Let's Get Up and MOVE!

I just had to share this great video of an old couple dancing. At A Paradise for Parents Assisted Living Homes in #SupriseArizona and #GoodyearArizona, we often have families dancing with their loved ones on Holidays. We also have caregivers who dance with some of them when we have the musical group Audreys Angels come and play concerts monthly.

We just love seeing people getting up and moving! You are only as old as you feel.

For more information, please go to our website, email us at Cam@aparadiseforparents.com, or call us at 623-295-9890.

12 Ways to Support Senior Veterans

The reason Americans proudly declare that America is ‘the land of the free and home of the brave’ is because of a special set of people who bravely fought for the country we all enjoy. Many service members dedicated their lives to fight for the nation’s freedom.

Whether a veteran is a family member, an acquaintance, or a total stranger – any form of support is very welcome. Especially when their health starts to deteriorate and their resources start to decline. It couldn’t hurt to take a little chunk of your time to show them that you are grateful for their service by supporting them in your own little way.

One way to show appreciation is to gather your family together and commit to visit your elderly family member on weekends, once a month, or during Veteran’s Day. Here are 12 simple ways to show support and gratitude to other senior veterans:

1. Visit A Senior Veteran

You can freely visit senior veterans who are residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes on appropriate time or dates. Even just devoting 15 minutes of your day can be a big deal for them. You can also show gratitude simply by saying ‘thank you’. There is always a positive impact whenever someone says a heartfelt thank you to war veterans, even if they are no longer in service. A Paradise for Parents always has several veterans who would welcome a chat or visit.

Take it up a notch by actually sitting down with them and lending them an ear. Be ready to hear a lot of interesting stories of survival, camaraderie, and loyalty. But remember to be cautious since there are veterans who feel anxious when they talk about their experiences.

You can ask for assistance by contacting your local VA hospitals. After the visit, you will surely feel positive and you’ll keep coming back for more.

2. Deliver Food to Veterans

Food can be an easy tool to approach people. You can contact food banks in your vicinity or delivery services to help you to deliver food to veterans. Check out Area Agency on Aging for more information.

3. Visit Service Members Who Are Wounded

Your veteran family member undeniably needs someone to talk to, someone who can relate to their experiences. You can contact veterans’ hospitals near you to ask about the visiting hours of the wounded soldiers so you can spend time with them. Better yet, bring a senior veteran with you. Aside from the benefit the senior veteran gets, they are also able to offer friendship and encourage these veterans. There is a huge difference when a fellow soldier is able to give advice. It’s definitely going to be nostalgic and therapeutic.

4. Extend A Helping Hand

If an elderly veteran lives within your neighborhood, find ways to help them – even in the littlest things. You can offer to mow their lawn, plant flowers, clean their house, or bring him/her food. The veteran will surely appreciate the much needed assistance you give them.

5. Go to ‘Honor A Veteran’ Nights

A bunch of sporting events such as basketball or soccer games often show their gratitude by saluting veterans and active military personnel. You can invite your veteran loved one so they will not only feel appreciated, but also might enjoy the game itself. A court or arena full of grateful people will let veterans know that their efforts do not go unnoticed. Through this event, they can also meet with other veterans so they can widen or create their social circle.

6. Watch Out For Discounts for Senior Veterans

Many companies offer discounts to veteran or military people. If you are a business owner, the least you can do is to offer one. They are able to enjoy discounts whenever they go shopping, eat at restaurants, watch movies, and the like. Or you can also do some research yourself and look for a list of discounts for veterans. Here is a list of veteran discounts to start.

7. Give Back to A VFW in Your Area

The budget for supporting VFWs is greatly reduced. Active service members who return home from wars and tours of duty, as well as elderly veterans, are in need of continued support. It is greatly beneficial to extend any form of help financially to your local VFW or Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. You can give back through conducting a neighborhood fundraiser and donating the money to the organization.

8. Bring A Veteran To A Special Event

For senior veterans who live alone or spend most of their day in a nursing home, taking them out for the day can be really exciting for them. If you do not have a veteran friend or a family member, you can contact the local VA office and arrange a visit. Inform them that you wish to take a veteran out for the day.

It’s as simple as eating snacks together, walking around the park, or watching a movie. Usually, the veteran will not care about the nature of the activity, he/she will be elated by the fact that someone wants to spend time and be with them.

9. Volunteer at Your Local Hospice

In every four deaths in America, at least one of them is a veteran. By volunteering in a hospice, you may give veterans the last bit of appreciation and hope. Simple ways to express your gratitude can make up for the years of lacking recognition from other people, especially to veterans who have no family or have never been welcomed home. Encourage them and love them up until the veteran’s last breath.

