How is Care Customized to Individual Needs in Assisted Living?

February 26, 2024 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

If you have a senior parent or elderly loved one in need of assisted care, you want to be sure that their future senior living community can properly support and care for them depending on their unique needs and concerns. Personalized assisted living care plans are specialized to a senior’s physical, emotional, mental, and social needs. For many senior living communities, personalized care plans are developed with the input of family, care providers, and medical professionals.

When you are transitioning a loved one to assisted living, here is what to expect when building your personalized care plan at MorningStar Senior Living Portland:

Initial Assessment

The initial assessment involves gathering information about the resident’s health, medical history, physical and cognitive abilities, preferences, and any specific care needs. Before you move your loved one to an assisted living community, be sure to have a list of your loved one’s daily routine or activities. Within this list, be sure to communicate with the personalized care team if your loved one’s current physical, mental, or emotional state hinders or impacts the completion of any activities.

Developing the Care Plan

A personalized care plan is drafted after all the personal information has been considered. This care plan is always flexible and subject to change. The personalized care plan outlines the specific services and assistance required for your loved one to be successful at MorningStar while considering factors such as activities of daily living, mobility, medication management, and any medical conditions that need to be regularly treated.

Enacting the Personalized Plan

Once everything has been drafted, staff and medical care providers will be notified of the needs required by the new resident. Special dietary needs will also be communicated to catering staff and chefs. If any changes need to be made to the plan following its initial draft, care managers are happy to edit and reconsider any concerns to make residents happier and healthier in their new homes.

Find the Best Retirement Homes Portland, Oregon, Has to Offer

We have an unmatched commitment to the well-being of our assisted living residents at MorningStar at Laurelhurst. We offer round-the-clock support for their activities of daily living (ADLs), empowering them to maintain their independence. With compassion, our care managers provide medication management and access to licensed nurses. Our retirement communities are thoughtfully crafted with luxury amenities, hospitality services, and wellness programs that nurture new interests, hobbies, and individual needs.

Contact us today at (971) 544-8100 To learn more about MorningStar at Laurelhurst and the outstanding care practices within our senior living and memory care communities. Our staff is happy to answer any questions you have. Our website also provides information on our company’s history, vision, mission, and what sets us apart from other retirement homes in Portland, Oregon.

3 Important Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Assisted Living Community

February 23, 2024 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

When you are making the decision to transition your senior parent or loved one to an assisted living community, you may be overwhelmed by all the options available to you. Many of these communities may seem promising, but asking a few key questions below will certainly help you make a more informed decision about your loved one’s future retirement home.

How is Assisted Living Care Customized to Individual Needs?

If you are seeking assisted living care, you are likely concerned with how a future senior living community will meet the unique needs of your loved one. For the best assisted living care, a personalized care plan should be developed based on an individual assessment, family input, and medical advice. Be sure to ask about the process different communities use to build their care plans. Flexible care plans ensure that the level of care can change depending on the senior’s needs over time.

How Qualified are the Staff and Management?

Asking about the staff-to-resident ratio is an important question to ask when considering assisted living options. Knowing this will help you to better infer if your loved one’s needs will be properly met in a timely manner. Not only this, but overworked staff are more likely to experience apathy, which can impact your loved one’s care.

What is the Visitor Policy?

To ensure that your loved one is receiving the proper care, it is important to ask about a community visitation policy before moving your loved one. A welcoming senior living environment that welcomes family and friends regularly is important for the resident’s social and emotional well-being.

Why MorningStar Senior Living Portland

MorningStar retirement homes are found across the Western US and have proudly earned a reputation for “casting a new light” on senior living. Newly opened, MorningStar at Laurelhurst offers trusted assisted living in Portland, Oregon, that focuses on elements of independence within assisted living. After asking the above 3 questions, we are sure you’ll find our retirement homes boast great recognition for having flexible personalized care plans, qualified staff, and maintaining great relationships with family.

Find the Best Retirement Homes Portland, Oregon, Has to Offer

When is it Time to Move a Parent to Assisted Living?

