Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

Medical News Today reports that there is most likely already a significant amount of tissue damage in the brain by the time a person starts to display the common signs of Alzheimer’s.  This has prompted scientists to propose that specific psychiatric symptoms such as “depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, and loss of appetite – may serve as markers of very early brain changes in Alzheimer's.”    

Several groups of researchers, including the University of California in San Francisco and the Brazilian Biobank for Aging Studies (BBAS) at the University of São Paulo, recently published a paper based on their findings in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.  Studying postmortem brain tissue tests, the group compared them to a range of psychiatric symptoms they discovered in the individuals after speaking to people who knew the deceased well.  This has lead researchers to suggest that the person’s “psychiatric symptoms are not the cause of Alzheimer’s but more likely early indicators of the disease.” 

Researchers say that identifying such symptoms as the early signs of Alzheimer’s may help doctors to diagnose the disease much earlier and give the person more opportunity to take steps to slow the progression of the disease.  In addition scientists note that earlier diagnoses could save trillions of dollars in future medical costs and care. 

If you are looking at Alzheimer homes in the Colorado Springs area, we invite you to contact us to learn more about MorningStar at Bear Creek.  Our highly trained loving and compassionate team are dementia care specialists that feel privileged to serve our most “tender residents.”  We also consider caring and supporting family members as part of our job as we understand that dementia can be a scary road.  Please visit our website to inquire about availability and pricing as well as to set up a tour. 

MorningStar at Bear Creek embodies the very best in Alzheimer homes with a distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest”.  With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing seniors and investing in a staff with a felt calling to serve, we offer loving, compassionate care within a beautiful home-like setting.  Please set up a tour to see for yourself our exceptional community.

Source:  medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323366.php

Luxury Senior Living Offering a 5 Star Dining Experience

MorningStar of Billings strives to provide residents with all of the amenities and services they need to ensure carefree retirement years.  As part of those amenities, we proudly offer residents meals that are as delicious as they are nutritious. 

Daily meals are prepared under the direction of our Executive Chef, Jim Carlson.  Jim grew up Minnesota where every Sunday his family dined with the residents of a skilled nursing home where father was the administrator.  Early-on, Jim was impressed with the residents’ various life stories, and gained an abiding respect for his elders.

MorningStar of Billings’ cuisine is much the richer for Jim’s many stints as a chef in restaurants of every ethnicity and style, from American diners to haute cuisine, and from hotels to catering.  Throughout this vast experience, Jim learned he loved working at places where he had “regulars” that allowed him to honed his skills at perfecting a meal just how the customer wanted it. 

Senior living is an ideal fit for Jim as it gives him a steadfast group of regulars that are both appreciative and loyal.  His delightful meals serve the needs of our independent and assisted living residents by evoking the traditional fare of their generation.  Prepared largely from scratch, each meal includes the freshest ingredients and Jim is open to all suggestions from our residents. 

Our meals also include BrainWise super foods that are known to support brain health with their high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These include foods such as acai and other berries, fish, nuts, dark chocolate, and dark leafy greens. 

Please visit MorningStar of Billings to learn more about our wide variety of amenities and services.  Currently we are offering a 2-year rate freeze for our assisted living suites (rent only) and a lifetime rate for memory care (suite and care).  Use our convenient online links to find out about availability and pricing or 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 visit our website to set up a tour to see firsthand why we are one of Billings’ best senior living facilities. 

Medicare Offers Free Services

Many seniors on Medicare are unaware of some of the benefits provided that make it easier to take better care of your health.  Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), free preventive care was expanded including a range of free services to Medicare recipients.

One of the services offered to a new Medicare recipient is a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit during the first 12 months you are on Part B.  During your visit, your physician will review your medical history and screen you for a variety of conditions including a risk for depression and update vaccinations.  They will also discuss future services you may need.   If you have already been on Medicare Part B for more than 12 months, you are eligible for a free annual wellness visit.  Please keep in mind that while this visit is offered at no cost, your doctor may order tests or procedures not covered by Medicare. 

Other wellness services offered to Medicare recipients at no cost include an annual screening mammogram. (If you have a diagnostic mammogram, you will be responsible for a copay and a Part B deductible.)   If you are a senior with a history of high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, obesity, high blood sugar levels, or other qualifying conditions, you are eligible for two free diabetes screenings a year.  

If you are not at risk for colorectal cancer, you are entitled to a free colonoscopy once every ten years.  Anyone at high risk is eligible for a colonoscopy every 24 months.  All males on Medicare are eligible for an annual free PSA test.  Additionally, Medicare will pay for annual flu shots, vaccines to prevent pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia, and shots for hepatitis B (for those at high or medium risk).   Currently the Shingles vaccine is not covered by Medicare Part A or B (check to see if it is covered by your supplemental plan).  

 

MorningStar at Bear Creek embodies the very best in Alzheimer homes with a distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest”.  With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing seniors and investing in a staff with a felt calling to serve, we offer loving, compassionate care within a beautiful home-like setting.  Please set up a tour to see for yourself our exceptional community.

Source: aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2017/medicare-free-medical-tests-fd.html

Read the Rave Reviews for MorningStar at Arrowhead!

We think that Morningstar at Arrowhead offers the finest in retirement homes but you do not have to just take our word for it.  With a mission to ensure the every comfort and wellbeing of our residents, we feel honored to have so many families as well as residents express their appreciation and high regard for our community. We would like to take a moment to share a few.

One example comes from a family member of a former resident.  She states that her Mom was a resident at MorningStar at Arrowhead for the last eight months of her life.  She also says, “While I am saddened by her death, the whole experience at MorningStar was good. I definitely recommend them. The staff made my Mom very comfortable and I was pleased with the quality of care she received.”

We were especially gratified when the son of a resident wrote a glowing review where he explains how happy his mother is living in our community.  He says, “From the very first interaction, it was apparent that they treat their residents more like guests than like patients. This is true from the staff in the dining room all the way up to the management level staff. They are all very friendly, professional and polite, courteous and great to deal with. They communicate well and are upfront about everything.”  He ends his review by stating that, “There also seems to be a spiritual component to the facility that makes my mother feel comfortable and gives me confidence that choosing MorningStar Assisted Living was the right decision. She is being well taken care of.”

At MorningStar at Arrowhead, we have 60 private assisted living suites on two levels.  Our gorgeous suites are available in a variety of configurations including spacious studio and one and two-bedroom floorplans with some over 600 square feet.  We have another 25 suites in our Reflections Neighborhood dedicated to the specialized care of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.  Please visit our website for more information and to set up a tour.

MorningStar at Arrowhead provides the very best in retirement homes 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 in a beautiful setting.  We invite you to schedule a tour to discover our exceptional assisted living and memory care community.   

We Provide Support to Families

At MorningStar at Bear Creek, we do not just care for our residents’ needs but also provide support to their families.  We know that a dementia diagnosis and prognosis is met with all kinds of questions and anxiety, and part of our job is to help families cope with the uncertainty.  As they try to adjust to their new reality, we deliver hope, and for the memory-impaired, hope comes wrapped in intentionality and creativity.

Our extensive experience in dementia care has shown us that healing always comes from human touch, from empathy, and from purposeful engagement.  Dementia sufferers live in a purple world – an alternative reality, and the best way to reach them is to “get purple” too.  Right from the beginning of our relationship with a resident, we find out as much as we can about their history, their preferences and special talents and use that to help us sort through what their behavior is really trying to communicate.  For example, if a resident is getting agitated and saying they must go home, we respond with, “Tell me about your home; what is it like? Why do you love it so?”  

