Finding a Community for a Loved One with Dementia

Searching for memory care for a loved one that suits the person’s needs as well as the family’s is challenging at best. Knowing the person is dependent on getting the level of care they need for both their wellbeing and safety makes choosing the right home essential. Experts say start by taking your time to think about your loved one’s needs including daily personal care required such as dressing, toileting, bathing, etc. as well as any on-going medical needs. 

Additionally, do they have mobility issues and use a wheelchair or a walker; or do they need assistance eating? If the person is known to wander, you will want a secure home to keep him or her safe including alarms on the doors. Another thing experts say is to let the community know if the person is prone to angry outbursts or other aggressive behaviors. 

Once you have a good idea of your loved one’s needs, now consider if the homes you are looking at are equipped to handle those needs. Ask about living arrangements, dining service, and the level of daily help the person will receive. Moreover, does the community offer exercise programs and other meaningful activities? 

Now inquire about the homes’ experience with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, and the training the staff has in dementia care. What is the home’s philosophy of care and how do they approach difficult situations such as aggressive behaviors? Most of all does the staff seem caring and do residents appear to be content and well-looked after? 

At MorningStar, our mission is to provide the best senior living Santa Fe, NM has to offer, which includes compassionate and loving memory care to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.  Every aspect of our Reflections Neighborhood is geared toward residents’ care from meaningful activities, trained caregivers, food service, and security. Please contact us or visit our website to learn more about MorningStar of Santa Fe. 

We proudly provide the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amid a beautiful setting.  If you are looking for exceptional senior living, Santa Fe, NM’s MorningStar community may be your answer.

Assisted Living Gives Families Peace of Mind

Are you worried about your elderly parents getting the care they need at home? Assisted living communities are one way to make sure they get the care they need, while giving family members the peace of mind they need. 

To help ensure the community you choose is a good, all-around fit, experts say the trick is to find one based on your parents’ needs, their lifestyle and budget. A Place for Mom, one of the largest senior living referral websites, says the key to a successful move for mom or dad is to have a frank and open conversation with the family to make sure everyone is on the same page. Be sure your parents have the chance to give their opinion. 

When you begin the actual search, remember assisted living is not a nursing home or memory care. To determine the best community for them, start by addressing their ADLs’ (activities of daily living) needs. Keep in mind the amount of help they need right now and how much help they will most likely need over the next couple of years. After all, you do not want to go through the process of moving them into a community to have to move them out in a few years once their needs cannot be met. 

Determine your parents’ budget, and if you need help in that area, seek advice from an elder care financial service or attorney. At the MorningStar of Albuquerque assisted living and memory care community, we have partnered with Elderlife Financial Services to present different financial resources commonly used to pay for senior living. 

Another important step is to virtually (or personally) visit the community and to get to know the staff. Narrowing down your choices includes considering things such as how convenient will it be for the family to visit and is it located close to a pharmacy, medical facilities and shopping.  Furthermore, find out if the community is accepting new residents, and if not, you may want to go on their waiting list.    

At MorningStar of Albuquerque, we offer a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community.  In addition to assisted living and memory care, we offer respite care and short-term stays (from one week up to a full month) that are ideal to see if we are a good fit. For exceptional assisted living, Albuquerque, NM seniors are encouraged to contact us to learn more.

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other assisted living Albuquerque, NM offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar of Albuquerque provides outstanding senior living.

Learn More About MorningStar’s Assisted Living in Phoenix

If you are worried about an elderly parent who lives alone and may not be getting the kind of personal daily care, meals, or company they need; it may be time to consider assisted living.  At MorningStar at Arcadia we specialize in providing care for seniors who need a little help with their day-to-day personal care activities but do not require 24-hour medical care.  

We have seen first-hand how the transition to assisted living eases the stress of either or both the senior’s life or the family caregiver’s life.  Moreover, we recognize that senior living at its best allows residents to not only survive but to thrive.  We achieve this with a wide range of care services, fine dining, and meaningful wellness programs and activities.  In addition, residents enjoy built-in companionship as they make new friends with fellow residents and our truly loving staff. 

