Turn Off the TV, Computer, & Phone One Hour Before Bed

Many people have found that disconnecting from television, computers, and cell phones greatly optimizes their sleep patterns. Help your loved one to see the importance of cutting out any stimulation right before bed that could negatively affect the quality of their sleep.

Suggest that they read, meditate or sit quietly before going to bed. This habit is a great way to calm nerves and prepare the brain for some restful sleep.

Listen to Soft Music or White

Listening to soft music before bed is a great way to relax your loved one’s mind so they can get a good night’s sleep. In addition, white noise machines have been proven to be very helpful, as they can help slow heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Devices like Amazon’s Alexa are easy to use, and can provide both soft music and white noise on demand. By simply saying “Alexa, play soft music for bedtime or white noise”, your loved one will be able to prepare their mind for a restful night’s sleep.

Avoid Caffeine in the Afternoon

If your loved one is an avid regular coffee or tea drinker, these beverages can be detrimental to getting a good night’s sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that often interferes with falling asleep. Encourage your loved one to either stop drinking these beverages 3 to 4 hours before bed, or switch to decaf in the afternoon.

Cutting down on caffeine may also reduce jitteriness and anxiety as well.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in a Senior Living Community plays a huge role in the day-to-day care of residents. LPNs work directly with RNs and physicians to help implement residents’ care plans. These professionals monitor residents’ vital signs and attend to their daily needs.

While developing bonds with seniors and their families, LPNs receive competitive salaries, healthcare benefits, and paid time off.

Dietary Aide

A Dietary Aide in a Senior Living community helps cook and serve meals to residents, while ensuring that food safety and hygiene protocols are always followed.

Dietary Aides also work with the community’s chefs, dietitians, and doctors to create nutritious menus that meet residents’ exact needs. With only a high school diploma required, this role has many opportunities to grow and specialize. Dietary Aides earn completive salaries and are offered healthcare benefits, and paid time off.

Executive Chef

The Executive Chef is in charge of overseeing the kitchen staff, and is responsible for creating delicious and nutritious meals for residents. These professionals play an important role in not only meeting residents’ dietary needs, but also in the quality of life they enjoy.

Executive Chefs enjoy a good income, healthcare benefits, paid time off, and other employment-related incentives.

Housekeeping & Laundry

When an older person moves into a Senior Living community, the thought of not having to clean their home or do laundry is very comforting. As you evaluate different communities, look for those that offer full housekeeping and laundry services. Being relieved of these activities will have a big impact on your loved one’s quality of life.

Activities & Events

Best quality Senior Living communities offer residents a wide range of activities and events to enjoy. Whether it be fun and engaging activities on property, or the chance to attend exciting off-site events, look for a community that provides a variety of each that matches your loved one’s interests and capabilities.

Clubs & Resident Council

Keeping seniors engaged in what goes on in their Senior Living community is important. Seek out communities that offer clubs based on a particular interest or hobby. Whether it be Book Club, a Gaming Club, or a sports-themed group, residents who share common interests love to spend time together.

Resident Councils are also a very popular amenity in many Senior Living communities. A Resident Council is made up of a group of seniors who represent all of the residents living there. The Council meets with a community’s management team on a regular basis to voice concerns, and resolve issues that residents may be experiencing.

Spiritual Activities

If your loved one is a person of faith, look for communities that cater to residents’ spiritual needs. Whether it be through a weekly Bible Study, or actual religious services being performed in the community, maintaining a connection to their religious beliefs is very important to many seniors.

Physical Surroundings & Accommodations

Everyone should feel comfortable in their home, and this is especially true for seniors, as many of them come from a residence that they have lived in for many years.

As you consider the Senior Living communities available to you or a loved one, be sure that the property’s physical characteristics are appealing. Many communities maintain landscaped outdoor settings with seating, inviting common areas, a restaurant-like dining room, and sometimes a library or movie room.

In addition, many communities offer a variety of living accommodations, including one or two-bedroom apartment homes. Look for ample space, natural light, updated decor, and a bathroom that is able to accommodate a wheelchair or walker.

Dining Options

One of the most important aspects of any Senior Living community is its food. Top quality communities offer a variety of delicious and nutritious meals, all served in a restaurant style dining room. Residents gather together at meal times to enjoy each other’s company and a wide range of food options.

Some properties even have a vegetable garden, where residents can help grow and harvest some of the food they eat each day. As you evaluate Senior Living communities, ask for sample menus and try a meal before making a decision. Many communities also offer specialized meal plans to accommodate residents’ health conditions or nutritional needs.

Independent, Living, Assisted Living & Memory Care Amenities

One of the key benefits of living in a Senior Living community are the amenities that are offered to residents. In addition to top quality meal service, other popular amenities include housekeeping, laundry services, transportation, and many social events and activities. Some properties even have an in-house spa, a beauty salon/barber shop, and are pet friendly.

Pricing Considerations

Choosing a Senior Living community that is financially sustainable for a resident is of utmost importance. Monthly costs will depend on a variety of factors, such as the type of personal living space chosen, amenities offered, and the physical location of the community.

