Decreases in brain metabolism have been shown to be a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and predictive of cognitive decline and the conversion to Alzheimer’s in older adults. Scientists believe that physical activity can modulate brain glucose metabolism but until now it was unclear what level of intensity and duration of exercise was most beneficial.
The National Institute on Aging published an article that found “even moderate physical activity may increase metabolism in brain regions important for learning and memory.” The NIA-supported study was led by Dr. Ozioma Okonkwo of the University of Wisconsin. Researchers had cognitively normal, late-middle age (average age 64 years old) participants wear an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days to measure their daily physical activity. Afterward, they looked at the amount of time each participant engaged in “light (e.g., a slow walk), moderate (e.g., a fast walk), and vigorous activities (e.g., run).” The data was analyzed to determine how they “corresponded with glucose metabolism within brain areas that have been demonstrated to be impacted in people with Alzheimer’s.” Increasing the levels of moderate physical activity showed an increase in cerebral glucose metabolism across all brain regions examined. Participants that engaged in light physical activity had no changes to the metabolism in any of the brain regions examined. Another thing that impacted the amount of brain glucose metabolism was the duration of time spent in moderate physical activity. Researchers found that the more time a person spent doing moderate levels of physical activity (average 43.3 min/day to average 68.1 min/day), the greater the increase in brain glucose metabolism. The NIA says it is encouraging evidence that physical activity may be beneficial for neurometabolic function. Moreover, they say it is a “critical contribution to the efforts to identify the intensity and duration of physical activity that confer the most advantage for combating Alzheimer’s-related changes in mid-life.” The unique mission statement of MorningStar of Sparks, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. Our foundation is built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors, and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve. We encourage you to learn more about the finest independent and assisted living Reno-Sparks has to offer. Source:nia.nih.gov/news/moderate-physical-activity-linked-increases-metabolism-across-brain-regions
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With lots of stories about viruses in the news every day, it is probably a good time to review some basics from experts about how to prevent spreading a cold or the flu. To start with it is important to know how long someone is contagious.
In the case of the common cold, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention explains that different viral strains cause the symptoms of a cold, such as rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and coronaviruses. Since each of these viruses evolves and adapt to their environment, it explains why we do not have a cure for the common cold. Experts also say that a cold typically lasts for about 10 days and that we are probably contagious for that amount of time. Depending on the person, influenza typically last for up to 10 days. Doctors explain a person is contagious one day before they start having symptoms and up to seven more days. The flu affects people of all ages but some groups more severely than other such as the elderly, young children and people with compromised immune systems. Both the common cold and the flu are highly contagious and it requires all of us to be vigilant in not passing them along to others. There are several good habits we need to adopt, especially in cold and flu season, and they start with washing our hands frequently (alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective), to avoid touching our mouth, nose and eyes, and to avoid contact with people who are sick. Moreover if you get sick, stay home. At the MorningStar of Santa Fe senior living community, we help our residents and employees to all get a flu shot each year. We also ask that if a staff member is sick, they stay home, and discourage families from visiting residents if they are sick or feel like they may be coming down with something. MorningStar takes our responsibility to keep our residents as healthy as possible with tasty, nutrient-rich meals, wellness programs and a whole range of care services and onsite amenities. MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Contact us for more information regarding unsurpassed senior living in Santa Fe, NM. As people age, many find their appetites have diminished or they suffer from physical or medical conditions that make eating more difficult. This is why the nutritional value found in the foods they do consume is important, and even today, many seniors have an “inadequate intake of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, folic acid, calcium, and niacin.”
