Is Your Loved One Safe Living Alone?

Many older adults cling to the idea of living in their own home and stubbornly refuse to accept the fact that their declining medical conditions may be putting their very safety at risk in their present living situation.  This is when family members need to step in and help make some decisions.

In the best scenario, we typically want to make changes in things as important as our living situation with careful thought, but unfortunately, many older adults do not have such plans in place.  This reluctance to plan ahead means lots of families are unaware of today’s various senior living options, which include assisted living, independent living, skilled nursing facilities, family group homes, memory care, and continuing care communities. 

As you sort through the best care options for your parent, start by honestly assessing their medical conditions, their mobility, and care requirements.  In addition experts say to try and determine what the future holds for your loved one as you do not want to get them settled into a home and quickly realized it is not equipped to provide the care they now need.

One senior living option is assisted living, which is designed to provide your parent help with their ADLs (activities of daily living) in order to allow them to live as independently as possible.  Most assisted living communities have tiered levels of care, which means as your parent’s needs increase the community will be able to address them.  

At MorningStar at Arcadia, a Phoenix assisted living community, we work hard to create a true “home” for our residents.  We define health and well-being holistically and offer services and programming that supports the whole person: body, mind and spirit. Please visit our website for information regarding our various care services and amenities as well as pricing and availability.  Then use our online link to set up a tour.   

MorningStar at Arcadia represents the best in Phoenix assisted living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We have built our foundation on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve…all of which contributes to creating a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. Call to schedule a tour of our exceptional community.

Learn More About Assisted Living

The American Healthcare Association defines assisted living as “part of a continuum of long-term care services that provides a combination of housing, personal care services, and health care designed to respond to individuals who need assistance with normal daily activities in a way that promotes maximum independence.”  So rather than taking away the independence of seniors assisted living actually helps residents to maintain their independence while giving them the care they need to live comfortably and safely. 

Please remember assisted living is not a nursing home.  It is a community designed to meets the needs and preferences of the residents and to give them their dignity, autonomy, privacy, independence, choice and safety.  While each community has its own personality, assisted living typically addresses the needs of its residents with 24-hour care services, daily meals and wellness activities.   In fact, it is often more cost effective not to mention more convenient than employing a group of home health care providers.

If you are looking for the best senior living Albuquerque has to offer, we encourage you to visit our website to learn why MorningStar of Albuquerque is a step above other communities. At MorningStar we feel honored to serve seniors, and as such, our entire staff strives to provide our residents with a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community.  We offer 48 private assisted living suites, which are available in an array of configurations including spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. 

Once you decide to join our MorningStar family, our Wellness Director will sit down with you and your family to set up a care plan that addresses your every need.  For our residents’ families, they get peace of mind knowing our around-the-clock Care Managers are available to ensure the comfort and safety of their loved one. Please visit our website and use our online form to schedule a tour or for pricing and availability information. 

MorningStar of Albuquerque represents the best in senior living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We have built our foundation on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve…all of which contributes to creating a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. Call to schedule a visit to the finest senior living Albuquerque NM offers.

Sources: ahcancal.org/ncal/about/assistedliving/Pages/What-is-Assisted-Living.aspx
aplaceformom.com/blog/things-you-didnt-know-about-assisted-living-2-19-2012/

Wondering if Assisted Living is the Right Choice for You or a Loved One?

At MorningStar of Santa Fe, we understand it can be difficult to decide if it is the time to move into assisted living as many seniors do not like the thought of giving up their home and their independence.  However if you have not look into today’s senior living communities, you may be unaware that many feel like true homes. Also when you move into a community and start receiving the daily help you need, you will most likely start feelings more independent than you did before.   

While change can be hard for anyone, it can be especially hard for elderly adults who like things a certain way.  This is why MorningStar offers both respite stays and short-term stays that give you the opportunity to experience our community and see what you think.

A respite stay ensures you get the personal attention you need in a quiet, restful place as you recover from surgery or to convalesce from an illness.  Also you have the advantages offered by companionship and community that can make the healing process easier.  

In addition there may be times when your regular caregiver needs a vacation.  Moreover a short-term stay with us gives you a chance to see firsthand how carefree and easy your life could be.  During your stay, you will receive all the amenities offered to full-time residents such as 24-hour care managers, medication management, and daily meals prepared under the direction of our Executive Chef.  Onsite amenities include a library, theatre, fitness center and more; and a broad array of activities and wellness programs offered on a daily basis, in-house entertainment and fun outings. And when you need to see your doctor or run an errand, we offer scheduled transportation. 

In under words while under our roof, you will enjoy delicious, nutritional meals, meet new friends and have the opportunity to join in a variety of intellectual, physical, social and spiritual activities.  You will also have a team of dedicated, compassionate caregivers with a felt calling to serve who will go out of their way to see to it your needs, even your unexpressed ones. 

Please contact us for more information on unsurpassed senior living in Santa Fe, NM.  We offer 56 bright suites for assisted living  and 29 secure memory care suites devoted to those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. 

MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents.  Contact us for more information regarding unsurpassed senior living in Santa Fe, NM.

Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease or Normal Aging?

As we age, many of us experience occasional memory loss.  While it may be worrisome, most likely it is just a normal part of growing older.  In the case of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, a common indicator of the disease is memory loss that happens so often it disrupts daily life.  The Alzheimer’s Association lists 10 early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and recommends if you or a loved one has any of them, to see your health care provider. 

The first sign that you or a loved one’s memory loss may be a sign of a bigger problem is constantly forgetting new information.  Memory loss may include: needing to have the same information repeated over and over; forgetting important dates and events; and relying more and more on family members or memory aids to handle things.  

