Save Some Room for the Good Stuff

Decorative thanksgiving themed pumpkin pie

Thanksgiving is on the horizon! Many of us are probably planning delicious meals, jotting down grocery lists, and wondering whether or not we’ll save any room for pie after such a big meal. This brings such a good point to light: how do we save some room for the good stuff in our lives?

Once we’re lucky enough to retire, we should have a lot of time to do other things. Most of us dream about the freedom retirement brings, but continuing to manage the things we don’t need can weigh us down. Excess is anything in our life that we don’t need to live. For many of us,  that means extra stuff inside of our homes. From collections of cookie jars and recipe books to the odd copies of the TV Guide, extra things can cost time, money, and peace.

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Are your drawers and closets filled to the brim? Do you have rooms filled with things you don’t use or a storage unit you’re paying for to hold your extras “just in case?” According to Mercari, 1 in 5 Americans pays rent for self-storage. Mercari also concluded that 50% of Americans feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff they have inside their homes.

While things around our homes can hold sentimental value, what does life look like without them? Would you have more time to do other things without dusting or side-stepping around those items? What about extra cash? How would you spend that additional money if you stopped buying more to add to your collection?

Make Way for Greatness

If you’re ready to reduce your collection of things, a great first step is to go through your home to determine what you need, want, no longer use, and no longer need. Sticky notes can be a wonderful first step to understanding how big this job might be.

Reducing your items doesn’t need to be a race. Little by little, room by room, begin making notes or organizing items into boxes or bags. If you plan to see family during the holidays, you might be able to unload a few things their way or even recruit some helpers to get things packed.

Once you clear your space for more exciting activities, it might be a good time to consider whether you need all that space. If you have family over fairly often, perhaps it suits you well. However, if family visits to your home have become less frequent, it might be a good time to reassess your needs.

Get Back Your Time, Money, and Energy

If cleaning, home maintenance, and lawn care are less than joyful, a smaller space could be a gift. With fewer responsibilities to manage, you’ll be able to leave plenty of room in your day for the good stuff!

Here are a few good thinking points to consider:

Food for Thought During the Holidays

If you’re hoping to discuss big topics over the holidays, like downsizing or even moving to senior living, starting small is a great idea. Having good information available is the key as well. Moving can be a very emotional topic during the later chapters of life, and you can learn a lot by gauging someone’s interest before you dive into that conversation. If they are interested or you’re looking for your own options, stop in for a tour or join us at one of our holiday open-house events. Seeing senior living first-hand can help take the mystery out of it.

If you have questions about independent living, assisted living, or memory care at Edgewood, email us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com.

No One Cares Like Family

Female caregiver helping her senior loved one walk safely.

November is Family Caregivers Month. Many of us wouldn’t be where we are today without the love and support we got from our families growing up. So, when they need our help, we want to be there in anyway we can!

The hard part is that when a family member requires a lot of help to stay safe at home, and their caregivers are raising families, too, there’s a risk for caregiver burnout. Emotionally, guilt may set in from feeling a strong sense of obligation, and those emotions can cloud better judgment.

 

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Without balance and an adequate support network, caregivers may be at risk of losing sleep and not having time to care for themselves. When we go without what we need for too long, our immune systems tend to get the better of us.

Who hasn’t been in the midst of a big project or under major stress only to have to make time to nurse an ill-timed cold or flu? When caregivers are out of commission due to illness or injuries from stress, that creates additional problems to solve. Whether paid or unpaid, finding a support team can help everyone.

Finding Local Resources

 

Many of us have heard of home care agencies that can offer some relief, but there is also senior living. Senior living might often be contrary to what we think. Usually, senior living communities are associated with long-term moves our loved ones may not need or be ready to make. However, temporary support can be available within senior living, too.

Short-term stays allow people to stay in a senior living community without signing a long-term lease. They can be for a week, a month, a season, or a year—whatever they need. At Edgewood, our short-term stays include a temporary stay in a fully furnished independent living, assisted living, or memory care apartment.

Short-term stay residents are free to enjoy all the same services and amenities as our current residents including:

Short-term stays allow family caregivers to recharge while their loved ones have an enjoyable experience with delicious food and activities every day. Knowing that everything is taken care of can help caregivers take a break and feel fully present during their vacation or time away. If you’d like to learn more about Edgewood’s short-term stay options, please contact us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com or visit a community near you for a tour.

