No matter how old we are, change can be difficult and the bigger the change, the more challenging. For the elderly, change can signal an end to a way of life they are most familiar with and cause a range of emotions from mourning a loss of independence to feelings of helplessness. Hopefully it also offers a spark of excitement at starting a new adventure.
If you are an adult child of a senior who is in the process of transitioning into assisted living, experts offer tips to get through any rough patches. To make the move more successful, they recommended working as a team: the senior, the family, the new home and their doctor. As family members, it is important to recognize how intimidating the move can be in the eyes of your loved one as they are moving to a new environment with all new people. Experts say the adjustment period typically lasts for 30 to 90 days. A senior can make it easier on themselves by keeping an open mind and realizing it will take a little while to adjust. Try to get out and enjoy your new environment rather than staying behind closed doors in your room. If you are unsure how something works, ask questions. If you are having problems getting answers, talk to the management or ask your family to intervene. Families can help the senior to set up their new apartment with familiar items and family memories including pictures and other favorite knick-knacks. Once they are settled, experts say don’t desert them but don’t overdo the visits. Allow them to find their own way and perhaps start making a few friends. If the community has family-friendly activities, join in when you can. MorningStar at River Oaks offers all-inclusive assisted living in Houston’s desirable River Oaks community. Smartly-designed private suites maximize space and include floorplans in one and two-bedroom configurations. Amenities include all-day dining, full salon, fitness center, and wellness programs and activities. A sixth-floor sky terrace and lounge is designed to enjoy the view, watch the sun set and relax with friends. Other outdoor amenities include courtyards with a fireplace and BBQ and strolling paths. As dementia care specialists, Reflections Neighborhood provides a compassionate home for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. We are now open; contact us to inquire about Move-in Specials and availability.
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As we grow older, many people begin to slow down. However we know a lack of exercise and activity can cause reduced muscle strength and flexibility, and lead to health problems that make beginning exercise that much more difficult. In fact a recent government study estimated “nearly 80% of American adults do not get the recommended amounts of exercise each week, with adults 65 and older being the least likely to engage in a regular exercise routine.”
This is why experts recommend older adults make a plan to stay more active and commit to it. Before you begin any new exercise or activity, talk to your doctor as your health challenges may make some physical activities not possible. Guidance from your healthcare providers can help develop a plan most effective in achieving overall conditioning despite any limited endurance. Areas to focus on include strengthening leg muscles to improve mobility and balance, which is part of maintaining your independence as strong legs support so many basic everyday activities, such as sitting down, standing up, and walking. In addition, safe upper body exercises are important in giving a person the strength to get up from an armchair or carrying and lifting items as part of performing routine household activities. Exercises focusing on maintaining or improving balance are also important in reducing a person’s risk for a fall. *Before starting any new exercise, please consult with your healthcare provider. MorningStar of Pasadena is a vibrant 55+ community with 149 bright suites for independent living and assisted living. We are an all-inclusive community, boasting a dining service under the direction of our Executive Chef, a wide range of floor plans to meet residents’ varying needs, and onsite amenities and care services for stress-free retirement years. We invite you to visit our website for information on our community as well as pricing and availability for the area’s top independent living and assisted living in Pasadena, CA. Source: hurusa.com/5-of-the-best-strength-exercises-for-senior-independence While practitioners have known for centuries the calmness and peace yoga brings into their lives, science has finally caught up with real evidence of its benefits to our brains. Studies show yoga elevates levels of the brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GAGA), which helps regulate nerve activity and is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety.
