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Showing posts from May, 2025

Women Can Protect Their Health With Recommended Screenings

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Medical professionals stress the importance of women getting the proper screenings to protect their health and discover problems early when they may be more treatable. Screenings are designed for otherwise healthy individuals and recommendations change as we age. An article in the publication US News & World Report, states, “Your doctor can help you tailor the recommendations based on your goals of care, personal and family health history, age and life expectancy.” This post discusses 4 of the 14 screenings in the article. Breast cancer screening with a mammogram is recommended annually for women from age 40-50, every two years for those 50 to 74 and on a case-by-case basis after that. Doctors say mammograms are key to the prevention as well as early detection of breast cancer, when it is most easily treated. Talk to your doctor about testing options if you are under the age of 40 and have a mother or sister who had breast cancer at a young age or have a high-risk genetic marker...

How to Stay Safe this Summer for Seniors

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Rising temperatures in the summer can cause a lot of worry. While high temps and sun exposure can be dangerous for everyone, MorningStar Assisted Living reminds us how important it is to not forget senior safety during the summer months. Seniors are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke. With the summer quickly approaching, it’s important to be observant of the symptoms and warning signs of heat related illnesses and how you can best help seniors stay safe this summer. Heat Risks for Seniors While we can all be affected by the sun’s harsh rays, seniors have an increasingly more difficult time navigating the summer. Spending too much time in the heat can be a serious concern and should be taken seriously by caregivers. Due to aging, seniors have reduced sweat production and may struggle with underlying conditions that make it hard for their bodies to self regulate. Some common symptoms of heat-related illnesses include dizziness, confusion, r...

Selecting an Assisted Living Community

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For anyone considering a move to assisted living , choosing the right community is a big decision for families as getting it wrong may mean another move within a couple of months. To help, senior living experts say the first thing to do is to think about the level of care you or a loved one needs to improve quality of life. After you have a good idea of what your needs are, now factor in things like location and affordability. If you want the home to be a convenient drive for easy visiting, concentrate on those communities. If mom or dad no longer drives, look for a community offering transportation for doctor appointments or errands; or if they plan to bring a car, does it offer parking? Does the home offer 24/7 care, medication management and access to licensed nurses? Obviously, affordability is an important consideration, but senior living advocates warn don’t be initially shocked at the price. Rather think about all the living costs such as property taxes, maintenance, utility bil...

How to Talk with Your Parents About Assisted Living Options

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In your heart, you know it’s time. You have watched your parents struggle and have worried about what may happen if you’re not around. Even knowing this, talking to your parents about assisted living options is a scary task. You know senior living might be the best choice for them, but you worry about how they might react. How can you explain to your parents that is a great option that can improve their overall health and well-being? Below is some advice that can help you talk with your parents about assisted living options. Know What Assisted Living has to Offer If you believe it is time for your parents to move to assisted living , we suggest taking some time to research some great options in your area and become familiar with what they have to offer. Reflect on the things your parents need. Make a list if they require help with everyday tasks, if they require medication management, flexible care, or what level of supervision they require. Make sure the communities you are intereste...

MorningStar of Wheat Ridge Offers Trusted Memory Care

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At MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Wheat Ridge, our Reflections Neighborhood is specifically designed to ensure the comfort, wellbeing and safety of residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. This distinct area of our community focuses on providing the finest care to meet the special needs of residents. Care in the Reflections Neighborhood begins with a high staff to resident ratio. All team members are trained in our Lavender Sky program that encompasses our philosophy and approach. This training gives employees a better understanding of the disease and more tools for effective, compassionate care. In addition, residents receive daily health monitoring with access to licensed nurses and other third-party service providers. When people visit our memory care area for the first time, they are impressed with the comfortable atmosphere of our home. Although a secure setting, independence is encouraged and residents can explore their spacious surrou...

