Promising News That Indicates a Decline in the Number of New Cases of Dementia

 

Researchers are studying promising news that indicates a decline in the number of new cases of dementia. The Aug. 4, 2020, issue of Neurology published a report from the Alzheimer's Research Consortium, which looked at data from people over the age of 65 in both Europe and North America. Their findings show the percentage of people diagnosed with dementia has dropped 13% every 10 years over the past 30 years.

This does not mean that dementia is not a widespread problem. As life expectancy has improved along with the number of people on the planet, so has the number of adults with dementia increased. However, what researchers are pleased to see after looking at seven different studies is that new cases are actually lower than what we had been expecting based on the rate of the increases of several decades ago. Scientists believe that the decline may be due to “treatment for dementia risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation.”

For exceptional memory care, Colorado Springs’ MorningStar at Bear Creek provides compassionate, individualized care for those with mild to advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Our unique approach to memory care includes finding ways to connect with and nurture the individual essence of each resident, and our energy is put toward finding ways to celebrate and elevate life. Along with individualized care plans, residents receive 24-hour care, daily health monitoring, access to a full-time nurse, and participate in wellness programs and services tailored to their special needs. Please visit our website to learn more.

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. Visit our website for more information about the finest memory care Colorado Springs has to offer.

Source: health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dementia-declining-in-the-united-states

Looking for Assisted Living in the Glendale, AZ Area?

 

 

 

 

 

MorningStar at Arrowhead wants to reassure families considering assisted living that if they put their loved ones into our home, we will see to it they receive the care they need. Before the resident even moves in, our Wellness Director will meet with the family to thoroughly discuss the person’s medical history, current health condition, medications, and personal preferences. In addition, we regularly review, evaluate, and update care plans to ensure changing needs are addressed.

As a family member, some of your concerns may be focused on your parent or loved one’s medications especially if they have had problems taking them on time, all the time, or incorrectly. If you want to know if we offer medication management, the answer is yes, and we also offer pharmacy services. We consider medication management to be an important service to our residents as we know many seniors with chronic health conditions take several prescription medications daily, which can result in missed or improper dosages.

Your initial meeting with our Wellness Director is also a good time to discuss concerns such as a parent who has been losing weight recently and who may not be eating properly. Or it may be you worry they are not drinking enough fluids each day. We have an answer to both problems as our 5-star meal service is designed to be both nutritional as well as to temp the appetite of our most discerning residents. To help keep our residents hydrated, we make sure their have plenty of opportunities to drink throughout the day.

Along with our compassionate care services and resort-style amenities, residents have a choice of well-designed floorplans that are sure to meet a variety of preferences and needs. Within our 60 assisted living suites, we offer floorplans that include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom configurations that provide residents privacy, comfort, and security. You will find all of our suites have high ceilings, large windows, wall-to-wall carpeting and mini blinds and all that is missing to make it home is your own furnishings and personal items. Moreover, if you are wondering, we are pet friendly!

For more information about one of the best retirement communities Glendale, AZ offers, we encourage you to visit our website for contact information as well to inquire about pricing and availability.

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other retirement communities Glendale, AZ has to offer. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar at Arrowhead provides outstanding assisted living and memory care.

Our Home is Staffed by a Team of Compassionate Caregivers

 

As one of the area’s top senior living communities, our MorningStar of Billings’ team feels it is our calling – our privilege to serve seniors. In fact our staff tells us all the time how serving others has helped to change their own lives as one MorningStar team member so eloquently writes: “Seniors help me to realize we need to enjoy and make the most of every day with our loved ones because life is short and precious.”

Another team member relates that “seniors teach me to love more, have compassion, appreciation, and respect. The shared memories of our seniors help us to understand life, stimulate our development, and help us to evaluate ourselves positively. Respecting the rights and dignity of our seniors is the first step in establishing a satisfactory relationship between them and us."

Now read a review from a family of one of our residents who writes, “I don’t really know where to start. My mother lived in Morning Star independent living for about 17 months and then the memory care for about 3 months before she passed away on April 25. The people that work at Morning Star are the most amazing people!! They treat the residents and their families with love and kindness. They go beyond the call of duty. My mother was always treated with respect and dignity. I will never forget that. Ever.”

It is comments like these that continue to motivate our team to come to work each day with a smile on their face. We invite you to visit MorningStar of Billings’ website and learn more about our many senior living options including independent living, assisted living, memory care, companion living and respite care. While you are there, check out our floor plans and the full list of amenities and care services. We also offer information regarding “Affordability,” including helpful tips for Vets requiring assistance with their ADLs, (activities of daily living).

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 contact us to learn more about unparalleled independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Encourage Those with Dementia to Stay Engaged

 

It is important for family members and caregivers to remember that while a person with Alzheimer’s or another dementia-related disease may be declining cognitively, they still have some abilities. Encouraging them to stay involved in meaningful activities is a good way to give them a sense of self-worth and purpose. In fact, a published report from the National Institute of Health states, “engaging older persons with dementia in appropriate activities has been shown to yield beneficial effects such as increasing positive emotions, improving activities of daily living (ADL) and improving the quality of life.” It goes on to say it is important for those with dementia to stay as active and engaged as possible and that “it may even help to maintain quality of life in the more advanced stages of the disease.”

