Empty Nesters: Living a Fulfilling and Relaxing Life

Looking after children is a massive responsibility that takes up significant amounts of your attention, time, and energy. It requires sacrifices, and your personal goals and wishes often fall by the wayside. It’s no wonder so many parents breathe a sigh of relief when their children eventually grow up and leave home. Even though it’s sad and sometimes grief-inducing, it’s the first time in forever they have a moment – and life – to themselves.

If you’re in the same boat, it may be time for you to give yourself the care you gave your children and live the life you’ve always wanted. Here, WytCote gives you some tips and advice on making the most of your life as an empty nester parent: 

Adjust your attitude and focus on enjoying your life

You may be feeling sorrow, grief, or even experiencing symptoms of the Empty Nest syndrome. It’s understandable – your children are a big part of your lives. Having them be away from you isn’t easy. You must be kind to yourself, heal yourself, and focus on the bright side.  Change is unavoidable – but it doesn’t have to be bad. Nothing is stopping you from staying in touch with your kids. You can still be a part of your children’s lives – and also finally experience the life you’ve always wanted. Look at it as a blessing, and it will become one.   

Take better care of your health

You may not have focused on your health enough before. You could design a self-care routine to tune up your physical, mental, and emotional well-being – and make healthier choices in general. Meditate, walk, eat healthily, go out in nature, exercise, try art therapy, and generally, spend at least a few hours every week on healthful activities. It will make you happier and give you the energy you need to live life to the fullest.

Give yourself mental peace by creating a health plan for the future 

Regardless of how well you look after yourself, there may be a time you need professional healthcare. Having a health care plan in place will allow you to meet your various expenses without overextending yourself – and give you peace of mind besides. Essential components of a health plan include selecting insurance, creating an emergency fund, and choosing healthcare centers – like senior care communities and medical facilities – in advance. Picking a facility with WytCote’s SeniorSense Care Tabs will ensure you (or your partner) receive top-notch care, with features like fall detection protection, quality of care, location monitoring, and rollover alerts.  

De-clutter and renovate your home

Your home has a massive effect on your mood, energy, well-being, and quality of life in general. Ensuring your home is as neat and comfortable as possible will have a positive effect on the rest of your life. You can start by decluttering and deep cleaning – it will clear away stuck energy and give you extra space. For added effect, you could give your home a fresh coat of paint, get new furniture, change the curtains, put up decorations, and add new features or rooms (like an outdoor seating area).

Plant a garden

Based on a Psychology Today report, people who garden every day are known to live longer, happier lives. Gardening can bust stress, be good exercise, and give you your daily Vitamin D dose. Furthermore, if you plant fruits or vegetables, you can eat delicious organic food frequently and also save big on your grocery bills. Gardening doesn’t have to be time-consuming – you can do it just a few minutes a day. Growing food isn’t hard either.

Give back to your community

There’s little more fulfilling than making a difference in people’s lives – whether that’s by feeding them, teaching them, assisting them in finding jobs, or supporting whatever other cause that’s closest to your heart. It’s a great way to spend your time and puts you in touch with other kind, goodhearted people. 

Go back to school – and maybe change your job

You may have never had a chance to get a degree and always wanted one. Or maybe you just enjoy learning and want to study something new. You could go back to school to earn a degree. If you don’t quite have the time for full-time education, you could earn a degree online at your convenience – this may help. Needless to say, further education will open up new career options for you too. You could make the shift to a new, more fulfilling career or seek a promotion in your existing job. An online business degree, for instance, will furnish you with accounting, management, business, and communications skills.

Get your business dreams off the ground

If you’ve always wanted to start your own company, now is the perfect time to do so. It’s easier than you may think and doesn’t always require much funding. You need a solid business idea, funding, a business plan, and a base of operations to get started. You may want to start an LLC to reduce the risk. It offers limited liability protection to your personal assets. Furthermore, there are tax advantages, less paperwork, and more flexibility. You can file the paperwork yourself or use a professional formation service to avoid hefty lawyer formation fees. Before choosing a service, read reviews to determine the best option available. 

Spend more time with friends and family

Being with people who care about you is one of the best feelings in the world. It busts stress, makes you happy, and gives you support. You could start to spend more time with friends and family now, strengthening old relationships. Other suggestions are making new friends or joining a support group for empty nesters – nobody else can understand what you’re going through as well as another empty-nester parent.

Have a relaxing and enjoyable vacation

Being in a different place, with different people, is one of the best ways to push the reset button on your life. It’s a nice escape from your usual routine. You can have some fun and also revitalize yourself. Visiting Disney World, for instance, can be exciting and relaxing – and doesn’t require much energy. You can ask your kids to accompany you and maybe, recreate the good old days. If you’re heading to Disney World, you can consult online resources to have an excellent time without breaking the bank. Click here to learn more.

Follow a religious or spiritual practice

If your beliefs allow, you could pursue a religious or spiritual practice. As Sharecare can confirm, doing so can bring surprising health benefits like reduced stress, lowered risk of depression, lower blood pressure, and stronger social connections. It can also put you in touch with yourself, teach you how to focus on the things that matter, and assist you in living a more balanced, fulfilling life. 

Conclusion

Your children leaving home will clear away all your old routines and the usual way of doing things. This is your chance to do everything you’ve always wanted but never could. You could get a new hobby, go back to school, build a new business, or simply tick things off of your bucket list. Make the most of this opportunity to lead the fulfilling and relaxing life you’ve always wanted. Image via Unsplash

Why People Choose to Place Their Loved Ones in a Nursing Home

Almost of us will be faced with this very difficult decision at some point in our lives. For some, it comes down to a matter of money. For many others, strong emotions, family members, a sense of responsibility, as well as other factors are involved. No two people are alike, and it’s not easy trying to predict how a loved one will react to being placed in a nursing home.

