The Medicare Open Enrollment period (OEP) started on October 15 and goes until December 7, 2018. During this annual enrollment period (AEP), seniors already enrolled in Medicare can make changes to various aspects of their coverage.
As it can be overwhelming for many elderly adults to navigate through the process, adult children often take on the task to ensure their parent is getting the best plan for their needs. Now is the time to re-evaluate your or your parents’ Medicare Advantage and /or Part D plans against other plans on the market. If a plan better fits your needs, “you can switch to, drop or add a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Medicare Advantage is also known as a “Part C” plan.” To help with the confusion, the not-for-profit agency ACM Care (Autonomous Case Management, Inc.) explains that the National Council on Aging (NCOA) advises using the “four C’s” when reviewing your current plan’s effectiveness: cost, coverage, convenience, and customer service. Bear in mind that many insurance companies make adjustments to Medicare plans from year to year so changing from one plan to another may help save out-of-pocket expenses on monthly premiums, deductibles, and drug costs. Insurance companies also may make changes to their list of covered drugs as well as to the networks they work with so you will want to check that your preferred healthcare providers, drugs and hospitals are still part of your insurer’s plan. Please keep in mind, Open Enrollment is not the place to enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B for the first time. Anyone who did not sign up for Medicare A and B when they first became eligible will be able to do so starting January 1 to March 31 (you may be subject to a late enrollment penalty). If you need help figuring it all out, the NCOA offers a short Medicare Questionnaire assessment tool. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, 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 residents at the foot of the majestic Rockies. Please schedule a visit to one of the most trusted Colorado Springs assisted living facilities. Source: mymedicarematters.org/enrollment/medicare-open-enrollment/ acmcare.org/preparing-medicare-open-enrollment-5-top-tips-illinois-missouri-caregivers/
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It was not that long ago that seniors moving into an assisted living community had to leave behind an important companion, their pet. Today however, more and more retirement communities are recognizing the benefits of pets to the elderly, and many such as MorningStar at Jordan Creek, allow residents to bring their pets with them.
There has been a lot of research that validates the benefits of pets in seniors’ lives. In fact, A Place for Mom website reports on a study that shows, “just 15 minutes bonding with an animal sets off a chemical chain reaction in the brain, lowering levels of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol and increasing production of the feel-good hormone serotonin. The result: heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels immediately drop.” They go on to say that interactions between pets and humans can “lower cholesterol levels, fight depression and may even help protect against heart disease and stroke.” Another reason pets can be good for the elderly is that animals live in the here and now and do not think about tomorrow, which for some seniors, can be worrisome. In addition animals offer unconditional love, emotional support and affection. This is one reason why pet therapy programs are used in convalescent homes, hospitals, mental health centers and children centers. Many people participating in such programs experience an improvement in appetite as well as “more social interaction and tactile and cognitive stimulation after interactions with pets.” There is even research that indicates pet therapy is beneficial for those suffering from dementia diseases such as Sundowners Syndrome and Alzheimer’s. The animal’s complete acceptance and non-verbal communication has proven to be soothing for patients. If you are looking for pet friendly senior living, Des Moines area MorningStar at Jordan Creek may be your answer. Offering a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community along with beautifully appointed spaces and exceptional architecture, we are confident you will be impressed. Please contact us to learn more. 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 contact us to learn more about the finest senior living Des Moines area offers. Sources: aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/pet-friendly-assisted-living agingcare.com/Articles/benefits-of-elderly-owning-pets-113294.htm If so, we encourage you to take a look at the MorningStar at Mountain Shadows assisted living and memory care community located on Centennial Street just north of the Garden of the Gods Road. Designed to address all of our residents’ needs, we are committed to creating a true home for seniors and provide carefree retirement years.
We offer 45 stylish, assisted living suites in a variety of configurations including studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans up to 683 sq. ft. Each of our apartments offers a private entrance and comes with wall-to-wall carpeting and mini-blinds. Our suites also have lots overhead lighting, high ceilings, large windows, and their own heating and cooling system. To ensure residents’ safety, all of our apartments are equipped with emergency call systems and handicapped-accessible bathrooms. If a loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, we are here to help. Our community’s Reflections Neighborhood has 19 secure suites in a range of floorplans and is designed to allow residents the freedom to explore their spacious surroundings as much as possible. As dementia experts, we are privileged to provide unsurpassed, individualized care that includes using some of the most respected research-based care programs to give our residents the best life possible. All residents are offered a wide range of resort-style amenities and services, 24/7 care, and three daily meals prepared largely from scratch and served restaurant-style in our charming dining room. We also provide wellness programs and activities designed to support and engage residents physically, intellectually, spiritually and socially. MorningStar at Mountain Shadows was honored to be named 2018’s “Best Of” Assisted Living by SeniorAdvisor.com, a division of A Place for Mom; the nation’s largest assisted living referral service. Only the top 1% of senior living providers in US and Canada were awarded this distinguished honor. Please set up a tour to one of the most trusted assisted living facilities in Colorado Springs, and be sure to inquire about our special, limited-time only offer of up to “$20,000 Savings” over a 2-year stay. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, 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 residents at the foot of the majestic Rockies. Please schedule a visit to experience firsthand one of the best assisted living facilities in Colorado Springs. MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan Creek is dedicated to providing the finest assisted living Des Moines area has to offer. To that end, we understand that our senior community’s success lies with our caregivers. This is why one of our founding principles is to invest generously in our team members, including providing the necessary development and training required to create leaders with the ability to provide the best life possible for our residents.
