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New Haven

Assisted Living & Memory Care

5 Tips for Selecting the Perfect Senior Living Community

  1. Get Educated on The Various Types of Senior Living Communities-Complete an internet search for communities near you.  Gather as much information on those communities as you can by requesting information directly from community or online.  Know the different types of communities and the difference in services offered.  Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care and which one would be the best fit for you.
  2. Consider Your Budget- Determine what sort of monthly budget you are able to afford and narrow down your search accordingly. Consider financial resources such as VA Aid & Attendance for Veterans, Long Term Care insurance, home equity, personal income and savings or financial support from family. 
  3. Tour Communities - once you have narrowed down your research schedule a tour. Talk to current residents, staff and families to get a good feel of the community’s culture.  Dive into the services and amenities offered and see if those align with what you are looking for. Discuss rates and care cost and make sure to ask for additional or hidden fees not disclosed on rate sheet.  Re-tour unannounced, visit during a meal or enjoy a meal to experience a meal.  Invite your family to tour and request feedback. Gather as much information as you can when you visit the community to assist you with making your decision.
  4. Select a Community -Once you have narrowed down your search, select a community that feels right to you. Decide on a move in date.  Determine what furniture you will bring with you.  Obtain measurements of the apartment you chose. Determine what pieces of furniture and decor you will bring with you.  Have fun decorating and create a space that brings you joy and comfortable for you.
  5. Getting Settled In- Transitioning from home to a community is a major life change. As you or your loved one settles into their new space it is important to get connected with other residents and staff, participate in activities and get acquainted with the lifestyle.  Enjoy all the services and amenities the community has to offer; chef prepared meals, housekeeping and personal laundry services, compassionate staff, enjoy coffee on the patio or gazebo, get familiar with the layout of the community and go for a walk.  Life begins again when moving into a senior living community.  There are many opportunities to make new friendships, regain independence and continue to live a thriving lifestyle.

If you are interested in learning more about senior living communities such as New Haven, please call 512-667-0077 today to visit with one of our team members.

www.newhavenassistedliving.com

Is Senior Living Right for you?

Is Senior Living right for you?  Listen to what some of our residents are saying after making the decision to move into New Haven.

“If I would have known what life was like living in an assisted living, I would have made the decision to move sooner.  I have met new friends while attending the daily activities offered.  My health has improved overall, I am exercising often and eating well-balanced meals.  I love having privacy when I want and can be as social as I want”            - Betty

“I enjoy the fellowship with some of the other residents.  It was important to me that I had someone available to assist me on the days I didn’t feel well. I came to New Haven after an injury and was limited to a wheelchair.  With physical therapy and help from the staff I am now walking with a walker and feeling better” – Jim

 

Web banner panoramic image of happy senior man and woman couple sitting together at home smiling and happy with perfect teethSeniors who transition into assisted living have a better chance at saying physically, emotionally and mentally connected as they age, compared to those Seniors who choose to stay at home.

New Haven recognizes the importance to keeping the body and mind active through the various Life Enrichment programs that contribute to our resident’s overall health and wellbeing.  Staying active, eating healthy, sleeping well and taking care of oneself can slow the risk of mortality for seniors as they age.  Seniors that live on their own succumb to bad habits when no one is around to encourage an active lifestyle.  New Haven understands the importance of our residents sustaining a healthy diet, one that is rich in nutrients can help with cognition function as well as nutrition intake.  New Haven offers a dining program where our residents enjoy three nutritious Chef prepared meals a day.

Statistics show that both personal and environmental resources are important to aging well, senior living communities offer a unique combination of personal competence and environment that determines an optimal level of function.  Senior Living residents report lower level of stress with being able to handle situations knowing they are surrounded by a support system day and night.

There are many benefits New Haven Assisted Living & Memory Care have to offer.  New Haven provides very individualized care, robust activity programs and specially designed communities that help seniors continue to thrive with all the comforts of home.   Visit us today to determine if senior living is right for you.

Coronavirus Response for Senior Living

The overall health and safety of staff and residents is our top priority.

