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The Dilemma In Decision Making For Families Considering Senior Care In Kansas City

Household Model

The Dilemma In Decision Making For Families Considering Senior Care In Kansas City

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The COVID-19 pandemic has added additional complexity in the decision making to move a loved one to senior care. In regular times the choice is difficult for families and Seniors to make. The issue of moving out of your home to a community for additional medical support is only one part of the dilemma. The typical list of questions might consist of:

  • Is the time right for getting more help?
  • Can Dad live safely in his own home?
  • Is Mom getting enough socialization?
  • What are the risk factors of living alone?
  • Is Dad able to keep up the maintenance of his home, and is that dangerous?
  • Is Dad eating nutritious meals?
  • Is Mom lonely?

There is a pattern to all of this that seems very typical. Millions of families face this every year as they consider the health and happiness of their loved ones. These are tough decisions and require time and attention for everyone. It can be very stressful.

The Pandemic Has Added So Many Additional Complications.

The fear that surrounds the additional risks of Senior Living is real. Many communities have experienced illness among residents and staff. Families have many more questions concerning the safety of their loved ones when it comes to moving.

It Is Not Unlike What Families Are Dealing With Concerning Sending Kids To School.

The questions are similar:

  • How can I move my Mom safely at this time?
  • How can we minimize the risks?
  • Should Dad just stay home?
  • What are the protocols to keep everyone safe?
  • Is the benefit of socialization and support worth the risk of moving at the time?
  • Is it better for Dad to be home alone or move where he can have interactions with other people?
  • How will I feel if I cannot go and visit my family member?

Each Senior Living Community In Kansas City Has Procedures In Place.

These concerns should be directed at each separate community for clarification. State and federal rules and regulations mandate communities, but in addition, individual Assisted Livings and Care Facilities to have unique protocols. Some communities are limited by the physical structure of their facility.

During this unusual time, onsite tours are not allowed, but many communities are making virtual tours a reality. Family conferences can be accomplished through Zoom meetings.

The Piper Assisted Living in Kansas City, with its unique small household model, can minimize risk to larger groups. Community space is large enough to accommodate social distancing while providing a more intimate homelike experience.

In addition, private isolation apartments are available for new residents to be separated for a 14 day isolation time before moving to their individual apartment. All of these precautions are put in place to keep residents safe while receiving all of the medical support they need. These are necessary steps for the health of everyone. Staff and administrators are tested on a regular basis, and safety protocols are followed daily.

Even Though The Decision Making May Be Difficult, Most Elders Adjust To Senior Care Successfully.

The benefits often outweigh the negatives. And many of the fears during the decision-making process dissolve after a time of adjustment to senior care. So many Seniors enjoy the newfound social life and diverse activities that exist in Senior care. They may have the opportunity to return to activities that had been lost because of living alone like card and game playing. Some will engage in new hobbies and interests.

Most importantly is the occasion for new friendships and shared experience with one’s peer group. Shared mealtime can become a real treasure again.

There is nothing easy about this whole process, but everyone is pulling together to find answers and make the best out of a difficult time. The staff and administration are continually creating innovative ways to overcome problems. Sometimes multiple attempts must be made until the best answers become apparent. Everyone is on a steep learning curve.

There Are Many Reasons To Believe That Once Some Kind Of Normalcy Has Come About, That Senior Living Will Have Experienced Improvement.
A new sensitivity to the needs of Elders is surfacing, and the desire for ‘home’ to be real and not an institution is more apparent. The human touch will be more profoundly acknowledged as a key to health and happiness. This population has become the focus of the devastation of this pandemic, but it also highlights the responsibility of our culture to honor and protect our Elders. It is imperative that everyone involved must capture the lessons learned and never return to taking things for granted again.

When Christmas Isn’t Merry – Holiday Depression In Seniors

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Tis’ the season to be merry…right? According to media advertising, everyone is happy, excited and shopping nonstop. Traditionally we think of the holidays as a time of love, happiness, and gatherings with friends and families, but for some this is simply not true.

Holiday Depression Is A Real Phenomenon And Especially Among Seniors.

