aging

Multiple Dimensions of Wellness

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Here’s a glimpse at the many dimensions of wellness.

Seniors find they live happier, more fulfilled lives when a holistic approach to wellness is taken. Here’s a glimpse at the many dimensions of wellness that are nurtured and promoted in today’s Life Plan Communities, also known as Continuing Care Retirement Communities or CCRCs.

1.Physical Wellness: Physical activities are planned and directed by fitness professionals in the community. These can include exercises planned for the resident’s specific needs and abilities, such as improving range of motion, core strength, or balance. Group classes in the community may include yoga or tai-chi, walking clubs, dance, or water aerobics.

2. Emotional Wellness: Support for the challenges that come with aging can give seniors comfort and strength in difficult times—and learning to cope with and adapt to life’s changes builds emotional well-being. This support can take the form of grief and mental health counseling, support and peer groups, informal circles of friends, and interactions with staff members.

3. Social Wellness: Socialization increases engagement, reduces isolation, and improves outlooks. Residents may enjoy card games, interest-based clubs, musical performances, holiday parties, group excursions and other activities that bring them together with others.

4. Intellectual Wellness: Intellectual activities boost cognitive function, stimulate the brain, and fuel lifelong learning. In the community, residents might engage in brain games and exercises, book groups, trivia contests, educational seminars, discussion groups, or tech workshops.

5. Vocational Wellness: Seniors have valuable work and life skills that can benefit the entire community. Residents can share their knowledge by teaching others, volunteering, building something, or leading discussion groups. Many CCRCs provide space for painting studios, woodworking, and other arts and crafts.

6. Environmental Wellness: A warm and comfortable environment in the retirement community enhances residents’ lives. This can encompass gardens and green spaces; walking paths; clean, bright surroundings; a friendly, caring staff; and festive seasonal decorations.

7. Spiritual Wellness: A strong spiritual sense can offer hope, strength, and peace. In the community, residents might nurture their spiritual selves through on-site worship services, meditation, religious studies, music performances, and more.

8. Health Services: Life Plan Communities offer caring, attentive support especially suited to seniors’ health needs as they change over time. Knowing services are available and a plan is in place before a change in health

This multifaceted approach through the 8 Dimensions of Wellness will positively impact the lives of older adults, providing enrichment, inclusion, purpose and a plan for future care needs.

Article Provided By:
Capital Manor
503-877-2927
www.CapitalManor.com

Article Provided By
Holmes Park House
The new Holmes Park House in Southern Oregon offers 24/7 physical and emotional care by compassionate and knowledgeable hospice-trained certified nurse assistants and universal caregivers that are managed by a registered nurse and supported by a full-time administrator, hospice-trained volunteers, and an activities director. Call today: 541-613-0543

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Aging: What are the warning signs?

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Don’t wait until something tragic happens. Go to a doctor to review medications and change of conditions. Build a safety net of attentive family and friends.

In today’s world, seniors are living longer, families are dispersed all over the country, and we all want to keep our independence. However, with phone relationships, we usually don’t get the whole picture. Adult children can struggle to come to terms with their parent’s aging process; and seniors of this generation often do not ask for help easily.

What are the warning signals?

First, what are the leading indicators that change may be on the way?  Death of a spouse, loss of one’s health, or family/friends moving away can be precursors to change.

Second, pause for a minute and determine what describes your senior? 
How would you describe their normal baseline? Are they normally organized, happy, groomed?  Quiet, hesitant, apprehensive? Messy, clumsy, disheveled? Confident, a conversationalist, assertive? Being any one of these things doesn’t indicate much, but if their behavior varies from the norm this may indicate a change of condition and/or suggest a downward trend.

With careful observation, research and discussion, note any changes in the three different dimensions- physical emotional, and cognitive. 

Physical warning signals include:  Unexplained weight loss, bruises or injuries, multiple falls, or changes in appearance.  Seniors’ skin can get very thin and is more susceptible to tearing.
Some medications can increase the potential for bruising.

Noted emotional changes include:  Fear of being alone; stops calling friends, not participating in things they enjoyed; not going to church; not coming to family dinners; not going out with friends for lunch; or wearing pajamas and slippers all day long. 

Some examples of Cognitive indicators: Unpaid bills, mountains of unopened mail, loss of money or questionable financial decisions, pets poorly cared for, vehicle is accumulating dents, food and medications are beyond pull dates, changes in sleep patterns such as increased sleep or any wakefulness.

Actions to take:

Don’t wait until something tragic happens. Go to a doctor to review medications and change of conditions. Build a safety net of attentive family and friends. Consider bringing care into the home or moving to a safer living situation. Be strong.

Article Provided by:
Garden Court Retirement
425-438-9080
www.GardenCourtRetirement.com

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Purses & keys

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I retain vivid memories of my visits to Ohio to discuss mother’s care levels and needs with my older sister, where one of the challenges involved keys.

As I was fumbling for my keys to unlock the door I thought about my mother. I retain vivid memories of my visits to Ohio to discuss mother’s care levels and needs with my older sister, where one of the challenges involved keys. One specific issue – car keys – is no surprise. Keys now have a habit of triggering these reflections.

There are lots of things that bring back memories of mother. I often chuckle at her sayings depending on the situation. Her little lines would pop out predictably and automatically but we never got tired of hearing them. At the mention of the word wait, she would say “Weights what broke the wagon down.” If we were trying to find something and she would spot it in front of us, out would come, “If it were a snake it’d bite you.”  She had so many more. These were common sayings among her generation, the ones who were born in the first part of the last century and spent a lot of time on front porches and around kitchen tables.

I sometimes get angry with myself for the earlier days when I didn’t have a full appreciation of the stories. There were times when I would hear a little inner voice saying “Here it comes again” as the situation and the opening lines would provide a clear signal for the story that was about to be told. I was foolish of course, reacting solely to the lines being spoken out loud rather than listening for the deeper meaning that was coming from their hearts. This was  “oral tradition” being presented right before my very eyes. They were preserving our family culture.

Mother loved to drive. It was her primary means to assert her independence. Many signs pointed out that allowing her to drive was no longer a good idea. The risks to her and everyone else on the roads were becoming too great. Getting those keys away from her was not an easy task. The simple truth is, she was not about to give up the keys. They had to be taken away with gentle but firm persuasion.

The purse was the next major piece of her personal property that had to be gently taken away. I don’t know if we actually do comprehend just how important a purse is to a woman. In time though, even the purse had to go as she had eventually lost the capacity to discern the uses for its contents and might have injured herself with some of the items. Getting the purse away was harder than the keys.  Right to the end, the one thing she would remember to do was get after my sister for “taking away my purse.”

These are the things I think about every so often when I fumble for my keys. While I can still remember which one to use for my front door, I need to also remember to tell stories. I owe this to my children. It was an invaluable gift from my parents and it is one of the most important gifts that we pass on from generation to generation.

Article Provided by:
Madison House family member
Madison House Independent & Assisted Living
425-821-8210
www.MadisonHouseKirkland.com

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