Cantissimo Senior Living Blog

When it's time to make long-term care decisions for your senior parent or disabled loved one, you may be unsure as to whether they will be better off at home or in a facility-based care community. Unless your loved one has a long-term care insurance policy, you may also be wondering how you're going to pay for your loved one's long-term care expenses — as average annual costs range between $18,746 and $100,379. To learn more about long-term care planning and for some advice on paying for long-term care services, read on.

Despite the tidal wave of Baby Boomers entering the 55+ age demographic, many aspects of senior living are still rooted in old models. This has attracted a new crop of innovators to enter the market. One such innovator is Paul Ablack, Founder and CEO of Cantissimo Senior Living. Experience Beyond Measure correspondent Mike Lawson recently sat down with Paul to discuss the current state of senior living and how Cantissimo Senior Living aims to make changes for the better.

A common assumption persists that "senior living" means residing in a skilled nursing, assisted living, or memory care facility. In fact, the vast majority (96%) of adults 65 and older live in the community (homes or apartments). The motivation to "age in place" at home has a lot of appeal. An AARP study found that 90% of older U.S. adults want to stay in their homes as long as possible. The reasons for this are:

• More independence
• Familiar surroundings and routines
• Established relationships
• Lower living expense
• Avoid the cost of moving

However, as people age, the potential for needing assistance increases as the incidence of physical and mental problems grows. This threatens the ability to age in place because the older adult needs the support of caregivers.

Being a family caregiver isn't like other jobs. For one, your day doesn't stop at 5 p.m. — or ever. Putting all your energy into another person's care also drains you and stresses you out, as few other jobs can. As much as you love your family member, you need to take time away from your caregiving duties for your own health.

There are so many ways for seniors to enjoy the convenience and security of voice devices. It’s important to stay on top of the latest features and changes to the setup to make the best use of these devices. Whether you’re a senior living independently at home or enjoying the comforts of a retirement community, just about everyone will find some helpful tips here for making the most of the Amazon Alexa service. If you’re a caretaker or family member supporting a parent or grandparent, you’ll find some of these features very useful in helping your family member stay safe.

Use Voice Technology to Improve Safety with These Tips

It's wonderful growing older. There is so much you've seen and experienced, and there is more to come. Even so, it is important to remember that the health of your heart is vital. With a healthier heart, you can rest assured that there are many more years to look forward to. Begin with small changes in your lifestyle for better health now and in the future. And this is very important, especially when it comes to cholesterol levels in older adults.

Cholesterol accumulation in the body of older adults can lead to devastating health conditions. For instance, it increases susceptibility to heart diseases like stroke or heart attack. With the following 14 tips to improve cholesterol for older adults, you can get your health on the right track!

Try These Tips to Improve Your Cholesterol

Note: This post has been updated May 17, 2021.

Even though the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, the U.S. vaccination process is cause for decreased transmission rates nationwide. Nearly one-third of the U.S. population, above the age of sixteen, are fully vaccinated, with an average of two million tests administered daily. In the last two weeks, daily reported cases of infection are down 29.7%. There are currently three FDA unapproved vaccines under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), including the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

How mRNA Vaccines Work

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are both classified as mRNA vaccines. Unlike other vaccines, this type does not inject the virus into an individual. Instead, mRNA vaccines create a protein that triggers an immune response to produce antibodies. Obtaining antibodies for COVID-19 protects individuals from getting infected when they come in contact with the virus.

In May of 2020, a 20-year-old man was caught on video brutally beating a 75-year-old man at the Westwood Rehabilitation Nursing Center in Detroit, Michigan. The suspect, who was also a patient at the time, was shown repeatedly punching and cussing at the victim. Although no staff members were involved in this incident, it raises concern that the staff was unaware of the incident until they saw the video.

In June of 2017, Janet Yu discovered that her 90-year-old mother was a victim of financial abuse by her financial planner at Royal Mutual Funds Inc., an RBC subsidiary and a mutual funds dealer. The unauthorized transfer of funds resulted in over $120,000. These unauthorized transfers supposedly went unnoticed because they were processed using Yu’s client card number and the assigned online banking password.

What is Elder Abuse?

The above are only two examples of elder abuse, a growing problem in today’s society that can cost seniors their security, dignity, and even their lives in extreme cases. Elder abuse can include financial abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. It is important to understand that abuse can occur anywhere, including in the home or a senior living facility. Often, abusers are someone that a person trusts, such as family members, friends, or caregivers. Sixty percent of elder abusers are family members, while 24.3% of elder abusers are senior living facility caregivers.

How Prevalent is Elder Abuse?

As we age, the reproduction and repair of cells slow. As a result, we often experience slower growth of both hair and nails. To maintain healthy hair, there are a few things to do that will encourage the repair of the cells and develop new and healthy cells to replace the damaged ones. Follow these suggestions to maintain healthy hair at any age!

Keep Your Hair Strong and Healthy!

Many of the injuries that occur every day happen in the home. Of these, a large portion occurs in the bathroom, where the water and clutter add to the risk of every day. As reported by the CDC, in 2008, approximately 235,000 people in the U.S. ages 15+ sustained nonfatal, unintentional injuries in bathrooms that resulted in treatment from emergency departments.