The holiday season, along with its cold weather and shorter days, is a dangerous combination that lends itself to depressive moods. Seniors who have spent many years enjoying these special times, now consider them more painful. The beautiful memories of the past may create unmanageable expectations that are no longer realistic today and lead to holiday depression for seniors.

In Addition, Seniors Have Experienced The Loss Of Family And Friends.

The downside of living a long life is that you undoubtedly outlive many of your friends and family members. Not only is there a loss of relationships but because some elders cannot easily leave their homes, they become isolated and without a network of socialization, depression can take over. Since women still live longer than men there is a growing number of widows living alone.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 11 million, or 28% of people aged 65 and older, lived alone at the time of the last census. As people get older, their likelihood of living alone increases. Since the number of people over 65 will double in the next 20 years, this problem is only going to increase.

Some Of The Most Common Symptoms Of Elderly Depression During The Holidays May Include:

  • change in sleeping habits
  • difficulty sleeping
  • apathy or lethargy
  • change of appetite
  • loss of interest in activities
  • loss of interest in socializing

It is important to recognize these indicators because these behaviors may lead to serious illnesses. Medication mistakes become more common along with falls and other accidents.

Obviously, it is not just the holidays that are important times to be sensitive to the needs of seniors. Living alone does create additional hazards.

There Are Many Hazards When Seniors Live Alone Year-Round.

Although many seniors do well living at home for many years there are some pitfalls beyond isolation and depression to watch for:

  • increased anxiety and paranoia
  • financial worries and fixating on living expenses
  • lack of help in an emergency
  • greater risk of fall hazards
  • greater risk of accidental overdoses
  • higher rate of malnutrition
  • unable to maintain basic housekeeping

At Holiday Time It May Become More Obvious That It Is Time To Consider A Move Into A Senior Community In Kansas City.

This season magnifies what might be a growing problem for an individual. Oftentimes when a family is visiting from out of town, they suddenly realize how the living situation has deteriorated. Loneliness simply intensifies what formerly was an underlying or undetectable issue.

Family members who don’t see their loved ones regularly are taken back by the decline. It may become very evident that a change in living situations is a good and possibly a lifesaving idea.

Assisted Living Can Be A Great Remedy For Loneliness And Solve Many Of The Problems That Seniors Universally Face.

When a senior lives among contemporaries that share similar memories and similar concerns they can support and console each other. Daily activities and outings can counteract the negative scenario of living alone.

Living in a community solves so many problems like meal preparation and good nutrition, fall protection and 24-hour security, medication management and housekeeping and much more.

Holidays At The Piper Assisted Living And Memory Care

At The Piper, holidays are celebrated in the households just like home, because it is home. The 20 neighbors that fill a household have the opportunity to share their memories and make some new ones. Living in Assisted Living offers new friendships and a beautiful place to entertain family and old friends. The holiday blues are mitigated and once again, there can be joy and laughter for seniors.

If you are interested in scheduling a tour at The Piper, contact us today!

Moving To Assisted Living In Kansas City Is A Homecoming For Many

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I recently attended my 50th class reunion from high school. What a homecoming! Everyone else seemed to get old, but the more time spent, it all began to feel very familiar. The hair color had changed, but the personalities came right back to the present. It all began to feel familiar and a feeling of returning to my home.

We Celebrate All Kinds Of Homecomings.

Don’t you love to see a military homecoming when soldiers return to their families? Never fails to choke me up. There is something about the return to what’s familiar and safe that appeals to us.

David Ginola, a French athlete, says, “The prospect of going home is very appealing.” For a person, like David, who travels the world for long periods of time, home is most precious. We cannot overestimate the power of home.

It Is A Feeling More Than A Physical Location, A Mixture Of Nostalgia, Safety, And Warmth.

As people age, the ‘homing’ instinct may grow even stronger. Not only because it is familiar and convenient, but because for all our lives it has been where we felt safe and secure.

There may come a time when staying in your physical home is no longer possible but feeling at home should happen.

Why Can’t Moving To An Assisted Living Feel Like Home?

Traditionally when we think of ‘care facilities,’ home is the last thing on our mind. Historically there has been no other choice than a medical institution.