The Harvard Medical School journal writes, “Yoga strengthens parts of the brain that play a key role in memory, attention, awareness, thought, and language. Think of it as weightlifting for the brain.” Their evidence comes from several studies that used MRI and other brain imaging technology. Researchers found participants who practiced yoga regularly had a thicker cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, than participants who did not practice yoga. This could be significant because as people age, this is one of the areas in the brain that typically shrinks. As the older yoga practitioners had less shrinkage than non-practitioners, researchers say it suggests yoga can “counteract age-related declines in memory and other cognitive skills.” Other benefits of yoga include helping individuals lose weight, sleep better, lower blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels to improve diabetes. It also helps people gain flexibility and muscle strength around arthritic joints and reduces the pain associated with the condition. If you are looking for exceptional senior living, Hillsboro, OR’s MorningStar community may be your answer. MorningStar of Hillsboro is honored to offer adults 55+ a vibrant and carefree lifestyle to help live life to the fullest. Our new community offers a wide selection of independent living apartments, luxury amenities such as indoor and outdoor dining venues, pool, amphitheater, art studio, and fitness center to promote a healthy lifestyle for residents. Contact us or visit our website to learn more. Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living Hillsboro, OR 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, inviting atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar of Hillsboro provides outstanding independent living. Source: health.harvard.edu/promotions/harvard-health-publications/intermediate-yoga MorningStar at River Oaks is the newest, most vibrant senior living Houston offers to older adults. While the name MorningStar may be new to the area, the MorningStar Senior Living Company has earned a reputation for satisfaction second to none for excellence and authenticity throughout the Western U.S.
Our home is located in the highly desirable Upper Kirby District, near the Southwest Freeway and bordered by River Oaks, West University, and the Texas Medical Center. Residents will enjoy our proximity to upscale dining, shopping, entertainment and green spaces, including River Oaks Park, Herman Park and Levy Park. We are fifteen minutes from downtown and a quick trip from the Houston Zoo, Houston Aquarium, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Cockrell Butterfly Center. Amenities offered by MorningStar at River Oaks include all-day dining with Executive Chef-inspired meals served restaurant-style, bistro, club room, fitness center, scheduled transportation, life enrichment room, WiFi, theatre/chapel, resident garden beds and underground parking and valet parking. Architecturally our community features include a sixth-floor sky terrace and lounge with spectacular views of downtown, courtyards with fireplace and barbeque and a grand entrance portal with fireplace located on Revere Street. In addition to our memory care and assisted living, our community appeals to seniors who are currently living independently. Residents can enjoy life on their own terms but in the event you do need some help down the road, we can step in with any amount of additional care. If you are recuperating from surgery or an illness or simply want to try our community on for size, we offer respite care and trial-stays (up to a month). Contact us to learn more about the newest memory care and assisted living Houston families can count on. Our luxury community offers 85 graciously appointed suites for assisted living; and within our Reflections Neighborhood, we offer 27 secure suites devoted to the individualized care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Visit our website for all the information you need and ask about our special deal: $10,000 in Savings for Early Depositors. Whether it is chronic or happens every once in a while, most of us have had a restless night and woke up feeling tired. For some it is hard to fall asleep, while for others, it is difficult to stay asleep for the whole night. Sleep experts offer several tips for a restful night’s sleep and a more productive, positive day.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Sleep Research Society (SRS) explain sleep is as important to a healthy lifestyle as good nutrition and regular exercise. To become a better sleeper, it helps to know something about the different components of sleep. The current thinking for a normal night’s sleep is between seven to nine hours a night, or during a 24-hour period. They say to determine your optimal sleep amount, experiment for a few weeks by going to bed each night when you get tired and waking naturally in the morning. Another thing is to deal with health issues, which may interfere with your sleep, like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, insomnia or other sleep disorders. The Mayo Clinic says it helps to go to bed at the same time each night and to wake up at the same time. On weekends try not to change your schedule by more than an hour. They also caution to not eat too heavy of a meal too close to bedtime and avoid nicotine, caffeine and other stimulates several hours before bedtime. The same goes for alcohol as it can make you fall asleep easily but causes you to awake in the middle of the night. Get plenty of exercise during the day but avoid doing it right before bed. Another tip is to create a calming atmosphere in the bedroom; and remember our smart devices emit glowing blue lights that experts say can disturb our circadian rhythm. MorningStar at River Oaks is an assisted living and memory care community designed to provide Houston seniors a comfortable home to safely age in place. We offer a range of hospitality and care services, luxury amenities, wellness programs and activities, along with a sense of security knowing someone is always around if needed. Care services include 24-hour care managers, access to licensed nurses, medication management and much more. Visit our website for pricing and availability on the finest senior living Houston offers. Source: healthline.com/health-news/six-tips-for-better-sleep-053114#Three-Components-of-Healthy-Sleep Health professionals say it is important to incorporate stretching exercises into your routine especially the older we get as our flexibility naturally decreases. As joints become stiff, and tendons and ligaments tighten up, we become more susceptible to injuries as well as chronic pain and poor posture. In fact studies show men’s flexibility drops sharply at around 70 years of age.
