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Every year, thousands of people from around the world are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease with most of them being sent to an Alzheimer’s care facility where they are given better care and protection for their medical condition.

But being in a facility does not mean depriving these residents of the chance to enjoy the summer season.

Here are some of the best activities for them to try while in an Alzheimer’s care facility:

 

Music

• Nothing beats hearing good music to lift spirits and have a great time. Residents in Alzheimer’s facilities can request their favorite tunes and even take turns singing or dancing to them. Music therapy is one of the best ways to help people with Alzheimer’s remember lost memories and preserve new ones.

Gardening

• According to studies, vitamin D is beneficial in helping to reduce the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. And what better way to get some much-needed vitamins in than by allowing residents to enjoy some outdoor gardening?

Letting residents create a small garden will give them the chance to get some vitamin D, and have some fun.

Exercise

• It is important for residents in an Alzheimer’s care facility to stay fit to not only help them stay strong while dealing with their disease but boost their mood during their stay.

Summer is a great time to exercise outdoors. Zumba, yoga and other fun exercise routines are great ways to help residents get in some exercise.

Picnic

• No summer would be complete without an amazing outdoor picnic with residents in Alzheimer’s facilities. Since the sun is out, it’s the perfect time to bring the residents outside where they can enjoy nature while having a hearty lunch.

Don’t forget to pack enough snacks and frozen treats to make sure that everyone enjoys a great time, but load up on water so residents can keep themselves hydrated while being exposed to the heat of the sun.

Arts and crafts

• Of course, there is always one of the best activities to do for residents during the summer—arts and crafts. Whether it’s crocheting or painting vases, residents in an Alzheimer’s care facility can get as creative as they want during the summer where they can go outdoors to be inspired by nature.

They can also put together some scrapbooks filled with memories of their younger years, so they can look back on them whenever they want.

 

Summer is a great time to allow residents in Alzheimer’s facilities to enjoy their time outdoors. This way they don’t feel confined within the walls of their bedrooms. This will allow them to make new memories and live the best quality of life during their late adulthood years.

Looking for a trustworthy memory care facility in Lincoln, NE? Click here to visit our contact page and set up a tour today!

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Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

Memorial Day is an American Holiday celebrated every last Monday of May to honor the lives of the Americans who served the country. Originally called Decoration Day, this officially became a federal holiday in 1971 in Waterloo, New York. Since the essence of the celebration is remembering those who came before us, who sacrificed their lives for America, it is no surprise that seniors in assisted living facilities love to take part in the event.

Memorial Day Ideas for Assisted Living Facilities

Spend the day with your family in assisted living facilities

If you have a loved one in senior housing and physical contact is permitted, visit and spend the holiday with them. Bring along other family members and share family treats while reminiscing family trivia and stories.

Visit the cemetery

Take the opportunity to go out for fresh air at the same time visit a departed loved one’s tomb. If not, then just visit a soldier cemetery. You might want to add a bouquet of flowers in the memory of the fallen heroes.

Games and Trivia

Invite other residents and play trivia related to military history. This will not only be fun for everyone but also a healthy exercise for the brain.

Fundraising Activity

You can suggest in the assisted living facilities management or staff to organize a fundraiser to help and support the families of fallen soldiers.

Memorial Day Craft Day

This idea can be both enjoyed in person or during a family virtual party. Since some assisted living facilities still do not allow personal visits, you can share the fun with your loved one while on a video call.

Create patriotic crafts together like making or drawing flags, patriotic paper flowers, paint tin pails, flag wreaths, star papers, and so much more.

Wear Red, White, and Blue

Regardless of if you are doing this in person or virtually, you are still showing respect. Bring family members to the facility if restrictions are lifted and encouraged everyone to wear red, white, and blue. If not, then you can still at home through a video call.

Recorded message

This is another idea if assisted living facilities in your state still do not allow family visits.

Take time to ask your family members to record a message for your loved one as a way of showing their love and respect.

It is also fitting if your loved one is a senior veteran. Simple gestures like this will make them feel special and appreciated.

Whichever way you want to celebrate Memorial Day, remember that it is the thought that counts. Even with these simple ideas, you can still honor those who fought for our freedom.

 

Looking for a reliable assisted living facility in Lincoln, NE? Click here to visit our assisted living home page!

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Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

Every 22^nd day of April, the world honors the only place we all call home. In assisted living this day can be filled with great eco-friendly decisions.

Earth Day has always been symbolic because it thrusted different environmental issues into the limelight so authorities could finally take notice and address them.

Since 1970, many changes have been enforced to make sure that the earth is protected, and Earth Day is a reminder of our crucial role in making sure that our future generations still have a planet to call home.

Even if you are in assisted living, you can still contribute to honoring Earth Day through these simple practices:

Unplug your appliances

• This practice is not only important for safety in assisted living facilities, but it also helps in making sure that you are not wasting energy. Unplugging appliances that are not in use can already help save the environment by reducing waste and preserving energy.

 

Create an indoor garden in your assisted living home

• Being in assisted living does not mean that you can’t enjoy your own garden. If you do not have a backyard to work with, create an indoor garden using pots where you can plant flowers and vegetables. Gardening does not only help the earth; it also allows you to stay active and even promote mental wellness.

 

Turn the tap off

• The simple act of turning the faucet off while brushing your teeth or scrubbing your hands with soap can already do a lot in conserving water, which is fast becoming a scarce resource in our planet. In fact, you can save up to eight gallons of water every day just by turning off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth.

