Supporting a Loved One’s Move to Assisted Living

Many times, a move to assisted living for an elderly loved one is due to an event such as a recent hospitalization for a fall or a worsening medical condition. This means the person does not have the time to process the move from a beloved home, and the sudden change may be very upsetting. Even for seniors who have had the time to plan a move into assisted living, it may be challenging. 

At MorningStar of Beaverton, we know the many benefits assisted living communities such as ours afford to residents; but at the same time, we recognize any change is difficult and moving into assisted living is certainly one of those events. In addition to our own experience, experts also offer suggestions to families on how best to support their loved one during the transition. 

It may ease the transition for the person to get as familiar as possible with the new community and staff before the move.  Also, after a decision is made, let your loved one decide what furniture and keepsakes they want to move with them and help them decorate.   If possible, arrange furniture and decorations in a similar way and display photos and other keepsakes to make the new place feel like “home.”  

Keep in mind the person may feel abandoned, or frustrated with their perceived loss of independence and decision making, and have a hard time adjusting to a change in their routine. Give the person plenty of support during the first days and weeks at the community, but don’t overdo it. This could actually be counterproductive and prevent a loved one from making an adjustment. Instead, emphasizing the move is an opportunity to start a new chapter in their life.  

In some cases, seniors make a quick adjustment and recognize the advantage of no longer worrying about their homes’ maintenance or preparing meals. They like the ease of a more robust social life and feel a peace of mind knowing help is around whenever they need it. For others it may take a little more time.

In addition to assisted living, MorningStar of Beaverton offers individualized memory care, respite care (short recuperative stays) or trial stays (from a week to a full month) to see if we are a good fit.  Please visit our website for information on our company’s history, vision, and mission as well as what sets us apart from other seniors living in Beaverton, OR.  

MorningStar of Beaverton proudly provides the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “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. Please contact us to learn more about our exceptional assisted living and memory care.

What are Dementia Researchers Working On?

In an article from Medical News Today, experts explain the various areas dementia research is focused on including: “understanding how the condition works, why it develops, and how it might be treated. Importantly, there is also a focus on how we can improve the lives of people with dementia.” 

Dr. Kellyn Lee, a chartered psychologist and research fellow in aging and dementia at the University of Southampton, in the U.K., is one researcher focused on trying to improve the lives of those suffering from dementia. Her program, called the “Material Citizenship Framework Project,” is being used to demonstrate to staff working with dementia patients just how important patients’ possessions and identities are to their wellbeing. Dr. Lee says in one case an Alzheimer’s patient was distressed at not recognizing herself. It turns out before her illness; she dyed her hair and didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror with gray hair. Personal possessions can help people to connect with and help maintain their identity. Dr. Lee explains, “Losing access to frequently used possessions can cause disempowerment and confusion. To observers, this confusion can sometimes seem like dementia progression.”

Another group of researchers are working to improve the lives of people in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s with the development of HUG comforters. These soft blankets have weighted limbs, a heartbeat and the ability to play the person’s favorite music. Studies show a HUG can help reduce anxiety and agitation, and embrace the person in a soft hug. 

In the on-going race for effective treatments for Alzheimer’s, some researchers are looking at repurposing certain drugs. One example is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. Metformin has shown to improve symptoms in Alzheimer’s patients in a small clinical trial but more studies need to be done. Others are studying the connection between cardiac disease and Alzheimer’s and how decreased blood flow adversely impacts our brains.   

Along with assisted living, MorningStar of Beaverton offers compassionate memory care for those in the early onset of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia right through to the most advanced stages.  Every aspect of our Reflections Neighborhood is geared toward residents’ care from meaningful activities, trained caregivers, food service, security and more. Please contact us or visit our website for more information. 

At MorningStar of Beaverton, our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living communities. 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, we provide outstanding assisted living and memory care. 

Source: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dementia-research-whats-exciting-the-experts#2

Work That Matters – Find it Here

MorningStar Senior Living is committed to making a difference in the lives of seniors and is seeking like-minded people to help us achieve our mission. Currently we have various openings at our Phoenix area communities. Some of our positions are caregiver jobs while others are essential to the smooth operation of our communities. Just some of the openings are Care Manager, Concierge, Dining Room Server, Medication Care Manager/QMAP, Wellness Nurse and more.

Many people working in senior living are surprised to discover how rewarding and fulfilling the career is as well as the unforeseen benefits it offers. One of the most frequently mentioned by those working with seniors are the lessons they learn that make a lasting impression on their own lives. The older generation has a wealth of knowledge as well as a unique perspective, and most of them love having someone around willing to listen to stories about their broad and varied life experiences.

Furthermore, working with seniors will give you a new perspective on aging and help you to understand more about what people go through in the aging process. As a MorningStar team member, you will be encouraged to get to know our residents and to learn their preferences and backgrounds as you meet their expressed (and even unexpressed) needs.

We are proud of our culturally diverse workforce and consider all of our employees to be an integral part of our team. Along with a generous compensation and insurance benefit package, MorningStar wants all of our team members to be equipped with the knowledge required to do their jobs well and take pride in their work. To that end, we invest in comprehensive employee training programs such as: O2 (Orientation & Onboarding); Lavender Sky (Dementia Care); Radiance (Culture, Customer Service); Inhabit (for the Community Relations team); Brain Boosts (for the Reflections care team); and Relias Video Courses (paid to view from home).

We invite you to discover the joys of working in a supportive environment where team members work toward a single goal of providing the best senior living to our residents. Please visit our website to search open positions at our communities in Phoenix, Glendale, Fountain Hills, and Peoria, AZ. While you are there, visit our communities’ home pages to learn more about us.

MorningStar Senior Living exemplifies the very best in senior living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and investing in staff with a felt calling to offer seniors lives of comfort, joy and wellness. Please visit our website and apply for a rewarding position (including caregiver jobs) in the Phoenix area.

Strategies to Deal with Normal Lapses in Memory

If you are a senior who is always looking for your phone, readers or car keys, most likely it is a normal part of aging. Lydia Cho, a psychologist and neuropsychologist with Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, says growing older brings with it these and other memory lapses like forgetting names of people we just met or the time of our next appointment. Moreover younger people can also be forgetful; but experts caution serious memory loss needs to be checked out by a doctor.  

Thankfully most memory lapses are more a matter of not focusing or being mindful of what we are doing. For example many times we absentmindedly set down our keys or phone while we are distracted doing other things. To keep track of commonly misplaced items, experts say set up a basket on the counter just for those things. If you are someone who always worries if you turn off the oven, you probably did it without thinking. Next time as you turn off the oven, mindfully say to yourself “I am turning off the oven.” 

If you worry about forgetting where you put something, take a picture of it sitting in the drawer or the shelf in the closet. Adapting these suggestions to other things should help improve your mindfulness. Another tip when meeting someone new is to take a moment to really look at the person and say their name back to them in your greeting. If you need more help to remember their name associate it with a friend or movie character, or a rhyming word.  

The MorningStar of Arvada senior living community is proud to have earned an excellent reputation with families in the greater Denver area. Our mission includes valuing all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals as we promote independence and a healthy, engaged lifestyle. We have 112 bright independent living and assisted living suites; and another 29 memory care suites in our Reflections’ wing to care for those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Visit our website to learn more about various living options including holistic memory care in Arvada, CO.     

Grief can Negatively Affect Our Brain

Lisa M. Shulman, MD, director of the University of Maryland Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center and recipient of the Rosalyn Newman Distinguished Scholar in Parkinson’s Disease, explains how tragedy and personal loss can negatively affect the brain. Regardless of the cause, the brain interprets grief as emotional trauma or PSTD.  

To help deal with grief, the brain switches into a survival fight or flight mode, which in turn, raises a person’s heart rate and blood pressure, and releases certain hormones. This process can result in a whole range of symptoms such as “changes in memory, behavior, sleep, and body function, and affect the immune system as well as the heart.” People may also experience brain fog. 

Doctors say the neuroplasticity of the brain allows for healing over time but in cases of chronic stress, a person may have a reduction in nerve growth and memory; and an increase in their fear response as the individual focuses on survival. This continued heightened reaction can have a negative effect on the brain and become hardwired as a default setting.   

However even a conditioned response can be reversed through focused, mindful activities. Dr. Shulman cites examples such as journaling, cognitive behavior therapy, counseling, creativity and meditation as outlets for post-traumatic growth. Practicing these types of strategies can aid healing and allow the person to move forward in their life. 

MorningStar of Arvada offers trusted independent living, assisted living and memory care in Arvada, CO. Our website is loaded with information including floor plans, a list of amenities, pictures, and background on our parent company, MorningStar Senior Living. We have a decision guide to help your family determine if senior living is the right choice for a loved one. You will also find a link on affordability and Veteran’s aide as well as other options such as companion living and short-term stays. 

Source: americanbrainfoundation.org/how-tragedy-affects-the-brain/ 

Our Cognitive Powers Slow Down with Age

Many of us find ourselves wondering if our brain is working as efficiently as it did when we were younger. Research shows most likely it is not. Various studies suggest memory problems often “reflect a slower processing speed and poor encoding and retrieval of new memories as a result of diminished attention.” However, while normal aging causes seniors to process new information slower; judgment and reasoning powers remain largely intact. 

Researchers say in the same way we cannot jump as high or run as fast as we did when we were children; our thinking process also begins to slow down. By the time we are in our 50s or 60s, this can interfere with remembering things, solving problems or learning new information. Structural changes in the brain regions involved in memory processing such as the hippocampus and the frontal lobes all experience anatomical and neurochemical changes as we age. Concentration can be affected by the natural loss of receptors and neurons. Outside factors such as not getting enough sleep or a hearing loss can exacerbate the problem, and daily aches and pains can impact our ability to concentrate as do the medications we take to ease the pain.

If an older person does not make a point to really concentrate when taking in new information, it can cause problems with recall as they never really learned it in the first place. Experts offer practical, commonsense tips to help you more reliably process information and improve your ability to focus. Examples include playing brain games, physical exercise (it helps send more blood flow to the brain), getting out in nature, listening to music, sleeping at least seven to eight hours a night or using relaxation techniques such as meditation or mindfulness. 

