According the World Health Organization, “ageism is most rampant in high-income countries, like the United States. Americans, as a whole, place great value on youth, beauty, vitality and the ability to earn a large income. Aging is, sadly, often seen as a debilitating process that robs people of these high-prized attributes.” However findings from a Yale School of Public Health study suggests that positive thinking and not stressing out as much about aging may help actually help keep our brains’ young. In fact study participants who held more negative views on growing older were more likely to have changes in the brain typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Another study from the Boston University's School of Medicine that was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that men and women with the highest levels of optimism had an 11% to 15% longer life span on average than those who practiced little positive thinking. Those with the highest scores of positive thinking were found to have the best chance of living to age 85 or beyond. The lead author, Lewina Lee, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the school, said "This was the first study to look at the impact of optimism on exceptional longevity, which is defined as living to age 85 or more." Researchers hypothesize that individuals with a more positive way of thinking tend to not only have goals but the confidence to achieve them. Moreover “the results held true, the study found, even when socioeconomic status, health conditions, depression, smoking, social engagement, poor diet and alcohol use were considered.” At the MorningStar of Rio Rancho senior living community, we approach life with a loving spirit that permeates throughout our home. Even during a pandemic, our MorningStar family continues to relish our commitment to one another as well as enjoy the fun we have. This year’s Oktoberfest was no exception as it included a door-to-door beer trolley, nine holes of golf, and a slice of German chocolate cake to finish the day off. Please contact us to learn more about the most trusted senior housing Rio Rancho offers. At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, we are proud to offer the best senior living with our distinct mission statement - “to honor, to value, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents in a beautiful setting. Visit our website for more information regarding unsurpassed senior living in Rio Rancho, NM. Source: yale.edu/2018/02/07/positive-attitudes-about-aging-reduce-risk-dementia-older-adults cnn.com/2019/08/26/health/optimism-live-longer-wellness/index.html
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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 facebook page. This is an easy, inexpensive way for any family member to post current pictures and to share day-to-day news as well as significant events. It also lets other members add comments. Also, do not forget about snail mail. Kids love receiving mail and answering you back is a good way to get them to practice the art of letter writing. For grandkids who live close by and were used to seeing you several times a week, they may be wondering when they will see you again in person now that you are social distancing. Experts suggest you talk honestly to your grandchildren about the separation and keep reminding them it is only temporary. Tell them you have not forgotten them and that you will keep calling and they can keep calling you. MorningStar of Fountain Hills is safely accepting assisted living and memory care residents, confident in our protocols and procedures in fighting the coronavirus. We are closely following guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and regulatory authorities to ensure the health of all beneath our roof. Visit our website for contact information and to learn more about MorningStar’s commitment to creating a true home for residents. MorningStar of Fountain Hills’ mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living communities. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide outstanding assisted living and memory care. Designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the most discerning senior, MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Fountain Hills’ goal is to be one of the best senior living communities in the area. We have lots of warm, inviting common areas both inside and out and the amenities and services to ensure residents feel right at home.
If you are someone who finds that preparing meals has become too difficult due to your health or just not something you enjoy any more, you will be delighted to know we offer three daily meals prepared by our Executive Chef. All of our delicious meals are served in our charming dining room, restaurant-style, and created largely from scratch using the freshest ingredients to tempt the most particular taste buds. We even offer a private dining room for intimate dinners. Also, our Bistro offers a relaxing place for residents as well as their guests to gather and enjoy a beverage or a light snack. Other beautifully-appointed, comfy gathering places include our interior patio, second floor veranda, and living room. Our fireside patio and porches give residents the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Other onsite amenities include our own chapel/theatre, a fitness center, a convenient salon offering hairstyling, manicures and pedicures, and much more. In addition a monthly calendar filled with meaningful wellness programs and activities will allow you to stay as busy as you like. While our array of amenities and services are vast, we haven’t even mentioned our devoted and loving team who are the type of individuals who feel privileged to serve seniors. Please see our website for more information including our new protocols in the fight against COVID-19. At MorningStar of Fountain Hills, we exemplify the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve…all of which contributes to creating a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. Please contact us to learn more about one of the finest senior living communities in the area. If you are looking for assisted living in the Portland, Oregon area, we encourage you to consider MorningStar of Happy Valley. Starting from our spacious, private suites to our beautiful common areas, both inside and out, we have meticulously seen to it that every detail has been paid to ensure our assisted living residents the most carefree retirement possible.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of assisted living, it is built on a European social model, and offers a new paradigm in wellness and engagement for those seniors who need a little support with personal daily care activities. At MorningStar of Happy Valley, new residents and their family sit down with our Wellness Director to create a care plan designed around their special needs and safety. The resident will have around-the-clock Care Managers as well the services of our full-time licensed nurses on call 24/7 and onsite 5–7 days/week. Among our many services, we have a CPR-trained staff member on every shift, medication management by Certified Med Care Managers, care planning reviews, and scheduled health and wellness evaluations. All residents receive three daily meals prepared by our Executive Chef that are both tasty and nutritional and served restaurant style in our dining room. In addition, MorningStar of Happy Valley offers scheduled transportation along with a whole host of enrichment programs to support and entertain residents. If you are wondering, we are also pet friendly. Along with our 61 assisted living suites, MorningStar of Happy Valley offers 27 secure suites dedicated to the individualized care of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Please contact us or visit our website for more information. MorningStar of Happy Valley offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Contact us for more information regarding unsurpassed assisted living and memory care. At MorningStar of Happy Valley, we are committed to providing all of the amenities, programming and services to support the whole person – body, mind and spirit. Our wide scope of resident care helps to extend the stay of our residents even if their health changes and they require more care. We have experience in finding creative solutions that yield a higher quality of care for our residents at a lower cost to their families.