In addition our team encourages families not to dwell on what has been lost but rather to be surprised by what is found.  We have discovered that if we truly enter the moment, we can embrace what comes next.  To help guide our families, we recommend they learn as much as they can about the disease because with understanding, comes acceptance.  We also think it is beneficial to join an Alzheimer’s Association support group.  Lastly our families are always welcomed and encouraged to join us as we participate in one of our Alzheimer’s Association events to help raise funds and awareness of the disease.

Please visit our website to learn more about our compassionate, loving community.  While you are there, use the link on our home page to setup a tour or to inquire about pricing and availability. 

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 in a magnificent setting. Contact us to schedule a visit to learn more about our loving dementia care.

Why Choose MorningStar of Billings?

You may have found that there are several senior living facilities in and around Billings and may be wondering what sets MorningStar of Billings apart from all the others.  To start with, we offer seniors a wide range of senior living options that start with our comfortable independent living with private suites and spacious common areas including a pool.  MorningStar’s assisted living is designed for those who want to maintain their independence but require some help with their day-to-day personal care activities.  For our most active seniors, we offer stylish patio homes situated on our beautiful park-like campus. 

We are also proud to have earned a reputation as one of the leading memory care facilities in the Western U.S.  Our Reflections Neighborhood offers a holistic approach to caring for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. 

However the thing that really sets us apart from other area senior living communities is our unique mission statements.  MorningStar Senior Living was founded by Ken Jaeger, whose intention has always been to provide senior housing that feels like a loving home (just like his grandmother’s) and offers a sense of “family.”  Our mission statements start by honoring God in all of our business practices and relationships; valuing all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals; and investing heavily in our teams’ ability to serve well.

MorningStar of Billings’ extraordinary team is another reason we stand out from the rest.  Our team selection starts with heart, and we specifically seek out individuals who have a felt calling to serve and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure residents receive first-class care and services.  Furthermore we train our entire team in our culture we call Radiance, which lovingly guides the way we deliver service. 

We invite you to visit our website for more information.  While you are there, follow our link to inquire about availability and pricing or to set up a tour to see firsthand our beautiful community.  We want you to know we are offering a 2-year rate freeze (rent only) for assisted living, and a lifetime rate on memory care (on both rent and care) for a limited time. 

MorningStar Senior Living of Billings represents the finest in senior living with our unique mission statement: “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents.  Visit our website to schedule an appointment to tour one of the area’s premier senior living facilities.     

The Cost of Senior Living Communities

Do you have a loved one who needs a little assistance on a daily basis but you have shied away from senior living as you thought it was too expensive?  MorningStar at Arrowhead invites you to take a more in-depth look at assisted living and to consider all of the advantages and benefits it offers to residents. 

It may be you have heard about the monthly cost of assisted living from friends or acquaintances and thought it was more than you or your parent could handle.  While that may be true, have you factored in the real costs of a community such as MorningStar at Arrowhead as compared to mom or dad living in their own home?  Keep in mind that MorningStar’s monthly suite rental includes the resident’s meals along with a whole range of services and amenities such as scheduled transportation, housekeeping, and laundry services.  

If your parent is still maintaining a home, their expenses now include property taxes, home insurance, utilities, home maintenance and repairs.  Also you may have the costs of home care providers coming in to help your parent as well as paying for someone to take them to doctor appointments, run errands and buy groceries.  They may even need someone to prepare meals for them.  This doesn’t even include the costs of retrofitting a home to accommodate your parent’s lack of mobility such as the need to provide a ramp to their home and widening doors and hallways to accommodate a wheelchair. 

At MorningStar the monthly suite rental also includes a 24-hour care staff and an emergency call service along with a range of wellness and leisure activities, health monitoring, and much more.  Our residents are treated to three daily meals and snacks prepared by our Executive Chef and designed to be tasty as well as nutritional.  Please see our website to learn more about our exceptional community.

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Arrowhead represents the best in 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 schedule a visit to experience one of the area’s finest senior living communities.        

