Looking for a Way to Feel “Useful and Make a Difference?”

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the famous American essayist, lecturer, and philosopher is quoted as saying, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, and to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”  We could not agree more. At the Phoenix area senior living communities of MorningStar at Arcadia, MorningStar of Fountain Hills, MorningStar at Arrowhead, and MorningStar at Golden Ridge, we know what an honor it is to serve seniors.   

At our loving homes, we consider seniors to be heroes – people who have given of themselves by raising their families and in many cases bravely serving our country. Now our job is to serve them by building a team of service professionals who feel called, connected and empowered, a team who understands the importance of investing in each other and our resident-families. MorningStar’s hiring process includes seeking people who exude Character and Kindness and Selflessness, as we know these attributes contribute as much as Education and Experience. From there, we invest generously in the training, coaching, compensation and benefits for each team member.

Openings require various skill sets and range from positions such as cooks, to food servers, maintenance staff and housekeeping jobs as well as caregivers who work directly with residents. Our wages are very competitive and benefits are outstanding including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, supplemental disability and illness insurance and more.  

We recognize MorningStar’s unique brand of being “radically relational” is advanced only when team members adopt our core values of love, respect, honesty, goodness, kindness and fairness, and choose to embody our culture of “Radiance.” We are an equal opportunity employer, and while founded on Judeo-Christian traditions; we welcome team members and residents of all faiths and worldviews. If you have the heart of a caregiver, please visit MorningStar’s Career page for more information regarding our extensive benefits and compensation package along with detailed descriptions of each job. When you are ready, go ahead and fill out our online application. We look forward to hearing from you.

Do You Have a Pet? If not, You May Benefit from Getting One

 

Several studies over the last couple of decades have provided evidence suggesting pet ownership offers a range of health benefits for seniors. One of the most consistent findings is the fact that owning and caring for a pet may help seniors feel less lonesome, and with almost 1/3 of all seniors saying they are lonely, this is a good thing. In one study of pet owners ages 50 to 80: “88% said their pets help them enjoy life; 86% said their pets make them feel loved; and 79% said their pets help reduce stress.”

In addition to a pet’s unconditionally love, caring for the animal provides an older person with a sense of purpose as their pet needs to be feed and cared for daily. For example, a dog encourages seniors to get outside and exercise both themselves and the animal. Studies show pets can help improve seniors’ cardiovascular health and their mental and emotional health. Other studies have shown benefits such as improved mobility, a longer life span, pain relief and a better heart attack recovery.

While a pet can be a loving companion, it is important to pick one suited to the person’s physical health and their budget as vet bills can be costly. Cats and dogs make loyal friends but you may enjoy putting together and caring for an aquarium of exotic fish or raising songbirds. Whatever the choice, a pet is sure to bring a smile to the person’s face and help to keep them engaged on a daily basis.

At MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Beaverton, we understand that your pet is an important part of your family and you would not wish to move somewhere that he or she was not welcome. If you decide to choose our beautiful senior living community for your new home, no worries – we are pet friendly! Please contact us to learn more about our amenities, care services, availability and pricing.

MorningStar of Beaverton proudly provides the very best in senior living with our unique 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. Please visit our website to discover why MorningStar is a step above an ordinary assisted living facility.

Source: aplaceformom.com/resources/pets-for-seniors

Want to Lose Some Weight? Substituting Healthier Options make it Simple

 

Experts say it isn’t just our imagination that losing weight gets harder the older we become, but is most likely due to having less muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat. To help, they offer easy tips on how to painlessly replace calorie-laden foods with healthier, lower-calorie substitutes. In addition to the fact that nutrient-rich foods appear to help individuals be successful in their quest to lose weight, meals do not necessarily have to be smaller than your average intake.

Dietitians suggest an easy food swap is to drink water flavored with lemon slices or sparkling water rather than sugary sodas. One study found by replacing refined grains with whole grains it “improved blood cholesterol levels and decreased percent of body fat in postmenopausal women.” Replacing sugary granola with heart-healthy oatmeal can also help control your weight. Not only is oatmeal a good source of soluble fiber known to reduce cholesterol but it contains magnesium and potassium known to promote healthy blood pressure. Also dietitians suggest trying sprouted grain breads, which many find tastier and healthier than even whole-grain breads.

