Should You Get a Screening Test for Alzheimer’s Disease?

With more and more research coming to light in terms of genetic links to a variety of diseases including Alzheimer’s, we are faced with the dilemma of whether we want to know about it beforehand.  Dr. Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Neurology Department in New York, says that dealing with the knowledge of an impending disease like Alzheimer’s years before a person is ill may not be productive.  He states that, “While genetic testing predicts risk, it certainly does not diagnose whether dangerous plaques or other symptoms of Alzheimer’s already exist in the brain,” and “implementing prevention measures early-on may be a better option than genetic testing”

  

So what does genetic testing for Alzheimer’s tell a person?  For one thing, even if the ApoE4 gene is discovered, a person may be at risk for Alzheimer’s but not necessarily develop the disease.  Issues such as inflammation, obesity and other factors may need to be present before the disease can occur.  So if you get a positive result for the ApoE4 gene, it has not taken into account these other factors.

Researchers say a better solution is to focus on tests that can detect the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s.  Right now a test is available but it is very expensive.  The advantage to discovering pre-Alzheimer’s in people still in their 40s or 50s is that early intervention and treatments can be started. 

MorningStar at Bear Creek provides the area with quality, compassionate memory care.   We have 48 secure suites and can care for someone in the early onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages.  Please visit our website to learn about our individualized care as well as pricing and availability information.  

MorningStar at Bear Creek 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 within an ideal setting and invite you to schedule a tour to see firsthand our exceptional community.

Source: aplaceformom.com/blog/should-you-rely-on-an-at-home-genetic-test-for-alzheimers/ 

Wonder if Senior Living is Affordable? Contact Us!

Many seniors and their families fear senior living is too expensive but once you actually look into it, you may be surprised to discover it can actually be less costly than trying live on your own.  At MorningStar Senior Living of Billings, we offer families a great deal especially when you consider all of the resort-style amenities and top-quality services we provide.   

Another point of view regarding the affordability of senior living in Montana comes from a “Cost of Senior Care Survey,” which was published a few years ago by the largest senior referral website, A Place for Mom.  It states the “eight most affordable states for assisted living — based on the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment — were, in order of least to most expensive, Montana, South Dakota, Idaho, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Dakota, Indiana and Tennessee.”

To help ensure senior living is within reach of the Billings’ community, one of the jobs we take seriously at MorningStar of Billings is to help our families find resourceful ways to make senior living affordable.  We help you explore a wide berth of innovative financial solutions and often under-used benefits that may be available to you beyond traditional retirement savings and investments.  

If you have Long-Term Care Insurance, you will want to carefully read through your policy to determine what type of expenses it covers.  You will find specifics regarding daily benefits, policy limits, and the elimination period under your Benefits Summary.

Another way we help families make senior living more affordable is let them know they may be eligible for often untapped Veteran Benefits.   Please refer to our Veterans page for a full explanation of the generous “Aid & Attendance” Pension issued by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

We remind seniors to think about leveraging life insurance policies or selling their home to pay for senior living.  We also offer Companion Living, in which two unrelated people of the same sex may share a suite as well as expenses.  This opportunity is available in independent living, assisted living and memory care. 

Please visit MorningStar of Billings to learn more about our beautiful independent living, assisted living, and memory care community.  Our website has a convenient link to inquire about pricing and availability as well as to set up a tour. 

 

MorningStar Senior Living of Billings represents the finest in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve in order to provide a true home for residents.  Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, home-like atmosphere. 

Source:   

aplaceformom.com/blog/2013-5-13-most-affordable-assisted-living-and-healthcare/  

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?

There is often confusion between the definition of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is not a specific disease.  Rather it is the overall term used to describe a wide range of symptoms that cause a decline in memory and other cognitive skills that reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.  

Alzheimer’s disease accounts for up to 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, while vascular dementia, which is caused by the damage from a stroke, is the second most common cause.  Other types of dementia may be a result of Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases, and a person may have more than one form of dementia.  Thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies, brain tumors, medication side effects as well as depression, excessive alcohol us and even infectious diseases can cause dementia-like symptoms; however in these cases, once the problem is correctly diagnosed, it is reversible.  This is why health care providers state the importance of getting a professional evaluation to determine the cause of your or your loved one’s symptoms.  

In addition getting an accurate diagnosis at the onset of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia allows the person to receive the maximum benefit from the available treatments.  Furthermore, it gives the person time to plan for their future.   

At MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care of Fort Collins, we offer 55 suites for assisted living and 24 secure suites devoted to the individualized care for residents with memory impairment from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.  Located on the southwest side of the city directly across from Warren Lake, we are convenient to hospitals, banks, shopping, and restaurants.  We offer residents a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community and provide a whole range of resort-style amenities and wellness programs.

MorningStar of Fort Collins represents the very best in senior living with a mission “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Our foundation is one built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting team members with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a tour to discover the finest assisted living in Fort Collins.

Sources:.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/ask-well-is-dementia-the-same-as-alzheimers-disease/?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fask-well&action=click&contentCollection=well&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=12&pgtype=collection

Learn More About Dementia

Currently Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.  For older adults, it is ranked third and is just behind heart disease and cancer.  There are several forms of dementia but Alzheimer’s is the most common.  Other types of dementia include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal disorders, and vascular dementia.  

Alzheimer’s disease is named after a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist, Dr. Alois Alzheimer.  In 1901, Dr. Alzheimer began observing a 51-year-old female patient at the Frankfurt Asylum who had a range of strange behavioral symptoms, including a loss of short-term memory.   Throughout the next five years of her life, Dr. Alzheimer studied the woman.  Upon her death, he examined her brain where he discovered “many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary, or tau tangles).  These plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease.”