 

Go eco-friendly in Assisted Living

• A lot of assisted living facilities are now embracing the beauty of eco-friendly products because they are safe, efficient and good for the environment. You can follow the same practice by switching to eco-friendly products that you can use for your daily needs.

 

 

Turn off the lights

• Turning off lights while you are not in the room or utilizing natural day light can cut energy usage significantly. This means reducing the waste being emitted to the environment.

 

Ditch plastic

• One of the best ways to honor the earth is to eliminate the use of plastic products. Something as simple as switching to reusable water bottles or eco-friendly bags makes a huge difference in reducing single-use plastics.

 

Celebrating with simple practices can be loads of fun. Contributing to the healing of our planet and protection from further damage will take a little from us all. It does not matter if you’re in assisted living or back at home.

You can do something to contribute to the change that the planet so desperately needs from all of us. These simple changes in your lifestyle and way of living can already do a lot in saving our only home.

 

Looking for a reliable assisted living facility that fits all your needs? Click here to be directed to our assisted living floor plans page!

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Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

Spring represents hope and new beginnings. It is an opportunity to appreciate the blooming perennials outside, to clean out, distress, go out and welcome the Earth as it comes to life again. People in assisted living facilities can take advantage of the warmth of the sun, enjoy the colors outside, and get physically active.

But knowing the residents are quite sensitive due to existing conditions and old age, welcoming spring needs careful planning.

These preparations are not only to prepare their homes for the new season but also to ensure they are safe and comfortable.

Clean Up

Foremost, cleaning up the walkways is a must to reduce the risks of falls. Unnecessary furniture and fixture that can obstruct the movement must be removed. The same goes for wiring, cords, or rugs that may cause fall or tripping must be moved elsewhere.

Do not forget to include the parts of the assisted living apartment or homes that are often neglected or have been temporarily ignored during winter. Include the windows, window casings, blinds, dusty ceiling fans, upholstered furniture to eliminate the dirt.

Lastly, have your carpets professionally cleaned to remove bacteria, allergens, and dust mites to prevent the senior residents from getting colds and breathe easier.

Check Fire Extinguishers, Smoke Detectors, and Emergency Kits

Spring is also the best time to go through your medicine kits to dispose of old, unused, expired medications. Tis provides a chance to replenish empty bottles and make sure current prescriptions are in a dry and secure place.

Take time to inspect smoke detectors that might be a falling hazard for the elderly. Double check if these detectors are still properly mounted on the ceiling, but if unsure of what to do and what to look for, it is advised to always ask for professional assistance.

That way change of batteries can also be done to adhere to the US Fire Administrations’ guidelines of changing the batteries at least twice a year.

Safety Inspection

Apart from removing potential risks and hazards, seniors in an assisted living facility must always feel safe. Inspect the lighting in the entire facility; check if motion lights installed along hallways, walking paths, and outdoors are still working.

Change lighting bulbs that do not provide sufficient brightness. Then, update stairs outside and/or inside the house by installing handrails on each side. Update the shower or bathroom area by adding a shower chair and grab bars. These additions would prevent falls or trips.

Prevent Colds and Allergies

Prepare and train staff to determine the cause of coughing and sneezing. Suggest residents with allergies to close their windows to prevent pollens from getting inside.

Always have an oral antihistamine ready to combat reactions to allergies. Remind assisted living residents to wear shades when outside to protect their eyes, hydrate, and use SPF.

Looking for reliable assisted living or memory care in the Lincoln, NE area? Click here to read about our programs here at Fallbrook Assisted Living!

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Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

It is common knowledge around the world that the United States has one of the best healthcare services and medical standards anywhere. It is especially true for senior care. The country puts a strong emphasis on assisted living facilities that offer excellent care without taking away independence.

 

But what is assisted living like in other parts of the world?

 

Here is what we know:

 

• Many countries in Europe and Asia follow longstanding traditions that involve delegating long-term care to the women in the household.

 

In fact, in some cultures, taking care of the elderly in the family were obligations related to childbirth or homemaking. It’s not uncommon to see families in shared living arrangements. This makes taking care of their elderly easier and saves money.

 

• Many developed countries still have most elderly living in their own homes as opposed to being in assisted living.

 

Seniors who need specialized care due to a medical condition are sent to a hospital instead of senior care. Countries like France and Japan don’t even have facilities that are classified as nursing homes.

 

• The United Kingdom has assisted living facilities, but admission isn’t based on the needs of a resident but on reimbursement.

 

Before getting into senior care, seniors go through evaluation by a local council according to rules and standards. Senior care facilities in the UK are regulated by different organizations in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

 

• Italy’s Universal Health Care system doesn’t cover long-term care for seniors.

 

Therefore most seniors stay at home rather than in assisted living. Family members will normally care for them.

 

If they don’t have any family members to take this responsibility, seniors will be placed in an acute hospital instead.

 

• Denmark’s Universal Health Care system includes senior care.

 

While the country saw a huge boom in assisted living facilities in the 50s and 60s, there has been a decline in construction ever since. There is now a stricter standard for admitting residents into these facilities.

 

Before admition into assisted living seniors go through an evolution to determine eligibility. This is also evident in neighboring countries like the Netherlands.

 

Finally, Switzerland is promoting home-based care of seniors causing a huge drop in senior care facilities in the country.

 

This is also the same with Sweden where most seniors prefer to stay at home rather than being in assisted living.

 

However, there has been a shift in senior care in Sweden because more patients are now moving into senior care facilities instead of staying in acute hospitals if they are suffering from a chronic illnesses, terminal conditions, and dementia.

 

Interested in learning about what we offer at Fallbrook Assisted? Click here to visit our Assisted Living page!

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Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper