Are You or a Loved Being Screened for Cognitive Decline?

Medical experts have found that many older adults are not being screened for cognitive decline during routine physical exams, and say it would be a good idea to do so. While many of us would be shocked to hear devastating news that we have early-stage Alzheimer’s, doctors say it is important to identify memory loss issues early as available treatments are more effective early-on. Moreover if it is determined you do have some memory loss, there are steps you can take to help slow down or mitigate the risk. 

Additionally if you are wondering if a cognitive test is expensive, Medicare does pay for an annual “wellness visit,” which is supposed to include a quick cognitive assessment to help identify some early warning signs of dementia. From there your doctor can recommend a more thorough examination. However according to a recent Alzheimer’s Association survey, over half of the respondents said their healthcare provider has never asked about their cognitive health, let alone administered a test. Less than a third said they had discussed memory and cognitive issues with a doctor. Joanne Pike, an Alzheimer’s Association chief program officer, says while, “Many older adults say they’ve noticed changes in their mental abilities, “the majority of the time seniors are waiting for the physician to bring it up.” 

So what does a cognitive assessment include? To start with your doctor will ask you directly if you have noticed any changes in your memory recently. If you have a family member with you, the doctor may ask them if they noticed any problems. You may be asked to take a short test, but often the assessment includes the doctor asking questions regarding your activities, your interests and how well you are functioning at home. In fact you may not even realize you are being cognitively assessed. 

At MorningStar of Billings we offer a holistic approach to memory care that includes creating an individualized, specialized care plan for each of our residents. In addition our beautiful campus offers independent living with a choice of 32 free-standing cottages and another 72 bright suites. We also have 70 assisted living suites designed to improve quality of life and help you maintain your independence. Please visit our website to learn more. 

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. Visit our website for more information regarding the area’s most trusted assisted living and independent living community.

Regardless of COVID-19, Get the Medical Attention You Need

The medical profession is worried that people have put off seeing a doctor or coming into the emergency room for medical conditions that demand immediate attention. While most states have come out of “stay at home” orders, doctors say there are still far too many people afraid to seek medical attention for critical care. 

Doctors fear that patients who need urgent care for conditions such as stokes, heart attacks, abdominal conditions, and bladder infections are not reaching out for help. Moreover, in some cases, by not seeking appropriate, timely assistance, there has been an uptick of people dying at home or suffering from irreversible damage caused by the lack of medical intervention. 

This is why hospitals and care providers around the country want to reassure the public that they are doing everything possible to keep you safe from catching the virus while getting the emergency care you need. In fact, most medical centers and hospitals have completely separated potential COVID-19 patients from the general public. To ensure you get the critical care you need, healthcare providers say it is “crucial that patients identify key symptoms early and call 911 as soon as possible, regardless of the pandemic situation” 

If you are looking for extraordinary senior living, Glendale’s MorningStar at Arrowhead offers residents a true “home” with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities. While temporarily closed to non-essential visitors due to COVID-19, we are still safely accepting new residents. We provide 60 well-appointed suites for assisted living in spacious studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. In addition, our Reflections Neighborhood has 25 secure suites devoted to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Please visit our website for a virtual tour of our beautiful community and use our email link to inquire about availability and pricing. 

MorningStar at Arrowhead offers the very best in assisted living and memory care with our 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 to create a true “home” for residents. Visit our website to learn more about the finest senior living Glendale AZ offers.

It's Common for Those with Dementia to Wander

The Alzheimer’s Association says that six in 10 people with dementia will wander. The danger with this is someone with Alzheimer’s disease may not remember their name, their address or how to get home. Furthermore, the more agitated the person becomes when they feel lost and disorientated, the less able they may be to tell someone something that could help get them safely back home. 

Experts say anyone suffering from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia that is mobile is at risk for wandering. Even if the person is in the early stages of the disease they may still get disorientated; but thankfully there are strategies to help keep your loved one safe. 

