Just How Affordable is Senior Living?

Are you a 55+ senior who looks forward to your golden years, and love the idea of relinquishing the daily chores required with maintaining a home? Communities like MorningStar at Golden Ridge are designed to give you just such a lifestyle. Not only do you have peace of mind knowing you don’t need to worry about lawn upkeep and frustrating home repairs but just sit back and enjoy a beautiful well-maintained home and a broader community of friends.  

Every aspect of the Golden Ridge community is tailored to the needs of seniors including our location in Peoria (near the Cardinal’s stadium), which offers easy access to shopping, restaurants, major medical facilities and metropolitan recreation. Our 8.8 acre campus includes a main building for assisted living and memory care residents. To accommodate the most discerning seniors, our 65 assisted living suites offer a choice of floor plans including studios, and one-bedroom, one-bath; two-bedroom, one-bath, and two-bedroom, 1 ½ bath. 

If you are an active senior ready for your next adventure, we suggest you ask about our 38 independent living “Casitas” (quadruplexes with attached garages) tucked into their own private neighborhood. Casitas are leased month-to-month and offer an incomparable value with predictable monthly budgeting as your expenses including homeowner’s insurance and property taxes are controlled through our bundled Monthly Rental Fee. 

All assisted living and independent living residents can take part in community programs and activities, join us for sponsored outings, and have access to the many amenities within our main building. These include all-day, restaurant-style dining; a saline swimming pool with hot tub; salon offering hairstyling, manicures and pedicures; bistro/bar; fitness centers; chapel/theater and more. Beautiful outdoor dining patios, courtyards and reserved underground parking provide relaxation, comfort and convenience. 

We look forward to hearing from you and would love to tell you about our Move-in Specials. Please visit MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s website for more.  

Expert Weigh-in on How to Tell the Difference between the Flu or a Cold

Now that we are fully in flu season, you may find yourself wondering if you have a common cold or the flu. Experts say there are some clues to help ensure you get the right treatment. 

While certain symptoms overlap, there are some differences. In both cases you may experience a cough, sore throat and a stuffy, running nose. However if you have a fever, chills, and body and muscle aches, it is probably the flu. Bad headaches and fatigue are another indication you most likely have more than the common cold. Children with the flu may also suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.  

As the flu can have more serious consequences, another way to determine if it is the flu or a cold is how the illness starts. The flu hits a person hard and fast, while a cold starts out much slower. For example, a person may start out a day feeling just fine but from the time they leave work to when they get home, they may become feverish with muscle aches throughout their body.  

Doctors stress the importance of getting an annual flu shot as every year adults and children are hospitalized with the flu. Complications include pneumonia and bacterial infections, with some of the worst cases leading to death. Both the flu and colds are spread through droplets spraying into the air when someone coughs, and can spread from contaminated surfaces that come into contact with the droplets. Most flu vaccines are free or low cost with insurance; however, if you are uninsured or underinsured there are options available.

MorningStar Senior Living at Golden Ridge offers seniors a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community with an array of amenities and services. Our senior living options include assisted living and independent living along with memory care. We are dedicated to creating a true home for carefree retirement years. Please visit our website for contact information and to learn more about our home, our services and our company, and ask about our Move-in Specials.

A Senior Community with a Passion for Serving Seniors

The MorningStar at Golden Ridge senior living community’s mission is to provide all the services needed to support and enhance residents’ physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing. As one of the top assisted living communities in the Phoenix area, residents are provided with 24/7 care managers, access to licensed nurses, medication managers, care plan reviews, scheduled health and wellness evaluations. Services also include scheduled physician visits, pharmacy services, transportation to doctor appointments and more. Wellness programs and activities are designed to keep residents as busy as they like.  

It isn’t just our belief that these kinds of services, amenities and programs provide a higher quality of life for many older adults, but in fact, a number of studies have shown this to be true. Research finds “seniors in retirement communities may be living longer and stronger, meaning they become frail less quickly than those who remain in their own home. Residents of independent retirement communities enjoy better health and could potentially live longer because of it.” Moreover, several studies report that because of the support services, older adults with multiple chronic health problems in senior living communities are less likely to require high levels of hospitalization as compared to their peers who live alone.  

Experts believe the enhanced health of those living in retirement communities may also have something to do with the stress-free lifestyle that includes no longer needing to maintain a home. Meals are another part of MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s luxury amenities, so residents just relax and enjoy being served restaurant-style in our community dining room. To help you stay in your best shape, we provide exercise classes, a saline swimming pool with hot tub, and fitness center.

Please visit the MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s website to learn more about our “passion to serve seniors.” When you are there, use our convenient online links to inquire about availability and pricing or set up a tour. MorningStar at Golden Ridge’s trusted senior living options include independent living, assisted living, and memory care in Peoria. Please ask about our Move-in Specials. 

Source: 

bethesdahealth.org/blog/2020/10/08/seniors-live-longer-happier-retirement-communities/

How MCI is Diagnosed

Studies report approximately 12-18% of people aged 60 or older have some level of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). So how do you know if you are one of them? The first step to diagnosing MCI typically comes after a person starts to complain of forgetfulness or cognitive problems, or initiated at the urging of family members. Doctors explain it is usually more serious if it comes at the request of those closest to the person because as a person develops more of the signs of Alzheimer’s they often are not aware of their memory loss. 

Your doctor will begin with a thorough evaluation to try and determine if the problem is MCI, Alzheimer’s or normal age-related memory loss, or caused by another factor. It is important to note not all cases of MCI develop into dementia and an evaluation could identify medications as the problem. A Harvard Medical School article states, “Establishing the cause and scope of the impairment is helpful in setting a baseline for future evaluations to determine if the condition is progressing to dementia.” 

Some of the preliminary tests include a complete blood workup to rule out anemia, infection, kidney and liver disorders, or diabetes. Other tests may check for thyroid abnormalities, elevated blood calcium and vitamin B12 deficiencies. 

Cognitive tests begin with an in-depth medical history as well as questions regarding the person’s memory lapses and other thinking problems. Your physician will probably request a family member be there to reaffirm and document the changes. Experts say quickly progressing memory problems are most likely another issue as true dementia progresses pretty slowly. 

Your physician may refer you to a neuropsychologist for more tests including paper and pen and computer tests to assess memory, language and other cognitive skills including motor and visual function. If deemed necessary, they may do structural and functional brain scans or an amyloid PET scan, which detects in a living brain signs of amyloid plaques, the hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.  

At MorningStar at Golden Ridge, we offer 38 Casitas (quadruplexes with attached garages) for independent living and another 65 suites for assisted living. Our Reflections’ wing provides 35 secure suites devoted to the individualized care of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Please visit our website to learn more about trusted seniors living in Peoria, AZ.