News Archives - Page 9 of 11 - Jackson Creek Senior Living

While it may be an uncomfortable topic or you think there’s no hurry, it’s beneficial for seniors and their families to start exploring the variety of options in senior living before it may become a need, such as in a moment of crisis, injury or illness.

And as difficult as it may feel, planning or at least exploring senior housing with seniors while they are healthy and independent can help make the process less stressful if a move does become necessary to help ensure someone’s quality of life in later years.

Here are some of the biggest reasons to examine options with your loved one now:

It can be dangerous to live alone

As seniors’ bodies age, they will experience an increased risk of accidents from even the most mundane household tasks, from doing yardwork, to sweeping the floor, to folding the laundry. As immune systems weaken, less hygienic conditions become even more dangerous, and walking down a slippery driveway to retrieve the mail can lead to a fall that limits their mobility. But by understanding your loved one’s senior living preferences and concerns now, you can be more confident they’ll stay safe in the years to come.

Living in a community makes it easier to stay social

Senior living communities make it easier for seniors to socialize in groups, engage with others, express themselves and discover new interests. Feeling isolated has a negative impact on seniors’ physical and emotional health, and research shows that loneliness and depression can even shorten one’s lifespan. Ensuring proximity to social events, activities, classes and friends can help your loved one ward off the isolation particularly common after late-in-life events like retirement or the loss of a spouse.

A hurried decision can lead to financial mistakes

It’s important for seniors to reserve enough time to choose the right senior living community for them, considering their finances, available housing types and possible locations. With many kinds of senior housing serving many different needs — including independent living, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing facilities — it’s a good idea to start researching now. Looking at the big picture early on will give you and your loved one some idea of what is affordable down the road, without running into financial trouble.

It can be difficult to sell your home

Any last-ditch decision about senior living can be a potential drain on you and your loved one’s time, resources and finances. While downsizing in real estate is typically good for the pocketbook, it’s still important for your loved one to sell in a market that will maximize their original investment. Seniors who try to navigate the process themselves may also fall for an unscrupulous or predatory broker.

Choosing the right senior housing option can be a hard decision. Choosing Jackson Creek is easy. Learn more about our exceptional lifestyle during a complimentary private tour. Schedule your visit online or call us today at 719-725-6060.

The Jackson Creek Senior Living community is designed and staffed to support all facets of health and happiness for our residents and their loved ones. Our independent living, assisted living and memory support apartments offer opportunities to build friendships and explore new hobbies, with the peace of mind that our 24/7 staff is available to provide additional support if it’s ever needed.

Jackson Creek Senior Living residents Edmund (Ed) and Patricia Krekorian will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary in June. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the couple, who have lived at Jackson Creek since November 2018, told us about their long, happy life together:

Ed and Patricia’s marriage represents the union of a southern girl and a northern boy. Patricia, from Atlanta, and Ed, from Boston, met in 1950 through Patricia’s brother, who like Ed, was a second lieutenant stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas.

“Second lieutenants back then didn’t get much pay. I was broke toward the end of every month and had to sponge meals off married friends,” said Ed. “So, I went over to Patricia’s brother’s and his wife’s house one evening to have dinner and there she was. For me, it was love at first sight.”

Patricia, who had been visiting on break from graduate school, said, “Ed’s kind nature and gentleness were what I first noticed about him.” Patricia was 20 at the time, Ed was 23. Ed added, “in addition to a great figure, she had a certain calmness and dignity which she maintained throughout our marriage.”

“The three weeks Patricia was at Fort Bliss we spent together what time I could get off,” Ed said. Three months later, Ed took leave to visit Patricia and meet her parents in Georgia. During that visit Ed proposed and Patricia accepted. Months later, the couple ﬂew to Boston to visit Ed’s parents. On June 30, 1950, the couple were married. The Korean War had just begun. A few weeks after the wedding, Ed, a former World War II Marine, was on his way to Korea, where he commanded a platoon of automatic weapons in the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.

Ed said he really admired Patricia for her independence while he was gone. She got a job teaching art in an Atlanta High School, lived off her salary and banked Ed’s army pay. Returning from Korea after nine months, Ed soon began medical school. By this time, the couple had a two-year-old son. Patricia got a job at the medical school in the microbiology department as a lab technician. When Ed graduated, Patricia was chief technician in the department.