January 22, 2024 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

It can be hard to truly know when it’s time to make the transition to assisted living. We may often feel blind-sighted when it comes to this decision. We have always seen our parents as independent and strong providers, so when things start to fall by the wayside, this can cause us to experience confusion and denial. To help you better understand your parents’ changing needs, below is a comprehensive list that better outlines when it is time to consider moving a parent to an assisted living community.

Look out for these behaviors or actions that might indicate the need for assisted living care:

Difficulty with housekeeping or completing regular chores
Aging definitely can cause some seniors to slow down, meaning chores may not be done as quickly as they once were. However, this can also be the first cause for concern. If there is more trash around the house, garbage not being taken out, dirty dishes sitting around, or general hoarding happening in your loved one’s home, this can be a sign that your parents need assisted living care. They may be forgetting to do these chores or be unable to do them on their own.
Unusual weight gain or weight loss
When a senior is no longer able to properly cook for themselves, they may not eat or exclusively eat processed meals or fast food. A drastic change in your loved one’s weight should be a huge warning sign that they may require assisted living care or even medical attention due to improper eating habits.
Behavior changes
Getting older can generally cause some personality or communication changes, but if you are noticing a drastic personality change, you may want to consider alternative living arrangements for your loved one. They may be experiencing symptoms of dementia, depression, anxiety, or another ailment that is causing them to act unlike themselves.

Find Your New Assisted Living Home Today

Contact us to learn more about MorningStar’s retirement homes and senior living options in Parker, Colorado. Our staff is happy to answer any questions you have. Our website also provides information on our company’s history and vision, as well as what sets us apart from other senior living facilities in Colorado.

The unique mission statement of MorningStar Parker “to honor, to serve, to invest,” sets us apart from other senior living communities. Our foundation is built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors, and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve. Dedicated to creating a real home for residents within a beautiful setting, we encourage you to see for yourself our exceptional offering for independent and assisted living in Parker, Colorado.

Exploring Affordable Assisted Living Options

December 11, 2023 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

When it’s time for your loved one to transition to assisted living, you may be wondering how to afford this new living arrangement. There is a common misconception that retirement living is expensive, poorly run, and outdated. MorningStar senior living in Parker, Colorado is redefining those expectations.

All-inclusive senior living is one of the best financial choices for assisted living options in Colorado. When it comes to paying for assisted living care, there are multiple financial resources available to find the best senior living community for your parent or loved one.

Affordable Senior Living Options in Colorado

If your loved one is struggling to live alone, they are probably in need of assisted living care. This could mean a few things, like hiring a full-time nurse, moving them into your home, looking into senior daycare options, or investing time into researching senior living communities offering assisted care.

While each of those options has its own benefits, it is likely that all-inclusive senior living specializing in assisted care will provide you with the most peace of mind and turn out to be the more affordable option.

Assisted living at MorningStar includes three daily meals, plus snacks, a 24-hour on-site nurse, life enrichment teams that plan events and activities, community involvement, and other social initiatives that encourage active and healthy seniors. There is also a wide array of amenities, like a movie theatre, salon, bistro, courtyard, garden, and much more. This is what makes all-inclusive senior care so valuable.

To help you to explore options, MorningStar has partnered with Elderlife Financial Services whose agents are here to offer education on the financial resources potentially open to you in paying for independent living, assisted living, or memory care.

Find Your New Assisted Living Home Today

Senior Friendly Home Modifications for Safety and Comfort

October 13, 2023 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

If your senior parent or elderly loved one is living at home, chances are you are aware of safety concerns. If your parents are struggling with memory loss or in need of assisted living, providing an adequate amount of care at your home may be difficult. Unfortunately, there are hidden risks in our home for seniors in need of memory care. Our homes, while full of love, are not built with assisted living in mind.

Stairs, steps, dangerous furniture, clutter, tight spaces, and poor lighting can all cause accidents or falls for seniors in need of assisted living. Senior living homes build their communities with these issues in mind. While it may be difficult to think of your loved one anywhere but home, it may be worth considering if safety is at the forefront of your mind. Until you can find a senior living community near you, here are some senior-friendly home modifications for safety and comfort.

First Floor Living Only

If your parent or loved one is living in your two-story home, it is a wise idea to relocate their living quarters to the first floor only. Navigating stairs daily increases the risk of an accident or fall to occur. By living on the first floor, seniors can access the things they need easily. Depending on the floor plan of your home, the first floor is likely the best living arrangement for seniors who require assisted living care.