Senior Living Doesn’t Have to Be Spooky!

3 senior living ladies looking confident and happy with Halloween decor

Living great as we age can be easy with the right resources, friends, and confidantes. However, the one difficult thing is making a decision. It’s never easy picking the right time for a change, but sometimes, a change can make life easier! As Kenny Rogers once said, “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great!”

When we need to make a major shift, even if it seems scary, the best we can do is our homework. The more we know about something, the better we may feel about our decision.

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While you begin making calls and taking tours of assisted living communities, be aware of how you feel when you visit each place and how the staff responds to you. Moving from a long-term home where you’ve maybe lived for decades into a senior living community is a big deal—not to mention a big purchase, and it deserves to be treated as such!

The Perfect Fit

When we receive a new inquiry about our services at Edgewood, we learn as much as possible about why someone is shopping for senior living. The more we know, the more we can gauge whether we have the services and care that will meet their needs and whether they’ll enjoy being a part of our community.

Here are some of the common questions we ask our potential new residents during our discovery process:

Comfort & Convenience

Excellent care, clean surroundings, healthy food, and on-site amenities like healthcare services allow residents to feel their best. Some of our communities have physical, occupational, and speech therapies on-site through home health services.

Several of our Edgewood locations use CarePredict watches, which track daily behaviors to predict risks like falls, general decline, weight loss, infections, or other common problems plaguing seniors. In addition, some of our communities also offer on-site primary care services so that regular and routine medical needs can be addressed quickly and without residents needing to leave home.

While senior living communities frequently pride themselves on swimming pools, movie theaters, and other luxuries, we take a different approach. Some of the greatest amenities we offer our residents are on-site care and medical services. Every amenity imaginable is relatively useless if our residents don’t feel well enough to use them.

Affordability & Peace of Mind

When someone moves to senior living, the rising and unpredictable costs of replacing roofs, heating, cooling, and major appliances disappear. So does the variable cost of seasonal chores—if a snowpocalypse comes along and shoveling and plowing are needed daily, that’s covered!

A quality senior living company that creatively finds a way to help its residents, even when things seem impossible. During a snowstorm one winter, a team of staff used snowmobiles to travel and bring others to work. When the going gets tough, knowing that a reputable provider does everything they can to help is more than comforting; it offers security.

Moving to Edgewood means all of the above. We’re here to help, and even when it snows, there will be staff, nutritious food, and warm surroundings! We offer short-term stays if you want to see what senior living is all about. Come try it out without signing a long-term lease. Please email us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com to learn how we can help you.

Short-Term Stays Lead to Long-Term Success

 

Just like it sounds, a short-term stay temporarily allows someone to stay in assisted living. Moving is a big decision, as is giving up a long-term residence. Coming in to try before signing long-term can be a useful way to help seniors choose where they’d like to spend their future.

Short-term stays offer choice and flexibility. From helping caregivers who need a break to supporting those recovering from surgeries, these brief stays can provide the extra help someone needs to return home healthy or refreshed.

 

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Recovery time from surgeries or hospitalizations can be variable, even if those surgeries are same-day. Proper healing can be complicated without a solid plan or support available around the clock.

Connie’s Short-Term Stay Experience:

Following knee replacement surgery and a short-term stay at Edgewood Hawks Point in Dickinson, Connie Williams is back to driving, walking without mobility aides, volunteering, and living an active lifestyle. Connie understood that recovering from knee replacement surgery alone could be very difficult, so she came to Edgewood for a short-term stay this past summer. Not knowing what to expect, Connie anticipated a two-week recovery; she stayed for under six weeks but reported having a great experience!

Connie was well-acquainted with Edgewood because she’d been visiting a friend at Hawks Point for several years. During one of their visits, she mentioned her upcoming knee replacement surgery over dinner (at Edgewood, we allow guests to join our residents for meals—just be sure to call ahead and let us know you’re coming). A helpful staff member overheard their conversation and shared with Connie that she could stay at Edgewood while recovering.

After working out the financial details and ensuring her cat, Boody, could join her, her mind was made up. While moving, even for a minimal amount of time, can cause anxiety for some, thankfully, Connie had a seamless experience.

