Medication Management Tips For Seniors

Proper medication management is essential for seniors and their caregivers in order to prevent complications, adverse interactions and incorrect doses. This especially applies to  seniors because they often take multiple medications for a range of conditions at the same time, an issue known as polypharmacy. Here are some tips and insights from short term rehab specialists at our assisted living facility in Gloucester County, NJ.

• What is the medication treating? Every pharmacy label should explain what the medication is for and how to take it properly. This information outlines the specifics of each medication (some to be taken with food, others shouldn’t be taken at night, etc.) and helps prevent cases in which certain symptoms are being treated with multiple medications when one will do.
• Stay organized. Whether you are managing medication for yourself or for a loved one, organization is key. Keep all medications in a secure, designated cupboard in a cool room and out of the sun. Regularly check medications for their expiration date and sort them each week into a pill organizer to ensure the correct daily doses of each medication. Remember that antibiotic courses must be completed in order to be effective.
• Bring medications to the physician. Seniors often have specialist physicians as well as their own general practitioners which can complicate medical treatments. By bringing currently prescribed medications or a current, detailed list of medications to the doctor, they can easily see the patient’s taking and the prescribed dosage, allowing them to treat the patient more effectively.
• Know the side effects: Knowing the possible side effects of your medications makes it easier to recognize new symptoms and conditions, as opposed to symptoms that may be a reaction to medication.
• Special medication management for cognitively impaired While many seniors can manage their medication with minimal assistance, caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairments including Alzheimer’s and dementia, should take full control of their medication, even in earlier stages. Since these patients are at high risk of forgetting their medication entirely or accidentally overdosing, proper precautions can help prevent adverse consequences.

Short term rehabilitation services from our assisted living community in New Jersey

Pitman is an assisted living community in Gloucester County, NJ, offering high quality short term rehabilitation services to seniors in our rehab center and our Transitions program. As part of the United Methodist Communities network, we offer these services in addition to assisted living services, hospice care, respite care and memory support services.

Ideal for seniors wanting professional assistance while recovering from illness or surgery, as well as those wanting to try out and get to know our assisted living community.  We welcome seniors from all faith backgrounds.

To find out more about our short term rehab services or assisted living community, please contact us today or book a personal tour.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/medication-management-tips-seniors/

In-Home Chronic Disease Management for Independent Senior Care

As we age, so our healthcare needs change — and the ability to react quickly to these changes and implement a medical and wellness solution is essential for maintaining a high quality of life.Chronic disease management can help seniors living at home to achieve this and live healthier, more active and enjoyable lives. Here are some insights from our senior home healthcare services.

Remote patient monitoring for healthier, happier living 

Through telemedicine service centers software and monitoring devices, healthcare teams are able to track your health data unobtrusively and quickly identify when a patient needs increased care. In addition to early detection of potentially serious health problems and reduced chance of hospitalization, these systems also help healthcare teams introduce lifestyle changes, counselling and therapies to help manage conditions from the start.

In addition to increasing the ability to recognize the onset of chronic diseases like diabetes, congestive heart failure, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, these systems are also able to increase safety in the home by reducing the risk of falls. This is a significant step, as one in every three seniors fall in their home each year, often leading to hospitalization and a lengthy recovery. Among seniors who are suffering from chronic conditions reporting more falls that require medical intervention, it is vital that remote patient monitoring systems can assist with chronic disease management to reduce these incidents.

For patients concerned with rising medical costs, these systems are also a great choice because reduced doctor’s visits and hospitalizations directly impact on healthcare bills.

Expert healthcare monitoring and specialist senior home healthcare services in New Jersey 

At United Methodist Communities, we strive to offer the very best quality in home senior care options. through our HomeWorks program. This program is about assisting the elderly in the comfort of their own homes and providing them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.

For more information on our home help services for older adults, please contact us today.

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/home-chronic-disease-management-independent-senior-care/

Healthy, Happy Relationships are Helping Seniors Live Longer

Study after study has shown that good relationships do wonders for our health, quality of life and happiness – and the same goes for seniors! Strong social connections are just as important as eating well, getting exercise and accessing quality medical care. Here are some insights from our independent living community in Sussex County, NJ.

• A feeling of purpose: Often times, people  in senior living could be vulnerable to losing their sense of purpose in life, making them vulnerable to depression. Social connections through friendships, hobby clubs and other groups, give residents reasons to get up in the morning, care for themselves and look forward to what life has to offer.
• Motivation to get healthy and active: Social groups and relationships work to encourage individuals to try new things, take on new challenges and keep improving themselves. Whether it’s a book group keeping up with current literature, a dance group teaching ballroom dancing or a walking club that helps people to keep exploring the outdoors, social groups help support intellectual and physical health.
• Change for the better together: Changes, as we age, can become more and more difficult to cope with, whether we’re facing mobility problems, chronic health conditions or recovering from a sickness or fall. A support group that not only includes therapists and professionals, but also peers going through the same struggles, means finding a helpful community to provide that essential support and encouragement.
• A positive knock-on effect: One of the most important results of healthy social connections is the positive effects they have down the line. A phone call from a loved one may lead to a better food choice at lunch, or a decision to try harder at physical therapy. An afternoon with the gardening club may lead to a choice to go out to enjoy the beauty of nature in a park, or uplift your mental state.

Essentially, good social relationships encourage us all to try a bit harder to make more of our lives, and that applies to seniors as well as the rest of us!

Experience senior living and relationship beautiful CCRC in New Jersey

Bristol Glen, a CCRC in Sussex County, New Jersey, offers seniors independence, comfort and a vibrant social life along with high quality care when needed. Part of United Methodist Communities, we offer a personalized and customized set of services, seniors are able to fully access the level of care they require, when they require it. We are also fully equipped and able to assist Alzheimer’s and dementia residents through our memory care and support services.

