Celebrating the birthday of our country is a special day for most seniors. After all much of our older generation experienced the hardships and sacrifices that came from spending months away from loved ones while serving in various branches of our military. In some cases, they made the ultimate sacrifice with the death of a parent, spouse, son, or daughter during combat. Seniors have fought or sent loved ones to defend our American’s values and freedom and feel an ownership and pride in our country, and thanks for all it has given them. Also many seniors who migrated earlier to America have a special affection for their adopted country and feel grateful to have been so warmly welcomed.
Independence Day is a national holiday and our 4th of July celebration is the only holiday that is unique to our country. This year marks our 243rd Independence Day from British rule after our founding fathers finally approved and signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. As celebrations became more common, Congress declared it to be a national unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870 as part of a bill officially recognizing several holidays including Christmas. In 1938 Congress passed a bill to make the 4th of July a paid holiday for federal workers. The holiday was first observed on 1777 with a thirteen-gun salute in Rhode Island in honor of the thirteen colonies. In Philadelphia an official dinner was held for the Continental Congress that included speeches, music, prayers, parades, 13-gun salutes, and, yes, fireworks. The following year, it was reported that General Washington celebrated the day with a double ration of rum for the soldiers and an artillery salute. The first recorded public event celebrating Independence Day was held in Salem, North Carolina in 1783 with a challenging music program called The Psalm of Joy. The music was compiled by Johann Friedrich Peter and held at the Salem Moravian Church. It was the church’s way to rejoice in the war’s ending and to celebrate that throughout it all their relationship with God brought the realization of "a life lived in Christ is a Psalm of Joy.” Interesting enough you can get copies of The Psalm of Joy music today. The Moravian Church even held an event of the original program a few years ago. Today most of us celebrate the 4th with barbeques, picnics, and fireworks and use it as a reason to get outside and enjoy the summer weather. If your senior loved one is in assisted living and has reduced mobility, take the picnic to them. Many senior living communities have beautifully landscaped outside areas perfect for an intimate family party. Or check with the community to see if they have special activities planned. If they do, join the fun. Despite the sacrifices made by seniors during times of war and the depression, most are very patriotic and love participating in the activities and celebrations that take place during the 4th of July. As a time to gather with friends and loved ones to honor this great country; Independence Day also represents something many seniors cherish and want to hold on to – their own independence! MorningStar at Jordan Creek proudly provides the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, 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 amid a beautiful setting. Please schedule a tour to see firsthand the finest senior living in Des Moines. Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)
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The longest, most comprehensive study ever done on aging by the Harvard Study of Adult Development has turned up some unexpected results. The study, which began in the 1930s, examined more than 800 men and women from adolescence into old age. The purpose of the research is to find clues to the participants’ behaviors that translate into happy and healthy longevity.
George Vaillant, MD, director of the Harvard study and senior physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, states that, "I had expected that the longevity of your parents, the quality of your childhood, and your cholesterol levels would be very influential. So I was very surprised that these particular variables weren't more important than they were." Another commonly held belief regarding aging well has typically included avoiding stress. However, the results from the study indicate that stressful events did not predict future health and that some people who have had a lot of stress have age quite well despite it. The important thing seems to be how well you deal with the stress. The Harvard study also found that genetics may not play as big of a role in how well we age as do things such as not smoking or overeating, maintaining a healthy body weight, and developing good coping skills. Exercising, keeping good social connections, and being a life-long learner are additionally all precursors to a healthy longevity. If fact the overriding conclusion of the study appears to be that we have more control over our longevity that we may have thought in the past. MorningStar at Mountain Shadows is a Colorado Springs senior living community that takes our residents wellbeing very seriously. Our signature wellness program, WellStar, is designed to enhance health and wellness, stimulate the brain and encourage social connections. Please visit our website to learn more about our assisted living and memory care community. MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Mountain Shadows represents the best in Colorado Springs senior living with a distinct mission statement - “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. We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and invite you to visit our exceptional community. Source: webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/secrets-of-aging-well#1 Mother’s Day is celebrated in one form or another on various days throughout the world but most commonly in March or May. In the U.S., the day celebrates our own mothers as well as honors the glory of motherhood and the loving influence mothers have on our society.