Getting Acclimated:

“I wasn’t nervous at all. They showed me the room ahead of time. I had a whirlwind. School ended at the end of May (Connie volunteers at Hope Christian Academy). The next week, I had an MRI, went to Ohio to visit friends, and did laundry, and the next Monday, I took two days to move in, then had knee replacement surgery. I found it very helpful for the nurses to manage pain medications and attend to my ice machine every four hours.”

Connie’s experience at Edgewood was a success all the way around. She added,

“The meals were very good, and the service was great as well. They have a menu for meals, but if you don’t want what is on the menu, you can order whatever you want!  Also, if you are going to stay there, you should check with the activity gals; they do all kinds of activities. They have once-a-month birthday parties, music, movies on Sundays, manicures, crafts, an exercise room, transportation to appointments and church, and a weekly trip to Walmart.”

Aside from excellent care for herself, Connie explained that the staff was also very kind to her cat, Boody (pictured above in Connie’s lap). Since her stay, Boody has sadly passed away at age 20. Connie was grateful for the years she spent with her beloved cat.

A big hit with the residents at Edgewood—Boody was somewhat of a local celebrity at Hawks Point! She walked the catwalk in a fashion show, modeling 15 outfits! Check it out for yourself by clicking on this Facebook Post.

Since recovering from knee replacement surgery, Connie is back to using stairs, driving, and enjoying an active lifestyle. She’s considering returning as a volunteer to call BINGO on the weekends. Additionally, if she opts for a second knee replacement surgery on her opposite knee, Connie says she will return for another short-term stay!

Common Reasons for Short-Term Stays

Falls, weight loss, depression, infections, and other common health issues can make living alone difficult. If residents begin new medications that require some supervision and monitoring, short-term stays can allow them to have the extra support they need temporarily to meet their needs.

Lastly, short-term stays can also be a great way to try before you buy—or at least before signing a long-term lease. Moving to senior living isn’t usually at the top of anyone’s list.

People often put off moving for as long as possible. Unfortunately, unaddressed health and safety issues can lead to decline or injuries for those who wait too long. Short-term stays can give residents a real feel for senior living before they sign a long-term lease, and they can get them the help they need sooner rather than later.

Selling a forever home and moving somewhere you’re uncertain about can be very emotional. Keeping your home while you try out senior living for a month or a few weeks can help you ease into making a long-term choice with confidence. It can also be a great way to meet new friends who have already moved.

Frequently Asked Questions About Short-Term Stays:

Do People Get the Same Care & Services?

Yes (Sometimes they can even bring a pet)!

Do Some Residents Choose to Stay?

They sure do! Sometimes, short-term residents come in following surgeries multiple times. Others may return once they’re ready to shift into senior living full-time.

Can Families Still Visit?

Of course! At Edgewood, we offer additional community spaces where families can gather.

How Long Can I Stay?

You can stay as long as you like—a week, a month, or a season. Contact us to ask about our options, as they may vary in each community.

What Should I Bring?

We have almost everything covered, so residents can bring the items that comfort them, but there’s no need to pack the whole house. Leave the shovel, vacuum cleaner, and lawn mower behind!

Can I Continue to See My Own Medical Providers Off-Site?

Most certainly! Better yet, if residents need help communicating with providers or coordinating transportation, we can help.

If you’re interested in experiencing senior living before you sign a long-term lease, contact us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com!

Helping Seniors Live Their Best Lives

When you give in life, you receive; working in senior living is among the most rewarding careers. Those who choose to serve others in general and especially in senior living deserve mountains of gratitude!

Choosing Senior Living

Television shows, movies, and advertising place a high value on youth, and aging is portrayed as difficult and often unglamorous. Turn on any television channel or open any website, and you may find an ad for a magic potion to treat or delay the effects of aging, along with a heap of supplements promising to keep you feeling young.

Because aging isn’t celebrated as it should be, not everyone chooses to work in senior living. No matter how rewarding, this field isn’t appealing to everyone. Those who decide to work in senior living are here because they want to be. If you have prior experience and skills in caregiving, serving or cooking meals, cleaning or doing laundry, office-related work, or healthcare positions, you could work anywhere from resorts to spas where people come and go each day.

