Senior Living Blog by UMH

Elizabeth Bemis

In 1998, I drove past an assisted living community construction site, learned that it was part of United Methodist Homes and realized the next stop on my professional journey was to work for a mission driven organization. Soon after, I joined the team as Executive Director of our Middlewoods of Farmington community and later served as Regional Manager for the Middlewoods properties before accepting my current role as Vice President of Marketing, Promotions, and Assisted Living Operations. I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, reading, walking, and love working alongside our staff, residents, and families to build strong communities that reflect the mission, vision, and values of United Methodist Homes.

Aging & Caregiving

Why Seniors Should Move into Assisted Living Before Winter Hits

By: Elizabeth Bemis December 13th, 2018

It’s that time of year. Snow, holidays, baking, and presents. While many people love the winter months, the cold, snowy, icy weather can pose a number of challenges for seniors, especially if they still live in their own homes.

The Difference Between Assisted & Independent Living

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 22nd, 2017

For an older adult, the choice between assisted living and independent living usually depends on how well an individual can manage daily activities without extra assistance. Examples of daily activities include, but are not limited to: preparing meals, personal hygiene, managing medications, completing household chores, driving/coordinating transportation, and maintaining personal finances. Someone who has difficulty with any of these daily "independent" activities may want to consider the maintenance-free lifestyle of an assisted living community.

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How to Afford Senior Living When the Money Runs Out

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 7th, 2017

Running out of money is a real possibility for some who have made senior living communities their home. The money runs out for a number of reasons and common among them are: longevity (the average length of stay in assisted living is 2.5 years but many live there significantly longer) increasing rental costs, increasing costs in senior health care services and a need for more assistance with activities of daily living (ADL) than before. There are others, but these situations just mentioned place an immediate draw on private funds.

Caring for Aging Parents: Discussing Change

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 3rd, 2017

Change is inevitable. As your parents age, you often become their strongest support system. But for many adult children, this may be the one challenge you’re not quite ready for! When caring for aging parents, it usually becomes necessary to have a talk with your loved ones regarding matters of change, such as senior living and long-term care options, legal documentation, and financial decisions. Before any adult child can have this talk, it is important to come to terms with the health changes of your loved and evaluate how these changes will affect the rest of the family.

Fall Prevention - 5 Tips to Help Prevent Falls

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 3rd, 2017

As people get older in their 70s, 80s, and beyond, they begin to become more physically frail. One of the concerns along with becoming frail is that they might slip and fall. While a fall to a younger person might only result in a bruise, the consequences of a fall to an elderly parent can be severely detrimental. Whether your parents are in assisted living or still in their family home, here are some ways that you can help them avoid falls

Everything You Need to Know About Hospice Care in CT

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 6th, 2017

Like many topics related to death and dying, families tend to avoid the topic of hospice care until a physician or social worker brings up the subject. This is unfortunate because studies show that people tend to live longer when they receive hospice care in CT. When you and your family know about the services and benefits of hospice, you will feel more comfortable discussing it with your doctor when the time arises.

The Importance of Eye Health for Seniors

By: Elizabeth Bemis March 27th, 2017

You’ve heard of the Ides of March, but have you heard about the Eyes of March? March is “Save Your Vision Month” (named by the American Optometric Association) and a great time to evaluate and improve your eye health. The American Optometric Association created "Save Your Vision Month" to bring awareness to eye health and important practices to maintain throughout the year. Although eye health is extremely important to everyone, seniors must take extra precautions to have optimum eye health.

Aging & Caregiving

New to Assisted Living? Tips on How to Help a Senior Adjust

By: Elizabeth Bemis November 15th, 2016

Helping a senior adjust to assisted living can be tricky, but it is definitely doable. It’s a much “easier” transition if from day one family members have accepted the decision to move and stay involved in some meaningful way. For many older adults, this next chapter of life may be something they are looking forward to and they may see it as a chance to meet new people and explore new things.

Recognizing American Red Cross Month

By: Elizabeth Bemis March 5th, 2016

March is “American Red Cross Month”, which makes it the perfect time to recognize the work of this valuable organization and its volunteers. The goal of “American Red Cross Month” is to bring awareness to the public so they understand how what they do can help people all over the world. Volunteers include those who donate blood, CPR trainees, volunteers who show up to respond to a home fire in the middle of the night. These are the everyday heroes of the Red Cross who make a difference in communities across the United States and around the world.

Tips for Maintaining Your Brain (Alzheimers Prevention)

By: Elizabeth Bemis March 3rd, 2016

Brain health often deteriorates with the aging process, but the decline is not inevitable in all cases. By taking a few simple steps, you can keep your brain healthy and alert as you enter your golden years.

Helping Your Loved One Maintain Independence with Dementia

By: Elizabeth Bemis March 1st, 2016

Dementia is a progressive disease where the patient slowly loses mental capabilities and cognitive functions over a period of time. Currently, About 4 to 5 million people in the United States suffer from some form of dementia.