Coronavirus Response for Senior Living

New Haven residents and staff continue to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak. New Haven staff have gone above and beyond the standards to ensure our resident safety. These are the safety guidelines that the New Haven Staff is adhering to:

Wearing Face Masks

New Haven is following the recommendations of Center for Disease Control – staff and residents wear face masks. Staff must wear masks at all times. When staff is in the apartment working with a resident or outside of the apartment, residents wear also wear a mask.

New Haven has also asked that all essential healthcare workers visiting New Haven wear masks.

Outside Health Provider Protocols

Upon arrival, all outside health providers must answer and pass a COVID-19 questionnaire and have their temperature taken. New Haven has asked that home health/hospice visits take place at the beginning of their day to help prevent the spread of disease from one facility to another.

COVID-19 Questionnaire

In an effort to track signs and symptoms of the illness, all staff and residents must also regularly complete a COVID-19 questionnaire. The questionnaire is performed twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.

Staying PPE Supplied

New Haven developed guidelines early on in order to ensure adequate supply of PPE supplies. Additionally, PPE inventory is tracked daily in order for communities to have the equipment necessary to keep residents and staff safe.

Communication

New Haven has implemented a CareMerge broadcast messaging system. Immediate COVID-19 communication is sent via text, voicemail, and email to facility staff and families.

We want to ensure that our families and staff are the first to know about any immediate changes within each community, and the CareMerge Broadcast messaging system has made the process efficient.

Health and Mental Status

Residents complete a Health and Mental Status assessments each week to assess mental wellbeing of our residents. Not only is the health of our residents a top priority, but the overall well-being is of utmost importance as well.

Life Enrichment

New Haven has increased hours of Activity Directors due to the visitor restriction of their loved one to prevent isolation and depression. We want to continue to keep our residents active, as this helps with their overall health. In order to keep social distancing and keep our residents active, we have adjusted our daily schedule to offer small social activities, but still, allow our residents to stay socially distant and active.

Virtually Connected

Our aim is to keep families engaged on a daily basis. To stay virtually connected, iPads help residents stay connected with their loved ones. We have also increased posting of daily activities on Facebook.

Experience the New Haven resident-centered environment that our communities offer so that your loved one feels secure and enjoys all the comforts of home. Let us calm your fears about making the decision to move your loved one in this uncertain time. 

Please visit our website and Facebook page for continued updates on our response to COVID-19.

Paying for Senior Living

Paying for Senior Living

One of the most stressful parts of moving a loved one into an Assisted Living Community is figuring out how to pay for it. Children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, anyone that is helping a loved one with this journey just want to do what is best for their loved one, and part of that is making sure that they take care of their loved one’s money as well. Most people do not know how many different options there are for paying for Senior Living.

  • Long Term Care Insurance

    • Long Term Care insurance benefits vary widely depending on the policy, and benefits can range from $1,500 to more than $9,000 per month. If you get denied the first time, try again! Sometimes it can take a few tries to qualify for Long Term Care Insurance, just do not give up!

  • Veterans Benefits

    • If you or your loved one is a veteran or a spouse of a veteran, you may be eligible for benefits that can be used to pay for Senior Living.

  • Life Insurance

    • A life insurance policy can provide financial support now if that’s when the money would be most helpful. Life Insurance benefits are not only available after a person’s death. Ask your Life Insurance Agent for different options for you!

  • Consider Selling or Renting if you Own Your Home

    • If nobody will be remaining in the home, consider selling the home. If you just are not ready to let go of your home, consider renting the home out!

  • Bridge Loan

    • If you have trouble liquidating assets quickly, these short term loans are designed to fund the move to Assisted Living and are awesome when waiting for the sale of property or to be approved for a pension.

  • Private Pay

    • Personal income or savings is the simplest route. You can also cash in personal investment portfolios like 401k plans or IRAs.

  • Annuity

    • If you are worried about outliving your resources, considering an annuity could be a good option for you!

These are just a few options to help you during the process of trying to figure out the best way to pay for Senior Living. Get creative! Check out www.newhavenassistedliving.com to get more information about our community, and let us help assist you in finding your loved one the perfect place to call “home.”