When someone remains in a job long-term in senior living, it has much to do with wanting the best for the residents. You get to know them and their families and develop connections.

 

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If days get tough, you get to be a listening ear and a source of comfort to residents. You get to be an advocate for their happiness. When you choose a career in senior living, you get to be part of the residents’ stories and help guide them through a new, sometimes difficult chapter of their lives.

Improving Life Satisfaction

If residents can’t do what they’d like due to health or abilities, it can impact their overall quality of life, including how they interact with one another and staff. It can cause feelings of depression and frustration. Offering the right healthcare support where residents call home, such as access to primary care services (Pioneer Family Medicine and Legacy Medical) or home health and hospice services (All Care, CaringEdge, and OneSource), can help residents feel better AND create a more friendly environment to live and work in.

From One of Our Own:

Edgewood Regional Sales and Public Relations Director, Cami Dohman, found a career at Edgewood after she explored the Spearfish community for her own father.

“After my mom passed away, it became clear to my family that my dad needed more help. He just wasn’t safe living at home on his own. I didn’t know anything about assisted living. I felt lost. We made several appointments for tours but fell in love with Edgewood Spearfish. It felt like home. Although my dad was hesitant to make this move, he trusted us and agreed to the move. He knew several of the residents and rekindled old friendships. I knew we had made the right choice when I discovered him playing cards with a group of ladies next to the fireplace one evening. I took pictures of them and sent them to all of my siblings. I cried on the way home because I was so happy that he was enjoying his life again.”

Cami added, “A few years later, the sales director position was posted for Edgewood Spearfish, and I decided to apply. I wanted to help other families navigate the world of assisted living and thought I could offer them guidance for their journeys with their loved ones. It was the best decision I ever made. I love helping seniors find their new homes.”

Every job comes with a list of benefits. However, nothing compares to the feeling of helping someone live a meaningful, healthy chapter of life that they enjoy. Are you ready to make a positive difference in the lives of seniors? Check out our open jobs by clicking here. If you’d like to tour an Edgewood community near you, please visit our website or email us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com.

 

Technology Helps Seniors Stay Safe

Caregiving for our senior loved ones is truly an honor. They helped us, and we’ll do everything possible to keep them safe, healthy, and happy.

Helping those we love can present a dilemma: there are not enough hours in the day when we have families to support, jobs to attend to, and ordinary obligations that require our attention. Looking after everyone can fill every second of the day, and without breaks, caregivers can lose the sleep they need to keep going. Thankfully, technology can help provide security for our senior loved ones when we can’t be there.

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Here are a few examples of technology that can be used at home to help seniors remain safe:

Smart Devices

While “Alexa” is a common device that comes to mind for setting timers, reminders, and asking questions, there are even more helpful products that can help when you can’t. Smart kitchen appliances, heating/cooling systems, doorbells, music players, bed alarms, door locks, motion detectors, and smoke detectors are also helpful. They can often be managed remotely, offering caregivers a break once properly programmed.

Alarmed Medication Dispensers

Depending on the service available, a registered nurse or trusted caregiver can fill these dispensers with the appropriate medications. Dispensers can be programmed to alert users when it’s time to take their medications, and the devices can be monitored or unmonitored.

Unmonitored versions can help keep medications safely locked. The monitored versions, however, offer more. If medication is not taken from the box when dispensed and the alarm goes off, a loved one or caregiver is typically contacted to follow up.

Daily Call Services

Examples may include a daily check-in or wake-up call to a senior’s home. Call centers can also provide a reminder call to eat a meal or take medication. If the agency does not reach the person they’re calling, there’s a process for contacting loved ones so they can go check in.

Personal Response/Alert Buttons

Wearable pendants, bracelets, or watches can help residents receive a fast response in an emergency. When the resident presses the button, the system’s provider calls them to ask if they need help. If they don’t answer, the provider contacts an emergency contact or EMS, depending on each resident’s preference.

Personal response systems, including GPS tracking, can help quickly locate someone who is not responding to phone calls. Depending on the system, some require regular charging or replacing batteries, so these helpful tools may come with some daily management and regular test checks to ensure their accuracy.

