Category: Blog

Food is a part of everyday life and is always important to consider, no matter your age. But the foods that best promote our health change in each stage of life. Know what nutrients will best support you in your older adulthood, and follow these nutritional tips for seniors.

• Enjoy variety and maximize needed nutrients.

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s just what your menu needs, too. Eat a variety of foods from each food group to boost your health and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and heart disease.

Aim to maximize nutrients that best promote senior health:

• Vitamin D, which is good for bones
• Vitamin B12, to avoid deficiency
• Potassium helps maintain fluid levels
• Calcium, healthy bones and teeth
• Dietary fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels
• Protein, which helps maintain muscle mass

• Avoid empty calories and foods with high cholesterol or fat.

Avoid so-called “empty calories,” which are foods that are high in calories but offer little nutritional value. This includes candy, soda, chips, and carbohydrate-based desserts like cakes and muffins. Limiting empty calories will help you control your weight and can reduce your risk of chronic illness.

Foods high in cholesterol or fat should also be avoided, as they have been associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Drink lots of liquid.

Hydration is always essential, but you should be even more intentional about it in your senior years. As you age, you may start to lose your sense of thirst, so it’s important to be aware of your liquid consumption. Additionally, some medications may increase your dehydration risk.

• Remember that your body is an integrated system.

Another important guideline for senior nutrition is to not focus solely on your food. While healthy dieting choices are extremely beneficial to your health, they should be supported by other healthy actions. This includes getting adequate physical exercise and monitoring your mental health.

Nutrition education allows you to make meaningful choices that will bolster your quality of life as you age. Keep these nutrition guidelines in mind when making dietary decisions. And remember, there are plenty of tools and resources to assist you!

Celebrate Senior Living is a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable long-term residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and short-term stay options. We also provide three delicious, healthy meals a day to ensure our residents get the nutrients they need!

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland 
• Celebrate Niles 
• Celebrate Fort Wayne 

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the benefits of exercise for seniors be sure to check out Celebrate Senior Living. 

Contact Celebrate Senior Living

Regardless of age, exercise is important for our bodies, our minds, and our overall well-being. However, it can be even more crucial for older adults to stay active in order to keep healthy. But, over 27% of adults ages 50 and older get little to no physical activity. In this article, we’ll discuss the most important benefits of exercise for seniors and include some quick, easy exercises for seniors to get active!

The Importance of Seniors Exercising

Here are some reasons why exercising is so important for seniors:

• Protects Against Disease – Routine exercise keeps all of the different parts of our body healthy and in their best shape, including our muscles, bones, and organs. This helps to reduce the risk of many harmful diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and more. It also strengthens our immune system and decreases the likelihood we get sick from a cold or virus.

• Improves Mental Health – Exercising also helps to improve our mental health because it releases endorphins that make us feel good. This can help improve both our mood and our self-esteem.

• Prevents Injuries – Physical activity also strengthens our muscles and bones. This helps to ensure our bodies are able to function correctly and helps to reduce the risk of injuries, like sprains, tears, and even broken bones.

• Delays the Onset of Dementia – Regular physical activity helps to improve cognitive function and is also linked to delaying the onset of dementia. That means getting active on a regular basis can help you keep your mind sharp and safe!

Quick and Easy Senior Exercises

Here are some quick and easy exercises for seniors to help get moving and feeling all the benefits of physical activity listed above:

• Go for a Walk – It seems simple and obvious, but walking is the easiest way to get moving. Make it a routine to walk once or twice each day to help keep you healthy.

• Use Resistance Bands – You can use resistance bands to perform strength workouts that are safe and easy. This will help you get active and avoid the need for heavy weights and equipment.

• Get In the Pool – Swimming is one of the best exercises because it takes the weight and pressure off many of your joints and muscles. You can choose to swim laps, do water aerobics, or do any other activity in the water.

• Do Yoga – Yoga is a great way to get active without needing too much equipment or to even leave your home. You can also do chair yoga if it is more suitable for you.