Color Psychology: What’s in a Color

The Energy and Emotion of Color

Did you know that there’s actually psychology in color? According to Psychology Specialist, Dr. Mahnke, “The color produced by light is a kind of energy. This energy affects both the functions of our body as well as our mind and emotions. Thanks to studies conducted, we now know that color affects brain waves, the autonomic nervous system and hormonal activity and stimulates various emotions. In other words, we react both physiologically and psychologically to color. Depending on how the brain is stimulated, a person can be rendered happy, angry, sad or anxious.” Everyone interprets a different sensation to color. However, children and the elderly are more sensitive to color in the way that it affects them, so you must be aware of the colors you use when decorating a space that is for a child or an elderly adult.

Strong, bright, neon colors can have a powerful affect on emotions. These types of colors can feel energizing and can make you feel more alert.  However, for children and the elderly, bright colors can actually be overwhelming, distracting, and can cause anxiety.

The Colors Interpreted

Below is a list of colors and a short interpretation of how children and elderly may react to these certain colors according to Specialist Psychologist Ayben Ertem:

  • Red—“Red attracts all the attention and distorts the effect of other colors. The lens of the eye must adjust to be able to focus on red. Using intense red in a room, especially in a room where a child or senior sleeps or concentrates, could have a negative effect. Children and seniors could feel and become tense and aggressive in rooms painted in red.”
  • Orange—“Orange is softer and simpler in comparison to red, but with the energy of yellow. It represents happiness, sociability and joy. It is ideal in overcoming tiredness, and it radiates warmth, and helps you wake up early in the mornings. Orange physically represents self confidence and independence.”
  • Yellow—”Yellow is the most joyful color on the color scale! It represents wisdom and kindness, and it radiates warmth, joy, enthusiasm, fun and inspiration. Yellow represents mental and spiritual enlightenment. It also affects memory, motivation and attention.”
  • Green—“Green psychologically represents health, and it also has a calming effect on the nervous system. It is reminiscent of peace, calm and quiet. Green is found to be the most relaxing color and represents the power of nature and life.”
  • Blue—“Blue is known to reduce body temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate. Blue evokes feelings of contentment, spaciousness and comfort. Because blue is such a calming color, it is recommended to be used in rooms that are intended to be slept in.”
  • Violet/Purple—“Purple stimulates the part of the brain related to creativity, but purple can also have a calming effect. Purple also contributes to physical and spiritual serenity

The Design at New Haven

Cool, right? Who knew that the color you painted your wall or decorated your home with actually has a psychological effect on you? When touring New Haven Assisted Living and Memory Care, you will find that we have chosen to decorate our communities mainly with the colors that represent peace, calming and joy—yellow, green and blue. Everything we do at New Haven is with a purpose, and with your loved one in mind!

Want to see more? Schedule a Private Tour  

New Haven Assisted Living New Haven Assisted Living

 

 

12 Common Signs of Alzheimer’s

alzheimers-new-haven-assisted-living-memory-care

 

Memory loss and confusion are the main symptoms of Alzheimer’s, but most families want to understand the early signs and other signs of this brain disease. If you are concerned about any symptoms you are experiencing or are concerned about a loved one’s mental health, be sure to visit your family physician. We understand the difficulties one may face, and the need to protect your family with an early diagnosis.

Memory Loss

The most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Paying special attention to conditions that disrupt daily activities and leads to confusion. In the beginning, short-term memory loss would happen and is gradually replaced by long-term memory loss. For example, fail to keep track of personal objects, appointments, dates, and times.

Problem Solving Issues

Inability to solve problems, work with numbers, or follow plans can also indicate the presence of Alzheimer’s disease. In the early stage, one might have difficulty understanding multi-step issues and complexities. As a result, it might take them a long-time making to-do lists or calculating some basic math.

