San Clemente Villas By The Sea

What to Look for in Assisted Living Staff

Skilled senior caretakers are committed to fulfilling the individual needs of their patients. Use these criteria to choose an assisted living staff that’s right for your parent or loved one: 

• Resident Interactions: When you visit an assisted living community, pay close attention to the way staff members relate to community residents. These observed interactions provide a reliable barometer for your parent’s experience.  Review how your parents are greeted by facility employees and note their general comfort level with staff members. Consider how the assisted living caretakers will meet your loved one’s personal and health-related needs.

• Helpfulness: Once you and your family become familiar with a facility, take the time to ask additional staff questions. Learn more about the education and vision of the community’s lead administrator. Find out if staff members have been specially trained to work with complex senior conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s. Determine the ratio of dedicated staff members to community inhabitants. These numbers can help estimate personal care time available for your parent.

• Vital Health Services: Collect detailed information on health care services in addition to day-to-day operations. Request a description of the facility’s crisis response plan for medical emergencies. Find out if employees are certified to provide medication to ailing elderly patients. Ask about nighttime care and if your parent can expect 24-hour emergency support. If a loved one is diagnosed with deteriorating cognitive function, ask caretakers as to how their facility will adapt to transforming needs. 

Visit San Clemente Villas by the Sea online to find out how you and your parent can receive a free tour of our impressive facilities. Our friendly and professional staff will make you and your loved one feel welcome. For additional information on transitioning your loved one into assisted living, call (949) 485-4028.

Nutrition, Exercise, Socialization for Seniors and More Online Resources from San Clemente Villas By The Sea!

Would you like to learn more about how a retirement resort can enhance your life or the life of a loved one?  Click through the resources below to learn more about this and our other recent blog topics.  If you have any further questions, contact the friendly staff at San Clemente Villas by the Sea at (949) 485-4028.

• This article from Nutrition.gov provides some helpful information about eating well after 50.
• Read this article from HelpGuide.org to learn about good nutrition for seniors.
• The American Heart Association website has some great information on the different types of dietary fats and how they affect your cholesterol.
• Exercise is the fountain of youth for seniors—read about the benefits of exercise for older adults from this MedlinePlus article.
• This article from FamilyDoctor.org answers some frequently asked questions about seniors and exercise. 
• The AARP website has some great information for caregivers.
• This article from The New York Times describes how frequent socializing has been linked to delayed loss of memory in senior citizens. 
• This LiveStrong.com article provides an overview of the importance of exercise and socialization programs for the elderly. 
• This page outlines some decorating ideas for senior spaces. 
• This slideshow from HGTV.com has some great ideas for making your new apartment your own. 

Nutrition Tips for Seniors

When you eat a nutritious, balanced diet, you feel great inside and out.  For older adults living in retirement communities, eating well will increase mental acuity, help the body to fight disease and illness, provide higher energy levels, and increase the body’s ability to heal itself.  Embracing a diet that is filled with many colorful foods will also help to manage chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, and provide a more emotionally balanced mindset.  Read on for some tips to eat better and age better:

• Choose Nutritious Foods - Research has shown that choosing a mix of nutrient-dense foods (foods high in nutrients, low in calories) can decrease your risk of developing chronic diseases such as osteoporosis.  When deciding what to eat, be sure to eat foods that contain minerals, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein.  Stay away from saturated fats and salty foods.
• Know How Much You Should Eat - Every person is different, but there are guidelines for seniors regarding how many calories should be ingested daily.  Ask your physician what is right for you to maintain a healthy weight.
• Enjoy All of Your Meals - Experiment with different spices, try new things, or learn to cook new recipes to help you enjoy cooking and eating more.  If you are having problems with chewing or digesting, speak with your doctor or dietitian about finding a solution.  If you are avoiding certain foods, you may also be avoiding essential vitamins and minerals that keep you healthy.   

Eating well will help you to live longer and stronger, sharpen your mind, and provide you with more robust health.  If you want to learn more about feeling and living well, contact San Clemente Villas by the Sea at (949) 485-4028.  We provide seniors in our community with a warm and inviting retirement community with gourmet food available every day. 

Retiring in Style

More than anything, retirement should be fun and exciting.  When you decide to retire, make sure you do so in style and luxury.  Choose to live in a retirement resort that provides you with the benefits of living in the highest quality community with amenities to match.  Below are some ways to live your retirement in style:

• Choose a Community with a Great Location - Make sure that you are living next to the best shopping, dining, and entertainment that your city has to offer.  Great views don’t hurt either: The apartments of San Clemente Villas by the Sea are nested in an ideal part of Orange County, offering beautiful ocean views. 
• Enjoy Luxury Amenities and Plenty of Social Activities - Having the opportunity to participate in scheduled social activities, work out, or simply relax in solitude in a Jacuzzi will keep your retirement both exciting and relaxing.  Make sure your retirement community has all of these options and more available to help you live your retirement to the utmost.  
• Live in a Retirement Community with an Experienced and Dedicated Staff - A highly trained and friendly staff works hard to not only foster a fun and exciting environment for the residents, but also keeps the community safe and offers exceptional care when you may need it most.  

San Clemente Villas by the Sea is a retirement resort community that provides some of the most luxurious amenities in Orange County.  We offer our residents daily scheduled social and fitness activities, beautiful grounds for picnics with the family, and a state-of-the-art theater for our frequent movie showings.  Visit our website or contact our staff at (949) 485-4028 to schedule your tour of our beautiful communities today. 

Elder 411 – Senior Caregiving Made Easier with Doctor Marion

When a loved one becomes unable to perform the everyday tasks necessary for independent living, a family member may become responsible for his care.  As a loved one ages, a caregiver can face many new challenges. 

The Elder 411 – Senior Caregiving Made Easier with Doctor Marion app, available for iPhone and iPad, provides insightful solutions that can help a caregiver to confront these new challenges.  The app includes written tips, audio tips, video lectures, and answers to hundreds of frequently asked questions.

San Clemente Villas by the Sea is a retirement and assisted living community dedicated to providing our residents with the care, camaraderie, and resort-style amenities they need to enjoy their retirement to the utmost.  If you have questions about senior care, contact us at (949) 485-4028.