Assisted Living Ashland

Uncovering the Truth about the Common Myths of Independent Living

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The idea of moving out of your home and into an independent living community can be overwhelming especially when you consider the various opinions that people may have about it. Besides that, you have to make major decisions or weigh a lot of options. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if one has reservations about it.

 

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. You might be surprised how independent living is not scary and overwhelming as you think. You just have to learn the truth about many misconceptions that surround this particular topic. As you know them, it could help you choose the right home or community for you.

 

Here are some of the most common misconceptions:

 

It is Depressing

Perhaps, the first thing that pops into many people’s minds is that adult living is going to be depressing. It’s a common thought that nursing homes or assisted living communities will be dark or even traumatizing.

 

However, it’s exactly the opposite. In fact, these communities work hard to keep happiness and warmth every day by creating activities and programs that they can participate in. These modern facilities even resemble a small-knit community or a small country club rather than a hospital-like setting.

 

 

Residents don’t do their own Activities

Living arrangements in these communities are often unclear to the average person. Most people think that their residents won’t have a lot of freedom to various activities of daily living.

 

From the name itself, independent living would give seniors the care that they need without taking their freedom to do things such as cook for themselves, host social events, bring overnight guests, and the like.

 

 

Pets are not Allowed

In the past, many senior care living facilities disallow pets among their residents. However, independent living has significantly changed over the years in order to make their residents’ lives more worthwhile.

 

Nowadays, almost all communities allow residents to keep their pets with them. Animals are known to bring emotional support to people. That’s why it is more than wonderful to know that it is now possible to do so.

 

 

There aren’t a lot of Engaging Activities

On the contrary, senior living assisted facilities have a multitude of activities and events that help keep their minds and bodies active at their age. These range from crafting, knitting, hobby groups, to sports fests, swimming, and many more.

 

Indeed, these communities work on a holistic approach that will not only provide them with the best senior care possible but still keep their quality of life intact.

 

 

The Bottom Line

Truly, these misconceptions about independent living would remain as they are: myths. With these aforementioned truths that prove the true quality of these communities, the idea of considering it won’t be as overwhelming as it was. If you still have hesitations about senior housing facilities, you can always visit and see for yourself before you make a decision.

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities : Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead

Facilities for Alzheimer's Ashland NE

How a New Study Is Looking at Diabetes Drugs and Alzheimer’s

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Many assisted living centers now have facilities for Alzheimer’s patients. These are centers that provide specialized care for elderly individuals who have memory-related issues. While looking after the health and welfare of such individuals is important, equally important is the medication they receive.

 

Recently, a new study found that patients who suffered from both Alzheimer’s and diabetes and who took anti-diabetes medication displayed few molecular markers of the neurological disease.

 

The results of the study seem to suggest that anti-diabetes medication can serve as a kind of protection against Alzheimer’s. This would be great news for faculty and patients in facilities for Alzheimer’s.

 

 

 

The Link Between Diabetes and Memory Issues

 

Many clinical trials for Alzheimer’s drugs have failed. They have been costly yet none were able to demonstrate that the neurological condition can be treated. However, approaching the disease in a different way seems to have provided positive results.

 

 

Diabetes is one of the risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s, specifically type 2 diabetes. Although that form of diabetes is quite different from Alzheimer’s, a connection can be formed between them.

 

 

Diabetes can be explained by the inability of insulin to manage blood sugar levels. However, insulin does more than that; it is also a growth factor, which neurons – brain cells – need, otherwise they die.

 

 

Several studies have unearthed a link between memory issues like Alzheimer’s and type 2 diabetes. Some have identified an insulin receptor pathway in the brain along with the accumulation of brain pathologies specific to Alzheimer’s.

 

 

A study previously done by the authors of the new study found that those who suffered from Alzheimer’s and were also treated for diabetes had reduced brain pathologies. So the new study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, dug deeper into the molecular level in order to identify the pathways that link diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

 

 

 

New Findings

 

The research team, led by Professor Vahram Haroutunian, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City examined the brain tissue of those who suffered from both Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. They compared the results to brain tissues of individuals who had Alzheimer’s but didn’t suffer from diabetes, as well as those who didn’t have either condition.

