Look for Your New Medicare Card in the Mail

Several months ago, Medicare sent out a notification saying they would be issuing new cards to all Medicare recipients.  The new cards started mailing in April 2018, and to meet the statutory deadline, all cards will be replaced by April, 2019.  The schedule for delivery is based on your geographic location, with Colorado starting after June 2018.  Medicare explains that your new cards will not contain your Social Security number as a way to help protect against identity theft and prevent fraud.  The new red, white and blue insurance cards will instead have a unique 11 digit number on them. 

This is a good idea but we want you to be aware that Medicare has issued a warning to seniors to be on the lookout for fraudsters trying to exploit them.  One way they are doing this is by posing as Medicare representatives and calling recipients asking for the 11 digit number from their card.  Please Note that Medicare states they do not and will not call recipients.  They strongly advise against giving out your new number over the phone to anyone and remind recipients that Medicare only operates via the US Mail.    

Furthermore, Medicare asks that you help to get the word out by warning family and friends that they may be at risk for these scams.  Reiterate not to give out any information over the phone to anyone claiming to be a representative of Medicare. 

Your new card will automatically come to you and you do not need to do anything as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, go online or give them a call.  Also keep in mind that your card may arrive at a different time than your friend’s or neighbor’s as mailing takes time.  Your Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same.

MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care 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. Please contact us to set up a tour to see firsthand our exceptional community.

Join Us for Our Longest Day Activities!

As a community that provides both assisted living and memory care, MorningStar of Boulder partners with the Alzheimer’s Association throughout the year in support of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.  Our activities include raising awareness and funds as well as having a good time along the way with our residents and their families and friends. 

This year we will again celebrate the Summer Solstice with a day filled with the “Longest Day” activities on June 21^st.  In fact we will not be alone as it is expected that thousands of people across the country and even the world will join together to raise funds and awareness for care and support that helps advance research toward the first survivor of Alzheimer’s.  At MorningStar of Boulder, residents will start the day with a Purple Pancake Breakfast and take part in a Lavender Zumba class on our library patio. 

We will then follow up with a Hand Print Legacy event and a fun Summer Solstice BBQ that is open to guests on the dining room patio.  Our day will also include Remember Me Pottery Painting and creating Gratitude Journals.  The fun-filled, meaningful day ends with a Magenta Memories Dinner and a special evening movie. 

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that over 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer's, and the team at MorningStar of Boulder feels honored to help care for our most tender residents within our Reflections Neighborhood.  With 46 suites devoted to the individualized care of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, our compassionate team is committed to finding ways to connect with the essence of the person regardless of their level of impairment.  Our community is equipped to provide care from the onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages. 

Our Boulder community also offers 48 assisted living suites, with spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans.  Please visit our website to learn more, and while you are there, set up a tour or use our email form to find out about pricing and availability.

 

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Boulder represents the best in senior living with a distinct mission statement - “to honor, to value, to invest.”  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve.  We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and invite you to schedule a visit to experience one of the area’s finest senior living communities.   

Choosing to be Exceptional

At MorningStar Senior Living we feel honored to have an extraordinary group of individuals who have chosen to serve seniors and to become a part of our MorningStar family.  We have been intentional about creating a culture defined not only by what we do but by the kind of people who are bringing it all to life – our dedicated team members.

If you would like a rewarding career that will allow you to grow personally as well as professionally, we invite you to take a look at MorningStar Senior Living communities in and around the greater Denver area.  Currently we have a range of assisted living jobs open that include housekeepers, Care Managers, food servers, cooks and others. 

Regardless of your position within a MorningStar community, we invest in all of our employees including training in our Service Excellence initiative, Radiance.  The program advances the way we deliver our service – with warmth, sincerity and depth of purpose, and each day Radiance is reiterated and strengthened in our Huddle.   Founded on the premise that we would be a company of Servants’ Hearts, Radiance’s framework allows our team to take service professionalism to the next level. 

In addition our Denver communities offer a unique and compassionate approach to memory care called “Lavender Sky,” which allows us to take the next logical step in what we have always believed and aspired to be – dementia specialists.  As a new employee with MorningStar, you will also be asked to attend Lavender Sky Training that includes the pathology of brain disease, communication techniques with the memory-impaired, dinning with dignity, safety and security and much more. 

We believe that starting on your first day as a MorningStar team member; you are an integral part of our success, and a powerful contributor to the strength of our brand.  Please visit our website to learn more about our communities, our brand, and all of our caregiver jobs in Denver and the surrounding communities. 

At MorningStar Senior Living, our 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 currently recruiting staff with a felt calling to serve seniors.  If you have a commitment to service, we invite you to visit MorningStar’s Join Our Team page for information on how to apply to assisted living jobs in Denver.

Are Alzheimer’s In-home Testing Kits Reliable or a Good Idea?

With more and more research coming to light in terms of genetic links to a variety of diseases including Alzheimer’s, we are faced with the dilemma of whether we want to know about it beforehand.  Dr. Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Neurology Department in New York, says that dealing with the knowledge of an impending disease like Alzheimer’s years before a person is ill may not be productive.  He states that, “While genetic testing predicts risk, it certainly does not diagnose whether dangerous plaques or other symptoms of Alzheimer’s already exist in the brain,” and “implementing prevention measures early-on may be a better option than genetic testing”

  

So what does genetic testing for Alzheimer’s tell a person?  For one thing, even if the ApoE4 gene is discovered, a person may be at risk for Alzheimer’s but not necessarily develop the disease.  Issues such as inflammation, obesity and other factors may need to be present before the disease can occur.  So if you get a positive result for the ApoE4 gene, it has not taken into account these other factors.

