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Caring For Aging Skin
You may notice the following changes as your skin ages. It becomes thinner and loses fat, looking less smooth than it used to. Veins and bones become more prominent through the skin. Scratches, cuts and bruises take longer to heal. The years of tanning or being out in the sun lead to wrinkles, age spots, dryness or cancer. Many seniors struggle with dry skin. There are many possible reasons for this, including being out in the sun, not drinking enough liquids, being in dry air, smoking, stress, losing sweat and oil glands with age. Dry skin may also be caused by certain health problems such as diabetes or kidney disease. Habits such as using too much soap, antiperspirant, or perfume will make a dry skin problem worse. Some medicines can also make the skin drier or itchier. Lotions, creams and ointments for dry skin can go a long way to soothe dry skin when used regularly. There are some simple […]
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Short Term Options
Many seniors who are looking for senior housing don’t know about short term stay options that are available at many senior living communities. There are a few different reasons you or your loved one might need a short term stay. At some senior communities they offer flexible, temporary and customized care solutions to meet the unique needs of seniors. Sometimes short term housing and care is needed after a hospital stay. Respite care can be a useful intermediate step between the hospital and home. When your loved one is not quite ready to return to living independently at home, respite care can be a wise choice. When seniors have caregivers, those caregivers will at times need to have a break, whether they go on an actual vacation or just take some time off. Many senior communities offer a short term option with a range of personalized services depending on the needs of the senior. Another reason to sign up for […]
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Support for Seniors
A Caring Heart, Senior Housing Referral Service has merged with CHOICE Advisory Services as of May 1, 2015. This offers the Vancouver community the resources of one of the most established and well respected referral services in the Pacific Northwest in addition to Les Ostermeier’s background and expertise in the Clark County region.
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Relocating to Assisted Living
When you have exhausted all of the home support and home care options, it is likely time to explore assisted living and other alternative long term care choices that involve moving you or your loved one from their current home. To know which assisted living setting is best for your circumstances, it might be helpful to ask someone who is familiar with senior services.  You could speak with other families who have had some experience with their own assisted living search, your physician, or a social worker. If you are in a hospital, skilled nursing home, or working with a home health agency, you can ask the discharge planner or social worker. Or there are national services, like the Eldercare Locator, which is a nationwide toll-free service to help older adults and their caregivers find local services, but the perfect choice would be someone who is familiar with all of the various long term care and assisted living community […]
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Hope For Those Living With Alzheimer’s
There are more than 5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, and an estimated 15.5 million currently caring for them. For all of these millions of people, there is some new hope created by a new drug introduced by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. For those individuals showing very early symptoms of the disease, the new drug seems to help prevent the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain. This is the type of plaque that is believed to be a factor in the development of Alzheimer’s. It is still very early in the process of drug testing. There is no clear evidence yet that this will have a long term effect. Though it’s too soon to tell, this new drug offers a glimmer of hope for a devastating disease with very few prospective cures in sight. There have already been many failed attempts at drugs to modify or change Alzheimer’s. So far the hope of a cure for Alzheimer’s […]
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The Benefits of Pets
Pets not only provide companionship and help dispel the loneliness seniors can struggle with, but their presence also has real health benefits. Pets can be very good company and provide comfort to their owners in a way only a nonjudgmental animal can. The loving presence of a pet actually produces chemicals in the brain that helps lower stress. The levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, drop, and serotonin levels increase when one spends time with a pet. Living with a beloved pet can help anyone live a healthier life. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate. It also can help lower cholesterol, fight depression, and contribute to the prevention of heart disease. For these reasons and many others, Cascade Inn in Vancouver welcomes pets to live with residents. Living with a pet has been shown to reduce stress for those with memory loss. It can also strengthen self-esteem, help build social relationships, and encourage seniors to […]
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Financial Considerations For Senior Housing
Making the move to Van Mall Retirement Community, or one of the other communities in Vancouver, requires some planning ahead, especially when it comes to the financial considerations. Whatever your current financial situation is, here is some basic information about funding your move to a senior community. First, there is the more traditional path, where your move is funded with income from interest, capital gains or dividends from savings and investments. It is also an option for some people to get a line of credit on one of these accounts to pay for senior housing. Many seniors use the funds from the sale of their home to pay for senior housing. For those who are not ready to sell their home, there are home equity options that may be used for this purpose. Some people are in the position to use their life insurance policy to fund a move to a senior community. It is possible to get a life […]
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Staying Active At Touchmark
The events calendar at Touchmark at Fairway Village is full of fun, interesting and socially engaging things to do. Just looking at all the activity choices gets the creative juices flowing. For those who love to play games, there are several opportunities to join others in some friendly competition. Weekly games of Bingo, Bridge and Mexican Train are open to all players. If Cribbage or Pinochle are more to your liking, those games are also played weekly. How about Bunco, Social Poker or Rummikub? If you’re looking for something a little more active, you can join the bean bag baseball team. If it’s classes you’re interested in, residents at Touchmark have opportunities to learn computer use, cell phone use, art, sewing, crafts and reader’s theater. To keep your brain active and healthy they offer Brain Builders, Mind Benders and Lifelong Learners groups. Support groups at Touchmark include caregiver support and dementia support. There is a club for residents who are […]
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Life at The Quarry
The Quarry is a planned retirement community that offers a phenomenal living experience with an amazing array of recreational opportunities onsite. There are so many activities to choose from, you will have a hard time fitting it all into your busy day. Or not. You can be as busy as you want to be there. They offer a variety of clubs and support groups to interest almost anyone. There are groups that focus on hobbies, games and special interests. There are support groups that address personal development or civic interests. Special outings are regularly scheduled to musical performances, theatrical productions, and foodie events. Also available are trips to local attractions, and sightseeing trips to destinations in Washington and Oregon. You can take classes on all kinds of topics, from a variety of fitness and exercise classes to genealogy and crafts. The Quarry’s activity calendar is truly impressive. There is so much to choose from, no one could ever say they […]
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Memory Care At Windsor Gardens
Windsor Gardens is one of the best facilities in Vancouver providing memory care and assisted living services to seniors who have dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. With its dedicated staff, warm and friendly atmosphere, and secure environment, Windsor Gardens makes the perfect place for you or your loved one to feel at home. Services Daily meals Housekeeping and laundry service Medication management 24-hour staffing Personal assistance with activities of daily living Specialized memory care support Amenities Private and semi-private furnished apartments Phone and cable television in every room Emergency call system in every room and bathroom Outdoor video monitoring Electronically armed gates for the safety of our residents Non-smoking environment Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, communities that provide memory care programs report a higher quality of life for residents in several areas. A significant number of residents even experience an increase in mental function, or at least maintenance of their skills. Special memory care features Secure environment High staff-to-resident […]
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Caring For Aging Skin25 Feb 2016
You may notice the following changes as your skin ages. It becomes thinner and loses fat, looking less smooth than it used to. Veins and bones become more prominent through the skin. Scratches, cuts and […]
Short Term Options2 Feb 2016
Many seniors who are looking for senior housing don’t know about short term stay options that are available at many senior living communities. There are a few different reasons you or your loved one might […]