Eventually, Ed was assigned to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC as the director of the head and neck surgery department. Patricia became “Mother Superior” for the wives of the 16 residents Ed was training. She also taught painting classes for officers’ wives and arranged flowers on Sundays at the Walter Reed chapel. By this time, their family had increased to three boys and one girl.

In 1970, after three weeks of parachute training, Ed went to Vietnam to serve as division surgeon and then commander of a 400-bed evacuation hospital. Returning home, Ed retired from the army in Denver, joined the faculty of the medical school as professor and was appointed Director of Head and Neck Surgery at Denver General hospital. Patricia stayed active as an artist, and had paintings in galleries in Aurora, Greeley, Denver, Fort Collins, Estes Park and Santa Fe. She was elected president of the Colorado Artists Guild for two successive years.

In anticipation of Valentine’s Day 2020, Patricia offered some advice to couples looking to make their relationship last: “Be considerate. Respect each other. Just love and respect, kindness and thoughtfulness. All of that.”

For his part, Ed said their life together has been exciting, rewarding and wonderful, but there’s no real secret to a long and happy marriage. “We just enjoy being together,” said Ed. “She’s been a wonderful mother. And she has a good sense of humor. She laughs at my jokes.”

“He’s a good, good person. He’s just good,” added Patricia. “Some people are just so wrapped up in themselves they forget to be kind.”

Now that they are residents at Jackson Creek Senior Living, Ed and Patricia keep their love alive by doing things together.

“I’m writing my fourth book, which is about two-thirds done now. And Patricia reads a lot of it. She paints a lot, too,” said Ed, pointing to a picture on the wall. “She painted those two eagles yelling at each other.”

Our lifestyle at Jackson Creek Senior Living is centered on fostering wellness from every angle: Social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical. We offer different classes, programs and activities to help our residents feel healthy and fulfilled. Plus, our person-centered approach to wellness is designed to support each individual on their aging journey with ample opportunities to stay active and engaged.

As part of our wellness-focused lifestyle, we partner with other resources in our community that also serve adults ages 62 and older—this allows us to provide truly comprehensive care and support for everyone who calls Jackson Creek home. Bridges Community Home Health is one of our close partners, offering a range of health services that let our residents more successfully age in place.

Our community was designed with dedicated rehabilitation and physical therapy spaces, making it an ideal place to host home health providers who can help residents build strength and heal as quickly and steadily as possible. Bridges offers all residents a complimentary health screening when they first move in to identify individual needs and develop personalized care plans that help all members of our community age well.

“A lot of what we do once we identify a person’s needs is provide education to help them stay active and well,” Regional Director of Bridges Home Health Clinical Business Development Lane Pont said. “We look out for residents who have had frequent falls or may be used to living in a smaller space because living here they may experience a change in their level of activity, so endurance may be an issue. We also look at ways to build endurance and strength through fallprevention and therapy techniques.”

In addition to initial assessments, Bridges staff hold educational seminars about a variety of senior health topics and evidence-based senior fitness classes. They also work with top specialists along the Front Range to help residents connect with any additional care they may need.

“We help people with cognitive- issues like Parkinson’s, dementia and Alzheimer’s; we have specialists that can provide support,” Pont explained. “We also have social workers who can help find additional resources or coordinate non-medical services. For residents with hard to manage long-term diagnoses, we can have a care partner come and support them.”

For residents who need support but don’t qualify for home health services, Bridges offers outpatient services to help them stay on track with their treatment or recovery plans.

“It is a very nice way to help transition people through the continuum, so they can stay happy, healthy and independent. With that continuity of care, Jackson Creek really helps residents age in place,” Pont added.

Wellness is a top priority at Jackson Creek—our entire community is designed and staffed to support all facets of health and happiness for our residents and their loved ones. Our staff uses individualized programs that focus on wellness, not illness. Our independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments offer opportunities to build friendships and explore new hobbies, with the peace of mind that our 24/7 staff is available to provide additional support if it’s ever needed. Learn more about our exceptional lifestyle during a complimentary private tour! Schedule your visit online or call us at 719-259-1331.

Winter is in full effect and for older adults, temperature changes can be serious. With cold weather sweeping the country, more people are finding themselves braving sub-zero temps for even the most mundane everyday activities – and putting themselves at risk. Here are some tips to staying safe this winter.