We are proud of the fact that our staff is comprised of people who champion our mission and have a sense of calling to serve seniors. They are a group of unique individuals who do the right thing when no one is watching and work diligently to perfect the art of anticipating the needs of our residents. In addition, they not only believe that senior living, at its best, is love in action but do it every day. As a part of our commitment to bringing together an exceptional staff, we offer generous compensation and benefit packages to each employee in an effort to recognize caregiving as a respected career choice. We have found that our vetting of employees has paid off as we have a staff that works hard to ensure MorningStar at Jordan Creek’s residents feel loved and cared for in every way possible. Furthermore, all of our in-coming staff receives Radiance training, which is reiterated every day at our Team Stand-up. The Radiance program celebrates an attitude of selflessness that comes from a deep and sincere place, like a beam of light and reflects the way we deliver customer service at MorningStar - with warmth, sincerity and depth. The program provides a tangible and purposeful way to advance our mission of honoring, valuing and investing in others and allows us to take our professionalism to the next level. We encourage you to schedule a tour of our gorgeous community to experience firsthand all that we offer. 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 contact us to learn more about the finest assisted living Des Moines area offers. At MorningStar at Jordan Creek, memory care takes place within our Reflections Neighborhood. We offer 29 secure suites devoted to the personalized care of those with memory impairment from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and can accommodate those in the onset of the disease right through to the more advanced stages. The philosophy motivating our care is based on one of MorningStar’s mission statements that says, “To value all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals.” From this principle comes our attentiveness to the unique voice, the rights and preferences, of each resident.
We have a deep understanding of the different forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s that helps us to compassionately care for our memory impaired residents and to find the best ways to interact and communicate with them. MorningStar’s specially trained staff uses an array of multi-sensory activities including art, dance, music, aromatherapy, life skills, exercise and animals to heal and comfort. Furthermore, we take the time to get to know a resident through interviews with their family members in order to learn about their history, vocation, talents and preferences. We then use this knowledge to help us design an individualized care plan for the person. In addition, our Reflections Neighborhood provides daily health monitoring, assistance with meals prepared by our Executive Chef, scheduled outings and special events, and an enclosed courtyard. Our memory care suites accommodate a resident’s own furniture and mementos so they are sure to feel right at home. Contact us to learn more about our beautiful assisted living and memory care community. 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 contact us to learn more about the finest assisted living in West Des Moines. While seniors have discovered the many benefits of senior living, MorningStar at Mountain Shadows understands that for some older adults the cost may be too high to comfortably afford. This is why we consider it part of our job to help area seniors find creative ways to make the move to assisted living possible.
One of the things we offer to make it more affordable is “Companion Living.” Whether you wish to move into assisted living or memory care, Companion Living allows two unrelated people of the same sex to share the expense of a suite. Furthermore if you do not have a friend or relative to share a suite with, we will carefully pair you up with another senior who shares your interests and background. The advantage of companion living also goes far beyond economics as companionship is important for a person’s health and wellbeing. We believe we are designed by our Creator for relationships, and that isolation can drain us of energy and purpose. When a senior loses their life partner after being married 40, 50, or 60 years, it can be a very lonely existence and a companion can help to diminish those feelings of loneliness, and help the person to reconnect. Offering built-in companionship, it can additionally help to ease the transition of moving into a senior living community. Also as roommates naturally look after each other’s interests, they may be the first one to notice changes in their roomies’ health or abilities. Please visit our website to get an idea of the various amenities and services we offer as well as to set up a tour of our gorgeous community. We are certain MorningStar at Mountain Shadows’ exceptional architecture and design will impress you from the first but the thing we are most proud of is our dedicated, loving team. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, 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 residents at the foot of the majestic Rockies. Please schedule a visit to experience firsthand our beautiful senior living community. As dementia experts, we understand the huge toll Alzheimer’s disease takes on the individual as well as their family and the community at large. As such, MorningStar at Mountain Shadows is committed to putting time, energy and resources to working to end Alzheimer’s disease.
