It’s a reality of aging that older adults’ bodies constantly change — and that goes beyond gray hair and wrinkles. For example, older bodies lose muscle mass, bones become less dense, the brain’s neurons don’t fire as quickly and eyesight gets worse.  Unchecked, these physiological changes can lead to larger problems like injuries and chronic health conditions, which in turn may result in frequent trips to the emergency room. But this doesn’t have to be just another reality of aging.  For many seniors, living in Assisted Living can actually help prevent […]

It’s true: There are older adults who won’t consider moving to a Life Plan Community. Instead, they prefer to “age in place” in their homes, thinking a Life Plan Community can’t possibly provide them with all the comforts their current home can. However, this is also true: Those older adults should absolutely reconsider moving to a Life Plan Community. That’s because what they don’t realize is that aging in place doesn’t offer them nearly as many benefits. The truth is, choosing a Life Plan Community can provide seniors with far […]

Every stage of life has its unique living space needs.  As a kid, you shared a room with a sibling.  As a young adult, you had a private bedroom in a shared apartment. Once you’re married with kids, you need a house with rooms for cribs and sectional furniture and family-size dining tables, basements for toys, yards for swing sets, and driveways for basketball hoops (and eventually, teenagers’ cars). Now that you’re older and the kids have grown up and moved out, how much space do you really need? Maybe […]

Although in some ways similar, Assisted Living and Memory Care  aren’t  entirely the same. There’s a difference between needing help with the activities of daily living (ADL) — bathing, dressing, managing medicines — and needing Memory care. Assisted Living  is the level of care intended to help otherwise capable seniors with these ADLs. Memory Care is a form of Assisted Living that provides intensive, specialized care for people living with memory loss, age-related dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re trying to determine which level of care might be right for […]

Maybe you’ve toyed with the idea of Independent Living in a senior living community. Perhaps you’ve wondered whether it’s affordable or might actually lower the level of independence you have now. You’re not alone. People have different ideas about Independent Living, but they’re not always grounded in fact. Until you take a hard look at your current living expenses, what maintaining a home demands of you physically and emotionally, and what living there may be like in the coming years, you won’t know whether Independent Living is right for you […]

Wellness is often mistakenly used to mean fitness. But it’s more than just physical health, particularly when it comes to senior wellness. Good senior wellness programs should address every part of a person as a whole, including their emotional, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual and vocational needs. Senior wellness programs in a senior living community aim to help older adults take responsibility for their well-being and cultivate an optimistic view of aging based on active involvement. Communities today provide myriad  opportunities to engage with life. Shifting the focus from care to […]

Question: If you could do one thing this week, what would you like to do? Answer: “I would just like to be here at Friendship Village and live my regular life, but maybe be able to get around a little easier. I would also like a little more time for reading. My problem is, if I start reading a book, I don’t get anything else done.” – Pat Kirchoff, Friendship Village Sunset Hills resident After gathering about 170 interviews and photos, we will publish A BOOK  featuring all the great […]

Moving into senior living, and even starting a senior living search, is something people find easy to put off. But is this a good idea? No. The sooner you start your search, the easier it will be on you, your family, and your future health and happiness. In fact, the earlier you begin looking at and comparing Life Plan Communities, the more control you’ll have over your next living situation. Let’s consider some of the reasons why. Why wait for freedom and security? Once you’re out from under the burdens […]

Question: When you were a teacher and administrator, why do you think it was so important to implement Title 9 into athletics so female student athletes could compete? Answer: “When I joined the Clayton School District in 1958 (and retired in 1992), I coached and later became the Athletic Director. I have girls of my own, so I could see how important it was to pass that law (Title 9) and the girls were very interested. I remember the girls being in the weight room…they were more serious about weights […]