Cognitive and memory impairments can change how an individual thinks, feels or acts. These changes present families and caregivers with unique challenges. For instance, an ordinary conversation can be quite frustrating if your family member has difficulty remembering what has been said from one minute to the next. As a caregiver, it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the facts that arise when taking care of an elderly person with behavioral and cognitive impairments, so you can know how to calmly and efficiently respond to different situations. You Will Be Discriminated Against– Individuals with cognitive health issues and their families are often discriminated. For instance, there is a…

Your body is like a tent pitched to last your lifetime, and so it will undergo some damage in the long run. The lifestyle we live, diet, and other elements all play a significant role not only in the well-being of the body but also in its fading. On this note, there are measures to avoid a fragile, weak, ailing body and achieve one brimming with vitality. Here are some ways to maintain a healthy body even in old age: Watch Your Diet As the body ages, it’s prudent to take into account the nutritional demands that come with advanced age. To keep healthy means to eat well and in…

Have you heard about Encore at Avalon Park Assisted Living and Memory Care community?  The word is getting around about Encore and the great things that make Encore the best place for your loved one to age in place.  In the tradition of the community design of Avalon Park, Encore is a 3-story building, made up of 6 neighborhoods each with 15 apartments.  Sixty of those apartments are dedicated to memory care and thirty apartments are focused on assisted living.  In addition to the unique building design, Encore boasts unique programming, exceptional care and unrivaled community involvement. Have you heard about Encore’s Music and Memory Program?  The Songbird program started…

Seniors become accustomed to deciphering a bevy of health-related symptoms as they age. Because today’s seniors were alive when asbestos use was common and less regulated, they should be aware of certain symptoms that may indicate the presence of an asbestos-related disease. A mesothelioma diagnosis can occur several decades after exposure to asbestos. Most people who develop the condition are older than 65. It can take an average of nearly 50 years for asbestos to cause the cellular and genetic damage that leads to mesothelioma. The general symptoms caused by mesothelioma can develop in a person of any age. However, seniors might feel the same symptoms more intensely than younger…

Taking care of a family member or loved one with Alzheimer’s can be a great challenge for most people. It is important that you find the right community for them, where they will be taken care of by professionals who have experience. The level of care and assistance that a person with Alzheimer’s needs will differ depending on the progress of the disease.  Encore is equipped with a highly trained caregiving staff that can take care of residents with all ranges of health care needs.  This is why Encore at Avalon Park tops the list of where to take your loved ones for care. Encore is a teaching and clinical…

Songbird:  A Music Program Central Florida’s Creative Care Association (CCA) works with community partners to lead a new program inspired by Music & Memory, Inc. and Alive Inside Foundation’s youth/elder outreach program.  SONGBIRD is an innovative way to engage students with elders affected by disability and bridge this generational gap through music.  Our university-supported research will validate the benefits these types of programs have for participants, their families and society at large. After receiving special training in brain health education, empathetic activities and compassionate communication, young adults are paired with elder residents at local assisted living facilities. Throughout the school year they learn to create custom music playlists and awaken those…

Breast Cancer is a  disease in which the cells of the breast tissue grow out of control forming a mass or a tumor. The most common form is noninvasive  (83%), but without treatment it may become invasive with in 10 years (20‐50%). Click Here to Read More

Do you ever get a flood of memories that pour into your mind as you listen to a song? It is a very common feeling. More and more data has been released on the effects of music and the brain, specifically involving memory. Research has shown specific neural activity occurs when you are listening to music in sections of the brain involving creativity, movement, and emotions. It has even brought into existence a new type of cognitive therapy, specifically for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The effects of diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s can first be seen in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that deals with memory. Recent…

Our work in memory care through the use of music was recently spotlighted in Nona Vibe magazine. Click on the image to read the article.