Finding a Gift for Someone with Dementia

Did you have a hard time choosing a gift for your elderly loved ones this past holiday season?  Not only do many older adults live in smaller, paired down housing with not much room for a more “stuff,” but most likely do not need much.  It is especially difficult to know what to get if a loved one is suffering from dementia.  Experts suggest you help them find ways to reminisce about their lives and accomplishments, and give them things that will bring a smile to their face and some joy into their life.

   

Many ideas for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia include personalized gifts.  One such gift is a talking photo book that allows you to record your own person commentary to go along with each photograph.  This can be a fun book to sit and enjoy with your family member as it helps to trigger memories and conversation.  Many companies offer such books, and prices typically vary with the amount of photos and recording time available. 

Buying an interactive book (the Alzheimer’s Association’s store has many) featuring vivid photographs and large print on a subject your mom or dad love such as animals or flowers can also promote conversation and provide a way to spend relaxing time together.  To ease stress or agitation, you may want to look into getting them a fiddle muff.  A fiddle muff can provide comfort and warmth as well as activity to promote increased hand flexibility and brain stimulation.

Another meaningful gift is a cozy, customized blanket filled with photos of the grandkids or a beloved family pet.  On the Internet you can find companies that will do a collage of family photos or a singular one in a variety of materials.  Many of the blankets have surprisingly sharp images and can be machined washed and dried. 

If the person has a hard time falling asleep or relaxing, calming visual and or audio stimulation may help.  Several companies have all-in-one cubes that offer a range of calming music and visual displays that can turn the ceiling into a beautiful night sky.  

If you are a family member searching for quality dementia care for your loved one, we encourage you to consider MorningStar at Bear Creek.  We have 48 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. 

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 in a magnificent setting. Contact us to schedule a visit to learn more about our loving dementia care.

Positive Feedback from Residents and Their Families

While MorningStar of Fort Collins feels honored to provide senior care, and consider seniors to be heroes, we are gratified to get positive feedback from residents and their families. As we deliberately hire the type of individuals who have perfected the art of anticipating needs and go the extra mile even when no one is watching, it is great to hear their service is recognized and appreciated. 

One resident wrote about his experience with the headline: Very Happy Here! A Blessing for Me! He explains that, “MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care of Fort Collins hires first-class people who are talented and very well trained! They are very responsive and I cannot say enough good things about them. I am very happy that I live in a nice facility with beautiful views. The activities are great and they always have something to do.” He adds that he was not happy prior to moving into MorningStar but he is now in a good frame of mind and very happy. He concludes with “I cannot tell you what these people and this facility has done for me.”

One resident’s daughter wrote about the quality of care her mom received at MorningStar of Fort Collins. She says, “MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care is a good facility. They're very caring and professional. I feel like they want the best for the person and I appreciate that. The caregivers are considerate and competent. The other staff members are responsive and communicative with the family members.”

Another resident’s headline finds MorningStar: “Receptive and Responsive to Suggestions!” She explains that, “I have been a resident at MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care for about nine months. They're not perfect but they try very hard to make sure everything is right.” She goes on to say that “its not perfect here” but she knows she is unable to live alone and the MorningStar staff is receptive to her suggestions to make her quality of life better.

Please visit our website to discover Fort Collins’ finest assisted living and memory care. Our committed team strives to offer each resident the utmost comfort, wellness and community. 

At MorningStar of Fort Collins, 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 in a beautiful, serene setting. Please schedule a visit to experience firsthand our beautiful senior care community.

UTIs Can Go Undetected in the Elderly

If a young woman experiences burning and irritation when urinating, she visits her doctor and is most likely diagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI).  However it can be a different story for elderly adults as they rarely have any of the common symptoms or discomforts associated with UTIs and may be unaware they have an infection.  Anna Treinkman, a nurse practitioner at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago and president of the National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners, explains that as we age, our immune response changes and no longer functions at optimal levels.     

UTIs are the body’s second most common infection and are generally easy to treat.  However in the elderly, an undetected UTI can mimic other, much more serious conditions including dementia.  “UTIs, for instance, are a leading cause of sepsis, a potentially life-threatening infection of the bloodstream.” 