Stretching exercises are easy to learn, relatively easy to do, and should not take more than five to ten minutes. Urvashi Chogle, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, says the shoulders, hips, knees and spine lose the most flexibility. He explains, "This makes many everyday movements more difficult, such as reaching overhead, squatting, twisting, and bending over." Of course before you begin any new stretching exercises, you need to consult with your healthcare provider. He or she may have suggestions on how to safely get started or direct you to your local community senior center for classes or other organizations catering to seniors. Additionally the Internet has a lot of information on how seniors can improve their flexibility with stretching exercises done in a chair, standing up, or if you can, on the floor. Regardless of your level of fitness, these exercises should help improve your range of motion, flexibility and joint stiffness. At MorningStar at River Oaks, our assisted living and memory care provide Houston seniors a carefree lifestyle to safely age in place with a range of hospitality and care services, luxury amenities and a complement of wellness programs and activities. Our programs include a range of exercise classes such as chair yoga, gentle stretching and others to help keep you moving. Situated in Houston’s River Oaks neighborhood, our home includes a sixth-floor sky terrace and lounge offering spectacular views of downtown, courtyards with fireplace and BBQ, and a grand entrance portal located on Revere Street. Visit our website for more information, and pricing and availability. We open to residents in the last quarter of 2021. Source: health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/a-plan-for-easy-stretching As May is Arthritis Awareness month, experts discuss some of the common myths and facts regarding arthritis, a condition that causes pain and inflammation in joints. Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are the two main types of arthritis, and a national survey found nearly half of adults 65 years and older have been diagnosed with arthritis. OA, the most common and leading cause of disability in older adults, is the result of cartilage between the bones in a joint wearing down.
Many people belief arthritis is only a disease of the elderly but RA, while not as common as OA, typically starts in individuals as young as 20 to 40 years old. People also mistakenly think if a joint hurts, it must be arthritis. Doctors say there are several reason a person may experience pain in and around joints including old injuries, bursitis, and tendinitis. Another myth is you shouldn’t exercise if you if have arthritis; however, studies show exercise can actually help with range of motion and strength in the joint (consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise or activity). The American College of Rheumatology says, “Exercise and arthritis can and should coexist. People with arthritis who exercise regularly have less pain, more energy, improved sleep, and better day-to-day function.” Then there is the debate on whether heat is better than ice for sore joints. The Guy’s and St Thomas’s National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust in the UK, explains, “Used in the right way, heat can help reduce pain and stiffness in joints and muscles. Cold application can help reduce joint inflammation and swelling.” Moreover experts say believing arthritis is unpreventable is only partially true as there are things people can do to mitigate risk or slow down the progression such as maintaining a healthy body weight. MorningStar of Hillsboro is the newest addition to independent living in Hillsboro, OR. Our senior living community has 141 contemporary apartments and offers luxury amenities, hospitality services, and a complement of wellness programs. While new to Hillsboro, MorningStar Senior Living has two other highly-regarded communities in Oregon, MorningStar of Happy Valley and MorningStar of Beaverton. Visit our website to learn more about our community and to ask about our Pre-open Specials. We open in the last quarter of 2021. Source: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/medical-myths-all-about-arthritis If your mom is one of those people who has everything and/or is living in an apartment where she does not have room for a bunch of useless stuff, be creative with this year’s Mother’s Day gift. You may worry that more practical gifts are too boring but if they help to make lives easier and more interesting, most seniors are happy to get them.
If mom lives alone, there are several smartly-designed dressing aids to make it easier for her to do on her own and would be a useful addition to a basket of goodies. If mom likes to wear dresses or blouses that zip up the back, a zipper puller will come in handy. The same goes for bracelet fasteners and magnetic necklace fasteners, both are great for those with some mobility problems. A cozy gift idea for a mom or grandmother who always has cold feet is a pair of heatable slippers. Microwaveable ones have a heatable insole typically filled with aromatic ingredients such as lavender and rosemary, and flax seeds. For a mom who suffers from sore muscles and stiffness, how about a Shiatsu pillow massager designed for the back and neck (it can also be used in other places). Simple to use, just plug it in and feel the tension ease from your body with the 3-dimensional deep-kneading shiatsu massage nodes. Want to give mom a spa-like experience? A gift of shower steamer bombs creates a relaxing, aromatherapy experience for women who love showers more than a bath. Most are made with natural ingredients and pure essential oils like lemongrass and lavender. Moms and grandmothers always love the gift of a loved one’s time. If you have all been vaccinated, why not put on a fancy brunch with many of moms favorite dishes. An offer to declutter and organize the house or to help mom write her life story is bound to bring up lots of memories and fun stories to share. MorningStar of Pasadena is a vibrant 55+ community in the heart of beautiful Pasadena offering 149 bright suites, luxury amenities and concierge services for a relaxing, stress-free retirement. Please visit our website for information on the finest independent living and assisted living Pasadena, CA offers. Ecotherapy is a growing scientific field based on the concept that people have a deep connection to their environment and to the earth itself, and if we fail to nurture this connection, it can negatively impact our mental health. While more common in men than women, research indicates mood disorders can occur as seniors face live changes such as retirement, a medical diagnosis, or loss of a spouse. Dr. Jason Strauss, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance, explains many seniors “do not want to turn to medication or therapy for help, and for many, interacting with nature is one of the best self-improvement tools they can use."
Though we may not have unlocked the key as to why nature improves our mood, studies show it does. In 2015, researchers looked at the brain activity of adults after they took a 90 minute walk in either an urban or nature setting. The brain activity of those who took the nature walk “had lower activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is active during rumination — defined as repetitive thoughts that focus on negative emotions.” Other benefits of spending time in nature include lowering the blood pressure and the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, the body's fight-or-flight response. Nature’s beauty is visually calming as well and can calm negative thoughts and encourage more positive ones. MorningStar of Kirkland is a new, independent living community in the Totem Lake area in family-friendly Kirkland. Residents will not only appreciate our contemporary apartments and luxury amenities but our location. We offer strolling paths on our sprawling grounds as well as lots of local trails as we are minutes from Juanita Bay, the Sammamish River Trail, and Sammamish Valley Park. Our community is close to the Evergreen Health Medical Center, shopping malls and restaurants, and around 20 minutes to Seattle. With a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest,” we are a step above other senior living communities. Visit our website for contact information. Isn’t it time you start living your life to the fullest? Are you ready for a lifestyle change? While you may have retired from your career, we know you have not retired from life but rather looking forward to a whole new chapter. Independent living communities like the brand-new, contemporary MorningStar of Kirkland offers a beautiful, no-maintain home, variety of onsite amenities, and broad community of friends.
Today’s seniors are not only living longer but are more engaged and active than their parents and grandparents were in their later years. Retirement in 2021 is the time to enjoy hobbies, pursue new interests, travel, and renew yourself through volunteerism or hanging out with the grandkids – not worrying about home maintenance and repairs. Time is precious and life needs to be lived to the fullest. MorningStar of Kirkland’s five-star dining service puts meal preparation and clean-up in our hands and frees you up for a before dinner swim in the pool or a leisurely stroll through our Zen garden. Like a drink after dinner? Walk over to our full bar, chat with friends and enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail. Image having a group of neighbors ready to play a hand of cards in one of our relaxing clubs, or attending a fitness class with a couple of girlfriends a few apartments over. A complement of wellness programs keep your brain sharp, the body fit, and spiritually and socially connected. Another overlooked advantage to independent living is the security of knowing someone is always around. For peace of mind, all apartments have handicap-accessible bathrooms and 24-hour emergency call systems; and we offer secure, underground parking. Since we are pet friendly, you will not need to leave behind your beloved four-footed family member. Our 151 apartments are available in studio and one and two-bedroom configurations so you will find one that suits your needs. Each has a full kitchen with premium cabinets and countertops, private heating & air conditioning, storage space and more. Visit our website for more information. |
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