Senior Living Blog by UMH

Crosby Commons Assisted Living Hosts Caregiver Education Program

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 7th, 2013

Crosby Commons Assisted and Independent Living Community, on the Wesley Village campus in Shelton, recently hosted a caregiver education program, entitled, “Preventing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout”, presented by Gerontologist and CEO, Donna B. Fedus, MA. This free program, offered specifically for social workers, administrators, and other health care professionals, was filled with valuable self-care techniques to help caregivers avoid the dangers of burnout in their mission and commitment to caring for others.

Vision Care for Seniors: Symptoms, Risks and Treatments for Cataracts

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 7th, 2013

Did you know that individuals over the age of 65 who remove cataracts from their eyes, significantly lower their risk of needing hip replacement surgery? Vision loss is a well-known risk factor for falls and fractures—and while August is Cataract Awareness Month, let’s take a look at the symptoms, risks factors and treatments for cataracts in seniors.

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Seniors and Pets: The Benefits of Companionship

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 31st, 2013

Pet therapy is a real health-promoting exercise for seniors. Those slobbering, furry animals, we call pets, can transform an individual’s sorrow into joy, right before your eyes. Pets are seen as loyal companions that do wonders for their owners’ well being. For this reason, many assisted living communities offer pet programs as part of their senior care services.

Aging Seniors and Their Children: Knowing When to Let Go

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 26th, 2013

Imagine you walked into your mom’s assisted living community and noticed she bought a new outfit from a catalog. Has your first response ever sounded anything like this: “Stop wasting your money, Mom; haven’t I asked you to stop buying things you don’t need?”

Assisted Living Communities in CT are Disaster Ready, are you?

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 24th, 2013

Depending on where you call home, your assisted living community may be prone to certain natural disasters. Storms, hurricanes, tornados or flooding may occur frequently in your “neck of the woods.” Assisted living communities are required to have disaster plans in place. If you are searching for a community for yourself or a loved one, find out what steps they take to keep residents safe and communicate with families.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s, or Old Age: The Differences

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 19th, 2013

When a physician says: “Your mom is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s disease” your first reaction may be one of shock and anxiety. On the other hand, if he say’s “she has a little bit of dementia” you might feel a sense of relief thinking dementia comes with old age, and “at least she doesn’t have Alzheimer’s.”

Elder Abuse Awareness: What you Need to Know

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 5th, 2013

It is a horrible reality but elder abuse happens. Ageism (discrimination against the elderly) fuels it. And what is most disturbing is that family members are often the perpetrators. There is no one type of elder abuse; it can play out in many ways but is recognized by demeaning verbal attacks, physical violence, sexual assault, neglect and theft.

Identify the Signs of Senior Caregiver Stress

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 2nd, 2013

Experts say it comes with the territory. The odds are if you’re caring for elderly parents for any length of time without much assistance-- it’s a given--you HAVE caregiver stress. No one tells you going into this role that part of the plan of caring for the well-being of a loved one is also taking care of your own.

What World Blood Donor Day Means for Seniors

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 14th, 2013

Every year in the United States more than 20 million units of red blood cells, platelets and plasma are transfused to treat conditions primarily in the area of: anemia, leukemia and sickle cell disease. Blood saves lives; it cannot be manufactured in a lab that’s why blood donors all over the world are given honorable mention.

Assisted Living Communities Celebrate World Environment Day

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 5th, 2013

Tis the season to support your local farmer’s market! This is one easy way to celebrate the environment on World Environment Day, June 5th. Awareness of your habits is key to making a difference every day. Do you find yourself throwing out rotting food from the refrigerator? “Think Before You Eat and Help Save the Environment” is this year’s insightful theme to honor World Environment Day.Think about what you eat and manage portion sizes for your health and for the environment. Many assisted living communities do this every day! They take the lead from their residents who become involved in the selection of menu items, grow fruits, vegetables and spices that are used by the chef, and sometimes the residents even get involved in food preparation!

5 Tips for Caregivers: How to Reduce Stress for Your Aging Parents

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 10th, 2013

As a caregiver and child of aging parents, one of the most difficult things you must do is confront the fact that at some point you will need to have “the talk” with your loved one about their future. This is a challenging time for you and your parents as you both begin to acknowledge and discuss their diminishing abilities. Your parents are probably aware of their physical and cognitive changes and they may be anxious and reluctant to speak with you. Here are five steps to help you make sense of the changes and work with your parents to plan for the future: