by Linda Melbardis | Jan 1, 2020 | Senior Assisted Living
ALL ABOARD! At Country Home Assisted Living in Parker, Co. all the gals love their activities and outings with the Outback Express. Every Tuesday of the month Outback Express comes to take them into Parker and the surrounding areas for lunch and a trip to Walmart or stores of their choice. The Outback Express is a large bus with white and blue stripes and clearly marked “Outback Express.” There is a lift for handicap and less mobile residents. The bus is a division of the East Central Council of local governments (ECCOG) and serves the plains of Colorado in the counties of Elbert, Cheyenne, Kit Carson and Lincoln. A fare system has been established, based on 11 cents per mile. The system is funded with the Federal Transit Administration through the Colorado Department of Transportation and with local government support. Kay and husband Jim have been the drivers for Country Home Assisted Living and provide a fun and safe trip each week. One of the most enjoyable trips has been to Cracker Barrel in Colorado Springs. Our residents love the hour drive and the scenic route taken, and of course the great food at Cracker Barrel. At Country Home Assisted Living in Parker Colorado we always have fun things to do here. We love to go to plays at the Pace Center in Parker, lunch at the Senior Center, or just out for ice cream! So come on over and visit us and find out more. ...
by Linda Melbardis | Mar 23, 2019 | Senior Assisted Living
Wow. Snow in March in Colorado isn’t unusual, but the blizzard that battered us in mid-March was one for the records. I was grateful for the safety and security Country Home Assisted Living was able to provide our eight residents. Because our country setting is quite open, with a few trees not close to the house, the howling wind swayed the otherwise sturdy ponderosas and created drifts four and five feet high. We were safe and sound during the storm, but we do have an emergency plan in case of a natural disaster or even a terrorist attack. The state requires it. Our backup generator will provide heat, lights and water should we lose power in a storm (we didn’t). And if we must evacuate, we have a home in the mountains that can accommodate more residents than our current household. Each of our residents has a personal emergency kit containing medical records, medications list, family contacts, and physician contact information. I also keep the information on one sheet, which I use in case I need to call 911. It comprises individuals’ information plus the pharmacy, DNR documentation, and the Medicaid and Medicare numbers. In short, we’re prepared. And, even though we’re in a lovely country setting, Country Home Assisted Living is still within easy reach of first responders, should we ever need them. We can always use the moisture spring snow provides, but the next snowfall, hopefully speaking, will lead to early spring...
by Linda Melbardis | Nov 10, 2018 | Uncategorized
Older patients who have cognitive impairment, including dementia, have a higher risk for dental caries (progressive loss of bone or tooth, and tooth decay), periodontal disease, and oral infection because of their decreased ability to engage in home oral care. Mobility challenges also keep older patients from visiting their dentist. Older adults with systemic health conditions also are prone to gum disease and dental infections. That’s why this month (November), Country Home assisted living in Parker began to offer dental hygiene service to our residents, thanks to Senior Smiles, LLC, a Medicaid-covered service. Every three months, a Senior Smiles hygienist will visit our residents to tend to their dental needs. The dental health service provides first-rate dental hygiene services to adults residing in assisted living and group homes, independent living, and skilled nursing homes. Each visit provides a gentle dental cleaning and a checkup. And if needed, Senior Smiles has a dentist who will come on site to treat cavities and repair or make dentures. Olga Kogan, who founded Senior Smiles, LLC, in the Denver area, has been in the dental care provider business for 30 years, and has 17 years of experience as a dental hygienist. She and her team serve the Denver metro area as well as northern and southern Colorado. “Our hygienists truly love working with adults and seniors who have various health-related challenges,” Olga told me. “We treat our patients the way we would like to be treated.” She prefers to send the same hygienist to Country Home each time, “so they can get to know the patients individually.” For Olga, caring for patients with...
by Linda Melbardis | Oct 18, 2018 | Senior Assisted Living, Uncategorized
Calcium. Potassium. Sodium. Vitamin D. Vitamin B12. Dietary fiber. Sound boring? It doesn’t have to be. No matter our age, we all need the basics of a healthy diet. But older adults have dietary needs to mitigate the risks of deficiencies that come with age. At Country Home assisted living in Elbert County, my aim is to see that my residents are well nourished so they can feel their best and enjoy a good quality of life. A few basics about that list of nutrients: As we age, we’re more susceptible to bone loss, which can lead to fractures – a risk from falling. Calcium is vital to bone health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, so the two go hand in hand. Good sources of calcium aren’t just dairy products, though, so if you can’t or don’t want to eat dairy, opt for green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and okra. Nuts are also sources of calcium. Even fish such as sardines contain calcium, but they must include the bones—and you need to eat them. Potassium is a partner with sodium, in that it counterbalances some of sodium’s harmful effects (such as high blood pressure). Foods that contain potassium include fruits, vegetables and fish–such as bananas, sweet potatoes, winter squash, spinach, and tuna and cod, just to name a few foods. Also on the list are prune and orange juices, canned white beans, lima beans and yogurt. Among vitamins, vitamin B-12 is important for cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and bone health. A deficiency of vitamin B-12 can be associated with tingling or prickly feelings in...
by Linda Melbardis | Sep 12, 2018 | Uncategorized
“Music is what feelings sound like,” says music therapist Amy Wilson, quoting a sign posted in the home she shares with her musician husband. A board-certified music therapist, Amy explains how she works with residents of Country Home Assisted Living here in Elbert County. Amy has been providing weekly, hourlong music therapy sessions at Country Home for three years, bringing rhythm instruments such as maracas, drums and bells, recordings, and dance props such as scarves—all whose purpose is to engage our residents socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically. Music itself has “therapeutic” benefits for many populations in many settings, but music therapy as a medically based profession is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals by a professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. That’s what we provide at Country Home Assisted Living to improve the quality of life for our residents. “Individualized” is key. At Country Home Assisted Living, our music therapist pays close attention to the individual needs of our residents, watching for facial expressions or behaviors that indicate a reaction to the music—for example, whether it calls up happy or sad memories. We want to know what kinds of music they like, what music they don’t like, about music in their past. Is it big band, country western, classical? Because our setting accommodates a small number of residents (generally eight or fewer), Amy can address the needs of each person. Once she assesses the strengths and needs of our Country Home residents, Amy provides the indicated treatment, including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music. The concept of music as...
