​The Alzheimer’s Association facts and figures report is a great reference for gaining knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease. Check out some of the helpful Alzheimer’s disease facts from this report.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2019 facts and figures report, around 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. Out of the 5.8 million people who have Alzheimer’s, 81 percent are 75 years and older. However, Alzheimer’s dementia is underdiagnosed, so a large percentage of Americans may have Alzheimer’s, but don’t know it.

​Two-thirds of Americans who have Alzheimer’s are women. Some of the possible social and biological reasons why more women have Alzheimer’s is that women generally live longer than men. Also, a number of studies have shown that the APOE-e4 genotype (a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s) may have a stronger association with Alzheimer’s in women than in men. 

​Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, which means that it worsens over time. As time goes on, Alzheimer’s symptoms (such as memory loss or repetitive behaviors) begin to increase and can interfere with the completion of daily living activities. 

​Currently, the three stages of Alzheimer’s are preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.

In the preclinical Alzheimer’s stage, the brain begins to change, but symptoms do not appear yet. During the MCI stage, changes in thinking abilities may become obvious to family members, but everyday activities are not extremely affected yet. In dementia due to Alzheimer’s stage, memory and behavioral symptoms usually prevent a person from completing daily living activities. 

​The baby boomer generation is a huge segment of the United States population and they are now between the ages of 55 years old and 75 years old. Therefore, as the baby boomers continue to get older, there will most likely be an increase in the number of new and existing cases of Alzheimer’s. By 2025, the number of people ( who have Alzheimer’s) age 65 and older is projected to increase by 27% more than 5.6 million age 65 and older affected in 2019. 

If you have a loved one who has Alzheimer’s, it’s important to talk with your doctor and consider starting the process of transitioning your loved one into a memory care community. At the Martin Luther Campus Memory Care Community, we provide person-centered care, thoughtfully designed spaces, engaging activities, experienced staff, family education and support. Martin Luther care center also maintains purposeful partnerships with the Alzheimer’s Association, ACT on Alzheimer’s, and more. Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today.
 
References:
https://communityrising.kasasa.com/gen-x-gen-y-gen-z/
https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures-2019-r.pd

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. 
​

​If you’ve noticed that your loved one has been misplacing things, had difficulty doing familiar tasks or has had mood or personality changes, they may be dealing with the beginning stages of dementia. We've rounded up a list of early signs of dementia to help you and your loved one. 

​A person who shows the early signs of dementia may have difficulty with understanding and completing familiar tasks such as operating a television remote, doing the laundry or making a cup of coffee. This is often one of the first signs of dementia, and it’s important to treat it seriously and not dismiss it.  

​A person who has the beginning onset of dementia may put things in unusual places or may forget where an item goes, even if that item has been put in the same location for years. If your loved one has lost something, it may be a struggle to retrace steps to find the lost item. 

​Frequent mood changes and the tendency to become easily depressed can be telltale signs of the beginning stages of dementia. Your loved one’s personality may change and he or she may become impatient, anxious, and irritable. 

Your loved one may be habitually confused about what year or season it is, where or why he or she is at a certain location. Your aging parent or friend may struggle with finding the way back home after going on a walk or may forget how to get to their favorite store and back. 

Some of the first signs of dementia are that your loved one may tell you the same story every day or they may forget what somebody else has said recently. Many caregivers note that their loved one begins to ask the same question over and over, even when this question has been answered multiple times.

​A person who is starting to show signs of having dementia will want to stay within his or her own controlled environment and won’t want to travel as much to new and foreign places. He or she may crave routine because new experiences and places may be daunting. 

​Tasks and activities that used to be simple and fun may become difficult and frustrating for someone who is beginning to show signs of dementia. If your loved one can’t do activities that once gave a sense of purpose and joy, he or she may become unmotivated to do anything. 

​If your family member begins to ignore hygiene, personal care and nutrition, these could be warning signs that your family member is beginning to get dementia. 

A person who is going through the beginning stages of dementia may have impaired judgement. For instance, he or she may easily fall prey to phone scams, give large amounts of money away or dress inappropriately for the weather. 

​Another warning sign of dementia is visual and spatial difficulties. Your loved one may have issues with depth perception, reading, recognition of places and people, or determining color or contrast. 

It’s difficult to watch someone you love struggle with a memory disorder like dementia, but it’s important to be there for them and ask for help. Martin Luther care center Adult Day programs can help your loved one stay independent for longer through routine and purpose. Memory care can make a dramatic difference in a person’s life by helping them feel safe and in control. We know how scary it can be when you suspect a loved one may have dementia. Our compassionate staff is here to aid you with information and support. Contact us today to get started.

