continuous training and development to meet the special needs of those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. We provide consistent staffing, which not only allows the staff to get to know each resident, but also the resident and family to get to know the staff.

Our community was designed specifically for individuals with dementia, consequently the outcome is a quiet, secure environment that allows for exceptional quality of life.

Wondering why we don’t have a star rating yet?

We currently do not have a star rating due to the recent acquisition of this building. Oklahoma Memory Care Institute is the first of its kind in the Tulsa area that will provide both long-term care and skilled rehabilitation for memory care. It will take four quarters of data to get a new star rating.

Questioning assisted living vs. Oklahoma Memory Care Institute?

At Oklahoma Memory Care Institute, we allow higher staffing ratios to provide 24-hour nursing care for our memory care patients. We offer an increase in assistance with activities and daily needs with our specialized programs that are designed for patients with memory care. Our licensed nurses conduct detailed assessments to ensure care plans match each resident’s unique needs. We follow up daily with care plan needs and make an adjustment when we need to for the patient’s safety.

What does it look like inside?

Upon entering Oklahoma Memory Care Institute, you are greeted by our excellent staff in our large and open lobby. We have a centrally located nurses’ station just past the lobby where our nurses can greet our residents as they arrive on move-in day. Just past this nurses station is where our dining experience takes place. We prepare all meals in our kitchen suite, which is just beyond the dining room. East and west of our nurses’ station, we have two main hallways. Both hallways have recently remodeled floors. The east hall has a new dining area, a large therapy room and an activities center. There are many residents rooms down this hall as well as the west hall. All rooms are private. Call us today to schedule a tour for you!

What special training does your staff have?

All nursing staff are certified and licensed in the state of Oklahoma and receive special dementia training. We offer licensed staff 24/7 such as RN, LPN, CMA, and CNA.

For skilled rehabilitation, we offer on-site licensed physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists.

Who are the leaders of Oklahoma Memory Care Institute?

Darrell Parke, Executive Director of Oklahoma Memory Care Institute, has been working in healthcare for over 37 years! He brings tons of knowledge to our Oklahoma Memory Care Institute family and is available 24/7 to help with all of your placement needs. Darrell can be reached at 918-203-0606 Ext. 4001

Diana Rath, RN, Director of Clinical Services, has been working in healthcare for over eight years. Diana works tirelessly with her staff to provide them with education and resources to help further their growth in memory care knowledge. Diana is available 24/7 to staff and patients as well as their families. Diana can be reached at 918-203-0606.

Kurtis Rouhselang, Marketing Representative, recently joined the healthcare community and helps Oklahoma Memory Care Institute with its referrals and admission process. He is available 24/7 for inquiries and tours with families. Kurtis can be reached at 479-640-6228.

Are you wanting to know if you can still do your loved one's laundry?

Yes, a family can provide laundry services, or the staff will do laundry for patients if they choose. We have many residents who like to participate in doing their laundry as well!

Mom likes to eat her favorites at 3:07 every afternoon, can she do that?

Absolutely, they can always have their favorites anytime during the day!

Wondering

They can always keep their private doctor. However, all treatment plans and care provided will be provided by our Medical Director, Dr. Jack Brown. Dr. Brown has been in healthcare for over 40 years and specializes in geriatrics.