The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family while creating lasting memories, for children and aging parents alike. There are always the usual stresses that arise this time of year, like making sure gifts are bought, meals are sorted, and activities are planned to keep everyone happy. However, when you have an aging loved one to consider, there are additional worries. How do I cater to my parents’ needs? What are their limits? How do I make sure they’re enjoying themselves? While these questions will surely pop up, there’s no reason they need...

Senior loneliness during the holiday season can unfortunately be the gift that keeps on giving. While often a time of togetherness and celebration, the holidays can also fuel feelings of nostalgia and longing for people and places of the past.  Aging  naturally impacts who we are, what we do, how we feel and who we are with, but those changes, and in some cases, losses, feel especially poignant at the holidays.  Here are some tips on how to keep your senior loved ones’ holidays filled with smiles and love. 1. Help with the holiday cards. This is a great way...

It can be scary when your aging loved one lives alone, especially when it comes to the thought of them falling. According to the CDC, one in four Americans aged 65+ falls each year. Falling may not be a big deal for those in great physical condition, but for seniors, who are more likely to be weak and have brittle bones, the consequences can be serious. In fact, the CDC also states that “falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.” Even if you don’t live with...

What is it? Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is experiencing insulin resistance, which means that it does not make or use insulin well. This causes glucose to build up in the blood instead of reaching the cells, leading to hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar). Hyperglycemia can result in problems with the kidney, vision loss, nerve damage, mobility issues, slowed healing, and cardiovascular disease. Why are the elderly at risk? While type 2 diabetes is more common in adults, it’s even more common in the elderly. The risk of getting the disease increases as you age, especially after 45, due...

It’s October, which means cold and flu season are officially upon us. While it’s important for anyone to have their immune system in peak physical condition to be able to fight off viruses, especially this time of year, it’s even more important for those who are older. Immunity decreases and weakens with age as immune cells start to become less effective. This means that, when you do come down with something, it’s going to be a lot harder to get over it than it used to be when you were a kid. With that being said, there are ways to...

It can be very frustrating and even frightening when you are trying to communicate something important to your aging parent or parents and they won’t listen to or accept what you are saying. Adult children and their elderly parents may struggle as age, illness or physical challenges necessitate a change in an aging parent’s living circumstances. Self-sufficient adults who raised families, ran businesses and households, now face being told they can no longer live the life they spent a lifetime building, the way they want. It’s a tough sell on a good day. But there are ways to communicate with...

While most people are aware of Alzheimer’s and the prospect that their aging loved ones could be affected, there’s a lot of misinformation around the disease. World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign that happens every September, is meant to challenge the misinformation and stigma that surrounds Alzheimer’s and dementia by raising awareness. Even if you have no personal connection to Alzheimer’s at this time, the prevalence of the disease shows how easily that could change. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s in 2018. (To put that into perspective, that’s 10 percent of...

As our loved ones age, we often have a whole list of concerns of things that could impact their health, such as their diet and medical care, but research shows that we should be thinking of their social needs too. Social isolation among the elderly can be just as detrimental to their health as a poor diet or lack of care.   Why does social isolation happen? Social isolation can happen to seniors who gradually lose their physical mobility or develop health problems that force them to withdraw from their social routines. Other times, the death of a spouse or...

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. Arthritis symptoms include joint pain, swelling and stiffness, and the inflammation can worsen with age, ultimately reducing range of motion. Sufferers can experience both intermittent and sharp pain causing the body to become fatigued. Arthritis symptoms can also cause redness to the skin, a stiff neck, bumps on fingers or bony outgrowth in fingers and toes. Arthritis related to wear and tear of cartilage is known as osteoarthritis. Arthritis that causes inflammation as a result of an overactive immune system is known as rheumatoid arthritis. There are many different types of treatments available...

For Paradise Living Centers, luxury assisted living is so much more than a place to call home, it’s a place where you and your loved one feel at home. Our facility aims to promote a welcoming environment from the moment you step foot through our doors. With three care homes in Phoenix, Paradise Living Centers is a luxury assisted living facility with many unique features: Full-time licensed nurse on call 24/7 Our nurse and Care Manager, Kristie Chadwick work closely with our state certified Care Team and are available to residents and their family members 24/7. Our nurse assesses and...