Can Assisted Living Balance the Needs of Couples?

Starting the process of finding a good assisted living community is all about evaluating your loved one’s needs, but what about couples with different requirements?

Here are some tips for finding the right fit from our assisted living community in Gloucester County, NJ:

• Find a flexible facility. Assisted living comes with a cost often based on the amount of services provided for residents. It’s going to be wasteful to make payments when one of your parents doesn’t even require them. Therefore, it’s important to find a community that provides customized support to each individual. That way, you pay only for services that are needed.
• Note additional individual and couple requirements. There’s more to a great assisted living community than the support services for daily living, and these factors are just as important to your decision. Many communities offer social and other events, like gardening, dancing and walking clubs, fitness classes and interesting speakers. Others, by virtue of their locations, yield the ability to walk independently to shops, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, and parks. Since these options significantly impact independence and quality of life, couples will benefit from evaluating these factors.
• Living arrangements. It’s important for senior couples to stay together in their apartment within the community if they choose to, rather than separate according to their different medical or support requirements. At the same time, the residence needs to be suitable and properly equipped to meet each person’s needs. This might mean some compromise on each side — for example, having grab handles installed in the bathroom when only one needs them — but shouldn’t compromise any care requirements.
• Flexible future needs. While there may be a care disparity now, this can change over the years. The community you choose needs to be able to anticipate and meet new care requirements as they happen. Unless it is absolutely necessary, they also need to be able to do this without causing major disruption to either person’s lifestyle.

Flexible, comfortable assisted living for couples in Gloucester County 

Pitman is an assisted living community in Gloucester County, NJ, offering high quality assisted living services in a comfortable, well-supported and beautiful environment. As part of the United Methodist Communities’ network, we also offer rehabilitation, access to therapists, hospice care,respite care and memory care and support services. We welcome seniors from all faith backgrounds.

To find out more about our assisted living community, please visit our website at https://pitman.umcommunities.org/. Contact us today or book a personal tour.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/can-assisted-living-balance-needs-couples/

Special Home Caregiving Services for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients

An Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis is a challenge to deal with for the patient and loved ones. As the disease progresses, patients will require different levels of care and support to stay healthy, comfortable and enjoy a good quality of life. Our senior home care services team can provide some insight into the care and companion services for your loved one.

Types of at home care 

A common misunderstanding about at home care is that it is limited to medical care, but actually, there are a few different types of care designed to provide assistance wherever it’s needed. These include:

• Companion services. A home health aide supervises certain activities – like recreation, grocery shopping, social visits and more. These are great for seniors who need help with transport, remembering appointments, and so forth.
• Homemaker services. Going one step further, these help your loved one manage their household. This is ideal for seniors who are more frail, recovering from an illness/surgery, or struggling with their memory. It covers daily household chores, meal prep and cooking, and generally managing the home.
• Personal care services. This covers assistance with bathing, eating, dressing, toileting, exercising, and other activities.
• Skilled nursing care. These focus on your loved one’s medical needs, including wound care, medication management and so forth.

Certified home health aide services are tailored to your loved one’s needs 

When it comes to these services, many seniors require some of one and a little of another, so it’s important to find a provider who can tailor services to fit individual requirements. Because Alzheimer’s and dementia are progressive diseases with specific symptoms, your experienced aide will not only be able to cope with the challenges your loved one faces, but also play an active role in their care. This means proposing and performing therapies to assist your loved one, keeping in contact with family members, and offering recommendations when your loved one’s care requirements change.

Compassionate care from experienced home health aide services in New Jersey 

At United Methodist Communities in New Jersey, we understand the challenges of providing expert care and companionship to seniors while encouraging a full and independent life, which is why we’ve developed our HomeWorks program.

Through this program, trained and highly experienced staff can assist seniors and their families through comprehensive in home care. Each care plan is designed around the client’s exact needs, filling in with necessary assistance while allowing your loved one to remain in the comfort of their home.

In addition to helping with daily tasks, transport and personal hygiene, our senior home care services team can assist with nursing, medication management and much more. For dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, we can develop specific care routines that ensure a sense of structure and help reduce stress and anxiety.

For more information on our in-home care for elderly, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/elderly-home-health-care-nj/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/special-home-caregiving-services-alzheimers-dementia-patients/

Fun Activities for Grandkids Visiting Your CCRC

The holidays are a wonderful time for families to get together for some quality time, but it can be a challenge to keep younger children occupied while they’re visiting their grandparents.