Object Misplacement

Individuals with Alzheimer’s usually leave their objects in strange places and have trouble retracing the steps. Typically items one might not use frequently or regularly and could possibly progress to daily objects such as cell phone or wallet. This forgetfulness sometimes leads to a lack of critical reasoning or pronounced irritability as to the place of the object. One might accuse other people of stealing their items when they cannot find them.

Speech Issues

Listen to any speech issues as people with Alzheimer’s tend to follow along or lose track of conversations that they are having with others. It can also be hard for them to mangle common phrases or words or repeat themselves. Watch out for strange, random pauses, using incorrect phrases, or slurring in conversation as well. Give a series of long words such as “scrupulous” or “incredibly” and ask them to repeat. If they have one of these signs, then it might indicate Alzheimer’s.

Social Withdraw

People often lose their interest in social activities, work, church, friendships, or hobbies. This might be caused by the troubles of their conditions or a blasé attitude to their interests. Be mindful that these changes should be assessed over time. You can ask them a few questions about the favorite team if they are a fan of sports. If you are not aware of these details, then it might be an obvious sign.

Confusion

Another common sign of Alzheimer’s is the confusion with place and time. These people often check their calendar or watch for the time and lose track of the current moments. Also, they might misjudge lengths of time or lose track of the current place. A simple way to check is by asking them what season or month it is. Sometimes, they might be able to figure it out but after 10 or 15 minutes.

Mood Changes

Alzheimer’s disease usually leads to sudden changes in their relationship with other people and mood. You should look out for any unusual expressions of anxiety, fear, depression, suspicion, anger, or confusion. Individuals might become upset more easily and have many issues with anxiety or depression. Also, they would be suspicious of surrounding people, even friends or family members. A simple way to differentiate this sign from that of other health issues is to pay special attention to how individuals behave when they come out of the comfort zone and are around some new people.

Poor Judgement

Another possible sign in people with Alzheimer’s disease is poor decision-making ability or judgment. For example, watch out for any occasion when they spend cash unwisely or give a large amount of money to telemarketers. In other words, they might be overly skeptical or over trusting of people, even when they are strangers. Also, individuals might have an unkempt look or poor hygiene, thus paying less attention to daily bathing or grooming. In addition, there are many other mistakes that they would make. That’s why it is important to have a plan in place for your loved one. Start exploring Memory Care options or in home care.

Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks

Those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease usually find it more difficult to complete their daily tasks and make plans. For instance, they might have difficulty managing the budget, driving to their workplace, or remember their own birthday. It is also common for them to need frequent help working the TV or stove. Many people often mistake that this is a sign of aging. However, the condition might get worse quickly in Alzheimer’s patients if left untreated immediately.

Loss of Concentration

It is not uncommon for people with Alzheimer’s disease to have a shorter attention span. This can be noticed easily when they often ask some repetitive questions and resist changes. As a result, they might have difficulty thinking about everything logically and organizing their own thoughts. This lack of processing skills would be quite obvious in the inability to perform tasks such as forgetting a payment or balancing a checkbook. This is a good indicator that the individual might be appropriate for a Memory Care community.

Behavioral Changes

It’s possible that you might start to see many behavioral changes in those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. One of the earliest changes would be the loss of interest in surrounding life or those things that they once enjoyed. It might also lead to other symptoms such as unprovoked hostility, emotional outbursts, a lack of spontaneity, less energy, and more. Some individuals would experience a loss of inhibition that causes behavior such as making inappropriate comments or undressing in a public area.

Observing

People with mild Alzheimer’s disease tend to spend more time of the day observing everything around them. One might become more agitated and annoyed. This sign makes them easily get lost when walking around the neighborhood, even in familiar places. It can also occur at night and affect their sleep patterns, thus leading to insomnia. In most cases, it is quite easy to notice this sign as it is quite rare and does not occur in many health issues. Thus, visit your doctor as soon as it happens.

If you are needing assistance and support with memory loss, please do not hesitate to reach out to the New Haven team at (866) 259-3297.

New Haven of Spring and Tomball Receive a Special Visit

 

New Haven Assisted Living and Memory Care of Tomball and Spring enjoyed new visitors at their window this last week. Enjoy the interview from ABC 13, Houston to see the joy and smiles from our residents.

