Making the Move to a Senior Living Community: Tips and Guidelines
We’d all love to spend time with our elderly loved ones as long as we have them in our lives. Unfortunately, a lot of us don’t have this luxury; our circumstances can make it impossible for us to tend to their needs properly take care of them at home.
To make sure that they have the care they deserve, it’s important to find an assisted living community for them to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Here are some tips and guidelines to follow when moving your parents to a living community for the first time.
Don’t feel shy to ask for help
Moving your elderly loved ones to a living community requires a lot of effort and planning. You’ll need to find a living community that is suitable for your loved one and offers them personalized services so they can live a good lifestyle.
Moreover, you’ll need to pack and move all their stuff; which may be a difficult and time-consuming process. Don’t hesitate to ask your family and friends to help you out with the packing and moving process.
In addition to that, it can take a big toll on the emotional and mental health of both you and your elderly loved one. If either of you feels anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed, it’s important that you seek help from a counselor.
Visit before the final move
It’s important that you make a visit to the living community along with your elderly loved one before the final move. This will provide both of you with the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the community and get familiarized with the people, schedule, and staff.
Consequently, you’ll have peace of mind that your loved one is properly taken care of. Additionally, you must make sure to make frequent visits to the community until they’re completely adjusted to their new residence.
Get involved to help the transition process
The moving process is still not over after you’ve helped your loved one move. You need to make sure that they’re able to find activities and make friends in the community. Try to participate in family-inclusive activities and remind them of their past interests.
You can also engage in different activities to bond with your loved ones. For instance, take a language course together, schedule a game of chess every week, or perhaps plan workout sessions twice a week.
Looking for a Personalized Care Providing Community?
If you’re looking for a reliable senior living community in Beverly Hills, CA for your elderly loved one, contact AGS Living.
We’re an assisted living community in Beverly Hills, CA who offers customized care to elderly people and highly emphasizes on providing personalized solutions.
For more information, you may give us a call at (818) 881-0055 or visit our website.
Independent, Assisted or Memory Care: Which Lifestyle is Best for Your Loved Ones?
Before you decide which lifestyle will help your loved one live their life to the fullest, it’s extremely important that you understand what conveniences each one offers to make the right choice.
Let’s look at all three options in detail to help you ensure that your elder loved one is properly taken care of.
Independent Living
If you’re considering independent living for your elderly loved one, it’s important to ensure that they can live their lives comfortably and happily without needing any sort of assistance or help.
However, this can be subjective; for instance, they might be able to take care of themselves without any assistance, but they might be able to live a better life with extra help in their daily routine.
Having access to housekeeping, chef-prepared meals, and other amenities will enable them to pursue their passions with family and friends while having everything else taken care of.
Assisted Living
An assisted living community makes for a great housing solution for your elderly loved one if they can live their life independently, but also requires assistance in their day-to-day tasks.
Your loved ones will have a helping hand while performing daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, taking their medication, and several other activities.
There’s properly trained staff available that understand the requirements of the members of the community and know how to help them lead a comfortable, healthy lifestyle.
In conclusion, they offer just the right level of care that’s required for your elderly loved ones to triumph in this new phase of their life.
Memory Care
If your elderly loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it may drastically reduce their aptitude and ability to lead a regular lifestyle
Depending on the severity of their condition, they might become aggressive or hostile, feel energetic at night, wake up every few minutes, or experience extensive memory loss.
In such instances, memory care community is the best option for them, as it’ll grant them access to round-the-clock medical care from a professional caregiver, which is necessary to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
In addition to that, your elderly loved one will get to indulge in activities, such as arts and crafts, music, and games, which can help to stimulate the memory and slow the progression of the disease they have.
The staff that works at memory care perfectly understands the challenges pertaining to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia; which enables them to provide your loved one with everything they might need.
Which Lifestyle is Best for Your Loved Ones?
When deciding which lifestyle is best for your loved ones; there are three basic parameters that must consider:
- Level of required assistance
- Level of daily activity
- Level of required medical attention
If your elderly loved one is physically active and doesn’t require any sort of assistance, only then can independent living be a suitable choice for them.
If they’re fairly active, but do require assistance with day to day tasks, they will find an assisted living community to be a much better option.
Finally, if they’re suffering from a medical condition that requires extensive care and attention—such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia—a memory care community is the ultimate choice for them.
Looking for a Personalized Care Providing Community?
If you’re looking for a reliable memory care or senior living community in Beverly Hills, CA for your elderly loved one, contact AGS Living.
Our memory care and assisted living community offers customized care to elderly people and emphasizes personalized solutions.
For more information, you may give us a call at (818) 881-0055 or visit our website.