It is important to have a plan in place in the event that it should happen to your parent or another loved one. Find out if your area has a ”Safe Return Program” and enroll them in it and have them wear a GPS locating device at all times. Also, learn to recognize the warning signs of potential wandering such as: has the person forgotten how to get to familiar places, talks about going home even when they are home, gets confused as to where familiar places in the home are, and acts nervous or anxious in crowded areas. 

Tips to help prevent wandering include creating and sticking to a routine, identifying the times when wandering is most likely to occur, and try to make sure all of the person’s needs are met so they don’t feel the need to go out. In addition, reposition door locks out of the line of sight and make sure car keys are not left out. You can buy a device that sounds an alarm when a door or window is opened; and never leave the person locked in at home or in a car alone. 

Memory care communities such as MorningStar at Bear Creek are designed with a secure environment that encourages residents to safely explore their surroundings. Our residents can freely move about our home but we have special security features to prevent them from wandering out of our community. In addition, our dedicated staff is trained to keep residents engaged and safe. Please visit our website for more information about our compassionate, loving dementia care in Colorado Springs. 

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 an ideal setting. Contact us to learn more about the best dementia care in Colorado Springs. 

Sources:

alz.org/help-support/caregiving/stages-behaviors/wandering
agingcare.com/articles/when-is-it-time-to-place-a-loved-one-with-dementia-188309.htm

Our Community's Protocols are Evolving in Coordination with the State's

At MorningStar of Billings, we are extremely proud of our entire community’s response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. Our residents and their families have been highly supportive of our efforts to keep them or their loved ones safe; and our dedicated team members have stepped up and made it possible for us to protect the health and well-being of all those beneath our roof. 

We understand the stress our families were under and feel honored by the trust they placed in us to keep their mothers and fathers safe. Our MorningStar team also recognizes that for many families we are the place they have entrusted to give their parents or grandparents the care they need to improve quality of life, and they count on us to continue providing these services. As one resident’s daughter writes, “I can’t imagine trying to work through this if Mom had still been on her own.” Another family member says, “My appreciation for everyone at MorningStar has not diminished in any way! According to Mom’s reports, everyone is doing an amazing job of protecting and caring for the residents.”

As Montana is coming out of quarantine and slowly reopening, we are following the guidelines of our state’s phasing and pacing, and will continue to stay abreast of current developments as we evaluate best practices in service to our residents. Moreover we will share details regarding our own community’s plans with our residents and family members; and if you have questions, please contact our Executive Director, Stacie Kautzman. 

Also we want you to know that MorningStar of Billing is currently accepting new residents. Our independent living and assisted living community provides residents with a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community. In addition we have 36 secure suites devoted to compassionately caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Please visit our website to learn more about why our residents’ are proud to call MorningStar home, and use our link for information on pricing and availability. 

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. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about the area’s most trusted independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Learn More About Caring for a Loved One with Dementia

If you have a family member with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, you probably have felt at times like you were not getting through to them. While communicating with someone suffering from Alzheimer’s is not always easy, we have a few tips to help make it more effective. 

Colleen Kavanaugh, a Certified Dementia Practitioner & Certified Dementia Communications Specialist, offers “a few tricks to have up your sleeve” that may help lessen irritation and calm and soothe more quickly. For instance, if you want to get the person dressed, Kavanaugh suggests you take a few moments to connect with the person. Get down to eye level so they can look directly into your face, speak slowly and ask a simple question such as “how is your day?” Once you have their attention, let them know the tasks at hand.

Another thing to remember is to keep your instructions simple. Ask if they would like to do a particular task such as brushing their hair; and then put the brush in their hand and using your hand, guide the first couple of brush strokes. Do the same thing with brushing their teeth, etc. Make sure to talk soothingly and let them know how well they are doing. 