The “mother” of Mother’s Day is Anna Jarvis who held the first ceremony on May 10, 1908 in honor of her own mother, who had died three years earlier, as well as for all mothers. Celebrations were held in Philadelphia where Anna was living at the time and also at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where her mother had attended services. As the site of the first official observance, the Andrews Church was later incorporated as the International Mother's Day Shrine on May 15, 1962. Ms. Jarvis and her supporters campaigned for a national holiday and Mother’s Day became an officially observed event when President Woodrow Wilson known as the “father” of Mother’s Day, signed the proclamation on May 9, 1914. It declared the second Sunday of May to be “a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” Historians believe that Anna Jarvis’ inspiration for starting Mother’s Day came from her mother Ann Reeves Jarvis’s closing prayer during one of her Sunday school lessons. It states: “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother’s day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.” In the mid-19th century, Ann Reeves Jarvis had helped to start the “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” that served to teach the local women of West Virginia on how to properly care for their children. The ancient Greeks and Romans also celebrated mothers and motherhood by holding festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. In addition early Christians celebrated the fourth Sunday in Lent with a festival they called “Mothering Sunday,” which was the time for folks to return to their main or “mother” church for special services. Through time the festival became more secular and children would give their mothers flowers and other tokens of appreciation. This custom eventually became a part of our Mother’s Day celebrations during the 1930s and 40s. Anna Jarvis spend much of her later years upset about the commercialization of the holiday (or perhaps by the fact that she did not financially benefit from it), but to those of us who are daughters, sons and husbands of mothers, it is a special event. It is the time to reflect on the many joys of motherhood and to be thankful to the women who raised us and grateful for their many sacrifices. We express our love to our mother through visits, cards and phone calls (more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than on any other day of the year). From enjoying a meal together, or presenting her with flowers and other tokens of our love and appreciation, we want our mothers to know how special they are to us! MorningStar at Jordan Creek proudly provides the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, 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 amid a beautiful setting. Please schedule a tour to see firsthand the finest senior living in Des Moines. Source: history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day time.com/4771354/mothers-day-history-origins/ As one of the most respected senior living facilities Colorado Springs offers, MorningStar at Mountain Shadows offers seniors an unparalleled lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community. Our experienced team also understands that when families are considering assisted living for a loved one, they want to know how we meet each resident’s needs to ensure their utmost comfort and safety.
At MorningStar, that process starts as soon as you make the decision to join our community. Each new resident and their family meet with our Wellness Director to allow us to get to know your personal preferences and normal routines. Our Wellness Director will also review your medical history to enable us to create a customized care plan that meets your approval. Furthermore, your care plan will be regularly re-evaluated to address any changing needs. Various auxiliary services provided by MorningStar include medical and non-medical and are priced a la carte. For example, if you require medication management, it will be administered by a Certified Med Care Manager. Other ways we provide our residents with a higher quality of living are diabetic management, oxygen administration, pharmaceutical services, transportation to medical appointments and much more. Regardless of the level of care you will be receiving, all residents have access to 24-hour Care Managers and a licensed nurse who is onsite 5-7 days a week and on call 24/7 as well as receive scheduled health and wellness evaluations. In addition we have a CPR-trained staff member on every shift. In our Reflections Neighborhood, which is devoted to the individualized care of those with memory impairment, our all-inclusive services (suite and care) are one packaged price. Please visit our website to learn more about MorningStar at Mountain Shadows and for contact information to set up tour. The unique mission statement of MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other assisted living facilities Colorado Springs offers. 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 see for yourself our exceptional community. Alzheimer's disease is identified by the buildup of toxic plaques of amyloid protein in the brain, and until recently, there was not a medical test to diagnosis the disease; it had to be done post mortem. Now a new type of scan known as amyloid PET imaging has made it possible for researchers to detect Alzheimer’s disease on living people.
