Category: Blog

The Search for Silver Linings
Caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is physically and mentally demanding. As a caregiver, it’s important to take care of yourself during this time to avoid fatigue.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply take an hour or two a week to do something you enjoy. Ask a family member or friend to come sit with your loved one so you can have a break, or contact a life plan community to learn about respite care services.

Another way to help avoid caregiver stress is to search for silver linings and bits of joy along this journey with your loved one.

The Search for Silver Linings

As you watch your loved one seemingly disappear into such a debilitating disease, it’s hard to find any semblance of positivity. For your own sanity, though, it’s essential to search.

An Example
A dutiful husband is caring for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Their adult daughter was always very close with her mom and had an emotionally distanced relationship with her father. The experience of working together to care for their loved one has brought the daughter and father closer together. This was unexpected but she’s grateful and sees this as a silver lining.

Savor Every Smile

For family members and spouses, caregiver burnout is very real, but it can be avoided. Focusing on your loved one’s happiness can bring you joy, too, so create moments of happiness for you both. Making them smile or laugh goes a long way toward healing your own heart in the process.

To learn more about caregiver burnout and respite care services, reach out online or call The Virginian today.

The Montessori Method was created for teaching students, but it’s practical application can be used for a variety of things. For those suffering from memory loss, it’s a positive approach to reinforcing individual abilities.

The Montessori Method

Created in the early 1900s by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori method provided a different approach to learning. Children were taught and treated as whole people with varying abilities and tastes. They were allowed to work at their own pace without pressure. Furniture was custom-made to fit smaller bodies, and colorful teaching tools were easy to manipulate and hold with small hands.

Part of the classroom experience involved learning how to do daily tasks like cleaning, washing dishes, and sweeping the floors. These activities helped instill a sense of purpose in each child. It also promoted the idea they “can do” whatever they put their minds to.

Montessori Approach to Dementia

The same principles that Dr. Montessori applied to children can be applied to people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The brightly colored tools for dementia patients help keep their visual attention while moving parts keep their hands busy.

Like Montessori for children, the focus is on whole-person growth. Rather than focusing on what the disease has taken from them, Montessori focuses on the things they can still do. It’s all about celebrating each person for who they are and improving their quality of life.

To learn more about the whole-person approach to memory care, reach out online or call The Virginian.

It’s common knowledge that music or song can lift the spirit and heal the soul. For patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it can have additional benefits for both the patient and the caregiver.

• Reduces stress for both patient and caregiver.
• Calms patient when agitated.
• Can help regulate blood pressure.
• Improve behavioral issues.
• Stimulate memories.

Listening to non-rhythmic or classical music can also boost cognitive function or enhance thinking. Specific songs and music can take patients back to their childhood or special times in their lives, prompting conversation and story-sharing.

Combining Music and Technology

The Virginian incorporates the latest SingFit Technology into its Memory Care programming to get the greatest therapeutic benefit from this music therapy. This unique technology platform is designed for people with all types of dementia and cognitive decline.

It allows these individuals to derive the maximum possible benefit from their interaction with the music and their interactivity with each other, including singing, movement, and reminiscence, as it works to stimulate and engage the individual’s whole body and brain.

Music Playlist for Dementia Patients

Music therapy for dementia patients is an excellent way for family members and friends to be involved in their loved ones’ daily wellness. They are encouraged to make playlists that include favorite songs or music from special times in their loved ones’ lives. These playlists are something patients can enjoy at their leisure when alone in their room or basking in the sun.

Music for Seniors with Dementia

Playing musical instruments in a group setting helps improve motor skills, coordination, and dexterity. Percussion instruments are particularly good for encouraging movement like toe-tapping, head bobbing, and clapping. This movement is good for circulation and can aid in boosting mood.

Sing Along for Dementia Patients

Singing songs is an opportunity for memory care patients to express themselves and exercise their vocal cords. Certain songs can help stimulate memories, as well. It’s best to choose songs they are familiar with to avoid agitation. Writing lyrics on a chalkboard or dry-erase board can be helpful in a group dynamic.