My wife’s grandmother hated everything about her nursing home at first and made sure everyone knew it. After a couple of weeks, she was as happy as a clam. Of course, it could have been the exact opposite.

Ultimately, this is the kind of decision that becomes easier when you take the time to ask others how they dealt with it. The more you learn about the entire process, the fewer surprises you can expect. Thankfully, it’s not often we have to decide on putting a parent in a nursing home. Today, we’re going to go over some of the key reasons why people choose to put an aging parent into a skilled nursing facility as opposed to choosing in-home care.

Common reasons for choosing to place a parent in a nursing home

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Professional care vs. family caregiver

Taking care of a senior can be a challenge for even the most loving, the most patient, and the most understanding son or daughter. Many of us have very little practice with senior care.

If you’re determined and lucky, you might be able to study the subject of senior care. Even so, emotions and family ties can play a big role, and sound decisions are more difficult to make as a result. Doctors and surgeons often don’t treat family members for the very same reason. This is just one of the many reasons a family member may decide to place their loved ones in a nursing home.

Caregiver burnout is real

Sooner or later, even the most stalwart and determined family members will run into problems they can no longer handle. When this happens, feelings of guilt and regret can consume a devoting son or daughter. Often, the strain will affect everyone around the family caregiver.

The unpredictable nature of caring for an aging parent makes things difficult to mentally prepare. The constant question of “when is it time?” can become exhausting.

Healthy conditions can worsen quickly

The need for medical care can change from a monthly visit to the need for a care team very quickly with many seniors. If you’re planning to take care of your aging parent at home, changing health conditions can overwhelm even the most devoted son or daughter. Everything from a sudden illness to a significant drop in cognitive ability or even incontinence can happen unexpectedly.

In-home care can transition into assisted living and again to a long-term care facility

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Often there are different stages of care available to seniors who go from needing a little help here and there to requiring around-the-clock long-term care. Many people choose to evolve the level of care according to the advancing level of need. A gradual increase based on individual factors can ease everyone into a stepped environment of care.

In-home care can start with a family member that checks in daily with the senior. This can then progress to in-home professional care, whereby a trained senior care person spends time with the parent as needed.

Depending on the state of health and the level of independence, the parent can then be transitioned into an assisted living facility in which they will receive the needed attention as well as a moderate level of autonomy. At some point, the parent may need to be transitioned into a full care long-term facility.

How technology can improve the experience for your parent and for you

It’s a simple fact of aging. Many seniors enjoy being as independent as possible, while their sons and daughters feel increasingly anxious about how they are doing. The great news is that technology can help solve this paradox.

Aging parents can go about their day without the constant calls from their children checking up on them. And children can use technology to unobtrusively check-in without nagging their parents.

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When is it time to place your loved one in a nursing home?

Please review the indicators below to help guide your decision:

Some signs a family caregiver may be overwhelmed:

What Does My Staff Need to Know to Care for the Elderly?

Many elders prefer aging in place. In fact, most of them choose in-home care support rather than nursing homes or assisted living. But as their needs change, safety concerns, getting around, and other activities of daily living grow. So they turn to senior care services to improve their quality of life and not worry about safety issues, among other reasons. Staff training is crucial to their overall quality of care.

Unfortunately, if statistics are anything to go by, many senior adults suffer at the hands of caregivers and other senior home staff. They’re hurt, neglected, isolated, among other things. World Health Organization reports that 1 in 6 people 60+ years experienced some form of abuse in senior living in 2020.

As the owner or manager of a senior living community, you must ensure that these elders get the care services they deserve. Not just for the reputation of your facility, but for compliance reasons. Every state has its regulatory requirements for senior living homes, and all stakeholders must understand them. 

Staff training provides the easiest way to comply and meet the elder’s needs. It arms your staff with knowledge about:

 

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Understanding the unique needs of older adults

Older adults are faced with a range of physical, psychological, and social challenges due to age-related issues. As such, they need support in activities related to daily living, self-care & mobility, social activities & relationships, and mental health.

These adults also desire to cope with their illness while still living independently. However, environmental factors like lack of information on services like care pathways, lack of professional advice on self-care strategies, and poor communication & coordination of services get in the way of these efforts.

 

How senior living staff can help

The senior living staff has to help to this end. They can ensure that adults lead comfortable lives in living homes. First, however, they’ll need the training to better care for these adults while complying with the law.

Assisted living facilities often have different staff types, as shown below:

The training may be specific to staff types or general. For example, support personnel may go through specific healthcare topics, but there are still common areas of training that all staff should be exposed to.

 

What your staff needs to know to care for the elderly

One of the greatest concerns in senior-living communities is the safety and well-being of its elderly residents. Regardless of their positions, your staff needs to be adequately trained on things like cognitive impairment, the aging process, infection control, fire and life safety, etc.

They should also learn about basic food safety, emergencies, and fall prevention. Training ensures that all members of staff react appropriately when necessary. It also ensures your facility complies with your state’s regulatory requirements.

 

Compliance aspects

All staff members should be trained on compliance aspects. They should know:

 

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Infection control and prevention

With approximately 1 to 3 million serious infections happening every year in skilled nursing assisted living and nursing homes, the importance of infection control and prevention can’t be overstated. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to infections and communicable diseases like COVID-19. With this training, your staff should be able to:

 

Lifesaving skills

You can also train your staff some basic lifesaving skills. At a minimum, teach them to perform first aid and CPR. This can be lifesaving, especially if you have at-risk seniors in your facility.