Declutter

While you don’t have control over the size of the home you own, you do have control over what is inside. Minimizing clutter, furniture, and overall items in the home will aid in your parent or loved one’s navigation and lower risks for falls or trips. Be mindful of rugs, large furniture, and messes caused by children or pets.

Safety Systems

If your parent or loved one will be living on the first floor of your home due to accessibility, it is likely you will need to consider safety systems that inhibit unwanted behaviors that may cause them harm. Installing systems to keep outside doors locked at night will prevent seniors from leaving their homes alone. Seniors shouldn’t feel trapped. Be sure to only utilize these methods if absolutely necessary for safety.

Find Your New Assisted Living Home Today

Find Senior Perks at this New Assisted Living Community in Portland

September 29, 2023 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

A brand new retirement community in Portland has opened under the highly esteemed MorningStar Senior Living. Known for its excellent assisted living care, modern amenities, and executive chefs, MorningStar at Laurelhurst offers its senior community more than just top-notch living options.

Residents at MorningStar Senior Living in Portland will enjoy the serenity of tree-lined residential streets and close proximity to shopping centers, Providence Portland Medical Center, and phenomenal green natural areas like Laurelhurst Park and Grant Park in Oregon.

Assisted Living Designed For Carefree Retirement Years

Located in one of the most idyllic Portland neighborhoods, MorningStar at Laurelhurst features contemporary design elements throughout the community, its interior inspired by the vintage homes, lush greenery, and eclectic vibes of the Laurelhurst District. Elevated outdoor courtyards provide an opportunity to connect with nature, as do expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the space with light.

There are many perks to living near and around nature. Access to maintained natural areas encourages relaxation and promotes overall happiness. The parks near MorningStar are a great place to share a walk with a loved one or enjoy a picnic with family members.

The Assisted Living Perks of MorningStar at Laurelhurst

Assisted living residents receive daily support with activities to help maintain their independence. Services include 24/7 care managers, medication management, access to licensed nurses, and much more. Luxury amenities, hospitality services, and wellness programs offer an ideal environment to nurture new interests and hobbies to address personal needs. With new SafelyYou technology, we can detect and prevent falls for memory care residents with (AI) Artificial Intelligence. Ask our Wellness Director about the use of SafelyYou for your loved one.

Find the Best Retirement Homes Portland, Oregon, Has to Offer

Senior Communities Offer a Carefree Lifestyle

September 25, 2023 by MorningStar Senior Living in Assisted Living

Did you know that studies show many older adults prefer the carefree life offered by senior living? The idea of no longer having all of the responsibilities that come along with owning a home including the repairs and upkeep is very appealing to many seniors. Furthermore, for seniors who still think moving into an assisted living community is a place people go to die, most likely have not visited one of today’s vibrant communities.

There are even studies that suggest moving into senior living may be a healthier option for some than living alone. This can especially be true for seniors after the death of a spouse as many begin to feel isolated and lonely. Not to mention the burden of keeping up with household chores such as cleaning, cooking, laundry or needing to move up and down stairs.

Senior living communities offer an individual the opportunity to easily make new friends as well as give them the time to pursue special interests or to explore new hobbies. Also, communities typically provide amenities such as onsite fitness centers in addition to offering a range of exercise classes geared toward the fitness level of older adults.

If you are looking for exceptional assisted living or memory care, MorningStar at West San Jose may be your answer. After visiting our website or once you take a tour of our community, you most certainly will understand why MorningStar is the type of assisted living and memory care you want for yourself or your loved one. Along with a whole array of amenities, wellness programs and activities, we offer well-designed suites to please a variety of tastes and preferences.

In addition, we want you to know that our community is staffed by a compassionate, professional team of individuals who are experienced in all facets of senior living and are honored to care for seniors. Visit our website for contact information and to find out more about our beautiful community.

MorningStar’s foundation is based on the mission to honor God, value seniors and invest in our staff to create a unique senior living experience. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide exceptional assisted living and memory care. Please contact us to discover why MorningStar at West San Jose is a great place to call home.