10. Listen To Them

How would you feel if you didn’t have anyone to talk to or no one would listen to what you have to say? The least you can do for veterans is to strike a conversation and then listen to them. Even just by asking, “Any favourite memories?” and the will start a great conversation. Help them to celebrate their accomplishments.

11. Open a Support Network for Senior Veterans

With the help of talented friends and family, you can start a support network for veterans within your community. Ask the members to check on them regularly, take them out for brunch, or you even invite them into your own house.

12. Get Involved with Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude is an organization that primarily focuses on honoring veterans and appreciating what they did for the country. Every year, they honor veterans by sending out over 200,000 care packages filled with foods, personal hygiene, hand-made crafts, and letters of appreciation.

The organization’s mission aptly states that they help lift the spirits of the people who loyally served the country and be an avenue for people who truly care. They become totally involved and appreciated by veterans.

There are a lot of ways in which you can extend your help in Operation Gratitude and support service personnel as well. If you do not have the time, you can

• Make a simple donation
• Participate in collection drives
• Write letters to servicemen
• Help organize special events, and
• Spread the word about Operation Gratitude.

Most of their lives, veterans are so used to serving the country and the people – it’s their purpose, their way of living. Imagine being stripped of that responsibility and left with nothing to do. This is one of the reasons why veterans often struggle as they age. It is exactly why it is important to engage with them and encourage them. Make them feel appreciated. Connect with a senior veteran and invite them for a cup of coffee or walk with them in the park. Helping veterans to be more sociable prevents them from being socially isolated. They will feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when they tell you their story.

We honor all our residents, including our veterans, at A Paradise for Parents Assisted Living. Please click on our link, call us at 623-295-9890 or email us at Cam@aparadiseforparents.com. Thanks to all who have served on their special day!

Exercise Can Help Everyone In Assisted Living

Our personal trainer is helping with lots of people at our assisted living home. Here James works with another one of our residents at A Paradise for Parents in Surprise, AZ:

James is available to help people over 50 train either in their homes, at the gym or at one of our four assisted living homes in Surprise and Goodyear, Arizona.

For more information, please contact us at 623-295-9890, Cam@aparadiseforparents.com, or visit our website at http://www.aparadiseforparents.com

5 Tips for Aging Well

Nearly everyone has met an older man or woman who seems to have a zest for life. These individuals have tapped into the secret of aging well – not just living longer, but living well for as long as possible. Living well isn’t just dependent on your bank account, either. Following any of these five strategies will help you maintain a higher level of health longer and possibly prolong your life. One study found, however, that combining all these strategies tripled your chances of healthy aging over any single strategy which gave you a 50% increase in success. 

Maintain a Healthy Diet 

It’s difficult to overstress the importance of maintaining a healthy diet as you age. Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, balanced by lean proteins and good fats, is essential to maintaining optimal physical and emotional health.. Studies have shown that men with waists measuring over 40 inches, and women with waists over 35 inches, are at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight can also reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. Specifically here are foods to avoid: 

• Any and all sugar – Fructose in particular creates advanced glycation end products (AGE) which are associated with many diseases in elderly people such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Cancer. 
• Carbohydrates – Foods such as breads, pastries, pasta and cookies which break down into sugar in your body may directly affect the genes which govern youthfulness and longevity. See an interesting ‘TED’ talk about aging here. 

Our nutritionist at A Paradise for Parents can recommend some great diets for people as they age to help with their appearance and mobility. 

Keep Moving

One excellent type of exercise you can do that has shown to help ageing at the cellular level is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This is where you do an exercise at your max ability for a short time (say 20-30 seconds) followed by a short rest period of a minute to 90 seconds or so. Then repeat the cycle anywhere from 4-8 times. You don’t have to break Olympic records, just push yourself to the max you can do.

HIIT will release Human Growth Hormone (HGH) which is essential for youthfulness, vigor and vitality. Some of the more specific benefits of HGH and HIIT include:  

• Firms your skin and reduces wrinkles 
• Dramatically improves muscle tone 
• Lowers body fat 
• Boosts your energy and sexual desire 

The intensity level is totally up to the individual. Some people will receive great benefits with something as simple as fast walking followed by cooling down with slow walking. You could also use a treadmill or elliptical device, weight or resistance training, swimming, or something fun like taking a boxing workout class.

Let us introduce you to our personal trainer at A Paradise for Parents who can help you design an exercise routine that can really help. 

Exercise Your Brain 

While some degree of cognitive decline is natural, regularly practicing mental activities such as games, word puzzles, and problem solving activities, can challenge your brain and help you stay mentally sharp. Learning a new language, or joining a book club or discussion group, helps you practice and maintain conversation and interaction skills, while also providing mental stimulation.

