MorningStar

Many older adults cling to the idea of living in their own home and stubbornly refuse to accept the fact that their declining medical conditions may be putting their very safety at risk in their present living situation.  This is when family members need to step in and help make some decisions. In the best scenario, we typically want to make changes in things as important as our living situation with careful thought, but unfortunately, many older adults do not have such plans in place.  This reluctance to plan ahead means lots of families are unaware of today’s various senior living options, which include assisted living, indepe ndent living, skilled nursing facilities, family group homes, memory care, and continuing care communities.  As you sort through the best care options for your parent, start by honestly assessing their medical conditions, their mobility, and care requirements.  In addition experts say to try and determine what the future holds...

If you are looking for the best assisted living or memory care Colorado Springs has to offer, we encourage you to consider MorningStar at Mountain Shadows . At Mountain Shadows we feel honored to serve seniors, and as such, our entire staff strives to provide our residents with a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community. As a resident, you will be treated to a whole host of resort-style amenities and care services including a 5-star dining experience.  All residents are treated to three daily meals prepared under the supervision of our Executive Chef and served restaurant-style in our charming dining room.  We understand that food is a healing medicine unlike any other and is one of the great joys of living.  We also know food always tastes better and is enjoyed more when shared in community and breaking bread together helps to bonds us a family and as friends.  Our meals are prepared largely from scratch using the freshest ingredients from the high...

If you are looking for the best senior living Des Moines and the surrounding area offers, we encourage you to consider MorningStar at Jordan Creek . We provide area seniors compassionate assisted living and memory care with resort-style amenities, wellness programs and activities, and a wide range of care services to ensure their utmost comfort and wellbeing.  At MorningStar we define health and well-being holistically and as such, offer programming that supports the whole person – body, mind and spirit, and are thus the perfect destination for successful aging.  Reflective of the full authority of our licensing with the Department of Health, our resident care services are broad and help extend the stay of residents even as their health conditions change.  In fact we will routinely look for creative solutions (within our licensing mandate) that yield a higher quality of care for residents at a lower cost to their families.  To improve care services, we ...

While coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death for women, research suggests it is often overlooked and misdiagnosed in women.  Medical News Today explains that CHD occurs when the arteries delivering oxygenated blood into the heart, which pumps it out to other organs, are unable to ‘service’ the heart effectively.”   Doctors also report women are more at risk for developing non-obstructive CHD, which is a condition that causes the arteries going into the heart to be abnormally squeezed by surrounding tissue. One reason women are often under diagnosed with CHD is the symptoms are so varied in individuals as well as between men and women.  Non-obstructive CHD can also be symptom-less and go undetected for years.  Moreover the symptoms women do experience are more atypical and can include things like “back pain, burning in the chest, abdominal discomfort, nausea, or fatigue — which makes the diagnosis more difficult,” says one researcher....

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 5.8 million Americans of all ages living with Alzheimer's disease. This number includes 5.6 million people age 65 and older with the disease and another 200,000 individuals under age 65 afflicted with younger-onset Alzheimer's.  Experts also predict by the year 2050 the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s will grow to nearly 14 million.  Now when you add the fact that the cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia will be $290 billion in 2019; it is imperative that we all take a step toward finding a cure for this devastating disease.  One way we can do this is to participate in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, which is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.  This year’s Walk will be held in 600 communities nationwide with people of all ages and abilities joining the fight against the disease. ...

MorningStar at Mountain Shadows is a senior living community located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the foot of the majestic Rocky Mountains. We understand for many seniors, assisted living is a new experience and that there are lots of questions in regard to how personalized care is managed and how much it will cost.  The MorningStar at Mountain Shadows leadership team always welcomes phone calls and email inquiries regarding our community.  In addition, our website offers lots of resources regarding MorningStar Senior Living including our company’s history and philosophy as well as details on how we determine the individualized care each resident will receive. Under our website’s FAQ section, we explain that our assisted living care is based on a thorough assessment of the resident’s medical history and personal preferences.  We learn this information by sitting down with the person, their family, and our Wellness Director before they move in. ...

Regardless of your age, you can benefit from regular physical exercise.  Studies show exercise can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer as well as reduce the pain associated with arthritis.  It can also improve balance, flexibility, endurance and strength. Staying active can even improve sleep quality and duration and enhance your mood.  Different forms of exercises offer different benefits but please remember to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise.  Stretching exercises can improve mobility and flexibility and relieve sore and stiff muscles. They can also help to reduce lower back-pain, improve posture and increase blood flow and energy.  Aerobic exercises can help improve endurance and increase your breathing and heart rate.  Moderate aerobic exercises for seniors include walking briskly, swimming and dancing.  Doctors suggest you start slowly and build up your endurance, and if you have been...

Parkinson’s Disease is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and up until recently offered few options in terms of treatment.  Typical treatments included prescription drugs to help alleviate symptoms and/or a special device implanted in patients, used to help control tremors.  However since Parkinson’s affects the whole body, doctors and researchers have been looking at different complementary and alternative methods to treat the many symptoms of the disease.  The U.S. News and World Report published an article describing some of those different methods of treatment.   As Parkinson’s occurs when dopamine-producing cells in the brain stem die off, doctors say exercise is key to managing some of the effects of Parkinson’s.  Dr. Dean Sutherland, a neurologist and Parkinson’s disease specialist in Sarasota, Florida, explains, “Exercise releases dopamine into the same parts of the brain that are stimulated by taking medication. T...

