Taking care of one parent with Alzheimer’s is already a massive commitment, but when both parents have Alzheimer’s it basically becomes a full-time job. If you’ve found yourself in this position, here are some tips for how to help two parents with Alzheimer’s.

​When you are helping two parents with Alzheimer’s, the environment can become pretty serious. Don’t forget to laugh, reminisce and make time to do fun activities with your parents. Some enjoyable activities that you can do with your parents are: listening to music together (maybe their favorite music from years gone by), doing arts and crafts, cooking, watching movies and gardening!

​If you are taking care of both of your parents, don’t forget to take time to take care of yourself as well. Remember to exercise, eat healthy and get enough sleep every week. It’s also important to take the time to talk with a friend or family member who will listen to what you are going through. Keeping yourself healthy is one of the most important things you can do to be able to help take care of your parents. If you have siblings or other relatives, it’s important to advocate for yourself and have the care divided up instead of solely on your shoulders.

​In many cases, people who have Alzheimer’s may become angry, impatient or apathetic. The best ways to respond to parents who are in a state of frustration or extreme boredom is to practice patience, move onto a different topic or activity to get your loved one’s mind off of his or her frustration, provide only one or two choices, keep things simple and do your best to stay positive. If you stay calm, patient and positive, your loved one(s) may be more inclined to relax and calm down as well 

​If it becomes unsafe for your parents to live alone, or if you are dealing with caregiver burnout, it may be the time to look into different options, like memory care. At Martin Luther care center, we offer Ebenezer's Dimensions® memory care program which empowers our staff to provide exceptional, compassionate care based on current best practices. Our memory care program provides care plans based on detailed assessments, 24-hour staffing and round-the-clock emergency response, activities designed to promote brain health, participatory groups, and much more! 

Are you looking for a memory care community for your parents? At the Martin Luther Campus memory care community, we have person-centered care, thoughtfully designed spaces, engaging activities as a building block for dementia care, experienced staff, family education and support, purposeful partnerships, and more. Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today.
 
Martin Luther Campus is part of the Ebenezer family of Lutheran Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care and assisted living apartments for seniors in Bloomington and Richfield. We also have adult day clubs and memory care programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St. Bloomington, MN. Are you interested in transitioning to assisted living or do you have a loved one that needs assisted living? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today. 

It’s important for all of us to have daily socialization so we can stay happy and healthy. For seniors, isolation is one of the biggest risks to overall health.

​Adult Day Clubs can help seniors stay independent by offering daily socialization, giving seniors a sense of purpose, providing the opportunity for seniors to still live at home and more. 

​One of the biggest factors that allows seniors to still feel independent is the opportunity to continue to live in their own home. Adult Day Clubs are set up so that seniors can receive care and enjoy activities and socialization during the day at an Adult Day Club, but then go back to their own home at night. At Martin Luther Campus, we offer two Adult Day Clubs. The first is the Campus Club which meets at the Meadow Woods assisted living on the Martin Luther Campus. The second is Creekside Club, which meets at the Creekside Community Center. 

​If a senior is spending all of their time at home, they may be dependent on their caregiver for all of their daily and weekly socialization. However, at an Adult Day Club, club members can independently socialize with many people and make new friends. Making new friends and socializing with various people on a regular basis can help seniors maintain independence. The Martin Luther Campus Adult Day Clubs offer seniors social activities and care. Daily socializing can lead to a happier and more satisfying life; these activities challenge the mind and body, which may help ward off and slow the progress of memory loss.

​An Adult Day Club can give seniors a reason to get up in the morning and can give them a sense of accomplishment. Attending an activity, going on an outing, winning a game of bingo, or making a craft at an Adult Day Club can provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose for Adult Day Club members.

​The structure that an Adult Day Club provides can remind seniors of their previous jobs and at the Martin Luther Campus Adult Day Clubs, many of our members tell us that they are “going to their job” or that they are “going to school” when they attend one of our Adult Day Clubs.

​At the Martin Luther Campus Adult Day Clubs, club members get the opportunity to still live at home, socialize, and gain a sense of purpose by attending our Adult Day Clubs. If you or a loved one is interested in becoming a member of our Adult Day Clubs, call Heather at 952-948-5154 for more information and to schedule a tour today.
 
Martin Luther Campus is part of the Ebenezer family of Lutheran Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care and assisted living apartments for seniors in Bloomington and Richfield. At Martin Luther care center, we also have adult day clubs and memory care programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St. Bloomington, MN. Are you interested in transitioning to assisted living or do you have a loved one that needs assisted living? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today. 

​Have you wondered what life is actually like at an assisted living community? We’ve rounded up some misconceptions about assisted living and what it’s really like to be a resident at an assisted living community.
 
Myth 1: Moving into an Assisted Living Community Means Losing Your Independence
Some people may think that moving into an assisted living community means losing your independence. However, there are many ways that residents in an assisted living community can stay independent. At the Martin Luther Campus assisted living community, we offer both independent and group activities for seniors to continue to pursue their own hobbies and work on projects independently.
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Myth 2: All Assisted Living Communities are the Same
Not all assisted living communities are the same! In fact, each assisted living community may offer different services and care. At the Martin Luther Campus assisted living community, we offer a variety of services and an individualized care plan that allows residents to choose the services they want. Some of the services we offer include regularly scheduled activities and lifelong learning programs, three homemade meals per day served restaurant style (continental breakfast for residents that prefer to sleep in), light housekeeping, linen service and other hospitality services.

Myth 3: Assisted Living Communities are Only for People Who Are Ill
In reality, assisted living communities generally have many residents who are not ill. In fact, most assisted living community residents are able to live with minimal assistance. The Martin Luther Campus assisted living community offers personal care and health services in the privacy of a resident’s apartment and an open door community where residents may come and go as they please.

Myth 4: Assisted Living Communities Don’t Provide a Variety of Activities
Some TV shows and movies portray an assisted living community as a place where residents spend the entire day sitting around with nothing to do. In reality, many assisted living communities offer a variety of enriching activities. At the Martin Luther Campus assisted living community, we offer fun activities and events like worship services, exercise, bingo, poetry parties, MacPhail music for life, ice cream socials and more. Our residents always have something to do that piques their interest.

Are you or a loved one looking for an assisted living community to join? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour of the Martin Luther Meadow Woods assisted living community today.

References:
https://www.ebenezercares.org/blog/think-you-know-assisted-living

Martin Luther Campus is part of the Ebenezer family of Lutheran Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care and assisted living apartments for seniors in Bloomington and Richfield. We also have adult day clubs and memory care programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St. Bloomington, MN. Are you interested in transitioning to assisted living or do you have a loved one that needs assisted living? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today.