MorningStar

Like most everything else, standard procedures and guidelines for care before and after surgery have evolved in an effort to promote and speed recovery. Dr. Charla Fischer, an orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Spine Center in New York City, suggests you think of surgery as you would a marathon or race. She says, "The surgery itself is just the first part of the race – there is also the recovery after.” So what you do before a planned surgical procedure and what you do after can all be part of a better outcome and even includes diet and exercise. One example is a change in the way a person is treated after surgery in many hospitals. Now, rather than limiting patients to ice chips and intravenous fluids, they are served a meal. In addition, people are encouraged to get up and move as soon as the night following surgery, which appears to hasten recovery. However, doctors warn that people should be screened before surgery for conditions such as malnutrition, anemia, diabetes a...

Growing up most of our mothers told us it wasn’t healthy to skip breakfast. While we listened, many of us still went off to school without eating anything. Based on current research, it turns out our mother’s advice was right again, and eating breakfast is good for us for several reasons. Registered Dietician Erin Palinski-Wade explains when we eat a healthy breakfast upon rising in the morning; it helps regulate our appetite for the rest of the day. If we break our nightly fast with a good meal, we are less likely to indulge in sugary or fat-laden food later on in the morning. A healthy breakfast also helps to prevent blood sugar highs and lows and Palinski-Wade says this is important for diabetics as well as the rest of us. While many breakfast foods such as cereal, baked goods, and granola bars are high in sugar and refined grains, experts say we should refuel our body each morning with protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. Protein makes us feel fuller and keeps us from snackin...

MorningStar of Wheat Ridge’s goal is to provide the best assisted living in the area, and we are committed to the comfort, wellbeing, and safety of our remarkable residents. To accomplish this lofty goal, our approach takes into account every aspect of senior living from the design of our gorgeous community to a broad range of care services, amenities, and wellness programs. In fact, Ken Jaeger, MorningStar Senior Living ’s Founder, had specific ideas on how to foster the ultimate environment for the wellbeing of seniors and it is the guiding spirit in which our community operates. For assisted living residents, private suites are available in studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. Each suite has a handicap-accessible bathroom, ceiling lighting, wall-to-wall carpeting, and large windows. Suites also include a kitchenette with refrigerator, 24-hour emergency call system, and a private heating & air conditioning system. Cable TV and utilities are included in your monthl...

The Harvard Medical School reports it is estimated 1 in 3 people over age 65 will fall each year; and every 19 minutes a senior dies from a fall-related injury. Statistics show women are at higher risk for a fall but men are more likely to die from their injuries than women. Seniors should be aware of several things that can affect balance and lead to a fall. These include certain medications, inner ear problems, foot pain, weight changes and a vitamin D deficiency. Anti-hypertensive medications prescribed to keep blood pressure under control or decrease the risk of stroke and heart failure are all known to affect balance. A common side effect is orthostatic hypotension, a condition that happens if blood pressure gets too low; and results in lightheadedness, faintness and dizziness especially when the person attempts to stand from a sitting or lying down position. Medications that suppress the central nervous system may also result in a fall as they reduce alertness, and slow reactions...

Alzheimer’s disease results in symptoms causing impaired judgement, forgetfulness, and agitation, as well as problems with gait and balance increasing the risk for falls. This is why experts say it is important to take the proper steps to keep your spouse or mom or dad safe if they have Alzheimer’s. They explain the goal of caregivers should be a balancing act between providing an environment that offers as much independence as possible, while at the same time, ensuring the person’s safety and wellbeing. Recommendations include removing knobs from the stove, and if the person can handle it, install automatic shut-off valves with timer and motion sensors. At a certain stage of the disease, it is not safe for the person to be cooking, and if needed, look into food delivery services. Additionally, lower the temperature of the water coming from your taps to avoid the person getting scalded from hot water. As confusion is part of Alzheimer’s, experts say store dangerous chemicals and cleani...

