Concerned About an Elderly Parent Living on Their Own?

Has your elderly parent spent a lot more time alone during COVID-19 and now appears to be having difficulty taking care of themselves or managing their home as they were once able to? For many families, the last year and a half has underscored the fact that their elderly loved one is not getting on as well as they did before the pandemic; and may need additional help with the activities of daily living.   

We know the decision to move a family member into a senior living community is a big one. Seniors can be resistant to moving, and many hate the idea of leaving their home and everything familiar to them. However it is important thing to consider whether your parent’s current living situation is meeting their overall physical and safety needs; and if it doesn’t, it is time to start the conversation about the need for change.  

One important thing to look for is if your loved one has had one or more falls over the last several months. The CDC reports every second of every day, an older adult (age 65+) suffers a fall in the U.S.—making falls the leading cause of injury and injury death in this age group. Every 11 seconds a senior is treated at an emergency room for injuries suffered in a fall. In addition does their home have stairs they must use, or do they have a problem get up from a chair or out of bed. Also take a good look at mom or dad’s appearance. Are they looking disheveled or is the house looking neglected.    

If mom or dad does need help with the ADLs (activities of daily living) and would benefit from more socialization, MorningStar of Happy Valley is a trusted senior living community in Happy Valley. Our home offers 61 private suites available in a range of configurations and floorplans; and residents receive 24-hour Care Managers, access to full-time licensed nurses, medication management, care plan reviews and other services. Amenities include a 24-hour bistro with full bar; life enrichment room; spa; fitness and wellness center; massage/therapy room; salon; game room; theatre/chapel; and more. Our Reflections Neighborhood offer seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia individualized memory care. Visit our website to learn more.

Help Control Blood Pressure with Lifestyle Changes

The Mayo Clinic has several tips to help people with high blood pressure (HBP) bring their numbers down. They say making simply lifestyle changes could help you avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication. 

The first thing they recommend is maintaining a healthy weight. If you are overweight, check with your healthcare provider regarding diet suggestions. Experts explain being overweight can raise your blood pressure as well as interfere with your breathing during the night (sleep apnea). Just having too much weight around your waistline can also increase your blood pressure. While measurements vary among body types and ethnicities, the Mayo Clinic says, “Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters). Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (89 centimeters).”  Check with your doctor regarding what would be best for you. 

Exercise is another way to help reduce your blood pressure numbers. Experts say 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes daily can help bring your numbers done by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. Best exercises include walking, jogging, dancing, cycling or swimming. 

Diet is also important and the Mayo Clinic says the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a good one for HBP. Other suggestions include reducing your daily sodium intake as well as alcohol consumption, cut back on caffeine and reduce stress.   

At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, our goal is to provide the best senior housing Rio Rancho, NM offers, which includes chef-inspired meals that are both delicious and healthy. Our nutritional choices include low sodium, sugar free, no sugar added, vegetarian and low fat for residents to self-manage. Ingredients include using super foods such as berries, Omega 3 fats, dark chocolate and leafy greens. 

Our community offers 51 graciously appointed suites for assisted living with configurations that include spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans.  For those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, we have 26 secure suites providing individualized, specialized care. Please call or visit our website to learn more.  

This post is intended for informational purposes only.  Please contact your health care provider with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health. 

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior housing Rio Rancho, NM offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar of Rio Rancho provides outstanding assisted living and memory care. 

Source:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-2004697

Doctors Say Don’t Forget to Get a Flu Shot

Medical professionals stress the importance of getting a flu shot this year. They worry too many people may assume given the relatively small outbreak last year, it won’t be a problem this season. To illustrate, the CDC reported only 818,939 specimens were tested for influenza from late September 2020 through late May 2021, and only 0.2 percent came back positive as compared to 26 to 30 percent during a normal season. 

The concern of experts now is that the few cases last year may actual result in a worse season this year. Clare Rock, an infectious diseases physician and hospital epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine say the light flu season last year “means some of the natural immunity that would be in the population is not going to be in the population now.” He adds, “We may have more vulnerable people.”

It is hard to predict the severity of this year’s flu season as health professionals do not yet know the extent of people who will still practice social distancing and mask wearing due to COVID-19. It is also hard to predict how close this year’s flu shot will address the various strains of flu that turn up. Other good reasons to get a flu shot is many hospitals are filled with COVID patients and the fact kids are physically back at school.  