Take your vitamins and make healthy food choices

Colder weather tends to make us want to stay in and eat comfort food. It’s easy to put off simple errands, like running to the pharmacy or refreshing our refrigerators with greens and other vegetables. It’s important to plan, so you have what you need, even on the days you don’t want to leave the house.

Try to keep medicine cabinets stocked up with any necessary medications and vitamins, especially when winter storms are on the horizon, so you always have what you need to keep up your routine. Some pharmacies will deliver; reach out to your local pharmacy to see if that is an option for you.

Healthy food choices will also contribute to your overall well-being as they provide you the vitamins and nutrients you need. Balance your comfort food cravings by altering recipes to include more vegetables such as Beef Bourguignon with Brussels sprouts or Chicken Cacciatore loaded with vegetables. With shorter, colder days, many people are subject to Vitamin D deficiencies in the winter months, a major contributor to seasonal depression. Consider adding supplements to your routine or eating foods which are high in Vitamin D such as fatty fish, cheese, eggs and milk.

Take additional precautions outside

Always check the weather before heading out and consider temperature fluctuations throughout the day. For Colorado residents, it’s especially important to consider different conditions between regions –a day trip could mean heading from a mild day in Tri-lakes to a snow day in Denver metro. Dress in plenty of loose layers (pockets of air between layers help keep you warm!) and wear waterproof gear like snow boots and a winter coat to stay dry.

“Walk like a penguin” to avoid falling on icy walkways. Penguins have a funny waddle, but they are pros at walking on ice – their trick is to shift their weight onto the front half of their body. When people walk, we split our center of gravity mid-stride, often leading to some unstable slips. If you find yourself on faced with crossing a particularly slick walkway, focus your center of gravity on your front leg, and spread feet slightly to fortify your new center of gravity. Keep your hands out of your pockets (wear gloves!) so you can brace yourself in case of a fall and always make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.

Remember, staying social doesn’t have to be “weather permitting”

Why let a cold day keep you cooped up? Invite your friends, neighbors and family to keep you company if you’re planning on staying in! Winter weather is a great reason to come together for board games, puzzles or just friendly chatter. On these recent chilly days, our residents at Jackson Creek Senior Living enjoy coming together and staying warm around the fireplace in our main building. We like to think of our hearth as more than a place to warm up – it’s the perfect place to meet new friends and enjoy great conversation. We hope to see you there!

Join us by the fireplace

Col. Earl Depner has no secret to living a long life, but he continues to do it after 102 years.

Depner, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Air Corps, was honored Nov. 12 at Jackson Creek Senior Living in Monument with a celebration in honor of his 102nd birthday. Depner, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, was feted on his birthday, the day after Veterans Day.

Although Depner was aware of the upcoming celebration at the facility, he said he was surprised by the turnout of fellow residents, staff and friends.

There are fewer than 400,000 World War II veterans alive today, and four of them currently live at Jackson Creek Senior Living. The Gazette in Colorado Springs recently launched a new podcast series titled “Last of the Greatest,” which seeks to tell the stories of the veterans alive today who served in the War.

In the first installation of this series, reporter Tom Roeder sat down with Marine veteran Arthur Whisennand, 91, Navy veteran Jim Swanson, 93, Army Air Corps veteran Earl Depner, 101, Marine veteran Ed Krekorian, 94, and Army veteran Franklin Moon, who was 97 at the time of his interview.

“At Jackson Creek Senior Living, they have formed a unique fraternity, only sometimes sharing memories of war but reveling that they all joined in an American crusade,” Roeder writes. “…Here are their war stories.”

In just a few weeks, we’ll be setting our clocks back and experiencing shorter days and longer nights. While there is certainly plenty to look forward to in these fall and winter seasons—like comfy sweaters, warm fireplaces and pumpkin pie—we also need to be aware of the dangers that daylight saving time poses to older adults living with memory loss. While you may not have heard of sundown syndrome before, it’s a condition that affects many seniors. Here’s what you need to know about sundown syndrome and what you can do to help your loved one during these colder, darker months.

What is sundown syndrome?

Sundown syndrome, or sundowning, is a state of confusion, disorientation or even aggression exhibited by seniors living with memory loss. It typically occurs in fall and winter, when days get shorter and daylight is scarce. People with memory loss often follow a set routine—they might wake up, eat meals, do activities and go to bed at the same time every day—but when the days begin to change, their internal clock gets disrupted. For example, a senior may be used to eating dinner when the sun is still up, but if it’s suddenly dark outside during dinnertime, they may feel disoriented about where they are, what time it is, or even what is real versus what they’re imagining.

