Senior Living Blog by UMH | Elizabeth Bemis (11)

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 | assisted living | nurse's assistant | senior living | skilled nursing

National Nurse’s Assistant Week: What to Expect from a Skilled Nurse

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 12th, 2013

As National Nurse’s Assistant Week kicks off June 13 – June 23, in recognition of those dedicated to ensuring the well being of our loved ones, we use this opportunity to shine a light on what seniors can expect when in the capable hands of a nurse’s assistant.

Men’s Health Week: Prostate Health Tips For Aging Men

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 10th, 2013

A man’s prostate ages along with him. By the time he reaches his 70’s, he and his prostate would have journeyed through life at a similar rate of change. Because of where this doughnut-shaped gland is located (underneath the bladder), changes are likely to cause mild bladder irritations to severe urinary problems in over 90 per cent of elderly men. This means a caregiver’s dad is almost certain to develop a prostate-related problem, now or in the near future.

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Choosing the Right Senior Living Community for Aging Parents

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 7th, 2013

For caregivers it’s crunch time. You now realize it is time to hand over your caregiving role to the professionals; so how to you know which senior living community is right for your aging parents? This should be a straightforward process; all you need to do is match your parents’ needs with the community providing the requisite services, right? Yes, however, as this decision will affect all parties as you tread on new emotional and financial grounds, the more prepared you are, the more satisfied you’ll be that you’ve made the right decision.

Assisted Living Communities Celebrate World Environment Day

By: Elizabeth Bemis June 5th, 2013

Tis the season to support your local farmer’s market! This is one easy way to celebrate the environment on World Environment Day, June 5th. Awareness of your habits is key to making a difference every day. Do you find yourself throwing out rotting food from the refrigerator? “Think Before You Eat and Help Save the Environment” is this year’s insightful theme to honor World Environment Day.Think about what you eat and manage portion sizes for your health and for the environment. Many assisted living communities do this every day! They take the lead from their residents who become involved in the selection of menu items, grow fruits, vegetables and spices that are used by the chef, and sometimes the residents even get involved in food preparation!

The Many Senior Housing Options:Assisted living, Nursing Homes & More

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 27th, 2013

Yes, there are many senior housing options to choose from and no simple answer to the question of which one is right for you. But, here’s the upside of having so many choices: you stand a better chance of finding onethat matches well with your long-term goals, so let’s get to it!

The Benefits of a Snoezelen Room for Alzheimer’s Care

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 22nd, 2013

If you’ve never heard of the Dutch term Snoezelen (pronounced “snuzelen”), formed by the words “sniff and doze,” you’re probably not alone! Snoezelen is a type of therapy originally founded in Holland for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. A Snoezelen Room is a therapeutic environment created for the express purpose of delivering high levels of stimuli to patients with dementia. A private room displays optical illusions with combined lighting effects, aromas, colors, textures and sounds to stimulate a person’s olfactory, auditory and gustatory systems.

Journey of Dreams

Crosby Commons Assisted Living Makes A Wish Come True for Seniors

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 20th, 2013

Dreams Can Come True at Crosby Commons Crosby Commons resident, Ted Pfeuffer, saw his dream come true on Wednesday, thanks to the “Journey of Dreams" program at Wesley Village Assisted and Independent Living Community. Ted and his fellow residents enjoyed horse and buggy rides around the campus. Why was this so special and how did the staff at Crosby Commons know to make this dream a reality? As residents and staff gathered together during the February blizzard to share stories and reminisce, Ted shared his story. During the February blizzard of 1978, when Governor Ella Grasso closed down Connecticut roads to all traffic except emergency vehicles, travel was no problem for Ted. He had his horse Ginger hooked up to a 100-year-old sleigh and together they made the rounds through town. As he and his daughter Kristin, drove through town, they were stopped by a young woman from the local pharmacy, who asked them to deliver prescriptions to his Thomaston neighbors, which they happily did! Ted has loved and owned horses all his life and often entered them in horse and buggy shows so this special day was perfect for him. A little bit of rain on Wednesday didn’t dampen the mood; considering some of the other weather conditions Ted and Ginger experienced!

Nursing Homes in CT Celebrate Nursing Home Week

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 17th, 2013

In honor “National Nursing Home Week”, United Methodist Homes will continue to provide important information about nursing homes as well as share some of the things our Bishop Wicke Heath and Rehab Center in Shelton, CT is doing in honor of this week.

Assisted Living Provides the Facts about Monitoring Blood Pressure

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 13th, 2013

As one ages it becomes increasingly important to maintain proper exercise and eating habits. By developing a healthy diet and exercising regularly you can reduce the risk for health complications. However, it is also important to have regular doctors appointments to make sure you are continuously in good health. One simple thing to pay attention to is monitoring your blood pressure. While this may not always be the first thing on people's minds to check it is incredibly important to do so. Many assisted living communities provide free blood pressure checks or on site doctors that can quickly check and monitor your blood pressure for you.

Assisted Living Communities Celebrate Mother’s Day

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 12th, 2013

In honor of Mother’s Day Assisted Living and Independent Living Communities are hosting several different events for all of the mothers within the community. Mother’s Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and in general the positive contributions they have made to their families and society.

5 Tips for Caregivers: How to Reduce Stress for Your Aging Parents

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 10th, 2013

As a caregiver and child of aging parents, one of the most difficult things you must do is confront the fact that at some point you will need to have “the talk” with your loved one about their future. This is a challenging time for you and your parents as you both begin to acknowledge and discuss their diminishing abilities. Your parents are probably aware of their physical and cognitive changes and they may be anxious and reluctant to speak with you. Here are five steps to help you make sense of the changes and work with your parents to plan for the future: