​Healthy communication is an essential part of any relationship – but it can be tricky. This is especially true in relationships between aging parents and their adult children. There are often important decisions to make and needs to consider, and emotions can run extremely high. To help make difficult conversations easier while maintaining close family bonds, we’re offering a few tips on how to communicate with aging parents.

​The first step in easing communication is ensuring that everyone can hear and understand one another! Older adults may not want to admit that they’re having trouble hearing or following conversations. If you think your loved one may not be hearing well, try slowing down, speaking more loudly and enunciating more clearly. Make sure not to shout or speak condescendingly, though.

​All of us want to be heard. This is especially true for older adults who feel as if they are losing autonomy. When talking to an aging parent, really listen to what they are saying. Don’t interrupt or add your own opinions.

​It can be difficult for an older adult to accept the parent-child role reversal that can happen in a caregiving relationship. The parent might begin to resent their child “taking over” and making decisions they don’t agree with. Some of this is inevitable, but try not to offer advice or opinions until your parent asks for them. Offer understanding, encouragement and support instead.

​When you need to have an important or difficult conversation, move to a quiet, private setting with minimal distractions. Ensure that the older adult is seated where he or she is best able to hear and understand the discussion.
 
We hope these tips help you more easily communicate with your parent or loved one. Our programs, such as adult day care and assisted living, can make caregiving less stressful. Contact us to learn more.

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

​Caring for a family member or loved one is a physically and emotionally demanding job. When you’re in the thick of it, the concept of self-care may seem laughable. You’re so busy caring for your loved one – how could you possibly find time to take a bubble bath or meditate?

​At its most basic, self-care means caring for yourself. Because every person’s needs are different, self-care looks different for each person. It doesn’t have to be some expensive spa day, but can be as simple as going for walks in the morning, getting 8 hours of sleep each night, or meeting up with a close friend for coffee. Focus on the things that will make you feel more refreshed, calm and happy – no matter how simple they may seem.

​For caregivers, taking care of yourself and your needs isn’t a luxury, but a basic necessity. If you’re not caring for your physical, mental and emotional health, you will get burnt out and exhausted. This could lead to lasting physical illness, not to mention mental health issues.

​Certainly, time is a huge roadblock for caregivers. Finding even a few hours to prepare a healthy meal, exercise, run errands or visit the doctor can make a huge difference. The Martin Luther Campus adult day programs can provide that much-needed buffer. With flexible scheduling options, including part-time, half-day or drop-in hours, we can work with your schedule and budget to give you valuable time for self-care.

​If caregiving has become more than you can physically or emotionally handle, get in touch. From assisted living to adult day care, Martin Luther Campus has a variety of programs that can take some of the caregiving duties off your plate, while still providing the dedicated care your loved one needs.

Barry ZeVan (“The Weatherman”) talks about isolation in seniors, discussing how to help seniors remain involved and engaged through socialization, support groups and activities, such as our Bloomington adult day programs.

For yours truly, just seeing the word isolation initially conjures thoughts of despair, loneliness and hopelessness. Hopefully, those thoughts are, with further examination and deliberation, extreme and need not exemplify a total picture of isolation, but rather just emotional snapshots.
 
From time immemorial, people have been and still are social creatures. That's why we call the culture in which we live, society. Regardless of the protestations of those who have even chosen to be hermits, living in self-imposed isolation, every human being cannot consistently or comfortably sustain life or healthy thought processes without at least some interaction with another human being. We have an innate need to communicate with one another, regardless of what thoughts or needs are shared. Thus, when the subject of isolation arises, there are multiple visions that also arise, but none, in my opinion, that require the most desperate or debilitating thinking or conclusions.
 
Without presumption here, I assume all human beings, at one time or another, have experienced a form of loneliness that propels minds to think in extreme terms that parallel isolation, leading to almost terrified thinking. The isolation, in most instances, is identified with being alone, feeling there's no one with whom one can express oft-times self-induced desperate thought processes and definitely thinking expressing those feelings will fall on deaf, or even mocking, ears. My comments are based on personal experience, as well as experiences of those I know whom no one would ever think experienced isolation or isolationist thinking.
 
Negative thoughts are almost always self-made, fearing if they're shared with others, no one will really care, understand nor want to offer solace or help. In regard to Ebenezer, caring and help are parts of a permanent mantra dedicated to helping create better lives and more positive thinking for those who feel alone or isolated.
 
Those blessed to have any connection with Ebenezer and/or its multiple services should know the help Ebenezer can provide to alleviate feelings of isolation and helplessness is available 24/7/365. Professional Ebenezer personnel are aware that people of any age experience extreme thoughts of loneliness. Again, thanks to part of Ebenezer's mission to provide the best possible senior housing and social experiences connected thereto, Ebenezer’s trained professionals can speak with any Ebenezer resident, or even potential resident, about why and how socialization is so necessary to enjoy a well-rounded life. That socialization includes interaction with support groups and uplifting activities.
 
Without social interaction, isolation can indeed create much less of a life than we deserve, again of our own making. If you or others you know need to do so, please explore and avail yourself (or selves) of Ebenezer's genuine caring and proven solutions.

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

​What happens when you’re recovering from an illness or an injury, become well enough to leave the hospital, but still need care as you continue to recover? What if you live alone or don’t have family member capable of managing your care, transporting you to appointments or helping you through your daily routine? This is where transitional care units (TCUs) can step in to help.
 
Often referred to as short term therapy or rehab, TCUs provide the rehabilitative or nursing care necessary to help individuals transition from hospital to home, or from one care center setting to another. Transitional care unit stays are usually short – often just a few weeks. TCU staff provide care during that essential time of transition, when needs are not high enough to require hospitalization, but too much to successfully manage at home.

​Transitional care units are proven to lower hospital readmission rates through medical evaluation and care optimization. With medical professionals on-site, potential issues are identified before they become acute and delay a patient’s recovery. Perhaps most importantly, TCUs bridge the gap between care providers and settings, providing continuity during the crucial days and weeks following a hospitalization.
 
At Martin Luther Campus, our transitional care units provide a customized program to meet each patient’s unique needs. Our interdisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses, therapists, dietitians and more work together to develop a plan that can include physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy, as needed. We offer 24-hour admissions, 7 days a week. Our skilled administrative and social work teams process admissions, answer questions, and assist with services needed as patients transition home.

Martin Luther Care Center is part of the Ebenezer family of Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care, long term care, assisted living apartments, and memory care for seniors in Bloomington Minnesota. We also have adult day programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St., in Bloomington, MN.
 
Are you or a loved one interested in learning more about care options at Martin Luther Care Center? Call Megan at 952-948-5153 or more information and to schedule a tour today

On this Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther Campus wishes you and your friends and family a blessed day, a blessed season and a blessed year ahead. Please enjoy this Thanksgiving reflection...knowing it is the peace and joy we wish for you most. Thank you for your connection and commitment to the staff and residents of Martin Luther Campus. Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings
overflow and are unceasing.
Be thankful for robust health to make life and work a joy.
Joy abundant to pass on to others.
Wealth enough to support your needs and those in need.
Determination to make each day better than the day before.
Strength and spirit unbridled to overcome all obstacles.
Unremitting optimism to vanish all doubts.
Grace to overcome and forgive any transgressions.
Patience to remain calm while the world races by.
Love enough to conquer all.
A caring outstretch hand, especially to young people.
And above all, abiding thanks for all your gains, miracle after miracle.
Unleash the power within you so you can touch the lives of others in endless and wondrous ways.

​Martin Luther Campus has joined the Safe Care for Seniors initiative. The program, which was created by Leading Age Minnesota, aims to prevent harm, both intentional and unintentional, that can occur in the course of caregiving for vulnerable adults.

​Throughout its 50-year history, Martin Luther Campus has been committed to the safety and health of residents. Our staff is skilled, experienced and highly dedicated, and we have worked to create a culture of respect and open communication throughout our programs and facilities. Taking part in the Safe Care for Seniors program was a next logical step.
 
Safe Care for Seniors has two key objectives. The first is to help create safe, respectful and inclusive environments that seniors are proud to call home. The second is to give families confidence and peace of mind. These objectives are achieved through a focus on respect, dignity, and providing the highest quality of care for assisted living residents. In addition, the program empowers staff, residents and families to better communicate and engage together, as well as to speak up with concerns or ideas for better service.
 
For questions about Martin Luther Care Center’s commitment to senior health and safety, call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour of the Martin Luther Meadow Woods assisted living community. 

Martin Luther Care Center is part of the Ebenezer family of Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care, long term care, assisted living apartments, and memory care for seniors in Bloomington Minnesota. We also have adult day programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St., in Bloomington, MN.
 
Are you interested in transitioning to assisted living or do you have a loved one that needs assisted living services? Call Megan at 952-948-5153 for more information and to schedule a tour of the Martin Luther Care Center community.
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​Martin Luther Campus has been recognized as a top nursing home by U.S. News and World Report. For both its short-term rehabilitation program and long-term care facility, Martin Luther Campus was rated as high performing, the highest-possible score. The staff and administration of Martin Luther Campus is exceedingly proud to have been named a best nursing home, and will use the data gathered to support our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible care for our residents.

​The Martin Luther Campus transitional care program received a rating of three (out of three), or high performing. Martin Luther exceeded Minnesota and national averages on registered nurse staffing, consistent nurse staffing, physical therapist staffing, patient-centered rehabilitation therapy, and fall prevention. The report also found a low rate of substantiated complaints by patients.
 
The Martin Luther Campus long-term care program was also ranked as high performing. Areas in which the program exceeded state and national averages include consistent nurse staffing, the use of anxiety and hypnotic drugs, and the percentage of residents with the ability to self-care. Martin Luther Care Center far exceeded the Minnesota average for both emergency room visits and hospitalizations, with 0.3 per 1,000 residents for each, compared to Minnesota averages of 1.0 and 1.5, respectively.