 

Cognitive training

If your senior living facility has residents with cognitive conditions like dementia, you should have training sessions for your staff about health complications, hydration, wandering, aggressive behaviors, dignity and sexuality issues, and sundowning.

Wellness and lifestyle

A lifestyle approach helps seniors improve their physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and intellectual well-being. Your staff should also learn about therapeutic interventions, activities, and communication.

 

Other residential training

You should train employees to know:

 

Management training

Your management team should know the following.

Staff training is a great way to care for adults and stay compliant with the regulations. But unless you keep track of all the training your staff gets, you might never realize its full impact. Tracking staff training can give you a clear picture of where you stand. It also provides data to help make informed business decisions for a better future.

 

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Track staff training

A lot of work and resources go into staff training. But unless you track your work, your efforts might go to waste. By tracking your staff training, you can:

  1. Analyze statistics (who took what course, how many people were trained, and the average score) ad monitor learners’ progress.
  2. Determine whether the training offers a good return on investment (ROI).
  3. Ensure that all staff members have received compulsory compliance training.
  4. Document everything that’s happening as you create a learning culture in the facility

There are different ways to track staff training. Here are a few examples.

Staff training is easier with the right business system, and with the suggestions above, you should have an easier time navigating the process. If you’re having a hard time implementing these systems in your senior living home, we can help. Get in touch with us today.

Top Modifications for Senior Living Spaces

Seniors are more vulnerable to slip and fall, especially if they have long-term health issues. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, 1 in 4 Americans aged 65+ falls each year. Unfortunately, falls are the leading cause of injury, hospital admissions, and even death among this population. When falls happen, they can result in broken bones, hip fractures, head injuries, and even depression. That’s why modifications for senior living spaces need to be made to lower the chances of slip and fall accidents.

The fear of falling becomes more common as people age, even among those who haven’t fallen. It can make the elderly avoid social and physical activities like shopping, walking, or interacting. Senior-proofing your senior living community can give residents confidence that they are safe and encourage them to participate in different activities. It can also lower the chances of accidents happening.

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That being said, here are some top modifications for senior living spaces:

Install stair railings

A majority of stairway falls result from loss of balance. And with issues like stiff or damaged joints, neurological conditions, and ear problems being common among the elderly, it’s easy to see what loss of balance happens a lot. Since stairway accidents can lead to severe injury and even death, installing quality stair railings is essential. Good design and construction of stairs and handrails can substantially minimize the chances of misstepping by offering a way to retrieve balance.

Note: When installing handrails, it’s best to put them on both sides of the stairways. But if your stairway is wide, you can put a single handrail at the center. Rounded handrails also perform better as they fit the hand better than other designs.

Modify bathtub and showers to make them more accessible

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Older adults find it hard to use the toilet, faucets, shower, and bathtub effectively and safely. Most of them have lost strength and mobility, so standing in a shower for a long time is not possible. It’s also risky to get in and out of a bathtub. Luckily, there is a range of modifications you can make to enhance senior safety in your facility. These include:

Modify the floors

The more consistent you can be with your senior living flooring, the safer your facility will be. Consistency limits the number of transitions which are often tripping hazards. Many seniors drag their fit or don’t lift them as much. So when you have transitions, it’s best to keep the height difference at a minimum, or when possible, level in all rooms.

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Remove, repair, or replace any lumps, bumps, breaks, saddles, transitions, holes, and other trip hazards, both inside the facility and in any outdoor spaces. Consider replacing multiple types of flooring indoors with one uniform type of nonskid flooring to reduce physical and visual transitions between rooms. You can also:

Widen doorways for accessibility

Sticky, narrow, or unwieldy doors make it hard for seniors to access the rooms, especially when using a wheelchair. They can impede mobility in the senior living facility and overall space access for seniors. So, if the aging parents in your facility have trouble accessing the room, you may want to make modifications to fix the doors. Here are some ideas:

Implement assistive technology for safer spaces

Seniors, especially those with disabilities, still need some form of independence even when staying in assisted homes. So you’ll need to make a range of accommodations, including the use of senior care technology. Assistive technology includes any tool or service used to increase, maintain and improve the functional capabilities of seniors.

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Smart technology may include an amplification device to make sounds easy to hear, or something as simple as a walker to improve mobility. It could also be a magnifying glass for a senior adult with vision issues or a scooter that makes it possible to cover long distances. So, basically, assistive technology is anything that helps continued participation in daily activities. Here are some examples:

The goal of modifications for senior living facilities is to create safer rooms and spaces for all residents. It will also help protect you from any liabilities within the facility. But you’ll need an expert to help you with some modifications, including safe room design.

At Wytcote, we can help you design safe spaces that will set your facility apart from the rest. Contact us today to learn more.

How to Hire for your Senior Living Community

Independent living is a common goal for older people and often they need care and comfort to lead healthy and happier lives. They need help with activities of daily living, like personal hygiene, safety supervision, ambulation, housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping, and medication reminder. In fact, this is part of the reason they join assisted living homes in the first place. Having the right care team is the best way to ensure these adults get the most out of their stay in your facility. But the right team doesn’t just happen. It starts from the people you hire to be part of your senior living community. And as you may already know, hiring caregivers is one of the biggest challenges many senior homes face.

Representatives from most facilities across the US cite caregiver shortage as their top concern, far ahead of other threats like increasing minimum wage and unrelenting competition. Add that to the high nurse turnover rates, and you start understanding how tricky the situation is.

