If you’ve started to notice changes in your senior parent, you may be looking for answers. Maybe Dad is having trouble eating and bathing himself. Perhaps Mom has received a new diagnosis or her chronic illness has worsened. After seeking solutions and discussing your concerns with a physician, you might wonder if long-term care is … Continue reading Finding Long-Term Care For Your Parent
If this is your loved one’s first year in a long-term care community, holiday planning can be a stressful time. Even if they’ve lived there for some time, it can still be difficult. Your celebrations will be different from how they were in years past — but “different” doesn’t have to mean “bad.” Here are … Continue reading 7 Tips for Holiday Planning
Many find that working your way through the Medicare Open Enrollment process for the first time can be very daunting! Seniors are bombarded with information by mail and even on television commercials but what information is actually necessary for open enrollment? Here’s a quick overview of what you should know to help make the most … Continue reading Open Enrollment: Who, What, Why and How
What’s the difference between long-term care and memory care? Knowing the answer can help you find the best fit for your parent. Below, we’ll explore the difference between the two, as well as how to determine which is right for your loved one. Long-Term Care vs Memory Care Long-term care is a service designed for seniors … Continue reading The Difference Between Long-Term Care and Memory Care
Reading helps improve capabilities such as memory, cognition and attention span, especially in seniors. With so many resources available — audiobook and traditional physical books — the choices can almost seem overwhelming. Here are a few great options to ignite the book lover inside of you. 5 Audiobook Suggestions Perfect for Seniors As of 2021, … Continue reading Visual or Audible: Great Books For Seniors
We are thrilled to help our residents safely visit with their families! Understanding risk, but also recognizing the benefits of visiting with loved ones, Optalis residents are able to enjoy visitation, with some guidance provided by the CDC and CMS in regards to the core principles of infection control to mitigate the risks to our … Continue reading Visiting a Loved One at Optalis
Dear Averi: My aging father needs more help than I can provide for him. In my conversations with various continuing care retirement communities, I think that skilled nursing would probably be the best option. What do I need to do? Any advice would be helpful. Sincerely, Dora Dear Dora, You have provided a great service … Continue reading Admission to a Senior Living Community
It is never easy for an adult child to know when it is time for their parent to move to an assisted living or long-term care community. It’s tough to know what to look for and how to evaluate your parent’s ability to live on their own. After all, you’re their child, not their doctor. … Continue reading How to Assess Your Parent’s ADL Ability – and Why It’s So Important
A concern we frequently hear from Columbus area family caregivers is that they don’t know how to tell if the changes they see in the person they care for are a normal part of aging or Alzheimer’s disease. Loved ones often rush to the conclusion that their family member has Alzheimer’s when they exhibit one of the … Continue reading Is this Alzheimer’s?
Activities of daily living are the things people do every day, like eating, bathing or dressing. That’s the short answer. The long one includes answers to questions like why activities of daily living (ADLs) matter and how they can help you tell what level of care your parent needs. Here’s what you need to know … Continue reading What Are Activities of Daily Living?
