Senior Living New Hampshire

Recognizing Emotional Wellness Month in Senior Living New Hampshire

Emotional health has a significant impact on your overall health. That said, if you are emotionally or mentally stressed out, it can also radiate negatively to your body. It can translate into a weakened immune system, poor health, and adverse physical reactions.

Emotional Wellness Month

Emotional Wellness Month is a timely event that enables people to take charge of their emotional wellness while doing the things that simply work for them. Nowadays, life is already a jungle, with modern life becoming increasingly uncertain, various electrical devices pinging here and there, and ever-resilient hectic schedules. Thus, maintaining a sense of balance or calm is quite crucial.

Emotional Wellness Month in senior living in New Hampshire highlights the importance of mental and emotional well-being for older adults. It encourages residents to engage in activities that nurture their emotional health, such as group discussions, mindfulness practices, creative arts, and social events.

Focusing on emotional wellness helps seniors build resilience, manage stress, and maintain a positive outlook, which is essential for overall health. This month, senior living facilities are providing resources and support to ensure residents feel valued, connected, and emotionally balanced, fostering a sense of purpose and joy as they navigate their later years.

Keeping Up With Emotional Wellness in Senior Living New Hampshire

If you are living in senior care, it is important to focus on self-care because it means taking the time to do things that will help you improve your overall health and live well. Self-care also helps you lower the risks of illness, increase your energy, and manage stress. Even small acts of self-care on a daily basis go a long way.

For instance, you can focus on regular exercise, eating healthy meals, and making sleep a priority, among other things. Doing some relaxing activities and focusing on positivity can help you improve your emotional well-being slowly. In fact, just setting goals and priorities, practicing gratitude, and staying connected with friends and family can mean a lot as long as you enjoy doing them.

Feeling scared, helpless, and anxious during unexpected moments is understandable. But remember that you have the power to look after your mental health and well-being. Celebrating Emotional Wellness Month in senior living New Hampshire is a time to straighten out what has been keeping you from achieving overall health for the longest time.

One of the things you can do is find someone you trust and openly share what you are going through. Not only that, you should also look after your physical health. You also need to avoid harmful substances so that you can cope with what you are feeling. It may even be better if you can take a couple of minutes to focus on the world around you and try to reconnect with yourself.

If you find it difficult to cope with stress alone, try contacting a professional for help. That is important, especially if you are experiencing the following symptoms for an extended period.

  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Changes in appetite
  • Behavior changes
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Inability to do daily tasks
  • Loss of interest in doing things you usually love

Remember that you are not alone in this fight and that you can take action to support your emotional well-being.

Looking for excellent senior care in New Hampshire? Click here to learn more about Vintage Hill!


Proudly Serving Belknap and Merrimack Counties: Epsom, Canterbury, Barnstead, Alton, Gilmanton, Pembroke, and Loudon, Davenport

aging choices and long term care options

What Are My Long-Term Care Options?

Entering the autumn of life can be harsh, accompanied by physical and emotional challenges warranting long-term care options. The best way to bring about a desirable outcome of aging with grace is to prepare in advance. So, what are the aging choices available to me?

Here are some long-term care options to consider:

Independent Living is for older adults who are not in need of personal assistance with activities of daily living. It is much like living at home but within a community of other older adults. Limited amenities are provided such as light housekeeping, social activities and usually at least one meal a day is available. Independent living relieves older adults of the burden of routine maintenance and upkeep, at the same time ensuring a level of security.

Assisted Living is a congregate setting for seniors in need of some support in activities of daily living such as meal preparation, housekeeping, medication supervision, and social engagement. Its purpose is to help seniors remain independent in a safe environment. Assisted living facilities do not provide skilled care.

There are two types of assisted living environments:

Residential Care facilities (He-P 804) provide assistance in personal care and social activities with a minimum of supervision or health care. Services can be provided in a home or a home-like setting. However, residents must be ambulatory and able to self-evacuate in the event of an emergency.

Supported Residential Health Care facilities (He-P 805) provide social or health services from appropriately trained individuals but does not include 24-hour nursing supervision or medical care. Residents must be able to self-evacuate in the event of an emergency.

Nursing Facilities provide a range of skilled social and health services, including 24-hour-a-day supervision and the provision of nursing and medical care by appropriately trained or licensed individuals.

How will I know when I’m ready for a long-term care option?

Are you having trouble preparing meals for yourself?

Do you have insecurities with being alone?

Are there safety concerns with your mobility?

How difficult is it for you to bathe on your own?

Can you take medication safely?

Are you having difficulty keeping up with house duties?

Are you having increased difficulty with shopping and other errands?

Do you depend on others to assist in your activities of daily living?

Are you devoid of companionship?

Are you in need of social activity?

Has your family or doctor recommended assisted living, but you don’t think you’re ready?

Vintage Hill, LLC is a State of New Hampshire licensed He-P 804 Residential Care facility. If you or a loved one answered yes to any or all of the questions above but don’t know where to begin, we’re here to help. To learn about Vintage Hill, LLC click here About Us – Vintage Hill NH or call (603) 435-5133. For more information on State of NH assisted living licensure click here CHAPTER He-P 800 RESIDENTIAL CARE AND HEALTH FACILITY RULES (nh.gov)

 

 

 

 

Assisted Living: Essential Ingredients to a Healthy Senior Lifestyle

Faith. Family. Love. Bada bing bada boom!