Active Senior Living Combats Loneliness

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We all feel lonely from time to time. Different stages in our lives can feel less fulfilling than others. This is especially true for many seniors. Seniors that struggle with mobility or other health concerns that may make them feel isolated can experience many negative outcomes from loneliness. Depression, poor health, dissatisfaction, boredom, and more can impact seniors in need of connection. Below is how active senior living communities, like MorningStar Assisted Living , are combatting senior loneliness. With group activities, flourishing common spaces, and great residents to meet, there is plenty in place to ensure that your loved one is living a fulfilled retirement. The Effects of Loneliness in Seniors Families often worry about their senior loved one experiencing social isolation. They may live far, have a hard time getting around, or have lost close friends in recent years. While living alone can feel comforting to some, it can have negative effects on others over long period...

Start Your Day at Your Best

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While we may think we don’t have a morning routine, typically there is a way we start our morning whether it is drinking a cup of coffee and reading the morning news to perhaps doing some exercise. Whatever your routine, experts say adding a few healthy additions to our mornings can start our day off even better. Since many of us don’t drink as much water as we should each day, one suggestion is to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. This helps to not only rehydrate your body after a night’s sleep but goes a long way toward meeting your daily water goal. To make it easy to do, keep a water bottle next to you on your nightstand table. Another tip is to exercise. If you are not really a morning person, there are many examples of short, effective morning workouts on the internet. One 10 minute workout starts with doing deep breathing exercises while still in bed. Other suggestions for early exercises include a solitary walk in nature or weeding your garden. Being around n...

Ten Questions to Ask Your Doctor

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While your doctor will have plenty of questions to ask you during your next appointment, experts say there are questions you should be ready to ask. The following can help you stay healthy or get well quicker. For example during your next annual physical, ask if you need any medical screenings. Also should you be taking any vitamins or supplements? Dr. Jessica Edwards, founder and CEO of Zara Medical, a hybrid primary care practice, says the answer can be different for each person. She explains if you are a vegetarian you may need a vitamin B12 supplement or if you live in an area without much sun, you may need vitamin D, and so forth. If you have a less common condition, ask how many people the doctor has treated with your disease. If not many, inquire about seeing a specialist who is familiar with the condition. This is also a good time to ask about treatment options and side-effects of any medication you are being prescribed. Moreover, what is the next step if your symptoms do not i...

Regular Screenings Help Keep Older Adults Healthier

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As we age doctors recommend seniors get some additional health screenings. However certain tests may no longer be required for very elderly people so be sure to talk to your doctor about what is appropriate based on your medical history and age. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends adults 65 years and older get a thorough eye exam every 1-2 years as problems increase with age. Ophthalmologists warn serious diseases such as glaucoma can silently steal our vision without noticeable symptoms. An exam also looks for signs of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for adults starting at age 50 and continuing until age 75 (if you’re older than 75, it may depend on your history). Tests include colonoscopies, fecal immunochemical tests (FIT), or flexible sigmoidoscopy. Breast cancer screenings are recommended at age 50 to 74 every 1-2 years, or based on family history of breast cancer. For men, prostate cance...

Talking About End-of Life Issues With a Loved One

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Medical professionals and counselors who deal with families facing end-of-life issues offer a few suggestions to the rest of us on “how to start a conversation” when we have a very sick loved one. They say the first thing to consider is having the conversation in one’s kitchen is a whole lot easier than having it in the hospital. It may also encourage your family to start the conversation if they learn that studies find families who have talked about it beforehand express less feelings of guilt after the person passes away. Moreover, they say they had an easier time grieving and were less likely to experience depression. The type of questions to ask to get a conversation started include “what does the person value most about their life?” Other topics of discussion could be to find out what the person understands about their illness; what matters most to them at the end of life; how they want to handle medical decisions; and what their fears and physical needs are. As a family member, y...

Scammers Often Target Older Adults

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The Federal Trade Commission reported in 2023, adults in the U.S. lost a record $10 billion to fraud. They want us to remember scammers are skilled and persuasive, and use tactics designed to catch us off guard. A common scam is to phone older adults and pretend to be from organizations like the IRS, Social Security Administration or Medicare. During the call, they ask for personal information, and if the person is reluctant to give it, they threaten to cut off benefits. Once they have your information, they use it to commit identity theft. Be wary of calls from someone who claims you have won a lottery or prize and the only hitch is you need to send money or gift cards to cover taxes and processing fees. Also, don’t be taken in by a popular scam claiming your computer is compromised and you need to pay them to fix it. Especially targeted at seniors is a caller pretending to be a grandchild or relative (or their friend) pleading for money to be wired to get out of jail or other types o...