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) advise that people over the age of 50 follow the USDA food recommendations, which should help keep older adults feeling more vital, and thus healthier. They also point out the earlier you start eating a nutrient-rich diet, the more effective it will be later down the road. Recommendations include a daily diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. It also includes eating foods with healthy fats such as olives, nuts, and avocados. Along with all of the other amenities and care services we provide, the MorningStar of Santa Fe senior living community is proud to offer our residents daily meals that are chocked full of the freshest ingredients. We get much of our produce from home-grown or local high-quality producers. Our delicious meals are prepared largely from scratch, and take into account seniors’ dietary restrictions. We offer a range of choices including low sodium, sugar free, no sugar added, vegetarian and low fat that allows our residents to self-manage. MorningStar’s food service is overseen by our own Executive Chef, who welcomes resident feedback and often tailors our menus per their suggestions. If you are looking into senior living in the Santa Fe area, and in particular assisted living, we invite you to set up a tour, and while you are here, plan to share lunch with us to experience for yourself our culinary treats. Please visit our website’s community page or give us a call for pricing and availability or to set up your tour. MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Please visit our website to learn more about unparalleled senior living in Santa Fe, NM. If you have reached your 60s, or for some of us, even our 50s, you need to a have great team of doctors on your side. This should include physicians with experience that has focused on health conditions common to seniors, and who are attuned to the multitude of changes that aging has on our bodies, our minds, and our lifestyle.
You also want health care providers who actually listen to you and then talk to you. Dr. Michael Wasserman, a geriatrician and board member of the American Geriatrics Society's Health in Aging Foundation, stresses that good listening ability is the first personality trait to look for in your doctor. If you are shopping for a new physician due to a move or other circumstances, ask friends and neighbors for a reference. Once you call, find out if they are accepting new patients, and if not, how long is the waitlist. In addition before you make your first appointment, ask if they accept your insurance including your various Medicare plans, and if medical help is available when the office is closed. Dr. Wasserman also cautions that a conservative approach to treating aging patients may be the best one. He explains, "You need clinicians who show a lot of caution before putting an older person on a medication, before sending him off to a specialist, before doing tests and before putting him into the hospital.” At MorningStar of Santa Fe senior living community, we understand that the best care comes from the heart. Our loving home promotes a lifestyle of comfort, wellness, and community and offers an array of comprehensive care services. These include transportation to doctor appointments, routine care planning reviews, scheduled health & wellness evaluations and physician visits. Please visit our website to learn more about pricing and availability, and while you are there, set up a tour to experience firsthand the finest senior living in Santa Fe. MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Please visit our website for more information on compassionate senior living in Santa Fe, NM. In order to thrive and lead fulfilling lives, people need to socialize with one another, and seniors are no different. In fact studies show loneliness can have a detrimental effect on the elderly while socializing can help to enhance and enrich seniors’ lives.
An article in the US News & World Report discusses a study on seniors’ social interactions conducted by the Rush Memory and Aging Project and funded by the National Institute on Aging. The study found that the most socially active seniors experienced one-fourth the rate of cognitive decline as seniors with the lowest levels of social activity. The results were independent of other factors that may influence cognitive decline including physical activity, general health, and age. During a five year period, the Rush University project followed 1,138 adults with an average age of 80. Their research discovered that “elderly people with the highest levels of social activity -- doing things such as visiting friends, going to parties or attending church -- showed much lower levels of cognitive decline than those who were the least socially active.” MorningStar of Sparks is committed to provide the best senior living Reno-Sparks has to offer. We strongly believe we need to address our residents’ overall health and wellbeing through physical, intellectual and spiritual activities as well as to help them engage socially. Our life enrichment programs present creative ways for residents to stay active and productive for both companionship and pure fun. Our programs tap into residents’ unique talents and experiences as well as allow them to find new avenues of interest. In addition to our in-house activities, we take group trips to cultural destinations, parks, shopping, museums, and restaurants in and around Sparks, Reno and the surrounding areas. Please visit our website to see what is happening at MorningStar of Sparks. If you like what you see, go ahead and set up a visit. We look forward to meeting you. The unique mission statement of MorningStar of Sparks, “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. Our foundation is built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors, and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve. Dedicated to creating a real home for residents within a beautiful setting, we encourage you to see for yourself the finest senior living Reno-Sparks offers. At MorningStar of Santa Fe, we understand it can be difficult to decide if it is the time to move into assisted living as many seniors do not like the thought of giving up their home and their independence. However if you have not look into today’s senior living communities, you may be unaware that many feel like true homes. Also when you move into a community and start receiving the daily help you need, you will most likely start feelings more independent than you did before.
