Senior Living Blog

Sometimes, age can surprise us. You may have noticed it in your own body; one week you’re doing fine, and the next you have some unexplained back or knee pain. Or maybe you keep forgetting where you put your keys. With seniors, these changes can come even quicker. If you don’t see your senior loved ones often, it’s possible the issues started a while ago but you didn’t notice until a recent visit. You may be wondering what you can do to help.

When you are in pain it’s safe to say you're not enjoying that part of your day and you are looking for relief. Unfortunately, preventing pain 100% of the time is not possible. The good news is that it is possible to effectively manage pain. That was the goal for staff at Presbyterian Senior Living’s Windy Hill Village in Phillipsburg, PA. This goal was established after an annual survey in which some residents at Windy Hill Village reported higher than average long-term moderate to severe pain. 

When I was working my way through nursing school I had the opportunity to work as a 3-11 chauffer and personal assistant for Cecil Runyan, the CEO and Board Chair of Southeastern Michigan Gas Company. It was a great job for a person working their way through college as I could study in between my various duties. As an 18 year old college student I spent a great deal of time with this 80 year old, cigar chomping, benevolent autocrat. The unexpected blessing was that I had a front row seat to the business world and the philosophical musings of a truly colorful character.

As I was chatting with a former colleague recently, I saw the surprise on her face when I told her that my experience working in the skilled nursing and rehab center of a retirement community had made me a better nurse. From that conversation, I too was surprised to realize just how many misconceptions there were about working in senior care.

When looking at a retirement community you want to consider all aspects of that community, from the amenities, to the food options, and everything in between. One of the most important aspects of a community is its location. And while proximity to loved ones may be an important factor when choosing a location, you may also want to consider if the area is thriving.

“There is no passion to be found playing small--in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." -- Nelson Mandela We all have things we are passionate about. From hobbies and interests to family and friends, our passions are what drive us each day, and they can provide us with a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Which is why the staff at Glen Meadows Retirement Community just outside of Baltimore, MD, wanted to help Independent Living residents who were having trouble following their passions.