Researchers say a better solution is to focus on tests that can detect the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s.  Right now a test is available but it is very expensive.  The advantage to discovering pre-Alzheimer’s in people still in their 40s or 50 is that early interventions and treatments can be started. 

MorningStar at RidgeGate’s Reflections Neighborhood provides the area with quality, compassionate memory care.   We have 29 secure suites and can care for someone in the early onset of the disease right through to the most advanced stages.  Please visit our website to learn about our individualized care as well as pricing and availability information.  

MorningStar at RidgeGate provides the very best in senior living with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amidst a peaceful setting.  Please contact us to set up a tour of the area’s finest senior living in Lone Tree and convenient to Highlands Ranch. 

Source:

aplaceformom.com/blog/should-you-rely-on-an-at-home-genetic-test-for-alzheimers/ 

Seniors Find Benefits in Assisted Living Communities

Many seniors are pleasantly surprised to discover that assisted living is not such a “terrible place” after all but rather a true home that offers many benefits.  Several studies also back up this assertion and have found that for many seniors, community living is a healthier, safer and more agreeable alternative to living alone. 

Initially it can be difficult for seniors to leave their familiar family home and often mistakenly think moving into an assisted living community will mean the end of their independence.  Actually the opposite ends up being true as when a senior receives the proper care he or she needs, they are able to lead a fuller life. 

Another reason seniors can be reluctant to make the move is they do not realize that assisted living communities of today are not anything like nursing homes.  As a resident of an assisted living community, you not only will have your own private suite but an array of care options and amenities that are designed to provide your utmost comfort and security.    

In many cases assisted living is a much better option than trying to patch together the range of services the senior needs from in-home care providers.  Furthermore, assisted living communities are already set up to accommodate those who may have mobility difficulties, and it can be expensive to retrofit a private home to make it safe enough for a senior with physical limitations.  In addition, assisted living communities such as MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care at Jordan provide 24/7 care and offer residents as well as their families the peace of mind knowing help is close at hand in an emergency.  

Please see our website for contact information and to learn why assisted living or memory care may be the right decision for you or your loved one. 

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We provide 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. Please contact us to set up a tour to see firsthand the finest assisted living in Centennial CO.

Source: aplaceformom.com/blog/social-life-for-seniors-why-assisted-living-is-better/   

Build a Career with an Extraordinary Senior Living Company

At MorningStar Senior Living we take a unique approach to senior living with core values that include:  love, kindness, honesty, goodness, fairness and respect.   Our culture is designed to encourage each team member to thrive personally and professionally, and our goal is to keep you coming to work each day with a smile on your face.     

We know it can be hard to find a company that considers each employee, regardless of their position, to be an integral part of their success but MorningStar is just such a company.  Together our team strives to create senior living communities that are true homes for our residents that are filled with love, compassion and laughter. 

Six of our MorningStar Senior Living communities in and around Denver are currently seeking team members who share our philosophy that considers seniors to be heroes.  As part of our MorningStar family, you will be encouraged to explore your unique talents and to realize your full potential.  Our various job openings include Care Managers, housekeepers, dining room servers, Medication Care Managers, cooks and more.  In addition we offer competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, and when possible, we promote from within. 

At MorningStar, we recognize team members are the heart of our community, which is why our goal is to build a team of service professionals who feel called, connected and empowered.  If you have a felt calling to serve, please consider one of our assisted living jobs in the greater Denver area.  We are intentional and articulate about the kind of culture we want to build, and it is one in which you can thrive personally and professionally.  Visit our website to learn more. 

At MorningStar Senior Living, our 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 currently recruiting staff with a felt calling to serve seniors.  For a rewarding career, visit MorningStar’s Join Our Team page for information on caregiver jobs in Denver.

More Seniors are Living to 100 Years

With better nutrition and healthcare, more and more seniors are living well into their nineties and beyond.  A recent study reports that the number of Americans age 65 or older increased tenfold during the last century and today’s seniors are not only living longer but more comfortably and in better health.  In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were 72,197 Americans aged 100 or older, which is up more than 44 percent from 2000, when there were only 50,281 centenarians.

By 2050, it is estimated that 4 percent of the population will be 85 years or older, which is ten times the amount of people alive at that age in 1950.  Furthermore, researchers say that on average, one in twenty women today who are age forty will live to celebrate their 100th birthday (one in ten girls born today will live past 100).  For men, the number is one in forty who are age forty today that can expect to live to 100 (one in twenty boys born today will live past 100). 

Experts also report that approximately one-half of seniors will pay out-of-pocket for long-term care services and support (LTSS).  Right now $300 billion a year is spent on LTSS and the money comes from the individuals themselves, private insurance, and government programs.  To provide the care needed for the elderly and those with disabilities, the number of caregivers has increased by almost 300,000 from 2007 to 2012 to total 911,311.

Harvard researchers found that one of the top reasons for healthier seniors is “improved medical treatment, especially better cardiovascular health and vision care.”  Commonly prescribed drugs such as statins and other heart medications have reduced disability from heart disease and cataract surgery has helped to improved seniors’ eyesight. 

Of course when seniors do require a little help to safely grow old, assisted living provides the level of care needed while still allowing the person to retain their independence.  Please contact MorningStar at Jordan for more information about our senior living community. 

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We provide 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. Please contact us to set up a tour to see firsthand the finest assisted living in Centennial CO.

Sources:

smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/there-are-more-americans-over-age-100-now-and-they-are-living-longer-180957914/

gerontology.usc.edu/resources/infographics/americans-are-living-longer/

/money/4369180/retirement-living-longer-better/