Other ways to get healthier and lose weight is to include more plant-based foods into your diet. Make a pledge to have a couple of meatless dinners each week such and get your protein from bean burgers, lentils, and quinoa instead of hamburgers and steaks. To get more veggies into your diet, top your bean burger with spinach or lettuce, tomato slices and mushrooms rather than cheese. Rather than pasta, use squash or zucchini noodles.

At the MorningStar at Golden Ridge senior living community, we offer a lifestyle of comfort, wellness, and security in the form of independent living, assisted living and memory care. We offer amenities such as dining rooms with restaurant-style service including an outdoor dining patio, veranda, bistro bar, life enrichment room, salon, scheduled transportation, parking and more. Please visit our website to learn more about trusted independent living & assisted living in Peoria, AZ.

Source: health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/slideshows/11-healthy-food-swaps-to-lose-weight?slide=2

Shingrix is Another Vaccine Important to Seniors’ Health

 

 

 

Currently Shingrix is the only vaccine approved for adults 50 years and older to protect against shingles. This is important as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly one in three people in the U.S. develop shingles at some point, and every year an estimated 1 million people are diagnosed with the disease.

Symptoms of shingles include pain, rash, itching, and at first fluid-filled, then eventually crusting blisters. People can additionally suffer from a hypersensitivity to touch or light as well as headaches and fevers. The disease can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months and pain is generally most intense in the first few weeks. Some individuals may require pain medication to sleep or get comfort.

Medical professionals say now is the time to get a Shingrix vaccine as when it first came on the market in 2017 so many people wanted it; there weren’t enough dosages to meet demand. Now manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline reports there is plenty of supply available for anyone who wishes to get the shot.

The vaccine requires two doses given any time between two to six months; and studies show it to be highly effective against the shingles in both older healthy adults and frailer ones. “In a large multicenter study of approximately 27,000 people vaccinated with Shingrix or a placebo, effectiveness ranged from about 90% in frail participants to nearly 96% in non-frail participants.”

If you are looking for the area’s finest 55+ community, take a look at MorningStar at Golden Ridge. We offer 38 Casitas for independent living, 65 suites for assisted living, and 35 secure suites devoted to the individualized care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Offering all of the amenities, wellness programs, and hospitality and care services, we feel privileged to provide residents with carefree retirement years. Please visit our website to learn more about trusted assisted living and independent living in Peoria, AZ.

Source: health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/shingrix-shingles-vaccine?src=usn_nl_yourhealth&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Your%20Health-Sun%20May%2030%2007:49:00%20EDT%202021&utm_term=Your%20Health

We Invite You to Join Our MorningStar Family

 

At MorningStar at Golden Ridge, we are experts in providing seniors with first-class independent living, assisted living and memory care. In fact every aspect of our community is designed to offer a relaxing lifestyle enabling you to fully enjoy your retirement years. This includes providing support to residents and their families starting with the all-important decision process and carries through to the move-in and transition period.

A great way to start is to take a look at our Senior Life guide (call us for a free copy). Along with our knowledgeable team, it is a great resource in aiding families who are deciding if the time is right for assisted living or memory care.

When it comes to the move-in process, our team helps in whatever way we can (see our detailed description of what is involved in our FAQs). We recognize moving into a retirement community is a major lifestyle transition for a senior and approach the moment with the utmost sensitivity. Our MorningStar team nurtures a relationship from the beginning and strives to open the resident to the many possibilities and adventures community life offers.

You are considered part of the MorningStar family once a deposit secures your chosen suite and you take possession within a 10-day period. At this point, our “House to Home” process begins in earnest with securing the vital information, agreements and permissions inherent to the move including a medical assessment and physician’s plan of care for both assisted living and memory care residents. Practical help includes recommending reputable moving companies familiar with community living; and listening and communicating with our new resident to facilitate a smooth transition.

MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s distinct mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living options. While we are known for our exceptional architecture and resort-style amenities, we brag the most about our compassionate team who understands it is a privilege to serve. Please visit our website to learn more about trusted assisted living and independent living in Peoria, AZ.

Music is a Soothing Balm to Many Alzheimer’s Patients

There are lots of stories of regarding people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease who may not remember the name of a close relative but can sing a song or whistle a tune they knew before the disease robbed them of their other memories. Experts say this is true even in the very late stages of the disease and is why many long-term care homes offer music to help promote wellness and enhance memory for those with dementia.

