As the Temperatures Soar – Remember to Stay Hydrated

With summer bringing hotter, steamier temperatures, it is a good time to remind everyone, especially seniors to protect themselves from dehydration, which happens when our bodies lose more fluid than it takes in. Dr. Samuel Keim, a professor and head of the department of emergency medicine at the University of Arizona, explains one of the reasons adults 70 and older are more at risk for dehydration is “a diminished thirst mechanism and a decreased ability to compensate for high-temperature environments.” He adds this means seniors are less likely to feel thirsty or realize they are becoming dehydrated.

Moreover, many seniors suffer from medical conditions such as respiratory ailments, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease exacerbating the problem. Also medications like anticholinergics or antihistamines disrupt the body’s natural reflexes and reduce its heat tolerance causing a person to sweat less. Other problematic drugs include diuretic medications that increase the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine or beta blockers that interfere with the body’s natural response to becoming dehydrated.  

Heat-exhaustion symptoms can include fatigue, thirst, profuse sweating, lightheadedness, cramps, nausea and weakness, and need to be addressed immediately as they can lead to heat stroke, which can be deadly. Dr. Keim says, "A heat index over 100 degrees is a high-risk environment for heat stroke." Treatment includes getting the person out of the heat into a cool location and removing heavy clothing. Spraying the person with water and directing a fan on them also helps. Seek emergency attention if the person is confused or fainting but continue to treat the person until help arrives. 

MorningStar of Albuquerque is a beautiful senior living community located on the northeast side of town with wonderful mountain views and convenient medical facilities, shopping, and other services.  Our residents enjoy a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community, and a hospitality and care team who feel called and honored to serve seniors.  For more information about MorningStar’s memory care and assisted living in Albuquerque, NM, please contact us or visit our website. 

MorningStar is guided by a culture rooted in our mission of honoring God, valuing seniors, and investing in our team, which allows us to deliver services with warmth, sincerity and depth of purpose. We have built a reputation for creating homes filled with an atmosphere of love and community. Please contact us to learn more about the finest memory care and assisted living Albuquerque, NM offers.

Source: health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/hot-weather-health-tips

Father’s Day is June 18th

Father’s Day was first officially celebrated in the United State on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington.  It then took another 58 years (in 1972) after President Woodrow Wilson had declared Mother’s Day to be an official holiday for dads to get their own official national holiday.  This year Father’s Day is June 18, as the holiday is celebrated on the third Sunday of the month.   

The earliest public event honoring fathers was in 1908 at a West Virginia church.  It was held in memory of 362 area men who had been killed in a tragic coal mine accident the year before.  It was a one-time commemoration and not intended to be an annual holiday.   

 

The first recognized celebration of all fathers took place at the Spokane, WA YMCA on June 19, 1910.  It was organized by Sonora Smart Dodd.  Her father, William Jackson Smart was a single parent who raised six children.  Ms. Dodd had heard a sermon about the Mother’s Day celebration at Central Methodist Episcopal Church a year earlier and encouraged her church to have a similar event honoring fathers.  She had wanted it to be on her father’s birthday, June 5th, but her church’s pastors needed more time to prepare sermons so it was held on the third Sunday of the month.   

Our fathers hold a special place in our hearts and certainly deserve to have their “own day;” however getting fathers nationally recognized was not as easy as it had been to get a designated national holiday for mothers.  Throughout the years there were efforts to make it a national holiday but it never moved forward.  It wasn’t until 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson issued a presidential proclamation honoring fathers, and designated the third Sunday as Father’s Day.  In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the holiday into law. 

For exceptional assisted living and memory care, we encourage you to consider MorningStar of Albuquerque. Our beautiful community is designed to meet residents’ every need.  From healthy daily meals to wellness programs and activities, we have a whole range of services and amenities to ensure their comfort and wellbeing. Please see our website for more information about trusted senior living in Albuquerque, NM. 

MorningStar takes tremendous pride in the reputation we have earned for excellence and authenticity since our inception in 2003.  We believe the human capacity to grow, to learn and to contribute is ageless; and we act upon that truth daily, as we care for, inspire, and love the residents under our roof. Contact us for more information about the finest senior living Albuquerque, NM offers.

REMIND YOUR SENIOR LOVED ONE IS STILL LOVED

When a loved one goes to live in an assisted living facility, it can be difficult to maintain the same close relationship you both shared when your loved one lived at home and enjoyed a more independent lifestyle. However, maintaining a close relationship with your senior loved one is even more important when the time comes to transition into living at an assisted living facility.

At our memory care facility in Phoenix, we emphasize the importance of friends and family members staying in close touch with their senior loved ones. This is an especially important point for seniors who have just moved into a senior living facility in Phoenix, Arizona.

Let’s see how to remind your senior loved one is still loved.

Schedule Regular Visits

Routine becomes an integral part of your senior loved one’s life when making the transition to living in an assisted living facility. Meals take place at the same time each day, and certain social events occur on the same day and time weekly and monthly. Scheduling regular visits with your loved one gives your loved one something to look forward to at the same time and day each week. Following a routine also keeps you accountable to uphold your end of the bargain when reminding your senior loved one is still loved.

Send Your Love Through the Mail

Catching up with your senior loved one via email is an effective way to stay in touch, but it is also an impersonal way to say, “I love you.” On the other hand, sending gifts through snail mail does a much better job of reminding your senior loved one is still loved. You do not have to wait for a holiday, birthday, or anniversary to send a gift via snail mail. Receiving an unexpected pleasant surprise from a friend or family member is a good way to light up the life of a senior loved one living in an assisted living facility.

Get the Grandchildren Involved

If your senior loved one has grandchildren, nothing will light up your senior loved one’s eyes more than spending time with grandchildren. Your senior loved one has demonstrated a strong bond of love with the grandkids, and now the time has arrived to pass it back through the love shared by your senior loved one’s grandchildren. Either plan a special event for all family members, grandchildren included, at the assisted living facility, or even better, plan a celebration outside of our memory care facility in Phoenix, AZ.

Work on a Mutual Hobby

One of the most effective strategies that caregivers recommend for improving memory involves participating in activities that work the mind. Activities such as crossword puzzles, as well as board games like chess and checks, help seniors keep their minds active. Another way to help your senior loved one keep an active mind is to work on a mutual hobby. Maybe you and your senior loved one both like to work on developing a garden. Whatever the activity, spending time with your senior loved one demonstrates that you care.

The mission statement at MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia is both simple and life-enriching: “To honor, to value, to invest.” Our team has created a foundation based on honoring God, while placing an immeasurable value on taking care of our residents. Discover how our senior living facility in Phoenix is the right home for your loved one by submitting the short Contact form found on our website.

MAKE SURE YOUR SENIOR GETS ENOUGH REST EVERY NIGHT

Did you know that we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, or at least that is how much time we should spend in slumber to maintain our health and well-being? A good night’s sleep is one of the successful ingredients for the recipe to aging successfully. According to the National Sleep Foundation, seniors should sleep at least seven hours of sleep each night to stay both mentally and physically strong as they age.

Unfortunately, far too many seniors carry poor sleeping habits into their Golden Years.

What Are the Common Sleep Issues for Seniors?

Research studies indicate that as many as 70 percent of seniors have chronic sleep issues, with nearly 50 percent of the cases remaining undiagnosed. Several types of sleep issues diminish both the quality and quantity of sleep for seniors.

First, pain and discomfort represent one of the most common sleep issues faced by seniors. Second, many seniors have to deal with nocturia, which causes frequent nighttime urination. Up to 80 percent of seniors have to deal with the sleep disrupter called nocturia. Third, insomnia, which is difficulty falling asleep, can be treated by different methods. Fourth, sleep apnea leads to fragmented sleep in which a senior wakes up frequently during the night. Finally, restless leg syndrome, which is the urge to move the legs while sleeping, impacts more than 20 percent of seniors.

MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia helps our residents identify and then address sleep issues before they become major health problems.

Tips for Seniors to Sleep Better

One of the most effective ways to develop better sleep habits is to go to bed at the same time each evening. The body works on a schedule, and following the schedule can help your senior get enough rest every night. Another important tip concerns turning off all sources of stimuli at least one hour before bedtime. This includes turning off your senior’s computer, television, and smartphone. The bedroom should be dark, quiet, and exude a relaxing ambiance. Listening to audio that promotes a relaxing environment represents a good way to unwind. 

Exercise during the day can help a senior fall asleep, but your senior should stop giving the body a workout at least two hours before bedtime. Your senior should not consume a large meal before bedtime, as well as limit or eliminate caffeine from the daily diet.

Why Does Sleep Matter?

Getting enough sleep boosts mood, and thus, reduces the likelihood of your senior developing a mental health condition such as depression and/or acute anxiety. Lack of productive sleep can lead to the development of diseases like diabetes, as well as contribute to the development of high blood pressure. A well-rested senior’s body maintains the proper weight, as well as supports the ideal metabolism rate. A good night’s sleep enhances memory and concentration, both of which deteriorate with the onset of dementia.