4 Tips for Dementia Caregivers
According to statistics, 9.9 million new cases of dementia are reported annually across the globe. This is a degenerative condition of the brain which causes memory loss and behavioral changes. While dementia is a progressive disease, there’re ways to manage the symptoms and make life easier for individuals with this condition.
Taking care of an elderly loved one with dementia? Here’s what you need to know.
Speak in Short & Specific Sentences
Avoid asking patients with dementia vague or open-ended questions. Instead, phrase your words as simply and clearly as you can to make it easier for them to understand.
For instance, instead of asking what they’d like to have for breakfast, you can make it simpler by asking whether they want cornflakes today. This will help them formulate a “yes” or “no” response, making it easier for them to reply and relieving them from the anxiety-inducing and confusing task of making a decision.
Use the Power of Touch
You know how they say actions speak louder than words? That strongly applies in dementia caregiving as well. Senior loved ones facing loss of cognition skills and memory may not be able to articulate their thoughts and process your words, but there’s another way you can communicate with them.
Simple gestures such as stroking their forehead, brushing their hair, or holding their hand act as reassuring tokens of love. It makes them feel safer and also helps them focus on a particular thought or memory. In fact, studies have pointed out the effects of fist clenching in stimulating the brain to remember better and stabilizing body motion. Holding their hand and helping them make a fist can evoke a better response from them.
Remember Their Behaviour Is Uncontrollable
A lot of caregivers overlook the fact that the irritated and often hurtful behavior being exhibited by patients with dementia is not something they can control. Dementia affects the brain, which in turn affects their ability to speak, think, and behave. As a result, it can be difficult to interact with them as they may say hurtful things and be irritable themselves.
It’s important to remember that it is indeed the disease talking. Don’t take their remarks personally! They can’t control their behavior.
Ask For Help
Caregiving can be emotionally draining and extremely exhausting if only one person is responsible for all the work. Coping with everything on your own can be an overwhelming task and can even affect your ability to take care of your loved one properly if you’re overworked and unrested.
Don’t be hesitant about asking for help! Even if you’re the only family member who can assist, you don’t have to do everything alone. For both your own and your loved one’s health’s sake, reach out to organizations that specialize in dementia care and take assistance from professional caregivers.
AvantGarde Senior Living & Memory Care is a senior living and memory care unit in Calabasas that provides assisted living and skilled nursing services.
Call us at (818) 881-0055 to get in touch with our team!
Eating Healthy: A Caregiver’s Guide
When it comes to dietary planning, there’s no standard rule that applies to all individuals. Everybody has their own nutritional needs, and it’s important for caregivers to understand these before they can proceed with designing meal plans.
Moreover, eating healthy entails more than just cooking the right set of ingredients. Here’re a few tips for caregivers to implement a healthy eating lifestyle for their senior attendees.
Be Observant During Mealtimes
Mealtimes are a chance for you to obtain valuable insight into your senior attendee’s eating habits and food preferences. By simply observing their eating patterns during breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can pick up a lot about what they like and dislike, as well as their eating concerns.
Take for instance your elderly loved one’s behavior when they’re given porridge for breakfast, as opposed to eggs and toast. Do they seem to prefer one over the other? Do they always refuse a certain item in meals? Do they find it easier to drink milk through a straw instead of directly from the glass?
Being observant during mealtimes also helps you detect any danger signs of them having trouble swallowing or chewing their food. In case they develop a severe and sudden coughing fit or start to choke, you can swiftly help them out in that scenario. Keeping an alert eye out for any possible eating mishaps can help prevent them and make mealtimes easier for your senior loved one.
Make Mealtimes Enjoyable
Mealtimes don’t have to be dull and monotonous! Just because your elderly loved one needs to have their meals at a specific time of the day, due to either personal preferences or medical requirements, doesn’t mean they can’t have fun with their food. In fact, if they enjoy their foo
d, they’re likely to be in a better mood as well and actually look forward to their meals.
To avoid mealtimes becoming a boring and mechanical affair, try mixing up the routine a bit. Have meals together as a family, and don’t hold back from experimenting with new flavors and dishes. Make meal preparation fun for yourself too, so that you may enjoy it as well. You can even involve your loved one in this activity, having them assist you with sorting out the vegetables or peeling the fruits, as long as it doesn’t tire them.
Be Wary of Dietary Restrictions
Know your senior loved one’s dietary needs before you begin meal planning and preparing. If they suffer from a chronic illness or a medical condition that requires them to be extra careful if what they eat, make sure you’re aware of the restrictions and recommendations.