Click HERE to see the video of the residents enjoying new visitors from therapy horses! 

Diamond Oak Stables, owned by Gretta Schieffer, volunteered to bring her horses to the New Haven communities to bring smiles to the residents.

COVID-19 has brought many challenges and many new “norms” for our residents, getting to socialize with these beautiful horses brought some laughter and joy into our home.

New Haven is going into the 6th week of being COVID free within our 8 New Haven communities. New Haven’s immediate and rigorous plan of action responding to COVID-19 is the primary reason why there are zero infections. The health and wellbeing of our residents, families and staff are of utmost importance to us.

 

Stay updated on all news and daily activities by visiting our Facebook Page 

Getting Creative for Family Visits

“Rae Martin, a licensed vocational nurse at New Haven Assisted Living in Spring said the facility has also been leaning on technology to help residents and families keep in touch.

“I email the families, a few times a week, at least every other day to keep them updated on new updates for the coronavirus and activities going on in the building,” Martin said. “I send them pictures; we pretty well keep in touch. It’s like a huge family here.”

However, should families need more than virtual conversations over video, Martin said families can also visit and see loved ones through residents’ windows.

Visit Here to see more about how we are getting creative for family visits!

 

Keeping Our Seniors Engaged

New Haven understands how important it is to not only keep our residents safe during this time of uncertainty, but as well as keeping our seniors engaged. We are staying socially engaged with each of our residents daily. Our Life Enrichment teams are working around the clock to ensure our residents do not feel socially isolated and have implemented one on one activity sessions with the residents in order to prevent loneliness and boredom. The lack of visitors and the need for social distancing has changed, but New Haven continues to keep our residents engaged daily. Here are some ways we are keeping our seniors engaged and staying connected and active throughout this time.

Staying Virtually Connected

Connect With Families

Each of our New Haven communities have received new iPads to help our residents to continually stay connected with their families and friends. Our Life Enrichment Coordinator goes around individually and spends time with each resident to assist them in connecting with their family and friends.

Staying Distantly Social

New Haven has started a new program to be able to connect with other communities and younger generations in the surrounding

areas by creating a Pen Pal Program. Seniors can often experience a new enthusiasm by living through a younger generation’s perspective. In addition, the children and seniors can both continue to develop their writing and communication skills sharpened. In these letters, everyone is able to share old memories and create new friendships!

We are also offering many social activities within the community that allows our residents connect but continue to keep their safe distance:

  • Ice Cream Socials
  • Hallway Bowling
  • Coffee and Conversations
  • Walking Club
  • Rhythm Circle
  • Spiritual Reading

Hot Towel Service

In addition to washing hands in the sink, we provide hand massages with a hot towel with essential oils before each meal. Not only does this help with calming but it also helps with an additional precaution. Aromatherapy has been known as a complimentary therapy that uses essential oils to improve a person’s well-being. The aromas help the residents to feel rejuvenated and energized.

Helping Hands

spring garden club assisted living

Our residents love getting to help out and staying busy throughout the day, and New Haven’s goal is to continually keep our residents as independent as possible. With Spring right around the corner, we have our gardening club going and are actively planting fresh flowers. There are many positive aspects of gardening for our seniors:

  • Physical Engagement
  • Mental Engagement
  • Sense of Accomplishment

Although the COVID-19 might have slowed many people down socially and actively, New Haven committed to keeping our residents active and their health and well-being a priority. We will continue to go out of our way to ensure our residents are experiencing a normal day to day activities and as safe as possible.

Visit our Facebook to see more fun or schedule a tour to see how you can join the fun! Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at hello@newhaventexas.com.

 

How Eating Healthy Can Help You Live Your Best Life in Your Golden Years

As you get older, you may become less concerned with having six-pack abs or toned legs. But eating healthy is still important nonetheless in this phase of life. This is because what you eat can impact the health of your body from the inside out. Not to mention, managing your weight and consuming enough nutrients like calcium can impact mobility.

