How Can I Teach My Senior How to Use a Smartphone

Our senior living community in Phoenix, AZ offers a wide variety of activities that residents can participate in to broaden their horizons, as well as continue to learn new living techniques as they enter their golden years. However, one activity you can expect not to see held at an assisted living facility is a class that teaches residents how to use a Smartphone. Many seniors fear Smartphones because they believe the devices are too complicated to learn. They also tend to turn the learning part of the brain off because they do not understand how helpful a Smartphone can be in addressing daily living responsibilities.

If you have a loved one residing at a senior housing community in Phoenix, you might be asking yourself, “How can I teach my senior how to use a Smartphone?” Older adults learn differently than younger adults and adolescents. The key is to adjust your teaching style by starting with building patience during the learning process. You have to demonstrate each task, not just verbally describe it. Encourage your senior loved one to repeat each task until the task is mastered, which can be easy to do if you break down tasks into smaller steps. 

Here are the most important Smartphone tasks to help your senior loved one become more self-sufficient:

Operating a Smartphone

Smartphones come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but one thing remains the same regardless of the type of Smartphone: Your senior loved one needs to know how to operate it. You should explain how to turn the device on and off, as well as how to adjust the volume for delivering and receiving audio messages. Another important operating task to learn involves knowing how to charge a Smartphone and how often your loved one needs to charge it for the phone to maximize its performance. Learning how to navigate a Smartphone requires your senior loved one to understand the icons and how to set up different features to get the most out of the new device.

Managing Contacts

One of the most helpful Smartphone features that seniors benefit from is using contacts. Instead of trying to remember several phone numbers and other types of information, organizing and managing the contact features helps your loved one gain access to the phone numbers of friends and family members by simply clicking one name listed on the contacts page. You should teach your senior loved one how to add contacts, as well as manage the information by creating default phone numbers and email addresses. In addition, teach your loved one how to set up emergency contact information, such as the phone numbers of important healthcare-related businesses.

Sending Emails and Text Messages

One of the most popular features of Smartphones is the ability for users to communicate without having to hold a verbal conversation. Your loved one needs to know how to send emails and text messages to get the most out of their new devices. Make sure you do not assume your senior loved one knows the difference between emails and text messages. Explain the differences in the purpose of each type of written communication, and then show your loved one how to send and retrieve emails and text messages. For emails, help your senior loved one sign up for an account with a popular service such as Google or Yahoo. When it comes to text messages, education becomes much more thorough, as you want to demonstrate how to use a texting app and how to start a text conversation.

Learn about the highly-rated resident services offered by our assisted living facility in Phoenix, Arizona by submitting the short form found on our website.

Enjoy this Low Impact Exercise for Seniors this Summer

With temperatures rising, seniors are looking for effective ways to cool down, relax, and remain active while staying safe. As we age, joint pain and weaker muscles may make it difficult to participate in exercises from when we were younger. Water aerobics is a popular senior activity for this reason. Water aerobics in senior living facilities is a great, low-impact exercise that keeps seniors active, even if they have chronic health issues, such as arthritis, joint problems, and circulation issues. 

For seniors wanting to remain active, falling is a serious risk associated with exercise. The properties of water help seniors stay balanced and take the pressure off their bones and joints. This is why seniors enjoy this low-impact exercise in the summer. Senior living facilities, like MorningStar Senior Living, encourage seniors to live an active and safe lifestyle. Our Wellness Programs & Activities at MorningStar are always looking for fun and exciting ways to keep seniors active and engaged. 

Water Aerobics is also great for seniors recovering from injury. If you or someone you know has recently undergone a hip or knee replacement, water aerobics will help take the pressure off those areas. Many seniors find that water aerobics and walking in the pool, doing arm stretches, and leg kicks underwater are therapeutic and overall, painless. 

If you attend a water aerobics class, there is also the added benefit of socialization and friendship building. Afterward, you may find yourself grabbing a bite to eat in one of MorningStar’s bistros, cafes, or dining rooms. Perhaps you will even put together a book club or movie watching group. Whether physical, intellectual, spiritual, or social, our Life Enrichment Teams at MorningStar Senior Living and Assisted Living present creative ways to stay active and productive that encourage friendship and compassion.

Contact us today if you want to know about the best senior living community with built-in companionship, predictable budgeting, and modern memory care Nevada has to offer. MorningStar Senior Living Retirement Homes in Sparks, Nevada takes care of the worry and stress of aging, allowing seniors more time to do the things they love. Whether it’s fulfilling a calling, finding a new opportunity through volunteerism, or spending time with friends and loved ones and relaxing, contact us to schedule a tour of our memory care community near you. 

