Changing Attitudes About Dementia

 

While a 2012 survey found that more Americans fear Alzheimer’s disease than they do cancer, many professionals are starting to rethink their attitude toward the disease. Bill Thomas, a geriatrician who is trying to reframe people’s view on aging, says for many the disease has been “swathed in shame” and stuck in what he call “the tragedy narrative.” Without dismissing the challenges of the disease, he and other experts say that it may be beneficial to both caregivers and patients to take an adaptive approach to dealing with Alzheimer’s that is more flexible, spontaneous, and expansive.

Mary Fridley, co-creator of a workshop called The Joy of Dementia (You’ve Got to Be Kidding!), stresses that in spite of the fact that we know dementia to be extremely painful, she feels too much time is spent on medicalizing the disease. Rather she truly believes “it is an opportunity, if people so choose, to be improvisational, to be silly, to play, to free ourselves from the constraints of truth and knowing and assumptions.”

One study out of Canada supports this premise by reporting that dementia patients’ symptoms declined and their psychologically outlook greatly improved after 12-weeks of visits from “elder clowns” who engage them with empathy, humor, and improvisation. Another recent study from Australia found that “dementia-care staff with positive attitudes and ‘person-centered’ strategies felt more competent about their ability to provide care.”

MorningStar at Jordan provides compassionate, individualized care for those with mild to advanced memory impairment in Centennial, CO. Our holistic approach to memory care is designed to comfort and heal as we find ways to help residents celebrate life and experience spontaneous moments of joy. If a loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, we are here to help, please contact us.

MorningStar at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting by creating a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Contact us to learn more about exceptional assisted living and memory care in Centennial, Colorado.

Source: mercurynews.com/2019/02/21/a-joyful-existence-with-alzheimers-yes-joyful/

Are You Looking for Assisted Living in Centennial, CO?

 

If you are looking for assisted living, Centennial, CO’s MorningStar community is one of the best places to start. Offering 55 suites for assisted living with a choice of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans, MorningStar at Jordan also offers all of the amenities and services to ensure your every comfort. You may recognize the MorningStar name. In addition to a number of senior living communities throughout the Western U.S., nearby locations include MorningStar of Littleton, MorningStar at RidgeGate and MorningStar of Parker.

We encourage you to visit our website as we have lots of information available along with photos that capture the full beauty and inviting warmth of our community. There you will find a great description of our home, brief comments from our Management Team, a map showing our location as well as pictures to illustrate the detailed attention to our welcoming spaces and beautiful design. The page also has a button to Amenities and Suite Amenities that describes many of the community’s resort-style amenities and highlights the comforts of our private suites.

Our private suites have been designed with all of the conveniences and safety precautions needed to ensure both your comfort and safety. Each bathroom is handicapped accessible and all apartments have an emergency call system. Throughout our large common areas just some of the amenities include a bistro, general store, chapel, theater, massage therapy room, salon, and fitness and wellness center. To enjoy the outdoors, we offer a fireside patio and all-season porches.

As a resident in assisted living, your care plan will be based on a thorough assessment of your medical history and personal preferences, and routinely evaluated to ensure it is relevant to your care needs. Range of services include assisting residents with the activities of daily living (ADLs) as well as life enrichment and hospitality services, which we consider to be important to one’s overall health. Also, families get peace of mind knowing trained care managers are there to help navigate any changes in the health and wellbeing of their loved one.

Please visit our website for contact info and give us a call to inquire about availability and pricing or connect with us online. We look forward to meeting you and your family.

MorningStar at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting by creating a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Contact us to learn more about our exceptional assisted living and memory care community.

This Month the US Commemorates the 57th American Heart Month

 

Each February, American Heart Month is celebrated by motivating Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Many organizations such as the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health use this opportunity to raise awareness and spread strategies for preventing the disease.

Some of their suggestions for prevention include small lifestyle changes such as flavoring food with spices rather than using salt as well as adopting overall healthier eating habits. They recommend staying active (or get active) and maintaining a healthy weight. Also, to control cholesterol and blood pressure levels. If you smoke, quit and avoid secondhand smoke. If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. It is also important to manage stress.

Remember you are at a greater risk for heart disease if you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, are overweight or obese, and are not exercising and following a healthy diet. Genetics may also put you at a higher risk as well as your age. If you had a father or brother with heart disease before age 55 or a mother or sister with the disease before 65, it may indicate a family history.

The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as coronary artery disease. This causes the coronary arteries that carry blood to the heart to become blocked by cholesterol and plaque buildup. Chest pains or a heart attack are a sign of a blocked artery.

At MorningStar at Jordan, a Centennial, CO assisted living and memory care community, we take our residents wellbeing very seriously, which is why we serve delicious, nutritional meals prepared largely from scratch using the freshest ingredients. In addition, we have a range of wellness programs and activities that support and enhance physical, mental, and spiritual health. Please visit our website for more information about our beautiful community.

MorningStar at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting by creating a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Contact us to learn more about our exceptional assisted living and memory care community.

Source: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-month

Come Join the MorningStar Family

 

At the MorningStar senior living communities, we know that seniors have gone through many trials and triumphs throughout their lives and handled them with fortitude and grace, which it why we feel privileged to serve them. Furthermore, many of us have been blessed to have the opportunity to build loving relationships with our own grandparents or other elderly relatives and love the opportunity to give back.

Guided by MorningStar Senior Living’s mission statement that honors God in our business practices and relationships; values all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals; and invests generously in our team’s ability to serve; the Denver area MorningStar communities strive to live up to those goals. One way we do this is by recruiting and retaining an extraordinary team of service professionals and recognizing each team member is essential to our success.

Our beautiful communities have an array of open positions in Denver and the surrounding area that will allow you to make a difference in the lives of our residents. Openings are available at MorningStar of Arvada; MorningStar at Jordan; MorningStar of Littleton; MorningStar at RidgeGate; MorningStar of Wheat Ridge; and MorningStar of Parker. Some of our positions are caregiver jobs while others are essential to the smooth operation of our communities. Current open positions include Care Manager, Server, Community Relations Associate, Medication Care Manager/QMAP, Driver, Housekeeping jobs and more.

In addition to one of the most generous financial compensation packages in the industry, MorningStar offers a host of other benefits including comprehensive insurance coverage. This includes health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, telehealth coverage, life insurance, and supplemental insurance (disability, accident, critical illness).

Please visit our website for a complete list of rewarding positions, detailed job descriptions and an easy-to-use online application. While our career opportunities are diverse, all require individuals with big hearts and a love for seniors. Please come join our MorningStar family!

MorningStar Senior Living’s unique mission statement: “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. We are committed to a foundation built upon honoring God and valuing all seniors, and are actively recruiting staff with a felt calling to serve seniors. If you would love to serve, please visit MorningStar’s Career page for information on current openings (including caregiver and housekeeping jobs) in Denver, CO.