Assisted Living Homes’ Standards are Improving Senior Health

 

Medical Professionals

Elderly individuals living in an assisted living home environment frequently experience improved health due to having medical professionals available round-the-clock. Many geographic regions are requiring nursing homes to provide additional medical care to protect the health of residents. This means hiring more registered nurses and certified nursing assistants. Senior citizens are closely monitored by having vital signs and weight checked to ensure proper health. Seniors also have emergency call buttons in each room to call for help due to chest pain or breathing difficulties. Individuals in a nursing home have fast access to a physician or paramedics.

 

 

Daily Nutrition

Consuming a nutritious diet each day is necessary to maintain an elderly individual’s mental and physical health. Many seniors living at home fail to shop frequently at grocery stores for fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, elderly individuals often find it difficult to stand for long amounts of time while chopping produce to make a healthy meal. Living in a nursing home means the senior receives three dietitian planned meals a day. In addition, an assisted living facility makes sure residents are served food that is necessary for specialized diets such as low-sodium or gluten free.

 

 

Energizing Activities

Keeping the mind and body active with numerous activities is an important way to improve a senior’s health. For example, assisted living in Tucson facilities hire activity directors to plan activities that occur inside and outside the facility. Activities might include exercise programs such as yoga, walking or dancing to keep an elderly resident’s muscles strong and flexible. Alternatively, the activity directors strive to keep a senior’s mind active by planning educational outings to libraries or museums. At the same time, seniors love to engage in seasonal parties during various holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or Valentine’s Day.

 

 

Personal Care

Many senior citizens have mobility issues that are permanent or temporary, leading to requiring assistance with personal care. Residing in an assisted living facility means that an elderly individual has assistance with tasks such as toileting, bathing and dental hygiene. Nursing home staff is available to help transport residents to medical appointments or other locations within the assisted living home. Assisted living facilities now offer additional services such as haircuts, laundry or medication reminders. Elderly residents are also assisted with tasks such as cleaning bathrooms, changing linens and emptying trash cans. For many seniors, living in an assisted living environment is an excellent way to improve overall health.

Categories: activity directors, assisted, elderly individual, health, living facility, living home, living homes, nbsp nbsp, nursing home, personal care, senior, Senior Citizens, seniors living

Stuck In the Past: Caring For Those With Alzheimers

Helping a loved one who has contracted Alzheimer’s disease can be a difficult and emotionally draining experience. However, there are several techniques that you can utilize to help reduce the strain on everyone involved. As an added bonus, some of these techniques can even help the Alzheimer’s patient improve their quality of life and retain some of their most important memories for longer.

 

 

Top Tips for Alzheimer’s Care

 

1. Be Careful When Creating a Schedule – It is imperative to help an Alzheimer’s patient by developing a daily routine to reduce their level of confusion. For example, it is a good idea to schedule their meals at the same time each day. Additionally, it is likely that there will be certain times of the day when they tend to be in a calmer state. Once you have determined when these times are, you can use it to your advantage to schedule any necessary medical appointments and other difficult tasks.

 

2. Help Your Loved One Stay Involved – Many Alzheimer’s caregivers are tempted to simply take care of everything instead of involving their loved one. After all, this removes the necessity of getting the patient to cooperate with the task at hand. However, keeping them involved in almost every aspect of their daily life can actually help them with their memory and self-esteem.

 

3. Consider Moving Them into an Assisted Living Facility – Alzheimer’s disease is a heartbreaking condition that can be emotionally devastating for the patient’s family members. Additionally, many home caregivers are not properly equipped to meet all of the patient’s needs. Therefore, it is important to consider moving your loved one into an assisted living facility that specializes in Alzheimer’s care. Chateau Vestavia, an assisted living community in Alabama, offers a life enrichment program called Memory Care for residents who suffer from Alzheimers.

 

4. Remove Unnecessary Distractions – It can be extremely difficult for an Alzheimer’s patient to focus during conversations, mealtime and other essential components of their day if there is background noise or other unnecessary distractions. For example, you should never leave the TV on if you are attempting to have a conversation with your loved one.

 

5. Patience Is Key – It is understandable that dealing with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful, but you should never allow yourself to lose your patience with them. Doing so would only confuse them, and it could also cause them to feel so stressed out that they no longer feel comfortable with you around. Therefore, if you feel like it is possible that you will lash out at them, you should temporarily remove yourself from the situation.

 

In most cases, it makes sense for an Alzheimer’s patient to move into an assisted living facility. After all, these communities offer a high level of specialized care that can help improve the quality of their life. Additionally, it will help remove your burden of being a personal caregiver, and this will enable you to focus your attention solely on having good experiences with your loved one. This can make the process of dealing with Alzheimer’s easier for everyone involved, and it can also help assuage any feelings of guilt you have that are associated with caring for them at home.

Writer Melanie Fleury has a grandmother-in-law that suffers from Alzheimer’s. She sees the heartbreak on the faces of her children when their great grandmother does not recognize them. Chateau Vestavia “embraces what science has proven effective in the fight against Alzheimer’s and Dementia”. The website of the Chateau was used to learn more about caring for those with memory conditions.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/see-through-the-eye-of-g/8368764205/

Categories: alzheimer, alzheimers, care, Caring, chateau vestavia, involved, living facility, nbsp, past, patient, unnecessary distractions

Assisted Living: When Declined Health Demands It

As seniors enter into their retirement years, they may wonder if it is really necessary for them to keep living in their big family homes. With their children and grandchildren living in their own homes, seniors may have no reason to keep such big houses that are costly and time consuming to maintain. Even more, senior citizens may realize that their big family houses could actually be a detriment to their health.

