MorningStar

The transition to a senior living community is difficult for many seniors. Seniors transitioning to memory care face extra difficulties.  A memory loss diagnosis greatly inhibits a senior's ability to communicate in the same ways they once did. Time feels warped and the day-to-day can often feel confusing and unreliable. While memory care is necessary for many seniors, they may still struggle to get comfortable in their new surroundings. The following tips can help create a more familiar environment for seniors in memory care that eases stress and discomfort.  How to Personalize a Memory Care Space Many memory care neighborhoods come mostly unfurnished in the expectation that residents and their families can personalize the rooms to their liking. This means you can bring some furniture, accents and beloved items to help your loved one feel more at home.  Personalizing a memory care space takes some planning. First, you’ll want to considerably downsize your loved one’s po...

No two seniors have exactly the same needs or health requirements. With this understanding, modern senior living communities , like MorningStar Senior Living Des Moines, pride themselves on providing individualized and personalized care plans for seniors in assisted living.  What is Personalized Care? Personalized care is a care routine that is developed for one individual based on their specific needs, preferences, health concerns, medications, abilities and passions. Personalized care is individualized and custom-made for each resident at MorningStar Assisted Living Des Moines. Personalized care plans ensure that each resident is receiving the correct level of care that is most beneficial to the senior. By providing individualized care, seniors experience more independence and autonomy while feeling supported to explore the things they’re passionate about in the safety of their assisted living home.  Team members, caregivers and managers at MorningStar are kept up-to-date wi...

Many families will notice an elderly member of the family begins to be more forgetful. Birthdays may be missed or names forgotten, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are experiencing dementia or Alzheimer’s.  For those families that have received a memory loss diagnosis, the world seems confusing and dark. You may have families of your own, careers or other life callings that, sadly, make caring for another individual with Alzheimer’s or dementia impossible. Memory care communities give families peace of mind. With the best caretaking staff that specializes in memory loss, along with scientifically-backed therapies and activities, memory care makes memory loss more manageable. What is Memory Care? Who is it For? To define memory care, memory care is specialized caretaking and support for people with memory loss or an Alzheimer’s/dementia diagnosis. Memory care communities provide a safe environment for those struggling with memory loss to be supported and encouraged to partic...

The transition to assisted living can be difficult for a lot of seniors and their loved ones. Many seniors lived in their own homes for many years. While the change can be difficult, there are some creative and trusted ways to make a new assisted living home more comfortable for seniors.  If your loved one is having a difficult time adjusting to senior living, or you just want to make their move more comfortable, consider these ideas below to help your loved one feel at home in their assisted living community .  Personalize Your Assisted Living Space All-inclusive assisted living communities that offer unfurnished living spaces are a great example of how you can easily make your senior living apartment more comfortable. Make sure to pack your loved one’s favorite things and decorate the new home similar to how they once had. Showcasing beloved family memories and knickknacks is another way to make the space feel more homey.  Create a Calming Assisted Living Environment...

Researchers have found evidence suggesting genetics, environment, and lifestyle can affect our risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. A poor diet is one of those lifestyle choices that causes high blood pressure and heart disease, and increases a person’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease. WebMD.com reports the MIND diet; a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets has shown promise in reducing the risk or slowing cognitive decline. They cite early studies showing MIND lowered the “risk of Alzheimer's by 53% in those who follow it closely and by 35% in those who follow more loosely.” In 2018, the MIND diet recommendation was expanded to include older adults who have suffered a stroke. To adhere to the diet, weekly meals should include food from the following groups: green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and wine. They say a good way to start is with a daily salad, one other vegetable, an...

If your parents, loved one or spouse are managing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, there may come a day when they require more care and attention than you can give. Seeking out alternative care options is an empathetic and selfless choice to make for your loved one struggling with Alzheimer’s or dementia.  Making the transition to Alzheimer’s, or Memory Care , is difficult for everyone involved. We understand the grief associated with moving a parent or loved one and relying on someone else to be there the same way you would. Trusted memory care communities give seniors aged 55 and up a new way of living that encourages their independence and promotes safety. Below are some practical tips to make the transition to Alzheimer’s care easy and seamless.  Preparing for the transition to memory care Communicate As your loved one’s dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms have expanded, you may find it more difficult to communicate openly with them. While communication methods may have changed, ...

It’s hard to come to terms with the fact your parent or loved one requires assisted living care. You want to provide them with the best living situation possible, but you may not be able to accommodate them now. You may have your own family, live far away, or just lack the necessary space or resources. It’s important to not feel shame for this and know that there are senior living communities that accommodate this very situation.  Assisted living communities prioritize the needs of seniors who require extra help with daily living. All-inclusive assisted living homes offer seniors great benefits that encourage them to be social and active. But with all the senior living choices near you, it may be hard to pick the right one for you and your loved one. This quick guide will help you choose the right assisted living community .  Things to Consider When Looking for Assisted Living Assisted Living Amenities  While most senior living communities offer amenities for seniors to ...