It’s best if you consult with a certified dietician for this. This’ll help you stay on the right track while shopping for ingredients and preparing meals, and ensure that your loved one is getting the healthiest options.
At AvantGarde Senior Living & Memory Care, our skilled nursing staff is very particular about each of our resident’s dietary needs, and provides a pleasant dining environment for them to have their meals at.
Call us at (818) 881-0055 to get in touch with our senior care team in Calabasas!
4 Fun Activities for Seniors with Limited Mobility
You’re never too old to have fun! Although aging may have slowed down your senior loved one’s physical activities and caused limited mobility, it doesn’t mean that they can’t participate in fun activities anymore!
Here’re a few things they can indulge in.
Table Gardening
Does your loved one enjoy nature and all it has to offer? Having a small indoor or outdoor table garden can help them stay connected with Mother Earth, without having to move around much.
Arrange for potted plants and troughs to be arranged at table-height so that they don’t have to bend down while tending to the plants. Keep a small watering can and gardening scissors next to these as well, for ease of convenience. This’ll help them look after their plants without risking a backache or lengthy trips to and from the garden.
Chair Yoga
Just because your elderly loved one needs assistance while walking short distances or has trouble standing for too long doesn’t mean they can’t participate in yoga! In fact, lots of older adults enjoy stretching in comfortable poses while remaining seated.
Chair yoga helps in keeping the muscles active, improving their strength as well as flexibility. This can even help them recover their mobility, while giving them the liberating feeling of being able to move flexibly. Breathing exercises, meditative practices, and head-and-neck and finger exercises can help them stay active and experience the calming effect of yoga.
Reading
Reading is an activity that suits individuals of all ages! It’s especially useful for older adults with limited mobility, as it doesn’t involve them moving about to do the task. Not only can they read from the comfort of their bed or favorite recliner but they can also keep their brain active and engaged while they do so.
Reading helps improve cognition, memory, as well as sleeping patterns. It also reduces stress and keeps the mind occupied and alert. The best part? You don’t even need a physical book to read! Audio-books and eBooks are excellent alternatives for individuals who don’t like turning page after page of their book.
Movie & Karaoke Night
What’s a better way to unwind than a good old karaoke night or an evening at the movie theater? If your loved one is a fan of a particular genre of movies and enjoys listening to the radio, why not arrange for a special evening every once in a while?
You don’t necessarily have to go to the cinema or a karaoke bar for them to be able to experience it. This can be arranged at home as well. They can watch their favorite movie with delicious snacks in an impromptu home cinema, and sing their heart out along instrumental versions of their favorite tunes available online. Listening to music and watching movies helps relax the mind and is a great stress relieving activity as well.
AvantGarde Senior Living & Memory Care enables residents to participate in several activities that best complement their range of motion. At our independent living and assisted living community center, they can socialize with like-minded individuals over similar interests.
Call us at (818) 881-0055 to get in touch with our team in Calabasas!
How Pet Therapy Helps the Elderly
Pet therapy or animal-assisted therapy has been found to have several health benefits for older adults in numerous studies. From physical fitness to mental health, animals have a certain therapeutic impact on one’s health, making them excellent companions for the elderly.
Pet Therapy for Physical Fitness
Studies have shown that pet ownership can significantly reduce the number of cardiovascular problems reported each year. This is a huge finding, especially since cardiovascular disease is the biggest cause of death in the US.
According to research, people who have pets are at a lower risk of hypertension and abnormal heart behavior. In fact, they tend to outlive individuals who don’t have pets. Older adults who experience pet therapy reportedly have a greater survival rate and lower risks of heart disease.
Apart from this, pet therapy is also a great way for older individuals to stretch their legs and get some exercise on a regular basis. Depending on their own mobility, they can take their pets out for walks or simply participate in feeding and cleaning up after them inside the house.
Spending quality time with their pets, be it dogs or birds, can help them relax and also stay active. It stabilizes their heart rate, reduces stress, and keeps them involved with their pets even if means getting some fresh air outside or playing “fetch”.
How It Helps with Mental Health
Physical fitness isn’t the only thing pet therapy is helpful for. It also plays a huge role in improving one’s mental health.
Ask anyone about their pets, and they’ll tell you how happy their animal companions make them. For most pet owners, their pets are a part of their family, as close to them as any other family member. The simple fact is that animals make us happy, and thus, we feel a lot better when surrounded by our pets.
For senior loved ones, this is even more fruitful as it helps in calming their nerves and keeping them relaxed. By reducing mental stress and relieving anxiety, it enables them to interact with their loyal friends. Being with their pet can provide emotional support and stability, especially during stressful situations. Not to mention, caring for the animals gives them a sense of self-confidence and boosts their self-esteem as they feel responsible for their pets’ needs.
