May 2023 – All About Seniors | Senior Living Solutions

Addressing Anxiety and Stress in Seniors: How Assisted Living Communities Can Provide Mental Health Support

A group of seniors having coffee in an assisted living community

Anxiety and stress are common mental health concerns for seniors, especially as they navigate the often-challenging transitions that occur with aging. Therefore, older adults must access proper support and mental health services to maintain and improve their mental well-being. Assisted living communities are critical in providing these essential services, helping seniors effectively manage their stress and anxiety levels.

This article will explore how assisted living facilities can provide mental health services for senior residents. We will cover the different types of support available, how these programs can benefit seniors, and discuss considerations when choosing a community for yourself or a loved one.

How to Help Your Aging Parent Get Proper Nutrition

It isn’t uncommon for a person to eat significantly less as they get older. Your aging parent may eat less because he/she is less active, which can lead to decreased appetite, or because he/she isn’t able to prepare food. However, even though your aging parent isn’t burning as many calories, she still needs to take in proper nutrition to maintain a healthy body weight and remain strong. How to Help Your Aging Parent Get Proper Nutrition
Malnutrition is common in seniors, which can affect their risk for diseases and their ability to fight disease. Some things caregivers can do to help aging parents maintain a healthy diet is collaborate with them on ways to get in the proper nutrients or ensure they have simple meals and snacks ready to go.

Read the entire article HERE for more detailed information.

This information provided courtesy of Senior News By Kathy Macaraeg

What to Expect: Advice on Caring for Aging Parents

Senior man with elderly mother. By Sandor Kacso. Caring for aging parents can be challenging on many levels. Seniors Guide shares caregiving advice from adult children who have been there.

Caring for aging parents can be challenging on many levels. In the third of her series, “What to Expect When Your Parents Are Aging,” Seniors Guide writer Terri L. Jones shares caregiving advice from children who have been there.

Back when you were raising your kids, you may have read some books, taken a class or two, or at least talked to other parents about what to do and what not to do. Now, your parents may need the same level of care from you. But rather than arming yourself with knowledge, you’ve probably chosen not to think about it, much less do anything about it!

So that you’re not left in the lurch during this challenging time, we’ve compiled some insights from adult children who have had to learn their lessons the hard way. By sharing their advice on caring for aging parents, we hope to save you some of the missteps and help make this time with your parents a little less stressful and a whole lot more special.

Read the entire article HERE for more detailed information.

This information provided courtesy of Seniors guide By Terri L. Jones.

What to Expect: Watching Your Parents Age

older parents and their adult daughter at home. By Hong Zhang. The struggle of watching your parents age touches the depths of our emotions and shared history. In the second of her series, “What to Expect When Your Parents Are Aging,” Seniors Guide writer Terri L. Jones examines the challenges that aging adults and their children face.

The struggle of watching your parents age can touch the depths of your emotions and shared history. In the second of her series, “What to Expect When Your Parents Are Aging,” Seniors Guide writer Terri L. Jones examines the challenges that aging adults and their children face.

I remember the first time it dawned on me that my father was getting older. He was in his early 70s at the time and had fallen while climbing a tree stand. He broke his pelvis in several places, an extremely painful injury that the doctors at the hospital could do little about. They put him on a variety of new drugs that wreaked havoc on his brain, turning the nurses’ station into a McDonald’s counter and making him believe that the hospital staff was abusing him.

This accident happened before my father was diagnosed with white matter disease, before his stroke, and before we knew he had vascular dementia; however, in my memory, it marked a critical juncture. It was the point when my father transformed from a strong, capable, and reserved man into someone who walked more slowly, who began repeating things, and who expressed himself with shocking vulnerability. It was difficult for me to reconcile these two very different people.

Read the entire article HERE for more detailed information.

This information provided courtesy of Seniors guide By Terri L. Jones.

What to Expect: Five Stages of Aging

In her series, “What to Expect When Your Parents Are Aging,” Seniors Guide writer Terri L. Jones looks first at the stages of aging. After all, foreknowledge better equips us for the road ahead.

Until my 50s, my parents were relatively healthy and active, and so were my aunts and uncles. One of my grandmothers actually lived alone (with her cats) into her 90s.

However, as if overnight, the older generation of my family turned a devastating corner. My father was diagnosed with vascular dementia, and an aunt and uncle went to live in a nursing home, where they both lived out their days. My mother succumbed to her COPD. I was blindsided.

I don’t think I am the only one who wasn’t prepared for the dominos to fall for my family members – nor is my family the only one to be surprised. By knowing what to expect as your loved ones age – and understanding that others are going through the same challenges – you can better manage what’s ahead, practically and emotionally. You’re not alone on this stressful, yet important journey.

Part 1: The Stages of Aging

No two people age exactly the same. Some older people will experience a crisis situation and decline quickly, whereas others will age gradually and almost imperceptibly over many years. However, most people go through fairly predictable transitions as they get older. As a potential caregiver, it’s essential that you’re aware of the stages of aging. By knowing what may be ahead, you can be better prepared.

Read the entire article HERE for more detailed information.

This information provided courtesy of Seniors guide By Terri L. Jones.

Veteran Benefits for Assisted Living: What You Need to Know

If you served as a member of the United States Armed Services, you may be entitled to certain benefits that could make getting older a little easier.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers some funding programs that can help offset the costs of specific kinds of care later in life. For some people, this benefit can be a real help when weighing how to pay for assisted living or other long-term care options.

Read the entire article HERE for more detailed information.

This information provided courtesy of U.S. News & World Report L.P. by Elaine K. Howley