MorningStar Senior Living Community Blog

As we age, our bodies become less and less resistant to long-term damage. When we are young, breaking a bone is usually resolved within several weeks in a cast, without many complications or lingering issues. However, falling and breaking a bone as an elderly person can have far more serious consequences. It takes longer to heal, and can also lead to the development of chronic pain. One way to prevent this as a senior is to safely practice exercises that improve and maintain your balance and walking steadiness. This will help you be better able to catch yourself if you do stumble; and give you more strength to cope with any injuries if you do fall. Keep reading to learn more about how to improve your walking steadiness as a senior in assisted living in Lakewood . NOTE: You can try these exercises barefoot or with sneakers, just be sure you always have someone to spot you when doing any kind of exercise. Walk The Invisible Tightrope Your spotter should stay right behind or beside you fo...

As a senior, it can be a struggle to find ways to hydrate that are enjoyable and easy. However, with green tea, not only are you getting a lot of water content, but you are also getting all the benefits that this kind of tea can provide. So if you are a senior living in Lakewood , keep reading for more valuable information about all the amazing health benefits of green tea. Green Tea Wakes up Your Brain The naturally occurring caffeine content of green tea can be a great way to help promote alertness. This can help your brain support the production of dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are used to help balance things like mood, memory, reflexes, alertness, and more! Plus, norepinephrine is also a hormone, which can work twice as well for helping regulate your mental capacities. So next time you are feeling a bit tired, slow, and/or run down, the caffeine from green tea could be a great way to get out of a funk. Green Tea is Full of Antioxidants Free radicals are toxin...

Many families mistakenly think senior living and particularly assisted living is just a more luxurious nursing home. The fact is nursing homes are intended for people who are unable to care for themselves due to physical or mental conditions and require around-the-clock skilled nursing care. Residents may be bedridden or in wheelchairs and receive ongoing palliative and preventative long-term care. Assisted living is for seniors who are mostly independent but require help with what is known as Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and include things like dressing, bathing and other personal care activities. In some cases, people move into a community which offers assisted living knowing that while they do not now need assistance with such tasks, they may need help in the near future. Assisted living also makes sense for seniors who are looking for more companionship and love the security of knowing they are not alone. As many senior living communities such as MorningStar of Boise ha...

While practitioners have known for centuries the calmness and peace yoga brings into their lives, science has finally caught up with real evidence of its benefits to our brains. Studies show yoga elevates levels of the brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GAGA), which helps regulate nerve activity and is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety. The Harvard Medical School journal writes, “Yoga strengthens parts of the brain that play a key role in memory, attention, awareness, thought, and language. Think of it as weightlifting for the brain.” Their evidence comes from several studies that used MRI and other brain imaging technology. Researchers found participants who practiced yoga regularly had a thicker cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, than participants who did not practice yoga. This could be significant because as people age, this is one of the areas in the brain that typically shrinks. As the older yoga practitioners had less...

Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies also age and can no longer work as efficiently and effectively as they used to. Sometimes, this can lead to certain conditions that cause chronic pain. This pain can be a huge detriment to your overall quality of life, and can also contribute to mental health issues like depression. However, if you are looking for natural ways to manage pain as an elderly person, then keep reading for more information on the best natural pain relief options available for any senior in assisted living in Lakewood . Hot and Cold Therapy A hot water bottle or heating pad can be a great way to soothe deep aches from conditions that cause joint pain. Heat can promote increased blood flow and loosening of muscles and other tightened areas that are causing pain. Alternatively, a skin-safe cold pack can help with painful, swelling pain. If you have painful areas that become swollen, cold therapy can help minimize that swelling and inflammation. Always keep in mind that hot ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), statistics show seniors who report feelings of loneliness are at higher risk for several diseases including dementia and are more likely to experience premature death. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) says “one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.” Social isolation is a lack of social connections and a result of a person living alone, having a spouse and/or other supportive friends or relatives die, or suffering from chronic illness. Other related problems include a lack of transportation, mobility impairment and untreated hearing loss, which all limit the senior’s opportunity to engage with others. AARP Research surveyed adults 45 and older regarding their feelings of loneliness. Of those respondents who rated their health as excellent, only 25 percent said they were lonely. Among p...

Practicing proper hygiene as an elderly person is a huge key to helping maintain your overall health. However, even if you have all the perfect products that meet your individual needs already, it may be a bit of a conundrum to choose between a hot or cold shower. Both can have great benefits; so if you are a senior living in Lakewood , keep reading to learn more about whether a hot or cold shower could be right for you. Cold Shower Benefits Cold (but not too cold) water, while it can be harmful in certain situations, can actually provide a lot of benefits in a safe and controlled environment. Some of these benefits can include: Increased blood flow/improved circulation after turning off the cold water. This is because of the body’s natural reaction to cold. When you start a cold shower, more of your blood rushes to your inner organs to protect them from potential damage/shut down from becoming too cold. However, in order to warm up again and regulate your temperature, your body will s...