Here are a few ideas for fun activities everyone can enjoy together, from our team at our CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) in Sussex County, New Jersey:

• There are so many wonderful books out there for younger children that adults also enjoy, from the “Harry Potter” series to the classics like “Nancy Drew” or “The Gruffalo.” Sitting down together and reading a book is a quiet, but fun way to spend a few hours together.
• Pajama parties. Snuggle up together on a chilly winter night, eat snacks and watch Christmas movies! Pick a few special treats for the night, like popcorn, homemade cupcakes or pizza, and get ready for a night in.
• Deck the halls. Decorating your apartment and Christmas tree creates special memories with your grandkids and initiates magical results. There are many little handmade decorations for children who love arts and crafts, and they’ll transform your home with tinsel, lights and more!
• Many adults have wonderful memories of baking with their grandparents, even if they spent most of their time sneaking cookie dough and dropping flour all over the floor. While it’s a messy event, your grandkids will love the tasty results! For younger grandchildren, you can even pre-bake cookies and set up a decorating station for an easier and more child-friendly day.
• Lend a helping hand. The festive season is about community and sharing, so introducing your grandkids to how they can help those around them brings the spirit of the holidays to life. There are lots of age-appropriate activities available, from helping make cookie deliveries to older members of your CCRC who don’t have family around, to helping at a local soup kitchen.

Festive season fun at our CCRC and assisted living community in Sussex County 

Bristol Glen, an independent senior living community based in Sussex County, is part of the United Methodist Communities network of high-quality, non-profit senior living communities specializing in independent and assisted living for seniors. We provide seniors with comfortable, serviced living arrangements that free up time to enjoy life. At our continuing care retirement community we provide essential resources that promote independence and abundant life.

Contact us to find out more about our CCRC and our assisted living facilities, amenities and services. Please visit our website at https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/ and book your visit today.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/fun-activities-grandkids-visiting-ccrc/

Great Christmas Gift Ideas for Loved Ones in Assisted Living

Finding the perfect gift for your friends and family can be a challenge, including buying for seniors in assisted living – after all, they have had a whole lifetime of gifts!

Here’s a list of some practical ideas from our team at our assisted living community in Camden County, NJ to help you out with your holiday shopping:

• Time together. Spending time with your loved one is one of the best gifts you can give, from having them over for a festive event or planning something special for the New Year. You can make it as simple as spending a few hours visiting or take your loved one out to a local restaurant, art gallery or park. One fun idea is a memory tour to visit all the places your loved one grew up.
• Books. Books are always a wonderful present and great selections come out every year in time for the festive season. Many are offered in large print, but there are other options if your loved one struggles with their vision. Kindle eBooks can be downloaded and resized to very large text and there are audio books too.
• A personalized calendar. If you want something really unique, this is a wonderful option that you can fill with family photos. You can choose images from your own collections or even plan a fun, professional photo shoot.
• Homemade treats. If you love baking, then this is a lovely idea that is both personal and tasty! If you have kids, you can also get the whole family involved in decorating, baking or assembling your loved one’s favorite baked goodies.
• Something snuggly. Seniors struggle with the cold and winter holidays are the perfect opportunity to get your loved one something warm. A high-quality sweater, warm slippers with a good grip on the bottom, a thick scarf or a lovely throw all make very useful and beautiful gifts.
• Hobby items. For seniors who have a favorite hobby, look for items that are designed to help them stay involved. Ergonomic gardening tools and kneelers help make gardening more comfortable, and there are great outdoor walking sticks that look good and help keep seniors more stable while hiking or on walking tours.

Residential and assisted living for seniors at our beautiful Camden County community 

Collingswood is part of the United Methodist Communities network of high-quality, non-profit senior living communities specializing in residential and assisted living for seniors. With an experienced senior care and assistance team, scalable services customized to each resident’s needs, and a lively social calendar, we focus our community to provide essential resources that promote independence and abundant life.

To find out more about United Methodist Communities or our assisted living community in Camden County, NJ, please visit our website at http://collingswood.umcommunities.org/ or contact us and book your visit today.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/great-christmas-gift-ideas-loved-ones-assisted-living/

Family-Friendly Activities for Everyone – Including Seniors!

