What is Skilled Nursing and Does Your Loved One Need It?

/0 Comments/in /by

Skilled nursing refers to a type of medical care that is provided by licensed nurses and other healthcare professionals in a skilled nursing facility or in a patient’s home. Skilled nursing care is typically provided to individuals who require more intensive medical care and supervision than can be provided by a family member or home health aide.

Skilled nursing care may include a range of medical services, such as wound care, medication management, intravenous therapy, and other specialized treatments. Skilled nursing facilities may also provide rehabilitation services, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, to help patients recover from an illness or injury.

To receive skilled nursing care, individuals typically need a referral from a physician and may need to meet certain eligibility requirements, such as requiring a certain level of medical care or assistance with activities of daily living.

Skilled nursing care is typically recommended for individuals who require more intensive medical care and supervision than can be provided by a family member or home health aide. This may include individuals who have complex medical conditions, require advanced wound care, need intravenous therapy or other specialized treatments, or require rehabilitation services after an illness or injury.

To determine whether skilled nursing care is necessary, a healthcare professional, such as a physician, may evaluate the individual’s medical needs and make a recommendation for the appropriate level of care. Factors that may be considered include the individual’s medical history, current health status, level of functional independence, and availability of support from family or caregivers.

Our goal at Safe Haven is to maintain a life for our residents that is active, uplifting and well-rounded. Families who have a loved one at Safe Haven have a peace of mind that their loved one is being taken care of.

Assisted living homes in Atlanta

What is a Personal Care Home?

/0 Comments/in /by

A personal care home for seniors, also known as assisted living facility, is a residential community designed for elderly individuals who require some assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and medication management. Personal care homes are intended for seniors who are still relatively independent but may need some support with certain activities.

Personal care homes typically provide 24-hour supervision, daily meals, housekeeping services, and social activities. Many personal care homes also offer healthcare services, such as medication administration and monitoring, as well as assistance with medical appointments. The goal of a personal care home is to provide a comfortable, safe, and supportive environment for seniors who need some help with daily living, while still maintaining their independence and dignity. Safe Haven currently operates two personal care assisted living homes in the Atlanta metro area including Lenox Park and Brookhaven.

Tips For Seniors Living With Alzheimer’s & Dementia

/in , /by

Safe Haven has a comprehensive Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program that specializes in care techniques which reduce challenging behaviors and result in better days for themselves and loved ones. We know that providing care to seniors with Alzheimer’s or Dementia can be challenging, and often makes the people involved feel isolated.

If your loved one has Alzheimer’s or Dementia, we understand that you may be unsure or frustrated with what to do after the diagnosis. At Safe Haven, we strive for independence and compassion.

Maintain Routine and Structure
Research shows a daily routine allows people with dementia to experience better moods, less anxiety, and generally function better. Develop a sense of structure by maintaining consistent wake, sleep, and mealtimes. Communicate their daily routine and what to expect next, even if they may not completely understand.

Keep Your Loved One Hydrated
Maintaining hydration is critical to good health. Dehydration can cause medical destabilization, agitation, confusion, and promote infection. Keeping plenty of water bottles on hand can help make it easier to boost hydration. You can even make it a social activity by drinking water at the same time and tracking it daily.

Enter Your Loved One’s Reality
Don’t argue with people with dementia when something they say is incorrect. Arguing may make them feel angry and that you have disrespected them. Instead of arguing, join them in their reality when talking about the present or the past. Talking things through may help you to keep the connection and familial bond healthy.

Focus on Feelings Not Facts
Make increasing their positive feelings a daily goal. Increasing their positivity can be achieved by engaging them in activities they enjoy. By accommodating their personal preferences, you’ll have better results and help them experience positive feelings. Family problems can profoundly affect people with dementia and can cause challenging behavior – even refusal of care.

Try to Effectively Communicate
Remember the saying, “your actions speak louder than words.” With dementia, nonverbal skills become more critical as their verbal skills start to fail. Avoid using words such as “don’t,” “can’t,” and “I told you.”

Don’t Go at it Alone
You can’t do it alone. Often, as a family caregiver, feelings of being overwhelmed make caregiving an emotional experience. It is important to remember that help is available at Safe Haven.

If you’re ready to find a senior living home in Atlanta that is ideal for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, contact us here for a tour.

Preventing Memory Loss for Seniors

/in , /by

Memory loss is one of the scariest parts of Alzheimer’s and dementia, but there is a chance for your memory to improve through everyday activities. More active lifestyles allow your brain to rewire itself continually. Here are the top six activities you can do every day to improve your memory and reduce your risk of memory loss.

