Home is such an integral part of our lives that making the decision to move your parent from their home can be emotional and overwhelming. How can you, as the adult child or close relative, be sure that the time is right to make the move to senior housing, retirement homes, assisted living communities, or even nursing homes?  Though changes can sometimes be subtle, there are signs you can look for. If you note any of the signs listed below, then special care and planning are needed to help your parent or older relative make the decision that will be best for him or her.

• Be aware of any changes in appearance or grooming. Take special note if your once meticulous mother is no longer wearing make-up or going to the hairdresser. Or, if your father is wearing the same outfit each time you visit. Try to check the clothing hamper or laundry room for signs that clothes are being laundered regularly.

• When you visit, take a look at the different rooms in the house, especially the kitchen, bedroom, or living room. Are these areas clean? Do they look like they are being used regularly? Answers to these questions will give you an idea of how much time, if any, your parent or relative is spending in these areas and if he or she is keeping them clean and tidy.

• Take special note of the yard and outside of the house. Does it appear that your parent is still able to provide regular maintenance? If not, this could be a sign that your parent may not be physically able or may not want to continue to do these tasks.

• Plants and pets can give you clues as well. Your parent or relative’s ability to care for other living things may offer you insight into the ability to manage his or her own care.

• When you have the opportunity, inquire about old friends or social activities. If your parent is no longer active with friends and activities, then isolation could be an issue. Lack of companionship can leave older adults more vulnerable to health issues. Moving to a place with other people and a variety of social opportunities can decrease isolation and possibly improve health.

• Another consideration is how often a parent leaves the house, especially in inclement weather. If he or she is spending days in the house due to fear of driving or fear of forgetting the route, then finding a place that offers regular outings and companionship can keep a parent more active and mobile.

• Finally, consider your own health and stress level. While the decision to move is not primarily about you, as a caregiver, your stress level can be an indicator of your parent’s decline in ability to care for themselves. If this is the case, then it may be a sign to start looking at other options.

If you note any of these signs in your parent or older relative, it may be time for you to do some investigating into housing options. The communities of Retirement Unlimited, Inc. provide a variety of care options to consider. Take a look through the website and review each of our gracious and well-appointed communities. We offer something for everyone!

An article published in the Health Day News on March 2nd by Steven Reinberg discussed the results of a study which showed a correlation between purpose in life and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The article that follows is an adaptation from that report.

“As the population ages and dementia becomes a more frequent diagnosis, there is increasing impetus to determine the causes of the disease, associated risk factors and how to prevent it,” explained study co-author Dr. Aron S. Buchman, an associate professor in the department of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The study looked at the positive aspects of life and their possible effect on keeping dementia at bay. In the study, 951 older people without dementia were asked to respond to statements such as: “I feel good when I think of what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future.” After an average of 4 years of follow-up, 16.3% of the people in the study developed Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found that people who responded most positively to statements about their lives were the least likely to develop the condition. Also, people who said they had more purposeful lives were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment and had a slower rate of cognitive decline.

People who scored 4.2 out of 5 on the purpose-in-life measure were about 2.4 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, compared with people who scored 3.0, the study found.

Dr. Buchman stated that “the importance of the study is this doesn’t prove anything, but it points researchers in the direction of a link between purpose in life and cognition in late life. He also added that “more social activity, more physical activity, higher cognitive activities, high purpose in life – all these psychosocial factors seem to be linked with longer life, decreased mortality, decreased disability and provide important clues to a public health approach to try to increase independence in older people in later life.”

William H. Theis, chief medical and scientific officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, said the new study “contributes to the literature that says there is a linkage between behavior and disease. The study begs the question whether there is more Alzheimer’s disease because more people have a lower sense of purpose, or is a lower sense of purpose an early, subtle, sign of dementia.”

The retirement communities of Retirement Unlimited, Inc. provide a wide variety of social activities to provide even more purpose in your life. In addition, some communities also provide care for persons with dementia. Take a virtual tour of our communities to find the activities that suit you best!

Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades to a smaller apartment in a senior retirement community or assisted living community can be a daunting task. When it is time for your parents to make that kind of move, they will need your assistance. The following are some tips adapted from About.com that can help you with this process. You can find the full article at http://moving.about.com/od.

When you know that the move is going to happen, the best advice is to obtain a diagram or layout of the new apartment. Having this information will let you know exactly how much space your parents will have. The communities at Retirement Unlimited, Inc. can provide you with detailed floor plans of the apartments to assist you. Call or stop by for a tour and see what apartment styles are available. With the floor plan or diagram in hand you can decide together what items will fit and how much of their current things can be kept. If feasible, you can offer to keep the items that they can’t move or try to at least keep them in the family.