As to what kinds of activities are the most effective, studies suggests trying to stimulate all five senses: sight, touch, sound, taste and smell; and the creative arts are a good place to start. Singing is not only enjoyable but several studies have shown it to be one of the last abilities many of those with Alzheimer’s lose. People can often remember the words to a song long after many other memories are gone. Listening to music and dancing are other activities beneficial to those with dementia. Dancing has even been shown to help stimulate social interaction, enhance mood, reduce anxiety and depression, and increase self-awareness and self-expression. Walking and getting outside can also lift spirits, but as gait can be adversely affected by Alzheimer’s, evaluate the person’s ability to walk safely.

At MorningStar at Bear Creek, a memory care assisted living community, we have 48 secure suites devoted to the care of those with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Our holistic care is individualized for each resident and designed to stimulate or calm in response to a particular mood or situation. Each day is filled with activities that incorporate music, dance, art, aromatherapy, or animals to heal and comfort residents. Please visit our website to learn more about our home, our staff and the philosophy that guides our care.

MorningStar at Bear Creek brings a unique vision to senior living with our mission statement “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 contact us for more information about Colorado Springs’ finest memory care assisted living.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684326

Soup Not Only Tastes Good this Time of Year but is Good for Us!

 

While many of us love a tasty, fresh salad in the heat of summer, there is nothing more satisfying than a hearty bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day. Moreover nutritional experts say soup is a good way to add more vegetables to our diet as well as help keep us hydrated during the dry winter air.

Soup also can help us lose weight by making us feel much fuller, and thus not consuming as many other calories during the meal. Thick soups even take more time to empty out of our stomachs so we will feel fuller for a longer period of time.

In addition the old adage about eating chicken soup when we are sick actually has been backed up by studies that show eating a bowl of chicken soup may help clear nasal congestion and offers a mild anti-inflammatory effect that lessens cold symptoms. It is great comfort food and can be soothing to an upset stomach or a good choice for anyone with chewing problems.

However be sure to watch out for the high sodium content in many canned soups, and if salt is a problem, choose a sodium-reduced option. If you are making your own soup, you can use water or low-sodium broth. Experts say eating a bowl of soup also requires mindfulness as you get the chance to savor the flavors as you slowly sip it rather than gulping it down as it is all too easy to do with other types of foods.

At the MorningStar of Billings, we offer unsurpassed independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Our beautiful community has 32 free-standing cottages and another 72 bright suites for independent living as well as 70 suites for assisted living. For seniors with Alzheimer’s or other dementia-related diseases, we provide compassionate, professional memory care within our 36 secure suites. Also as a new resident, you will have priority access to the COVID vaccine.

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. Please visit our website for pricing and availability to one of the area’s top senior living facilities.

Source:

health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/slideshows/reasons-to-eat-more-soup?slide=2

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Heart Disease

 

Each February, American Heart Month is celebrated by motivating Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Many organizations such as the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health use this opportunity to raise awareness and spread strategies for preventing the disease.

Some of their suggestions for prevention include small lifestyle changes such as flavoring food with spices rather than using salt as well as adopting overall healthier eating habits. They recommend staying active (or get active) and maintaining a healthy weight. Also, to control cholesterol and blood pressure levels. If you smoke, quit and avoid secondhand smoke. If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. It is also important to manage stress.

Remember you are at a greater risk for heart disease if you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, are overweight or obese, and are not exercising and following a healthy diet. Genetics may also put you at a higher risk as well as your age. If you had a father or brother with heart disease before age 55 or a mother or sister with the disease before 65, it may indicate a family history.

The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as coronary artery disease. This causes the coronary arteries that carry blood to the heart to become blocked by cholesterol and plaque buildup. Chest pains or a heart attack are a sign of a blocked artery.

At MorningStar at Arrowhead, a Glendale, AZ assisted living and memory care community, we take our residents wellbeing very seriously, which is why we serve delicious, nutritional meals prepared largely from scratch using the freshest ingredients. In addition, we have a range of wellness programs and activities that support and enhance physical, mental, and spiritual health. Visit our website to learn what sets our community apart from other retirement homes Glendale offers and why our residents are happy to call MorningStar “home.”

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other retirement homes Glendale, AZ has to offer. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar at Arrowhead provides outstanding assisted living and memory care.

Source: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-month

Wondering if Red Wine Really is Good for Your Heart?

 

While we have heard for years that red wine is good for our heart health, researchers have taken a deeper look to find out if it is really true. Medical experts say the idea probably got started in the late 1980s as a way to explain the low rate of heart disease in the French despite their love for cheese and other fatty foods.

Known as the “French Paradox,” scientists started studying the properties of red and purple grapes used to make red wines, which lead to the discovery of the beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols including one called resveratrol. In addition research was done around the Mediterranean diet that also appears to lessen the risk for heart disease and strokes as it too includes drinking red wine.

However Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, an internist at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, says actual evidence to support red wine and heart health is not very strong and the research up to now has been more observational. In terms of resveratrol, studies vary on the benefits and doctors say at best you simply eat red and purple grapes. In fact doctors think that earlier studies touting the benefits of red wine did not take into account the other lifestyle habits of the French such as exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and diet. Another reason that points to red wine not offering all of the heart benefits we earlier thought is researchers say Japan has an even lower rate of heart disease than the French. In their case, they “drink a lot of beer and clear spirits, but hardly any red wine.”

Medical experts say the bottom line is if you enjoy wine, drink it in moderation. A serving of wine is 5 ounces so measure it out in your wine glasses as most are quite large. Moreover the older we get, we need to watch our consumption of alcohol. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the American Geriatric Society recommend that starting at age 65, men especially should limit their alcohol use to no more than a single drink per day.

At the MorningStar of Billings senior living community, we consider serving seniors our calling as well as our privilege. Our beautiful home offers independent living, assisted living and memory care. Please give us a call to learn more and to inquire about availability and pricing.

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. Please contact us for more about one of the most trusted senior living facilities in Billings.

Source:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281#:~:text=Red%20wine%2C%20in%20moderation%2C%20has,that%20leads%20to%20heart%20attacks.

Falls that Result in Serious Injury are Common in Those Over Sixty-Five

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that each year, one out of every five Americans aged 65 years and older has a fall that results in broken bones or a head injury. However, medical professionals say while it is important for seniors to take precautions to prevent falls as injuries can be serious, they also remind us that regardless of how old we are, it is beneficial for our overall health to keep moving. Experts explain that failing to engage in “mild exercise on a regular basis results in reduced muscle strength, decreased bone mass, loss of balance and coordination, and reduced flexibility.”

They go on to say that despite commonly held beliefs, falls are not a normal part of aging and there are things you can do to help keep you on your feet and mitigate the risk of a fall. Their first advice is to talk to your doctor about your risk and prevention. Tell them if you have fallen and discuss your medications to see if side effects include dizziness or sleepiness that could contribute to falls.

While falls are common in seniors 65 years of age and older, individuals with dementia are at an even greater risk. Researchers say there are several reasons for this including gait and balance issues as well as problems concentrating and with staying focused on the task at hand. Other issues that may increase the risk of falls include poor eyesight and chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s, and arthritis or numbness in the feet. If you often feel dizzy or lightheaded upon standing or suddenly sitting up, ask your doctor if you might have postural hypotension, and find out how you can alleviate the symptoms.

Further tips to reduce your risk include having your eyes checked annually and updating your glasses when needed. In addition, talk to your doctor about the best footwear for inside the house as well as outside. Check your home for trip hazards (the CDC has a list of tips) and install grab bars in the bathroom. Finally, ask your doctor about exercises to strengthen your leg muscles as well as balance-training exercises to improve balance.

If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another dementia-related disease, please visit our website to learn more about the best memory care Colorado Springs offers. Our community was designed from the ground up to provide a secure setting and address the unique needs of our most tender residents to ensure their safety and comfort. We encourage you to learn more about MorningStar and all of the amenities and services we provide to residents and their families alike.

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. Visit our website for more information about the finest memory care Colorado Springs has to offer.

Sources: cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-falls/

agingcare.com/articles/falls-in-elderly-people-133953.htm

alzinfo.org/articles/diagnosis/alzheimers-disease-increases-the-risk-of-falls/

Reduce Your Chance of Having a Stroke

 

The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that every 40 seconds a person has a stroke and every four minutes someone dies from one. While that is alarming, the AHA says that almost 80 percent of strokes can be prevented.

Did you know that one of the leading causes of strokes is high blood pressure, also called hypertension, and is the most prevalent health condition facing Americans? Statistics show one in four US adults have hypertension, and as people age, their blood pressure goes up. Experts now believe as many as 80% of people 65 years and older have hypertension and should take steps to reduce it. If you fall into that age group or are at risk for HBP, start by regularly monitoring your blood pressure. If high, work with your doctor to find ways to lower it including getting more exercise and eating a healthy diet.

Another way to help prevent strokes is to quit smoking. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream and forces the heart to work harder, which in turn, increases the likelihood of blood clots. Also, if you are diabetic, you need to manage the disease. The American Diabetes Association reports that diabetics are two to four times more likely to have a stroke than someone without the disease.

Exercise is another way to lower your risk. Doctors say 30 minutes of moderate exercise fives a week, like a brisk walk, yoga or dancing are beneficial. Moreover, if you are overweight, try to lose weight as obesity put you at risk for any number of health issues including stroke. And don’t forget to get your cholesterol checked. The AHA recommends everyone 20 years of age and over should have it done at least every 5 years. Check with your healthcare provider regarding other risks for stroke.

At MorningStar at Arrowhead, we have 60 stylish suites for assisted living and 25 secure suites for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory impairments. We define health and well-being holistically, and offer services and programming that supports the whole person: body, mind and spirit, which we believe makes MorningStar a destination for successful aging. If you are looking for one of the best retirement communities Glendale, AZ offers; we encourage you to visit our website to learn more about MorningStar at Arrowhead.

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other retirement communities Glendale, AZ has to offer. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar at Arrowhead provides outstanding assisted living and memory care.