While change can be hard for anyone, it can be especially hard for elderly adults who like things a certain way. This is why MorningStar offers both respite stays and short-term stays that give you the opportunity to experience our community and see what you think. A respite stay ensures you get the personal attention you need in a quiet, restful place as you recover from surgery or to convalesce from an illness. Also you have the advantages offered by companionship and community that can make the healing process easier. In addition there may be times when your regular caregiver needs a vacation. Moreover a short-term stay with us gives you a chance to see firsthand how carefree and easy your life could be. During your stay, you will receive all the amenities offered to full-time residents such as 24-hour care managers, medication management, and daily meals prepared under the direction of our Executive Chef. Onsite amenities include a library, theatre, fitness center and more; and a broad array of activities and wellness programs offered on a daily basis, in-house entertainment and fun outings. And when you need to see your doctor or run an errand, we offer scheduled transportation. In under words while under our roof, you will enjoy delicious, nutritional meals, meet new friends and have the opportunity to join in a variety of intellectual, physical, social and spiritual activities. You will also have a team of dedicated, compassionate caregivers with a felt calling to serve who will go out of their way to see to it your needs, even your unexpressed ones. Please contact us for more information on unsurpassed senior living in Santa Fe, NM. We offer 56 bright suites for assisted living and 29 secure memory care suites devoted to those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Contact us for more information regarding unsurpassed senior living in Santa Fe, NM. Recent studies have suggested a connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s but researchers do not yet fully understand the connection. Moreover while not all of the research has confirmed a link, researchers say that people with diabetes, especially type 2, appear to be at higher risk for eventually developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
One of the things not yet known is whether taking steps to prevent or control diabetes helps to reduce your risk of cognitive decline. However we do know that one of the complications of diabetes is damage to the body’s blood vessels as well as the fact that diabetes is one of the risk factors for vascular dementia, which causes a reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain. Scientists first suspected a connection between Alzheimer’s and diabetes when they realized that the changes in the brain were very similar; and it has been hypothesized that each of these conditions may fuel the damage caused by the other. With new research, experts hope to get a better understanding of the connection between the two diseases. “That link may occur as a result of the complex ways that type 2 diabetes affects the ability of the brain and other body tissues to use sugar (glucose) and respond to insulin.” We also know that diabetes increases the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which may eventually lead to full blown dementia. In addition MCI can also appear years earlier in people who later are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. At one of most trusted senior living communities in Santa Fe, NM; MorningStar of Santa Fe provides the area compassionate assisted living and memory care. Please contact us to learn more about pricing and availability. MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents. Visit our website to set up a tour of the finest senior living in Santa Fe, NM. Source:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-and-alzheimers/art-20046987 Research has shown that people with dementia benefit physically, emotionally, socially and mentally from a connection between humans and animals. Whether they are a furry, feathery or scaly friend, it appears that animals have the ability to help those with dementia in a number of ways. In numerous studies, therapeutic animals have drastically improved dementia symptoms and helped to elevate mood, decrease behavioral problems, improve nutrition, increase social interaction, and provide a calming effect.
Many people suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia lose the ability to initiate and maintain social relationships as the disease progresses. Dr. Mara Baun has extensively studied the psychological benefits pets provide to those with Alzheimer's disease. Her research found therapy animals “help decrease the symptoms of aggression and help increase socialization. The presence of a therapy pet helped decreased symptoms of "sundowning" in Alzheimer's patients.” Dr Baun's sundowning study found that a therapy dog can provide “missed physical contact to a patient with Alzheimer's disease. It matters little to the pet if the person's body has deteriorated or if the stories are repeated over and over.” The animal’s complete acceptance and non-verbal communication can be soothing for patients. In addition, animals offer unconditional love and endless forgiveness. At MorningStar at Arcadia, we strongly believe in the power of animals’ unconditional love and periodically bring in therapy animals to visit with our memory care residents. In addition to our loving, compassionate memory care, we also offer assisted living, and in case you wondered, MorningStar is a pet friendly community! If you are looking for one of the best assisted living homes Phoenix AZ has to offer, we encourage you to visit our website to learn why our residents are proud to call MorningStar “home.” MorningStar at Arcadia’s distinct mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living options. Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a loving environment with exceptional architecture and resort-style amenities, MorningStar at Arcadia invites you to schedule a tour of one of the best assisted living homes Phoenix AZ offers. Sources: verywellhealth.com/how-does-pet-therapy-benefit-people-with-dementia-98677 chron.com/homes/senior_living-/article/Pets-increase-quality-of-life-for-Alzheimer-s-5759679.php Spending time doing things you enjoy can not only help you to stay more interested in life but may also be good for your health. Many hobbies are enjoyed at any age and can help to exercise your mind or body (many do both) as well as provide social interactions.