The recent study was a nationwide trial with over 11,000 participants who had MCI (mild cognitive impairment) or dementia symptoms and beneficiaries of Medicare insurance. While still evaluating all of the results, researchers report that in “more than 60 percent of participants, amyloid PET scans caused doctors to change their minds about medical management. This was more than twice the number that the investigators had been expecting.” To do the scan, the person first gets an injection of a chemical tracer that travels to the brain and sticks to any amyloid plaques that may be present. As the scan is performed, the tracer allows the amyloid plaques to be seen. The test is not broadly available as insurance companies are not willing to pay for the expensive procedure but that should change over time. While some people may be uncomfortable with the idea of taking a test to determine if they have Alzheimer’s, researchers say it can be a good thing for several reasons. If the amyloid PET scan rules out Alzheimer’s, doctors can re-evaluate the person and try to figure out if their symptoms are a result of a medication side effect, depression or something else. If the scan does indicate Alzheimer’s, the person can be given the proper medication and treatments, and along with their family, have time to prepare for the future. The lead author on the study, Gil D. Rabinovici, a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, says that, "We were impressed by the magnitude of these results, which make it clear that amyloid PET imaging can have a major impact on how we diagnose and care for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive decline." MorningStar at Jordan Creek proudly provides the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, 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 amid a beautiful setting. Please schedule a tour to discover the finest assisted living and memory care in the West Des Moines area. Source: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324877.php While many older adults wish to live out their senior years at home, for some, it is not a manageable option. Moreover, no matter our age, change can be challenging, and it is no different for seniors when the time comes for them move into an assisted living community.
To ease the transition, experts offer several tips that can help make the move less stressful. One suggestion is to start planning way ahead of the time you anticipate you will need to make the move. So if you can, do not wait until your parent needs to go from a hospital stay into assisted living. The advantage to starting your search in advance of the move is it allows you the time to find a place ideally suited to your loved ones’ needs and personality. Always remember it is a huge life transition and should be treated as such. If possible, it is recommended to try and pick from one of the senior communities in the area they reside in as it allows them to retain some continuity in their lives including keeping their doctors. They can also continue to visit area friends and companions. If you will be moving the person to another town or state to be closer to family, keep in mind this can be especially difficult and your parent may need even more support. Experts advise in this situation to have more services in place rather than less. If later you find you do not need some of them, you can cancel them. Another tip is to visit the new community as often as possible before the move. Along with a formal tour of the community, make arrangements for them to have lunch there several times before they move in or participate in an activity or special event. The more familiar they are with their new home the easier the transition will be. MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, a Colorado Springs senior living community, provides both assisted living and memory care. Our wonderful team of caregivers is committed to providing our residents with a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community. Please visit our website for pricing and availability. MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Mountain Shadows represents the best in Colorado Springs senior living with a distinct mission statement - “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. We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and invite you to visit our exceptional community. Over the last several decades, there has been an increased awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Along with efforts to develop medications to treat or to cure the disease, there has also been a move to advance best care practices for those suffering from the disease.
In a publication from the Alzheimer’s Association titled the “Dementia Care Practice Recommendations for Assisted Living Residences and Nursing Homes,” they explore ways that professional caregiving can be more effective. Their first recommendation is to make sure a resident is receiving proper food and fluid consumption. They note that “Inadequate consumption or inappropriate food and fluid choices can contribute directly to a decline in a resident’s health and well-being.” The next point they discuss is pain management. They cite the fact that many times people with dementia have trouble communicating pain so it is often overlooked and not treated. However, the problem with not managing pain appropriately is that it can “result in behavioral symptoms and lead to unnecessary use of psychotropic medications.” Another important practice recommendation from the report is that assisted living communities provide social engagement and meaningful activities for memory care residents. By engaging in activities, it helps residents to retain their functional abilities and thus provides a better quality of life. These interactions should be designed to do with residents, not to or for them. If you are a family member searching for quality memory care for your loved one, we encourage you to consider the Reflections Neighborhood at MorningStar of Wheat Ridge. We have 19 secure suites devoted to the specialized care of individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Set within a gentle, loving environment, our care takes a resident-directed approach that utilizes multi-sensory cues to calm and to awaken memories, to support capabilities and, above all, to affirm dignity and value. The unique mission statement of MorningStar of Wheat Ridge, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. 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 see for yourself the finest assisted living and memory care in Wheat Ridge. Source: alz.org/national/documents/brochure_DCPRphases1n2.pdf Looking for one of the best assisted living facilities Colorado Springs has to offer that provides memory care? We invite you learn more about MorningStar at Mountain Shadows.