Celebrate Senior Living is a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable long-term residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and short term stay options. 

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland 
• Celebrate Niles 
• Celebrate Fort Wayne 

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the The best balance exercises for Seniors be sure to check out Celebrate Senior Living. 

Contact Celebrate Senior Living

Downsizing can seem like a daunting task when you’ve accumulated so many belongings. Add to that, the stress of leaving a home that you’ve lived in for years. We at Celebrate Living understand the importance of having a plan that makes downsizing and moving easier.  In this article, we’ll cover some of the most important downsizing tips for seniors to help you get started.

A Downsizing Guide for Seniors

In this guide, we’ll offer some of the best tips for downsizing for seniors:

• Decide Where You Are Moving – First, it’s essential to figure out where you are moving to. The most common options include moving in with family, moving to an apartment or condo, or moving to a senior living community. Wherever you decide to move will determine how much space you’ll have and how many possessions you can bring with you.

• Make a Plan – The next step is to make a plan for your downsize. This will ensure you get everything done in time before your move and aren’t rushing later on. Give yourself more time than you think you need. Decide where you’ll start, what you’ll do with things you aren’t keeping, how you’ll organize your belongings, the labeling system you’ll use, and more.

• Sort Your Possessions and Give Away What You’re Not Keeping – Start small and go through your house one room at a time to keep things organized. One tip is to make  “keep”, “toss”, and “give away” piles. Each item you own should end up in one of those piles. Another tip is to not keep duplicates of anything. You should also consider giving things away as you sort, so they don’t continue to take up space. This will also allow them to have a second life with a loved one or friend.

• Prepare for the Actual Move – After you’ve finished sorting through all of your possessions and you know what you are keeping, it’s time to prepare for the actual move. This involves making sure all of your boxes are labeled and determining how you will move all of your belongings to your new home—whether family and friends help or you hire movers. There are even moving companies that specialize in helping seniors move.

• Transition to Your Next Step – Finally, it’s time to transition to your new home, wherever it may be. Take time to adjust to your new situation and don’t rush things. It can sometimes be difficult, but try to look at the positives, which could be less cleaning, less cooking, more time and money for your favorite hobbies, more social interactions, and more!

Celebrate Senior Living is a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable long-term residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and short-term stay options. 

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland 
• Celebrate Niles 
• Celebrate Fort Wayne 

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the different living options for seniors, be sure to check out Celebrate Senior Living. 

Contact Celebrate Senior Living – LINK:https://celebrateseniorliving.org/contact-us

The holidays are usually a happy season full of celebrations and time spent with loved ones, but there can be a complicated relationship between seniors and the holidays for a number of reasons. The holidays bring many stressors that can particularly affect older adults, such as reminders of those who may not be with them anymore, which may lead to depression. These can even lead to depression around the holidays for seniors. In this article, we’ll provide some holiday stress management tips for seniors and those caring for them.

Tips to Help Seniors with Holiday Stress and Depression 

• Communicate and Plan Ahead – The first steps to help manage holiday stress for seniors are to communicate and plan ahead. Think about everything your holiday celebrations will involve and make sure that they will include everyone who attends. Sometimes seniors feel left out because they aren’t included in certain activities, so ensure there is plenty of communication beforehand so everyone comes in with the right expectations.

Communicating before planning will also allow you to request or include specific activities in your celebration. Seniors can also plan ahead and make sure they have everything they need in order to enjoy themselves and the time they are spending with loved ones.

• Be Open to Change – Even after communicating and planning ahead, being open to change is crucial to help with stress for seniors around the holidays. When people gather together, things don’t always go according to plan, so come in with the mindset that doing something different is okay, especially if everyone is still having fun.

There are often many meaningful traditions and rituals that families and friends have, and those can be hard to let go of. It’s important to try to include the most important ones in your celebration, but being open to alternate options could lead to fun, bonding, and even new traditions. This also involves changing your plan if not everyone feels included.

