Senior Living Blog by UMH

Massage Therapy Benefits for Seniors

By: Marissa Salvesen October 28th, 2013

Massage therapists are recognized for the invaluable work they do using skilled touch to bring relief to many who suffer from pain - without the need for surgery. In support of this event, assisted living communities are taking this opportunity to educate communities on ways seniors can benefit from massage therapy.

Activities Across the Generations...Enriching the Lives of Seniors

By: Marissa Salvesen October 8th, 2013

Celebrating Relationships! Celebrated on the first Sunday of October, Intergeneration Day provides a great opportunity to celebrate relationships between seniors and younger generations. When most people think of intergenerational activities, they typically envision children and seniors together in that picture. We invite you to pause for a moment and expand that picture and remember that activities that bridge generational gaps reach out to a wide variety of different age groups. In honor of Intergeneration Day, think about how you can help connect your aging loved one with meaningful intergenerational experiences.

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7 Reasons to Consider Assisted Living

By: Marissa Salvesen October 2nd, 2013

There are many valid reasons to consider assisted living, with each holding a different value depending on your personal journey. Assisted living communities provide a broad range of services and your decision to consider making a move will depend on both your present and future needs and the timeline in which those needs must be met.

Healthy Aging at United Methodist Homes: Live to be 120!

By: Jim Stinson August 9th, 2013

“May You Live to Be 120!” Written by Guest Blogger, Jim Stinson, Director of Spiritual Life (United Methodist Homes) “May you live to be 120!” This traditional Jewish birthday blessing comes from the book of Genesis (6:3). The Lord said, ‘My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’ There was a time when this wish was at best a metaphor and, at worst, trite and meaningless. The likelihood of living that long is still not reality for most of us, but it is increasingly more within the realm of possibility. We now have centenarians as an ever-growing segment of our population. Is this a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Would you want to live that long?

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.

Protecting Seniors from Fraud: Fraud Awareness Week 2013

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 5th, 2013

In today’s world of modern technology, seniors can unfortunately become the victims of many damaging scams. Equipping seniors with the tools they need to protect themselves against scams and shady dealers can help them become savvy consumers and shine a spotlight on fraud. National Fraud Awareness Week was introduced in the United States twelve years ago with the goal of proactively preventing and detecting fraud. This important observance will fall this week, from August 4-10, 2013 , and includes an education campaign against scammers who prey on individuals and communities, particularly senior residents who are an increasingly vulnerable group.

Celebrating National Parents’ Day in Senior Living Communities

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 29th, 2013

What is National Parents’ Day? Many Americans are still unaware of this commemorative day, signed into law in 1994. Compared with the century’s old Mother’s Day or Father’s Day fanfare, Parents’ Day is but a ”baby” yet its establishment was meant to hold a similar stature of recognition, maybe even more so as it joins the two into a family unit.

Discharge Planning Checklist: Short Term Rehab

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 21st, 2013

Your mom or dad is about to be discharged from the hospital or short term rehab, but you just don’t feel they are ready to be home, managing on their own. That’s when a discharge planning checklist becomes necessary. The checklist is your guide to getting questions answered from the medical team that will promote the highest level of after-care outcome for your mom or dad.

Price vs. Value for Assisted Living

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 19th, 2013

How do you know if you are getting a good value for the price? It is not always easy to figure out, especially when it comes to choosing an assisted living community. When you go grocery shopping you can compare apples to apples but even when you compare assisted living communities by similar amenities and price, it is sometimes as clear as mud. How do you make the right decision? Seniors and caregivers have their life savings and financial security at risk. The first thing you must do is determine if you have enough to live comfortably at the community for at least three years. Keep in mind that the average length of stay for a resident is two and a half years so you will want to make sure that you can afford the lifestyle.

How Father’s Day is Celebrated in Assisted Living Communities

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 16th, 2013

Father’s Day is observed every year on the third Sunday in June. How you choose to celebrate your father’s influence on your life may be based on family traditions and culture. This year, financial planners predict an estimated $13.3 billion will be spent in tribute to dads in the USA; no doubt you’ll find a personalized way to show respect and love-- and for caregivers with aging fathers—that may involve taking a trip over to an assisted living community, perhaps with a carload of family members from various generations to pay tribute.

Choosing the Right Senior Living Community for Aging Parents

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 7th, 2013

For caregivers it’s crunch time. You now realize it is time to hand over your caregiving role to the professionals; so how to you know which senior living community is right for your aging parents? This should be a straightforward process; all you need to do is match your parents’ needs with the community providing the requisite services, right? Yes, however, as this decision will affect all parties as you tread on new emotional and financial grounds, the more prepared you are, the more satisfied you’ll be that you’ve made the right decision.