For most of us, Halloween is a lot of fun and an evening we all look forward to. Children ringing the doorbell and shouting “Trick or treat” with crazy costumes and masks are part of our culture and we are all too willing to bring out the basket of candy over and over again. But […]
Nothing is more exciting for our memory care residents than visits from young people. Whether they are from a local school, youth organization or family members, they never fail to bring smiles and laughter to everyone. Recently, residents of Emerald Place Memory Care in Glenview, Illinois were treated to a visit from the local Northfield […]
Porter Place Memory Care residents and the local Brownie troop #65143 got together recently for a pin “SWAP”. What is SWAP? If you’ve ever been a Brownie you know: “Special Watchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere”. The event sparked memories for the residents and some staff members as well. SWAP was covered in the local Village View […]
Recently, the television series, 60 Minutes, had a wonderful and poignant segment featuring Tony Bennett who, at 95, has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years. While Tony couldn’t recall the fact that he had shared the stage in a recent concert with Lady Gaga, he could recall all the words to several of […]
One of the most challenging interactions with aging parents is broaching the subject of finances. They typically resist sharing that side of their lives and, frankly, would prefer not to be asked at all! And yet, as your parents grow older, the truth is that they will be needing more help to handle bills, banking and […]
Wouldn’t it be great if every city, town and village was committed to improving the lives of individuals living with dementia? Porter Place Memory Care has been actively involved in the greater community for several years now. So helping the Village of Tinley Park work towards a “Dementia Friendly” designation was a natural extension of […]
Tinley Park Teams with Porter Place Memory Care to Achieve “Dementia Friendly” Designation Recently the town of Tinley Park, Illinois, with the help of Porter Place Memory Care, was designated a “dementia friendly” community. It is part of the Dementia Friendly America initiative to encourage communities throughout the U.S. to support citizens living with dementia, as […]
When was the last time you took a walk? How did you feel afterwards? Maybe a little winded, but probably pretty good and ready to relax, right? A good, brisk walk is one of nature’s most perfect exercises because it not only works many muscles, but it feeds oxygen to the brain, increases energy and […]
While our Anthem Memory Care community life engagement directors love to organize fun events and activities for our residents, they also recognize the value of providing plenty of opportunity to relax and experience periods of peace and quiet. A researcher from the University of Wisconsin, Laura Joosse, has studied the relationship between sound and behavior […]
Generally speaking, Alzheimer’s disease is a topic that most of us are pretty familiar with. We know that it involves memory loss that continues to accelerate over the years. But beneath this very basic understanding, sits a general lack awareness of important details. As a result, many inaccuracies continue to get passed around. September is […]
We often get asked why our memory care communities organize many of our activities to include local school children. It’s an easy question to answer. Intergenerational activities are beneficial for everyone involved. For our residents, it gives them a chance to connect with young people in ways that sharpen their senses and the opportunity to […]
Did you know that up to 40% of individuals with dementia also struggle with depression? That’s certainly not a welcome statistic, especially if you are caring for a loved one diagnosed with a dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. What can be challenging is being able to recognize depression in a loved one with dementia. The […]
At our Anthem Memory Care communities, few things are as exciting as outings, for both our residents and our staff. Yes, they require some planning and organization, but it’s well worth the effort. For individuals living with dementia, activities that stimulate the five senses do more than simply make for an enjoyable experience. They have […]
August is National Wellness Month. And while wellness principles should be practiced year-round, this month presents us with a great opportunity to stop and check in with our health. For individuals living with dementia, wellness takes on added significance. We believe it is important for family caregivers to understand that the limitations associated with dementias, […]
Nothing is more satisfying for residents of Harvester Place Memory Care in Burr Ridge, Illinois than finding new ways to “give back” to the community. Recently, a group of local summer school children visited Harvester Place to work with residents to create some very unique dog chew toys, all to be donated to the local animal […]