The holiday season is here and with it comes a month filled with wonderful events for families! Here are some of the top picks from our in-home senior care team in NJ:

• The 38^th Annual Holiday Craft Show at The Hermitage. Stock up on unique, beautifully-crafted décor and holiday gifts for the festive season, all lovingly handmade by artisans from all over the USA. Many are one-of-a-kind, and in addition to Christmas wreaths, Santa Clauses and tree ornaments, they offer décor stands for Chanukah, Thanksgiving and even Halloween. It’s located in the Hermitage Education and Conference Center. Proceeds support the Hermitage Museum, located at 335 Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. These beautifully imaginative stories are brought to life by a troupe of enchanting puppets for a magical 1-hour show. Fun for kids and adults alike, this show is a real treat featuring several stories from this acclaimed series. The production will be held at the DR2 Theatre, 103 East 15 Street, New York, New York.

• DiDonato’s Magical Express. Enjoy a train ride through millions of lights and meet Santa at his workshop! Filled with the Christmas spirit, this holiday village occurs at the DiDonato Family Fun Center, 1151 White Horse Pike in Hammonton, and runs from November 10 to 26 and December 1 to 23. There will also be an after-Christmas special on the 26^th for anyone who doesn’t want to miss out. In addition to the Christmas train, there’s also bowling, great restaurants and more.

• The Butterfly Conservatory. Escape the snows of winter and come and see the magnificent butterflies of the tropics at this wonderful exhibit. Celebrating its 20^th year, you can expect to mingle with over 500 fluttering butterflies among the flowers and lush vegetation of a tropical paradise. It’s on from October 7 to May 28 at the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79^th Street, New York, New York.

• Music at the Museum. If you’re a family with older children or are planning an evening out for adults, this is a fantastic event to attend. Featuring classical and jazz performers from the Mason Gross School of the Arts Extension Division and hosted at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers, 71 Hamilton St, New Brunswick. Although these performances are free to the public, be sure to get there early as seating is limited. Performances are held on the second Sunday of every month, from October 15 to March 18.

Professional senior independent home care for a companionable festive season 

Our senior home care services team knows that the holidays are a time for companionship and family, so we work to ensure that your loved one is cared for throughout the holiday season. Whether you need a permanent in-home senior care specialist or need someone qualified and experienced to assist your loved one with in home respite care while you are on vacation, we are here to help through our HomeWorks program. Our fully certified staff has extensive senior care training and experience, so feel free to ask for formal certification and references.

For more information on our senior independent home care services NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org.

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/family-friendly-activities-everyone-including-seniors/

Coping With Grief during the Holidays

The holiday season is here, and for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, this can be an especially difficult time of year. Everywhere, messages about spending time with the ones we love are abundant, and bring into focus the loved ones who will not be celebrating with us, which can lead to intense feelings of sorrow.

Here are some coping strategies from the team at our hospice neighborhood in South Jersey to help make this season more manageable:

• Remember that grief and healing go hand-in-hand. Grief is an integral part of the healing process, and choosing to experience the pain rather than shutting it away is a healthier path to healing. Over time, this will help make the holiday season easier.
• Acknowledge your loss. Remembering the one you’ve lost and expressing your feelings can help make them a part of the festive season and lead to traditions in which they are kept close to your and other people’s hearts. Set aside some time or a task and make it all about that someone special and choose something that reminds you of them. For example, lighting a candle in church or at your family dinner table, opening a bottle of their favorite drink, serving a favorite dish, or playing their favorite music.
• Set healthy boundaries. Don’t push yourself to have a perfect holiday season, attend every event, and embrace every occasion with a smile on your face. Instead, give yourself a break if you find an event too painful, or need some time by yourself. Pick and choose what events you feel comfortable with, and keep your options open. You might prefer a quiet evening in with family looking at photo albums and watching movies, rather than a big social event with lots of people. Don’t feel obligated that you have to attend an event if it’s too difficult or painful for you.
• Speak openly with family and friends. Everyone experiences grief differently, and communicating your concerns and feelings to your loved ones is especially important during the holidays. Your support network can help ease the burden of the holiday season, from helping you to create new traditions in remembrance of your loved one, to understanding why you need time and space from certain events.

Professional care and support from Bridges, our hospice and palliative care neighborhood in Cape May County, NJ 

At The Shores, a part of the well-known United Methodist Communities non-profit assisted living organization in New Jersey, we offer compassionate, professional care in the Jersey Shore area in a neighborhood called Bridges, dedicated to hospice and palliative care. In this program, we focus on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for patients and their loved ones through customized care programs and compassionate support. To find out more about our hospice neighborhood in South Jersey, please visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org or contact us today and arrange your visit.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/coping-grief-holidays/

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