The Memory Care Innovation program aims to honor dedicated and forward-thinking industry professionals who are shaping the future of cognitive care across various sectors including behavioral health, home health, hospice, senior housing, and skilled nursing. For a list of this year’s inaugural Memory Care Innovation Award recipients, please visit https://innovation.memorycarebusiness.com/.
Maureen Charlton, the director of memory support programming and services at Ingleside at King Farm in Rockville, Maryland, has been selected as a 2024 Memory Care Innovation Award Winner.
To be chosen as a Memory Care Innovation Award winner, an individual must be nominated by their colleagues. The nominee should demonstrate exceptional performance, the ability to turn vision into reality, and a dedication to advocating for those with memory-related disorders and the professionals who care for them.
In a recent interview with Memory Care Business, Charlton shared insights about her unexpected journey into memory care, the valuable lessons she has learned throughout her career, and the challenges currently faced by the industry.
What drew you to working in memory care?
My entry into the field of memory care was unplanned. I stumbled into a social work role overseeing a dementia-specific unit in a nursing home in the late 1980s. The residents captured my heart, and more than three decades later, it continues to be my passion and purpose.
What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in memory care?
There have been countless lessons along the way. One important realization is the wisdom people with dementia have to offer. Their ability to live fully in the present moment has been a profound teaching for me, contrasting with our tendency to stress over the past and worry about the future.
If you could change one thing to shape the future of memory care, what would it be?
Addressing the pay disparities for the direct care team stands out to me. Their invaluable and challenging work in caring for individuals affected by dementia deserves greater recognition and compensation.
What is the biggest obstacle to innovating in memory care, and how do you navigate it?
A major challenge is staying adaptable in an evolving industry. While we have made strides in meeting the needs of those with dementia, there is still much progress to be made. Embracing the incoming Boomer generation’s fresh perspectives and collaborating with innovative thinkers helps us stay at the forefront of industry advancements.
In a word, how would you describe the future of memory care?
Hopeful.
What quality must all Memory Care Innovation Award winners possess?
A deep passion for the individuals affected by memory-related disorders and a profound understanding of the conditions.
For more information on the Memory Care Innovation Awards program, please visit https://innovation.memorycarebusiness.com/.
