By Rhonda Morrow, Director, Evergreen Senior Living in Chillicothe
September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and with that is an increased focus on our friends and family members who live with this disease. With ongoing medical advances, our senior population is living longer, resulting in a growing number of individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), 40 million U.S. people over age 65 have dementia; and an estimated 5 million have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Over the next few decades, NINDS expects the number of individuals with dementia to exceed 88 million.
This growing population demonstrates the ongoing need for specialized memory support in a compassionate setting. As a leader in senior health care, Evergreen Senior Living in Chillicothe has both the compassion and the skills. Evergreen Senior Living responds to the trends in senior health care by providing memory care services at The Legacy: Memory Support, as well as traditional assisted living at Evergreen Place. When it comes to senior care, turn to Evergreen Senior Living.
An Overview of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Although “Alzheimer’s” and “dementia” seem to be used interchangeably, they are different. Dementia is not a disease, but the manifestation of symptoms such as memory loss, struggling with language, impaired reasoning, lack of emotional control, and poor situational judgment. Changes in personality are very common, as well. Before a person is diagnosed with dementia, a person must display a combination of these symptoms in a way that disrupts daily life. Several well-known dementia conditions include Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s disease. The decline we see in dementia results from the death of neurons, or brain cells. The causes of dementia vary from severe vitamin deficiency to genetics, depending on the type. Dementia tends to affect one area of the brain at a time, commonly starting with the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning, making memory lapses or forgetfulness the first noticeable symptoms of dementia. Interestingly, researchers correlate heart health with the likelihood of developing dementia. Regularly increasing the body’s oxygen levels through exercise and adopting a heart healthy diet plan are two dementia-preventing behaviors. No one can eliminate the chances of developing dementia, but maintaining an active lifestyle and sensible diet prove reasonable measures to try.
Whether dementia or Alzheimer’s is to blame, the results of brain cell death look very similar. Loved ones with advanced memory conditions react strangely to normal situations; they become increasingly forgetful, and struggle with abstract thought. Common results of progressed brain cell death include social disorientation and issues with speech and writing. As connections in the brain die off, seniors struggle to connect at a personal level. Seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia feel uncomfortable when they struggle for words or forget whom they are talking to, causing them to be less expressive and to avoid social situations. The changes arising from advanced stages of dementia can make caregiving very difficult and emotionally draining. When families are no longer able to support their loved one’s needs or their home may no longer be a good fit, the caregiving team at Evergreen Senior Living in Chillicothe is happy to extend their services.
Memory Support in Chillicothe
The Legacy: Memory Support, located on the Evergreen Senior Living campus in Chillicothe, provides warm, professional care to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients in an assisted living setting. The Legacy’s core philosophy, “Life Unrehearsed,”, focuses on personal interaction and life skills, allowing each day to unfold based on each resident’s history, preferences, and needs. The caregiving team is specifically trained to support seniors demonstrating symptoms of dementia. While encouraging seniors to live as independently as possible, The Legacy staff happily assists with bathing, dressing, medication, and escorts to activities as needed. Residents enjoy a variety of mentally stimulating activities, opportunities to participate in projects, and fun outings. At The Legacy, residents receive individualized service to ensure each senior gains as much from their stay as possible. After all, no two lives are the same.
Residents enjoy beautiful, maintenance-free accommodations in studio apartments, putting guests in control of their own space. Fitted with an emergency response system, fire sprinkler system, and walk-in showers, safety measures are built into each room. Outside of residents’ rooms, there is ample safe space for regularly scheduled physical activity, both indoors and in the beautifully landscaped secure courtyard. Restaurant-style dining promotes socializing, an important component of Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
On the Evergreen Senior Living campus, eligible seniors can take advantage of a spectrum of care. In addition to the 20 memory support apartments at The Legacy, Evergreen Place boasts 53 traditional assisted living apartments. This campus setting is an advantage for seniors who may transition from traditional assisted living to one incorporating more memory care services. When choosing a senior living location, choose one location that offers it all: Evergreen Senior Living in Chillicothe.
Providing quality care for memory-impaired seniors takes a unique set of skills. At Evergreen Senior Living, we make the most of every opportunity to engage our residents and enrich seniors’ lives, at every stage of Alzheimer’s or dementia.
To learn more about the Evergreen Senior Living campus, and Memory Support at The Legacy, please contact the Director, Rhonda Morrow, at (309) 274-5440, or at rmorrow@heritageofcare.com. You can also visit our website at EvergreenSLC.com/chillicothe.