One of the lesser-known benefits of proper sleep for seniors concerns the removal of harmful toxins. The brain remains active during sleep and the toxins released need to be cleared by getting enough healthy sleep. According to Dr. Maiken Nedergaard of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, “Sleep is critical to the function of the brain’s waste removal system…These findings also add to the increasingly clear evidence that quality of sleep or sleep deprivation can predict the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

At our senior and memory care facility in Phoenix, Arizona, we dedicate both time and resources to help our residents develop the healthiest sleep habits. Learn more about the warm, loving environment at MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia by submitting the short Contact form.

LOOKING FOR MEMORY CARE NEAR PHOENIX, AZ?

Are you looking for memory care near Phoenix, Arizona? At MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia, we are here to help your senior loved one address memory loss issues in a warm, welcoming environment.

Taking care of a loved one who develops the symptoms of dementia can be difficult to do. From handling the emotional roller coaster ride to keeping your senior on the right path for treatment, the stress of taking care of a loved one who has developed memory loss symptoms can become overwhelming. However, relying on a team of memory care specialists to provide assisted living services for your senior loved one should alleviate the tremendous burden that you carry on your shoulders.

A highly-rated memory care facility not only assumes the responsibility of encouraging independent living for your senior, but it also ensures the comfort and safety of your loved one to give you the ultimate peace of mind. The question is not whether you should find the right memory care facility for your loved one. Instead, the question should be, what do you look for in the right assisted living facility in Phoenix, AZ?

Home Sweet Home

Moving your senior from the comfort of a home environment to an unknown facility can trigger a wide variety of negative emotions. The first factor to consider when choosing the best memory care facility in Phoenix, Arizona involves finding the venue that reminds your loved one of home. Stay away from facilities that present an austere ambiance, such as one that includes harsh fluorescent lighting and/or white linoleum floors. A facility that exudes charm, while projecting a social ambiance, is a good choice for your senior loved one.

Compassionate and Knowledgeable Staff

Every staff member at a memory care facility should possess the knowledge required to provide the highest quality of dementia care. Ask the facility manager how much training each staff member receives, as well as how long they receive updates on the latest proven techniques for treating and managing memory loss symptoms. Although staff knowledge is one of, if not the most important factor to consider before choosing an assisted living facility, you also should ensure the staff members at a facility display compassion for the residents. You cannot measure compassion as accurately as measuring knowledge. 

Nonetheless, spend plenty of time with the staff members responsible for providing memory care to gain insight into their empathy for residents.

Active Social Calendar

One of the most effective tools assisted living facilities use to attract residents involves promoting their social calendars. Social interactions with other residents should boost the awareness of your senior loved one. Activity calendars should include programs that keep residents busy not only during the week, but on weekends as well. Providing your senior loved one with numerous opportunities to engage with other residents empowers your loved one to remain busy, which stimulates both the mind and body.

Around-the-Clock Registered Nurse Availability

Seniors that suffer from memory loss require constant monitoring to ensure optimal health. Unfortunately, many memory loss facilities retain the services of a registered nurse during normal business hours, while CNAs take over healthcare responsibilities for the remaining hours of the day. Make sure any assisted living facility in Phoenix, AZ on your shortlist of candidates spends the money required to retain the services of at least one registered nurse 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

Submit the brief online form to learn more about how MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia can help your senior loved one address memory loss issues.

6 GOOD BRAIN GAMES FOR SENIORS

When you think of exercise, you probably think about the many options you have to work out the body. As we age, physical exercise becomes even more important to help us maintain strength and agility.

Did you know that exercising your brain is just as important as exercising your body?

According to the National Institutes of Health, exercising the brain can improve memory, reasoning, and the speed of processing information. Other studies show that seniors who exercise the brain enjoy greater independence and a lower risk of developing dementia. One of the most effective ways to exercise the brain involves playing what mental health experts call brain games.

If you are searching for an assisted living facility in Phoenix, Arizona, you should verify that any of the senior housing facilities on your shortlist promote healthy brain games for their guests.

Let’s look at six good brain games for seniors.

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles do a great job of exercising the brain because they require developing keen foresight to see how words form several steps before the time comes to create them. Your senior loved one can find crossword puzzles in a wide variety of print publications. Crossword puzzles do not require the participation of another person, which means your senior loved one can work on one at any time during the day.