Statistics indicate we are living longer, and if you do reach the age of 65, you can expect to live on average another nearly 20 years.  Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41 percent of those over the age of 65 reports they are in very good or excellent health.  Experts recommend that older adults should be aware of chronic health conditions common to seniors and make lifestyle changes that may help stave off those diseases and improve their quality of life.  Some of the things they suggest are to eat a healthy diet, stay physically active, quit smoking and maintain a healthy weight.  If you are already coping with a chronic medical condition, following those suggestions can help you to better manage your disease as well as improve your quality of life.  Experts also recommend if you do not already have a geriatrician on your healthcare team, to add one, as they have a special understanding of the things sen...

MorningStar of Wheat Ridge is a beautiful assisted living and memory care community located in a northern suburb of Metro Denver.  Our entire community was designed from the ground up to fulfill the various needs of residents in terms of care services, fine dining, and stimulating activities and programs.  To ensure residents stay connected and informed, we proud to offer the revolutionary “It’s Never 2 Late” technology.  iN2L is a state-of-the-art engagement system that combines touchscreen computers with intuitive, picture-based software to provide a fun and easy way for older adults to stay active and connected.  Its library is filled with 3,000 areas of interest and is designed to allow a person to effortlessly use a computer regardless of background and physical or intellectual abilities and limitations. Topics covered include engaging social and spiritual connections as well as intellectual and physical stimulation, emotional support and vocational inter...

Looking for something a step above ordinary assisted living facilities ?   We invite you to consider MorningStar at Mountain Shadows…far from a “facility,” MorningStar is a true home. Our whole team is committed to provide the best senior living in Colorado Springs and to live up to our unique mission statements as follows: ·          Honor God in our business practices and relationships — a commitment to strong moral values and ethics ·          Value all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals — a commitment to creating a community that promotes a healthy, engaged lifestyle, while providing security and independence ·          Invest generously in our team’s ability to serve well — a commitment to hiring and retaining employees who use creative minds and compassionate hearts to serve residents      MorningSt...

While we recognize the many benefits of assisted living communities , any change is difficult and moving into assisted living is certainly a big change for most seniors.  This is why experts have tips to help families support their loved one during the transition.  A couple of common problems families encounter are a parent feeling abandoned or frustrated by a perceived loss of independence.  Your loved one may also experience problems adjusting to a new routine. They may resent having to downsize and moving from their own home to a smaller apartment.  Psychologist Dr. Deborah L. Stote explains it will help seniors adjust to their new home if they get encouragement and support from their family during their first days and weeks at the assisted living community.  She says seniors “need positive reassurance that they are moving into a new chapter of their lives, rather than ending the life they have always known.”   However, Dr. Stote cautions famili...

Looking for the best assisted living Des Moines and the surrounding area offers? Worried that assisted living may be too expensive?  At MorningStar at Jordan Creek, we understand the concern but want families to know we can help direct them to often overlooked sources of funding.    However first, we want you to remember that our assisted living community offers a whole new lifestyle.  Monthly fees will include the necessities and much more including a fully equipped private suite, daily meals, and transportation services.  Additionally, each suite includes Cable TV and utilities as well as an emergency call system.  We also supply a full range of meaningful wellness programs and fun activities and entertainment.       One of the sources of income we discuss with potential residents and their families includes the generous “Aid & Attendance” Pension issued by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.  The monthly ...

More and more research supports the importance of seniors staying physical fit as well as keeping their brains’ fit.  Harvard Health Publishing reports on research with mice and humans that show “brainy activities stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells, developing neurological ‘plasticity’ and building up a functional reserve that provides a hedge against future cell loss.”    Mentally stimulating activities such as trivia and memory games, puzzles, crosswords, board and card games can help maintain brain function.  Even if you don’t have a partner to play with, many of these types of games can be found on a computer or tablet.   Reading, taking courses, drawing, painting and experimenting with things that require manual dexterity are stimulating mental gymnastics.  Other great brain boosters include learning or engaging in creative activities like playing an instrument or dancing. Boar...

Just because someone is older, it doesn’t mean the need for company, support and love lessens any.  Studies have found a consistent social life is particularly important to seniors’ emotional, physical and mental wellbeing.  However due to lifestyle changes many seniors experience such as retiring from the workplace, the death of a spouse and/or other close family and friends, and no longer driving, older adults can find themselves socially isolated.  Having a healthy social life alleviates feelings of loneliness as well as helps to reduce the likelihood of depression, which is common among seniors.  It also helps to stave off cognitive decline and lessen anxiety.   Seniors with a more robust social life have been found to exercise more, which in itself can lead to better mental as well as physical health by strengthening the heart and immune system.  Researchers have found longevity to be another benefit of socialization, and maintainin...

The World Health Organization (WHO) explains that , “even gentle, regular exercise such as walking or swimming can increase lifespan by around three to five years.”   They say it can    also help prevent falls by improving muscle strength and balance as well as reduce the risk of chronic diseases, depression and cognitive decline.   Regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking, cycling or light housework (anything that raises the heart rate) helps to reduce the risk of a stroke or heart attack.  They increase blood flow to the heart and improve your overall health.  In addition, many older adults , especially women, are at risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures.  These conditions benefit from weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, climbing stairs, dancing, or step aerobics.  The WHO reports that exercise reduces the risk of a hip fracture by as much as 40%.  If you have osteoporosis, doctors advise against puttin...