And the current industry growth isn’t making the situation any better. Today, caregivers have options when it comes to where to work. Meaning, you’re competing for employees against retail companies, fast food chains, and giants like Walmart and Amazon. Unless you have a well-thought out onboarding and retention program, your business might take a huge hit.

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In today's job market, signs like these are all too common.

What’s driving high turnover rates?

Currently, the US has the highest number of people age 65. Projections show that the baby boomer population will increase from 49 to 95 million between 2016 and 2050. During the same time, the labor force will only increase by 14%. According to PHI, labor-intensive work, few growth opportunities and irregular hours are some of the reasons senior care facilities continue to experience huge turnover rates.

How to hire for assisted living facilities

That said, the goal is not to onboard caregivers for your senior care services but to find those who can stay with you for a long time. This article will break down the hiring process to help you make the most out of it.

Determine the task at hand to pick the right caregiver

So, are you looking for a nurse to help residents take their medicines on time, or a physical therapist to keep the seniors in good physical shape? Your needs will influence the type of professional you’re looking for, as well as the approach you take. Here are some health care professionals for senior homes:

Physical therapists: Physical therapists help residents maintain their physical function and reduce the risk of falling. They take care of strength training, pain management, and fall prevention.

Registered nurses: Registered Nurses initiate treatment plans and administer medicine. They prepare IVs, give injections, draw blood and take vital signs. These nurse practitioners monitor patient health and ensure they’re getting proper care. They also report any changes in the residents’ health or living situation.

Licensed Nursing Assistances: LNAs work under the supervision of RN. They take vital signs, give enemas, and may initiate medicine, apply dressing, bandages, insert catheters, and monitor IVs. They may also feed residents and note down any changes in their health.

Occupational therapists: Occupational therapists identify the causes of difficulties that limit participation in activities of daily living, leisure engagement, and educational and vocational pursuits.

Social workers: Social workers help seniors adjust to life in their new residence, advocate for their clients; needs and rights, provide supportive counseling and make a psychosocial assessment.

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Define the job before hiring

Perform a job analysis to gather information about necessary skills, responsibilities, duties, work environment, and outcomes for a given job. For example, an elder who needs help with light housekeeping or hygiene will have different needs than one with Alzheimer’s. A job analysis guides you in creating a job description for the new employee. It also helps you plan your recruiting strategy.

Here are some common items that you can include in your job description:

Know what to look for

In addition to certification, you want to find a caregiver who’ll treat the residents with care and respect. The caregiver should also have a good disposition, ability to deal with stress, non-argumentative temperament, and overall compassionate nature.

Personality: Find a caregiver with a good personality. Their qualifications alone won’t change their attitude. Avoid a caregiver who comes with a list of things they won’t do. Instead, work with one who’s open to most assignments.

Experience: Your ideal caregiver should have the necessary experience to handle senior-specific needs. For example, if the seniors have Alzheimer’s, the caregiver should have experience dealing with Alzheimer’s patients and so on.

Training: A good caregiver should have some form of training, whether formal or informal. But depending on the task at hand, the caregiver may need certification and licensing.

Honesty and reliability: Check references to ensure the caregiver passes the honesty and reliability test to ensure they won’t steal from the residents or fake the hours worked. Also, check to confirm that they always show up on time every time.

Accountability: Ask interview questions that help you gauge whether the applicant shifts blame or takes responsibility for their actions. Then use your best judgment to determine if they are a good fit.

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Find and interview a caregiver

There are many ways to find a potential caregiver. You can ask for referrals, advertise on job boards like Craigslist or place an ad in the classified section of your local newspaper.

If you have a website, you can publish the job posting on your site and share it on your company’s social media pages. You can even share them through Google or Bing Ads. The goal is to spread the word about the job opening, to get as many applicants as possible.

Once the applications start coming in, you can interview the prospects over the phone and narrow down your options before interviewing in person. Use your job description to screen applicants – but also take it a notch higher to find out about things like:

Perform a background check before you hire

Background checks help you identify the right applicant to care for the residents and minimize the risk of hiring a person convicted of elder abuse. Think of it as a way to protect your residents against theft and violence. Background checks are essential, seeing 1 in 6 people 60+ years experienced elder abuse in 2020. In addition to checking criminal records, a background check can:

Depending on your preference, you can run checks through a private investigator or law office.

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Work with an agency

If all these seem overwhelming, you can work closely with an agency to find the right caregivers. Senior home recruitment agencies work with both professionals who seek job opportunities and employers looking to hire employees. They remove the hard work from the process, taking care of identifying talent, advertising roles, negotiating pay, and interviewing candidates, so you don’t have to. The only downsides of working with an agency are you’ll pay more for a caregiver and that you’ll also have limited negotiation.

What Can you Do to Help People in A Senior Living Community?

Many older adults prefer to age in place, even in cases where cognitive or physical decline makes it hard to live independently. According to one AARP survey, about 90% of US seniors wish to stay in their homes for as long as they can. Yet, the US Census data shows that most homes may not be designed to accommodate the needs of the seniors. The survey further adds that older homes have stepped entries, multi-story living, second-story bedrooms, hallways, etc., which make daily living a challenge. So, what can you do to help people in a senior living community?

Even though home care is ideal for many senior citizens, it is not always the best option for them or the family members who look after their health and wellbeing. This is especially true for seniors with medical needs or those in homes that aren’t equipped for it. 

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Senior living communities are a great alternative to home care. Some even offer additional care services while still allowing independent living. These facilities are excellent for the senior’s social life and make the transition easier down the road.

That said, it all boils down to what the seniors want or prefer. In this article, we will discuss some of the many ways you can help a senior citizen aging in place or living in a nursing home.

