Senior Living Blog by UMH

4 Easy Ways to Preserve Your Loved One’s Life Story

By: Marissa Salvesen November 19th, 2013

November is Family Stories Month. Interestingly enough, November is also National Lifewriting Month! These two celebrations provide a wealth of opportunities for families to connect with their elderly loved ones. So before you leave the table this Thanksgiving (and head out to do all your Black Friday shopping) take a moment to share a story, listen to a story, or write down a few words to remember those stories.

“Angry Old Ladies” & “Cranky Old Men”

By: Jim Stinson November 9th, 2013

Caring for a Loved One with Depression By: Jim Stinson, Director of Spiritual Life for United Methodist Homes The Reality of Aging In her mid-eighties, not given to morose thoughts and always life affirming, my mother startled me one day with her comment. She said, “I know more people up there than I do down here.” She gestured toward the sky as she said “up there” and toward the ground as she said “down here” making sure I got the point she wanted to make. Now while I could argue with her cosmology about the location of heaven, I could not argue with her observation. The fact was she had outlived most of her family of origin; and she had outlived most of her friends. Indeed her life had changed dramatically over the previous decade. Her friends were dying with increasing frequency, as were her children and their spouses. She was speaking to a reality of aging. If we live long enough we inevitably watch many of our loved ones and friends die. “Angry Old Ladies” and “Cranky Old Men” This fact can, and often does lead to depression, an often overlooked and under diagnosed illness, among the aging. When it is overlooked and under diagnosed we are often confronted with older adults who exhibit behaviors we would recognize more readily in younger people. We meet “angry old ladies,” “cranky old men,” older adults who “just sit home and do nothing,” mothers and fathers who “do nothing to help themselves,” and so on. When we deal with these people we discover how difficult it is to care for them. In fact we often tell ourselves “there is no talking to them, they just don’t want to be different,” and other self-protecting reasons not to try.

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Seniors and Depression: Education and Awareness

By: Marissa Salvesen November 1st, 2013

Depression is common among the elderly. However, it’s not a normal part of healthy aging. A major problem that stands in the way of treatment for seniors is that families often confuse the disease with signs of grief, which is natural in the face of major life changes. For this reason, it is not uncommon for seniors to struggle with depression and receive no medical attention. Or if they are seen by a physician, depression can often be misdiagnosed for a similar reason altogether and no treatment is administered.

Helping Seniors Breath Better—Respiratory Care Week 2013

By: Marissa Salvesen October 24th, 2013

October 20th – 26th is Respiratory Care Week, a week set aside to recognize respiratory therapists for their hard work and dedication. In support of those who “help others breathe better,” assisted living communities are helping to promote respiratory health by raising awareness in the community about lung health issues--particularly as they affect older adults.

Seniors: Dealing with Hearing Loss

By: Marissa Salvesen October 18th, 2013

Dealing with hearing loss is never easy, especially for an aging loved one. If you are dealing with hearing loss yourself, you have probably noticed how easy it is to withdraw when it becomes difficult to follow a conversation at a family gathering or any social event. Listening to a speaking presentation, many seniors have experienced confusion, embarrassment, or loneliness in trying to catch all of the words that are being spoken. In addition, as the aging process moves along, it is not uncommon for many families to view certain behavior as signs of depression, moodiness or disinterest rather than a hearing problem.

The Difference Between Age and Maturity

By: Jim Stinson September 30th, 2013

And The Mountains Echoed is a fascinating and disturbing novel by Khalem Hosseni, author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. In heart wrenching detail, he tells the story of a family from Afghanistan over a sixty-year period, each one of who continue to be affected by decisions made in earlier generations. It is a sometimes-grim reminder that, while we are free to alter our responses to the events of our lives, thus changing ourselves in some real way, we are always to some extent the product of our past.

National Assisted Living Week: Celebrating Community Life!

By: Marissa Salvesen September 9th, 2013

Caring Relationships. Enriching Lives. During the week of September 8th-14th, our United Methodist Homes Assisted Living Communities will be celebrating a very special week with residents, families, and staff. Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, National Assisted Living Week® provides a unique opportunity for residents, families, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding community to come together to share with our residents a variety of events and activities that show them how much we care for them.

Senior Living Options for Couples

By: Elizabeth Bemis September 2nd, 2013

One of the most frequently asked questions about senior living is whether communities cater to couples who have opposing senior care needs; the answer is yes, most do!

Managing your Aging Parent’s Health Needs

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 28th, 2013

According to a recent poll, the number of adult children providing personal or financial assistance to their parents has tripled in the last 15 years. Becoming a caregiver is a role few people plan for. Most people are thrust into the caregiver role unexpectedly, often when a parent suddenly suffers a stroke or a chronic condition worsens. This often inevitably leads to caregiver burnout and less effective management of a senior parent’s health needs.

Assisted Living Communities Celebrate National Senior Citizen’s Day

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 21st, 2013

August 21, 2013 is National Senior Citizen’s Day! This is a time to give special recognition to a remarkable group – our nation’s seniors-- who represent the fastest growing demographic in the world. Who Is A Senior Citizen?

Encouraging Socialization in Assisted Living Communities

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 16th, 2013

Making “small talk” can be an excellent way to break the ice and form a friendship. For many, however, starting off a conversation can be intimidating and can be better compared to an art form that few have truly mastered. Fortunately, there are easy ways for seniors to socialize in their assisted living communities, as nearly all facilities are designed with the purpose of providing opportunities for seniors to engage and connect.