Suggested Songs for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Patients

1.  “America the Beautiful” performed by Ray Charles
2.  “King of the Road” by Roger Miller
3.  “Moon River” by Henry Mancini
4.  “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra
5.  “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by Burt Bacharach
6.  “Singing in the Rain” performed by Gene Kelly
7.  “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” performed by Judy Garland
8.  “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie
9.  “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
10.  “You Are My Sunshine” by Jimmie Davis

To learn more about how music can help your loved one or to learn about the services available for memory care patients, we are here to help. Reach out online or call The Virginian to speak with our staff or schedule a tour.

As we age, it is not inevitable to experience diminished health and well being. However, it takes a bit of effort to maintain or improve physical, mental and emotional wellness, no matter how old or young one is.

The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health

One of the easiest ways to improve all aspects of health is to engage in regular physical exercise. This is something everyone can do as long as they do not try to do more than they are physically able to do. For instance, someone who has not been exercising regularly should not try to run three miles right off the bat.

Age is less of a factor than physical activity levels, so if you are an active person, starting a regular walking program should be rather simple and easy to achieve. However, if you tend to be more sedentary, you may have to start out with shorter distances or a slower pace. Nevertheless, the sooner you start, the faster you will see improvement in not just your physical wellbeing, but your mental and emotional health as well.

You need not be a fitness guru to enjoy the health benefits of exercise. Any amount of physical activity can help, no matter your age or fitness level. Most experts recommend adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. This breaks down to approximately 20 minutes per day. Following these recommendations can help lower your blood pressure, reduce the risk of 20 chronic health conditions including some cancers, help you lose weight, sleep better, and live longer.

One study shows that in addition to improved sleep, brain health, and quality of life, physical activity also reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. In fact, sedentary adults are almost twice as likely to experience cognitive decline as are active adults.

The Link Between Psychological and Physical Health

Psychological well being and physical health are closely linked, especially at older ages. In fact, the three aspects of psychological well being directly correlate to longevity and survival. These three aspects, evaluative (life satisfaction), hedonic (feelings of happiness), and eudemonic (sense of purpose and meaning in life) well being have been shown to have a protective effect on maintaining physical health. Many experts attribute this to decreased levels of stress hormones and therefore, diminished inflammation and absence of disease.

Furthermore, there is a bidirectional relationship between physical health and subjective well being. When older people suffer from chronic illness like heart or lung disease, arthritis, or diabetes, they show both increased levels of depression and anxiety as well as impaired eudemonic and hedonic well being. In other words, maintaining physical health is key to maintaining psychological health, and vice versa.

Balance Your Life with Physical, Mental, and Social Activity

As you might surmise, your overall wellness depends on a well-balanced life that includes physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction. One of the best ways to ensure you are able to partake in all three aspects of health maintenance is to move into an independent living community. Here at The Virginian, you will have the opportunity to participate in any of our daily exercise classes, expand your social circle, and pursue new hobbies and interests – all without the stress of daily chores and maintenance tasks.

Why not make a long term commitment to improving your mood, your physical and mental health, and your life? Consider the mental health benefits of no longer having to cut the grass, fix the roof, or clean the gutters. When you choose to live at The Virginian, those annoying chores will be a thing of the past. For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact our friendly and helpful staff at (703) 385-9229.

Retirement communities come in all shapes and sizes, which can be confusing. It’s great to have multiple options available and knowing the differences is helpful.

Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and life plan communities (LPCs) are the same thing. The name was changed to reflect better the lifestyle of residents, who enjoy the rich continuum of care provided.

Benefits of Life Plan Communities

Life plan communities provide lifelong care all on one campus. These include independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing care. Respite care and rehabilitation services may also be offered for those in recovery from surgery.

LPC residents can easily move to higher levels of care, so they never need to relocate. Life plan communities provide each resident with a customized care plan that meets all needs. Specialized or additional services can be added or removed as necessary.

While mission statements and philosophy of care may vary from one facility to the next, all life plan communities provide:

• Independent living
• Peace of mind regarding changes in health and needs
• Priority access to assisted living, care services, memory care, and skilled nursing
• Maintenance-free lifestyle
• Opportunities for lifelong learning, growth, and wellness

When planning how to spend your golden years, choose a home for life. You will enjoy an enriched, stress-free lifestyle in a community that grows with you.

To learn more about life plan communities, reach out to us online or call The Virginian. Schedule a tour of our campus to see firsthand the life-enriching opportunities we have for you.