How to help people in a senior living community

As seniors grow older, they go through changes that affect every part of life. Many times, these changes prompt the need for extra care and assistance for seniors. So the seniors tend to become more dependent on other people to survive even against their wishes. They’ll depend on people for comfort, care, and support for survival and better quality of life.

Whether you are a professional nurse or caregiver, here is what you can do to help people in a senior living community.

Offer to get them around – at home and in town

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For many seniors, quality of life involves maintaining independence, taking part in hobbies, and getting out into the world. But mobility problems can prevent them from all these and cause depression, isolation, and declining health. If the senior has severe mobility issues, you may want to:

Organize and manage their medication

Safely managing medication is critical for older adults. Most seniors take multiple drugs throughout the day. According to studies, 87% take one prescription medicine, while 36% take five or more.

Helping the seniors manage their medication prevents mix-ups and ensures they take medications correctly as prescribed by their healthcare professional. Here’s how to do it:

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Prepare proper nutrition

Many people struggle with getting one well-balanced meal on the table each day. But it’s even tougher for older adults since they can hardly move around. Adding to the problem is that many seniors deal with a range of chronic illnesses that can contribute to or be worsened by poor nutrition. Assistance programs like Meals on Wheels offer great help, but you can also do a few things to help them get proper nutrition.

Encourage them to socialize

Elder care also involves helping the seniors find friends and fun activities to break the boredom. If you are offering home care assistance, this means driving them to their friends or loved ones or taking them to fun places.

If it’s in a facility, then you can encourage them to join different social activities. Socializing can offer a range of mental and physical health benefits. According to CDC, loneliness and social isolation affect many seniors in the US, putting them at risk for dementia and other severe medical conditions.

Help them manage their money

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Another great way to care for seniors in senior living communities is to help them with their finances. Many seniors struggle with keeping up with bills or accessing their mobile banking.

Others find health insurance forms confusing and could use a little help completing them. If you don’t have financial experience, you can help the senior get a referral from a reputable source. Your local area Agency on Aging is a great place to start.

Provide health care services

If you are a trained professional like a social worker, occupational therapist, or home health nurse, you can provide some health care services. For instance, you can prescribe medication, offer therapy and even offer bed baths. You can also hire professionals to help with things you’re not comfortable doing, like giving a bath and so on. But just be sure to check if the elder’s health insurance services will pay for it, or if it will be financed out-of-pocket.

Help with activities of daily living

Personal care includes any help with the activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, toilet/continence, meal preparations, eating, and transferring/ambulating. Most seniors who are unable to do such basic things might have a hard time accepting help. So you need to be understanding and reassuring to help them feel comfortable.

All of these things can greatly help people in a senior living community. Simply spending the time to ensure that their needs are met can go a long way in helping them feel comfortable and secure.

The Best Ways to Ensure Quality of Life to your Assisted Living Community

The benefits of assisted living services extend beyond activities of daily living. These homes open the world of opportunities and greater freedom for seniors. That’s why millions of families move their loved ones to these homes when home care is no longer a viable option.

As a service provider, you are always on the lookout for ways to enhance the level of care in the facility. This can pose a unique challenge because of varying needs of the elderly. But ensuring quality of life in your assisted living community doesn’t have to be complex. A few simple steps can help you deliver the best experiences to all the residents in your home.

The Best Ways to Improve Resident Care:

Address loneliness

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A study by the Brigham Young University found that loneliness can be as deadly as obesity or smoking. Senior isolation may encourage an unhealthy lifestyle, complicate the existing condition and affect cognition. It may also lead to higher cases of elder abuse as perpetrators take advantage of their isolation to scam, steal or injure them. Other studies show that Alzheimer’s almost doubles in lonely adults and that their mental decline was faster.

Going by these studies, addressing loneliness is one of the best things you can do in your senior living facility to ensure the quality of life. Great ways of preventing loneliness include:

·      Promoting social interaction

·      Encouraging a sense of purpose

·      Showing them that they are loved

·      Integrating physical activities like stair climbing, walking, and other age-appropriate workouts to keep the older adults in a solid mental, emotional and physical shape.

Hire enough staff

Staffing is one of the most tangible and crucial elements to ensure high-quality care. Everyone is happy when a facility has an adequate staff-to-resident ratio. But when the facility is understaffed, the team gets overwhelmed and becomes unwilling to offer assistance with activities of impaired adults. They may also become abusive out of their frustration. That’s why you need to hire adequate staff. But it's equally essential to onboard trained staff with a good grasp of residential care.

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Embrace new technology

Seniors may have shied away from technology in the past, but not anymore. The baby boomer generation is now widely adopting technology to keep in touch with their loved ones, manage their finances, alert caregivers in case of an accident, etc. They are using laptops, phones, and smartwatches for daily interactions and other activities. There are many other technologies that you can embrace to ensure your assisted living residents have a better quality of life, these include:

Personalize rooms

Personalization is critical, especially in memory care homes. It helps staff know the residents, their preferences, family, and special memories of travel and a well-lived life. It is also vital in the case of residents suffering from conditions like expressive aphasia and dementia. Usually, these people can’t tell their own life stories so their possessions that represent their activities, achievements, and memories can communicate about their past.