During the month of September alone, we hosted and participated in several events to support and raise awareness of the devastating disease. On September 7th our entire community joined in efforts to raise money for the Colorado Alzheimer’s Association with a silent auction that included gift baskets, beautiful handmade gifts, and baked goods made with a touch of sugar and a dash of love. During the day, many residents and staff alike wore Purple to honor the event. We also sold our Memories in the Making books, which display beautiful artwork from our own residents and are available at the low price of $40. Along with other activities throughout the day such as “Senior Selfies” (pictures taken by Synergy who donated $5 to the cause for each picture) we ended the fun-filled day with a “Memories in the Making Painting” class. As of this writing, it is too soon to report if Mountain Shadows reached our goal of $5000 to pass last year’s success of $4400, but we will keep you posted. In addition MorningStar at Mountain Shadows sent a team to participate in the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s that took place on September 15th. The annual event is held in more than 600 communities nationwide, and is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. As Colorado Springs’ finest assisted living and memory care community, we proudly offer 45 stylish, private assisted living suites and 19 secure studios devoted to the specialized care of those with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Please visit our website to learn more about pricing and availability or to set up a tour. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, 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 residents at the foot of the majestic Rockies. Please schedule a visit to experience firsthand our beautiful senior living community. At MorningStar at Jordan Creek, our residents and staff work hand-in-hand to create a loving, warm community. Part of our family-like atmosphere comes from making memories and celebrating life’s special moments together. Each month our calendar is filled with daily activities as well as an array of special programs.
Our community recently hosted the “All-American Summer” event benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association on August 11th (National Elvis Presley Day). The theme of the day was “All Things Elvis” and included an Elvis impersonator, sock hop photo booth, balloon sculptors and magicians. Food for the day was “Hound” dogs with fixings, hamburger sliders, French fries and soda fountain drinks. The fun continued with a celebration of National Ice Creme Day on August 18th. Another example of a recent special event at MorningStar included residents and team members hosting their very own “All Things Fried” event with family and friends. Music and dancing filled the room, with many wearing balloon hats, and didn’t stop until everyone’s tummy was full, with fried food of course! It was a great day for all. MorningStar at Jordan Creek also has an ongoing calendar packed with wellness programs and activities. Our programs include a variety of exercise options, morning worship, art projects, word games and puzzles, karaoke, trivia, Bingo, movie night and much, much more. In fact, if we do not offer something you are interested in, we can probably help to get it organized. If carefree retirement years amid beautiful surroundings, resort-style amenities, and fun-filled and meaningful activities sound good, MorningStar at Jordan Creek is the place for you. We encourage you to schedule a visit to our community to find out for yourself why our residents are proud to call it home. 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 contact us to learn more about the finest assisted living in West Des Moines. The appetites of elderly adults typically decrease as they age, which means it is important to make smart, healthy food choices rather than filling up on foods laden with empty calories (save those sugary snacks for occasional treats). The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s publishes a website called Choose My Plate that offers ideas and tips to help people create a healthier eating style throughout the various stages of their lives including older adults.
Eating a wholesome diet rich in nutrients can help keep your muscles, bones, organs, and other body parts strong and to boost your immunity. If you already have a chronic disease, it can help you manage it better. My Plate explains a healthy diet will give you more energy and encourage a sense of well-being along with providing the nutrients needed by the body such as “potassium, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, minerals, and dietary fiber. In addition eating well can help you lose or maintain a healthy weight. If you are on a low-sodium diet due to health conditions, you should use herbs and spices to flavor your food rather than salt. Also be wary of processed and packaged foods as many of them are loaded with sodium. In addition to drinking water throughout the day, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture says to drink 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk (substitute yogurt, butter milk, hard cheese or lactose-free foods if you cannot tolerate milk) a day. Eat cereals fortified with vitamin B12 and include sliced fruits and vegetables with your meals. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, we understand it is important for our residents to eat a nutritionally rich diet, which is why mealtime is both a social event as well as the opportunity to eat healthy, delicious foods. Our meals are served restaurant-style so residents can sit and enjoy the company and a relaxing meal. Please visit our website to learn more about the area’s finest assisted living and memory care. At MorningStar at Mountain Shadows, 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 residents at the foot of the majestic Rockies. Please schedule a visit to experience firsthand our beautiful senior living community. Source: choosemyplate.gov/older-adults Often families are caught unaware when an aging parent has a fall or another event that immediately signals they need more assistance in their daily life. You many feel like a neglectful son or daughter for not noticing the changes happening before your eyes, but many seniors routinely deny they need help as they fear losing their independence. However getting the proper care can actually help make them feel more independent as they know they can live their life without worry and help is available when they need it.
Experts cite several common signs that may indicate your parent needs more assistance including changes in the way they live. For incidence if your mom was always a good housekeeper, and now her home is looking un-kept, or your dad who always took pride in his appearance, now looks as if he is not bathing regularly. Signifcant weight loss may also mean a senior is not eating well and/or having trouble preparing meals. Watch for signs your parent is having trouble walking or appears unsteady and is having difficulty getting up from a seated position. Other changes are signs of confusion or uncertainty performing familiar tasks. A dangerous side effect of poor memory can be seniors forgetting to take medications or not following their doctor’s care plan. Errands can also be difficult to do as many seniors are uncomfortable driving and many stop driving altogether. While assisted living was a relatively new concept when it first began around 25 years ago, today it is the fastest growing care option for seniors who are able to live independently but require a little assistance. At MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care of Littleton, we provide assistance with “activities of daily living” (ADLs) such as: bathing, dressing, eating, toileting and more. Our community, tucked at the foot of the majestic Rockies, offers a total of 65 private assisted living suites and 20 suites in our Reflections Neighborhood devoted to the individualized care of those with memory impairment. 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. We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and invite you to schedule a visit to experience one of the area’s finest assisted living communities. |
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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