UTI symptoms in the elderly can also manifest in a range of behaviors such as disorientation, agitation, confusion, dizziness and poor motor skills.  These in turn can increase the risk for falls and even result in depression or sudden urinary incontinence.  Another reason the UTI may go untreated is that the symptoms are attributed to more serious illnesses or simply to old age. 

If you suspect a UTI, a simple urinalysis can be performed to confirm the infection and get treatment started.  Most cases are cured by antibiotics within a few days to a few weeks depending on the severity of the infection and other health problems affecting the person. 

Along with medication, your doctor will recommend drinking four to six 8-ounce glasses water a day, and may ask that you add cranberry juice or cranberry tablets to your diet.  This will help flush the infection from the system. 

As one of the top senior living facilities in Billings, MT, MorningStar of Billings provides the area with independent living, assisted living and memory care.  We encourage you to visit our website to set up a tour or to inquire about pricing and availability.   

This blog is for informational purposes only.  Please consult your healthcare provider

if you experience any medical problem.

MorningStar Senior Living of Billings represents the finest in senior living with a unique mission statement of: “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Proving a true home for residents, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  Providing independent and assisted living and memory care, we invite you to schedule a tour to experience one of the area’s top senior living facilities.    

Source:

aplaceformom.com/planning-and-advice/articles/elderly-urinary-tract-infections

seniorliving.org/healthcare/uti/

Learn More About MorningStar at Arrowhead

While MorningStar at Arrowhead is proud to provide high-quality assisted living and memory care for seniors, we also provide our families with some lesser known services.  One example is our Companion Living option that is designed for two unrelated people of the same sex to share an assisted living or memory care suite. 

This is an ideal solution for those wishing to share expenses as the rent of the suite is split between the two residents as well as a way to build a lasting friendship.  Even if you do not have someone in mind to share a suite, we will help you find a roommate and go to great lengths to match you with an individual who has common interests and a similar background. 

A roommate can also help to ease your transition to senior living.  You and your roommate can look out for one another, and as you are familiar with each another’s habits and personalities, may be the first person to notice changes in health and abilities.  Shared lives can help to boost health through improved sleeping patterns and an increased appetite.  When you take advantage of companion living, you are still offered all of the personalized care and first-class amenities extended to our other residents.    

We also feel privileged to have veterans as part of our community and when we hear of vets who are interested in our community, we are pleased to direct them to the local resources that can expertly handle their application process for “Aid & Attendance.”  This is monthly benefit payments extended through the V.A. to certain wartime Veterans (and their survivors) with financial need and physician orders for regular assistance with the activities of daily living.

Please visit our website to learn more about these and our other programs designed to serve our seniors.  Offering both assisted living and memory care, we are committed to giving our residents a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community.

MorningStar at Arrowhead represents the finest in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Arrowhead’s foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, all directed at creating a true home for our residents. Contact us to schedule a tour to fully experience our exceptional senior living community.

MorningStar at Bear Creek Offers Individualized, Compassionate Memory Care

At MorningStar at Bear Creek, we proudly offer the Colorado Springs area individualized assisted living for dementia residents.  As experienced specialists in caring for those with memory loss from Alzheimer’s or other dementia-related diseases, our community is equipped to care for those at the onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages.

Our loving and compassionate team considers it their calling as well as their privilege to care for your loved one. MorningStar’s holistic approach to memory care incorporates some of the most respected research-based care programs available. Our comprehensive care also includes assisting families to better understand and cope with the disease. 

When a resident joins our community, we spend time with them and their family to learn as much as we can about their life before the memory loss including their talents, vocation, and preferences.  From there, we create a daily care plan based on their needs and designed to stimulate or calm in response to their mood or situation.  We know that whatever the form of dementia, a person’s essence remains and our calling is to find ways to connect with and nurture that essence. 