Exposure to pets also helps elderly individuals enhance their socialization skills. It’s particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle with articulating their thoughts or hesitate to express their emotions. In the company of their pet, they can be expressive and share their thoughts more easily. This ultimately helps them communicate better with their family and friends as well, while giving them the assurance that they’re being heard without judgment.
AvantGarde Senior Living & Memory Care in Calabasas has a pet-friendly policy, and encourages animal-assisted therapy at their senior living community.
Call us at (818) 881-0055 to learn more about our senior living homes!
Specialist Assisted Living Communities: The Subtleties
When it comes to specialist assisted living communities, people often talk about medical and emotional support for the elderly. However, there’s much more to assisted living communities than meets the eye.
In fact, here are some of the lesser-known and talked about facts of assisted living communities.
There are Different Levels of Care Options
Unlike nursing homes that are regulated by the federal government, assisted living communities are regulated by the state they operate in. Due to the lack of a unified regulatory system, assisted living and the care provided can vary from one state to another. This can be confusing for many people because it implies that not all assisted living communities are equal.
Some are cost-effective but provide lesser care options while others provide quality care and offer a more residential approach. However, it’s important to know if the assisted living community is licensed by the state or not.
The most popular level care options are assisted living and memory care. Memory care is a more intense level of assisted living, provided to people who’re facing memory loss.
Every Community is Different
Since care levels vary in different communities that structure and environment vary too. While some communities have a more clinical and formal surrounding, there are many communities that aspire to provide a more homely and warm ambiance to their residents.
The size and plan of apartments in different communities vary as well. While some communities may have a uniform and standard floor plan, the best communities provide a multitude of floor plans that can accommodate different budgets and needs, such as apartments that come with attached bath and walk-in closets.
Assisted Living Communities are Not Nursing Home
There’s a common misconception about assisted living communities. They’re usually mistaken for nursing homes. However, the type of care provided in assisted living communities differs greatly from that of a nursing home. Where a nursing home is a hospice for the elderly, assisted living communities are a lifestyle.
Assisted living communities help older people live life the way it’s supposed to be lived. The care provided in these communities is not clinical; rather, it’s friendly and warm, which helps rejuvenate the soul and refresh the minds of your loved ones.
Assisted living communities also promote self-care in your loved ones and provide an environment that stimulates social interaction and cognitive learning.
Our assisted living community in Hollywood, CA is a licensed and quality senior living and memory care community is a prime example of a leading assisted and independent living community. To find out more, contact us today!
Assisted Living and Independent Living: What is the Difference?
If you’re looking of a quality senior living community for your elderly loved ones, you’ll probably be faced with the question, “Are you looking for independent senior living or assisted senior living?” Since both of these are senior care options, it’s easy to get confused between the two.
But what separates one from the other; and more importantly, which of the two is better for your loved ones?
Let’s find out:
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living is a senior living option that provides for 24/7 medical and personal care for your senior loved ones. The care community helps or ‘assists’ the elderly in daily routine activities, such as bathing, changing clothes and taking medication. As we age, our bodies become weaker making certain routine tasks challenging.
At an assisted living community, people find the help that they need without feeling ashamed or stripped off their dignity. The caregivers at a premium assisted living community understand how private certain matters can be for our loved ones. Therefore, they pay extra attention to the comfort and privacy of each resident and respect their personal space at all times.
What is Independent Living?
Independent living communities are quite similar to assisted living communities. They provide for a quality living solutions for people who want to enjoy their life after retirement. An independent living community offers house cleaning and provide regular meals to individuals who want to live a carefree and chore-free life!
However, independent living is different from assisted living in the matters of the level of care provided in each of the living arrangements. While independent living offers basic life assistance and private living quarters, assisted living focuses on 24/7 medical care.
Independent living communities are ideal for individuals who desire comfort and joy in their life without compromising on their quality of life.
Which of the Two is Ideal for You?
When it comes to choosing between independent and assisted living communities, it all comes down to your needs and preferences. If you think you need assistance and medical care in your later years, looking into assisted living communities will be the right decision for you. However, if all you need is a private and comfortable living arrangement, independent living is better suited for you.
Whether you choose independent living or assisted living, we at AvantGarde Senior Living and Memory Care offer both. In fact, our senior living community in Hollywood, CA also offers a quality memory care program for people suffering from memory loss ailments.
Take a virtual tour of our care community and get in touch with us to learn more!
Elderly Communities Help Enable Elderly Lives: Why are Assisted Care Communities Better?
While the idea of retirement sounds nice and comforting, it’s not as euphoric as it feels. In fact, according to a retirement planning coach, people often mistake the joy of being retired with finding fulfillment in life after retirement.