Another way memory loss can adversely affect a person’s life is when it becomes difficult to problem solve.  He or she may find it hard to do things they have done well in the past such as keeping track of monthly bills or following a recipe.  Some individuals with Alzheimer’s have problems losing their way when traveling familiar routes or keeping track of the month or season of the year.  Also, a person may start putting things away in odd places and not remember where they put them. We encourage you to read the Alzheimer’s Association’s full list of common signs of Alzheimer’s disease. 

At MorningStar of Albuquerque, our goal is to provide the best senior living Albuquerque offers, which includes compassionate and loving memory care to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.  Our beautiful community offers 21 secure memory care suites in our Reflections Neighborhood designed to care for those in the onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages. Please visit our website to learn more.  

MorningStar of Albuquerque represents the best in senior living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We have built our foundation on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve…all of which contributes to creating a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. Call to schedule a visit to the finest senior living Albuquerque NM offers.

Source:  alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs

Research Suggests a Link between Alzheimer’s & Diabetes

Recent studies have suggested a connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s but researchers do not yet fully understand the connection.  Moreover while not all of the research has confirmed a link, researchers say that people with diabetes, especially type 2, appear to be at higher risk for eventually developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.  

One of the things not yet known is whether taking steps to prevent or control diabetes helps to reduce your risk of cognitive decline.  However we do know that one of the complications of diabetes is damage to the body’s blood vessels as well as the fact that diabetes is one of the risk factors for vascular dementia, which causes a reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain.  

Scientists first suspected a connection between Alzheimer’s and diabetes when they realized that the changes in the brain were very similar; and it has been hypothesized that each of these conditions may fuel the damage caused by the other.   With new research, experts hope to get a better understanding of the connection between the two diseases. “That link may occur as a result of the complex ways that type 2 diabetes affects the ability of the brain and other body tissues to use sugar (glucose) and respond to insulin.”

We also know that diabetes increases the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which may eventually lead to full blown dementia.  In addition MCI can also appear years earlier in people who later are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  

At one of most trusted senior living communities in Santa Fe, NM; MorningStar of Santa Fe provides the area compassionate assisted living and memory care.  Please contact us to learn more about pricing and availability.  

MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents.  Visit our website to set up a tour of the finest senior living in Santa Fe, NM.

Source:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-and-alzheimers/art-20046987

Balance Exercises Help Seniors to Prevent Falls

It is important for older adults to take precautions to prevent falls as the resulting injuries tend to be more serious such as a broken hip or head trauma.  However doctors also point out that being sedentary is bad for our health regardless of how old we are and it is important to keep moving.   

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that one out of every four Americans aged 65 and older falls every year but say there are things that seniors can do to help prevent a fall.  The trick is to find a way to safely move about while taking into account any balance issues you may experience. 

As many adults are less active as they get older, it can exacerbate the physical effects of aging. Experts say, “Failure to engage in even mild exercise on a regular basis results in reduced muscle strength, decreased bone mass, loss of balance and coordination, and reduced flexibility.”  Other issues that can lead to falls include poor eyesight and taking medications with side-effects such as drowsiness, dizziness and low blood pressure. Chronic health conditions including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and arthritis as well as problems with numbness in the feet can also increase the risk of falls. 

The good news is there are a variety of easy-to-do balance-training exercises that can help seniors improve their balance. Even if you rely on a cane or other assistive devices, balance exercise can improve your mobility.  While it is helpful to join a class that offers balance-training exercises, there are also exercises that can be done throughout the day right at home.  One example is to try standing on one foot while close to the kitchen counter. If you need to, keep your hand on the counter for support and as you feel more confident try taking your hand off.   Another thing you can do is to try and get up from a chair without using your arms. 

MorningStar at Arcadia strives to be the best in Phoenix assisted living, and we take the well-being of our residents very seriously.  Our residents have many opportunities to stay active including various exercise classes or working out in the fitness room.  See our website to learn more.

MorningStar at Arcadia represents the best in Phoenix assisted living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We have built our foundation on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve…all of which contributes to creating a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. Call to schedule a tour of our exceptional community.
Source: agingcare.com/articles/falls-in-elderly-people-133953.htm

When is It Time for a Senior to Stop Driving?

From time to time, we hear news stories about elderly people causing serious car accidents due to negligence.  This typically reignites the on-going debate about “when is it time for a senior to stop driving?”  Also it is important to keep in mind that seniors are more likely to be injured in an accident as well as more likely to die from their injuries. 

Obviously being told you should no longer drive is a very sensitive topic for an elderly person still driving.  To them, it represents more than just getting from one place to another but their independence and a way of life.  So before you take away your elderly parent’s driving privileges, there are some things you can do to check that their driving is up to today’s road conditions. 

The first thing you can do is to get in the car and take a ride with them.  Experts say some driving issues signal serious problems while others less so.  For instance if your loved one is confusing the gas pedal with the brake, this is serious and requires immediate action.  Other things to look for are problems with left-hand turns, changing lanes, or driving either too fast or too slow. Once you are out of the car, check for signs of new scrapes and dents. 

Many older adults realize their driving abilities are not what they used to be and make the decision on their own to stop driving at night or on freeways.  They also will not drive on icy and snowy roads or in the rain. Some even make other adjustments such as not making left hand turns or avoiding busy roads with lots of lanes and traffic.  

One of the many advantages of senior living is that most offer services for transportation.  This ensures your loved one will get to their doctor appointments safely and any other errands they need to do.  If you would like to learn more about the best senior living in Santa Fe, NM, please contact the MorningStar of Santa Fe Assisted Living & Memory Care community.  We welcome any questions and will be more than happy to speak with you and your family.

MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents.  Give us a call or visited our website to learn more about the finest senior living in Santa Fe, NM.