Women and Bone Health

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Endocrinologist Kendall Moseley, MD, medical director of the Johns Hopkins Metabolic Bone & Osteoporosis Center, says most women do not know anything about their bone health. A recent survey from the National Osteoporosis Foundation backs up that sentiment finding around 94 percent of women do not worry about their skeletons. However, they add they should, as one in five women under 30 already have osteopenia, which is a step above full osteoporosis. The good news is there are things you can do to protect your frame and avoid the things that are not good for bone health. Experts say our bones constantly break down and rebuild every 10 years resulting in a new skeleton. The problem lies in the fact that after the age of 30, our bodies start to lose more bone than they make. Women’s estrogen levels also begin to drop around 30, which is another protector of women’s bone health. An unbalanced diet or severely restricting calories in an effort to stay thin or lose weight can be anothe...

MorningStar Offers Assisted Living in Colorado Springs

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MorningStar at Mountain Shadows’ goal is to provide the finest assisted living in Colorado Springs , and we understand that deciding which community is right for you is a big step for a senior. This is why we encourage interested families to give us a call to discuss any questions you may have and to inquire about availability. In addition, our website is filled with lots of pertinent information regarding amenities, services, floor plans, and more. Our website even has a dedicated page for FAQs under our “Resources” tab. Here you will find answers to commonly asked questions such as age requirements (you must be at least 55 years old). You will also discover important information on how a resident’s level of care is determined and our pricing structure. FAQs include practical queries such as, yes, we will help you find a physician if you need one whether it is a primary care doctor or a specialty health care provider like an Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist. And yes,...

As We Age, Protecting Our Health is More Important Than Ever

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As we age, protecting our health is more important than ever. We know older adults tend to experience severe symptoms and complications from many communicable viruses and diseases, and can have a harder time bouncing back from them. Being vaccinated lowers the risk for serious illness, and in extreme cases death; and the side effects of vaccines are typically mild and temporary. While Medicare covers the cost of vaccines for the flu, COVID-19 and RSV, many seniors are not always sure if or when they need to get another shot. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people 65 years or older get an annual high-dose flu vaccine if available as they suffer the most from the disease. There are two types. One high-dose flu vaccine contains an antigen called hemagglutinin and has 3 to 4 times as much flu virus antigen as a standard vaccine. The other has an ingredient called an adjuvant that helps the immune system respond better to the virus. If you are over 65 and susp...

Many People Incorrectly Believe Dementia is a Normal Part of Aging

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The World Alzheimer Report 2024 published by Alzheimer's Disease International states eighty percent of the public think dementia is a normal part of aging. More troubling is that 65 percent of health care professionals believe the same. While the Alzheimer’s Association estimates 1 out of 9 Americans age 65 and older suffer from Alzheimer’s, remember that leaves a greater number of us not getting the disease. Howard Fillit, M.D., clinical professor of geriatrics, medicine and neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, explains, “Certain abilities —processing speed, for example — slow down [around] the age of 20 or so, when processing speed peaks; to age 70 or 80, when processing speed can be down as much as 50 to 70 percent.” On the flip side, seniors typically have superior vocabulary and decision-making skills. The National Institutes of Health funded a study to discover if indiv...

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fatigue

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has a broad range of symptoms including joint inflammation and swelling as well as pain primarily in the hands, feet, elbows, and knees. Another common symptom is fatigue with seven out of ten patients saying they experience a lack of sleep and feelings of fatigue. Doctors say there are several reasons why people with RA suffer from drowsiness and weakness. One of the main causes is a direct result of the inflammation that disrupts normal bodily functions. Another commonly cited reason reported by patients is a hard time sleeping through the night given the pain and discomfort they feel. The fatigue related to RA makes it hard to catch up on sleep. Without adequate sleep, people can suffer from a lack of concentration, and it’s harder to maintain an active lifestyle. Fatigue can also cause irritability and be associated with depression. However, it is important to know that even though fatigue is common, doctors say if your symptoms worsen and/or you have a fe...