MorningStar

If you are an older adult , you may feel like you are past the point of worrying about a few new wrinkles and think you no longer need to protect your skin with sunscreen.  The medical profession wants you to know that nothing could be further from the truth as seniors are actually more sensitive to sunlight and of getting sunburnt in a shorter period of time than when they were younger.  This is due to a couple of reasons including as we age, our skin becomes thinner and loses it protective fat, and medications commonly taken by seniors including antibiotics, NSAIDs, oral diabetes drugs, and diuretics may increase photosensitivity. Doctors recommend that seniors avoid exposure to the sun during peak times (from 10 am to 4 pm) and to remember that the sun’s UV rays are still potent even on cloudy days.   Also be sure to wear sunscreen choosing a cream or lotion that is broad spectrum (protecting against both UVA and UVB rays) of SPF 30 every day.  If yo...

Getting a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another dementia-related disease is devastating for the person and their family.  All of one’s carefully laid plans are cast aside as their future takes a much different path.  At MorningStar at Jordan Creek , our mission is to provide the best senior living Des Moines-West Des Moines offers, which includes compassionate and loving memory care to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. MorningStar Senior Living has communities throughout the Western U.S, where we have worked hard to become dementia care specialists.  Unlike other memory care communities, MorningStar’s extensive experience has allowed us to gain a deep understanding of the disease, and we consider it our privilege to serve those with memory loss.  We recognize that the person’s essence remains and are committed to finding ways to connect with and nurture that essence.   We also consider residents’ family members ...

Dementia may still be one of the most misunderstood medical conditions of today.  From believing dementia is an inevitable part of aging to thinking any sign of forgetfulness is evidence of dementia, many people hold inaccurate views regarding the term.   The Alzheimer’s Association defines dementia as not being a specific disease.   Rather they say, “It's an overall term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities.”   Also, it can complicate the matter as the term dementia covers a range of conditions with the most common one being Alzheimer’s disease.  Other forms of dementia include vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and other disorders.    To determine if you or a loved one’s memory loss is a symptom of dementia, you need to be evaluated by a health care professional.  Simply being forgetful is no...

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) states that, “falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans . Falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs.”  They report one in four adults over the age of 65 fall each year and account for more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency rooms annually, and result in over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.  However they say falls do not have to be an inevitable result of aging.  Rather with some practical lifestyle adjustments as well as public campaigns on how to reduce the problem from the NCOA and other organizations, the number of yearly falls can be reduced.  The NCOA’s evidence-based Falls Free® National Action Plan was updated in 2015, and includes “goals, strategies and action steps to increase physical mobility, reduce the impact of medications as a falls risk factor, and improve home and environmental...

At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, we not only provide some of the best assisted living Colorado Springs offers, but also experienced memory care.  Our Reflections Neighborhood has 19 secure memory care suites dedicated to residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.   MorningStar’s compassionate team expertly provides the care your loved one requires for their utmost comfort, wellness and safety.  Our holistic approach to memory care is done through our program we call “Lavender Sky.”  By utilizing our extensive understanding of dementia, it provides the tools to empower and equip our team to advance our vision and mission of providing a more insightful way to support the memory-impaired and their families.  All of our employees receive training in the program as we understand knowledge provides greater wisdom and insight into interacting with our most tender residents.  The eight hours of training includes the patho...

If you are looking for the best memory care or assisted living Colorado Springs offers, we encourage you consider MorningStar at Mountain Shadows .  We provide area seniors 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 proudly use the MorningStar Electronic ...

According to the U.S. News & World Report, every year there are 5 million cases of elder fraud in the U.S., resulting in as much as $27.4 billion in losses.  Additionally, these crimes are often hard for law enforcement to prosecute because in many cases victims are too embarrassed to report the crimes.  The FBI says con artists also know that seniors do not make good witnesses even if they do report the crime due to the effects of age on their memory and the length of time it takes to bring a case to justice.     Experts explain there are several reasons why seniors are more susceptible to fraudulent schemes starting with the fact they tend to be very trusting.  Our elderly population was typically raised to be polite, to believe people are basically good, and have a hard time saying “no.”  These are the traits con artists exploit.  Lonely seniors can easily be preyed upon as they are willing to stay on the phone and engage in conve...