Contact us to find out more about our CCRC and book your visit today.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/healthy-happy-relationships-helping-seniors-live-longer/ 

How To Make Valentine’s Day Special For Seniors

Valentine’s Day is all about love and affection, so older adults should be celebrating this fun holiday, too! There are plenty of ways to spend quality time with your elderly parents and loved ones on February 14^th, so here are a few suggestions from our assisted living community in South Jersey.

• Homemade Valentine’s Day cards: If you have younger children, a craft day making pretty cards with personal messages is a great way to get the kids involved. Take the cards, kids and a favorite treat for lunch or coffee over to your loved ones for a Valentine’s Day filled with love, family and quality time.
• Get baking: If baking is a shared hobby, then Valentine’s Day is the ideal time to get together in the kitchen. Baking treats for family, friends and loved ones – even for other elderly neighbors and caregivers — is a great way to spend time together and make everyone’s day a little sweeter.
• Movie night:  If you don’t have a romantic night planned for yourself, then why not grab some popcorn, some of your favorite romantic comedies and spend the evening on the couch in great company — and in comfort!
• Update family photos: This presents an opportunity to look back in time as well as create lasting memories for you and your loved ones. Gather the family together for a fun photo shoot — you can even include a Valentine’s Day theme — and smile for the camera! If you do the shoot a week or so before Valentine’s Day, then printed and framed family photos will make the perfect gift.
• A special dinner: Whether you’re a talented cook or would rather treat everyone to a night out at a restaurant, a dinner is a lovely family event that will bring everyone together for some quality time. If you’re at home, you can add a Valentine’s Day theme with some easy arts and crafts, pretty red roses or a themed menu.

Assisted living and nursing home care in Camden County, NJ 

Collingswood is part of United Methodist Communities, a network of senior living and assisted living facilities specializing in high quality care and support. Our senior living communities NJare known for their beautiful settings, spacious residential apartments and wide range of resident services. With qualified and experienced nursing, therapy and management staff on hand to provide expert assistance, seniors enjoy all the benefits of independent living.

In addition to our assisted living communities, we also offer a range of long term care services, including hospice and palliative care, short term rehabilitation and respite care. We aim to keep our residents “aging-in-place,” ensuring that they stay in the comfort and familiar surroundings of their own private apartments for as long as possible, even as their care needs change.

To find out more about United Methodist Communities, our senior living community or our assisted living services, please contact us and book your visit today.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/make-valentines-day-special-seniors/

How To Care For An Elderly Loved One With Cancer

February 4 is World Cancer Day, when we remember those coping with this disease as well as those that have passed away or gone into remission. Here is some insight for hospice care in South Jersey for caregivers compassionately caring for a senior loved one with cancer.

What is the role of a caregiver?

Caregivers take on a wide range of tasks to assist the patient or loved one, from providing emotional support and assisting with medical care to managing financial or insurance issues and communicating with the healthcare team.

This extensive and challenging role can easily become overwhelming, especially if you have your own career and family. Both professional and personal support is essential, not only to help you cope, but also to ensure a high quality of care.

As a caregiver, it’s important to be positive and proactive as well as compassionate in your role – especially if you are caring for an elderly loved one – in order to make sure that they get the best possible treatment and quality of life care from their medical team. This is a big responsibility for many people who need to know the limits of what they can handle  to get support and assistance.

Although doing it out of love, caring for an elderly loved one with cancer can quickly become a demanding full-time job that puts caregivers under a lot of pressure. Self-care becomes essential and professional services can step in and deliver high-quality respite care whenever required.

What care options are available when cancer is terminal?

There may come a point at which doctors agree that medical treatment will not cure the cancer or improve the patient’s quality of life — this is the time to consider hospice care. The Shores, a leading assisted living community, offers Bridges, a uniquely compassionate and professional hospice dedicated program in Cape May County.

With an emphasis on creating a nurturing and comforting environment, Bridges offers customized services that not only support your loved one, but you and your family as well.

To find out more about Bridges, our hospice dedicated neighborhood or our senior retirement living in South Jersey, please contact us today and organize your visit.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/care-elderly-loved-one-cancer/

What’s Included In-Home Care Costs?

As the demand for senior care rises, seniors and  their families are under a fair amount of pressure to find an option that offers quality care at an affordable price.. Often, home care offers the best of both worlds – the ability to stay in your home and age-in-place, as well as keep costs down by tailoring the services to exactly what is needed. Here are some insights into what is included in the cost of in-home care for the elderly.

What makes in-home care an affordable, high quality senior care option? 

The cost of in-home care services varies from agency to agency, at a range between $15 and $35 per hour. While you may realize significant savings from staying in your own home, the biggest day-to-day savings come from strategically tailoring services to fit your needs – so you only pay for care as you need it.

Hourly care is ideal for seniors who need assistance with some daily tasks but don’t require around-the-clock care. This is also a good respite care option for family caregivers who need to find care for an elderly loved one when they need to travel or are unable to provide 24-hour care because of work or other commitments.

For seniors who require more intensive care, the services can be broadened to include overnight, live-in care or specialized Alzheimer’s or dementia care. All of these services can be scaled up or down to provide a tailored care solution that ensures that you aren’t paying for services that you don’t require.

These costs cover services that range from assistance with day-to-day tasks, pastoral care, companionship and light housekeeping, to medication management, nursing and chronic disease management.

Compassionate, certified in-home care in New Jersey 

United Methodist Communities offers high-quality senior care at affordable rates,  through our HomeWorks program. Our home health aides are fully certified in New Jersey and have senior care training and experience, so please feel free to ask for formal certification and references.

For more information on our home services, please contact us today.

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/whats-included-home-care-costs/