MorningStar

  Not only do flu shots NOT make a person more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease, a myth that has been around for years, but recent research has found evidence that flu and pneumonia vaccines may actually protect you from Alzheimer’s. This year’s 2020 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference presented two studies that dealt with this very idea. The first study was from the University of Texas where they went through millions of medical records in a national database with the goal of finding factors that appeared to affect a person’s risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Albert Amran, a medical student of the McGovern Medical School at the university’s Health Science Center in Houston and an author of the study, relates that one of the commonalities was getting a flu shot. Researchers took into account other risk factors for Alzheimer’s such as smoking, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, education, and income as well as the number of prescriptions a person filled as a...

  No matter what our age, there are some relatively easy things we can all do to improve our health. One of those suggestions is to develop the habit of eating more slowly. While it sounds like a simple thing, it actually offers a couple of health benefits. It gives our brain the chance to signal we are full, which can help prevent overeating as well as gives us additional time to think about what we are eating and maybe make better choices. Another easy change is to get in the habit of eating fresh fruit rather than drinking fruit juice as even 100% pure juice loses some of its nutrients once it is processed. Eating fresh fruits are low in fat, sodium and calories and are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and folic acid. Also, fresh fruit fills you up more than juice. Some other recommendations include adding dark leafy greens to your diet and cutting back on sugar. Also, experts advise watching the fat in your diet. Avoid tran...

Rather than diminish a senior’s life, assisted living communities such as MorningStar at Mountain Shadows help to improve quality of life for residents in a variety of ways. Along with providing the daily care services residents need to maintain their independence, we provide on-going support to ensure their safety, comfort and continued personal growth. For our residents’ families, they get peace of mind knowing their loved one is being well-cared for.  Another benefit of MorningStar’s assisted living is the healthy dining that allows residents to self-manage a variety of dietary restrictions such as low sodium, sugar free, no sugar added, vegetarian or low fat. Additionally, our medication care management services see to it that residents’ medications are ordered, delivered and dispensed in a meticulous, timely fashion. Services also include light housekeeping, laundry, transportation and more.  Moreover, as the CDC reports that each year 3 million older pe...

  Ophthalmologists want to remind seniors not to neglect their eyes because of the pandemic and that everything is being done to keep them safe during routine eye exams.  In fact, several of the most common leading causes of blindness including glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease are more effectively treated when discovered early.   Doctors explain that people often do not realize their eyes are weakening as the brain does a good job of compensating for a creeping loss of vision, and may be putting themselves at risk for future blindness.  A dilated-eye exam can catch eye diseases early and may not only help save your vision but in some cases reverse damage.     Yvonne Ou, associate professor in ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco, says when glaucoma is caught early through a comprehensive eye exam, it is a very treatable disease and generally can prevent vision loss that ...

  With all that is going on around us, it is more important than ever to let our senior loved ones in assisted living know they are dearly loved and not forgotten as well as to thank the dedicated staffs of our area’s communities. National Assisted Living Week ®, an annual event each September, does just that by celebrating and recognizing the role assisted living plays in caring for American seniors and those with disabilities.    Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, National Assisted Living Week is the opportunity for assisted living communities around the country “to offer a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about this distinctive aspect of long term care.” By setting aside a week, the NCAL explains it provides a chance for residents, their families, staff, volunteers, and the larger community to honor those who live and...

  Even without a worldwide pandemic going on around us, many of us live a distance away from our grandkids and we may only get the chance to see them once or twice a year.  While long-distance relationships can be tough and make it hard to feel connected, you do not have to resign your to being left out of your grandkids’ lives just because of proximity.   There are several good ideas to help you stay connected even when you are not there in person such as FaceTime or Skype video calls. For little ones who can get restless pretty quickly, be ready to read a picture book, sing songs or tell silly stories.  Along with calls for birthdays and holidays, be sure to do it often enough so you keep up with their quickly changing developmental milestones.  If they are older, play games together, discuss a shared hobby, exchange jokes and riddles, ask questions, and then really listen.   Another way to stay connected is to start a family facebo...

  Many families may be unaware of the extensive care services that MorningStar of Wheat Ridge offers to residents.  One of these services is medication management by a Certified Med Care Manager.  The cost for this service is factored into a resident’s level of care and is part of their monthly fee.  Our service includes both the ordering and supervised administration of the medications, and we have two price points based on the number and type of prescriptions involved. For many elderly people, medication management is a very important service.  Statistics show that “many hospitalizations are due to just a few drugs that should be monitored carefully to prevent problems. Blood thinners (such as warfarin), diabetes medications (such as insulin), seizure medications (such as phenytoin), and opioid analgesics are some examples of these medications.”   Forgetting to take prescribed medications, not taking the right dosage or not finishing pr...