In an article in the US News & World Report, experts say forgetfulness is not an inevitable part of growing older and there are things we can do to help maintain and enhance our memory function and overall brain health. Furthermore, they also benefit whole body health.
One of the first things they recommend is to never stop making “physical activity a priority as it optimizes blood flow to the entire body, including the brain. An adequate supply of blood and oxygen to the brain helps to keep our memories sharp.” Researchers explain that the type of exercise is also important and recommend a minimum of 30 minutes a day of cardio exercise such as running, power walking, biking, or swimming. However, before beginning any new exercise regime, be sure to check with your healthcare provider. In addition, continuing to learn new things can improve our memory as studies have found a correlation between challenging our brain and maintaining brain health. This could include activities such as playing an instrument, starting a new hobby, learning a language, or just broadening your reading habits. Other advice that not only enhances cognitive thinking but overall health includes getting enough sleep each night. Research has shown that “powering down on a nightly basis allows the brain to heal and restore itself, clearing toxins that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia types.” What sets MorningStar at Mountain Shadows apart from other assisted living Colorado Springs offers? We strive to provide a true “home” for our residents and have a team committed to serving seniors who treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve. Our loving, around-the-clock care encompasses the physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing of our residents. Please visit our website for more information about assisted living facilities. MorningStar at Mountain Shadows provides 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 an atmosphere that promotes a healthy, engaged lifestyle. Please contact us to learn more about the finest memory care and assisted living Colorado Springs has to offer. Source: health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/maintaining-and-enhancing-memory
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Some people think a move to an assisted living community signals an end to their independence but nothing could be further from the truth. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, we respect the fact that seniors have spent a lifetime living independently, raising families, working jobs, and making their own decisions, and consider it our job to continue to help them lead full, purposeful lives. We know many of the challenges that come all too often with aging. Worsening medical conditions, failing eyesight, hearing impairments and mobility problems as well as the death of a spouse or friends can make it tough for seniors to live on their own. Isolation and loneliness can bring on feelings of hopelessness and depression; have a negative impact on mental health, and even affect quality of life. As one of MorningStar’s assisted living residents, you will receive the personal daily care you need to help maintain your independence. Our services include help with the ADLs (activities of daily senior living) such as bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, eating and more. Our trained care managers are there to help navigate any changes in your health and ensure you get the proper level of care you need. Along with extensive care services, MorningStar offers a broad range of wellness programs and activities designed to enhance physical, intellectual, spiritual, and social connectivity. MorningStar’s scheduled transportation services, medication management, and pharmacy services make it easy to safely get to important doctor visits, and keep prescriptions filled and dispensed as needed. Residents also enjoy the built-in companionship and numerous perks of community living, including all day dining with healthy and delicious meals served restaurant style. Amenities include a fireside patio, bistro, library, chapel, theatre, and private dining room for intimate dinners. Located in beautiful Colorado Springs, MorningStar at Mountain Shadows offers 45 private assisted living suites in a variety of floorplans. In our Reflections Neighborhood, we have 19 memory care suites devoted to the individualized, specialized care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Please contact us or visit our website for more information. MorningStar takes tremendous pride in the reputation we have earned for excellence and authenticity since our inception in 2003. We believe the human capacity to grow, to learn and to contribute is ageless; and we act upon that truth daily, as we care for, inspire, and love the residents under our roof. Contact us to learn more about exceptional assisted living and memory care in Colorado Springs. As we grow older, many of us find ourselves becoming forgetful and worry it could be a sign of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Researchers say it is true that the older we get we are more forgetful as the following reports: “At least half of those over age 65 say that they are more forgetful than they were when they were younger, experiencing ‘senior moments’ about things like where they put things or recalling somebody’s name.”
The question then becomes when what is the difference between “normal” age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies find the brain shows warning signs of Alzheimer’s approximately fifteen years before someone experiences symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and quite a while before the first real signs of dementia start. Concerning signs of memory loss include not just forgetting an appointment or someone’s name, but repeatedly forgetting it. Another sign that something more serious is going on is if family members start to notice a loved one’s forgetfulness or confusion. Constantly repeating questions, forgetting the word for something or getting lost in a familiar neighborhood are other signs of a bigger problem. Judgement and planning may also be impaired, and tasks the person used to be good at like balancing a checkbook or following a recipe can become frustrating and difficult. To know for sure what is happening, you need to make an appointment with their doctor. They can do a complete medical work-up including looking at the medications the person is taking, and checking for signs of depression and other environmental issues, which could account for symptoms. If the person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or a dementia-related disease, there are therapies designed to improve quality of life. Along with assisted living, Colorado Springs’ MorningStar at Mountain Shadows provides compassionate, individualized care for those with mild to advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. As dementia care specialists, we provide support to our residents and their families with an array of services, wellness programs and activities essential to quality of life. Our approach to memory care is encompassed under the expanse of possibilities we call Lavender Sky and uses a broad range of Montessori-based therapy techniques. Contact us for more information. MorningStar at Mountain Shadows brings a unique vision to senior living with our 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 creating a true home for residents and encourage you to see firsthand the best memory care and assisted living Colorado Springs has to offer. Source: alzinfo.org/articles/diagnosis/forgetful-dementia |
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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