Although sundowning symptoms may be less intense when it is light outside, they can happen at any time of day. Other common symptoms of this condition include pacing and wandering, having trouble sleeping and paranoia. While you can’t cure sundown syndrome, there are a few things you can do to ease your loved one’s agitation.

What you can do to help

1. Talk to a doctor.

Sundowning sometimes looks similar to other medical issues, like having an adverse reaction to a new medication. Sundowning can also be made worse by underlying health problems such as a urinary tract infection. Talk to a doctor to ensure you know what you’re dealing with and confirm there aren’t any underlying causes aside from memory loss.

2. Stick to a routine.

You may think that adjusting your loved one’s routine to incorporate more daylight will ease their symptoms—for example, you might make dinnertime earlier while the sun is still up. However, changing routines will likely agitate even more. Instead, set a routine and try to maintain as much consistency as possible.

3. Let there be light.

Dim lighting indoors can further your loved one’s confusion about what time it is. Make sure their living space is brightly lit during the day, and when it’s time for bed, place a night light in their bedroom to ease any anxiety if they wake up in the middle of the night.

4. Help them get good sleep.

Ample rest can help reduce sundowning behaviors. Limit their sugar intake, don’t serve caffeine late in the day and turn off the TV and other screens well before bedtime. You might even play soothing music and upgrade their bedding. Think about what you do to help yourself get better sleep—and do the same for them.

5. Make sure they’re safe.

A common behavior of those with sundown syndrome is pacing and wandering. Help your loved one get the care they need as well as a reliable security system in case they attempt to leave their home alone at night. You might even consider using new caregiving technology to track where they are at night.

If you’re concerned about the safety of a senior with memory loss, consider our memory care apartments at Jackson Creek Senior Living. We focus on wellness, not illness, and our all-inclusive memory care apartments are fitted with wander alert security to help ensure the safety of your loved one. Visit us online or schedule a tour to learn more.

The idea of senior living can be stressful for couples who need extra care but don’t want to be separated from each other. After all, many senior couples have been together for a large part of their lives, and separation from their partner may cause them to feel anxious. What couples don’t often realize, however, is that many senior living communities have options for seniors who want to live together. Choosing a senior living community can be tricky as you need to work together to accommodate both partners’ needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin the process.

1. Be proactive

Whether you’re ready to move into a new community right away or you still have a few years before you need to relocate, it’s important to begin researching your senior living options while both of you are still healthy. Consider a variety of potential scenarios, and plan for each of them. For example, in five years if both of you are still able to care for yourselves without assistance, will you move into an independent living community, or will you wait until one or both of you need more care? If one of you needs care and the other is independent, what type of living situation will you consider? If both of you need extra care, who will help you move? Be sure to share your potential plans with your family, too, so they’re not caught off guard when you decide to sell the family home or ask them to help you choose a community.

2. Assess both of your needs

As a couple, both of you have individual needs and interests, so determining exactly what each of your needs are when it comes to your health and lifestyle is an important step in assessing what type of senior living environment will suit you. Maybe you want to live somewhere with plenty of social events, but your spouse is more reserved and doesn’t need as much social interaction. Or maybe you want physical activities and exercise classes, but your spouse no longer has the same level of mobility as you. Consider what is important to each of you, and look for a living situation that can accommodate you both.

3. Be aware of lifestyle changes

Getting the care you need in a senior living facility is important, but you should be aware that your new home will come with changes to your living environment. For example, if you’re in an assisted living home, care staff may enter your home regularly to care for you or your spouse. You will probably need to downsize to adjust to the size of your new space, and you’ll want to take some time getting to know your neighbors in your new community. It’s important that you and your spouse research and visit a variety of senior living communities so you can gain a better understanding of exactly what changes you should anticipate in your new home.

4. Compromise

Compromise can be difficult no matter how long you’ve been married—and when it comes to choosing a senior living community and a specific level of care to suit both of your needs, you’ll likely need to compromise. One of you may be eager to join a senior living community, and the other may be hesitant. Or one of you may require a higher level of care than the other. Whatever the case, be aware that both of you may not get everything you want, but what’s important is that you both have what you need to stay healthy and enjoy life together.