 

 

The researchers found that the markers for Alzheimer’s were fewer in the group that had both Alzheimer’s and diabetes. The results, according to Professor Haroutunian, provide new insights into the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

 

 

A lot of modern Alzheimer’s treatments tend to focus on the amyloid plaques but none have yielded successful results. The results of this research opens up opportunities to conduct clinical trials involving people who use similar drugs or use drugs that create the same effect on the biological pathways of the brain.

 

 

 

The study is good news for anyone who has a loved one living in assisted living facilities for Alzheimer’s care. While their everyday care and welfare is looked after, their situation may be further improved with proper medication. And studies like those conducted by Professor Haroutunian’s team is a step towards finding an effective treatment for the future.

 

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities : Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead

Memory Assisted Living

Choosing an Assisted Living Facility with Memory Care

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There will come a time when your loved ones find it difficult to perform daily tasks. When this time comes, you have to make a decision regarding their long-term care. You have to make further considerations if your loved one requires a facility with memory care.

 

 

When it comes to senior care with considerations for memory assisted living might not be a sufficient solution. In the case of conditions like dementia, you might need to find an assisted living facility that has a memory care unit.

 

 

The question is: how do you choose?

 

 

Differentiating between Assisted Living and Memory Care

 

Assisted living and memory care comprise two kinds of residential senior care. The former mostly caters to seniors who find it difficult to live independently. Such facilities make sure that the elderly get the help they need to perform everyday activities, including bathing, dressing and eating.

 

 

There will also come a time when specialized help will be needed by your loved one, especially if they develop memory-related conditions like dementia. In this case, they would be better off if provided with memory care services.

 

 

Some assisted living facilities do have memory care units, but they are quite different from each other. While memory care services still fall within the realm of long-term skilled nursing, it is solely for patients who suffer from different memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

 

 

A memory care unit provides round-the-clock supervised care. The layout of the facility is also designed to not confuse residents. Meaning, the layout is specifically designed to make navigation easy for patients suffering from memory problems.

 

 

In terms of cost, facilities that offer memory care services do charge more because of the kind of specialized service provided.

 

 

Choosing a facility

 

If your loved one has trouble, memory assisted living facilities with memory care units are an option for their long-term care. Here are some factors to consider in choosing a facility:

 

  • Staff training. Memory issues are complex and as such, seniors who suffer from memory-related problems need specialized and skilled help. Facilities offering memory care services should have staff who are trained to deal with the different aspects of memory issues.

 

  • Meals. Nutrition is important to maintain senior health. As such, it’s important to know what kind of food will be served. And most importantly, it’s best to know if the food offered is healthy for their body and mind.

 

  • Programs. Just because someone is suffering from memory-related issues doesn’t mean they aren’t able to participate in activities. Take a look at whether or not the facilities offer programs or activities to help with memory. It could be as simple as doing crafts. It also helps if a facility offers exercise programs to promote overall health.

 

  • Other services. This may include housekeeping, laundry services, and transportation.

 

 

 

It’s important that your loved ones find a facility that not only provides for their needs but also looks after their overall well-being.

 

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities: Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead

assisted living

Dispelling Common Myths about Assisted Living Facilities

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Believe it or not, not a lot of people know very much about assisted living facilities even to this day. Usually, this type of senior care is the same as a retirement home or a nursing home. While there are similarities between the two, assisted living comes with a more holistic approach to its senior residents.

 

Due to its unfamiliarity, people often hear myths and misconceptions about this type of care. When you look at the big picture, assisted living facilities are more than ordinary retirement homes or nursing homes. To dispel the most common myths about this type of senior care, we rounded up these misconceptions and shed light on the truth about each one.

 

 

Myth # 1: Residents lose their independence and privacy

 

On the contrary, assisted living facilities value privacy and independence the most. This level of senior care prioritizes their residents in a way that they still get to enjoy being independent and having privacy while providing them the care that they need.

 

Together with their activities and the level of care they provide, their residents have a sense of their own space. A lot of communities let their residents choose apartments that they find desirable and allow them to personalize their own space to make it feel like their own.

 

 

Myth # 2: Reduced enjoyable activities of daily living

 

Since they often associate assisted living facilities with nursing homes, a lot of families think that their loved ones will lose some of the activities that they used to enjoy at home like gardening and other forms of recreation. However, it’s never the case with this type of senior care.