For this reason, it is a good idea to allow residents to bring some of their unique and favorite belongings and items with them as they move into the care facility. These possessions will not only aid with care but also help the residents feel at home. In addition to this, you may want to customize the rooms to fit the needs of the residents. Since no single resident has the same need as the other, it pays to understand the needs of each one of them and modify their spaces accordingly. And don’t forget the outdoors and common spaces too. A few things you can do in this regard include:

Provide lots of fun, social opportunities

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Spending time and maintaining relationships with others is essential to a senior’s mental and emotional well-being. It can prevent depression which is common with seniors. Studies by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that 7 million adults in the US, 65 years and older suffer from depression each year. And while many aspects lead to depression, isolation and inactivity tend to be the biggest contributors.

Alzheimer’s Association recommends socialization to help seniors maintain brain activity. As such, providing lots of fun and social opportunities in your facility can be a great way to improve the level of care in your homes. Here are a few recommendations for social activities.

Make tidiness a priority

One of the main reasons seniors move from home care to assisted living is to get help with laundry and housekeeping. Providing stellar personal care services is essential, but ensuring that the rooms and surrounding area are in tip-top condition is also crucial. Assisted living homes always need to be clean to create a healthy environment for residents and caregivers. Hiring professional cleaning services can be a great way to ensure your facility stays clean. A clean facility offers plenty of benefits, including:

Emphasize providing quality meals and dining experience

Dining isn’t just an essential part of a senior’s social life in an assisted living community, it’s an important pleasure for them as well. Residents enjoy nice meals in a good dining setting. They also need well-balanced meals as part of their health care. When it comes to resident care, it is the simple things that matter, like eating what they want, when they want, and where they want.

While providing meals for the elderly, it’s vital to take note of their varying health needs. For instance, seniors with heart disease need to avoid processed meals and high-fat dairy products. Instead, they should eat high-quality proteins, healthy fats, colorful veggies and fruits, and low-fat dairy products. In addition to nutrition, you want to create an appealing dining atmosphere that makes residents eager and willing to enjoy their meals.

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What to Look for in a Top-Notch Senior Care Facility

The decision to put your loved one in an assisted living home is never an easy one. But unfortunately, sometimes it reaches a point where they can't stay at home due to serious health and safety concerns. In this case, placing them in a care facility can be a great way to improve their health and quality of life. A top-notch senior care facility will provide high-quality long-term care – allowing your loved one to interact with peers and live in a safe and secure place with help close at hand.

But you should know that assisted living facilities are not created equally. Some are better than others. So it's imperative to familiarize yourself with the qualities of a good senior living community. Knowing what to look for can help you make an informed decision. Here are some essential qualities to look out for in a top-notch senior care facility.

Sufficient staffing

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Nurses and other staff members in senior living communities play an integral role in ensuring your loved one's optima health and wellbeing. They will see to it that your loved one is as comfortable as they should be at all times. When a senior care facility is understaffed, nurses may cut corners to get the job done the best they can. Unfortunately, this might translate to neglect and abuse that may cause physical illness, mental health issues, and even death among residents.

Top-notch senior care facilities understand this fact too well. They know that sufficient staffing is key to improving patient care and nursing retention. So they always ensure that there's an adequate staff-to-resident ratio at all times.

Exercise and fitness

As your loved one grows older, it can become harder to maintain their physical fitness. But the very changes that make the physical workout more challenging also make it more vital. Top-notch senior living facilities provide a wide range of senior activities for their residents. Working out helps resolve common old-age issues. The benefits of physical activity for older adults are far-reaching, and include:

A good assisted living community maintains a schedule of senior activities for its residents. It considers their patient’s physical limitations as it motivates them to stay active with routine workouts.

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Interesting activities for residents

In addition to physical activities, a good assisted living facility will have a range of other exciting activities in daily living. It will provide different kinds of social, educative, and interactive activities. Skilled nursing facilities that offer various social activities are more likely to help senior residents overcome loneliness and feel like part of a group. These activities should accommodate the need of each individual – which can be diverse in this setting.

Comfortable and clean environment

You can tell a lot about a senior care home by just looking at its surroundings. But beyond that, there are a few critical details that you need to pay attention to. For starters, you want to check out their units and ensure that they are designed for long-term care. Then, you want to check the doorways and hallways to confirm adequate lighting and observe any obstacles or safety hazards that might exist. The spaces around the home should also be clean, tidy, and well maintained. There should be no semblance of odors like feces or urine. Most importantly, the residents should be well-groomed and their quarters should appear clean and tidy.

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The best-skilled nursing facilities invest a lot in keeping the facility as welcoming as possible. You'll see the manicured ground, safe walkways, shady and sunny areas, and outdoor seating. Their rooms are spacious and with plenty of natural light. They also have functional HVAC systems. In many cases, these facilities allow residents to bring their furnishings and family pictures to decorate their spaces. They also have common spaces where residents can interact with each other and their families too.

Safety and security

Safety and security are the most common concerns for friends and families who admit their senior loved ones into living facilities. With abuse and theft cases hitting the headlines every so often, it's essential to assess the security and safety measures that a facility has in place to protect their residents. Top-notch senior care facilities have a maximum staff-to-resident ratio to avoid overworking staff members. This reduces the neglect and abuse cases that arise due to nursing facility understaffing. It also ensures that residents don't wander or elope out of the facilities. Moreover, the best facilities also have surveillance systems to monitor all activities inside and around the premises.

Amenities

The best-assisted living communities have a wide variety of amenities to cater to their residents' vast needs. They will have a library, computer access, and a health and wellness center with personal trainers. Some even have barbershops and salons within the facility, making it easy for residents to groom their hair. Older adults also love it when they look good and can engage in activities that make them feel valued.