One great way to help improve your cognitive ability is to listen to music. Known as the ‘Mozart Effect’, listening to music has been shown to improve mental focus and verbal fluency skills amongst adults. We really believe in the power of music, and regularly have live musicians play for our residents. We also play music in our homes at meal times to help our residents feel more comfortable. 

Don’t Skimp on Sleep 

While many seniors find themselves sleeping less than when they were younger, this is not necessarily favorable. Sleeping well allows you to function at optimal levels during the day, whether you’re working or doing leisure activities.

Sleep helps ‘reset’ your brain so you can look at problems from different perspectives. Your brain can grow when neurons are stimulated by new events or information – a process called plasticity. Lack of sleep may inhibit genes that are essential for plasticity and so make it more difficult for your brain to keep functioning.

And don’t feel bad about taking a nap either. Tests on people who take naps showed an increase in the ability to recognize patterns in new information, plus an improvement in memory. 

Reduce Stress Levels 

Excess stress triggers the generation of cortisol, which takes a toll on your body and accelerates the aging process. Cortisol is a hormone associated with inflammation and abdominal fat – and is possibly linked with the development of Type 2 diabetes.

A Stanford University study showed there are five key ingredients that raise our stress levels:  

• You feel like you have no control 
• You don’t know how long a challenge will be (how long it will go on, what you will have to give up etc.) 
• You feel you have no way out 
• You think things are getting worse, not better 
• You don’t have a ‘shoulder to cry on’ (you think you are all alone in solving the problem) 

Practicing activities that reduce stress, such as yoga or meditation, can reduce stress. Simple actions such as journaling or spending time with family and friends can also decrease harmful stress levels. Sharing laughter with friends and loved ones can also improve your immune system and even reduce chronic pain.

Nearly everyone can follow at least one of these five tips for preventing some of the detrimental effects of growing older. The more tips you follow, the higher your chances of enjoying life at any age. 

For more information, please contact us at http://www.aparadiseforparents.com, email us at Hal@aparadiseforparents.com or call 623-295-9890. Thanks.

Our Biggest Success Story

Our resident Roy came to A Paradise for Parents about a year ago in a wheelchair. Right from the start he was bound and determined to make himself better. We wanted to help him out as much as possible.

James, our personal trainer, worked with Roy intensely. James' wife also gave some nutrition tips. In three months, Roy was standing up. In about another month, he walked out of our home, and climbed in his wife's car to go home. When we met him at his home to shoot this video, he was able to take his dog for a walk.

Way to go Roy!

For more information, go our website, email us at info@aparadiseforparents.com or call Cam at 602-526-9586

Understanding Dementia Care Needs

When dementia begins to set in, you may notice disturbing new behaviors in your aging loved one. Dementia doesn’t just bring about memory loss, and the secondary symptoms associated with dementia can be quite difficult to understand, let alone deal with. As a caregiver for someone with dementia, you may find it confusing to know what care you should be providing.

Communication Issues  

Patients with dementia often have trouble with communication, and may communicate with anger or sarcasm. This is often due to their own feelings of frustration, or it could be they are experiencing secondary symptoms of dementia associated with behavioral issues. 

When someone with dementia says something that is not factually correct, the temptation is to explain to them what is actually going on. This may lead to confusion and frustration on the part of the person with dementia. Before caregivers correct the person with dementia, they should think about how important it is for the person to know they are wrong. If it’s not that important, caregivers can just play along and make the person with dementia feel good that they have someone who listens to them. 

Behavioral Issues 

Dementia is a condition of the brain that can affect personality and behavior. The dementia patient may behave in unfamiliar ways that cause concern. These changes in behavior may include physical aggression toward the caregiver, self, or others, and may also include an unwillingness to get out of bed, wandering, or drastic mood swings. When choosing an assisted living care home for your loved one with dementia, make sure the facility has guidelines and precautions in place to compassionately and effectively deal with the common behavioral issues related to dementia. 

Many times people with dementia think they will be perfectly fine staying at home. They don’t need the care. It’s very hard for someone to admit they can’t be on their own anymore. Because of this, many of the residents who come to our homes demand to go home during the first couple of days of their stay. It makes it even more difficult if the resident’s family is with them during this transition period. We highly recommend to our families that they need to stay away from visiting their loved one for a couple of days to a week after move-in. After that the resident is usually pretty well adjusted and the family can start regular visits. 