Activity-Tracking 

Edgewood Healthcare has been using CarePredict systems in several assisted living communities to enhance resident communication and safety. CarePredict provides each resident and staff with a watch. Utilizing an internet connection, the watch tracks movement and location from beacons installed throughout the community.

Staff can monitor residents for changes by tracking their regular activity. If a resident stops moving for an uncharacteristically long time, the system will alert staff to check on them to ensure their well-being. Even small changes, when detected, can potentially prevent larger problems like difficult-to-treat infections, significant weight loss, depression, and more.

Improved Communication Adds Peace of Mind

Technology in senior living isn’t a new idea. Walkie-talkies and call buttons have been standard communication devices for years. While these systems have been helpful, they’re not always foolproof.

Executive Director, Tiffany Boehm, has reported great success using CarePredict at Edgewood Village in Bismarck, ND.

“Edgewood Village is a very large and busy building where residents are not always in their apartments. CarePredict helps us locate and communicate with residents if we have questions or if their family comes to visit and they’re not answering their door.”

Tiffany added that communication with staff has also greatly improved since introducing CarePredict. Previously, they have used walkie-talkies in their community, which can be unpredictable, and call buttons would require someone to check in with a resident physically.

Watches from CarePredict work swiftly so that staff can quickly communicate with residents to triage their needs. Some might need a simple bit of help, while others might be experiencing a more emergent need for assistance. With swift, clear communication, residents can quickly alert staff if they have an emergency.

The data from CarePredict also helps support communication with families. Suppose a family has concerns about their loved one’s participation in social activities or meals as they acclimate to a new lifestyle and living arrangement. CarePredict’s tracking information can show how many times per day they’re moving around and which activities they’re attending based on what rooms of the building they’re using.

Proactive Health Monitoring

The CarePredict system can also act as a contact tracer if a resident is not feeling well. Tracking this helps to determine if a resident should consider a quarantine. It shows who the resident was around, for how long, and even where. CarePredict’s intuitive technology can also alert staff to common infection risks such as UTIs. Tiffany explained,

“We have seen multiple times that the system has predicted a UTI in residents before we had them tested, and it was right! A change in their restroom frequency and other factors led the system to prompt us to pursue further medical follow-up promptly.”

Tiffany explained, “Those are just a few things we already LOVE about this system. The team is very excited to see how we can use the data we are getting to support when there is a change of condition and much more!”

Would you like to learn more about how we’re using technology to help seniors stay safe or tour one of Edgewood Healthcare’s communities? Please email us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com.

 

Find Peace of Mind with Memory Care

 

Resident and clinician hands

Hearing the doctor say that your loved one has dementia can open emotional floodgates. Initially, there may be grief about the disease, followed by the overwhelming sense of what to do next.

Caring for them around the clock could become risky on top of other life responsibilities like working or raising your family. Thankfully, there are experts available to provide support in dementia-friendly environments.

 

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Understanding Dementia

Although Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, each type has different symptoms and affects individuals differently. Edgewood’s memory care communities and adult day services programs have fewer residents. Staff are available to offer additional time with each resident individually.

Staff at Edgewood receive initial and annual training to ensure they fully understand how dementia impacts the people and families they serve. Additional training opportunities are available throughout the year.  When a new person comes to Edgewood, staff are provided with a life history and ideas on approaching them best to make them feel safe and comfortable. The more we know, the better we can help each resident in their own way.

Behavior is Communication

Dementia can impact a person’s ability to speak and understand what’s happening and being said. If a resident can’t say they’re not feeling well or anxious, they may behave in a way that suggests something is amiss.

Pacing the hallways or trying to leave are common in those with dementia. While walking can be soothing, they could be at risk if they go into the community away from people familiar with their condition.

At the same time, words like “No” or “Remember” can become triggers for those with dementia. Because of that possibility, staff must tailor responses even if a resident is trying to leave the building. With smaller numbers of residents, the specially-trained staff can communicate so that each resident will understand and feel calm even when everything around them feels unfamiliar. Whether their residents need an activity to distract them from feeling restless or a breath of fresh air outside, Edgewood’s memory care staff take the time to listen carefully to their needs and offer calming ways to support them.

Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space, we have the power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

—Viktor E. Frankl

Dementia-Friendly Environments Can:

 

 

Often, when loved ones are diagnosed with dementia, we grieve the person we feel we’ve lost. Thinking of the things they can’t do any longer can create strong emotions. However, with the proper environment and support, those with dementia can do many things. Although our loved ones might be different than we imagined, there is still the opportunity for them to lead a life of purpose and one that provides joy each day.

 

Edgewood’s Memory Care Services Feature:

 

 

If you or someone you love is looking for a long-term memory care community or short-term support, Edgewood offers options. Additionally, we offer adult day services so those with memory loss can spend the day with us. They can receive medications, meals, and personal care support, like bathing. Best of all, they can participate in meaningful activities in a safe environment.

Another helpful option is a short-term stay. These temporary stays can serve as trial stays for residents to try memory care to see if they acclimate well. They can also help provide a break for caregivers to tend to other responsibilities.

Short-term options can be an excellent way to determine what will work best for families undecided about long-term moves. Contact us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com today to learn more.

 

Go Back to School Like a Pro!

Ahh, back to school. Your social media newsfeeds are probably filled with kiddos wearing new backpacks and shoes that help them run fast. While many posts highlight the excitement, some kids might also feel slightly anxious about the first day.

As parents with young children, it’s tough not to feel uneasy on day one as we roll through the possible hiccups they may encounter. Will they get to the right classrooms? Did they remember to bring their lunch? Will they have a seat next to someone at the lunch table who will treat them kindly?

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We never stop worrying about our children’s well-being. As time passes, we might trade one worry for another as we begin to care for our parents and then worry about their “firsts” as they navigate the later stages of life.

Get Prepared

Those of us parents in “The Sandwich Generation” are wedged between navigating our children’s first day of school and worrying about what’s next for our own aging parents. While the worries and what-ifs look different for our loved ones, they’re still present.

Will Dad remember to give Mom her medications? I sure hope Mom uses her walker so she doesn’t have another fall. When will they move to where they don’t have to mow an acre of grass and shovel three walkways in the winter?

Despite countless signs that we’ve aged over the years, to many of us, it still feels like yesterday when we were the stars of our own back-to-school photos. The idea of not feeling our true age can significantly delay thinking about the need for senior living.

Sometimes, having a light-hearted conversation with your aging loved ones about the future before life’s challenges pile up is a good first move. It can even look like, “Hey, did you see so and so moved into senior living? They were featured on the community’s Facebook page and look really happy!” How your loved one responds can tell you a lot about whether to keep the conversation about their future moving…

Be Timely

When someone chooses to remain in the same home for decades, it’s usually because it’s where they prefer to be. It can be terrifying to imagine anything different, which is why it is often delayed as long as possible.

If your loved one refuses a move but is unsafe at home, ask if they would consider hiring a service to help them. Waiting too long to ask for help can often result in unmanaged illnesses or falls that lead to significant injuries.

Without the necessary help, sometimes seniors are forced to move quickly to be healthy and safe. If that becomes the case, the casual conversation about shopping for senior living quickly becomes a panic-driven scramble to find it. Regardless of their needs, it’s still important for your loved one to be free to choose where they live.

Do Your Homework

Senior living can offer an easy button that gives residents independence and their families peace of mind. Finding a place with just the right care and services can help seniors feel confident and independent.

When your loved one looks for a senior living community, calls and tours can help them decide what’s best. They can also try actually staying at senior living before fully committing to a long-term lease.

At Edgewood, our short-term stays can last a week, a month, or a season. The length of a stay depends on what the person wants and needs.

Some residents stay with us for a season while their families are away. Others may stay because they need just a little help rehabilitating after surgery.

Enjoy the Extracurriculars

The best part about short-term stays is that residents can receive the same amenities as those who call Edgewood home. Amenities like swimming pools, movie theaters, and fitness rooms are wonderful selling points for many senior living communities. However, our greatest benefit is our care.

We individualize care to what each resident needs to live their best life. However, some independence and wellness are important to enjoy all senior living has to offer.

As each year passes, we bring more healthcare opportunities on-site. Our most recent is CarePredict, which is available from our sister company, Legacy Medical. CarePredict offers a wristwatch that monitors seniors’ daily behavior patterns.

