Blog
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What Are Adult Day Services and How Can They Help Caregivers?
For working parents, a trusted childcare center that can feed, care for, and entertain their children is invaluable. But did you know that almost the exact same service is available for your senior citizen? Adult day services provide all the essential activities and amenities for your loved ones needs, and here are a few ways they can make a huge difference for caretakers. What Are Adult Day Services? Adult day services offer professional care to seniors dealing with daily challenges of memory loss. These services are geared towards older adults who need daytime supervision but don’t need full-time residential care quite yet. During regular work hours, these services centers provide…
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How to Support Family Members With Dementia or Alzheimer’s
Did you know that dementia and Alzheimer’s are also known as “family diseases?” The effects of such diseases have a strong impact not only on seniors, but also their caretakers and family members. Therefore, families must find a balance between providing care and coping with their loved one’s diagnosis. Despite the challenges involved, a strong foundation and level of understanding can make every day a bit brighter for everyone in your family. Develop Routines Routines relieve day-to-day care while creating an environment where your loved one feels safe. Likewise, prompting daily cues prepares your family member for the day ahead with little room for confusion. For example, brewing coffee every…
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When Alzheimer’s Care Becomes Too Much
When a loved one develops Alzheimer’s disease and needs care, many families aim to keep them at home as long as possible. However, at some point, the needs of a senior with dementia become too much to manage at home. When is that point, and how do you know when it’s time to move a senior with Alzheimer’s disease into memory care? This guide will help you with the decision of when to move a loved one with dementia into a memory care facility and how to approach the conversations surrounding this difficult choice. Talking About Alzheimer’s Care The best time to approach conversations about Alzheimer’s care is earlier than…
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Assisting a Loved One With Memory Loss
The moment you realize your loved one is experiencing memory loss, a flood of emotions can take over. While you now start to cherish your relationship more than ever, you may also realize that it will never be quite the same. This realization is often sobering, but your situation is manageable with the right guidance and a strong support system. Here are some tips to help your family make the most of this change. Shifting Your Mindset When you receive news that your loved one has a cognition impairment, allow yourself time to mentally prepare for the upcoming changes in your life. Be realistic about expectations Setting unrealistic expectations for…
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What Is the Difference Between Assisted Living and Memory Care?
If your loved can no longer live on their own, you may wonder whether assisted living or memory care is the best choice for their specific needs. Although both options offer spectacular services, they aren’t identical kinds of communities. To offer the right experience for your loved one, it’s best to determine which community will give them the most support—and give you the most peace of mind. Assisted Living Assisted living is a type of housing designed for various levels of medical and personal care. Since the conditions of each resident will vary, assistance will vary as well. The goal is to offer care while creating a home-like environment to…
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How to Volunteer with Seniors
We have the older generation to thank for forming the society we enjoy today. Why not give back and show them our appreciation? There are so many ways you can give back to seniors in the community. From relationship building to learning unique perspectives, volunteering will benefit you as much as it benefits them. If you are eager to get involved with the senior community, here are a few ways you to get started. Volunteer in Your Local Neighborhood There may be some seniors in your own backyard who are eager for some company. Volunteering in your neighborhood is an opportunity to meet and get to know the neighbors in…
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The Effects of Music on Seniors with Alzheimer’s
Having a family member with Alzheimer’s is a mix of emotions. From hospital visits to hands-on needs, caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming. When you become stressed, your family member is sure to feel stressed too. Between taking kids to school and picking up medications, you should consider activities that ease the overwhelmed. An easy and effective activity you can engage in with your loved one is listening to music. We recommend this simple activity because of the benefits it can bring to a daily routine. Relieves Stress and Anxiety Someone with Alzheimer’s views the world as unfamiliar which can arouse anxiety. Studies from the University of Utah…
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The Best Senior Travel Destinations
There is no better time to travel than during the summer. Taking a vacation is the perfect way to connect with family, sharpen your mind, and gain a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Need some inspiration for travel? Don’t worry, we got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of the best senior travel destinations that will prepare you and your family for a wonderful adventure. Local Getaways Key West, Florida Key West offers peaceful activities like sailing on the Atlantic Ocean and watching the sunset from Mallory Square Dock. For seniors that are more active, there’s a plethora of water sports, snorkeling, and RV camping. It’s a great spot for seniors to enjoy…
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Senior Hurricane Prep
We’re officially in the middle of hurricane season, which means now is the time to prepare if you haven’t already. Unfortunately, that becomes harder with older family members who need more attention since they are more vulnerable during a storm. However, if you prepare ahead of time, your family’s needs can be taken care of by keeping the following tips in mind. Register at the Nearest Special-Needs Shelter Seniors should never be left alone during a hurricane. If your loved one needs medical monitoring, it’s best to register at a special-needs shelter beforehand. Register him or her by calling your local county’s emergency management office or visiting their website. Make…
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Best Activities for Seniors Needing Memory Care
A loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia is likely to withdraw from family and friends. There’s nothing worse than trying to connect with your loved one to have them push you away. But there’s a way to overcome this. You can start by motivating your senior with activities to stimulate their mind. When deciding activities, you can start with simple tasks your senior once took pleasure in. This could be working with familiar tools, going to the park, or anything that lit them up in the past. The most important thing is to enjoy the process of these activities, not the results it will bring. Fostering genuine connection…