To learn more about MorningStar’s Senior Living in Reno, contact our staff who are happy to answer any questions. Our website also provides information on our company’s history and vision and what sets us apart from other retirement facilities in Nevada. We encourage you to see the most exceptional and dependable senior living Sparks, Nevada offers.

Companion Living Available at MorningStar of Santa Fe

MorningStar of Santa Fe recognizes that for some, assisted living can seem out of reach for them financially, which is why we strive to help families find ways to make it affordable.  One of the solutions we offer is “Companion Living.”  This is where two unrelated people of the same sex share a suite, whether in assisted living or memory care.

Obviously, it is ideal if you have a relative, friend or acquaintance that is looking for the same type of situation and you can pair up to share a suite with them.  However, we know that option is not always available, so we step in and help find a suitable companion for you.  We carefully pair residents together based on common backgrounds and interests as that provides a good basis for building a friendship.  With this living arrangement, the rent of the shared suite is split.  

Beyond the financial advantage, companion living can help ease the transition to a senior living community.  The presence of a roommate can encourage more confident socialization with the broader community, and having someone around who knows the ropes is always helpful.  Also, you can look out for one another’s interests and most likely be the first one to notice a change in the other’s health or abilities.  As we all know, when a friend is present, everything else suddenly feels that much better.

MorningStar of Santa Fe offers residents an engaged lifestyle that includes a wide range of programs and activities as well as nutritional daily meals. Our many onsite amenities include a bistro bar, chapel/theatre, library, salon, fitness room, resident garden beds, courtyards and strolling paths.  If you are looking for a community with an exceptional care team along with amenities and services unmatched by other senior living in Santa Fe, NM, please visit our website to learn more about MorningStar.  

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 Santa Fe, NM has to offer.

When to be Concerned About Memory Loss

As we grow older, many of us find ourselves becoming forgetful and worry it could be a sign of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Researchers say it is true that the older we get we are more forgetful as at least half of those over age 65 say that they are more forgetful than they were when they were younger, experiencing ‘senior moments’ about things like where they put things or recalling somebody’s name.

The question then becomes what the difference between “normal” age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease is. Studies find the brain shows warning signs of Alzheimer’s approximately fifteen years before someone experiences symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and quite a while before the first real signs of dementia start.

Concerning signs of memory loss include not just forgetting an appointment or someone’s name, but repeatedly forgetting it. Another sign that something more serious is going on is if family members start to notice a loved one’s forgetfulness or confusion. Constantly repeating questions, forgetting the word for something or getting lost in a familiar neighborhood are other signs of a bigger problem. Judgement and planning may also be impaired, and tasks the person used to be good at like balancing a checkbook or following a recipe can become frustrating and difficult. 

To know for sure what is happening, you need to make an appointment with your doctor. They can do a complete medical work-up including looking at the medications you’re taking, and checking for signs of depression and other environmental issues, which could account for symptoms. If you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or a dementia-related disease, there are treatments that may lessen disease progression, and drug and non-drug options that may help symptoms.

Along with assisted living, MorningStar of Albuquerque provides compassionate, individualized care for those with mild to advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.  As dementia care specialists, we provide support to our residents and their families with an array of services, wellness programs and activities essential to quality of life. Our approach to memory care is encompassed under the expanse of possibilities we call Lavender Sky and uses a broad range of Montessori-based therapy techniques. Contact us or visit our website for more information about trusted senior living in Albuquerque.

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 senior living Albuquerque, NM offers.

Looking for Senior Living in the Denver Area?

MorningStar of Wheat Ridge is a vibrant senior living community located in a northern suburb of Denver. Our community offers 45 graciously appointed assisted living suites consisting of spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. In our Reflections Neighborhood, we have 19 memory care suites devoted to the individualized care of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.   

We want you to know there are several things that set our community apart from others and that we strive to provide residents with the best of the best.  Whether it is our gorgeous interiors and exteriors, a host of wellness programs and activities, or most importantly a responsive staff that is honored to serve seniors, we feel MorningStar offers unparalleled senior living.  Our goal is to provide residents with the care they need to lead more comfortable, healthier lives and give them a place they are proud to call “home.”    

Our location makes it easy to get to hospitals, banks, shopping and restaurants, and among our many services and amenities, we provide scheduled transportation.  MorningStar of Wheat Ridge also gives families peace of mind knowing their loved one is receiving the care they need with an individualized care plan, 24/7 Care Managers, a full-time licensed nurse, and other services.  