• Get Active – One of the best ways to deal with stress is to get active. Physical activity has many benefits for our bodies, but it can significantly help to boost our energy and mood. That’s why it’s vital to get—or stay—active around the holidays. Help seniors to get active by planning outings where they can get some exercise, like walking around a holiday market, doing family yoga, taking workout classes together, and more.

• Celebrate Everything – The holidays are a time for celebration but are often difficult for seniors because they remind them of loved ones they’ve lost. That’s why it’s important to celebrate those individuals and not try to avoid those emotions. Be honest and open with your family or friends so everyone feels comfortable sharing, grieving, and celebrating together. Understand that your loved ones are there to support you and help you honor the people you miss.

At Celebrate Senior Living, we are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. 

We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable long-term residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and short-term stay options. 

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland 
• Celebrate Niles 
• Celebrate Fort Wayne 

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about our homes be sure to contact us at Celebrate Senior Living.

Moving to a new home can be a difficult, stressful process due to all of the different things you need to do—such as planning, packing up your belongings, selling your old home, and more. This process can be especially challenging for seniors and older adults who are moving to a new home or into a senior living community.

5 Tips for Moving into a Senior Living Care Facility

1. Decide Where You Are Moving – The first—and most important—step for seniors who are ready to move is to decide where they are moving to. Figuring out if you are moving in with a loved one, to another house, to an apartment, to a condo, or into a senior living community will determine how much space you’ll have for your belongings, the items you’ll need to bring with you, and whether you’ll need to give some things away. It’s also important to make sure you are moving to a place that suits your needs. For example, if it’s difficult to go up and down stairs, you probably shouldn’t move to a multi-story home. Take all of your needs into consideration when making your decisions so you will feel at home and comfortable in your new home.
2. Start Planning Your Move Early – It’s essential for seniors to start the moving process early. This includes having a detailed plan for when to start sorting through your belongings, making a timeline for selling your house, and more. Moving almost always takes longer than we anticipate, so starting early will give you the necessary time to complete everything on your list and prevent you from feeling rushed.
3. Downsize Personal Belongings– Even if you are moving to another home that has enough space to store all of your belongings, you should consider downsizing and giving away some of the things you’ve collected over your lifetime. This may be a difficult task but think about the things you will really need and use after you’ve moved. Downsizing now also gives you the opportunity to pass on cherished items to your loved ones and give the items a new life.
4. Use a Moving Company That Specializes in Helping Seniors – One of the most important parts of your move will be physically moving all of your belongings to your new home. There are many moving companies that have services designed for senior citizens, and hiring one of these companies will allow you to have peace of mind knowing that everything will be properly packed, loaded, and moved to your new home.

Celebrate Senior Living is a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable long-term residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and short-term stay options. 

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland
• Celebrate Niles
• Celebrate Fort Wayne

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the many benefits of senior living housing be sure to check out Celebrate Senior Living. 

As our loved ones get older they can continue living at home and in their communities instead of moving into specific senior living facilities. This is what is commonly referred to as “aging in place”.

While aging in place often seems like the easiest option, it might not be the most viable or safe choice in the long run. Here are some reasons why aging in place isn’t always the best option for older adults:

Disadvantages to Aging in Place

1.Missing Out on Quality Health Care

Many older adults who don’t receive some type of support or professional care can find it difficult to provide such care for themselves day in and day out. Specialized senior care faciliteis can offer many benefits to senior citizens, including skilled nusing, memory care, personal care, and more.

2.Security

Living alone can present security issues for anyone, but it can leave older adults especially vulnerable. It is unfortunate that criminals of various kinds may prey on seniors and take advantage of them when they live alone.

This is true in the case of physical crimes like burglary, but also in other ways like scams on the internet. Senior individuals are often victimized by scammers when dealing with online transactions like paying utilities, rent/mortgage, shopping, and even phone bills.

Community living in a senior care long-term residence can alleviate many safety concerns. Senior living residents will be confident they are living in a secure community, and they won’t have as many expenses to keep track of.