Although, the initial, “I am a free spirit! No work for me anymore!” high is exuberating; it can be short-lived if elderly lives aren’t enabled the right way.
As a result, many seniors are subjected to a lack of social interaction and life purpose, which might lead them down the path of depression and despondency.
This is where assisted care communities come in!
What are Assisted Care Communities?
With over 15,800 across the U.S., assisted care communities are establishments that provide for appropriate medical and personal care for elderly people that need it.
Why are Assisted Care Communities Better?
However, many people find it difficult to comprehend how assisted care communities are different from nursing homes. While, nursing homes also provide medical care for the elderly they’re more degenerating for the residents’ social and mental health as they provide on-the-clock monitoring in isolation.
A nursing home is more like a hospice or hospital that has a more clinical feel to it. In comparison, assisted care communities, provide the same level of care but have a more homely and comforting atmosphere. This is why assisted care communities are better than nursing homes.
Not only are assisted care communities better than nursing homes but in terms of taking appropriate care of the residents, they’re also better than the residents’ actual homes! This is because at an assisted care community residents can benefit from the following.
An Active Social Life
As we age, we tend to miss out on our social life, which after retirement, can result in complete social isolation. With isolation comes loneliness which spirals into depression and a progression of chronic diseases.
Assisted care communities help people develop a social life that stimulates the joy and purpose of living in the elderly. The community also helps seniors find companionship that’s not available at nursing homes.
This is extremely important for the physical and mental well-being of the elderly as studies have shown that happier and content older people have a longer lifespan as opposed to those who suffer from depression and social abandonment.
Physical Well-being
Living in an assisted care community also helps promote fitness and provides access to physical activity as the residents are encouraged to indulge themselves in hobbies like gardening, golfing and even exercising. This greatly affects their physical and mental health because the healthier they are, the happier they are!
A Better Quality of Life
Life after retirement is about living for one’s self and on one’s own terms. In an assisted care community, that can be achieved along with medical and personal support. The residents can also benefit from the community as a learning arena as they’re exposed to lifestyles that are different and interesting!
Most importantly, an assisted care community focuses on enabling elderly lives rather than just helping them survive. So get in touch with an assisted living community today! We’re Hollywood, CA leading senior living and memory care community that offers quality independent and assisted living solutions for your loved ones!
Retiring in Comfort: The Advantages of Living in Assisted Care Communities
Also known as, ‘residential care communities’ according to the CDC, assisted care communities for seniors are living arrangements that are tailored to fit the needs of senior loved ones so they get the support and care that they deserve and require.
Given there were almost 15,800 assisted living communities in America in the year 2015 alone, it’s safe to say that they’re a better care option that nursing homes, as assisted living communities are twice as many in number.
That’s because there are plenty of advantages of living in assisted living and care communities.
They Make it Easier to Find Friends
One of the woes of life after retirement is that many senior loved ones often have limited social life and interaction. This leads to social isolation, which has been found to have a strong connection with the progression of diseases in old age. In fact, social isolation and subsequent loneliness can have a detrimental effect on the mental health of retirees and might lead to depression. Living in an assisted care community will not only provide for the care that’s needed in old age but the communal structure also helps senior loved ones find companionship in their later years. Finding friends that are in the same boat helps people rejuvenate and help each other heal.
24/7 Professional Care Available
Quality assisted living communities are known for providing 24/7 medical care for their residents. The personnel and staff members are high-skilled and trained to provide living assistance at all times.
Residents often need help with daily routine activities, such as bathing, and medication. Assisted living communities can provide prompt assistance and care without making the residents feel exposed to incompetent. This is great for their self-esteem as well as for their health and hygiene.
Living on Your Own Terms
Just because you’ve retired, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of life!
Quite the opposite actually. Since, after retirement you have plenty of free time on your hands, you can utilize it doing things and activities that interest you! Assisted living communities are equipped to accommodate your unique lifestyles and help you live life on your own terms. Residents can live in individual apartments with attached baths and walk-in closets that offer complete privacy.
Peace of Mind
When you find a top-grade and comprehensive assisted living community in your area, you enjoy the best advantage of all; the advantage of achieving peace of mind because you’re ensured that your loved ones are in quality care and a home-like environment with people who care for them. This is a sigh of relief for friends and family of the resident and a joyful experience for the resident!
So if you’re also looking for a quality assisted community for your loved ones or even yourself, make sure you take a virtual tour of AvantGarde Senior Living and Memory Care. Our assisted living community in Hollywood, CA is a licensed and quality community for your loved ones. Get in touch with us today!