We’ve heard it said that the way to a man’s (or woman’s) heart is through his stomach. While not literal, there is some practicality to this statement. We live in a day in age when family dining is a thing of the past. On the run fast food has become the norm. At Vintage Hill we still believe in a well-balanced diet consisting of the basic food groups. The word “processed” is rarely in our vocabulary (except on special occasions when we intentionally indulge to satisfy a junk food urge).

One major distinction between Vintage Hill and other assisted living facilities is our home cooked, family style meals. Healthy eating is essential in providing folks with a quality of life. Benefits of eating well include heart health, boosted immunity, stronger bones, healthy skin, muscle support, and an overall longer life span. Of course, growing and maintaining our own diverse vegetable garden, home canning, and making use of homegrown herbs and seasonings in our day-to-day cooking is beyond a doubt the icing on our cake!

Click here Store – Vintage Hill NH if you would like to visit our online gift store!

Blog

Celebrating Active Aging Week in Assisted Living Facilities

Active Aging Week in assisted living facilities celebrates healthy, vibrant aging and promotes physical, mental, and social well-being for older adults. It encourages residents to participate in activities that foster engagement and vitality, such as fitness classes, arts and crafts, social events, and wellness workshops. This week highlights the importance of staying active in later life, both physically and mentally, to enhance overall quality of life. Assisted living facilities use this opportunity to create an inclusive environment where residents can explore new interests, strengthen social bonds, and maintain a positive, fulfilling lifestyle as they age.

Active Aging Week

The first Active Aging Week began in 2003 to celebrate the positive aspects of aging. This occasion encourages adults over 50 to take advantage of what life has to offer. Basically, it is intended to promote wellness initiatives and encourage aging adults to get up and start moving.

You can participate in the Active Aging Week by signing up and becoming a host for the occasion. Doing so will help spread the word around the community. You may also share a personal story from someone who has benefited from actively participating in this wellness initiative. On the other hand, you may mention this event on social media platforms as a great way to raise awareness of its important initiatives. Discussing it on social media will definitely encourage someone to get out and begin pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

Staying Active in Assisted Living Facilities

There are several ways to stay active in assisted living facilities so that you or a loved one can live a healthy, happy, and engaged life. Take a look at the following activities you can join.

  • Yoga classes. This is a great way to stay active and do exercises in assisted living.
  • Jogging or walking. There are walking paths available for residents to use at their own pace.
  • Swimming. This is one of the best methods of staying active in assisted living facilities.
  • Group classes. You may participate in group classes such as aerobics, Tai Chi, strength training, and Zumba dance. 
  • Gardening. This is one way to stay active because most facilities have designated gardens and outdoor spaces.
  • Chair exercises. Use a chair to do your stuff if you are looking for low-impact exercises.
  • Meeting friends for games and activities is a great way to stay active. Residents can play board games, card games, or outdoor sports.

Despite spending time relaxing and unwinding in retirement homes, it is not wise to spend so much time lying in bed or sitting. Muscle fibers can shrink, leading to loss of muscle mass, among other health reasons. If you want to increase your quality of life and prevent chronic diseases, you have to engage in physical activities in assisted living facilities. Most activities can improve your balance, build strength, improve aerobic health, and improve flexibility.

Learn more about Vintage Hill by clicking here!


Proudly Serving Belknap and Merrimack Counties: Epsom, Canterbury, Barnstead, Alton, Gilmanton, Pembroke, and Loudon, Davenport

Respite Care

Respite Care 101: What Is It and How Does It Work?

It is important to note that asking for help is not a weakness but a sign of strength because it shows courage in admitting that they are also human beings who need love and care. To heed this call from people in the caregiving industry, temporary relief has been developed for the welfare of the caregivers and the people they cared about the most through respite care.

What is Respite Care?

It is important to note that caregiving is not an easy task. Even the most resilient person can get strained by the ongoing demands of caring for someone else. That is the main reason why it is crucial for caregivers to seek help and take a break when needed.

The idea of respite care is to offer short-term relief for primary caregivers so they can rest, travel, or spend time with their family and friends. It is a temporary service that provides caregivers a break from their daily responsibilities of caring for someone with a disability, illness, or aging needs. Depending on the situation, it offers short-term relief by allowing a professional caregiver or service to take over for a few hours, days, or even longer.

Respite care can also be provided at home, in a care facility, or through specialized community programs. It helps prevent caregiver burnout by ensuring caregivers can rest, recharge, and maintain their well-being while ensuring the person being cared for continues to receive proper attention and support.

Types of Respite Care

Respite care is not limited to a particular facility because even a person’s home can serve as one. The following are the types of respite care homes available for caregivers.

  • In-home respite care. This facility offers assistance and support in a person’s abode.
  • Adult day centers are non-residential facilities that support older adults’ nutritional health, social needs, and daily living.
  • Respite care facilities. Compared to adult day centers, this option is a permanent solution, providing caregivers with temporary rest from caregiving responsibilities.

How Does It Work?

The nature of respite care is that someone else will step in and take over as the family caregiver for a short time. This facility relies on the professional caregiver to provide services to support aging or ailing adults. The needs of respite care will differ from one family to another. At times, caregivers need only a few hours per day or a few days per week. The services provided by respite care are the following.

  • Light personal assistance, like bathing or grooming
  • Meal preparation and cooking
  • Transportation
  • Socialization
  • Running errands
  • Medical and nursing care
  • Medication management
  • Dementia care
  • Participation in facility activities

The cost of respite care services is less than most care options available. However, it would depend on your chosen services, which may still be costly and usually paid for out of pocket.

Looking for excellent care in New Hampshire? Click here to learn all about Vintage Hill!