Our community is proud to offer 19 secure suites devoted to the care of seniors with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases, in addition to our 45 private assisted living suites. Our Reflections Neighborhood is designed to encourage and support residents’ independence as much as possible, while providing individualized memory care that stimulates or calms as the situation requires. At MorningStar our approach to memory care is designed around our comprehensive program we call “Lavender Sky.” Our reimagined philosophy encourages us to walk alongside a resident as we thoughtfully enter, embrace and explore the world of dementia. With insight and intentionality, we enter into our memory-impaired residents’ “purple world” to cross over the physical and emotional boundaries that would otherwise separate us. We also educate the families of those afflicted with Alzheimer’s on how to follow our lead and enter too. Another important aspect of our unique methodology is to accept the diagnosis of dementia and embrace the fact (we know it is difficult) that this is the path we must take together. By embracing a deep understanding of the disease, it allows us to embrace the necessary changes in our own communication style as well as physically embrace residents with the power of touch. And most importantly we embrace hope. Finally, Lavender Sky explores a boundless variety of resourceful and individualized solutions for we recognize that what works today may not work tomorrow. When memory care residents come to MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, we explore the person’s life including their background, interest and preferences to create a specialized care plan. We also explore ways to engage and involve their family members. As you can see, our memory care springs from a deep understanding of the disease and is offered with the utmost love and compassion. Please see our website for more information. The unique mission statement of MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other assisted living facilities Colorado Springs offers. 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 see for yourself our exceptional community. Now that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are almost here, many of us are having a hard time coming up with fresh gift ideas for elderly parents. Not only do many older adults live in smaller, paired down apartments with not much room for more “stuff,” but most likely do not need much. This is why the most appreciated gifts are often practical ones that improve their quality of life or are meaningful.
Memory-making presents are usually a hit and the marketplace has lots of options to choose from. One example is a Memory Journal, which provides a series of questions to get people thinking about the things they would like to share about their life. Other books are designed to make it easy to put together a scrapbook full of memories. If your parent has a hard time getting to sleep at night, you may want to consider a sound machine. Most of them have timers that can be set for as little as 15 minutes or up to an hour. Another useful gift is a humidifier. Kathrin Nicolacakis, MD of the Cleveland Clinic say “dry air can wreak havoc on your nose and lungs and make existing conditions worse.” A humidifier helps to relieve a variety of respiratory symptoms such as sinus congestion, asthma and allergies, and nose bleeds. Something a hearing-impaired adult as well as everyone else around them may appreciate is a wireless headphone set designed to clarify dialogue from a TV. The device allows the TV to be set at mute or the volume at a level comfortable for other listeners. Other practical gifts include things like a lighted magnifying glass, a big-button phone, or a “reacher” for someone with mobility or dexterity problems. Entertaining gifts include jigsaw puzzles, oversized playing cards, or adult coloring books and markers. At MorningStar of Littleton our goal is to provide the best senior living Littleton offers, and we consider the care, comfort and wellbeing of our residents to be of the utmost importance. Our compassionate caregivers are the type of people who consider seniors to be heroes and feel privileged to serve them. Please visit our website to learn more about our beautiful, loving assisted living and memory care community. The unique mission statement of MorningStar of Littleton, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. 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 schedule a visit to see firsthand the finest assisted living Littleton CO has to offer. Sources: health.clevelandclinic.org/how-you-can-tell-if-you-need-a-humidifier/ seniors.lovetoknow.com/Gift_Ideas_for_the_Elderly It is hard to believe that MorningStar at Jordan Creek has been open to residents for more than a year now. We are happy to report that things could not better and residents are proud to call MorningStar home. Over the last year, we have had the privilege to get to know our residents, and together they and our dedicated team have become a loving family.
As a thank you for the warm welcome the West Des Moines community has given to us from the moment we opened our doors, we are offering area seniors the chance to join our community for only $1 for the first month’s rent and $1 for our community fee. It doesn’t get any better than that! If you are interested in learning more about our assisted living and memory care community we encourage you to start by browsing our website. We have lots of information and pictures to give you a good idea of all we offer in terms of amenities, apartment choices and our wide array of care services. As you will see, our goal is to provide residents with all of the comforts and services they need to lead productive, meaningful and independent lives. Once you do that, use our online link and set up a tour because nothing beats seeing our community in person. Throughout the last year, our MorningStar family has created lots of great memories. We take every chance we can to gather and enjoy life’s special moments from holidays to birthdays and are always ready to celebrate. Please visit our website or give us a call to learn about MorningStar at Jordan Creek compassionate assisted living and memory care community. Don’t forget to ask about our special $1 deal! We look forward to having you join our family. MorningStar at Jordan Creek proudly provides the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, 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 amid a beautiful setting. Please schedule a tour to discover the finest assisted living and memory care in the West Des Moines area. |
Offering a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community, MorningStar is committed to giving residents a quality of life surpassing that of other senior living communities. To experience firsthand the finest in senior living, contact us to schedule a tour. Archives
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