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Assisted living facilities are the common option toward the end of one's life. Either dementia or physical limitations often bring the elderly to these places. If you have to move one or both of your parents to a senior care facility, you should know that there are a few things you need to do first, a few things you should know.  Find Out If a Facility Takes Medicare Payments Assisted living facilities are not cheap.

If you have a loved one in an assisted living center, you probably want to spend time with them, especially around the holidays. However, you might not know the best way to do so. You probably want to make sure that your loved one is able to see his or her family, open presents, and enjoy the day without it being too overwhelming. Here are some tips for celebrating Christmas at an assisted living facility so that the day goes as smoothly as possible.

If you're recovering from an injury or surgery, your doctor may recommend physical therapy during your recovery period. Physical therapy has a lot of benefits – it can help you heal faster and recover more fully than you might without the therapy. However, not everyone has the same outcome from physical therapy. Your overall health and certain lifestyle factors can affect how much success you have with physical therapy. This is especially true for smokers – your decision to smoke can have serious effects on your physical therapy outcome.

The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 guarantees families' right to form a family council where members can discuss issues that concern them. If your nursing home doesn't have a council, you can organize one yourself by contacting other residents' family members to find individuals interested in helping you plan and execute the first meeting. Once you have people willing to participate, schedule a meeting with the nursing home administrator to work out the details.

Compared to home living, an assisted living arrangement can work wonders on a senior loved one's social life. Here are some of the main social benefits to assisted living communities.  Staff Dedicated to Community Building The staff are a great asset for a senior's social life. They are dedicated to providing regular social contact for seniors. They do this by forming personal relationships with them, for one. They can act as a stand in when you aren't able to make frequent visits.

Having a parent who is starting to become more and more forgetful can be a bit scary for many adult children. It can often make someone wonder if their parent is starting to develop dementia and often makes them worry because they do not know what to do to help their parent. If you have taken your parent to a doctor and he or she has been diagnosed with dementia, it may no longer be safe for them to live on their own.

If you have an aging parent and you are unable to attend to their needs during the day because you need to work, you may have considered a day care environment to keep your parent safe while you are away from the house. This is a wonderful alternative to at home care and you will have the peace of mind your parent is well taken care of in your absence. If your parent shies away from the idea, you may need to try some of the following steps to show them the program is one they may enjoy.

An assisted living facility is one of the best resources available for ensuring that your elderly relatives are cared for at all times, mostly because these facilities can provide a wide range of benefits that can go beyond medical assistance. Listed below are just two of the many benefits provided by an assisted living facility. Social Interactions One of the issues that can often come up with an elderly relative is that he or she may end up becoming extremely bored or lonely due to a lack of friends or family in his or her age group that he or she can speak with or do things with.

An assisted living facility is often the ideal living arrangement for your senior years. It offers just the right amount of security and supervision to help you stay safe and healthy. The best part is you don't have to worry about living in boring isolation. Many facilities offer plenty of social activities and amenities to keep you active and independent. Here are some things to look for when choosing an assisted living facility that matches your recreational interests.

If you have an elderly person in your life you're concerned about; you may want to consider putting this individual in a nursing facility. It's common for children of aging parents to do so, and this can help you feel more secure about the well-being of this individual. By knowing specific reasons to choose a home of this type, you may be more motivated to begin the process. Reason #1: 24/7 Healthcare

Parents of children with special needs are often faced with the difficult decision between caring for their children at home or opting for residential placement. Should you choose to care for your child at home, you'll likely need to make a few changes to your home and your routine to create a comfortable and safe environment for your child. Here are a few things you can do to make life at home easier for your child and your family.

Retirement communities can be a great option for parents who are still fairly independent. There are many types of alternative retirement communities that are cropping up, and these can provide a great shared experience while cutting down costs. Here are some alternative retirement community options. Shared Housing Options A shared housing option for retirement can be either organized or incidental. There are some co-ops that cater to older individuals. Other times, you may find a service that places two or more older adults together in a shared apartment with common living spaces.

