Senior Living Blog by UMH | Elizabeth Bemis (10)

Elizabeth Bemis

In 1998, I drove past an assisted living community construction site, learned that it was part of United Methodist Homes and realized the next stop on my professional journey was to work for a mission driven organization. Soon after, I joined the team as Executive Director of our Middlewoods of Farmington community and later served as Regional Manager for the Middlewoods properties before accepting my current role as Vice President of Marketing, Promotions, and Assisted Living Operations. I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, reading, walking, and love working alongside our staff, residents, and families to build strong communities that reflect the mission, vision, and values of United Methodist Homes.

Aging & Caregiving | Journey of Dreams | assisted living | wesley village assisted living | wesley village shelton ct

Crosby Commons Community Welcomes the Vaudeville Act

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 17th, 2013

The vaudeville act, “Make ‘Em Laugh & Sing”, from Manchester, Massachusetts, paid a visit to Crosby Commons Assisted Living community in Shelton on Friday, June 28 as part of the Journey of Dreams program at the assisted living community on the Wesley Village campus.

Wesley Village Assisted Living Continues Healthy Living!

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 15th, 2013

Kudos to the staff at Bishop Wicke Health Center, Crosby Common Assisted Living and Wesley Heights Independent and Assisted Living communities for maintaining their new year’s resolution all the way into June! We are happy to share that as part of our wellness initiative, a core group of 19 staff have shed a total of 281.2 pounds in the last 12 weeks.

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How Seniors Can Avoid Scams: Internet, Charities, Etc.

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 12th, 2013

A new study conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College shows that senior citizens are one of the most preyed upon users of the internet. Scammers are known to routinely advertise in an effort to fleece older investors. This type of financial fraud can happen over the web, through unscrupulous advertising on the television and in the newspapers, from illegal charity outfits and right within the home.

Global Forgiveness Day – What it Means to Seniors and their Families

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 7th, 2013

Global Forgiveness Day, July 7, began with a Canadian based philanthropic organization, CECA, whose mission is to address local, national and global needs for forgiveness and whose mission can be applied to most people on a personal level. The organization has its own mediation center, where disparate groups meet to hear each other and to come together even when they disagree. Behind the philosophy of mediation is the recognition that disagreements often lead to name-calling and other hurtful and excluding behaviors.

Elder Abuse Awareness: What you Need to Know

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 5th, 2013

It is a horrible reality but elder abuse happens. Ageism (discrimination against the elderly) fuels it. And what is most disturbing is that family members are often the perpetrators. There is no one type of elder abuse; it can play out in many ways but is recognized by demeaning verbal attacks, physical violence, sexual assault, neglect and theft.

Identify the Signs of Senior Caregiver Stress

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 2nd, 2013

Experts say it comes with the territory. The odds are if you’re caring for elderly parents for any length of time without much assistance-- it’s a given--you HAVE caregiver stress. No one tells you going into this role that part of the plan of caring for the well-being of a loved one is also taking care of your own.

Discharge Planning Checklist: Short Term Rehab

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 21st, 2013

Your mom or dad is about to be discharged from the hospital or short term rehab, but you just don’t feel they are ready to be home, managing on their own. That’s when a discharge planning checklist becomes necessary. The checklist is your guide to getting questions answered from the medical team that will promote the highest level of after-care outcome for your mom or dad.

Price vs. Value for Assisted Living

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 19th, 2013

How do you know if you are getting a good value for the price? It is not always easy to figure out, especially when it comes to choosing an assisted living community. When you go grocery shopping you can compare apples to apples but even when you compare assisted living communities by similar amenities and price, it is sometimes as clear as mud. How do you make the right decision? Seniors and caregivers have their life savings and financial security at risk. The first thing you must do is determine if you have enough to live comfortably at the community for at least three years. Keep in mind that the average length of stay for a resident is two and a half years so you will want to make sure that you can afford the lifestyle.

Senior Living Tips: 5 Super Foods for Seniors

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 17th, 2013

Super foods are nutrient-packed powerhouses, yet, even without any solid medical definition, it is common knowledge that people who eat super foods are healthier than others. When you think of super foods, sweet potatoes, blueberries and avocadoes come to mind but there may be as many as 50 or more of these powerful foods around. But let’s focus on five specific groups of super foods recommended for a senior citizen’s diet, primarily to reduce inflammation—the single biggest cause of fatigue and autoimmune disease which overwhelms the body as we age.

How Father’s Day is Celebrated in Assisted Living Communities

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 16th, 2013

Father’s Day is observed every year on the third Sunday in June. How you choose to celebrate your father’s influence on your life may be based on family traditions and culture. This year, financial planners predict an estimated $13.3 billion will be spent in tribute to dads in the USA; no doubt you’ll find a personalized way to show respect and love-- and for caregivers with aging fathers—that may involve taking a trip over to an assisted living community, perhaps with a carload of family members from various generations to pay tribute.

What World Blood Donor Day Means for Seniors

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 14th, 2013

Every year in the United States more than 20 million units of red blood cells, platelets and plasma are transfused to treat conditions primarily in the area of: anemia, leukemia and sickle cell disease. Blood saves lives; it cannot be manufactured in a lab that’s why blood donors all over the world are given honorable mention.