If your bones or muscles are weak, then it may be harder for you to complete daily tasks. You may then have to depend on others for help and not be able to enjoy life as much as you would like. Therefore, read below for tips on how to improve the health of your diet so you can enjoy your best life during your golden years.

What is eating healthy?

Depending on who you talk to, eating healthy can mean something a bit different for everyone. In general, though, eating healthy is when you consume enough nutrients daily for your body to function at its best. This type of diet would be balanced with the three macronutrients: fat, carbohydrate, and protein. It would also include plenty of gut-healthy fiber and antioxidants from fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods.

What does a balanced diet look like?

A balanced diet contains plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as protein-rich foods like beef, chicken, seafood, or beans. It also has some healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fish like salmon, or plant-based oils. Depending on your health status, you may need different amounts of each nutrient than your neighbor.

What nutrients are most important for seniors?

Seniors require special nutrient needs than other adults. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, such vital nutrients for seniors include (1,2,3,4):

  • Calcium: Older adults need more calcium to maintain healthy bones. Calcium is found in milk and milk products, fortified plant-based milks and cereals, as well as dark, green leafy vegetables. Such leafy greens include spinach, kale, and broccoli.
  • Vitamin D: Calcium needs vitamin D to fully aid bone health. This is because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. You can get vitamin D from exposing your skin to the sunlight each day, taking a supplement of about 600 IU daily, or eating vitamin D rich foods. Such foods include egg yolks, saltwater fish like tuna, liver, and fortified milk. You may need to take more vitamin D if you have low levels in your blood. Be sure to have your doctor check your vitamin D levels each year.
  • Vitamin B12: Older adults are at higher risk than other adults of being low in vitamin B12 since their body has more trouble absorbing it. Low levels of vitamin B12 can lead to red blood cell health, which can lead to a condition known as megaloblastic anemia. This condition can make a person very tired and can also cause shortness of breath, muscle weakness, nausea, and loss of appetite. You can consume B12 in animal products like beef, poultry, seafood, pork, eggs, and dairy products as well as fortified cereals.
  • Fiber: Older adults need fiber, just like all adults do, to maintain gut health and heart health. You can find fiber in fruits, vegetables, whole grains like rice, breads, and pasta, as well as beans and lentils. Most adults need about 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day for their best health.
  • Potassium: Eating plenty of potassium in the diet, about 3500 milligrams daily, can help lower one’s risk of high blood pressure. You can find potassium in foods like fruits, vegetables, and beans.

Can I take a dietary supplement instead of eating food with these nutrients?

You can certainly take a dietary supplement instead of eating nutrient-rich foods. However, you would miss out on the diverse array of health benefits in whole foods. Therefore, it’s important to just take those nutrients in supplement form that you feel you cannot eat enough of in your daily diet. A multivitamin made just for seniors could be the right fit for you.

But make sure to eat plenty of the foods listed above to reap the benefits of whole food intake. Rich protein sources like milk, yogurt, and plant-based milks can provide not only calcium, but also protein. And eating a rainbow of brightly colored vegetables and fruits each day

How do I start eating healthier today?

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to eating healthier, meeting with a registered dietitian can help. This type of healthcare professional is trained to help you look at your current eating plan and health needs and figure out where you can improve.

They can help you plan easy to prepare meals that contain all the nutrients you need to be your healthiest. You can call your insurance provider to see if dietitian services are covered under your medical plan.

 

 

 

References:

  1. Wolfram, MS, RDN, LDN (May 23, 2018) “Special Nutrient Needs of Older Adults.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/healthy-aging/special-nutrient-needs-of-older-adults
  2.  NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center (last reviewed October 2018) “Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age.” https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/nutrition/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-every-age
  3. Stover, P.J. (January, 2010) “Vitamin B12 and older adults.” Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 13(1):24-7.
  4. Diane Fager, RD (October, 2018) “Menus for Assisted Living Facilities”
    https://www.grovemenus.com/menus-for-assisted-living-facilities
  5. UCSF Health (accessed March 9, 2020) “Increasing Fiber Intake.” https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing-fiber-intake