Researchers now believe Alzheimer’s disease begins about a decade before the first symptoms appear such as memory loss and other cognitive problems.  During this period, toxic changes begin in the brain that include abnormal deposit of proteins, which form amyloid plaques and tau tangles.  In addition healthy neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons, and die.

While symptoms vary, the early stages of Alzheimer’s include a decline in non-memory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment.  As the disease progresses, memory problems increase as well as symptoms such as “wandering, getting lost, trouble handling money and paying bills, repeating questions, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, and personality and behavior changes.”  Most people are diagnosed with the disease in this stage. 

MorningStar at Bear Creek understands the devastation a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia is for a family.  We have 48 secure suites, including studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans, and provide compassionate care to seniors with mild to advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. 

MorningStar at Bear Creek brings a unique vision to senior living with a mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Built on a foundation of honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we are committed to creating a true home for residents. Contact us to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional community.

Source: nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet

Private Suites with Well-designed Floorplans at MorningStar at Arrowhead

MorningStar at Arrowhead is a gorgeous senior living community located on the north side of Glendale in the popular residential neighborhood of Arrowhead, which makes it a convenient location for both Glendale and Peoria families.  Our exceptional community was designed by the nationally renowned firm of Thoma-Holec Design and has been recognized in several industry competitions.

Our 60 private assisted living suites are on two levels and include a choice of spacious studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom floor plans. For memory care, our Reflections Neighborhood offers 25 suites devoted to the specialized care of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

When you visit our website, we encourage you to take a look at our suites’ floorplans.  As you will see, each one is well laid out and accommodates the various needs of our residents. In our one-bedroom assisted living units, sizes range from 427 sq. ft. to 477 sq. ft.  Two-bedroom assisted living floorplans start at 541 sq. ft. and go up to 643 sq. ft. in our largest units.  Studio suites are also available.  

Please remember that couples are more than welcome to live together in a suite. Also we recognize many seniors have been in marriages for 50 or 60 years and may have lost their spouse.  To them, it is often more comfortable to share a suite with a friend as it provides steady companionship and helps them feel less lonely.   MorningStar at Arrowhead allows two unrelated people of the same sex to share a suite in both assisted living and memory care.

Along with our beautiful suites, our community has warm and inviting common areas that are perfect to sit and enjoy the day while chatting with friends.  These include a fireside patio and porches, as well as a bistro, theatre/chapel, library and more.   Please visit our website to set up a tour of our loving community. 

MorningStar at Arrowhead 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 our exceptional community.

Dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease

If you have recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you are not alone.  It is estimated that 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer's, and every 65 seconds someone in the US develops the disease.  As a way to help families impacted by the disease, the Alzheimer’s Association provides a variety of resources and services. 

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s brings with it a range of emotions. Learning that you have a disease with no cure and no way to control what is happening to you can create feelings of anger, denial, depression and resentment as well as fear.  Another common emotion is isolation and the feeling that no one else understands what you are going through.  There can even be a sense of relief at finding out what is happening to you and having those concerns validated. 

The Alzheimer’s Association counsels that it helps to try and come to terms with your diagnosis and the emotions you are experiencing as a way to help you to move forward.  They explain that, “once you make the commitment to take care of your emotional needs; you may find that you can rise to the challenge and face your diagnosis.”   

You will find helpful coping tips on their website to make it easier to deal with what you are going through.  One of their most important suggestions is to have good support whether it comes from joining a support group, sharing concerns with family and friends, or talking to a counselor or member of the clergy.  They also say to continue to do the activities you enjoy for as long as you are able.  Finally they remind individuals to take time to “feel sad, mourn and grieve.” 

At MorningStar Memory Care at Bear Creek our community is devoted to the care of those with mild to advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementia related diseases.  We leverage the power of music, dance, art, aromatherapy, and animals to heal and comfort residents, while taking into consideration the uniqueness of each person. Our team works every day to make a difference in the lives of our residents. 

MorningStar at Bear Creek brings a unique vision to senior living with a mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Built on a foundation of honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we are committed to creating a true home for residents. Contact us to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional community.

Source: alz.org/i-have-alz/i-have-alzheimers-dementia.asp

Schedule a Tour of MorningStar at Arrowhead

At MorningStar at Arrowhead, we are very proud of our senior living community and each one of our team feels honored to have the opportunity to serve seniors.  While our website has extensive information and lots of pictures of our gorgeous community, we still encourage interested families to set up a tour to see firsthand what we are all about. 

Right on our website’s home page, we have a link to help you request a tour.  Once you have filled out the form, one of our staff will get back to you and set up a day and time that is convenient. 

We ask that you allow at least 45 minutes for a tour as we are excited to show you around.  If you have certain priorities, we will gladly accommodate those interests.  Also we encourage you to schedule your tour around lunchtime so you can join us for a meal, just let us know when you fill out your tour request form.  If you do intend to join us for lunch, please allow at least 90 minutes so you can enjoy a leisurely meal.

For assisted living, our community has 60 private suites on two levels that are ready for you to move into.  All you need to do is to bring your furnishings and personal items, and if you wondered, we are pet friendly.  Our Reflections Neighborhood is devoted to caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and has 25 secure suites.  For information regarding pricing and availability at our Arrowhead community, please use our online form to request an email or give us a call.  We look forward to meeting you and your family. 

MorningStar at Arrowhead 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 our exceptional community.