Another roadblock to a more accurate prediction of this year’s flu numbers is most years   we look at the number of cases in the Southern Hemisphere (their flu season is during our summers). Again things are not normal given the amount of COVID currently affecting the area and there are strict mitigation rules in effect in many countries. With all of these unknowns, healthcare providers stress the importance of everyone eligible getting a flu shot.   

At the MorningStar of Happy Valley senior living community, we offer 61 private assisted living suites and another 27 secure suites devoted to the specialized care of those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Our mission is to enhance quality of life for residents and we do this through a full component of wellness programs and activities, hospitality and care services, and luxury amenities. Please feel free to contact us and ask about our Move-in Specials.

Our Goal is to be the Best We Can!

At MorningStar of Happy Valley, our first and foremost priority is to give residents the finest quality of life possible by offering a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and security. Recognizing seniors as heroes, we acknowledge all of the triumphs and challenges they have faced throughout their lives and consider serving them to be our life’s calling – our privilege. Thus we feel honored to receive praise regarding our home and our care from residents and their families. The following are just a few examples.

One daughter of a resident recently told us how Morning Star of Happy Valley has been a God-send for her and her Mom. She reiterates on how tough it is to find a place where a person is treated with the respect and love you feel they deserve but says she have found such a place at MorningStar. She adds, “The people who work here are ‘earth angels.’ My mom is flourishing under the care she is receiving at Morning Star. She is happy! My heart is happy! I am at relieved and relaxed for the first time since Mom's Alzheimer's Diagnosis.” 

Another daughter states how she cannot imagine a better home for her father. She writes, “The MorningStar team has been compassionate, professional and unbelievably supportive. They are always available to answer my questions and respond to my concerns. My father has benefitted from the genuine care and friendliness that all staff members show him. Beautiful building filled with smiling people. Thank you for all of your care and concern.”

At the MorningStar of Happy Valley, our beautiful assisted living and memory care community offers a whole host of resort-style amenities and care services along with wellness programs and activities geared toward the needs of our residents. However the thing we are most proud of is our extraordinary team who routinely go the extra mile to care for residents. 

Located in the southeast suburb of Portland, OR, we proudly offer area seniors a true “home.” Please see our website to learn more about trusted senior living in Happy Valley, and ask about our Special Deal -$21 FOR FIRST MONTH | $20 COMMUNITY FEE.

Assisted Living at MorningStar of Rio Rancho

If you are worried about an elderly parent who lives alone and may not be getting the kind of personal daily care, meals, or company they need; it may be time to consider assisted living.  At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, we specialize in providing care for seniors who need a little help with their day-to-day personal care activities but do not require 24-hour medical care.  

We have seen first-hand how the transition to assisted living eases the stress of either or both the senior’s life or the family caregiver’s life.  Moreover, we recognize that assisted living at its best allows residents to not only survive but to thrive.  We achieve this with a wide range of care services, fine dining, and meaningful wellness programs and activities.  In addition, residents enjoy built-in companionship as they make new friends with fellow residents and our truly loving staff. 

To give families a good idea of what services are provided with assisted living, we are happy to answer questions.  Also, we suggest you take a look at our website where you will find a lot of information.  A good place to start is our Decision Guide under the “First Steps” tab.  Here we go over things to look for that may indicate your parent needs more help such as recent falls, unexplained weight loss, poor balance, and/or poor personal hygiene.   From there, take a look at our FAQs for more details.   

Under our “Wellness” tab we go over our dining services, life enrichment programs, and clinical care services.  We also like to direct interested families to “Our Heart” to read a little background on how MorningStar Senior Living began and what its mission and precepts are all about.  

While you will discover our company was founded on Judeo-Christian tradition, we honor all faith systems and worldviews as we believe it is our responsibility to respect residents’ spiritual preferences.  In fact, our goal is to meet a resident’s social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs as part of creating a comfortable home and compassionate care. Please contact us to learn more about the finest senior housing Rio Rancho, NM has to offer. 

Our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior housing Rio Rancho, NM offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, MorningStar of Rio Rancho provides outstanding assisted living and memory care.