When you know how much space you will have to move in to, then begins the task of sorting the items that they currently have. Be gentle during this process. Many of us have made emotional attachments to items we may seldom use. If the item is truly a treasure to them, you can suggest giving the item as a gift to a child or sibling. It is often easier to give things to family members than to donate them to an “anonymous” source.

A great idea is to take pictures of items inside your parents’ home. Be sure to take detailed photos of such things as where photos and mementos have been placed on dressers or where certain pieces of furniture are situated to each other. Even note what pictures, paintings, or mirrors are hanging on the wall. When in the new apartment, try to place the items in a similar way so that the new home will feel more like their previous home. This will help your parents become comfortable more quickly in the new environment.

Above all, take your time. Plan for the move as far in advance as possible. In this way, you can give your parents the time they need to process through the sometimes painful task of parting with their things.

Sometimes, it is easier to hire outside help to pack and move items than it is to do it yourself. It may be easier for your parents to work with an outside person rather than family. There are many companies that specialize in moving seniors and assisting with downsizing. The professionals at Retirement Unlimited, Inc. have a world of resources to share regarding downsizing. Give a call to a community near you for some helpful information.

Finally, be patient with your parents and allow them to say “goodbye” to their things. If they take longer to sort through a bureau drawer because they uncover old photographs, let them spend the time to remember and if possible, share those memories with them. The reminiscing is a very important part in the process of moving from their home of decades into their new environment.

The retirement and assisted living communities of Retirement Unlimited, Inc. understand this difficult process and can work with you and your parents to make the transition into one of our communities a good experience. Call us for more information, or better yet come in for a tour and see what we have to offer.

As we age, problems can arise that require the intervention of not only our primary care physician or family doctor, but also those of specialty physicians like cardiologists, neurologists, orthopedists, geriatricians, and many others. With all of these specialists comes the potential for prescribing multiple medications. With each additional medications, the likelihood increases that you may experience a medication-related problem which may or may not be associated with your primary diagnosis or disease. The American Society of Consulting Pharmacists defines a Medication related problem as an “event or situation involving drug therapy that actually or potentially interferes with an optimum outcome for a specific patient.” In other words, the more medications you take, the more likely it is that the medicines will begin to interfere with each other and lower the effectiveness of the medicine. In this article, we will categorize the eight ways that prescribed drugs can cause medication-related problems. Using this information, you can then have a discussion with your doctor or pharmacist to review your current medications and make some decisions to appropriately decrease the number of medicines you should take. In many instances, you may find that minimal is healthier.

The following categories for Medication-related problems were adapted from the article “Seniors at Risk: Designing the System to Protect America’s Most Vulnerable Citizens from Medication-Related Problems” as developed by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists at www.ascp.com Visit the website for more information and to obtain a copy of the article.

• A person may experience a medication-related problem when he/she has a medical condition that requires drug therapy, but is not receiving a drug for that condition. The person either may not know that he/she has the medical condition, or may know, but may not be able to afford the medication prescribed due to insurance or financial issues.

• A person taking a medication for no medically valid condition can end up with a medication related problem by taking the drug.

• Medication-related problems can also develop from improper drug selection. This effect occurs when a person’s medical condition is being treated with the wrong drug or a drug that is not the most appropriate based on the special needs of the person.

• When a person with a medical condition is being treated with too much or too little of the correct medication, a problem is likely to occur.

• A person may have an adverse reaction to a medication. In the case of older adults, adverse drug reactions contribute to existing geriatric problems such as falls, urinary incontinence, constipation, and weight loss.

• A medication-related problem can also arise when a person has a medical condition that is the result of a drug interacting negatively with another food, drug, or laboratory test.

• A person may have a medical condition that is the result of not receiving a drug due to economic, psychological, sociological, or pharmaceutical reasons.

Your physician and pharmacist MUST be aware of all medications you are taking and all medical conditions that you have in order to optimize your drug treatment regime and avoid medication-related problems. Retirement and Assisted Living Community, like those of Retirement Unlimited, Inc., provide pharmacy and medical services to review drug treatments and help you optimize your health. Contact a Community nearest you for a tour or for more information.