A strong sense of community

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You can gauge the quality of care in a home by looking at how the nurses and other staff members interact with residents. They call the residents by their name, treat them with respect and engage in conversations. The staff also encourages residents to socialize with others to enhance their quality of life. You can also rate nursing homes by looking at how welcoming it is to you and other family members. A facility where loved ones are welcome makes it easier for seniors to transition smoothly and feel comfortable in their new surroundings. Staff attention and minimum restrictions to make you feel part of the community can improve seniors' quality of life and make the home more welcoming.

Utilizes modern technology - software & wearables

A best-in-class assisted living community will often employ the latest in technology, like SeniorSense, so it can detect falls and moisture levels even as they happen. The innovative software can allow the community to see where staff is and track their progress as well as monitor conditions such as room and water temperature. It can even monitor battery life levels on wearables, smoke detectors and CO2 detectors.

 

Decision-making opportunities

Last, but not least, your loved one should have the freedom to air out their opinions regarding how they wish to sleep, dress, participate in activities and even receive care. Find out if they are allowed to socialize or dine together with other residents. Speaking about dining, top-notch senior care facilities serve visually appealing food. They also change the menu from time to time and consider the residents' health issues and their ethical and religious needs.

 

 

 

How to Know When Assisted Living Homes are Well-Run?

Assisted living homes are a great choice for older adults who need help with some or most of their daily activities. These facilities have professionals to help with things like getting to the bathroom, housekeeping, cooking meals, laundry, and transport to appointments. They also offer round-the-clock safety and security to ensure all residents are okay. But not all homes are created equal. How can you tell when assisted living homes are well-run?

There are approximately 28,900 assisted living homes in America, but no two facilities have the same level of service as the other. Some are clearly better than others. So, it is completely understandable to worry about whether the one you've enrolled your loved one in is efficient or not. In this article, we'll tell you how to know when assisted living homes are well run, to help put your mind at ease, knowing your loved one will be well taken care of.

The residents have a better quality of life

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The decision to transition to an assisted living home is often based on a need for additional care and support with daily activities. However, finding a facility that meets the basic needs is only the first step. A well-run facility also pays more attention to the overall quality of life of every resident. It doesn't compromise on aspects that improve the quality of life. These include encouraging physical activity, inspiring social interaction, fostering independence and a sense of purpose and nurturing spirituality. While it might be hard to measure, these aspects are critical in determining if an assisted living facility is well planned.

The facility exceeds the minimum requirement

You may be pleased with the fact that an assisted living amenity provides round-the-clock staffing, grocery shopping, health care support, transportation, laundry, and housekeeping services. But these are only minimum requirements. The best-assisted living environment goes beyond the basics. As mentioned above, they offer opportunities to chase new hobbies and creativity and promote social interaction. Most importantly, they evaluate and adjust the residents’ needs from time to time.

It hires a qualified and passionate team of caregivers

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One of the best ways to tell a well-run assisted living home apart is by looking at its staff's quality. A well-run facility will invest in quality staff. It will only hire qualified personal care assistants, nurses, administrators, directors, and coordinators who are passionate about their jobs. A qualified team can maintain senior independence, provide companionship, decrease senior loneliness, offer insight and detect changes in a senior's condition.

The facility has adequate staff

A well-run home should have a reasonable staff-to-resident ratio. It should also have registered nurses on-campus, as opposed to simply on-call. Adequate nurse staffing is essential when it comes to the quality of assisted living care. Unless a facility has sufficient staff to offer high-level quality care, your senior loved one may not get the attention he or she needs and deserves. Luckily, you can easily tell when an assisted living home is understaffed. It will feel chaotic each time you visit. There will be little-to-no coordination and the staff may always seem to have bad attitudes. You may also notice that the staff only talks among themselves as opposed to mingling with residents. Or that information gets lost between shift changes. All these are red flags of bad care.

It has a low staff turnover

Staff turnover is an unfortunate reality that many senior care facilities face from time to time. But a good facility will have only a few people leaving at any given point. In most cases, you'll still find a staff that truly knows your loved one. Bad facilities tend to have high staff turnover, to the extent you may notice that no one on staff even knows who your loved one is. Unfortunately, your elderly family member won't get quality care when the staff-resident pairing is not consistent.

The facility is determined to answer all your questions

In addition to staffing, you can tell a well-run facility by looking at how well they respond to your questions and concerns. The fact that they are responsible for the older adults means they are better placed to answer questions about their care. A well-managed facility will always have the right answers for things that happen within their premise; answers that put your mind to rest. They shouldn't say things like, "Old people do this all the time" when you ask why your mom is losing weight. Or “I don't know, but I'll find out,” when you’re concerned about the state of her personal hygiene.

It tailors services to meet the needs of an individual

Although assisted living homes must be suited for a resident's specific health status – like physical therapy for individuals with walking problems or medications for chronic conditions – residents are more than just their health status. They are your family members, mothers, fathers, siblings. A truly well-run facility will consider a person's interests, physical and mental health, need for social interactions, etc. So they'll hire mental health experts and also include social clubs and other support groups. A well-run facility tailors solutions to the resident's unique needs. And since these needs might change, the facility should also have structures in place to adjust to the emotional, physical, and social needs that arise.

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They answers calls

Well-run assisted living homes will always pick up the phone. So, in most cases, your loved one won't have to wait a long time after pushing the call button. You can easily know how fast they are by putting the light on and watching out for delay. See if it happens all the time or at a specific time of day – like during mealtime or shift change. Then bring up your concern to staff and observe how they handle it. It should be concerning if your loved one has to wait for a long time before getting help. And it's even worse if they have to do things by themselves because they couldn't wait any longer.