3. Household Chores

It’s often hard for older adults to complete chores like laundry, house cleaning, yard work, and even grocery shopping. These chores can be labor and time-intensive, causing unneeded stress and exertion for seniors who should be relaxing and enjoying retirement. Some older adults may hire house cleaners and gardeners, but this gives them, even more, to keep track of and pay for. Fortunately, living in a senior community setting provides older adults with everything they need, like housekeeping, meal plans, and transportation.

4. Hygiene and Personal Care

Everyday things like bathing, dressing, and grooming can also be difficult for older adults living by themselves. They can consider hiring a trained aide, but the cost for that may be more than they can afford. On the other hand, life in a senior living community allows older adults to choose the living option that works best for them, including those that provide help with bathing, dressing, and more.

Healthy and Regular Meals

When older individuals live by themselves, even something as commonplace as cooking can become difficult to manage. Sometimes, seniors will skip meals due to the effort needed to prepare them. Aging comes with challenges such as limited energy to carry out most daily living activities like cooking, getting groceries, and more. This is all the more reason that older adults need to eat a healthy, balanced diet every single day. Luckily, senior living communities offer meal and dining plans that provide residents with delicious, healthy options every day.

At Celebrate Senior Living, we are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. An assisted living community has many benefits for individuals and helping them with their every day life. Celebrate Senior Living facilities provide seniors their own space while maintaining a friendly community atmosphere of older adults. We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable residential environments, including memory care, independent care and assisted living.

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland
• Celebrate Niles
• Celebrate Fort Wayne

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the senior living housing options we can offer, contact Celebrate Senior Living.

As we age, it can be difficult to admit when we could use a helping hand. Whether you or a loved one are no longer able to live independently, there are several different programs for seniors living alone to consider. There are many senior living options that provide a variety of support and healthcare based on the individual’s needs, so finding the perfect support specific to you is simpler than ever. Explore the various types of living options for seniors, all available at Celebrate Senior Living:

1. Independent Living

For seniors who want to maintain their independence, but could use help keeping up on chores and smaller things, this is the option for you. Independent living communities are a great way to eliminate home maintenance responsibilities while keeping up an active social life. These retirement communities typically offer condo-style housing with repairs and upkeep handled by the facility. 

Independent senior living typically offers housekeeping services and restaurant-style dining as well! The best retirement communities offer both on-site recreational activities and transportation to off-site entertainment, providing endless opportunities to continue the lifestyle you love. This senior living option is especially good for seniors who currently live alone and want to remain independent but avoid the loneliness and isolation that can come with age.

2. Assisted Living

Assisted living communities feature a level of care between independent living and skilled nursing. This option is when senior living facilities provide assistance with daily activities including tasks like bathing, dressing, taking medication, and eating. Along with support from staff in handling housekeeping and providing transportation, great assisted living facilities usually offer engaging amenities like a library or fitness center!

This experience lets residents maintain as much independence as possible, as they only receive help for the activities they need it for. Assisted living is ideal for seniors who would struggle to live independently but don’t have significant medical needs.

3. Skilled Nursing

Skilled nursing care is the highest level of care available in senior living facilities, with medical professionals available 24/7. The care provided aims to help maintain and restore as much skill and independence as possible. 

Since these facilities are focused on improving or maintaining residents’ health, they don’t usually have the types of on-site amenities offered at independent and assisted living communities. Skilled nursing facilities can be a long-term option for seniors with serious medical needs or a short-term option for those recovering from a serious injury.

4. Memory Care

Memory care services are specifically designed to meet the needs of seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other significant memory impairments. Senior living communities offering this service are designed to keep residents both engaged and safe. Not only do they provide memory-enhancing activities and assistance with daily function, but memory care facilities offer a secure location so residents don’t wander away or leave without supervision. Typically, the staff at facilities are knowledgable about Alzheimer’s and dementia and they are trained to offer memory care services.