Strategies to try to calm the person when they are frustrated or angry include also getting down to their level, taking their hand and calmly letting them know you are there to help. Give them time to respond but if they are unable to express themselves and you cannot determine what they need, slowly distract. Show them pictures of family members or talk about things you are going to do together. Above all avoid criticizing or arguing. 

At MorningStar at Bear Creek, we offer unsurpassed assisted living for dementia patients in Colorado Springs. Our entire community is devoted to caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and is staffed by a team of dementia care specialists who truly understand the disease. Please visit our website to read our protocols for dealing with COVID-19 and how we are safely accepting new residents into our loving community. 

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 an ideal setting. Contact us to learn more about the best assisted living for dementia patients in Colorado Springs. 

Source: seniorlink.com/blog/communicating-with-dementia

Foods to Watch Out for if You Want to Avoid Too Much Sugar

We all may be eating and drinking foods we consider to be healthy but they may contain far more sugar than we think they do. It can even happen with foods we do not necessarily think of as sweet such as ketchup of barbeque sauce. Also making what we assume is the healthier choice like “low fat” or “light” yogurt may actually contain more sugar than the regular variety. Some low-fat yogurt has over 30 grams of sugar; and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends men consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day. For women, the amount is just 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) per day.

Another food we think of as healthy is granola. While it is true that the main ingredient is rolled oats, which provides protein, healthy fats and fiber, it also can be loaded with lots of sugar and calories. This is where label reading can help as the Washington Post did a story on granolas and found a single serving can range from one gram of sugar to 14 grams. Another thing to look for are the words “added sugar” as the sugar from dried fruit is not bad for us (more calories for those watching) as is corn syrup or cane sugar. However do keep in mind that while honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar may be healthier, they still add empty calories. 

Drinks such as sugared ice teas and flavored coffees also add a lot of sugar to our diets as do some sport drinks and vitamin waters so be sure to read the label. If you want to avoid empty sugary drinks altogether, make flavored waters by adding fruit or vegetable slices. Toss in some lime and cucumber slices to your water or a handful of berries, orange slices, or mint leaves; use your imagination.

Please visit MorningStar of Billings’ website to learn more about our wide variety of amenities and services. For independent living, we offer 32 free-standing cottages and 72 bright suites. We have another 70 suites for assisted living and 36 secure suites for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory impairments. Please contact us for more information. 

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 learn more about the area’s most trusted assisted living and independent living.

Learn More About MorningStar at Arrowhead

Rather than diminish a senior’s life, assisted living communities such as MorningStar at Arrowhead help to improve quality of life for residents in a variety of ways.  Along with providing the daily care services residents need to maintain their independence, we provide on-going support to ensure their safety, comfort and continued personal growth.  For our residents’ families, they get peace of mind knowing their loved one is being well-cared for.  

Another benefit of MorningStar’s assisted living is the healthy dining that allows residents to self-manage a variety of dietary restrictions such as low sodium, sugar free, no sugar added, vegetarian or low fat.  Additionally, our medication care management services see to it that residents’ medications are ordered, delivered and dispensed in a meticulous, timely fashion.  Services also include light housekeeping, laundry, transportation and more.  

Moreover, as the CDC reports that each year 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries, residents at MorningStar at Arrowhead feel comforted knowing that help is just the push of a button away as all suites are equipped with a 24-hour Emergency Call System.  In addition, all bathrooms are handicap-accessible and equipped with grab bars.   

Along with assisted living, Glendale area families trust MorningStar at Arrowhead to compassionately care for their loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  Our Reflections Neighborhood takes a holistic approach to memory care that supports choice and independence and, above all, affirms individual dignity and value.

We are safely accepting new residents at this time and following all of the guidelines, and in some cases exceeding them, set forth by the CDC, the American Senior Housing Association and the Federal government to ensure the health and well-being of both residents and team members.  Please visit our website for more information and to take a virtual tour of our beautiful community. 

MorningStar at Arrowhead 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 memory care and assisted living Glendale AZ offers.