To give families a good idea of what services are provided with assisted living, we are happy to answer questions.  Also, we suggest you take a look at our website where you will find a lot of information.  A good place to start is our Decision Guide under the “First Steps” tab.  Here we go over things to look for that may indicate your parent needs more help such as recent falls, unexplained weight loss, poor balance, and/or poor personal hygiene.   From there, take a look at our FAQs for more details.   

Under our “Wellness” tab we go over our dining services, life enrichment programs, and clinical care services.  We also like to direct interested families to “Our Heart” to read a little background on how MorningStar Senior Living began and what its mission and precepts are all about.  

While you will discover our company was founded on Judeo-Christian tradition, we honor all faith systems and worldviews as we believe it is our responsibility to respect residents’ spiritual preferences.  In fact, our goal is to meet a resident’s social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs as part of creating a comfortable home and compassionate care. Please contact us for more information about the finest assisted living Phoenix has to offer. 

We proudly provide the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amid a beautiful setting.  If you are looking for exceptional assisted living, Phoenix’s MorningStar at Arcadia may be your answer.

Common Food Group Found in Cultures Known for Longevity

When we look at cultures with a reputation for longevity, leading nutritionists and food scientists say there is one food group that stands out. “Blue zones,” areas known for having many of their inhabitants live to an advanced age of hundred years or more, include in their diet, five of the ten most recommended foods. All are from the bean family and include lentils, soybeans, peanuts (a legume in the same family as peas and lentils), chickpeas and black beans.

People living on the Japanese island of Okinawa might enjoy a dinner of stir-fried green beans, soybeans or mung sprouts. Another meal in Nicoya, Costa Rico typically includes black beans. Known for a high level of anthocyanins, a pigment that gives red, purple, and blue plants their rich coloring, beans help fight free radicals and offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits. In fact, anthocyanins offer 10 times the antioxidants of an equivalent serving of oranges. 

Nutritionists say beans also boost the immune system by supplying the fiber our microbiomes need. They suggest the local diet of people in blue zones help them avoid many of the same health risks Americans suffer from such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and cancers. 

At MorningStar of Santa Fe, we offer residents a lifestyle in which to comfortably and safely age in place with a range of hospitality and care services, luxury amenities and a complement of wellness programs and activities. In addition, our all-day dining service includes meals prepared under the direction of our Executive Chef and made largely from scratch using the freshest ingredients. 

Located on the city’s west side and ideally situated for mountain views, MorningStar of Santa Fe has 56 stylish suites for assisted living with a variety of floorplans. Within our Reflections Neighborhood, we have 29 secure suites devoted to the individualized care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Visit our website for further information on the finest senior housing Santa Fe, NM has to offer.

We proudly provide the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amid a beautiful setting.  If you are looking for exceptional senior housing, Santa Fe, NM’s MorningStar community may be your answer.

Source: cnbc.com/2020/09/15/adding-this-simple-food-to-your-diet-may-help-you-live-to-100-says-longevity-health-researcher.html

Do You Have Trouble Sleeping?

Whether it is chronic or happens every once in a while, most of us have had a restless night and woke up feeling tired. For some it is hard to fall asleep, while for others, it is difficult to stay asleep for the whole night. Sleep experts offer several tips for a restful night’s sleep and a more productive, positive day.  

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Sleep Research Society (SRS) explain sleep is as important to a healthy lifestyle as good nutrition and regular exercise. To become a better sleeper, it helps to know something about the different components of sleep.   

The current thinking for a normal night’s sleep is between seven to nine hours a night, or during a 24-hour period. They say to determine your optimal sleep amount, experiment for a few weeks by going to bed each night when you get tired and waking naturally in the morning. Another thing is to deal with health issues, which may interfere with your sleep, like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, insomnia or other sleep disorders.  

The Mayo Clinic says it helps to go to bed at the same time each night and to wake up at the same time. On weekends try not to change your schedule by more than an hour. They also caution to not eat too heavy of a meal too close to bedtime and avoid nicotine, caffeine and other stimulates several hours before bedtime. The same goes for alcohol as it can make you fall asleep easily but causes you to awake in the middle of the night.  

Get plenty of exercise during the day but avoid doing it right before bed. Another tip is to create a calming atmosphere in the bedroom; and remember our smart devices emit glowing blue lights that experts say can disturb our circadian rhythm. 

