We often hear from adult children right after a visit with their parents. They notice that it takes mom and dad longer to do daily tasks, that they’ve had more frequent health scares or that they aren’t leaving the house like they used to. These signs often build up slowly over time, and it can be hard to tell exactly when it’s time to consider assisted living.

If you’re in this same position as a child or spouse and are unsure whether it’s time to transition, look for these signs.

If your parents are struggling with completing day-to-day tasks and activities (like bathing, dressing, eating and other self-maintenance tasks), this is a sign that it’s time to transition to assisted living. Meadow Woods assisted living at Martin Luther Campus offers health services and personal care, an individualized care plan and an emergency call system that provides assistance 24-hours a day.

If your loved ones have had a serious inability to focus, they continually ask the same questions, or they only remember events from years ago but can't remember what they did five minutes ago, then they may be in need of memory care. At the Martin Luther Campus, we offer Ebenezer's Dimensions® Memory Care Program. The Dimensions Program prepares our staff to provide exceptional, compassionate care using evidence-based best practices.

If you have a loved one who feels lonely and can’t drive or attend fun social outings anymore, assisted living or adult day programs provides much-needed socialization. Martin Luther Campus offers social activities like art and music therapy, weekly worship, a beauty and barber shop and other social activities.  

Many elderly people have balance problems and begin to frequently fall and become injured. Once they are badly hurt the first time, they may become inactive to prevent a second injury. This inactivity leads to declining health and is not beneficial for anyone’s physical health or mental health. Assisted living provides safe and accessible spaces to minimize fall risks, as well as immediate care for a health crisis.

If your parents are becoming forgetful, unable to do their normal activities, or feel isolated and alone, it’s time to look into moving them into assisted living. We understand how difficult that conversation can be. We have experience helping seniors and their families transition into assisted living.  Call us at 952-948-5167 for more information or to schedule a tour – we can offer guidance and help you navigate the world of assisted living.

References:
https://www.carelike.com/care-seekers/resources/5-signs-its-time-to-move-your-senior-parent-to-assisted-living
https://www.senioradvisor.com/blog/2015/12/5-signs-its-time-for-assisted-living/

Please note, the power outage will no longer be occurring this evening. All components of our Care Center facility will be up and running as normal. Thank you. 

Facility Update Reminder:
Today, Wednesday, June 26, Martin Luther Care Center will experience a planned power outage for approx. 2-4 hours+ beginning at 7:00 PM. This is necessary maintenance to prepare for our new chiller system arriving next month. The outage will impact many of our electrical components including some lights, computers and phones, and notification and alarm systems.

Please know that management and additional staff will be present for the entire outage period. All necessary checks will be in place to monitor resident and facility needs. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.
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If you have an urgent need to contact us during the outage time (beginning at 7:00 PM), please call temporary phone line: 952-388-9755. Thank you.

Nowadays, there’s a plethora of options to choose from when you are deciding on a senior living community for yourself or a loved one. How do you choose the one that’s right? As you’re touring senior living communities, here is what you should look for in order to make an informed decision.

It is important to look into what kind of services that a specific senior living community offers (such as assisted living or memory care). Everyone’s needs are different, so it’s important to find flexible services that will fit what you’re looking for. This is also important so you can plan ahead – can you come in as a more independent resident, but ease into assisted living or transitional care if you need it in the future?
At Martin Luther Campus, we offer a plethora of services that can be tailored for each unique individual. Examples of services that we offer include transitional care, assisted living, long term care, adult day programs, and stay by the day.

Besides obtaining professional care, it’s crucial to look at what kind of amenities a senior living community offers. What activities are available on site? Do they offer transportation? Are daily meals included? These are all factors to consider.

Does the senior living community offer connections with the broader community? With community programs, seniors can become involved in projects with children, arts organizations and other local industries. At Martin Luther Campus, we partner with Community Programs and Institutions like MacPhail Music for Life, the Bloomington Art Center, Northern Clay Center and Indian Mounds Elementary School. With these partnerships in place, we are able to provide music therapy, art therapy and the opportunity for students to join residents for many celebrations.

