Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Brain Scans in Newborns Provide Important Information


Two recent studies from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine have discovered some important information regarding the brains of newborns and how they can determine later cognitive development.  One study published in 2013, reports that brain scans of infants can indicate some of the same gene variants found in adults suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and autism.   One of the study authors, Rebecca Knickmeyer, states, "These results suggest that prenatal brain development may be a very important influence on psychiatric risk later in life."  She added, "This could stimulate an exciting new line of research focused on preventing onset of illness through very early intervention in at-risk individuals." 

The study involved 272 infants who were given an MRI shortly after birth and had their DNA screened for 10 common variations in the seven genes associated with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and depression.  One important finding was the discovery that “brain changes found in adults such as the variation in the APOE gene that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease were very similar to the brain changes in the infants with the same variants.” 

Another study from the university released late last year may provide yet more clues as to why some individuals develop cognitive problems later on in life.  The research, which was led by the director of the Early Brain Development Program at UNC’s Dept. of Psychiatry, John H. Gilmore, MD, found “white matter microstructure present at birth and that develops after birth predicts the cognitive function of children at ages 1 and 2.” 

Dr. Gilmore explained that this was the first study ever done to measure and describe the development of white matter microstructure in children and its relationship to cognitive development.  During the study, 685 children had diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans done on their brains to identify white matter tracts in the brain as well as to describe the organization and maturation of the tracts.    

Researchers concentrated on the 12 white matter fiber tracts that are important to cognitive function and studied their relationship to developing cognitive function and their heritability.

Gilmore said “With a better understanding of these relationships, we ultimately hope to be able to identify children at risk for cognitive problems or psychiatric disorders very early and come up with interventions that can help the brain develop in a way to improve function and reduce risk."   

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest.”  We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve.   Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, home-like atmosphere. 

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

MorningStar’s Website is Loaded with Resources for Families


While MorningStar at Jordan’s first priority is to our residents, we also recognize that helping our families accept the transition to senior living is important.  This is why we have a website filled with useful information and resources regarding all aspects of our community.  

We encourage everyone to read the history of MorningStar and about our Founder/CEO, Ken Jaeger’s mission to start a senior housing company defined by the human touch.  He explains that he “wanted to re-create my grandmother’s house, a place where one can go and feel a sense of family.”  Guided by our Radiance program, you will also learn how we deliver service - with warmth, sincerity and depth. 

Furthermore, we understand that senior living decisions are often precipitated by major changes, which is why we provide a guide that details various retirement options.  One recommendation we offer is to clearly identify what you are trying to solve, and to think about not just next year, but rather the next 5 to 10 years.  We encourage you to read our points to consider for help in determining if assisted living is the best solution for you, your parent or spouse.  In addition you will find some of the troubling signs that could signal the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, however please keep in mind that only a neurologist can make a diagnosis. 

Once you have reached the decision to move to an assisted living or memory care community, we advise you to set up a tour.  Typically the healthier spouse or child of the senior does the initial tour to rule out unsuitable options and narrow down the search.  We recommend not trying to do more than two tours a day as you will get a lot of information to take in and process.  Please contact MorningStar at Jordan if we can be of any help or if you have questions or would like to set up a tour of our wonderful community. 

At MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan, we represent the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest.”  We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve.  Please contact us to schedule a tour.        

Saturday, July 15, 2017

How We Care for Seniors


At MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan, we feel honored to serve seniors and to help make their lives a little easier.  We explain our chosen calling by saying, “We value seniors as a testimony to colossal events in our history. They have witnessed world wars and the World Wide Web—all in one glorious sweep. If anyone deserves respect, it is these men and women, who made our lives possible.”   

The way we deliver our exceptional service is through our Radiance program, which is taught to all new team members and reiterated every day at our Stand-up.  Much more than just a customer service program, Radiance embodies the guiding principles for how we dispense our services – with depth of purpose and warmth.  The program emanates from an authentic, sincere place and celebrates an attitude of selflessness that resembles a beam of light. 

We use the program to advance our mission of honoring, valuing and investing in others.  It distinguishes our compassion and care as well as our service professionalism and provides residents the respect and dignity they deserve.  As the director of Community Relations so eloquently stated, “The mission of MorningStar Senior Living to ‘honor God in all relationships’ is evidenced in the daily life at MorningStar at Jordan. I see, feel and hear the love by staff to residents and families and each other.  My heart swells with joy to be part of such a loving, supportive environment.  Since we hire people who exemplify a servant’s heart, teamwork seems natural.”  