 

As they contemplate whether or not to move to an assisted living facility, seniors may consider several important benefits that these communities have to offer people in their age category.

 

 

Around the Clock Assistance

Despite being in good overall health, seniors may experience periodic ailments and injuries that require immediate medical attention. If they remain in their own homes, they might have to call 911 and wait for help to arrive, during which time they might suffer pain and discomfort that could adversely affect their future health.

 

When they move to an assisted living facility, however, medical help is on-site and ready to respond to a variety of medical emergencies. If a senior falls down, passes out, chokes, or experiences any other medical circumstance, he or she can be helped immediately by the on-site medical staff.

 

 

Plentiful Activities

Many seniors who stay in their own homes risk becoming isolated and lonely. If their families rarely come to visit and seniors lose their ability to drive themselves to and from social events, they may become despondent and depressed by their isolation. When they move to an assisted living facility, however, seniors can enjoy a range of activities geared specifically for their age group.

 

They can choose activities that appeal to them and enjoy taking part in games, movie nights, shopping trips, and other fun events regularly. They can make friends with others who live in the facility and always have someone to talk to and share experiences with when they move to one of these facilities.

 

 

On-Site Amenities

Even though they are in their retirement years, many seniors still like to look their best. Rather than drive to a local beauty shop or barber, they can enjoy having quick access to such amenities when they move to an assisted living facility. Many facilities make available on-site beauty shops and barber services that will keep seniors looking well-trimmed and stylish throughout the week. They can avoid having to take a bus, drive themselves, or pay for a taxi to take them to a local salon. Some assisted living communities, such as Birmingham’s Chateau Vestavia, even offer retirement community apartments as well.

 

 

Housekeeping Services

Many senior citizens experience difficulties with some household tasks like vacuuming and making their own beds. Rather than hurt themselves taking care of their private apartments, they can enjoy the facility’s housekeeping services. When they use these services, they can relax while a housekeeper makes their private apartment nice and tidy.

 

Retirement should be a time of ease and enjoyment. When senior citizens find it difficult to enjoy their golden years while living in their own homes, they may find the fun, variety, and relaxation they desire when they move to an assisted living facility. They can enjoy a variety of services designed to keep them happy, healthy, and safe.

 

 

Lisa Coleman shares some ways that a person can continue to live independently when declined health demands a little help. She recently read online how assisted living is a positive choice for the life of a senior who needs this type of daily help.

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/371706676/

Categories: assisted living, assisted living amenities, declined health, declined health of a senior, health demands, health nbsp, housekeeping services, living facility, nbsp, nbsp nbsp

Tips for Seniors on Improving Heart Health

If you’re a senior, the health of your heart has probably crossed your mind from time to time. You try not to worry, but you know it’s also important to face this very real threat. The risk of heart problems increases rapidly between the ages of 45 and 55.

 

Fortunately, it isn’t too late. Changing your lifestyle now can have a huge effect on your future heart health, and it can also give you an increase in energy, improved well-being and a greater sense of purpose to carry you forward through your golden years.

 

Add Some Color to Your Diet

Aim for at least five servings a day of your favorite fruits and vegetables, and if you can, try to mix it up a bit. Fruits and vegetables are filled with antioxidants and soluble fiber that can help lower your cholesterol and guard against heart problems. One way to ensure that you are getting enough is to check your cart at the grocery store. If you see a rainbow of colors, you’re on the right track. If you see a lot of brown and white, then you’re probably buying too many processed foods.

 

Start Getting Active

It’s never too late to start getting in shape, even if you’ve never exercised in the past. Committing to a few simple activities each week, such as walking, hiking, dance, yoga or riding a bicycle, can go a long way in helping your heart. Aside from strengthening your cardiovascular system, getting regular exercise can also increase your energy levels, lower blood pressure, improve your flexibility, decrease depression and generally make you feel younger, stronger and happier than ever before. If you’ve already been diagnosed with a heart condition, don’t begin an exercise routine without first talking to your doctor.

 

Watch Your Fats

It’s important to watch your consumption of fats, especially if you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease or high cholesterol. Avoid butter, lard and too much red meat, instead opting for healthier choices like olive oil, flaxseed and fish. If fish isn’t your cup of tea, consider taking fish oil supplements for the beneficial fats.

 

Don’t Be Afraid to Improve Your Environment

If you’ve been having trouble living on your own, it may be time to consider an assisted living facility. These facilities have come a long way in the past few decades. Many have an abundance of great things to offer seniors, including a sense of community, new friendships, recreation, healthy food and opportunities for physical activity. Many seniors struggle with properly caring for their bodies on their own but find it easier when taking part in an active community. If you’ve been having a hard time getting into a better lifestyle, making the move to an assisted living facility might be a good idea for you.

 

Growing older can be scary, but it’s nowhere near as negative as it used to be. People are living longer and healthier lives than ever, and as long as you make the effort to stay active and watch your diet, your golden years will be some of the best you’ve ever experienced.

 

Concerned with the issues of health and human rights, author Molly Pearce shares this post in the hopes in can offer seniors some fresh information on staying healthy. Making the choice to go to assisted living can actually improve heart health by reducing stress and increasing access to health care. Molly found valuble research for this post at http://www.dogwoodforest.com/marietta-assisted-living.html, the website of several assisted living facilities in Georgia.

 

Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/oakleyoriginals/8634139503/

 

Categories: golden years, health, heart, heart health, Heart Problems, living, living facility, nbsp, offer seniors, seniors, Tips