Bingo

We go from crossword puzzles that can be done alone to a good brain game that requires the participation of dozens of other people. Many assisted living facilities host bingo night, which attracts a large group of residents. Bingo requires staying on top of the numbers you have in front of you, as well as reacting quickly whenever one of your numbers gets called out. Senior centers typically put on a bingo night once a month as well.

Checkers

The next two good brain games provide the ultimate tests of exercising brain power. Checkers is a fun game to play, as well as a relatively easy one to learn for seniors. This good brain game is less about developing strategy and more about the process of making logic-based decisions and improving hand-eye coordination. Games sets come in a wide variety of sizes to accommodate the vision needs of seniors.

Chess

Chess represents a much more complex game than checkers because of the multiple layers of strategy involved in moving the pieces around the board. However, learning chess is highly beneficial because it improves problem-solving skills, as well as enhances deductive reasoning. Chess even can improve your senior’s patience, which is something that often diminishes as we grow older.

Scrabble

As the classic brain game associated with seniors, playing Scrabble is an entertaining activity while at the same time giving memory a robust workout. Scrabble also is one of the best games for improving or restoring a senior’s vocabulary. This good brain game brings together seniors, which is a plus considering the isolation that can develop while living apart from family members.

Jigsaw Puzzles

Your senior loved one can work on a jigsaw puzzle alone or with one or more friends. Jigsaw puzzles strengthen problem-solving and strategy-developing skills, while also requiring your senior loved one to exhibit a high level of patience. This good brain game varies in complexity, depending on the number of pieces and the type of picture design.

At the MorningStar Arcadia assisted living facility in Phoenix, Arizona, our culture is “to honor, to value, to invest” in our residents. This type of culture separates us from other memory care facilities in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more about our beautiful community by submitting the online Contact form.

4 NUTRITIOUS MEALS SENIORS LOVE

 “You are what you eat.”

You have heard the expression at least one time, but what exactly does it mean? Perhaps a better expression is “Your health depends on what you eat.” This is especially true for seniors who tend to lose interest in cooking as they reach their golden years. However, getting enough minerals and nutrients, as well as remaining properly hydrated, are the key to enjoying a healthy senior lifestyle.

Getting enough minerals and nutrients also is a plus for promoting robust brain power. Certain vitamins enhance the functioning of the brain, as well as improve the cardiovascular system. Each of the following four nutritious meals seniors love can be called both brain and body food that keeps your loved one healthy.

As the best memory care facility in Phoenix, Morningstar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia ensures our residents receive the right amounts of healthy foods such as the following four nutritious meals provide.

Salmon and Vegetables

This recipe, which showcases salmon and vegetables, is easy to complete. Salmon represents a low-calorie protein that is a rich source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and energy-producing B vitamins. You also can cook trout or tilapia instead of salmon to benefit from heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Saute the veggies of your choice in olive oil, while baking the salmon filet in a 450-degree oven. Finish the veggies in the oven with the salmon until the salmon turns flaky and presents an opaque appearance.

Berry Chicken Salad

Your senior loved one does not have to develop award-winning culinary skills to create any of the four dishes on this list, but the berry chicken salad is an especially easy recipe to complete. This recipe calls for cooked chicken, which can be the leftovers from another meal. Mix mayo, sugar, and tarragon in a salad bowl before adding blueberries and strawberries. You also should consider adding both peas and celery for both nutrition and texture reasons.

Blend the chicken in last and store the salad in the refrigerator until it is time for lunch or dinner.

Veggie Stir-Fry

This is another popular dish that takes more time to prepare than to cook. Select your favorite veggies and then dice or slice each one before setting them in a bowl where olive oil waits for coating. The sauce includes water, honey, orange juice, fresh ginger, and low-sodium soy sauce. Saute the veggies in the olive oil coating before adding the sauce to cover both the veggies and the protein of your choice, which can be shrimp, chicken, or heart-healthy tofu.

Quiche

As one of the most versatile types of nutritious meals seniors love, quiche can be served at any meal. The relatively inexpensive nutritious meal for seniors includes a leafy green such as spinach, which provides iron, magnesium, and manganese, as well as heart-healthy like vitamins A, C, and K. Your senior loved one can find an appealing quiche recipe in most cookbooks, as well as online at food-centric websites.

After mixing the ingredients, which consist of eggs and some type of protein, place the quiche in an oven set at the temperature listed in the recipe.

MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Arcadia offers a warm, loving atmosphere, as well as spectacular scenery and resort-like amenities. Our foundation values include a commitment to honoring God and serving the residences of our highly-rated community. Get the answers to your senior living in Phoenix questions by submitting the convenient form found on our website.