  • Reading Regularly
  • Playing Boardgames
  • Playing Musical Instruments
  • Dancing
  • Doing Crossword Puzzles/Sudoku
  • Practice Memory Exercises

These tasks are simple, and almost everyone can do at least one every day to improve memory retention and brain development. The goal is to engage in activities that perform a higher brain function. Simply falling into a routine of watching tv and reheating microwave meals means you’re more likely to suffer from memory loss. If you are more involved in your personal, physical, and social life, you’re more likely to improve your memory.

Here at Safe Haven, we work daily with our residents to improve memory health and cognitive brain function with compassion. To schedule a tour contact us here or call (404) 235-7733.

How to Downsize as You Prepare for the Next Chapter

/in , /by

Moving to an assisted living residence is a big change in a person’s life. Offloading the items you’ve spent years accumulating can be hard, but once it’s done, you’ll likely feel lighter and breathe a sigh of relief. Here are a few ways to sort through your things and determine what items are the most important to have in your new home at Safe Haven.

Host a Goodbye Party
If you feel attached to your items, consider honoring the memories they hold by hosting a get together with close friends and family. Spend time sharing memories and reminisce over your various items and ceremoniously load them up and give them away. This will help to remind you that once the item is gone, the memory is still there.

Donate to Family
There are quite a few benefits to donating items to the family. One is that if you have a young relative moving into a new home, it can come in handy since you’ll be able to send your furniture to a good home. Family can also stop by and pick it up, rather than transporting it yourself. Best of all these items stay in the family.

Have an Estate Sale
Estate sales are perfect if you need an easy way to get rid of most of your items in a short amount of time. There are companies that plan and manage every aspect of the estate sale so you won’t have to do a thing. Any left over items can be donated to charity.

Put Items in Storage
Even if you do a combination of all these choices, there may still be items you want to keep. If you can’t bring the items to your new space you can invest in a small storage unit in case you want to use them someday or give them to relatives the next time they are in town.

Why Medication Management is Important

/in , /by

We take medicine to feel better and improve our quality of life, but if you’re forgetful or taking multiple medications it can be difficult to remember to take the right medications at the right time. This is where medication management can help; we can help to make sure the right medication goes to the right person at the right time.

What is Medication Management?
Medication management is a service we provide at Safe Haven designed to help individuals manage their medications so they take them when they are supposed to every time they’re supposed to. This is to avoid the dangers of taking incorrect medication or not taking it at all.

For some seniors, a simple over-the-counter reminding device is enough. For others suffering from Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or those that need a consistent reminder may need to seek medication management services.

Benefits of Medication Management

  • Improve the quality of life
  • Less health care costs such as emergency room visit
  • Less stress for seniors and their families
  • Reduce medication mismanagement that can lead to addiction
  • Reduce illnesses and improve the immune system
  • More likely to lead a happy, healthy, full life

At Safe Haven, we provide all of our residents with medication management to make sure your loved one’s quality of life is only improving. To schedule a tour or learn more about our senior living residence contact us here.

3 Tips for Reducing the Risk of Dementia

/in , , /by

Seniors do not need to think that dementia is just a natural part of aging. Here are some things you can do to reduce the risk by keeping your brain healthy and sharp.

Stay Physically Active
Research proves that one of the biggest things you can do to keep your mental health in check is to stay physically active. Physical activity promotes blood flow which helps keep your brain in shape. Even if you d develop Alzheimer’s or dementia, physical activity may slow down the disease’s progression.

Stay Socially Active
Isolation can be harmful to brain health, studies directly link lonliness to an increased risk of developing dementia. Living at Safe Haven means your loved one will have positive social interactions that will help keep their brain active and healthy.

Do What You Love
Find a hobby that will help engage your mind, even as simple as reading. Reading can help reduce the risk of dementia because it promotes brain activity. Other healthy brain activities are games, sudoku, and crossword puzzles. It’s never too late to learn a new skill like a musical instrument, take a dance class, or learn to paint. The best hobby is one you will actually enjoy.

To learn about the brain-boosting activities we have at Safe Haven contact us here.