MorningStar at Bear Creek is proud to have earned the “Recognized Leaders in Dementia Care” designation from the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado chapter for our expertise in serving the memory impaired.   Designed to help families research and compare memory care communities, the designation requires a community to enroll 75% of its staff in an eight-hour training that encompasses brain pathology, communication techniques, and methods of lessening agitation with non-pharmaceuticals.

Please visit our website to learn more about our exceptional community.

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 within an ideal setting and invite you to schedule a tour to see firsthand the best assisted living for dementia residents in Colorado Springs.

MorningStar at Arrowhead Offers Residents a Special Way to Connect

MorningStar at Arrowhead is pleased to offer our assisted living and memory care residents a state-of-the-art way to connect with the “It’s Never 2 Late” technology that combines touchscreen computers with intuitive, picture-based software.  The revolutionary engagement system contains a library of 3,000 ways to connect socially, spiritually, and intellectually and offers physical stimulation and emotional support.    

The intuitive design provides numerous user-friendly components to ensure it is easy for all of our residents to comfortably use the computer program regardless of their abilities or limitations.  With a simple press of a button, the user can launch hundreds of applications designed for recreation or social connections.

The program simplifies email and offers webchats using Skype, an array of online newspapers and easy navigation of the web.  Each user can personalize their experience on iN2L by setting up a “My Page,” in order to easily access their favorite games, email addresses, family photos, and favorite websites.  A resident’s My Page can be used to foster interactions between family members and to keep up-to-date on events and goings on through Skype and email.  

All of the program’s activities are adapted to engage residents’ interest and unique abilities and include trivia, puzzle and brain games designed to entertain as well as to maintain brain functions.  In addition it also has inspirational videos, sermons, history, quizzes and interactive virtual tours to name but a few of the many features. 

Health and Wellness programs offer a balance of spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional and social.  Also iN2L includes a fall prevention program and multiple exercise videos designed to improve strength and balance.  There is even a therapy component to iN2L that can be used to enhance speech, physical and occupational therapy experiences.   For our memory care residents, there is stimulating engagement content categorized to reflect different levels of cognition and to keep the person entertained and connected.

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Arrowhead represents the finest in assisted living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Arrowhead’s foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, all directed at creating a true home for our residents. Contact us to schedule a tour to fully experience the finest assisted living in the area.

Hearing Loss is Extremely Common in the Elderly

The Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals (AIHHP) recommends that seniors age 60 and older get a hearing test every two years and warn that hearing loss is difficult to detect without a professional assessment.  Additionally the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) explains that hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting elderly adults.  Their statistics show, “Approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.”

If you suspect that you are experiencing hearing loss, the NIDCD recommends that you start by talking to your health care provider.  He or she may refer you to an otolaryngologist who will attempt to diagnose why you are experiencing hearing loss.  From there you may be sent to an audiologist to be fitted for a hearing aid.  Hearing aids are primarily used for hearing loss from damage to the small sensory cells in the inner ear, known as hair cells, and referred to as sensorineural hearing loss. 

Hearing loss may be caused by disease or injury, loud noises, or aging, which is known as Presbycusis and hearing aids are just one course of treatment.  In the case of severe hearing loss a small electronic device known as a cochlear implant is surgically implanted in the inner ear.   Other solutions include amplifying devices and closed circuit systems. 

The NIDCD advises that having trouble hearing can make it difficult to understand and follow a doctor's advice, to respond to warnings, and to hear doorbells and alarms.  In addition loss of hearing can make it difficult to join in conversations with family and friends.  The NIDCD’s website has a helpful checklist to help you determine if it is time to consult your doctor regarding your hearing. 

This post is intended for informational purposes only.  Please contact your health care provider with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health.

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 within an ideal setting and invite you to schedule a tour to see firsthand the best assisted living for dementia residents in Colorado Springs.

Sources: aihhp.org/your-hearing/routine-hearing-checks-how-often/

nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-older-adults