 

Amenities include three daily meals prepared largely from scratch under the direction of our Executive Chef and served restaurant-style in our lovely dining room.  At MorningStar we feel breaking bread together offers far more than physical nutrients – it helps to bond us together as family and friends.  Our community also has plenty of common areas that are perfect for entertaining family and friends, chatting with another resident, or just quietly reading a book.  In addition, our community has a fireside patio, fitness room, bistro, theatre/chapel, salon, private dining room and more. Please contact us or visit our website for more information.

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 to learn more about the finest senior living in Wheat Ridge, CO.

4 Art Activities for Seniors in Memory Care

Staying mentally alert during the golden years requires participating in activities that give the brain a robust workout. From solving crossword puzzles alone to completing Tai Chi exercises in a group setting, seniors have many opportunities at our memory care facility in Phoenix, Arizona to give the brains a welcome workout. One of the most popular activities for seniors at assisted living facilities is to finish creative art projects. Residents with dementia especially benefit from art therapy because art helps patients improve impaired language skills, as well as bolster cognitive skills.

Our memory care specialists plan art projects for residents with several planning tips in mind. First, we encourage a loved one to be around to provide encouragement, Second, we choose adult-oriented art projects to grab the interest of residents. Third, we interact with our memory care residents throughout the duration of an art project. Fourth, we help our residents remain patient even when an art project does not go in the direction it should.

Let’s review four art activities for seniors in memory care.

Coloring Books

Achieving small steps is an effective strategy to help someone with dementia gain the confidence to try taking larger steps. This philosophy applies to art activities as well. Have your senior loved one start by filling in the pages of simple coloring books before moving on to more complex pages. One of the most frustrating experiences for memory care patients is not being able to complete what were once easy tasks, which means slow and steady is the way to go for participating in art activities.

Sculpting

Working with our hands generates the type of mental stimulation that keeps us motivated to continue with a task. The same principle applies to memory care residents at our assisted living facility. Sculpting with clay or wood represents an engaging way to complete a creative art project. We encourage our memory care residents that participate in sculpting projects to at first look at another object before they attempt to create sculpted art by imagining another object.

Painting

After mastering coloring books, the next logical step on the path to creating art involves painting on a canvas. Painting is often the first art activity that comes to mind for memory care patients, but at the MorningStar at Arcadia memory care facility in Phoenix, our caregivers make sure a resident is ready to tackle a more intricate art activity such as painting. One of the most effective ways to engage memory care patients with a painting project is to follow the wet-on-wet painting technique, which makes it much easier to blend colors that create attractive landscapes and seascapes.

Create Collages

If a memory care resident is unable to use a crayon or paintbrush, we encourage the resident to create collages out of different materials. All the memory care resident has to do is choose from different sources such as newspaper articles and family photographs to create a visually appealing collage. Our memory caregivers prepare the material sources before starting to work on a collage project, as well as help residents paste images onto each collage page.

At MorningStar at Arcadia, we closely follow our mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest” when it comes to providing memory care at our Phoenix, AZ facility. We have developed an operating foundation based on the biblical principle of honoring God, as well as valuing the contributions made by our senior residents. Discover more about the loving atmosphere surrounded by spectacular scenery at MorningStar at Arcadia by scheduling a tour today.

Memory Care at MorningStar of Wheat Ridge

At MorningStar of Wheat Ridge, we understand a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another dementia-related disease is devastating and we want families to know we are here to help. Our community offers loving, compassionate care to those with memory impairment in our Reflections Neighborhood. The MorningStar Senior Living company brings 20 years of experience to memory care in senior communities across eleven states.  

MorningStar’s holistic approach to memory care incorporates some of the most respected research-based care programs available.  We are different from other communities in that every aspect of our memory care is designed from the ground up to accommodate residents. Secure and inviting, the Reflections Neighborhood gives residents as much freedom as possible. 

Through the rigors of MorningStar’s Lavender Sky training, our staff truly understands Alzheimer’s disease and other memory-loss conditions; and after a family decides to place a loved one in our care, we get to work. This starts by learning as much as we can about the person’s background, talents and personal preferences through a tool called “To Know Me is To Love Me.” Using this information, we create a specialized, individualized care plan that helps to calm or stimulate as a particular situation needs. 

Meals are attractively served, and tasty as well as nutritional. Many foods are easily eaten with fingers to accommodate those who may have trouble using a fork and knife. In addition, our wellness programs keep residents purposefully engaged and leverage the power of music, dance, art, aromatherapy and animals to heal and comfort, as we focus on residents’ unique needs.         

Along with memory care, we offer assisted living as well as respite care and short-term stays (from one week up to a full month). Please contact us or visit our website for more information about trusted senior living at MorningStar.

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. Contact us to learn more about outstanding assisted living and memory care in Wheat Ridge, CO.