Archive for year: 2018

Many seniors have the fear of going to a geriatric facility. There are those that are particularly wary of nursing homes.

 

 

There are many reasons behind this. But more often than not it stems from the stigma that nursing homes have. There’s this thinking that it’s the place you go to when there’s no family left to take care of you. A place of last resort, you might say.

 

 

While nursing homes do cater to seniors in this position it offers so much more. This article will discuss some of the most common fears about this type of geriatric community and how it promotes living independently.

 

 

Before jumping into all that, a quick definition of nursing homes.

 

 

The Advantage of Nursing Homes

A nursing home shares all the traits of a standard care home. But you have the added advantage of a facility that’s supervised and staffed by registered nurses 24/7. They are much better trained to recognize symptoms and changes in a person’s condition, so are better qualified to decide when to call a doctor or other health professionals.

 

The amenities in a nursing home are also typically better than a care home. Aside from having highly trained medical staff, a nursing home is equipped with specialist beds and a range of equipment for moving and handling people.

 

Overall, a nursing home is ideal for seniors who have a severe medical condition or severe mobile difficulties.

 

 

Common Fears

 

“I’ll have nothing to do.”

 

Today’s senior living communities have a wide range of activities that will leave you with no time to be bored. Not only will it keep you occupied, but having all these options promote independent living.

 

 

You’ll find a whole range of things to do. There are field trips, fitness classes, and continuing education programs.

 

 

“I’ll feel old and get sick faster”

 

It’s isolation that often leads to anxiety and depression. The social contact you get from living in a senior community is the key to better health and a better quality of life overall. If a senior is already ill with a certain disease, a nursing home will be able to offer specialized treatment.

 

 

For example, someone suffering from Alzheimer’s can be given memory care that includes daily stimulation, planned activities and customized care, all of which can actually slow down the progress of an illness or even improve health and behavior.

 

 

“I’ll lose my independence”

 

Geriatric communities promote the opposite of this. In fact, the goal is to empower seniors by providing an environment that promotes independent living. If you don’t require frequent medical care, you can opt out of a nursing home and choose an IL or independent living facility.

 

 

Here you’ll get help with chores that become more onerous over time like cleaning and cooking. You get greater freedom with the precious time you do have. Senior communities also provide ample opportunity for social activities on-site as well as transportation around the area when you need it.

 

 

 

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Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

Independent living communities exist to provide active seniors who want/need to take less responsibility within their daily lives. This is a beneficial facility that would provide care for active seniors who need little or no assistance at all.

 

 

Seniors who find themselves joining independent living communities simply wish to have an environment where they wouldn’t want to care about home ownership, maintenance, and safety anymore.

 

 

The types of housing would range from studio apartments to two-bedroom housing. Basically, communities would provide entertainment options as well as meal plans to be chosen by the residents. Despite the fact that they don’t need daily care or assistance, services exist for emergency purposes only. You can even compare it to all-inclusive resorts because of the entertainment options, housing, and services provided.

 

 

Types of Independent Living

 

• Continuing care
• Housing units
• Naturally occurring retirement community
• Senior apartments
• Subsidized housing

 

 

It can sometimes be intimidating for your loved one to think about moving into an independent living community. However, it can also be a great experience. In fact, independent living communities are geared toward seniors with active lifestyles. Here are some of the benefits:

 

 

Lawn Care

 

The challenges of cleaning the lawn or doing daily chores are real for people as they grow old. Seniors often get stressed out with some of the activities at home, such as moving the lawn, gardening, or shoveling the driveway. Thus, seniors need not worry about these anymore with the help of independent living communities that provide them with:

 

 

Socialization

 

The moment you retire, there is more time to spend and enjoy. But this can cause confusion when it comes to finding opportunities. With the help of independent living communities, it is so easy to avoid the hassle of finding community activities and organizations. As a matter of fact, your day should be packed with events that surely entertain.

 

 

Bills

 

When you decide to settle in an independent living community, you can have the utilities and other perks, which you may not usually find. With these communities, life becomes much less frantic when you have fewer bills to take care of.

 

 

Nutritious Diet

 

Independent living communities provide great options for daily meals. That is certainly in a communal dining room. Well, you can choose a particular community that should be able to offer tasty and healthy meals for that matter.

 

 

Privacy

 

Another great piece of news for those who are looking forward to living in independent living communities is that residents can have the privacy that they desire. However, the meals can be an option, including the feature of joining in on daily activities.

 

 

In Comparison With Assisted Living Communities

 

Of course, in comparison to assisted living communities, independent living may not offer a higher level of care. However, assisted living spaces may not be tantamount to the many services offered by nursing homes.

 

 

Take note that both assisted living and independent facilities would work well for seniors who are looking to have an independent lifestyle. The good thing is that it will still give you the enjoyment of activities and friendships when you join a community.

 

 

 

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Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

Assisted living facilities should give your loved ones the attention and care they truly deserve. Among the many services that they provide, senior housing makes sure to create meaningful activities for their patients.

 

 

Daily Exercise

 

You can expect a variety of exercise options aside from the wellness and health programs that assisted living communities to provide. Many of these communities facilitate exercise classes or daily walks with seniors to make sure that they are able to sustain muscle balance and strength. Of course, the exercises are designed within the bounds and abilities of the seniors so nothing is too strenuous. They can also enjoy water aerobics and free swim time in some communities.

 

 

Brain Booster Games

 

Wellness and physical health often go hand-in-hand to bring about cognitive well-being. Thus, assisted living communities should offer regular activities that enhance the brain. They should have a meaningful goal of sustaining memory while combining that goal with fun. Activity directors should be able to facilitate fun games to get residents laughing, talking, and thinking together.

 

 

Planned Community Outings

 

If the residents want to enjoy community activities, they can do so by taking transport services to different locations. They can participate in fun and meaningful events off of the property. Such events would include field trips, movie nights, and many more. Stimulation and variety are important factors for your loved one, so you ought to encourage them to get out and enjoy being in larger communities.

 

 

Music Nights

 

Needless to say, older folks enjoy listening to their favorite music and songs from back in the day. In certain instances, you can hear them sing along with the music from their past because they still remember every word. This shows how powerful music is for people. Hearing this music can lighten their mood and make them happy. It can have the power to send them back in time to when they went dancing to their favorite band.

 

 

In assisted living communities, they can bring music to their residents by encouraging them to engage in planned musical activities. These could range from live music, outdoor summer picnic to a dance night, or karaoke night.

 

 

Continuous Engagement with Favorite Hobbies

 

Whether they enjoy gardening, playing cards, or scrapbooking, residents inevitably bring some old hobbies and interests with them into senior housing. It is special and means a lot to residents when they are able to keep doing such activities in senior housing facilities.

 

 

Most assisted living communities to allow and encourage residents to keep doing those things to keep them engaged. The staff of these communities are very supportive and gladly will help with these activities when needed.

 

 

Senior housing communities come in a number of configurations. Each of them meets the modern needs of today’s seniors. These choices include assisted living only, independent living only, and a mix of independent and assisted living facilities.

 

 

If you are trying to decide which senior living facility your loved one should go to, then you need to make sure the facility will meet his or her needs. Likewise, it should be packed with the daily activities that residents love to engage in.

 

 

 

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Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

It is common to provide a convenient living space for people who are undergoing a progression into Alzheimer’s disease, including other forms of dementia. So, it is best to consider the level of care that patients will receive when families are seeking to choose an assisted living facility.

 

 

This is where memory care and assisted living comes into play. But memory care facilities often differ from assisted living facilities. In the event that you can’t find a place that offers both, here of their key differences:

 

 

Memory Care Units

 

• This is an ideal option for people with dementia for a higher level of skilled supervision and care
• Offers both private and shared living facilities
• Provides 24-hour supervised care that is given by trained staff
• Offers the same services as assisted living facilities
• Provides activities to stimulate the memory of residents with Alzheimer’s and other dementias
• Activities would include arts and crafts, games, and music, among others

 

 

Assisted Living Facilities

 

• Provides supervision and care for Alzheimer’s patients in the middle-stage development
• Individuals are given an assisted living space, particularly on a private apartment, private studio, or shared apartment
• Availability of staff 24 hours a day to provide assistance
• Provides management of medication, transportation to and from the doctor’s appointments, and social activities
• Offers a way for residents to gather and eat meals at a dining hall

 

 

Nevertheless, patients can take advantage of both services at a facility like ours at Richmont Senior Living. Practically, patients can have memory assisted living spaces within these facilities.

 

 

Common Services Offered In Memory Care and Assisted Living

 

There might be some differences in state regulations when it comes to services offered in senior care communities. However, both would offer basic supervised care, help with daily activities, and medical monitoring. Moreover, they can also get other services in both memory assisted living facilities.

 

• Medical care access
• Emergency call systems
• Health and exercise programs
• Laundry service and housekeeping
• Social programs and activities
• Round-the-clock 24-hour per day security and staff supervision
• 3 meals per day
• Transportation assistance

 

 

You might be charged a little extra for some of the services offered here above the basic monthly rate.

 

 

Who Needs Assisted Living Facility

 

When your loved one is still showing signs that he or she is still relatively independent, and if dementia or Alzheimer’s is not an immediate concern, then you might choose an assisted living facility.

 

 

Who Needs Memory Care

 

Those who have complex care requirements that are accompanied by memory impairment may need to go to memory care facilities for immediate care. This is basically an assisted living community that would also include special care units for patients with dementia.

 

 

If you are going to consider memory assisted living for your loved one, then you should know what to expect. You may choose a facility that is just within your area so that it will be easier for other family members to visit loved ones as they please.

 

 

It might be a very difficult decision to consider memory care or assisted living facility for your loved ones. However, you can have peace of mind when you consider their health and well-being.

 

 

 

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Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco

It would be fair to discuss the difference between assisted living and memory care. It doesn’t mean that there is a fine line between these two terms, but it may seem appropriate to get familiar with them first.

 

 

Assisted Living

 

For seniors, assisted living provides them with help through daily life activities without compromising their independence. The residents would also enjoy the amenities and features as those in Independent Living facilities. However, there are additional features, such as personal care, laundry, and three meals a day with snacks.

 

 

The level of personal care given to meet the needs of the residents. Personal assistance includes bathing, grooming, dressing, medication, and many others. However, services for an assisted living facility might be increased or decreased in time or as necessary.

 

 

Memory Care

 

The term memory care refers to the specialized support for residents with Alzheimer’s or with related conditions. Most of these services provide assistance and sustaining care. Likewise, the program provides supportive health and personal care service for the whole day. This also includes the provision of care in a designed, therapeutic residential setting.

 

 

Comparison of Long-Term Care Cost

 

The comparison of costs in assisted living and memory care would be both subject to many of the same variables, such as the size of the room, shared space or not, services required, and geographic locations. However, costs would figure a bit different for both types of care.

 

 

Assisted living communities would generally charge a monthly rate basis. This would cover the room and board with 2 or 3 meals daily. In some facilities, they include housekeeping, laundry, and related services still in the base rate.

 

 

Memory care offered is specialized care and many other nursing services not found in other assisted living environments. However, the cost would be a bit higher. There might be some options though to help pay for senior care, as they can reduce the out-of-pocket price tag.

 

 

Additionally, it involves structured activities or programs that are designed to provide care for residents suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If you are going to choose between the two service facilities, you should be considerate of the current condition of your loved ones.

 

 

For instance, if dementia or Alzheimer’s is not an immediate concern, and if your loved one would want independent care, then the excellent choice is assisted living. Memory care only is favorable when your loved ones require complex care with memory impairment. Take note that assisted living communities may also include a special care unit for people with dementia.

 

 

Basically, memory care facilities provide long-term care solutions for older adults suffering from memory loss. Such services would include a secure unit with staff trained to understand the needs of dementia patients.

 

 

Activities in Memory Care Facilities

 

• Exercise and physical activities
• Engaging in cognitive activities
• Sensory activities
• Making the most of the daily activities

 

 

You can rest assured that facilities offering memory care have added some computer-based, memory stimulating programs. This would show the evidence of helping the residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s to become more active via cognitive stimulation. Contact Richmont Senior Living today for more information.

 

 

 

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Richmont Senior Living is proud to serve Ashland, NE and the surrounding cities: Memphis, Springfield, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Waverly, Murdock, Ithaca, and Chalco