Today that is not the case. A new model has arrived, and it feels like a homecoming! The living space, the fellow household members, and the philosophy are all a part of an effort to create an atmosphere of safety and warmth.

No more long hallways, medicine carts, and cafeterias. Now it is possible to live in a beautiful home that you would find in any neighborhood.

Today There Is A Choice To Experience The Joy Of Homecoming For The Next Chapter Of Life!

If you are looking for something completely different for senior care in Kansas City you’ve come to the right place.

The unique, one of a kind, senior community is right here in Kansas City. The Piper is the vision of Steve Shields at action pact.

After his own family experience, he knew there had to be something better. After years of research and collaboration, he built it himself right here in Kansas City.

What Is The Household Model?

The design is more than architecture it is a holistic philosophy. Why should the elderly live in a medical institution? Why not build a community around their needs that is simply a new home – where they are not treated as patients but honored adults who need some support so they can continue to live as independently as possible.

Smaller Is Better For Assisted Living And Memory Care

Each household has a maximum number of neighbors, usually 20. They share a common family-style kitchen where meals are prepared right in front of them. The house is full of good smells! There is a living room, sun porch, a den, and formal dining area. So the opportunity to get acquainted with their other neighbors is magnified.

Each resident has their own private apartment where they create their own nest of personal treasures.

Medical Care Is Provided In Privacy.

There are no medication carts or nurses’ stations because all care is provided in the privacy of their own apartment. Privacy is the key to feeling like it’s home.

In addition to medical support, there are lifestyle enhancing activities that increase socialization and stimulation. While loneliness is pervasive in the senior living world, it is minimal if not nonexistent at The Piper.

Home Is Where Your Heart Is!

When our elders arrive at their new home at The Piper it is truly a homecoming. If you are considering moving to an Assisted Living remember seeing is believing, so plan a tour to experience home!

The History Of Nursing Homes & How The Piper Is Better

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Nursing homes have a negative reputation. When it comes to care for your loved one, understanding the history of nursing homes, and alternatives to the historical model of nursing homes, can make a huge difference in their experience. Residents of nursing homes with a historical model have at times felt like they were trapped in something similar to a hospital, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

A nursing home is a setting that provides the highest level of care available.

A person may be severely disabled or frail and elderly and cannot live at home.

These residents are not able to care for themselves and need 24 hour care and supervision for all activities of daily living.

What Does A Nursing Home Do For Residents?

Nursing homes offer the most extensive care a person can get outside a hospital.

Nursing homes offer help with custodial care — like bathing, getting dressed, and eating — as well as skilled care.

Skilled nursing care is provided by a registered nurse and includes medical monitoring and treatments.

Why Do Nursing Homes Have A Negative Reputation?

Families often make promises to their elder family members about never moving them to a nursing home.

Typically, these promises are based on fears stemming from memories of nursing homes that were just like hospitals, but gloomier.

Many people have visited these old facilities and experienced bad odors, people slumped in wheelchairs and other negative scenarios.

Early History Of Nursing Homes

Although care facilities for the elderly and orphans goes back to the 17th century, what we think of as nursing homes today came about in the late 1950’s and 60’s.

When Seniors began to receive regular Social Security checks and Medicare insurance became available, they had sustainable incomes. The Federal Government along with hospitals partnered to build residential care facilities or what we call nursing homes.

It is no surprise that those facilities were built just like hospitals with long hallways, rooms with hospital beds, curtains to divide space, cafeterias, nurses’ stations and separate bathing rooms.

There was no resemblance to the home the Elders may have lived in all their lives.

Much has changed in nursing home appearance, but the medical model still prevails.

Many of the newest communities may be beautiful in design and décor, but the old clinical model prevails, created to put the staff first so that their work is more efficient and job descriptions are well defined.

There are alternatives to traditional nursing homes across the nation and there is one Nursing Home in Kansas City that is uniquely designed to offer a real home for residents.

The Physician Directed Household Model

No long hallways, nurses’ stations, single rooms with divider curtains, med carts or cafeterias are found at The Piper.

The Physician Directed Household model is a far superior design and philosophy that puts the individual in control of their life with all the support they need.

Seeing is believing and we invite you to call for a tour.