Is the senior living community that you are looking into located in a desirable area? If family will be traveling in or if you plan to travel, is this senior living community near an airport? These are all great questions to ask when you are in search for a senior living community. The Martin Luther Campus is located in the suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota and is only 6.5 miles from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Our long term care and transitional care neighborhoods are located on beautiful grounds that are set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Minnesota River Valley. Our memory care communities are located near serene woods and wildlife and our assisted living apartments are located in a residential setting by woodlands, wetlands and the Minnesota River Bluffs.

The dedication, expertise, and service that staff at a senior living community provides can make a huge difference in the life of each resident. It’s a good idea to look up reviews online and staff credentials if possible. Our staff at Martin Luther Campus are dedicated to providing the dignity, integrity, compassion and service that we would afford our own loved ones. Delivering great customer service is our top priority and is created by building passionate and skilled care teams who get to know our residents as if they were family.

Choosing a senior living community isn’t easy, but these are some things to look for. For more information about Martin Luther Campus’ services, call us at 952-948-5167 or schedule a tour online.

The words “independence” and “assisted living” are usually not associated together, but there are actually many ways that residents can maintain their independence while residing at an assisted living home. One of our goals at Martin Luther Campus is to empower residents to stay independent but have support when they need it.

If residents do simple stretches and aquatic therapy, they will be more prepared to stay independent while residing at an assisted living home. Stretching strengthens their muscles, keeps them active, and makes the trauma of injuries less damaging and increases the recovery time of injuries. At Martin Luther Campus, we provide an exercise class every weekday and aquatic therapy is available to build strength and muscle.

At an assisted living facility, independent and group activities are a fantastic way for seniors to structure their day. If seniors continue to do some of the same hobbies and activities that they did when they lived at home, the will feel more satisfied and independent while residing in an assisted living home. At Martin Luther Campus, we encourage residents to keep doing things for themselves and to engage in group activities and hobbies like art, music or weekly worship.

If residents stay mentally stimulated by consistently learning new things, reading, doing word games and completing puzzles, it will help maintain independence. If residents fill their calendar with mentally challenging activities, they will develop a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and independence. Assisted living at Martin Luther Campus provides fun and stimulating activities like card games, Bingo, life long learning activities and spiritual programs.

While living in an assisted living home there are a number of ways to remain independent. To learn more about Martin Luther Campus’ assisted living programs, schedule a private tour.

References:
https://www.senioradvice.com/articles/keeping-seniors-independent-while-in-retirement-homes

If you have a family member or loved one that is dealing with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, this may hinder their ability to take care of themselves and accomplish day-to-day activities. Memory care assisted living can help improve quality of life and minimize daily stress. Martin Luther Campus uses Ebenezer's Dimensions® program to provide exceptional, compassionate care using evidence-based best practices.

​One large benefit to memory care assisted living over home care is socialization. In a memory care assisted living center, residents are given the opportunity to spend time with other residents, develop friendships and take part in activities that are put on by the memory care center. At the Martin Luther Memory Care Community, we offer engaging activities like painting, music-making, service projects and other group activities.

​Every resident is unique, so it’s important for a memory care center to create specialized care plans for each resident. Our memory care services are person-centered. We create care plans that are based on detailed assessments that consider the resident’s abilities, needs, preferences and personal history. We also provide cognitive assessments that results in development of approaches that match an individual’s level of cognition.

Malnutrition is a growing problem among older Americans, especially for seniors who have difficulty swallowing. At Martin Luther Campus, we supply nutritious meals and specialized diets that cater to our residents’ needs. We ensure that they receive quality food and plenty of choices, so they can stay healthy but still be empowered to make decisions about their food.

If you have a loved one that has Dementia or Alzheimer’s and he or she still lives alone, you may worry about the possibility of your loved one getting lost or having a medical emergency. At Martin Luther’s memory care community, you won’t have to worry about the safety of your loved one. We offer 24-hour staffing and round the clock emergency response with controlled-access entries and secured outdoor areas. The safety of our residents is a top priority at Martin Luther Campus.

Many people with Dementia or Alzheimer’s begin to struggle with bathing, remembering to eat and doing basic chores around the house. One of the benefits of assisted living is having consistent, caring staff to help enforce a routine. This provides much-needed stability for seniors as well as practical support.

Memory care assisted living can make a world of difference in improving quality of life and mood. Learn more about Martin Luther Campus’ memory care services.