For outstanding assisted living , seniors and their families are encouraged to consider MorningStar of Wheat Ridge, the perfect community to age in place comfortably and safely. By defining health and wellbeing holistically, our home provides services and programming that support the whole person - body, mind and spirit. Together our Life Enrichment programs and Wellness Care services complement one another to ensure each resident get the best care. As a testament to the full scope of our services, we look for creative solutions within the full authority of our license through the Department of Health to help extend the stay of the resident if they experience changes in their health. These solutions can yield a higher quality of care at a lower cost to the family and provide a welcomed continuity of care for the resident. We are also proud that our assisted living residents benefit from our Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This centralized mobile station ensures accurate, on...

A National Institute of Health survey found patients who were most satisfied with their healthcare were those engaged in self-advocacy. This included a person becoming knowledgeable about their injury and health care needs; and being persistent about speaking up for those needs. The NIH also explains those who felt better about their experience practiced communication skills, were organized, talked to peer mentors and kept a positive attitude. Research shows practicing self-advocacy, or when a family member actively advocates on the behalf of a loved one, reduces medical errors in hospital settings, doctors’ office or at the pharmacy. It is important as 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.” Most errors are related to diagnoses, prescriptions and use of medicin...

Do you feel as if memory problems are interfering with your life or have family members started to notice? Medical experts say there may be a distinction between a person noticing memory loss and others becoming aware of it as this could signal a bigger problem and be an early sign of dementia. The Harvard Medical School explains the best place to start understanding the problem is to talk to your doctor. While they may not have the proper training to do extensive screening for MCI (mild cognitive impairment), they can rule out other things causing your memory loss such as medications you take or a recent head injury. Steps you can take on your own to improve cognitive function include getting enough sleep each night, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and reducing stress. After your own physician has completed an examination, and nothing appears to explain your memory loss, it is time to see a specialist. They, or your local Alzheimer’s Association chapter or hospital should...

An advanced directive is a legal document giving you a voice involving medical decisions in the event you are incapacitated. Many people shy away from creating such documents as they fail to realize how important they are, and mistakenly worry they are signing away their lives, and/or don’t like thinking about being so ill they are unable to make decisions. Advance care planning documents may include a living will, power of attorney and health care proxy. By planning ahead, they guide decisions made on your behalf if you are unable, and suffer from an incurable, irreversible illness, condition or disease determined to be terminal. Living wills specify the kind of medical treatment desired and many simply express the desire to not be given life-sustaining measures that only serve to prolong a person’s death. Specific details may regard care including the use of pain medications, antibiotics, hydration, feeding and the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation or ventilators. A health care pr...

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, a person’s needs change and it is important to recognize and address those changes with appropriate care. Along with meeting basic needs, experts say care providers should treat the whole person by creating an environment that allows them to feel independent and safe. The Alzheimer’s Association says determining the best care options can be tough and offers some advice on how to ensure the person has the services, programs, and caregivers in place for the best possible quality of life. The first step to any decision regarding care is to honestly evaluate your loved one’s needs. Also, to whatever degree possible, it is recommended you include them in any decisions. Another thing to remember is during the early stages of the disease the person may be able to live independently but in the middle stages, 24-hour supervision is needed. Additionally, around-the-clock care is much more demanding in the later and end stages. Primary points to consider incl...

The goal of a snack should be to satisfy your hunger as well as be a balanced addition to your daily nutritional intake. Dietician Lisa Jones says satisfying snacks can be crunchy, creamy, savory or salty and good choices include things like eggs, tofu, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. As a guideline, an adult’s snack should contain approximately 150 to 250 calories. Experts advise diabetics to stick to protein-rich choices and to watch the amount of carbohydrates a food contains as carbs can elevate blood sugar. If you are eating pre-packaged food, check to see what constitutes a serving and the number of calories. Remember healthy snacks can be tasty such as avocado on whole grain toast. For a fiber-rich snack, how about making chia pudding? The recipe is simple and all you need to do is add 3 tablespoons of chia seeds to a 6 oz. glass of seed-based milk. Add ½ cup fruit and refrigerate for a couple of hours. To get 80% of the daily folate and 50% of the manganese requirement...

As people grow older, their needs change and many require help with daily personal care activities. This can present a dilemma in families as some elderly seniors firmly state that they do not want to move into an assisted living community . However, when the pressure to assume caretaking responsibilities continues to grow for family members and even safety is a concern, they may have to consider alternatives. It is important to know that research shows assisted living can be a healthier lifestyle for seniors than living alone. They have access to 24/7 care as well as the benefits that come from socializing with others. In addition, keep in mind that your parent’s home may need costly modifications to make it safe for them to continue to live there while assisted living communities are designed to address those needs. Moreover, along with the assistance they need with daily personal care, communities such as MorningStar at Mountain Shadows provide a range of wellness programs and...