There are Things You Can Do to Reduce the Risk of Falling

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that each year, one out of every five Americans aged 65 years and older has a fall that results in an injury such as broken bones or a head injury. However, medical professionals say while it is important for seniors to take precautions to prevent falls as injuries can be serious, they also remind us that regardless of how old we are, it is beneficial for our overall health to keep moving. Experts explain that failing to engage in “mild exercise on a regular basis results in reduced muscle strength, decreased bone mass, loss of balance and coordination, and reduced flexibility.”

They go on to say that despite commonly held beliefs, falls are not a normal part of aging and there are things you can do to help keep you on your feet and mitigate the risk of a fall. Their first advice is to talk to your doctor about your risk and prevention. Tell them if you have fallen and discuss your medications to see if side effects include dizziness or sleepiness that could contribute to falls.

While falls are common in seniors 65 years of age and older, individuals with dementia are at an even greater risk. Researchers say there are several reasons for this including gait and balance issues as well as problems concentrating and with staying focused on the task at hand. Other issues that may increase the risk of falls include poor eyesight and chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s, and arthritis or numbness in the feet. If you often feel dizzy or lightheaded upon standing or suddenly sitting up, ask your doctor if you might have postural hypotension, and find out how you can alleviate the symptoms.

Further tips to reduce your risk include having your eyes checked annually and updating your glasses when needed. In addition, talk to your doctor about the best footwear for inside the house as well as outside. Check your home for trip hazards (the CDC has a list of tips) and install grab bars in the bathroom. Finally, ask your doctor about exercises to strengthen your leg muscles as well as balance-training exercises to improve balance.

At MorningStar at Jordan, our community was built to accommodate our residents’ every need and to see to their comfort as well as their safety. We encourage you to visit our website for contact information and to learn more about our exceptional assisted living and memory care.

MorningStar at Jordan offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Please call for more information about the finest assisted living and memory care in Centennial, CO.

Sources: cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-falls/

agingcare.com/articles/falls-in-elderly-people-133953.htm

alzinfo.org/articles/diagnosis/alzheimers-disease-increases-the-risk-of-falls/

Promising News About the Number of New Cases of Dementia

 

Researchers are studying promising news that indicates a decline in the number of new cases of dementia. The Aug. 4, 2020, issue of Neurology published a report from the Alzheimer's Research Consortium, which looked at data from people over the age of 65 in both Europe and North America. Their findings show the percentage of people diagnosed with dementia has dropped 13% every 10 years over the past 30 years.

This does not mean that dementia is not a widespread problem. As life expectancy has increased along with the number of people on the planet, so has the number of adults with dementia increased. However, what researchers are pleased to see after looking at seven different studies is that new cases are actually lower than what we had been expecting based on the rate of the increases of several decades ago. Scientists believe that the decline may be due to “treatment for dementia risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation.”

If you are looking for care for a family member with Alzheimer’s or a dementia-related disease, we encourage you to consider MorningStar at Jordan. Along with assisted living, we provide compassionate and loving care to those suffering from memory impairment. Our 29 secure, memory care suites are equipped to care for your loved one from the onset of the disease to the most advanced stages.

MorningStar’s unique approach to memory care includes finding ways to connect with and nurture the individual essence of each resident, and our energy is put toward finding ways to celebrate and elevate life. Along with individualized care plans, residents receive 24-hour care, daily health monitoring, access to a full-time nurse, and participate in wellness programs and services tailored to their special needs. Please visit our website to learn more.

MorningStar at Jordan offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. We encourage you to give us a call for more information on unparalleled assisted living and memory care in Centennial, CO.

Source: health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dementia-declining-in-the-united-states

Could Your Parent Benefit from Assisted Living?

 

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 at Jordan, 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 senior 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.

MorningStar at Jordan offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. We encourage you to give us a call for more information on unparalleled assisted living and memory care in Centennial, CO.

Senior Living at Its Best in the Denver Area

 

MorningStar Senior Living has six communities in the Denver area that include MorningStar of Arvada, MorningStar at Jordan, MorningStar at RidgeGate, MorningStar of Littleton, MorningStar of Wheat Ridge and MorningStar of Parker. Presently all of our communities are recruiting individuals with a felt calling to serve seniors.

If you are new to the idea of working in senior living, you should know we need people with a wide range of skill sets and education. For example, some of our open positions in the Denver area include Executive Chef, Server, and Housekeeping jobs. We also seek individuals for more hands-on roles as Caregiver to assist residents with their day-to-day personal care. Other opportunities include Medication Care Manager, Dining Room Supervisor, and Wellness Nurse.

Also, for those unfamiliar with senior living as well as new to MorningStar communities, we want you to know that we consider it our job to provide you with all of the tools you need to be successful. This starts with receiving purposeful training when you join our team and continues throughout your career with us. In addition, to ensure a smoothly transition, you will have loving support and encouragement from supervisors and fellow team members.

All employees go through our service excellence initiative training, which we call Radiance, and is used to guide the way we deliver service – with warmth, sincerity and depth of purpose. Radiance training also helps us to grow professionally and personally. Just listen to what one team member enthusiastically says, “Radiance training is absolutely phenomenal! I appreciate that MorningStar strives not only to help team members be their best at work, but in their personal lives as well.” Additionally, MorningStar staff receives training in “Lavender Sky,” which encompasses our philosophy as well as our holistic approach to memory care and helps team members better understand dementia.

We are also proud to support our team members with some of the most generous benefits in the industry. Compensation starts with competitive wages, and bonus or incentive opportunities (depending on position). In addition, employees are eligible for paid holidays, paid vacation, paid sick time, birthday appreciation day, 401k plan availability, health savings account availability, uniforms, and advancement opportunities. At MorningStar, we strive to make sure our team is paid well for the valuable services they provide our company.

The MorningStar website lists the various positions open in the Denver area. We know senior living at its best is love in action, please come join our team!

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.