Be sure to have a candid discussion with the community’s representative about your or a loved one’s finances. They may be able to help connect you with financial resources such as Veterans benefits.

Pet Friendliness

Many seniors love animals and still might have a pet in their home. As you consider various Senior Living communities, find out if they are pet friendly. Some seniors want to bring their pet with them to live when they move, so it’s important to know whether they have that option in the new community.

Transitioning Elderly Parents to Assisted Living  

Having a conversation with your loved one about the possibility of moving to a senior living community might be difficult. Your mom or dad might not be able to comprehend living somewhere else after many decades in the same home.

It is only natural that they will be apprehensive about it. Before you begin a conversation, it is extremely helpful to have the support of siblings or other family members ahead of time. Achieving a united front with close relatives will go a long way in a smooth transition for your mom or dad should the time come for them to move to an Assisted Living community.

Introducing the Idea

Introducing the idea of an Assisted Living community in a way that helps your loved one understand will provide some peace of mind. Because you can most likely expect some initial emotional resistance to the idea of a senior living community, look for an opportunity to bring the subject up when things are not going well at home.

Whether it be a problem with household maintenance, or an incident with an Activity of Daily Living such as being able to dress, bathe, or use the washroom safely, broaching the subject of a senior living community as an option might be better received when it is clear that your loved one is experiencing some difficulty. 

Arrange a Tour

Within a short timeframe after your loved one experiences a difficult episode, gently suggest a no obligation tour of a local senior living community. Even though a tour might be initially nerve-wracking for them, the staff of a high-quality community will help to put them at ease.

The professionals at Assisted Living communities are highly experienced and compassionate people, who understand deeply what seniors go through in their later years. With the help of the team at the senior living community, your loved one’s visit will be a pleasant experience and may put them in a better frame of mind regarding the idea of moving there. 

Managing Indecision

Should your parent eventually warm up to the idea of moving to a senior living community, it’s important to be prepared for any backtracking or resistance to the idea that might come up.

It’s critical to remember that this entire concept can be overwhelming to an older person. Nobody likes change and this is especially true for people in their later years.

During this period, it will be important to take the long view on such an emotionally charged process. If challenges at home persist, your loved one may be more willing to accept the idea over time.

Moving to a Retirement Community  

The good news is that despite a period of resistance, doubt and fear on the part of many seniors, moving an elderly parent out of their home and into a senior living community can be a very positive and life enhancing experience for them.

Not only is an older person relieved of the many duties of home ownership, but they are now also in a safe environment where they can enjoy many top amenities and activities with a host of new friends.

Difficulty Doing Routine Tasks

People who have dementia often have difficulty performing daily tasks, even those that they have done every day for decades. Look for changes in your loved one’s routines such as eating, bathing, or other activities.

If you see that their daily habits are no longer being followed, have a gentle conversation about it. There could be logical reasons for a change in behavior, but it might also be a sign of a developing cognitive impairment.

Disorientation

People who have dementia can become easily confused about where they are, or how to return home from a trip to the grocery store. In addition, some seniors with cognitive issues might believe that they are currently living in a time from the past.

Should you experience these symptoms with your loved one, be sure to document when and where it occurred. This information will be very helpful to medical professionals in their attempt to diagnose a possible issue.

Language Problems

Everyone experiences from time to time the inability to recall a word during a conversation. However, a person with dementia will tend to forget simple words, lose track of the natural progression of a discussion, or use the wrong word when describing something. Should this occur with your loved one, speak to a doctor to determine next steps.

Rapid Mood Changes

One of the more common symptoms of dementia is a rapid change in mood or personality. Look for patterns of mood swings in your loved one or sudden bouts of anxiety, anger, depression or apathy. Speak with your loved one about what they are feeling, and ask what you can do to help.

If there appears to be no logical explanation for a severe mood swing in a senior, it could be a sign of developing dementia.

Trivia Games

Playing games that involve trivia knowledge is a great way to keep seniors’ mind active and sharp. The great part about these games is that there is a wide variety of options to choose from on virtually any topic.

Another great benefit is that they can be played alone or with a group of people. No matter how many people are involved, trivia games are fun and very mentally stimulating.

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles have been around for decades, and they are a great way to help seniors stay mentally active. The process of thinking about words and hints, and how they go together in a puzzle is great fun for many people.

Even if a senior can’t finish a crossword puzzle, the exercise of working on it is enough to sufficiently stimulate the brain. There are many levels of puzzles too, from simplistic to quite difficult.

 Learning a New Language

When it comes to mentally stimulating activities, learning a language is at the top of the list. Whether a person wants to learn to speak it or go all the way by also studying how to read and write, there is no limit to what they can accomplish. There are a variety of ways to learn a new language today, including books, apps and online.

Bingo

This classic game never goes out of style. Not only is it fun to play, but Bingo also encourages social interaction and helps prevent isolation and loneliness.

Bingo games are regularly held at local Churches, VFW Posts and even dedicated Bingo Halls. The game is also a great way to stimulate a senior’s hearing, vision and sense of touch.

Keeping Physically Active

Exercising is a great way to keep bones as healthy and strong as possible. Because seniors have varying levels of physical capabilities, it’s very important to choose activities that are appropriate.  