Moreover we are pleased to give residents the benefit of our centralized, mobile Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. EHR helps to ensure quick access to health records and offers more coordinated, efficient care. It is used for assessments, care planning, incident tracking, wound care and more as well as to provide enhanced privacy and security of resident data. Our clinical services include a licensed nurse onsite and on call, 24-hour Care Managers, a CPR-trained staff member on every shift, and medication management by Certified Med Care Managers. We also offer services such as mechanical lift assistance, weights and vital monitoring, diabetic management, oxygen administration, and palliative/hospice care. Residents are offered pharmacy services, transportation to medical appointments, scheduled physician visits, onsite dental and podiatry services and much more. MorningStar of Happy Valley has 61 private assisted living suites that include spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans with some over 850 square feet. In addition, we have 27 secure memory care suites dedicated to individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Please call or visit our website to learn more. At MorningStar of Happy Valley, we represent the very best in senior living with a unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for our residents. Please schedule a visit to our exceptional assisted living and memory care community. If you are searching for the finest senior housing Rio Rancho NM offers, we invite you to take a look at MorningStar of Rio Rancho assisted living and memory care community. Every aspect of our gorgeous home, from the ground up, has been meticulously designed to ensure our residents the utmost comfort, safety and wellbeing.
Just knowing a loved one is being cared for by the compassionate, loving staff of MorningStar is sure to give you peace of mind. If it is you who is thinking of making MorningStar your new home, you will be surprised to find that once you get the daily assistance you need, you will not feel as if you lost your independent but rather be better able to lead a full life. One thing that sets MorningStar of Rio Rancho apart from other senior living communities is the fact that our team consists of the type of people who believe in doing the right thing even when no one is watching. They are individuals with big hearts who are drawn to the idea of serving seniors. They are also the kind of men and women that understand seniors are true heroes who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. As one family member of a MorningStar resident recently wrote, “The fantastic staff at Morningstar in Rio Rancho helped to make my mom's move so easy. The facility is beautiful and well planned out and everyone is very friendly. I had a great experience with everyone there.” If fact our community is not just a place for the elderly to live out their days, but a true home filled with love and laughter. Along with five-star dining and a whole list of resort-style amenities, we provide a wide range of care services and wellness programs. Every day our calendar is filled with fun and meaningful activities that allow residents to expand their mind, enjoy the company of friends, and enhance their health and wellness. After all when given the opportunity to learn and to contribute, it allows us to shine. Please visit our website to learn more. MorningStar of Rio Rancho’s mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living options. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide our residents the best senior housing Rio Rancho NM has to offer. According to many studies, the creative arts provide older adults with multiple benefits including improving cognitive function. The Today’s Geriatrics Medicine’s website states that, “Current studies in the fields of art therapy, music therapy, and other creative modalities confirm that art can affect individuals in positive ways by inducing both psychological and physiological healing. We know that, in general, exercising our creative selves enhances quality of life and nurtures overall well-being.”
For many seniors, the creative arts can help relieve boredom, provide an opportunity to learn new skills, re-engage in life, and even help prevent feelings of depression and anxiety. Experts say the arts also can bolster seniors’ self-esteem, and put them in group settings, which increases socialization and helps to develop interpersonal skills. Moreover, with so many choices to choose from, a person is sure to find something of interest whether it is painting, drawing, sketching, pottery, music, dancing, weaving, or knitting among others. Seniors also have the luxury of time to reconnect to an old hobby or passion. Being creative provides seniors with an outlet to express their feelings. In addition, research suggests the arts may help seniors who are coping with chronic pain by lessening their feelings of discouragement and depression. At MorningStar of Fountain Hills, we strive to provide the best assisted living and memory care in the Fountain Hills-Scottsdale area, and we understand the value the arts have in helping our residents feel passionate and engaged in life. In fact, each day our goal is to help residents continue to learn and contribute with activities that enhance health and wellness, stimulate the brain, and encourage connection. Our community has 63 bright suites for assisted living and includes spacious studios and one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. We have another 28 secure suites in our Reflections Neighborhood devoted to the individualized care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Please contact us for more information about our exceptional community. MorningStar of Fountain Hills offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors, and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve. Dedicated to creating a real home for residents within a beautiful setting, we encourage you to learn more about the finest assisted living and memory care in the area. Sources: managedhealthcareconnect.com/articles/use-art-therapy-geriatric-populations arttherapyblog.com/c/art-therapy-seniors/#.XTKPKehKhPY At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, we understand seniors may feel anxious when facing a move into assisted living. Often the decision is necessitated by a sudden change in the person’s ability to continue to live safely at home. Even if the decision is of a more gradual nature, it is still a big change; but there are things family members can do to help make it a smoother transition.
One thing experts agree on is that you need to remember to include your senior loved one in on the plans. This starts with including them in the process of choosing the community - remember it will be their new home. When you forget to ask for their input, it can make them feel as if they are losing their independence. While it is time consuming to visit senior living communities, we suggest you only take your parent or loved one with you after you have narrowed the choices down to a couple. Be sure to encourage their opinion and make sure they have an opportunity to ask questions during the community’s tour. Another thing your loved one will most likely need is help with the moving process. If they are still living in the family home, they will have to do lots of downsizing, which in itself can be stressful. Trying to decide what is important to keep, what to give away to family or friends, and what to donate or sell is not easy. Keep in mind the move to their new home will be smoother if they have familiar furnishings and treasured mementos around them. Also while respecting their feelings, gently remind them their new home may be smaller and they do not want to be overwhelmed with too much “stuff.” If you are looking for the best senior living in Rio Rancho NM, we encourage you to consider MorningStar of Rio Rancho. Our beautiful community has 51 well-appointed assisted living suites along with 26 suites in our Reflections Neighborhood devoted to the individualized care of those with memory impairment. While located in a residential setting, MorningStar of Rio is one block from Presbyterian Rust Medical Center and convenient to banks, shopping, and restaurants. The unique mission statement of MorningStar of Rio Rancho, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents within a beautiful setting. Please contact us to learn more about the finest senior living in Rio Rancho NM. The shorter days of winter can be especially tough on individuals with Alzheimer’s disease who suffer from the condition known as sundowner’s syndrome says author Rick Phelps who is afflicted with the condition. He explains that when we lose daylight and are faced with the often dreary, dark cloudy days of winter, those with sundowner’s syndrome can get further confused.
The Mayo Clinic describes sundowner’s syndrome as “a state of confusion at the end of the day and into the night.” They explain that it is not an actual disease but rather a symptom of Alzheimer's and typically peaks in the middle stage of the disease. In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association says that, “As many as 20 percent of persons with Alzheimer's will experience increased confusion, anxiety and agitation beginning late in the day. Others may experience changes in their sleep schedule and restlessness during the night.” Researchers do not understand the exact cause of sundowning but it appears to be triggered by a number of factors including fatigue or an overreaction to the day’s sensory stimulation. The inability to see well in the dark or hormonal imbalances that occur at night could be the cause of some of the anxiety people experience. Furthermore, since many people with the syndrome do not get a good night’s sleep that can trigger behavioral problems. In addition to anxiety and confusion, the condition can also result in aggression, anger, depression, pacing, fear, restlessness, hallucinations, paranoia, wandering and violence. Experts offer some tips to better cope with sundowner’s syndrome such as keeping your home well-lit during the evening hours and following a strict schedule for meals and bedtimes. They recommend that activities be scheduled in the morning or early afternoon to give the person plenty of time to unwind before evening. Sleep disturbances should be discussed with the person’s health care provider. This post is intended for informational purposes only. Please contact your health care provider with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health. MorningStar of Fountain Hills represents the best in senior living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We have built our foundation on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve…all of which contributes to creating a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. Call to schedule a visit to experience firsthand our beautiful assisted living and memory care community. Sources: agingcare.com/Articles/sundowners-syndrome-133187.htm agingcare.com/articles/autumn-and-sundowning-210080.htm At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, we recognize that our wonderful assortment of amenities and beautiful surroundings are fantastic; however, we know that the real heart of our community is our caregivers. We have made it a point to hire individuals who have a real calling to serve seniors and understand the magnitude of their contribution when they work at our assisted living community.
The MorningStar team consists of a group of people who have perfected the art of anticipating the needs of our residents and going the extra mile to serve them. Filled with compassion and care, each of our staff members has a smile for the residents and is as quick to listen to a story as they are to lend a helping hand when needed. In fact, as part of MorningStar’s on-going commitment to the well-being and care of our residents, we train all of our new hires as well as reiterate every day with our full staff the principles of our mission. Our Radiance program teaches and celebrates an attitude of selflessness that issues from a deep and sincere place like a beam of light and reinforces our mission of honoring, valuing and investing in others. MorningStar was founded on the premise that we operate with “servants’ hearts” and our Radiance program gives us the framework that enables us to take service professionalism to the next level. We are sure that once you learn more about our community you will agree with us that MorningStar is a great place to call home. Please contact us today to schedule a tour to discover for yourself our exceptional senior living in Rio Rancho NM. The unique mission statement of MorningStar of Rio Rancho, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents within a beautiful setting. Please contact us to learn more about the finest senior living in Rio Rancho NM. |
Our goal is to allow seniors to enjoy their retirement years by offering a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community, filled with resort-style amenities and activities. Archives
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