The MorningStar of Arvada senior living community offers independent living and assisted living as well as experienced memory care. Our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living communities as we create a true home for our residents. Please visit our website to learn more about our community and the most trusted memory care in Arvada, CO.  

The Last Few Years had Seen Breakthroughs in Treating Alzheimer’s

Recently John C. Morris, MD, Director of the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis and member of the ABF research advisory committee, said there are several reasons to have hope and optimism for the future in regards to Alzheimer’s disease. Involved in Alzheimer’s research since 1983, he explained for the first time he believes “there is now a great opportunity to develop effective therapies, including drugs currently under evaluation for treatment.” He said advances also include an important tool for diagnosing the disease.

One of the reasons for optimism was the announcement of the pharmaceutical company Biogen’s controversial new drug, which purportedly is designed to treat Alzheimer’s disease and not just the symptoms. The drug, aducanumab was approved for use on patients on June 7 2021. However doctors say it is important to know the FDA’s approval is only for the drug’s ability to reduce the amount of amyloid plaques in the brains of people given the drug. They state it is still unknown whether the removal of the plaque offers benefits to the patients. To be eligible to receive the drug, patients need to have a firm diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.  

In the year 2020, we also heard the news about a ground-breaking new blood test at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2020. Researchers say the new test identifies the protein ptau-2017, a biomarker for Alzheimer’s, and results have been far more accurate than several other biomarkers currently being tested. This is good news as doctors say earlier testing will lead to earlier interventions. The test received a Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA in October 2021.

At the MorningStar at Golden Ridge, we provide a range of senior living options including holistic memory care. Residents in our Reflections Neighborhood receive compassionate, expert care, amenities and meaningful activities to enhance quality of life. Please contact us regarding availability at one of the most trusted independent living, assisted living and memory care in Peoria. 

Source: 

americanbrainfoundation.org/research-in-dementia-2022/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAuvOPBhDXARIsAKzLQ8GeKsmbzH9wiQeieSXmQRQpWuapAPu0LIT7aQ6J6tjPcMsB35h7LHMaAmNkEALw_wcB

You will Probably Need Cataract Surgery at Some Point in Your Life

The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports if you are lucky enough to live a long life, along the way, you will develop cataracts. While it may not get to the point of requiring surgery, they say everyone eventually has them. However while cataracts are the most common age-related eye condition, they are also the leading cause of preventable blindness.

So how do you know you have cataracts or if it is time for surgery? Ophthalmologists explain the most accurate way to keep track of your eye health is to get regular eye exams; but there are some signs you can look out for on your own. One of the top changes you may notice is more difficulty driving at night. Cataracts make it much harder to see in the dark. Reading may also become difficult as you find yourself needing brighter and brighter light in order to focus on the page. 

Other symptoms can include seeing everything through a slightly tinted yellow or brown hue; or experiencing halos around light sources such as headlights or streetlights. Some cataracts can cause double vision, and between seeing halos and double vision make night driving especially dangerous. Experts say if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please make an appointment to have your eyes checked.  

If surgery is recommended, remember every year more than 2 million cataract surgeries are performed in the United States. It is important to follow your doctor’s advice for a speedy recovery. Your eyes will be frail for several weeks afterward but most people have little to no pain and experience good vision almost immediately.  

At MorningStar at Golden Ridge, we feel called to serve seniors and have assembled a team of individuals who recognize seniors deserve to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Our senior living options include independent living, assisted living, concierge living and memory care; and provide an array of amenities, hospitality and care services and wellness programs and activities. 

Independent Living Offers a Care-free Lifestyle

Looking for the freedom to pursue new interests and hobbies, and to do more than just dream about exciting adventures? Independent living offers a refreshing change of lifestyle and gives you the opportunity to say goodbye to the endless chores and maintenance associated with homeownership. Other often overlooked benefits include built-in companionship, predictable budgeting, activities and programming, and delicious meals you no longer need to cook. 

Independent living communities may differ but many let you enjoy the comforts of home along with an array of luxury services and amenities. These may include housekeeping, transportation, onsite salon and fitness center, and meal plans. In most, residents can lead a lifestyle as active or relaxed as they choose.

MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s 38 Casitas, quadruplexes with attached garages, are designed to give active seniors carefree retirement years. Tucked into a private neighborhood in Peoria near the Cardinal’s stadium, Casitas offer an incomparable value when compared to other area senior living communities. Once you take into account our homes’ premium upgrades, compare fees to the competition and remember virtually all living expenses such as homeowner’s insurance and property tax are bundled in your Monthly Rental Fee, we are very affordable. 

While our operating license does not permit us to extend care to those in our Independent Living neighborhood, we can arrange for home health agencies to serve you if the need arises. Moreover, if the time comes for a more formal arrangement, you are already familiar with MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s assisted living and memory care, and as a member of our community, you will receive priority access. 

Along with independent living, our senior living community offers assisted living, concierge living, memory care and short-term stays. All suites are equipped with handicap-accessible bathrooms and emergency call systems; and as we know you don’t want to leave behind a beloved four-footed family member, we are pet friendly. Contact us for availability.