If you have arthritis, heart or lung issues, pain and weakness in the feet and legs, impairment due to a stroke, visual impairment, or other balance problems, a mobility aid can help you feel more independent, reduce pain, and increase confidence. With a number of options available ranging from canes to walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters, you may be wondering which one is best for your needs. Experts explain that your choice of aids will depend on your disability and/or medical condition. Canes are the most common choice and are good for someone with balance problems. In fact, the journal Medical News Today, says that one in 10 adults over the age of 65 uses a cane. However, even here there are decisions to be made. While white canes are reserved for the visually impaired or blind, you may find a four-footed cane with its wider base offers more stability. If you need to shift weight from the wrist to the arm, try a forearm cane. Walkers, also called Zimmer frames, provide sta...

If you live alone, no longer drive, have problems with mobility, and feel like you would welcome more social interaction into your life, please consider senior community living . Homes like MorningStar at Jordan Creek provide residents with all of the services, amenities and wellness programs to help them safely age in place. Moreover, as one of our cherished residents, you get peace of mind knowing help is at hand whenever you need it.  Right from the ground up, our home is designed to meet the needs and comfort of our residents.  We offer beautifully-appointed common areas including all-day, restaurant-style dining, fireside living room, bistro, fitness room, spa bath, library, salon, theater/chapel and more. Residents also enjoy the outdoors with two enclosed courtyards, sunroom, raised garden beds and strolling paths.   Too often seniors assume assisted living means an end to their independence but studies actually show the opposite is true. When older adults ge...

At MorningStar at Jordan Creek, our mission is to provide the best senior living Des Moines – West Des Moines has to offer, which includes compassionate and loving memory care.  We understand a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another dementia related disease is devastating and we want area families to know we are here to help shoulder the burden.  As experienced specialists in caring for those with memory loss, our community is equipped to care for residents from the onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages.   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, our Reflections Neighborhood gives residents as much freedom as possible.  Through MorningStar’s Lavender Sky training, our staff truly understands A...

Experts suggest that a good way to reduce medical errors regarding your care or that of a loved one is to be an active partner in the process whether in a hospital setting, doctors’ office or the pharmacy.  The World Health Organization reports “an estimated 10% of patients in high-income countries are harmed while receiving hospital care.”  Also, according to a 2021 report in StatPearls, “medical errors result in about 100,000 deaths in hospitals and clinics annually.”   Furthermore, studies show the most harmful errors in primary and outpatient health care settings are related to diagnoses, prescriptions and use of medicines.  Mistakes associated with misdiagnosis resulted in delayed treatment for the real problem and having the wrong drugs prescribed.   However, it is important to keep in mind that some medical errors are a result of patients failing to disclose all of the medications they take including prescription and over-the-counter drugs....

Currently Shingrix is the only vaccine approved for adults 50 years and older to protect against shingles. This vaccine 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.    When Shingrix 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 ...

If you are looking for exceptional memory care or assisted living, Colorado Springs’ MorningStar at Mountain Shadows may be your answer. Located on Centennial Street, just north of Garden of the Gods Road, we are convenient to medical facilities, shopping and other services. Our home is distinguished by comfort, wellness and love; made possible through a dedicated team who understand how to provide residents with a quality-of-life other senior living communities simply cannot match. Founded in 2003, MorningStar Senior Living considers it a privilege and responsibility to “cast a new light” on senior living, inspired and empowered by our mission: to honor God in our business practices and relationships; to value all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals; and to invest generously in our team’s ability to serve well. To achieve our mission, we start by hiring individuals with big hearts and virtues such as kindness, character and compassion. Every person on our staff, regardles...

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 n...

Sometimes a senior has a fall or another medical emergency that precipitates the need for a change in their living circumstances such as a move into an assisted living community. Other times, the situation is not so clear-cut and is more a case of a senior slowly losing the ability to attend to their daily care needs. We know it is upsetting for families to see their loved one decline, which is why experts offer advice to help determine if an assisted living setting would be an improvement in their lifestyle. One way to decide if assisted living is right for your parent or another loved one is to take an inventory of what they are having trouble doing for themselves and if assistance would improve their quality of life. For instance, are they having a hard time preparing and cooking meals or need help bathing, toileting, and dressing? Have they stopped driving and spent a lot of time alone? Is your normally tidy parent now letting the household tasks go and/or mail is stacking u...