Category: Assisted Living

Dementia is a difficult disease to navigate because it is fraught with so much uncertainty, both for the patient and their caregivers. The novelist Laurie Graham, who lost her husband to dementia, has said, “None of us wants to be reminded that dementia is random, relentless, and frighteningly common.”  She’s right. It is very common — more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide; however, that doesn’t mean the answers about how to approach dementia care are clear or in any way obvious.  That’s why we’re offering our guide, based on our experience and expertise, to help you evaluate when 24-hour dementia care might be needed for your loved one.  When dementia requires round-the-clock care Even when it’s evident that round-the-clock care is required for a person diagnosed with dementia, the fact is the decision to secure that care is emotional and can be complicated by financial concerns or restraints.  Setting those aside for the moment, here are the tangible boxes that, if checked, would evidence that 24-hour care is not only appropriate, but ideal.  Safety concerns  As dementia progresses, individuals may face challenges in maintaining their safety. Frequent falls, wandering, and confusion about their surroundings can put them at risk. If safety becomes a consistent concern, it may be an indicator that 24-hour care is needed. Inability to perform daily activities Dementia can impact an individual’s ability to carry out daily activities independently. If tasks like dressing, bathing, and preparing meals become increasingly challenging or impossible, it may be…

After a wonderful series of holiday celebrations last month, our team wishes to share the importance of festive celebrations to the senior citizens in your life. As experts in elder care, we recognize and have long witnessed the positive ramifications of socialization to our elderly residents. That’s why we prioritize opportunities to socialize, year-round, and especially during the emotional highs and lows of the yuletide season. In addition, celebrating holidays and important family events year-round can help aging loved ones know that they are still an important part of their families. Why do we place such a premium on socialization?  Let us offer you some specific benefits about elders keeping an active social calendar and share some photos of the recent holiday celebrations we have been honored to host at all of our As Life Goes On locations.  5 reasons why socialization is so important to elder populations Aging is a complex process and the experience is unique to everyone; however, what we know is that socialization offers myriad benefits and can offset some of the challenges commonly associated with aging.  Consider the following benefits of socialization to elderly populations:  #1 Safeguards against social isolation For many seniors, social isolation is a significant concern, especially during the holiday season. Family gatherings, community events, and parties provide invaluable opportunities for seniors to connect with others, breaking the monotony of solitude that may be more prevalent during other times of the year. Socializing during the holidays helps combat feelings of loneliness, and a…

If there is one thing that our years of experience and expertise has taught us it’s that there are many myths circulating about assisted living and what it means to enter an assisted living facility. Unfortunately, unlike beloved stories, these myths are damaging and deny the truth about assisted living. 

It can be difficult to know if it’s time for assisted living — and far too often, you don’t realize it’s needed until it’s an overdue change. Many of the changes that make assisted living a good choice happen slowly over a long period of time, so you may not realize how much quality of life has been impacted until your aging loved one is really struggling. By keeping an eye out for changes in certain areas, you can start thinking early about how someone is adjusting to aging. Here are five signs that it might be time to move to assisted living.

So, you and your aging parent have decided that it’s time to find a senior care facility. How do you choose? This process involves a lot of communication, so it’s good to prepare for the process.

The terms assisted living and nursing home are often used interchangeably, but once you start doing more research, you will start to discover that there are a lot of important differences between the two. Here are some useful distinctions between assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

We’ve all been there: a song from your youth comes on the radio and even though you haven’t thought about the song in decades, you find yourself singing every word or humming every note. Music is an important part of how we interact with the world around us. In addition, it doesn’t seem to be impacted by memory loss and dementia the way many other everyday things are.

On June 22, some of the residents at Beaver Lake Lodge showed off their gardening skills. The team created beautiful planters full of bright summer flowers.  Enjoy these pictures of our residents sharing smiles while making their home a little brighter and more colorful!

Boutique senior living residences offer smaller numbers of guests and often more home-like environments. While it’s important to find the right match for your parent, this means that they can be a great place for your aging loved one, and especially those with memory loss. These five reasons to consider a boutique senior residence include quotes from Atul Guwande’s book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Happens in the End. 

If you’re looking into senior care, you may have come across the term assisted living, but you may not know what assisted living is. Assisted living can include a variety of services and activities. The main goal of assisted living is to provide clients a home where they can get assistance while still having as much independence as possible. Assisted living differs from independent living, a term you also may have heard, so it’s important to understand what assisted living provides.