 

Residents end up having more activities with community living than when they were living alone. Facilities often have recreational programs fit for different personalities and interests. These can range from gardening and fitness programs to book clubs, game clubs, and so much more. If there’s anything that’s for sure, there surely is something for everyone.

 

 

Myth # 3: Less access to professional assistance

 

Some would also think that help is not enough when within senior assisted living facilities. However, the truth is the exact opposite than this common misconception. These facilities employ individuals that are trained to attend the needs of their residents especially those in need of their medical care.

 

Most facilities even have enough staff that’s ready to help 24 hours a day to attend to their needs whenever they need it. These facilities make sure that their residents’ families become less worried about their loved ones when they choose to put them under their care. Therefore, this type of senior care makes sure that they have activities wherein they still improve their quality of life.

 

 

Myth # 4: Residents will end up feeling more alone or lonely

 

People often think that when they choose to let their loved ones settle in senior care facilities, they’ll feel isolated or left out. However, there’s no truth in that statement at all.

 

When they choose assisted living over other senior care facilities, their family members still get to see other people, interact with them, and make new friends with fellow residents. With activities that improve their quality of life, it becomes even more enjoyable since they get to enjoy their programs with other residents around.

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities : Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead

Assisted Living Facilities – Sorting Marketing from Reality

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Having and maintaining independence is important. This is especially true when you’re in the twilight years of life. This independence is constantly being threatened by chronic illness or the body’s natural response to aging.

 

Fortunately, there are hundreds of facilities spread all throughout the country that allow the elderly to maintain some form of independence. The problem often lies in consumers not knowing the differences between these places. As you will discover, there’s a significant difference between an assisted living facility (AL) and a nursing home.

 

The Presence of Medical Care

Assisted living facilities, while able to provide for the comfort of their residents, are not medical facilities. This means that they don’t require medically trained personnel (e.g. nurses, doctors, physical therapists) to be onsite on a daily basis. However, many of these facilities are often marketed in a way that implies that round-the-clock medical care is available. And this can create a misunderstanding for those residents with multiple complex and chronic medical issues.

 

The Presence of a Regulating Body

As they are non-medical in nature, assisted living facilities are not (or don’t necessarily consider themselves) subject to stringent regulation. Consequently, they don’t abide by the requirements set by the Departments of Public Health and Health Care Services, the way skilled nursing facilities do. Instead, regulation falls under the Department of Social Services and Community Care Licensing Division. Over the years, licensing inspection visits have been increased and is expected to be done annually by 2019.

 

Assisted living facilities also do not have a standard rating system. They have no version of Nursing Home Compare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services five-star rating system for nursing homes. A rating system is helpful to consumers who would like to make informed decisions when choosing an assisted living facility for their loved one.

 

The ‘hospitality’ myth

When there’s limited information out there, families looking at AL can easily fall prey to the so-called ‘hospitality myth’. Catherine Hawes director of the PAINS Project explains it like this, “They (families) don’t have realistic expectations … they walk into the facility and they’re guided through by the marketing person who makes a lot of promises about what’s available. They see the spiral staircase. They see the oriental rugs. They see the plants and they think: ‘This is great … Mom will have her own room, her own half bath … She can bring her own furniture.’ It’s what I would like. I just want to have a nurse there and I want to have enough staff.”

 

There’s nothing wrong with making creature comforts a priority when selecting homes for elderly loved ones. But it should not be the only priority. Family members need to be asking the right kind of questions. What level of medical care is available? Are there medical personnel present all throughout the day? How are medicines dispensed and who does it?

 

 

A person in their twilight years is bound to have the need for medical care at some level. At the end of the day, the best facility, whether an assisted living facility or nursing home, can be determined through extensive research and careful consideration. Ultimately, that facility should strike a balance between keeping you or your elderly loved one in the best health possible while allowing for independence.

 

Depending on what needs you are looking for, contact Oxbow Living Center today for more information on what we can provide your family.

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities : Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead

Senior Housing

Ways Memory Care May Change in the Future for Senior Housing

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Providers of senior housing are aware of the increasing need for memory care services. A survey of the industry shows that a lot of construction is being done to serve that purpose.

 

However, the future of the industry isn’t just hinged on the creation of buildings for people with memory problems. It also points to the development of new approaches to care, thanks to the availability of new knowledge.

 

Although senior living companies will have different reasons for providing certain services, what is common among them is the desire to provide better services to improve the lives of residents.