It may seem like everyone has a cell phone these days. However, only 35% of individuals over the age of 65 own a cell phone according to the most recent data released by the Pew Research Group. If you are among the 65% of adults over 65 who don't own a cell phone, you should consider purchasing a prepaid cell phone. Prepaid cell phones are low maintenance, easy to use and come handy in the case of an emergency.

Often elderly parents must rely on their adult children to help them choose and move into a retirement community. It's essential for the children to find a place that will be an excellent fit for their parent. Focus these strategies to find a retirement community where your parent will have a happy, fulfilling life.  Avoid Choosing a Community Just Because You Find It Appealing You may especially like the way one particular retirement community is designed, including the floor plans and the recreational activity schedules.

When the time comes that you have to put your parent into an assisted living, you will likely feel a mixture of conflicting emotions. You might feel guilty or sad. However, one way you can keep your mind off of things is by helping your parent move into his or her assisted living and make the transition smoothly.Here are some actions that you can take. 1. Listen and Spend Time Apart

If you have an elderly relative who has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and they are living in a home on their own, you most likely worry for their safety since no one is around to monitor their activities. Making the decision to have your relative move to an assisted living facility is a big one that should be discussed with your relative in detail. Often you will come across resistance when trying to convince someone an assisted living facility is best.

If you have an elderly parent who is considering an independent living community, you may not know much about them or how to help your parent choose the right one. Independent living communities are those that are specifically made for senior citizens. Your parent will get a room or apartment of their own without having to worry about cleaning or cooking, as the community provides meals and cleaning services. Choosing a good place can be a challenge; keep the following things in mind as you and your parent look for the perfect community.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that there are many different diseases and conditions that can severely impact a person's memory. In these instances, treatment is focused on slowing the spread of the disease while maintaining a high quality of life. For those who are unable to provide the type of intensive care loved ones with these conditions may require, there are facilities that can help your loved one retain their sense of freedom while offering them a safe environment with access to readily available medical care.

Are you an elderly man or woman who is living with a family member to get taken care of? If you are ready for more independence without compromising your health needs, living in a retirement home may be something that you should consider. Find out below how living in a retirement community can be beneficial, as well as an estimate of what you will spend to live there. Why is a Retirement Home Ideal for a Senior?

Music helps ease dementia symptoms by increasing memory recall, helping the patient experience a happier mood, and reducing the amount of pain that a person feels by relaxing them and taking their mind off their symptoms. Most nursing homes and assisted living facilities know that music is able to help ease dementia symptoms, but if you are providing home care for a loved one with dementia, you might not know how to adequately utilize this vital tool.

Most dread the thought of a lengthy stay in the hospital, even for severe injuries and illnesses. Fortunately, advances in technology now allow a number of routine aspects of care to be performed by trained professionals in the comfort and privacy of your own home. If you've recently been hospitalized, your discharge instructions may include information on hiring a nursing service or in-home caretaking service to help you continue your recuperation at home.

Not all dangers of war are immediate, and some can last a lifetime. If you or a loved one are suffering from conditions caused by military service and would like some help living with some independence--or as much help as you can get--there are a range of options available. If there's financial, emotional or cultural issues standing between you when it comes to getting veterans assistance in the right place, consider a few ways and ask yourself these questions of how assisted and senior living facilities can help.

You're preparing to move to one of the local senior living facilities and are concerned about how you'll like it. But you'll soon discover that becoming an active participant in your new neighborhood is a good way to meet new people and find your niche. Here are some suggestions as to how you can become a part of your new community. Attend the Association Meetings If the facility has an active homeowner's association, sit in on the meetings.

Do you have a loved one who recently moved into an assisted care living facility? You are facing a lot of stressors in your life right now, and one of them may be watching your parent undergo stress. One of the factors that contribute to the stress of this life season may be your parent's fears about declining health. Here is some information about common health fears the elderly face and tips for helping reduce your parent's anxiety.

Recovering from surgery at a short term rehab facility gives you several benefits over recovering from home. While it seems like being at home in familiar surroundings would be an ideal place in which to recover, it can distract from your primary goal—successfully healing from hip surgery. Here are some ways a rehab facility will enhance your recovery experience. You Will Have Time to Focus In a short term rehab facility, your focus will be on healing and strengthening your hip, learning to become mobile again, and resuming all of your normal daily activities.