People age 65 and over take more prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs than any other age group. In retirement & assisted living communities, on average, residents have ten medications administered to them. One reason for this increased number of medicines is that many people in this age group have long term chronic illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Another factor is that these diagnoses are usually made by multiple physicians who may be unaware of other medications that a person is taking. For all of these reasons, it is important that seniors be sure to take their medications safely. The National Institute on Aging has recommended these suggestions for being safe with prescription and over-the-counter drugs:

•    Make a list of all the medicines you take. Show this list to all your health care providers including physical therapists and dentists. One copy of this list should be in your medicine cabinet. You should make additional copies for your wallet or pocketbook and for your spouse or family member. The list should include:

o    The name of each medicine
o    The doctor who prescribed the medicine
o    The reason it was prescribed
o    The amount you take
o    The times you take the medicine

•    Read and save all written information that comes with the medicine.

•    Take your medicine in the exact amount and at the time your doctor prescribes.

•    Call your doctor if you have any problems with your medicine. Your doctor will decide whether to change your medicine to another that may work better.

•    Use a memory aid to take your medicines on time. Some people use meals or bedtime as reminders. Other people use charts, calendars, and weekly pill boxes to remind them.

•    Do not skip doses or take half doses to save money. Instead, talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you can’t afford the prescribed medicine. They may know of less costly choices or special programs to help with the cost.

•    Avoid mixing alcohol and medicine.

•    Take your medicine until it’s finished or until your doctor says it’s okay to stop.

•    Don’t take medicines prescribed for another person or give yours to someone else.

•    Don’t take medicine in the dark to avoid taking the wrong pills.

•    Check the expiration dates on your medicine bottles and throw away any outdated medicines.

•    Don’t leave your medicine on a kitchen table or counter where someone else may get to it.

For more information about medication safety, contact the National Institute on Aging Information Center by calling 800-222-2225 or by logging on to www.nia.nih.gov.

At some point, many seniors need additional help to take medications safely. Since the medications are prescribed to treat illnesses, the impact of not taking medications correctly can be serious. When you do need help, many retirement and assisted living communities can provide assistance with medication administration. In coordination with your doctor, these facilities can ensure that you maintain your health.

If your parents are close to or at retirement age, talking to them about their future plans may be a difficult conversation, but it is an essential one. Having that discussion is the only way you will know whether your parents have even considered such things as: retirement living, assisted living, nursing homes, home care, or even Hospice. Be patient, both with yourself and your parents as you work through these complex issues. Here are some suggestions for starting (and continuing) the conversation. Remember that as your parents’ health, lifestyle, and finances change, so will their needs. Consider revisiting these suggestions on a regular basis until you are certain what your parents’ wishes are about their retirement.

Be Direct – If you and your parents have had a good relationship, then take a direct approach with your initial conversation. Be up front and tell them what you are worried about and ask them to discuss it. If you are worried about many issues, take them one at a time instead of all at once. Chances are, if you’ve been up nights thinking about these things, so have your parents!

Learn by Reminiscing – When you and your parents are together, talk to them about their past. Ask them about their childhoods, their fondest memories, their ancestors. Then, use this information to move into a discussion about their future. For example, if your parents reminisce that their ancestors had to work all their lives, then ask them how they would like to live in their retirement. Find out what your parents want most/least as they age. Ask what issues are worrying them now. Mention to them what you think they should consider in the future, especially if their health declines.

Bring up a “Friend” – There is a really good chance that your parents know someone who is dealing with retirement issues, considering assisted living, or is in a nursing home. Using that situation to talk to them about what they have “heard” is good or bad about those situations can lead to discussions about your parents’ wishes for their future.

Use the Internet – Search the internet for articles, information, and websites about retirement, finances, assisted living, or long term care options. Share these findings with your parents and use the information as a springboard for your conversation. Take the opportunity now to review Retirement Unlimited Inc.’s website and learn about all of the communities. Each retirement and assisted living community is unique and offers many options. Each community allows you to take a virtual tour. What a great way for your parents to learn about retirement and assisted living options! They can literally “see” the lifestyle that awaits them.

However you find a way to start the conversation, do so. You will learn more about your parents needs and will be more certain about helping them navigate through their retirement.

November is National Caregiving Awareness Month and if you have parents over the age of 65, it’s been reported that about 75% of them will need some type of extended care. In addition, elders over the age of 75, who have had some type of medical event, are much more likely to need care outside of their homes such as the services provided in a retirement community or assisted living facility. As your parents age, you will begin to face a number of challenges in providing for their care. Now is the time to have the discussion about the type of care needed.

Ken Dychtwald, author of the book “Age Wave,” points out that most elder care is provided by women, either wives or adult children. However, if you are one of the Baby Boomer generation, it is likely that you had fewer children than your parents. On average, Boomers had 2 children versus the average of four that their parents had. You may not even live in the same area as your parents or your siblings. Another challenge for the women who provide, or will provide care for aging parents (or in-laws) is that 80% of women are working today compared with the 38% of women who were working in the 1950s.