If a resident using CarePredict stops moving around the building, stops attending meals, stops or reduces the amount they’re eating and drinking, or begins to self-isolate, our staff AND CarePredict take notice. Small changes in behaviors can add up to significant health problems over time, and our goal is to get ahead of those.

CarePredict tracks behavior proactively to signal medical follow-up before suspected changes could negatively impact a resident. Our priority is staying on top of health and promoting wellness.

 Plan for the Future

Looking at what lies ahead can be overwhelming. If you or a senior loved one could use some help in making big decisions, such as moving to independent or assisted living, let us help! In addition to taking a community tour, we also offer on-site events. Visitors can see what senior living at Edgewood is all about throughout the year! Email us today at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com to learn more.

 

Press Release: Using Technology to Improve Senior Living

Edgewood logo on gray background

News Release

Contact: Rich Ostert

Title: Regional Vice President

Phone: 701-738-2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Rapid City, SD) Edgewood Healthcare was recently awarded grant funding from the South Dakota Department of Human Services. This funding will help to enhance the technology systems in the Edgewood Communities of Pierre, Rapid City, and Spearfish. Each community will have CarePredict, a digital health platform installed to support resident well-being.

CarePredict collects activity data from watches worn by residents and staff. The watches communicate with sensors installed throughout the senior living community. Whenever a resident’s daily activity data indicates possible health changes or risks, such as a fall, weight loss, or urinary tract infection (UTI), staff are asked to follow up. Proactive suggestions such as non-emergency medical appointments or primary care visits can help identify a suspected health problem early. Evaluating and treating residents quickly helps reduce the risk of needing treatment for more severe emergencies.

CarePredict also features two-way calling for easy communication between staff and residents, fall detection, contact tracing, and keyless door entry. Additionally, CarePredict records staff data throughout the building. Where services are being provided and for how long is important information for care planning.

Numerical data tracks resident care data to help eliminate discrepancies regarding the support residents need to maintain their health and wellness. Edgewood Regional Vice President Rich Ostert explained, “CarePredict is essential for our residents. Allowing us to monitor their well-being proactively helps us ensure they receive the care they need exactly when they need it. By understanding their daily patterns and detecting subtle changes, we can provide personalized support that enhances their quality of life and gives peace of mind to their families.”

About Edgewood Healthcare

Edgewood Healthcare is the leading operator of senior living communities in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest. Since 1992, Edgewood has actively helped seniors stay as independent as possible for as long as possible. With well-trained staff members in communities designed for residents to receive various living and care options, Edgewood owns and/or operates more than 60 independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities with over 4,100 beds. Spanning seven states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Idaho) and employs nearly 3,300 people. Edgewood Healthcare’s corporate offices are at 402 Demers Avenue, Suite 200, Grand Forks, N.D.

Spend Grandparents Day Making Happy Memories

The summer has gone faster than the blink of an eye, and Grandparents Day is almost here. If you haven’t made plans yet, now’s the time!

Connecting with the generations above us can teach us a lot. A great first step to making the most of any visit is offering your full attention without distractions.

If you have to use your phone while you’re together, bring it to show your loved ones all your latest pictures to bring them up to speed on everything you’ve been up to lately. Sharing your photos and stories could spark fun memories they’ll share with you, too!

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If you’d like to get to know a little more about your grandparents or older relatives, choose some items from the list of questions below.

Conversation Starters:

There are so many creative questions that could be added to this list. There’s even a game-like version available on Amazon: The Life Story Interview Kit comes in a convenient, easy-to-manage box that can be toted anywhere for visits, holidays, or to break the monotony of long car rides.

Celebrating Grandparents Day is all about family and togetherness. If you have small children, bring them to see their grandparents. Encourage older children to make the time to visit their grandparents as well to keep the holiday alive!

Celebration Ideas for Grandparents Day:

If your grandparents reside in a senior living community, visit them. Chances are there’s a celebration event planned. Call ahead and get the scoop before you visit. Most importantly, be sure to acknowledge Grandparents Day and make your loved ones feel special and honored that you took the time.

If you enjoy spending time with seniors and helping improve their days, consider a career at Edgewood! You’ll get to spend time with folks who feel just like your grandparents every day. You get to know them and their families and enjoy the best stories! Check out our open positions here.