 

On that note, here’s a look at the ways memory care may change in the future:

 

New care settings

 

These days, senior housing providers house seniors in homes situated in a single campus. This might change in the future, with companies opting to purchase property in urban areas for memory care services. Multiple properties will be bought to form a network in the metro area. The setup will be similar to a group home setting.

 

Another trend is the creation of affordable housing specifically for people suffering from cognitive challenges. A similar project has been up and running in Pennsylvania for more than a decade, and many may soon follow the model.

 

Improved care

 

Caring for someone with a memory problem is difficult and as such, caregivers need to have better education so they can provide the proper support. There are elements like dementia-related depression that might require the assistance of other experts. In that case, it would benefit senior living companies to have a gero-psychiatrist on call. Another option is putting someone with dementia specialization on the board of medical directors.

 

Specialist treatment

 

As mentioned, it’s not easy to care for someone with dementia or any other related memory problem. As such, specialized education will be increasingly important in order to provide proper care. It won’t be enough to certify someone as a nursing assistant; they might have to be a certified dementia care nursing assistant.

 

Slowing the development of dementia

 

Studies have been done to better understand dementia, particularly the pre-clinical phase. Meaning, those in the medical community can now carry out interventions to alter when someone will develop the disease, and it usually boils down to making healthy lifestyle choices.

 

To prevent dementia, senior care facilities will put an emphasis on social engagement, physical activity, and others that preserve cognitive abilities.

 

Much better technology

 

There is no question regarding the role of technology in improving lives, and that extends to the senior community. New technologies like facial recognition can be used by the elderly to improve their lives. For example, the technology can provide them with the name of someone making an approach that they may have forgotten.

 

Technology that can provide assessments can be useful tools in making decisions. For instance, a patient’s performance can be evaluated before giving them another task to work on.

 

All of these new developments will change how senior housing providers operate, but the bigger goal is building a community where everyone can live safely and comfortably.

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities : Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead

5 Things You Need to Know About Assisted Living

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To this day, elders sometimes want to keep their current home and living arrangements just the way they are. However, their homes or the lack of assistance can become unsafe for an aging person. Such a predicament is often the reason why families decide to choose assisted living to make sure that their aged loved ones get the type of senior care they deserve.

 

A move to choose assisted living facilities and communities for the elders can give them a better way of life. It’s advantageous for them since this type of care perfectly caters to their specific needs. This type of senior care community provides the perfect balance of safety and security for every elderly individual.

 

Even with 25 years of continued service to the elders, assisted living is still a little unfamiliar for some people. It’s still often confused with nursing homes and retirement care facilities.

 

It’s fully capable of providing many levels of care

 

What’s beautiful about assisted living is its way of giving every elderly person the care they need while still maintaining a sense of freedom. Not only that, this type of senior care is fully capable of providing services in skilled nursing through their affiliations with personal care and home health agencies.

 

It’s often more affordable than in nursing homes or home health care facilities

 

When families think of senior care, they often expect it to be very pricey. However, assisted living is often cheaper compared to nursing homes or retirement care facilities. While it’s true that it still comes at a price, it proves that assisted living is a more cost-efficient option than other long-term senior care arrangements.

 

Many assisted living communities allow elders to bring their pets with them

 

For our pet-loving elderly, it’s a great plus for families knowing that assisted living allows them to bring their pets to the community. Each senior care community has specific policies when it comes to keeping pets.

 

Always do your research and know about breed restrictions, weight limits, and other related concerns when you’re looking for the right assisted living community for your aging loved ones.

 

They offer specialized Dementia care, too

 

With millions of Americans needing specialized care for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, a lot of assisted living communities offer a dedicated list of services that help address patients who are living with these conditions. These are Alzheimer’s memory care programs for both early-stage and advanced residents with the disease.

 

Every assisted living community is unique

 

Not all living facilities or communities are the same. Some maintain a formal and traditional setup while others have a more down to earth and home-like setting.

 

On the other hand, there are also options that provide specific care based on their cultural, religious, lingual, and dietary needs. It’s through the country’s demand for niche assisted living and retirement communities that make it possible to provide more personalized care to the elderly.

 

 

Oxbow Living offers Assisted Living & Memory Care out of Nebraska and to the Surrounding Cities : Ashland, South Bend, Greenwood, Murdock, Elmwood, Ithaca, Mead