MorningStar of Albuquerque is an assisted living and memory care community designed to provide seniors a comfortable home to safely age in place. We offer a range of hospitality and care services, luxury amenities, wellness programs and activities, along with a sense of security knowing someone is always around if needed. Care services include 24-hour care managers, access to licensed nurses, medication management and much more. Visit our website for more information about the finest senior living Albuquerque offers. 

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living Albuquerque, NM offers.  We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar of Albuquerque provides outstanding assisted living and memory care. 

Source: healthline.com/health-news/six-tips-for-better-sleep-053114#Three-Components-of-Healthy-Sleep

Increase Flexibly with Stretching Exercises

If you are a senior who wants to start exercising again, you may not know how to begin.  For one thing, you probably realize you are not as fit as you used to be, and are not up to the same degree of physical activity that you once did.  And of course, before you begin any new form of exercise, you will need to check with your doctor to make sure you are fit enough, especially if you have osteoporosis, an injury, or balance issues.  

Once you get the go ahead from your healthcare provider, stretching is a good place to begin.  In fact, studies show that as we grow older our flexibility decreases by up to 50 percent in some joints.  Another good thing about stretching is many exercises are appropriate for any level of fitness including ones that can be done sitting in a chair.  Stretching can help you maintain your flexibility and mobility as well as loosen up some of your stiffness in your back, neck and shoulder muscles.

Another plus about stretching exercises is that most of them do not require special equipment and can be done anywhere. The Silver Sneakers website recommends that as you stretch, “to breathe deeply, and go slowly. Listen to your body, and never force a movement that causes pain.”  They remind seniors it is okay if they cannot bend very far as over time they will loosen up some.  Safety is always important and you do not want to hurt yourself.  Other exercises especially good for seniors include chair yoga, resistance band workouts, walking, and dumbbell strength training.    

At MorningStar at Arcadia, our beautiful community offers a whole host of amenities and care services as well as wellness programs that include exercises geared toward our residents.  Nestled in the popular Phoenix residential neighborhood of Arcadia, MorningStar offers 80 private assisted living suites and 30 suites in our Reflections Neighborhood devoted to the individualized care of those with memory impairment.  Please see our website to learn more.

This post is intended for informational purposes only.  Before beginning any exercise, be sure to check with your healthcare provider.

MorningStar at Arcadia 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. Contact us for more information about the finest assisted living Phoenix offers

Source: silversneakers.com/blog/stretching-for-seniors-7-simple-moves-for-the-not-so-flexible/

Assisted Living Provides the Care Your Parent Needs and Your Peace of Mind

Are you worried about your elderly parents getting the care they need at home? Assisted living communities are one way to make sure they get the care they need, while giving family members the peace of mind they need. 

To help ensure the community you choose is a good, all-around fit, experts say the trick is to find one based on your parents’ needs, their lifestyle and budget, and the location. A Place for Mom, one of the largest senior living referral websites, says the key to a successful move for mom or dad is to have a frank and open conversation with the family to make sure everyone is on the same page. Be sure your parents have the chance to give their opinion. 

When you begin the actual search, remember assisted living is not a nursing home or memory care. To determine the best community for them, start by addressing their ADLs’ (activities of daily living) needs. Keep in mind the amount of help they need right now and how much help they will most likely need in the future. After all, you do not want to go through the process of moving them into a community only to have to move them again in a few years if their needs cannot be met. 

Determine your parents’ budget, and if you need help in that area, seek advice from an elder care financial service or attorney. At MorningStar Senior Living, we have partnered with Elderlife Financial Services to present different financial resources commonly used to pay for senior living. 

Another important step is to visit the place (or do a virtual tour) and to get to know the staff. You want the community to have a caring and warm staff and residents that are friendly.  If your parents are not very mobile, you can do the tours and narrow down the selections so they only tour the top choices.  

If you are looking in the Santa Fe area, we encourage you to consider MorningStar of Santa Fe. In addition to assisted living and memory care, we offer respite care and short-term stays (from one week up to a full month) that are ideal to try out for size. Please contact us for more information about the finest senior living Santa Fe, NM offers, and be sure to ask about our Move-in Specials.

We proudly provide the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amid a beautiful setting.  If you are looking for exceptional senior living, Santa Fe, NM’s MorningStar community may be your answer.