Finding enjoyable and stimulating activities that are within the ability level of your loved one with Alzheimer’s can be a challenge to do alone. That’s why we’ve put together this list of activities that are both fun and stimulating for people who have Alzheimer’s. 

Creating art (whether it’s through painting, drawing, sculpting or another art activity) is an activity that can be both calming and stimulating. Since creating art is a relaxing activity, it can help reduce aggressive behavior and it can also stimulate the brain in a creative way. Experts say that creating art can help with the self- expression of people who have Alzheimer’s. At the Martin Luther Campus Memory Care Community, we partner with Northern Clay and the Bloomington Center for the Arts to provide art therapy for our residents. We offer fun art activities like water coloring, making bean mosaics, crafts, and more! 

​Studies have shown that many adults with Alzheimer’s can still remember the music that they enjoyed throughout their childhood and adult life. Playing an instrument or listening to music is a stimulating activity for those with Alzheimer’s, because the part of our brains that is stimulated when we hear music is called the “salience network” and this section of our brains is rarely affected by dementia and mental illness. At the Martin Luther Campus Memory Care Community, we partner with MacPhail Music for Life to offer our residents music therapy and enjoyable activities like drumming, music making, and more! 

​Engaging in physical activity can improve coordination, increase strength and flexibility and can be mentally stimulating. According to a study involving 50 adults with mild Alzheimer’s, if those with Alzheimer’s exercised at least three times weekly for 40 minutes, their cognitive function scores increased and their adverse psychiatric symptoms declined. Some great examples of exercises for individuals with Alzheimer’s are dancing, gardening, stretching, walking, aquatic therapy and water aerobics, and more. At Martin Luther care center, we offer exercise and balance programs, aquatic therapy, and more. 

​Playing card games, board games, and completing puzzles can be very stimulating. In fact, there are multiple games that have been created to stimulate and invigorate the brains of individuals who have Alzheimer’s. At the Martin Luther Campus Memory Care Community, we offer fun group activities like matching puzzle games, Qwirkle, Shake Loose a Memory, card games, double deck matches, board games, dice games, The Price is Right, and more! 

As the disease progresses, it may become more difficult for your loved one to complete certain activities. The good news is that you can adjust and simplify activities and hobbies to match the ability level of your loved one. For instance, someone who cannot play certain instruments anymore can participate in drumming or listening to music, someone who loved running can start taking walks instead, and someone who was an avid reader can now look at the pictures and enjoy a story that is read to them. 

At the Martin Luther Campus Memory Care Community, we are committed to lifelong learning, creative arts engagement, and providing stimulating activities that are designed to promote brain health. Are you interested in transitioning to a memory care community or do you have a loved one that needs memory care? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour of the Martin Luther care center today. 

Barry ZeVan (aka "The Weatherman") shares life experiences and explains the best thing about family. 

From a personal standpoint, my own life yearned for the warmth and security exemplified at Ebenezer communities from the time I knew how to think. Naive as it might have been, the FATHER KNOWS BEST example of how family life should be, even before that television series debuted, was, to me, a life that could really exist, rather than simply a script-writer's dream or fantasy. (Sidebar: I had the pleasure to meet both Jane Wyatt and Elinor Donohue at different times of my life. If your memory might need refreshing, Ms. Wyatt was Robert Young's character's wife on the show and Elinor Donohue the elder of the three children portrayed in the series. In person, both Ms. Wyatt and Ms. Donohue were as warm as the characters they portrayed on that wholesome series of programs.)
 
As unlike FATHER KNOWS BEST as a life could be, and stressing how important family life is, my early years began without a father. He left my mother when I was barely aged 1-1/2. He walked out of the apartment one Sunday to supposedly get a newspaper and never returned. During those days of early World War Two, my mother worked for the War Department, sometimes until 9 or 10 p.m. Because of her schedule, she taught me how to make sandwiches (at age five), as well as open and heat the contents of cans of soup for my weeknight dinners. I also listened to the radio every night, in the dark. The programming was educational talk as well as classical music on the station whereon I would soon become a boy singer every Saturday morning for five years (KDKA, the world's first commercial radio station).
 
In a nutshell, and not to be stated as a "pity party", my young, and even not-so-young, years, were lonely, with the loneliness amplified when I'd also listen to some popular radio soap operas with scripts focused on families and family life. Once again, even before FATHER KNOWS BEST, I wanted a "normal" family existence.
 
The kind of family I wanted as a child eventually materialized for me in later years, with the blessing of a wonderful marriage, two daughters (one of whom, I'm saddened to state, passed away two years ago at age 54 from ovarian cancer), four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. There have been many other blessings, including being a spokesperson for Ebenezer, the exemplars of knowing how to illustrate what it is to enjoy the true happiness of perpetuating family life, especially for those of advanced ages, as a mission-driven, values-based organization.
​

Martin Luther Campus, an Ebenezer Senior Community, has a welcoming family atmosphere and skilled care teams who get to know our residents is if they were family. Are you or a loved one looking for assisted living, memory care, transitional care, long term care, or an adult day program? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today.

​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. 
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