The first step in your decision making about the type of retirement or assisted living care that your parents may need is to consider the emotional toll that caregiving may take on you. Caregiving is one of the most difficult things that anyone can do – especially for their parents (or in-laws). Though the first thought is to provide the caregiving by yourself, you have to ask yourself if you can emotionally afford to take care of your parents. The reality is that you may have to bathe your father, possibly help toilet your mother. You may have to spend nights at your parents or you may have to drive them to doctor’s appointments or even the grocery store. You have to ask yourself if you are prepared to devote the kind of time that caregiving will take, and know that it is OK if you decide that you cannot provide the care yourself. Once you know what you can both physically and emotionally provide, you must have a conversation with your parents and the rest of the family about their needs and wishes.

That first conversation is often the hardest thing for families to do, but questions about and answers to such topics as power-of-attorney, finances, advanced directives, and end of life decision must be considered. After the family talk, it is important to seek the advice of a professional. You can talk to a tax accountant, elder-law attorney, and/or a financial planner. Then, put the plan in writing so that everyone in the family knows what your parents’ wishes are. You’ll want to be specific about the timing of your parents’ move to a retirement community. You may even take the opportunity to visit some nearby retirement or assisted living communities. It is much easier to assess a communities potential for providing the care your parents need when an immediate decision does not have to be made.

The retirement and assisted living communities of Retirement Unlimited, Inc. are a great place to start the decision process with your parents. As a family owned company with communities throughout Virginia, Retirement Unlimited, Inc. does not require an endowment or entrance fee in any of their communities. Plus, with services ranging from independent living to dementia care, you are certain to find the right level of care for your parents.

Recently, the Washington Post published an article about the potential pitfalls of buying into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). In addition, a sidebar article by David Hilzenrath suggested scrutinizing the fine print of a contract prior to moving into this type of Retirement Community. However, a Continuing Care Retirement Community with its many amenities in not the only option for retirement or assisted living care. The Washington Post articles did raise some important issues that need to be addressed prior to moving in to ANY retirement or assisted living facility. You need answers regarding how the facility handles changing level of care, additional fees, move out decision making, and financial security. Additionally, the financial viability of the retirement or assisted living community is important to learn. Publicly owned companies make decisions about operations differently than privately owned retirement companies; and for-profit companies have different operating structures than no-for-profit companies.

Clearly, there are some major issues to resolve prior to moving into a retirement or assisted living community. The following is a list of questions you should consider asking any potential retirement or assisted living community. The questions are based on the concerns raised in the Washington Post articles.

• How does the community determine when a resident needs another level of care different than the level required when he or she originally moved in?
• Does the community notify the resident or family about the change in care and if so, how much notice is given?
• What are ALL the costs associated with a change in level of care?
• If a resident needs more care is he or she required to physically move to another apartment?
• What is specifically provided under another level of care? Can the family provide any aspect of the care or must the care be provided by the community?
• How long can the resident remain at the new level of care before another change is required?
• At what point will the community no longer be able to care for the resident?
• What type of training is given to the staff that provides the care to the resident?
• How often is the rent or additional fees changed or raised?
• What kind of notice is required to break the lease agreement and are there penalties associated with breaking the lease?
• What is the resident responsible for doing prior to moving out and are there additional charges associated with the move out?
• Does any security deposit placed accrue interest and how is the resident refunded this deposit after moving out?
• What happens if the resident outlives his or her finances? Does the community make any provision for this occurrence?
• Is there an entrance fee? If so, is it refundable?
• How is a resident’s financial viability determined by the community?
• Who can I contact if any part of the care is NOT provided?
• Who is responsible for the on-site management of the community and what is that person’s tenure with the company?
• What type of company manages the community? Is it public or private, for profit or not-for-profit?
• How are financial decisions made by the company that may impact the retirement or assisted living community?

The answers that you obtain when asking these questions will provide insight about how well a community is able to care for you or your loved one. It can give you a better foundation for feeling secure about the retirement or assisted living community you choose.

Virginia is a commonwealth with the nickname “Old Dominion.” Oftentimes, it is also referred to as the “Mother of Presidents” because eight of our U.S. Presidents were born there. The area’s history began with the founding of the Virginia Colony in 1607 as the first permanent English colony in the new world. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond. Virginia Beach is the most populous city, Fairfax County is the most populous political county, and the region’s main seaport and military facilities are located in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area.

Virginia is definitely for lovers – of history, beaches, wineries, mountains, rivers and the great outdoors. Throughout the Commonwealth there are many fun things to do. In this installment of Traveling Around Virginia we’ll visit the capital, Richmond, and explore sites to visit that are absolutely – free!

The city of Richmond is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, and surrounded by Interstate 295 and Virginia State Route 288 in central Virginia. The present city of Richmond was founded in 1609 and its economy is primarily driven by law, finance, and government. Tourism is an important aspect of the city. Here is just a sample of the activities and attractions in historic Richmond that you can do for FREE:

Canal Walk
Stretching 1.25 miles along the James River and the Kanawha and Haxall Canals, the Canal Walk provides you with four centuries of Richmond’s history. Multiple access points between 5th and 17th streets allow you to view many monuments and exhibits. For more information contact (804) 788-6466 or visit www.venturerichmond.com.

Maymont House Museum
The museum can be found on Hampton Street and is open daily. You can explore the museum, Italian and Japanese gardens, a carriage collection, 700 animals in wildlife exhibits, and the nature center. (804) 358-7166.

Monument Avenue
This site begins at the Fan District at the intersection of Harrison Street and proceeds west to Horsepen Road. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1890 with a monument to General Robert E. Lee. There are also statues of three Confederate leaders. In the 1990s a statue of Arthur Ashe was also added.

Old Dominion Railway Museum
The museum is housed in a restored Railway Express Agency car and features photos and artifacts. It is only open on weekends and is located on Hull Street. (804) 233-6237 or www.odcnrhs.org.

Richmond National Battlefield Park
At the park, you can see 3 floors of exhibits, maps and programs that show the story of Richmond during the Civil War. Located on Tredegar Street and open daily www.nps.gov/rich.

Virginia Historical Society
This tells the story of Virginia’s history. The 13 galleries feature the largest display of Virginia artifacts on permanent view. Located on N. Boulevard it is open every day but Monday www.vahistorical.org.

Virginia Capitol & Executive Mansion
The Virginia Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson, houses America’s oldest legislative assembly. Daily one-hour guided tours showcase historical statuary and painting, rare exhibit objects and newly restored legislative chambers. Self guided tours are also available The entrance is at 10th and Bank Streets; www.virginiacapitol.gov. The Executive Mansion is the oldest continuously occupied governor’s home since 1813 in the country. Visit www.executivemansion.virginia.gov.

Every time you interact with the world, your brain learns and grows. Active thinking and all kinds of physical activity improve brain function and can protect against cognitive decline. The human brain is a very flexible organ that can continually adapt and rewire itself based on activity, even as we age. The Franklin Institute Online suggests that though severe mental decline is usually caused by disease, most age-related losses in memory or motor skills are the result of inactivity and a lack of mental exercise and stimulation. In this article, we’ll take a look at how our brains can learn to form new connections and what simple tasks and exercises can be done to help your brain stay young.

Throughout your life, the neurons in your brain respond to each new stimulus and every learning experience. Each time this happens, the neurons in your brain reorganize or reinforce neuron pathways. A healthy, active neuron can be linked to thousands of other neurons making the potential for millions of new connections. This is why memory can be sparked not just from repeating the exact same experience, but by any aspect of a similar experience. Think about how a certain song or wonderful aroma can conjure up a memory. Your brain is literally changing each time you learn something new! So, simple tasks and exercises can stimulate your brain and build these receptors and connections keeping your brain young.

While crossword puzzles, math tasks, and even bingo are activities that can help your brain stay young, so too, can other more simple tasks. For example, try using your non-dominant hand to dial the phone, use the remote, or brush your teeth. Though at first it will be difficult to be precise and accurate with your motions, fear not, because this awkwardness is a good thing. It means that your brain is learning a new skill! Challenge yourself to try something new or different every day. Venture out of your comfort zone by driving a different route to or from work, learn a new hobby, or meet some new people. Even if you never repeat the exact same activity, you have created a new connection for your brain to use! A recent study even showed that one hour per week of doing internet searches resulted in an increase in the working memory of study participants over the age of 55.

The Franklin Institute Online suggests that we try to include one or more of our senses when doing a task. For example, get dressed with your eyes closed or in the dark (make sure you are sitting down to do this to minimize the risk of falling). Share a meal and use only visual cues to communicate. Listen to music while smelling a bouquet of flowers. Listen to the rain and tap your fingers at the same time. The point is, give your brain multiple opportunities to flex its muscle and grow. A passive life does not promote a young and vibrant brain.

Activate your life, activate your brain, be healthy and stay young.