Author: Optimized Senior Living

Everyone has their own story, their own journey. As we age though, we share many of the same steps. Let’s take a walk through one woman’s journey:

Gertie is 85 years old. She has lived alone for 10 years, and has been OK in doing so. Her daughter Judy comes over daily to check on her and will drive her on special outings, etc… Judy notices that her mother has become very lonely, isolating herself and not going out like she used to. Gertie has also had a couple recent falls and trips to the ER, so Judy no longer feels it’s safe to leave Gertie alone in her home… As hard as it is for Judy, she discusses this with her siblings and they all decide it is time to tell mom they all think it is probably time to transition her into a senior living community. What a difficult conversation! And this is just the beginning, next they have to decide about the house, finances, where to start looking, and the list goes on.

Have you been here before? Is this coming soon for your family? It’s never easy and it happens every day to thousands of families, but they do not have to be alone through this process! The Senior Care Industry has so many different resources both paid and free available to assist families and seniors through this transition period and help make it as seamless as possible.

If this is you, I’m sure you are happy to hear this, but now the question is where do I find these resources? Here are a few keywords to search for: Senior Care Managers, Senior Transition Specialist, Seniors Real Estate Specialist. Also, call any local senior living home and they should have a number of resources available to you! These individuals can help families take care of everything including, the process of downsizing the home, moving furniture and putting up photos, decor, etc in their new senior living home, finding a realtor to sell the home, getting set up with VA benefits, referring quality senior living communities, making phone calls, and so much more.

Transitioning a loved one to the next step in their journey should focus on being together and emotionally supporting them, not the logistics. A family truly has so many resources available, and it’s so important to know you don’t have to go through this process alone with a thousand questions and without a road map. If you have questions, and are going through this process, you can call Optimized Senior Living at (513) 701-9218 for specific local resources and referrals like above to assist you and your family.

Did you get a chance to spend some time with Mom over the holidays? Did you see that Mom hasn’t been taking as good of care of herself? Was mom constantly repeating herself? Are you now worried about mom living on her own?

Eh, what difficult things to see in your Mom (or another loved one). It’s not easy as a son or daughter, but so real. And then what to do when this becomes reality? Mom has always been the backbone of the family, she’s the one that is set in her ways and will refuse to leave her house, ever. “You will never put me in a nursing home,” this line rings in your head from what she’s always said. However, you know mom is one fall away from really being in bad shape or one forgetful moment of a real tragedy. But, what do you do!?

First step: Have a conversation with your siblings (if possible.) Are they feeling the same way? Talk about specific things you have noticed in mom.

Second step: Geriatrician appointment. Getting a professional opinion can be huge. They may see things you don’t, can do different assessments on cognitive impairment, etc. They can be a guide if nothing else.

Third step: Resources – maybe Mom isn’t quite ready to leave home, but getting some extra care into the home is needed. Or maybe mom needs more therapy for fall prevention, or maybe she really does need assisted living. Make calls and ask questions…truly get informed with what is out there and what all different companies provide. Council on Aging where you live can be a good guide, as well as local chambers.

Lastly, go visit places. The more questions you can ask, the better. You will end up learning so much and get a better idea of where mom really is and what her needs really are currently.

There are so many alternatives out there now. Mom’s idea of a nursing home certainly still exists, but there are new, fresh concepts that can be very affordable and still feel like home.

Our version of assisted living, in a residential setting is one of these alternatives. For more information on what we call “Not your grandma’s nursing home,” call 513.701.9218. Ask lots of questions. We will be the first to tell you if assisted living is really what Mom needs, or maybe it’s just home care or something else for now. In the meantime, go hug your Mom.

This week we are pleased to welcome a guest blog from Vivette with Vibrant Home Health in Dayton, OH.

Here is her story:

Growing up as a pastor’s child I can remember the members of our church visiting senior care facilities once a week. While these visits often occurred when I was at school, during the summer months I would occasionally attend to assist with the service. As a teenager, I never dreamed I would be the one gaining a valuable experience from the visits. Rather, I thought I was doing something for the residents who were “shut-ins” and not able to attend a church service. In my mind, I was helping them.

Continue reading

Are you in need of a break, but don’t know where to turn?

If you answered “yes” then we are here to help!

At Optimized Senior Living, we offer a service called Respite Care. We like to refer to it as a “glorified bed and breakfast!”

What is respite care?

Respite care is a short stay with us where we provide 24/7 assisted living care, home cooked meals, activities, social engagement, med management, and of course a worry-free break for you, the caregiver. In America today, there are over 43 million unpaid caregivers for older adults. The average age of these caregivers is 50 years young. Caregivers that are in their prime time to enjoy life and all that it has to offer!

Continue reading

Being a caregiver can be rewarding and difficult at the same time. But there might come a time when you are faced with the difficult choice of what to do when the loved one you are caring for can no longer stay at home alone while you work, you need to go run errands or you might just need time for yourself. It is time to weigh out all your options and find the best one for you and your loved one. Here at Optimized Senior Living we have several options for you.

We offer long term Assisted Living, Respite Care, and an Adult Day Retreat. Here we want to better explain the Adult Day Retreat, which we refer to as our Optimized Retreat.

Adult Day Retreat can be just that for an aging loved one. This is a great choice when you just need some extra help. This is a where your loved one still lives at home with you but goes to a care facility for the hours you need.

Continue reading