Whether it be walking, yoga, light weight lifting, or mild arm and leg stretches, regular movement can help bones become denser and also keep muscles toned. If a senior is not sure what type of exercise is best for them, they can seek guidance from their physician or a physical therapist. 

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

For so many reasons, it is crucial that seniors eat a balanced and healthy diet each day. With respect to bone health, there are many foods that can help build strength. Bone friendly food options include cereal and milk, yogurt, soy products, eggs, cheese, broccoli, and fish.

These types of foods are high in Calcium, which is the foundation of good bone health. Maintaining an adequate amount of Calcium can help prevent osteoporosis, which leads to bones becoming become brittle and weak.

Optimize the Absorption of Calcium

In addition to getting an adequate amount of Calcium from food or supplements, seniors must also do all they can to ensure that their bodies actually absorb as much of it as possible. Vitamin D plays a critical role in the body’s ability to absorb Calcium. In fact, without it, Calcium absorption is reduced by as much as 85%.

There are a number of foods that are rich in Vitamin D, such as cod liver oil, fortified orange juice, dairy products, tuna fish, and salmon. Sitting in the sun for about 20 minutes per day can also help increase the amount of Vitamin D in the system. This is why it is often referred to as the “Sunshine Vitamin.”

Limit Sodium & Caffeine Use

Reducing the amount of salt (sodium) that a person takes in has been proven to be beneficial in the area of bone health. Foods high in salt have been shown to inhibit the body’s ability to absorb Calcium.

Similarly, beverages that contain excessive amounts of caffeine can also reduce Calcium absorption levels.

Assisted Living

Assisted Living communities offer an active, engaging lifestyle for couples, but also provide assistance to residents who might need some help with what are known as Activities of Daily Living. These include eating, dressing, using the restroom, bathing, and transferring.

Assisted Living provides residents with beautiful living accommodations, restaurant style meals, and a wide range of other amenities, such as medication management, housekeeping, laundry services and more. 

Participating in activities is an important part of the Assisted Living lifestyle. Communities offer a wide range of events for residents, like gardening, reading club, yoga, concerts, lunch outings, bowling trips, and visits with therapy dogs.

Residents enjoy the company of each other, while always having qualified staff members nearby to assist as needed.

Memory Care

A Memory Care community is specifically designed to meet the needs of couples and residents living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or other memory-related illnesses. Residents have access to a care team that focuses on the specific needs of each individual. The staff is made up of highly experienced Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants.

Memory Care communities inspire autonomy and self-expression in their residents, all based on the specific capabilities of each person.

In addition to wonderful living accommodations, the Memory Care lifestyle offers chef prepared meals, restaurant style dining, elegant common areas and a variety of other amenities such as housekeeping, laundry, spa services and much more.

Because maintaining a sense of purpose and living a meaningful life are important priorities for Memory Care communities, they provide many stimulating and fun activities such as outings, clubs, games, gardening, coloring, music therapy and programs, arts and crafts as well as other stimulating and enjoyable experiences.

Some communities even have activity programs specifically catered to seniors with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Frontier Senior Living communities, for example, feature an award-winning activities program called SPARK™ that focuses on purpose, social roles, and community.”

Get Rid of All Old Medication

Your loved one might have been prescribed a medication for a specific purpose or condition that no longer needs to be treated. Or their doctor tried a drug that didn’t work well, so they choose an alternative one to use.  

Whatever the case may be, make sure that any medication that your loved one no longer takes or needs is removed from their home. While it is tempting to want to just dispose of old drugs by flushing, or throwing them in the garbage, this is not advisable.

The best way is to contact your local pharmacy and see what medication disposal resources are available where you live. In some cities, the local police department has drop boxes where unused medication can be disposed of safely.  

Put All Medication in One Place

Having bottles of medication located in various places around the home such as the bedroom, kitchen and bathroom is never a good idea, and usually leads to confusion for the senior taking them. Make an agreement with your loved one that they will keep all of their medicine in one central location in the house. Doing this will make retrieval of their prescriptions much easier.  

Purchase a Daily Pill Dispenser

The easier it is for a senior to take their medication every day, the better. Go to your nearest pharmacy and purchase a color coded pill organizer. Each week, you can help your loved one fill up each day’s compartment with needed medication.

Most pill organizers have a section for AM and PM medications that is color coded to represent day or night time. There are many of these products on the market today, with ones that feature 2 or 4 compartments for each day’s needs.      

Create a Reminder & Tracking System

Figure out the best way to remind your loved one when it is time to take their medicine each day. Whether that be an alarm on a cell phone or a friendly call from you, reminders can go a long way towards preventing missed medication situations.   

In addition, work out a tracking system that is easy to use, so that once your loved one takes their medication, they can easily document it on paper that it was done. This kind of tracking system is also a great way for family members to ensure that medication is being taken consistently.   

Communicate & Have Regular Check Ins

One of the most important things to do with regard to helping an older loved one with medication management is to frequently communicate with them about it. Talk to your loved one about how their daily medication routine is going, and see if they are having any difficulties with it. Being proactive will prevent any issues from becoming big problems down the road.