Care Begins With Community

At The Virginian, we’ve always known that community and connection are key to a healthy life. So on April 13th, it was no surprise our community showed up in droves to support the health and wellness of local older adults.

Visitors and media outlets flocked to our first inaugural Health and Wellness Fair, which was held in partnership with the Virginia Hospital Center, Capital City Nurses and Inova. Open to the public and featuring over 60 vendors and local health providers, the event was a resounding success.

Empowering Health and Wellness

Attendees visited vendor stations between 10 AM and 2 PM that offered everything from blood pressure and vision tests to workshops on fall prevention and pain management. Visitors even participated in live wellness demonstrations for continued health.

Vendors included Inova House Calls & Geriatrics, Alzheimer’s Association, Virginian Rehabilitation & Wellness, Alzheimer’s Association, Virginian Rehabilitation & Wellness, and many more local health providers who were on site to provide demonstrations and resources for living healthfully.

And since physical health is only a part of overall wellness, older adults and caregivers found mental health resources as well as materials for continuing education courses from George Mason University.

The Best Plans Start Yesterday

Retirement planning was another major focus of the event. Those golden years have a way of sneaking up on even the most prepared. That’s why fair-goers were able to speak with experts in estate planning, elder law, and our team at The Virginian for some much needed peace of mind.

This event was only the first of what we plan to make an annual gathering, where our team at The Virginian can connect older adults to the trove of resources available to them. Until then, you can see scenes from the Health and Wellness Fair covered by ABC 7News.

Have questions or are ready to start planning for independent living at The Virginian? Contact us today by filling out the form below.

The need for strong social connection is innate in humans, and having healthy connections is beneficial to both physical and mental health. Social networks for seniors are especially important because of the aging process and how it affects the mind, body, and quality of life.

Familial connections, romantic relationships, and friendships are all examples of social connections within a social network. These can lighten mood, lower risk of dementia and general cognitive decline, and create new neural pathways that stimulate positive brain activity. 

Social Networks for Seniors

Essentially, a social network is any group of people who regularly interact on a personal level. For older adults, this may include friends and neighbors in a community, family members that visit often, fellow church or club members, or any group of like-minded people they feel comfortable confiding in or enjoy talking with.

Part of the aging process includes retiring from work, losing friends and family, and decreased mobility and physical activity – all of which contribute to social isolation. This means it can take more work to maintain current relationships as well as create new ones. Lacking opportunities for social engagement, or feelings of loneliness, can have a profoundly negative impact on mental and physical wellness.

Living Well in Senior Living

Senior Living Communities of all types offer various social activities and opportunities to meet new people. Creating new relationships and growing social networks to a stable size has the potential to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental illnesses. Studies also show this can help decrease hypertension, increase the ability to focus and learn, and add on up to 5 more years of living.

If you are interested in learning more about how we encourage and support social interaction and social networks for residents, please feel free to give our team at The Virginian a call. We truly believe that retirement provides an opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest, and we would love to help that become a reality for you or the seniors in your life.

Ongoing failure to eat properly leads to health issues that have the potential to affect brain function, as well as the function of other body systems. This also poses a risk of malnutrition, which can lead to extreme weight loss. Subsequently, one’s sense of balance and stability may be affected, thereby leading to falls.

To limit risk and illness, high-quality dining options for seniors are necessary for maintaining excellent overall health and well-being.

Eating Together is Just Better

Many seniors have spent their entire lives eating with family or a group of friends, sharing stories from the day, and talking about upcoming events. As social connections ebb and solo meals become more frequent, individuals may begin to feel lonely, which can cause symptoms of depression or decreased appetite.

Quality independent senior living communities often offer an array of dining options, including dining services, restaurants, private dining rooms and unique eateries, in order to provide residents with plenty of healthy and tasty food choices. The dining experience itself should also be considered to accommodate various mindsets and motivations. Upbeat eateries featuring music are great for boosting mood, while low-key dining venues can help seniors prepare for meditation or wind down for the day.

Senior living catered dining is another great option for special events like birthdays, anniversaries, or milestones. Having dinner catered allows for menus featuring specific choices to meet everyone’s dietary needs. 

Tastes and Food Preferences Change

There are many reasons why food preferences change, causing something that used to be a tried-and-true favorite to become suddenly and completely unappealing. In addition to external factors, simply getting older can cause perception in taste to change as well as diminish. Like other body systems, taste buds become less active and their performance wanes as we age.