Positive Approach to Care (PAC) training uses using interactive lessons to engage and educate memory care staff.

Staff at Jackson Creek Senior Living recently completed eight hours of on-site Positive Approach to Care (PAC) memory support training, delivered over two days by certified dementia care specialists.

The interactive class was led by Teepa Snow, CEO of Positive Approach LLC, Sheryl Scheuer, an Independent Positive Approach to Care trainer, and Kathy Miller, CEO of Gentle Shepherd Dementia Training & Consulting. The training included interactive activities to give staff a deeper understanding of what it’s like living with memory loss and other cognitive disorders.

“It was better than I expected. I was afraid it would be all powerpoints but, it was very hands-on. I liked acting out each activity.”
Jackson Creek Team Member

Jackson Creek staff learned innovative approaches to dementia care through a variety of interactive training activities and group discussions. The class is not led with PowerPoints or lectures, and instead uses hands-on techniques to demonstrate common behaviors and ways to cue positive actions for those with cognitive impairment. The trainers used case studies, demonstrations, small group discussions, and video clips to engage and educate the staff.

“Exceeded my expectations. I am also a family member. I will use this information when interacting with my loved one and will share this information with my family.”
Jackson Creek Team Member

At the end of the training, the group was given an assignment to incorporate the new techniques into their care practice. The group came together two weeks later to discuss and share their experiences, as well as reflect on how their new understanding affected their approach to caregiving. Many staff members said they found the training to be helpful and informative and particularly appreciated the personalized approach each instructor took to the class.

“Absolutely great! Wish more companies did this.”
Jackson Creek Team Member

Jackson Creek is a senior living community in Monument providing specialized memory support for seniors living with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss. For more information about Jackson Creek Senior Living, call (719) 725-6060 or join us at one of our upcoming summer events.

Having “the talk” about senior living and other long-term care can help your loved ones feel more confident about your decision.

There are many resources available for adult children helping their parents navigate a transition to senior living, but some of those tips might not be as helpful for older adults who have decided to do so on their own. It’s becoming an increasingly common decision for retirees to downsize early and make the move to a retirement community, but this can be difficult to talk about with your loved ones.

No matter your reason for considering senior living, it’s important to feel supported by your loved ones—you don’t want to leave your adult children feeling guilty or worried about the transition, and it’s possible you will need their help or advice as you finalize a few decisions.

Here are some tips to help the conversation go a little more smoothly…

Explain Your “Why”

If you’ve never discussed senior living with your family before and suddenly bring it up, they’ll probably want to know what prompted your interest. There are a number of reasons you may be considering senior living—maybe you’re tired of dealing with home maintenance, or want to live somewhere with more opportunities to socialize. For many, there is a lot more peace of mind knowing additional assistance or medical care is available if your needs change. Whatever your reason, remember to be gentle and transparent when you talk to your family. Reassure them that you are seeking the best options for your well-being

It’s also important to note that if your “why” involves seeking medical help either for yourself or your spouse, this is a good time to be honest about new health or medical needs. While it can be difficult to talk about, they will appreciate knowing now, rather than finding out much later. This is often the point in the conversation where guilt can start to set in, so let your children know you do not expect or want them to put their lives on hold to care for you—but you would love for them to visit you whenever they’d like.

Discuss Finances

Transitioning to a senior living community can sometimes require some financial adjustments, so don’t be surprised if your family asks how you’re going to pay for your new living situation. If you anticipate your children will be largely concerned about money, prepare a budget or outline of your finances to share with your family.

Your new budget may not be able to accommodate providing financial support for other members of your family. This can be a difficult topic to bring up, especially if you have adult children or grandchildren who rely on you from time to time. This can turn into a heated conversation if it isn’t handled with some compassion, and you may need to come prepared with ideas or plans to help them achieve financial independence.

Ask for Help

Involving your children in the moving process, from downsizing to move-in day, might help them feel more confident about your decision. If they live nearby, invite them to tour communities with you. If they’re farther away, you can call them after your tours to get their input.

Even after you’ve chosen your community, there are still plenty of ways your children can help out. Give them the option to claim what they want for themselves when you start downsizing—this can prevent some feelings of resentment later on, especially if you didn’t exactly know what they’ve always wanted to inherit. Packing and moving is a large undertaking, so getting their help can take some stress off you and help them feel involved in the process.

Welcoming New Residents in Creekside’s Memory Support Neighborhood