When to Know it’s Time to Move to Alzheimer’s Care

/in , , /by

How do you know when it’s time? If you are at the point where you are concerned for the safety of your loved one, it’s time to seriously consider a senior living community like Safe Haven that specializes in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Any of the following signs are reason enough to look at your options:

  • A lack of impulse control and issues controlling emotional responses
  • Accusatory verbal outbursts or paranoid statements
  • Depression or isolation
  • Difficulty engaging in meaningful activities
  • Agitation and restlessness
  • An increased number of falls
  • Increasing physical dependence on others
  • A need for a verbal, gesture, or physical cueing to complete tasks
  • Weight loss or difficulty with dining

Caring for someone with dementia can be a lot for one individual which means there are also signs you will see in yourself, as your loved one’s caregiver:

  • Increased irritation
  • Social withdrawal
  • Consistent low mood
  • Emotional and physical exhaustion

When it comes to Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, it is essential to consider your health and the health of the whole family as well and how that will affect your loved one.

Keeping your loved one at home may seem like the best option, but given the complexity of the disease and the amount of support needed, they will get more support at a community like Safehaven that is designed especially for people living with dementia.

Our team is trained in dementia care and specialize in techniques that will help maintain your loved one’s indepedence and utilize their remaining skills. We develop a strong relationship with our residents and can anticipate their unmet needs.

At Safe Haven, we are focused on keeping residents engaged by providing a wide range of activities that are for people with different ability and interest levels. Our homes are also designed with safe outdoor walking spaces and garden with the needs of those with Alzheimer’s in mind.

A big piece of advice is to do your best to plan ahead of time to make the transition as smooth as possible – don’t wait until it feels like you’re out of options or until it presents a stressful situation for those who are suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia. Call our offices to schedule a tour of Safe Haven Assisted Living and discuss how we can help you and your loved one.

Smart New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors

/in , /by

Eat more healthy options.

No matter what your age, it’s important to eat your fruits and vegetables. It’s suggested by the USDA to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables in order to maintain a healthy diet. Opt for dark leafy veggies that are high in vitamins and nutrients this year.

Take your vitamins.
Talk to your doctor about vitamin supplements if you haven’t started already. If you have dietary restrictions that make it more difficult to intake needed nutrients, like lactose intolerance, taking Calcium vitamins can help keep your bones and teeth in good shape.

Stay active.
No matter what your physical condition is, it’s crucial to keep moving and stay active every day. Taking a walk with a friend is an easy way to get started if you need a challenge try taking up yoga or water aerobics.

Challenge your brain.
Mental health is just as important as physical health. Reading, crossword puzzles and Sudoku are simple activities that can be done virtually anywhere. Join a card club to not only keep your brain active but also your social skills.

Update legal documents.
If you have paperwork that you’ve put off for months or documents that you haven’t updated in years, make this year the one you where you get it done. This includes things like wills, directives like a living will, or power of attorney documents.

New Years Resolutions can be big or small as long as it improves your quality of life in any big or small way.

Learn more about the Safe Haven Senior Living community in Atlanta, Georgia.

Downsizing 101: Personalizing Your New Space In Assisted Living

/in , /by

Moving can be a challenge, but it can also be an excellent opportunity to tidy up and get organized. If you’ve lived in a space for 10 or more years, there’s probably more clutter than you realize. Moving into a new place gives you the opportunity to declutter your life and prioritize what’s truly important. Here are a few tips to help get you inspired:

Simplify
Don’t consider downsizing as getting rid of all of your things. Utilizing old furniture that has been with you through the ages not only saves money but also brings along warmth and hominess to your new place. Instead, it might be time to get rid of any chipped kitchenware, kitchen appliances you no longer use, or old wash towels.

Get Colorful
The way you decorate will set the tone for your new home. The right colors can have a direct connection to your mood.

  • Green promotes health and peace.
  • Blue is a color that can help you feel motivated.
  • Yellow improves your mood and brings you energy.
  • Lavender helps you breathe easy and feel calm.
  • Red makes you feel powerful — and hungry.

Be Creative With Storage
When you’re downsizing, storage becomes essential. Creative storage can mean using under the bed boxes, utilizing shelf space, or buying furniture that doubles as storage like ottomans. If you’re smart with storage, you can clear the clutter from your life which will make it so much easier to find your favorite book, blanket, or a pair of shoes.

Organizing and decorating a new space can leave you feeling rejuvenated, especially after saying goodbye to your old home. Don’t forget to add personal touches and reflections of your personality into your decor. Once you’ve arranged everything, it will make it that much easier to finally sit back and relax as you start a new chapter of your life at Safe Haven Senior Living in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more information on our floor plans and available rooms, reach out to us here.