by | Feb 15, 2016 | Articles
Whether we are talking about you, a spouse or a parent, it’s not always crystal clear if it is time to consider a move to an assisted living facility. One of the key considerations is whether you, your spouse or parent needs more personal care than is available at home or in an independent living community. Safety is a huge consideration. For example, have there been any recent falls or balance issues? What about leaving the stovetop on or any other signs of forgetfulness? If you or your loved one has fallen or left the stovetop on more than once, it might be time for assisted living accommodations. Some additional safety considerations include whether you or your loved one is: Still able to drive. Prone to wander. Struggling with eyesight. The answers to these questions should be part of your decision-making process. Other issues/questions to consider include: Dietary issues. Is the elderly person losing weight, or unable to get to the grocery store or cook for themselves? Housekeeping. Does the home look less tidy and more cluttered than usual? Is unopened mail accumulating? Are the dishes getting washed? Hygiene. Are you or your loved one wearing the same clothes day after day or struggling with personal bathing or toileting? Social. This is a consideration that is often overlooked. Are you or your loved one alone more often than not, not calling or seeing friends frequently, or no longer attending church or other regular social activities? Assisted living facilities, such as Country Home Assisted Living in Parker, Colorado, help with all of these issues. At Country Home, you or your...
by | Jan 19, 2016 | Articles
Choosing an assisted living facility for you or a loved one can be a difficult process. First, it marks a major change in one’s lifestyle. Second, you want to find a place that is a good fit – one that will provide adequate accommodations for years into the future. When reviewing your options, it is very important to consider personal needs, and to trust your feelings and reactions when visiting possible locations. In my 18 years as the owner of Country Home Assisted Living in Parker, Colorado, I’ve learned firsthand the difference it makes when facilities are properly vetted. So here are 15 questions to get you started. Is the facility licensed? What is the admission criteria? What is the starting price and what does it cover? If applicable to your situation, be sure to also ask if Medicaid is accepted. What are the room sizes and are they private or semi-private? What about bathrooms? How many residents live at the assisted living facility? What is the ratio of residents to staff? What type of care is provide? What type of meals are provided? If applicable, you’ll also want to ask if special diets can be accommodated. How is housekeeping/laundry handled? Are cable TV and Internet service provided? What types of activities, such as outings or art classes, are available? Is transportation available to and from doctors’ offices? Can a personal family physician be involved in providing medical care? Are family members welcome to visit and/or take their loved ones out for a family activity, lunch or doctor appointment? What are the reasons for which a resident can be...
by | Dec 17, 2015 | Articles
She’s been known as one of the Glitzy, Glitz Girls, an active member of the Parker community, and a major contributor to the area and its farming history. Now, at 97, she spends her days enjoying the atmosphere and country setting offered at Country Home Assisted Living in Elbert County. She is Gunhild Dransfeldt. You might recognize the name. Dransfeldt Road was named after the Dransfeldt family, one of the area’s strong civic-minded families that made a true difference to the Parker community. Although a massive stroke in 2007 took away her ability to speak and she now moves about in a wheelchair, that doesn’t stop this long-time Parker area resident from communicating through eye movements, sounds and mannerisms as she looks ahead to celebrating her 100th birthday, according to her daughter, JoAnn “Josie” Fetters. “I’m so grateful because Mom loves it at Country Home. She can look out and see all the animals,” Josie said. “The other ladies there absolutely adore her.” And yes, “she’s lived a full and wonderful life.” While Josie and Country Home now look after Gunhild, Josie speaks fondly of the woman who gave so much to her, the workers on the family’s farm land and the community. Here’s just a sampling of what Gunhild Dransfeldt accomplished during her many years in the Denver metro area. It all started in 1924, when she first came to America and the Cherry Creek Valley in Colorado from Denmark with her parents, Louis and Jensine Kragelund. She spent her youngest years living in homesteads up and down the Cherry Creek Valley, where she met her husband, Fred...
by | Nov 17, 2015 | Articles
If you or a loved one is faced with increasing physical ailments or medical care needs, you are probably considering a move from a long-time home to an assisted living facility. While this is a difficult – and sometimes traumatic – decision to make, there are a number of advantages to moving into a qualified facility that is specifically set up to take care of the needs of an aging population. First, the home that has been lived in for many years may be too much to take care of, especially as mobility becomes more difficult. Yard work, housecleaning, cooking and even driving may start to become more of a stress and burden. In an assisted living facility, those tasks and chores become a thing of the past. Perhaps one of the greatest advantages is eating better. When older people prepare food at home, they often do not eat right – often because it is so unappealing to cook for one or two. At elder care communities, like Country Home Assisted Living in Parker, seniors don’t have to worry about grocery shopping or fixing meals that are balanced and good for them. It is done for them. Secondly, let’s look at the social environment created at assisted living facilities. With other people to interact with and a variety of activities to engage in, seniors won’t be faced with the boredom they often face by living home alone. They’ll make new friends and probably learn some new hobbies. Finally, there’s the issue of safety. Country Home Assisted Living and other care facilities focus on helping their residents avoid falls and...
by | Oct 19, 2015 | Articles
A senior’s transition from living at home to an assisted living facility can be a stressful time for many families. It represents a live-changing event that is often dreaded by both the younger members of the family and the seniors themselves. So picking an appropriate accommodation is important in easing the transition and keeping all family members as comfortable as possible with the change. If you are the adult child selecting an assisted living facility for your parent(s), here are a couple of thoughts, based on my experience as the owner of Country Home Assisted Living in Parker, a smaller, residential facility in the country. Think about the seniors’ needs and wants rather than your own. Adult children will often select a facility that appeals to them without considering their parents’ lifestyle. This can be a mistake. Your parents might not be interested in a huge dining room or a heated swimming pool, especially if they don’t like crowds or swimming. The best choice for an assisted living facility isn’t always the closest one. Adult children are often attracted to the nearest facility because they believe they will visit their loved ones on a daily basis. It’s better to find a facility that meets your loved ones needs first. Daily visits are an unrealistic expectation to put on one’s self, no matter how much you love your parents. And, chances are, they will be engaged in other activities offered by the assisted living facility, not just waiting for a family member to come and visit. So find a facility that offers what they want and need to be happy....
by | Sep 15, 2015 | Art, Articles
Participation in regular mental activities is crucial for seniors as they go through the aging process, whether they live in their own home, with their children or at an assisted living facility like Country Home in Parker. These activities can include anything from arts and crafts projects and computer games, to playing cards and even telling the stories of their lives. One important note, according to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, is that these activities should be new or different types of activities. If they’ve been a reader all their life, reading a book will not have the same impact as taking up painting or playing a game of bridge if they’ve never been an artist or card player. Learning a new hobby or taking up a new craft will stimulate brain cells and provide interaction with others. Some of these types of activities help out in other ways. For example, an arts and crafts project can help maintain eye and hand coordination and fine motor skills. Folks who want to tell stories about their lives will find an added benefit from the social interaction that the conversation provides. Finally, if the seniors like what they are doing, that will stimulate their brains even more by sending electrical impulses that signal pleasure from the activity. So if you have elderly relatives who need a little brain stimulation and have never thought of themselves as artists, bring out some paints and some paper and see what happens! If that doesn’t work, try dragging out the old Monopoly game or cards for a game of bridge or...