Medication can also affect the way foods taste and may therefore lead to decreased appetite. Take note of these types of changes and check with your doctor to see if one or more prescriptions may be the root cause.

Offering Excellent Culinary Options

Regardless of the reason for a change in preferences for certain foods, having a chef on staff to create delicious, healthy meals, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, is a must. Providing nutritious options to older adults is paramount, but nutrition means nothing when the food is not eaten. At The Virginian, we know it is vitally important to offer residents a wide variety of culinary delights from around the world to keep their taste buds happy and to help keep them physically fit and healthy.

If you would like to learn more about our independent living community and all the amenities we have to offer, including some of the best dining options available, we invite you to reach out to our friendly staff for more information.

The Virginian Resident Pays Tribute to Her Husband who Served the Nation with Distinction

7News DC celebrated one of our residents as she told the remarkable story of her husband who was a true military hero.  Doug Werner was one of the first journalists to report about WWII and his commitment to our country continued as he served our nation as a diplomat for the State Department.  He is honored in the Congressional Record and his experiences are on display in the online issue of the Newseum, a museum dedicated to journalism.  Ms. Werner enjoyed reminiscing about their time together and the heroism of her husband of 52 years in an interview with journalist Jay Korff.

Watch the remarkable story as part of ABC-TV’s celebration of those who served the nation with distinction.

https://wjla.com/news/local/doug-werner-dispatch-normandy-local-famed-war-correspondent-doug-werner?fbclid=IwAR0XKrjtqYtlRyLmB6yCTMR34zoUVF1BsSfOQ4nAwcIhD6FdcTPqhRNpHWg

There are many benefits of independent living services, and each senior may appreciate some of these benefits more than others, depending on what is important to them. If you are considering the options for independent living in Fairfax, VA, there are a variety of choices available for you to choose from. When deciding on a community, consider these 6 key benefits and how they may improve your quality of life. 

Carefree Living
Instead of raking leaves in the fall, when you choose an independent living community, you can spend your time outside admiring the fall foliage or simply just staying warm inside. Shoveling snow will be a thing of the past, too, so when those early morning snowfalls occur, you can cozy up with hot cocoa and watch the falling snowflakes glisten on tree branches. No more mowing, HVAC maintenance, or worrying about the water heater breaking down. Once your dues are paid, it’s time to sit back and simply enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle.

Lots of Options
Not only are home maintenance chores no longer building up on your to-do list, but simple tasks can often be requested from the comfort of your own home. Opt in for housekeeping services and let someone else do the laundry for a change. This frees up time to read a book, have dinner with friends, or enjoy your day however you please.

Independent living provides this type of freedom — there are no schedules to keep or chores to worry about. 

Fantastic Food Options
When you really don’t feel like heading out to a restaurant, it’s nice to know you can order in and have culinary delights delivered. And when you’re feeling up to it, it’s fun to take advantage of having great eateries nearby, where you can enjoy meeting up with neighbors for a drink or sharing a meal with friends and family.

The Value of Friends
Socializing is an important part of both mental health and brain health for everyone. Being around friends, laughing, and generally having a good time releases dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin. These are all critical for fighting depression and enhancing attention, learning ability, and motivation. Independent living offers a great way for older adults to keep the blues away, by supporting each other and spending time together. 

Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
It’s never too late to learn something new, discover a hidden talent or build on a long-forgotten hobby. Learning facts, skills, and games all help your brain create neural pathways, which helps improve memory and cognitive behavior. Join an art class, book club, or exercise class. Attend lectures and learn from guest speakers. At The Virginian, you can join The Virginian Scholars Program to participate in local classes and get credits based on your attendance. There are endless possibilities for expanding your world through learning.

Safety First
One of the most common reasons seniors choose to live in an independent senior living community is for increased safety. Whether internal or external factors pose an increased risk, living in a protected community provides priceless peace of mind for seniors and their family members. Just knowing there is medical staff nearby and around-the-clock security in case something happens can be a huge relief.

The Virginian
In sum, whether you are curious about independent living floor plan choices, dining options, extracurricular activities, or increased safety, The Virginian might be the perfect place for you.  Consider visiting our unique residences, where you can be perfectly poised to take advantage of everything retirement has to offer!

To learn more about The Virginian, fill out the form below or call (703) 385-9229.