Please call to set up a visit to see for yourself our beautiful, loving community.  We offer 55 suites for assisted living and 29 secure suites devoted to the individualized, specialized care for residents with memory impairment from Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.  Along with our wonderful care team, every aspect of MorningStar at Jordan was designed to best serve our residents’ needs. 

At MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan, we represent the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest.”  We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve.   Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, homey community.      

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Seniors Get Multiple Benefits from a Healthy Diet


Good nutrition plays a major role in the quality of life for the elderly including providing better physical, mental, and social health.  Many older adults are less active than younger people and therefore do not need to consume as many calories each day and/or may have a decreased sense of appetite.  This means that it is even more critical that the calories seniors are getting each day are rich in nutrients and vitamins and they avoid filling up on unhealthy food options.
The USDA has put together a list of 10 healthy eating tips for people age 65+ called “Choosing Healthy Meals as You Get Older.”  The first tip is to make a point to drink plenty of liquids throughout the day, because as we age, we can lose our sense of thirst.  They recommend drinking water often and limit beverages that have lots of added sugars or salt. 
They advise that you get into the habit of using spices and herbs to flavor food instead of salt and to have sliced fruits and vegetables available for snacks and meals.  Even if you have dental problems, you can always eat cooked or canned foods like unsweetened fruit, low-sodium soups, or canned tuna.  The USDA suggests seniors vary the color of vegetables at each meal to benefit from the different vitamins each one offers.    Another tip is to make eating a social event and to try and eat with others.
Every day seniors need food fortified with vitamin B12 such as fortified cereals, and 3 cups of fat-free of low-fat milk or yogurt and hard cheeses.  Choose lactose-free foods if you cannot tolerate dairy.   Another thing the USDA mentions to look out for are portion sizes and to try and eat as much food each day in order to maintain a healthy weight.
Guidelines for the National Institute of Aging state that physically inactive women 50 years and older need to consume about 1600 calories a day and moderately active women need about 1800 calories.  If you are a 50 year or older woman leading a very active lifestyle, you need to consume approximately 2,000 calories daily.  Inactive men 50+ only need 2,000 calories, somewhat active men about 2200-2400 and very active men about 2400-2800 calories.
MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest.”  We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve.   Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, home-like atmosphere.    
Sources:

Choosemyplateprod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tentips/DGTipsheet42ChoosingHealthyMealsAsYouGetOlder.pdf, nihseniorhealth.gov/eatingwellasyougetolder/benefitsofeatingwell/01.html

Monday, July 3, 2017

Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s is Difficult to Do Alone


The Alzheimer’s Association just released a new survey on June 1 in conjunction with the start of the Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month.  To summarize, the Association found that while 91 percent of respondents agreed that “it often takes a village to provide care for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, far too many caregivers are doing it alone.” 

In fact 64 percent of caregivers said they felt isolated or alone in their situation and 84 percent wished they had more support with caregiving tasks, especially from other family members.  However the number one reason people stated that they did offer help was they felt another person had assumed the responsibilities.  Other respondents said they lived too far away to make it practical to assist with daily care.    

Ruth Drew, the Director of Family and Information Services for the Alzheimer’s Association, explains that the problem is only going to get worse as life expectancies are getting longer and the number of older Americans is growing.  If there is no cure in the next couple of decades, statistics indicate that Alzheimer’s disease will almost triple by 2050 and increase from the 5.5 million afflicted today to 16 million.  Ms. Drew added that most families are unprepared and have not planned for the devastating toll this disease can inflict.   

Please remember that the Alzheimer’s Association is a great resource and can help people navigate the disease with tools such as a 24/7 helpline, videos, infographics, and guidance on financial and legal planning.  Furthermore, families will find tips on long-distance caregiving and care coordination to help families better manage caregiver responsibilities as well as a community resource finder to help connect families with local resources. 

At the MorningStar at Jordan’s Reflections Neighborhood, we feel honored to be able to care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.  We offer 29 secure studio,one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites designed to allow residents to move freely about in spacious surroundings including enclosed courtyards and strolling paths.  Our highly individualized care ensures each resident is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. 

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest.”  We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve.   Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, home-like atmosphere.     

Source: alz.org/documents_custom/2017_abam_natl_pr_060117.pdf