It is keen on nurturing relationships

Most residents in assisted living homes seek long-term care. Unfortunately, this might mean spending less time with friends and family members. Well-run facilities understand how hard this can be. So, a good home will go all-out promoting social activities. They also strive to build bonds between residents and their loved ones. They not only have amazing visitation policies but vast communication options. On top of that, they include vast social activities, like gardening, exercise, art or cooking classes, bridge league, and weekly game nights. Anything that gets the seniors to interact is a big plus.

Assisted living is like home health care as it covers activities of daily living. The only difference is that the senior relocates from his or her home to a new place. Ensuring that the facility is well-run is the best way to ascertain that your loved one is as comfortable as they’d be if they were home.

The Best Things to Give Your Loved One in a Nursing Home

Nothing can replace your love and attention when it comes to things to give your loved one in a nursing home. But there are a few things you can get to brighten their days and make their life more comfortable – most of which we'll discuss in this article.

Before you set out to buy these things, keep in mind that:

With that in mind, here are the best things to give your loved one in a nursing home:

Games and fun

Spending days, weeks, or months in the nursing home can get boring. Your loved one needs something to brighten up their days, all while engaging their body and mind. And what better way to achieve that than by getting them fun games. Games are exciting and entertaining and can also improve their daily life skills, memory, and overall mental health. The best part is there's no limit to the fun items you can get them. Here are some quick picks – but you can always find more.

·       Board games and puzzles

Board games never really go out of fashion. If your loved one has a friend who doesn't mind gaming, this should be your ultimate choice. Games like jig-saw puzzles, puzzle books, dominoes, chess, cards, scrabble, word search, and backgammon are perfect for old members in nursing homes. It’s even better when there’s some candies and snacks to share.

·       Adult coloring book or audiobooks

Coloring books are fun, just as they are engaging. And with lots of time to spare in the nursing home, your loved one will surely love to color to keep busy. But if they are not the type that loves to color, you can opt for something more entertaining and calming, like an audiobook or a print-book. In the latter case, make sure the words are large enough so they don’t strain.

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Coloring books are a great way to stimulate memory and overall mental health.

·       Art and craft supplies

For your loved one in the nursing home, creating art and craft pieces is not only a smart way to use imagination but also maintain dexterity in hands and fingers. There are plenty of art and craft supplies to match vast needs. Just find out what your loved one wants. Here are some good examples:

Flashlight and reading light

Flashlight and reading light come in handy at night. They allow your loved one to carry one with activities without disturbing their roommates. With these lights, the elderly can read or play their games at night, or even search for items. When shopping for flashlights, find those that use LED as they shine brighter and keep power for long. You may also want to find beautiful reading lights so it adds to the room’s décor.

Stationery and other writing supplies

The baby boomer generation loves the pen and paper. It would be thoughtful of you to give them a nice piece of paper, an envelope, and stamps. It's pretty hard for residents to get stamps. It's even harder to get cards for all occasions – whether it's birthday or Christmas and so on. When you give them blank cards, stamps, and envelopes, they'll be able to write to their loved ones during holidays, which is just great. You can also add in some dairy, notepads, pens, pencils, and other stationery that will allow them to write down or document things/events.

Toiletries

Most nursing homes provide toiletries for their residents. But as you know, you can never have enough of some things. Besides, these homes only provide select toiletries – like tissues and soap. So always want to ensure that your loved one has enough supply of other toiletries they need. Toiletries like lip balm (in seasonal flavors), aftershave, deodorant lotion, body spray, etc., are always a good gift idea. Do, however, ensure that your loved one is not allergic and can safely use these items. Most nursing homes have a locking cabinet for specific toiletries to ensure they aren't stolen or ingested mistakenly. As a caution, you can label the bottle with the owner's name.

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Home Décor

Your loved one will be staying in the nursing home for a while. So you might as well make it as homely as possible. Depending on how their rooms look, you can get the wallpapers, carpet, lovely covers, and so on. You may also bring flowers to liven up the room. But the vase should be easy to clean and appealing too. Again, be cautious while picking flowers, so they don't look like the "get well soon" flowers.

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Flowers are a great way to show someone you love them.

Senior-friendly clothing and footwear

Clothing is one of the top choices when looking for things to buy for a loved one. And with plenty of variety available in the market, there's no limit to what you can get. Since your loved one is in a nursing home, you want to find clothing and footwear that are warm, cozy, safe, and stylish too. Your elderly still want to look sharp even in the nursing home.

·       Comfortable clothing

When shopping for clothes, go for those that are comfortable and easy to wear. Try to avoid clothes with tiny zips or small buttons as they are hard to maneuver. Opt for wrap-around styles instead. Again, choose fabrics that are machine-washed and dried and avoid those that need special care.

·       Gripper footwear

You also want to find comfortable, breathable, and adjustable footwear. Gripper slippers or socks are a great option as they keep the cold feet warm and are easy to put on. Besides, these can keep your loved one safe by lowering the chances of slip and falls.

·       Shawls and wraps

Shawls, blankets, wraps are always welcome. Blankets can transform the room while keeping your loved one warm and cozy. And since the elderly always seem to be cold all year round, wraps, wearable sleeved blankets, shawls, button-up sweaters etc., are a perfect choice.

Show them love

Everyone – including those in a nursing home – enjoy a little love. You can show it to them whenever you visit. Sometimes even a simple visit can go a long way to brightening up their day! We all know how short-staffed some nursing homes can be. Simply spending time with your loved one is an incredibly valuable gift. You could also get them something funny or cute to look at when you are not around. If your loved one loves cats, you might be able to get them a cat. And if they are more of teddy bear lovers, then a stuffed toy would work the magic. Of all the things to give your loved one in a nursing home, time is going to be the one that is truly cherished.