As we age and become wiser, so do our physical and cognitive abilities. Though this new life stage may be seen as a benefit in some communities, this life stage could also be associated with increased fears and concerns. Your aging loved one might begin to fear loneliness, being misunderstood, life coming to an end, or lack of independence and the need to depend on loved ones. There are financial concerns, concerns about elder justice, and not being able to perform some of the same activities independently like before. Then, there are increased healthcare concerns, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, dementia, chronic respiratory disease, and increased risk of falls and injury. In order to help prevent and control such concerns, it is sometimes beneficial to seek professional support to help your loved one best continue to lead a healthy, meaningful, valuable, and productive life.
Concerns Facing Aging Alaskans
- Healthcare accessibility. Healthcare is one of the major problems facing aging Alaskans. Seniors may experience new healthcare conditions that may prevent them from the activities they have always enjoyed. Some seniors are also vulnerable to cognitive declines as a result of an increase in age. Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s, mixed dementia, and related forms of healthcare concerns may also arise or progress. It is important for each senior to understand their healthcare conditions, risks for other potential healthcare conditions, to be active members of their care planning teams, to live a healthy lifestyle, and to control existing conditions. It is important to always speak up whenever feeling unusual and to seek medical support in order to prevent progressed outcomes.
Although Baxter Senior Living is not a medical facility, we are happy to support your loved one with intermittent nursing services, housing, support with dining and eating, bathing and dressing, redirection, daily reminders about appointments and medications, daily wellness checks and doctor visits, management of chronic conditions, and social activities through recreational activities and excursions. We will support each senior to create an individualized care plan that best matches their needs.
- Abuse. Elder justice is also an essential factor to consider because seniors are more vulnerable to abuse. Our aging loved ones need to be protected from abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and other concerns. Many cases may go unreported, especially if the abuse is from a supposed caregiver who is feared about losing the loved one so takes out anger through abuse. It is important that caregivers also consider that abuse may also increase the risk of premature death and is a main cause of undue illness and suffering. As we hear horror stories on the news, we may also be cautious about trusting a senior care facility with the happiness, safety, and health of our loved one. At Baxter Senior Living, we set the gold standard. We value and care for our residents as though they are our loved ones.
- Housing. Senior housing is also one of the most important issues in Alaska as a growing percentage of seniors prefer to continue living in Alaska. While we love to stay in our own homes for independence and maintain “normalcy”, sometimes we may need a bit of extra support. At Baxter Senior Living, we aspire to provide affordable support while also helping our residents live as independently as possible.
Aging should not be perceived as a liability but rather as an asset. At Baxter Senior Living, we will always provide companionship, care, love, and medical support. We will support with the special and individualized assistance for a smooth transition.
Baxter Senior Living Residents and Disease Literacy
This month of September has been dedicated to the celebration of National Disease Literacy. This celebration creates the awareness necessary to help improve the understanding of our medical conditions and the healthcare services that can help us. It involves the educated awareness about our diagnoses, potential conditions we may at risk for, and actions we take to help manage our health status. This involves the necessary everyday wellness and health care, including self-care techniques, medication management, physical therapy conditioning, daily wellness checks, frequent doctor visits, and more. We are also deeply concerned about infection prevention and control and strive to ensure our seniors have been vaccinated to prevent influenza and pneumonia. All of our caregivers understand the importance of hand hygiene and steps to take to prevent transmission of germs. We are also proactive and immediately take action if a senior becomes sick or has been diagnosed with a transferable condition. In order to help us best manage our diseases, we also need to manage our health so we may promote and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
So, are you wondering: Why do we need disease literacy?
Well, here are a few factors to consider:
- Disease literacy is necessary for successful access to care and service usage, self-care of chronic diseases, and maintenance of health and wellness.
- Disease literacy enables aging Alaskans to understand their own rights and responsibilities in their healthcare planning so they may ensure they live the healthiest and happiest lives possible. The healthier you live, the more likely you are to prevent potential healthcare conditions and further complications.
- Disease literacy is a framework for healthcare that requires aging Alaskans to actively stay engages in decisions and management.
- Disease literacy will help ensure the utmost quality of individualized care at a reduced cost. This means that there would be easy navigation through the complex healthcare system.
Managing certain disease conditions with medications might be somewhat unpleasant. So, if we do not understand or have access to basic health information, then we will be unable to take care of ourselves or make the best health decisions. This is why a good grasp of the treatment modalities and their purpose will help tremendously. Hence, the essence of disease literacy which plays a crucial role for health and happiness.
As we discussed earlier, disease literacy involves everyone. This is the reason for the employment of our skilled and compassionate professional caregivers who are adequately trained to provide first-aid during emergencies and to help support with wellness for chronic medical conditions. Each resident’s care is carefully planned to best suit their individual needs.
The caregivers are also able to locate and arrange services and supports for the senior, including accompanying seniors to doctor visits. Baxter’s team ensures our seniors enjoy healthy and nutritious meals and engage in social activities. The caregivers can help seniors read and understand directions from doctors, literature about how best to optimize care, assist with completing healthcare forms, and help coordinate their care with healthcare professionals. We believe that the richness of health literacy can impact adequate care, which in turn improves health conditions.
Baxter Senior Living is proudly overseen by Paradigm Senior Living which specializes in management, senior living marketing, development services, and other services across the country. The management has a track record of delivering quality services for senior living. This would be impossible without a commitment to playing a role in health literacy.
As we believe aging Alaskans deserve the best life, Baxter Senior Living is here to help ensure our seniors are disease and health literate, and are engaged with their own care planning. We are committed to helping our seniors live healthy and happy lives.