Personal Hygiene Issues 

Dementia patients have something in common with depressed persons in that they may have problems maintaining personal hygiene. You may find that your loved one with dementia either forgets to groom himself or herself or shows no desire to do so. In these instances, it’s imperative that a caregiver or hired professional monitor personal hygiene habits and be prepared to step in when necessary to make sure the dementia patient is physically cared for. Depending on the level of dementia, this care may include: 

• Washing and combing hair 
• Brushing teeth 
• Tending to toilet cleanliness 
• Bathing/showering 
• Dressing 
• Clipping nails 
• Trimming excess hair 

Nutrition Needs 

Some people are surprised to learn that dementia patients can forget how to eat. They may lose an interest in eating, forget meal times, or even forget how to use a knife and fork. Healthy nutrition is a critical component of caring for a dementia patient, and the caregiver or paid professional must take steps to ensure that daily nutritional intake is being managed and recorded. In this way, the dementia patient will have the best possible prognosis for the future. 

There are many foods that can help slow-down the progression of dementia. Please feel free to contact us if you would like some recommendations. 

Caring for a dementia patient can be extremely challenging, especially for a family or friend caregiver, who must also manage their own personal life and job responsibilities. Understanding dementia, and the special care needs that may arise are the first steps to helping a loved one that may be in the beginning stages of dementia. 

To learn more about how we care for residents with dementia in our assisted living homes, please visit our website at http://www.aparadiseforparents.com, email us at Cam@aparadiseforparents.com or call (Cam) at 623-295-9890.

Sharpen Your Mind

Many seniors are understandably anxious about the prospect of dealing with cognitive decline, and especially serious conditions such as incurable dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are ways to slow the process of some forms of cognitive decline. The strategies listed below fall into three broad areas: diet and exercise, human interaction, and mental stimulation. These strategies are effective in helping you to stay mentally sharp.

Diet and Exercise 

Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine can help keep your body trim and your joints fluid, along with promoting overall good health. However, a good diet and regular exercise can also help you sleep better and improve your mood. As an added bonus, a healthy diet and exercise can also help slow or prevent cognitive decline. Exercise does not need to be strenuous; even a daily walk provides substantial benefits.   

You’re never too old to exercise. We have people in their 90’s at our assisted living homes working out with our personal trainer. You can see videos of them here. The videos show exercises you or your loved one can do at home to help with their health and their range of motion. 

Hormone levels can play a huge role in whether you age well or not. As we grow older, our hormone levels generally drop. An obvious indication of this is menopause. Hormone Replacement Therapy is designed to help raise hormone levels in women to reduce the symptoms that women have to deal with. 

Many hormone problems as we age can also be reduced through a proper diet. Specifically things to look out for according to the author of the book “The Hormone Solution: Stay Younger Longer with Natural Hormone and Nutrition Therapies” Thierry Hurtaugh:  

• A diet high in good saturated fats, low carbs, moderate protein and lots of vegetables promotes healthy hormone levels at any age 
• Grain and sugar decrease seven of the 12 most important hormones 
• Alcohol decreases Human Growth Hormone. It can be as bad as a ¾ reduction in HGH with just one drink 
• Magnesium helps with sex hormone levels by raising your testosterone and HGH. You can take magnesium as a supplement
  

Human Interaction 

Scientific research has demonstrated that excessive isolation can have similar detrimental health effects as diabetes, obesity, or smoking. Isolation is a prevalent problem among seniors. One in six seniors overall, and six of ten older women, are at risk of suffering prolonged isolation. 

However, maintaining social connections and participating in social activities is an important factor in slowing or helping to prevent cognitive decline. Even if you have no family members living nearby, interacting with your neighbors can help you form and maintain vital social ties. 

Plan a trip, either around the world or around the corner. It’s not the distance that’s important. Any activity that gets you out of the house and among people can help prevent depression and loneliness. If travel isn’t in the cards, consider adopting a shelter puppy. Taking your new four-legged friend for daily walks is bound to attract attention from fellow dog lovers – who can potentially become new friends. You’ll also get a good daily workout as a bonus. 

Finding friends and people with similar interest as close as your own neighborhood can really help as well. We notice a lot of the residents at our assisted living homes become much more outgoing and friendly once they spend time with other residents their age. 

Mental Stimulation 

Volunteering your time and efforts provides a double bonus. You’ll naturally interact with others, which is an excellent way of preventing isolation, while also learning new skills or using skills you already have, which helps your brain stay sharp. You can also stimulate your brain by learning something new. Have you always wanted to learn French or Spanish? Perhaps you’d like to learn how to play the piano or guitar. Developing new skills helps you maintain cognitive skills and can help slow or prevent cognitive decline as you age. 

Unless you are diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of aging. Stay active, connect with others, and commit yourself to regular mental stimulation. That’s a recipe for aging well!

To learn more about activities in assisted living, please visit our website at http://www.aparadiseforparents.com, email us at Cam@aparadiseforparents.com or call (Cam) at 623-295-9890.