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. 
​

​Sorting through the options of senior care can be an intimidating task. We’ve created a list comparing in-home care and adult day programs to help with the process of choosing senior care.

​In-home care is where a caregiver comes to your loved one’s home to help your loved one with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene. Caregivers can also prepare meals, perform light housekeeping and laundry, and run errands for your loved one. Depending on the caregiver, some medical assistance may be provided and caregivers who offer in-home care might work full-time, part-time, in shifts, or on an as-needed basis. 

​An Adult Day Program offers seniors social activity and care during the day while allowing them to return to their homes at night. At the Martin Luther Campus Adult Day Program, we offer exercise, spiritual services, snacks & meals, music and special outings for Adult Day Club members. Important services like bathing, medication management and therapy are offered for a fee.

​Generally, an in-home caregiver will charge by the hour and an Adult Day Program will charge by the day. Usually, the cost for an Adult Day Program is substantially less than hiring an in-home caregiver. On average, an in-home caregiver costs about $21 an hour ($147 for 7 hours of care). At the Martin Luther Campus Adult Day Program, it costs $94.36 for a full day (7 hours). 

​In-home care is usually only administered by one person, so having only one caregiver visit inside the home can sometimes mean fewer opportunities for your loved one to socialize or meet new friends. With only one caregiver coming, your loved one may feel more isolated and lonely. However, an Adult Day Program provides seniors with the opportunity to interact one-on-one and in groups with other seniors, make new friends, and spend time socializing. At the Martin Luther Care Center Adult Day Program, we provide many activities for our Adult Day Club members to interact with each other. Some of the interactive activities that we offer are trivia activities, bingo, fun outings, music, crafts, and more! 

Are you interested in learning more about the benefits of the Martin Luther Adult Day Program? Call Heather at 952-948-5154 for more information and to schedule a tour today.

Martin Luther Care Center 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.

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.
​
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. 

​photo credit: chuttersnap accessed 7/30/19 via CC0

Barry ZeVan (aka "The Weatherman") offers some insightful ideas about the importance of staying fit and some possible signs of hidden health problems:  

By the time we reach a certain age, most of us have probably reached stages when we know what to recognize as signals that something happening to us physically isn't quite right, and it's time to visit a doctor or hospital. Above almost every element for good health, especially for us seniors, DAILY EXERCISE is the major key for keeping fit. 

“When you see changes in the body, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a certain medical condition,” says Robin Evans, MD, a clinical instructor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, about recognizing subtle or unusual symptoms. “However, a bell should go off in your head to get screened or talk to your doctor.” Our body gives us many signs about a certain health condition. So, if you see something unusual occurring, please visit your doctor, because research shows  early screening could prevent many diseases and even premature death. Here are some:  

Martin Luther Campus, an Ebenezer Senior Community, values the health of our residents. We offer aquatic therapy, exercises classes as part of our Adult Day Program, and nutritious meals for our residents. Schedule a tour to see why our focus on healthy living for older adults makes a difference in the lives of those we serve. 

Now that summer is here, you may want (or need) to travel with a loved one with Alzheimer’s. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, your loved one can still travel, but it’s important to plan ahead to minimize stress. Traveling with a person who has Alzheimer’s can have its challenges, but with these tips, you can be more prepared for some traveling obstacles that may come your way.  

Traveling with a person who has Alzheimer’s can become easier if you bring his or her insurance information, list of current medications and dosages, emergency contact information, doctors names and contact information and a list of food or drug allergies. Get in the practice of having your loved one wear an identification bracelet that includes their name, your name and number and contact information for at least one other family member who can be notified in the case of an emergency. While you are traveling, bring a recent photo of your loved one so that you can show people what they look like just in case they wander off and get lost.  

Those who are affected by Alzheimer’s generally have the tendency to thrive on following a consistent routine and feeling in control of their environment. If possible, try to maintain a similar schedule during vacation that mirrors their typical day-to-day schedule. For instance, try to implement a familiar meal and bedtime routine and bring some comforting and recognizable items from home.

Travel during the time of day when your loved one is the most active, alert, and in a good mood. If your loved one is the most alert in the mornings, travel during the morning and try not to plan a multitude of activities the first night you arrive at the destination. Caregivers know the patterns of their loved ones, so the time of day when your loved one is at his or her best can depend on each person and situation.

