MorningStar Senior Living Community Blog

Seniors in memory care spend a lot of time with other seniors. However, there are a wealth of benefits to spending time in intergenerational programs, too.  Intergenerational programs aim to connect seniors with young people. These interactions can be enriching, informative, and mood-boosting for all involved.  Find out how intergenerational activities can benefit residents in memory care .  Connecting Seniors with Their Communities Community involvement is one of the most valuable benefits seniors can get in memory care.  If a senior has made it to memory care , chances are they need extra help with several tasks during daily life. Unfortunately, this can make them feel isolated. Community outreach changes all of that.  When seniors are able to make positive differences in their communities, especially among all other age groups, it can do wonders for their mental health.  Intergenerational Interaction: Connecting Youth and Older Adults Unless they have gr...

Gardening has been a popular pastime for centuries. With gardening, you can relax your mind and provide your body with gentle activity, all while enjoying the journey of harvesting your own food.  Because of these benefits, many assisted living communities offer a gardening program. These programs offer you the ability to gather, socialize, and share in meaningful projects with other residents as you nurture your green thumb. And anyone can join an assisted living gardening program, no matter their experience level.  Here’s why you should consider gardening in your own assisted living community.  Stress Relief Gardening keeps your hands and brain busy, so you have less time to think about life stressors.  The physical movements involved in digging, planting, and watering your garden can also knock out your stress. These natural movements help you stay active without having to opt for more strenuous exercise.  If you find yourself struggling to unwind in the eve...

Senior living is all about recreation, comfort, and community. You don’t have to stay indoors all summer long while the sun is shining! If you’re looking for some fun outdoor activities to enjoy this summer, here are five ideas to get you started:  1. Go for a Bike Ride with Friends Bicycling is a great way to stay active without putting too much pressure on your joints.  When you pedal a bicycle, your joints move smoothly without the impact of the pavement beneath you. This allows your body to continuously produce fluid motions, even if you struggle with joint pain and discomfort.  Bring along a few friends to make your biking fun in the sun even more enjoyable.  2. Enjoy Your Community’s Outdoor Swimming Pool Most senior living communities have a large outdoor swimming area for residents to enjoy when it’s warm outside. Take advantage of this luxurious amenity! Water fitness is popular among older adults because it’s both gentle and effective. If you struggle with...

Many seniors and their families are confused as to what exactly assisted living offers and how it differs from independent living. At MorningStar of Boise, we explain our senior living supports residents as they age with freedom and choices, resort-style amenities and best-in-class dining and hospitality. Spacious suites come in a variety of well-designed floor plans and configurations that are sure to meet your needs. Wellness programs and activities help keep residents socially engaged and offer opportunities for personal growth. MorningStar of Boise offers beautiful common areas both inside and out. Amenities include all-day dining, fitness room, salon, library with computer, theater, billiards and game lounge, strolling paths and raised garden beds. For your safety, our entire community is designed to facilitate safe mobility with wide doorways and halls as well as suites equipped with handicap-accessible bathrooms and 24/7 emergency call systems. Independent living is designed s...

A garden full of beautiful flowers and/or home-grown vegetables is a gratifying pastime for many seniors. Not only does it offer beauty and wholesome, nutritional food for you and those you share your bounty with, but a healthier lifestyle. Experts say getting outside to work in the garden is a wonderful way to get exercise and enjoy nature as well as to get a dose of vitamin D. They warn to protect your exposed skin with a sunscreen of 30 SPF or higher, wear light, loose clothing, and sunglasses to protect your eyes. Be sure to take frequent breaks, stay hydrated and don’t overdo it, and avoid working outside during the heat of the day. Gardening is a great way to reduce anxiety and stress and to forget about your problems, at least for a while. Overall, even a few hours a week doing something as enjoyable as gardening can strengthen muscles, improve mobility and increase flexibility. Growing tomatoes and lettuce or starting an herb garden is a great place for beginners to start and ...

Cataracts are cloudy areas that form in the lens, which is normally transparent, and are the main cause of vision loss in people over 40 years of age. It is estimated more than 40 percent of Americans aged 75 years or older have some degree of lens clouding; and over half of people 80 or older have their vision significantly impaired by cataracts or have had cataract surgery. Surgery is generally recommended once vision is impaired to a degree that people have trouble reading, driving and recognizing faces. Today the surgery is a quick, safe procedure, replacing the cloudy lens with a clear plastic one. Doctors say there are things people can do to reduce their risk of developing cataracts with quitting smoking at the top of that list. Medical News Today reports on studies linking a 3-fold increase of smoking to cataracts as well as raising the risk of several other eye conditions. A healthy diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good quality fats (avocados, olive oil, and ome...

Father’s Day was first officially celebrated in the United States on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. It then took another 58 years (in 1972) after President Woodrow Wilson had declared Mother’s Day to be an official holiday for dads to get their own official national holiday. This year Father’s Day is June 18, as the holiday is celebrated on the third Sunday of the month. The earliest public event honoring fathers was in 1908 at a West Virginia church. It was held in memory of 362 area men who had been killed in a tragic coal mine accident the year before. It was a one-time commemoration and not intended to be an annual holiday. The first recognized celebration of all fathers took place at the Spokane, WA YMCA on June 19, 1910. It was organized by Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, William Jackson Smart was a single parent who raised six children. Ms. Dodd had heard a sermon about the Mother’s Day celebration at Central Methodist Episcopal Church a year earlier and enco...