5. Respite or Short-Term Care

Respite care is a short-term senior living option for those who are living and receiving care at home. Respite care allows the primary caregiver, usually an unpaid family member, to catch a break from their everyday caregiving responsibilities. The level of care varies depending on the senior’s needs, whether it’s a weekend or a month, this option is great for families looking for an extra hand in their elderly care duties.

Find a Senior Living Community Near You

At Celebrate Senior Living, we are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. Whether it’s through assisted or independent living, we provide a friendly community atmosphere with senior living options for every stage of life. We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing options. 

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland
• Celebrate Niles 
• Celebrate Fort Wayne

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the senior living housing options we can offer, contact Celebrate Senior Living today! 

Dementia is a broad term used to describe a group of symptoms that can affect thinking, speaking, behavior, and memory in older adults. These symptoms generally involve issues with cognitive function and have the ability to severely interfere with one’s daily life. Changes towards this can be indicative of various memory diseases, like Alzheimer’s. Dementia in older adults can be difficult to diagnose, as slower brain function can just be part of aging. However, if there is an underlying issue, it is important to be aware and educated on the 10 early warning signs of Dementia in older adults.

10 Early Warning Signs of Dementia

1. Memory Loss – One of the first warning signs of dementia is not remembering things. Whether you or a loved one is having trouble remembering events, appointments, or what was just said, these minor things can be signs of early dementia. You may notice increased usage of reminders, like notes or alarms— signaling a noticed disruption to one’s daily life.

2. Confusion – Another early sign of dementia is confusion, especially when it comes to time and place. This would include things like losing track of dates, forgetting times, and having difficulty comprehending events that are happening in the future. You may notice your loved one repeating or clarifying the same event multiple times.

3. Trouble Speaking, Reading, or Writing – If you or a loved one have trouble speaking, reading, or writing — it could be considered an early warning sign of dementia. This includes not being able to think of words for basic objects, like a pen or a phone, or substituting words into a conversation that don’t quite fit.

4. Mood and Personality Changes – Mood and personality changes can be another indication of someone living with dementia. This could be getting overly upset in normal situations, being suspicious of others, or being abnormally fearful. Personalities can change in subtle ways over time, including lack of interest, but is typically out of character.

5. Struggling to Plan or Solve Problems – Other warning signs of dementia are when someone struggles to plan ahead or solve simple problems. This could be as simple as following familiar cooking recipes, getting dressed, or paying bills on time. They may have trouble completing tasks that have been familiar to them all their lives, such as playing a game.

6. Difficulty Completing Normal Tasks – Regular everyday tasks become increasingly difficult to complete. Tasks like cooking, driving, or shopping become a hassle and burdensome. You may notice frustration throughout the process.

7. Withdrawal from Normal Activities – Signs of dementia can include beginning to withdraw from activities and events they normally enjoy. You may notice your loved one stops caring about work or no longer wants part in social activities. They may fall out of a routine they never broke, such as going to church.

8. Issues with Judgment – Issues with judgment are another early indicator of dementia, this could be falling for scams or having trouble caring for a pet properly. You may notice they are not being able to manage money well or not paying attention to personal hygiene like they used to.

9. Problems with Perception and Balance – Signs of dementia can involve someone having trouble with their vision, perception, and hearing. Things like balancing, setting things down, and dropping items, becomes more frequent.

10. Disorientation to time and place – People living with dementia can become lost in familiar places. It may be on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get home. It could be getting lost in a familiar place or not remembering the purpose of going into a room. Things that are typically second nature become confusing.

Find An Assisted Living Facilty for Dementia

At Celebrate Senior Living, we are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. An assisted living community has many benefits for individuals dealing with Dementia and memory loss diseases. Celebrate Senior Living facilities provide seniors their own space while maintaining a friendly community atmosphere of older adults. We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable residential environments, including memory care, rehabilitation, and short term stay options.

Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.

• Celebrate South Holland
• Celebrate Niles
• Celebrate Fort Wayne

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the senior living housing options we can offer, contact Celebrate Senior Livingtoday!