Listening to music is a meaningful activity for many with Alzheimer’s and can aid in soothing and calming as well as lifting spirits. It can create a connection for a person who no longer has the ability to speak, and caregivers has seen residents give impromptu hugs and kisses or engage in gentle, rhythmic movements such as rocking in a chair or patting their leg to the beat.

Jörn-Henrik Jacobsen, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, and the University of Amsterdam, published a study in the journal Brain that compared the brain scans of 32 young and healthy men and women with those of 20 people with Alzheimer’s disease. Jacobsen found musical memory may be spared – unlike other parts of the brain – throughout Alzheimer’s disease progression. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America explains, this is because “following the rhythm or beat to music by whistling or singing comes from a part of the brain that doesn’t require cognitive functioning.

At the MorningStar of Arvada senior living community we offer 112 bright independent and assisted living suites as well as provide 29 secure memory care suites in our Reflections’ wing devoted to caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Every aspect of our memory care addresses the needs of our most tender residents from the physical design of our community right through to our food service. Please visit our website for availability; your loved one deserves the finest memory care Arvada CO offers.   

Source: 

health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/slideshows/how-music-helps-people-with-alzheimers-disease?slide=5

Luxury Amenities Designed for Carefree Retirement

MorningStar of Arvada is a senior living community in the heart of scenic Arvada and surrounded by historic Golden and the nearby Arvada reservoir. Our home offers 112 bright independent and assisted living suites in spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans (some as large as 1374 square feet). For those affected with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases, our Reflections Neighborhood provides 29 secure suites devoted entirely to individualized, specialized care. 

MorningStar’s wide range of resort-style amenities give residents a wonderful opportunity to really start enjoying carefree retirement years right within our community. For example enjoy a relaxing “movie night” at our onsite theatre including movie-style popcorn. How about a drink during Happy Hour in our Fireside living room? For our sports fans, catch the game while sharing a drink in our Sports Bar. 

Like the sound of never having to drive to the gym again by having an onsite fitness center? If you swim, you will love our pool, or using the hot tub to soak out the aches and pains of the day. If you felt isolated during the pandemic, isn’t it time to join a community designed for residents to dine in the company of friends in an attractive, restaurant-style dining room, bistro or outside dining deck? Feel like an after-dinner sweet? Take a walk down to our own ice cream parlor. 

Need some pampering? Schedule an appointment in our full-service salon or a massage in our massage room. Other amenities include a chapel, art studio, and patios. As your health and wellbeing is a priority, we make it easy to meet with your doctor in our onsite Health Center, take a spa bath or visit the therapy room. Our assisted living residents additionally have 24/7 caregivers, access to a licensed nurse, medication management and more. Visit our website to learn more about MorningStar of Arvada’s all-inclusive independent living, assisted living and memory care where residents lead a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and security.   

Parkinson’s Disease - Separating Fact from Fiction

We often come to think something is true if we hear it stated as if it is a fact. Doctors say this happens in medicine more frequently than we realize. One such disease with lots of misinformation surrounding it is Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder affecting predominately dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra. Symptoms develop slowly over years and may include tremors (mainly at rest); bradykinesia (slowness of movement); limb rigidity; and gait and balance problems. 

One common misconception regard PD is it only affects a person’s movement. Doctors explain this is untrue as symptoms can also include: cognitive impairment or dementia, depression and anxiety, sleep dysfunction, pain, apathy, sexual dysfunction, and bowel incontinence. Another thing many people believe is levodopa, one of the most effective treatments for PD, is only effective for a certain amount of time. However experts say it is not the drug that becomes less potent but the fact that the “key enzyme that converts levodopa to dopamine (aromatic acid decarboxylase or AADC) is predominantly found in the dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra, which are lost during progression of the disease.” 

People should know tremors are not always a symptom of PD, and that some people with PD never get them. In terms of the trajectory of the disease, it varies with individuals. Also research suggests staying physically active can slow progression and reduce symptoms. 

Although the cause of the disease is not known or is there a cure for it, there are treatments used to improve symptoms and allow people to have a good quality of life. While current therapies don’t slow or stop PD, researchers are working to identify biomarkers to enable earlier detection and hope to find better treatments. 

At the MorningStar of Arvada senior living community, we offer the very best in senior living with a unique mission statement of honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about trusted independent living, assisted living and memory care in Arvada, CO.  

Source: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/medical-myths-all-about-parkinsons-disease