Creative hobbies such as painting, sculpting, photography, scrapbooking and knitting or the performing arts are fun activities for seniors and provide lots of opportunity for socializing. Another healthy hobby is caring for a pet according to A Place for Mom. They explain that, “Pets provide a comfort system and actually produce a chemical chain reaction in the brain that helps to lower levels of the stress-inducing hormone cortisol and increase the production of the feel-good hormone serotonin.” Studies have shown that pet ownership may help lower cholesterol, fight depression and help protect against heart conditions. Stretching exercises and yoga are also popular with seniors as they help improve flexibility and movement and build balance as well as improve blood flow to the brain, heart and circulatory system. Yoga classes are designed for many physical fitness levels such as chair yoga for those unable to get down on the floor. Joining a walking group is another fun way to exercise and spend time with friendly faces. Looking for the finest senior living Reno-Sparks has to offer? At MorningStar of Sparks, we specialize in providing our residents with a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community. Every day we offer a variety of fun and engaging activities that may include things such as exercise groups, craft classes, games, painting classes, and the knitting club. Please visit our website to learn more about our loving community and while you are there, be sure to take a look at our Community Amenities and Suite Features & Floor Plan pages. MorningStar of Sparks’ mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living communities. Our foundation is built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors, and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve. Dedicated to creating a real home for residents within a beautiful setting, we encourage you to see for yourself the finest senior living Reno-Sparks has to offer. While we recognize the many benefits of senior living communities, any change is difficult and moving into assisted living is certainly a big change for most seniors. This is why experts have tips to help families support their loved one during the transition.
A couple of common problems families encounter are a parent feeling abandoned or frustrated by a perceived loss of independence. Your loved one may also experience problems adjusting to a new routine. They may resent having to downsize and moving from their own home to a smaller apartment. Psychologist Dr. Deborah L. Stote explains it will help seniors adjust to their new home if they get encouragement and support from their family during their first days and weeks at the assisted living community. She says seniors “need positive reassurance that they are moving into a new chapter of their lives, rather than ending the life they have always known.” However, Dr. Stote cautions families not to do too much “handholding.” Being too protective can be counterproductive and prevent them from trying to make an adjustment to their new home. While transitioning to assisted living can be difficult for some seniors, others quickly realize the advantage of no longer having to worry about their homes’ upkeep or needing to prepare their own meals. Their earlier feelings of resentment or sadness turn into feelings of gratitude as they understand their new home is better equipped to help them maintain their independence and can give them the support and care they need. MorningStar at Arcadia offers 80 assisted living suites on three levels, with spacious studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom floor plans. Our Reflections Neighborhood offers 30 suites devoted to the specialized care of residents with memory loss from Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related disease. Please visit our website for contact information and to learn more about one of the best assisted living homes Phoenix AZ has to offer. MorningStar at Arcadia’s distinct mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living options. Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a loving environment with exceptional architecture and resort-style amenities, MorningStar at Arcadia invites you to schedule a tour of one of the best assisted living homes Phoenix AZ offers. Source: assistedliving.com/helping-elderly-aging-parents-adjust-senior-living-01112013/ |
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MorningStar Senior Living offers assisted living, memory care and respite (short-term) care. Our communities have graciously-appointed assisted living suites, as well as beautiful and spacious private suites for those living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Morningstar Senior Living's award-winning architecture, together with amenities that foster a lifestyle of comfort and wellness, make our residents’ retirement years as carefree as possible. Our activities and programs are enriching, and our care services first-class, but what truly sets us apart from other senior living communities is the love beneath our roof. To experience firsthand the finest senior living in your area, contact us to schedule a tour. Archives
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