Before you embark on your trip, you can plan to have special accommodations for your family member who has Alzheimer’s. If you and your loved one are flying on a plane, discuss your situation with the airline ahead of time so that they can look into arranging an escort to and from the gate or a wheelchair for your loved one to use. Also, speak on the phone beforehand with the hotel(s) along the way and discuss the special services that will be needed.

Trips can easily become filled with sightseeing, adventures, and events. While a packed schedule might work well for a younger crowd, this type of schedule may cause fatigue, stress, and anxiety for your loved one who has Alzheimer’s. Remember that it is healthy to schedule time to rest and relax.

With these tips, you can safely travel with your loved one. Want more travel tips? Our team of memory care experts can give you advice on travel, care, assisted living and more – contact us for more information. ​

Recently, we wrote a blog explaining some of the benefits of Adult Day Programs. There are so many reasons why Adult Day Programs are beneficial that we wanted to provide more information regarding the advantages of attending an Adult Day Program.

An Adult Day Program is great for people with dementia because it provides stimulating activities, flexibility, assistance with personal care, socialization, and more. Stimulating activities are beneficial for someone with dementia because they can decrease anxiety, encourage engagement and self-expression, and help with maintaining motor skills.  

People who are looking into joining an Adult Day Program may not be able to drive anymore or their full-time caretaker may not have the time to take them on various outings. One of the benefits of our Adult Day Program is that we offer transportation in Bloomington for our members. The Adult Day Program members get to enjoy fun outings such as fishing at Lake Riley, MacPhail Music, St. Paul Cathedral, Padelford Riverboat Sightseeing Cruise, Minneapolis POPS Orchestra and Picnic, and more! The great news for both members and their caretakers is that they don’t have to pay extra for the outings provided by Martin Luther Campus.

Studies have shown that staying physically active can help prevent cognitive decline and that it's important for seniors to keep learning by challenging the brain with mental exercises. At the Martin Luther’s Adult Day Program Clubs, we offer activities that promote brain health and physical health. Some of the brain fitness activities that we provided this July was fishing for trivia, know your State capitals, creative writing-summer poetry, and more. Some of the large motor skill activities that our members to part in this July included target practice, bean bag toss, Wii golf, and more!

For a majority of their life, seniors had jobs to do and kids to raise. Now, many retired seniors are at a point in their life where their kids are grown, they have retired, and they are looking for a purpose. At the Martin Luther Campus Adult Day Program, many of our members say that they are “going to their job” when they attend our Adult Day Program. The friendships, activities, and events that we offer can give members a sense of purpose and enjoyment.

For caregivers, the biggest benefit of an Adult Day Program is that it gives them a break from the stress of being responsible for their own commitments while taking care of a loved one at the same time. An Adult Day Program can also provide resources to support the caregiver. At our Adult Day Program, caregivers can attend one of our support groups on campus. At the support group, caretakers are encouraged to tell their stories and experiences of being a caregiver.

If you or a loved one is interested in becoming a member of our Adult Day Program, call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today. 

References:  
https://blog.ioaging.org/senior-socialization/the-surprising-benefits-of-an-adult-day-program-for-senior/ 
https://www.alzheimers.net/2014-03-06/stimulating-activities-for-alzheimers-patients/ 
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/6-simple-steps-to-keep-your-mind-sharp-at-any-age 

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.

Residents of Meadow Woods Assisted Living and students from Bloomington Public Schools Galaxy Summer of Service program recently embarked on an 8-week poetry journey. They were guided by wonderful artists from the Alzheimer's Poetry Project of Minnesota. This project is designed to build relationships, activate the senses and spark imagination. Together, they created poems honoring each participant's unique voice and experience. Special thanks to the Minnesota Regional Arts Council for supporting this intergenerational collaboration.

Here is one of the lovely poems written by our group entitled, Let the Rain...

Let the Rain kiss racism so it will disappear
Let the Rain kiss my sister so she will listen better
Let the Rain kiss the ocean so it will be clean
Let the Rain kiss the turtles so the straws get out of noses
Let the Rain kiss all the little critters so they become normal
Let the Rain kiss the hate, turning it into kindness
Let the Rain kiss the living things going extinct
Let the Rain kiss small sailboats on the lake so it cleans the sailors and crew
Let the Rain kiss everyone with dementia so they remember again
Let the Rain kiss humanity so we have compassion for every person's life experiences