Senior Living Blog by UMH | Elizabeth Bemis (9)

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.

Encouraging Socialization in Assisted Living Communities

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 16th, 2013

Making “small talk” can be an excellent way to break the ice and form a friendship. For many, however, starting off a conversation can be intimidating and can be better compared to an art form that few have truly mastered. Fortunately, there are easy ways for seniors to socialize in their assisted living communities, as nearly all facilities are designed with the purpose of providing opportunities for seniors to engage and connect.

Early Onset Dementia: The Facts

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 12th, 2013

How much forgetfulness is too much? Forgetting where you last placed your car keys or your reading glasses five minutes ago is a common memory lapse, unrelated to the debilitating memory disease described under the clinical condition—dementia. Researchers believe it is important to distinguish between the various types of dementia that occur with aging, even more so today when younger populations under the age of 65 are developing what is characterized as early onset dementia.

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Crosby Commons Assisted Living Hosts Caregiver Education Program

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 7th, 2013

Crosby Commons Assisted and Independent Living Community, on the Wesley Village campus in Shelton, recently hosted a caregiver education program, entitled, “Preventing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout”, presented by Gerontologist and CEO, Donna B. Fedus, MA. This free program, offered specifically for social workers, administrators, and other health care professionals, was filled with valuable self-care techniques to help caregivers avoid the dangers of burnout in their mission and commitment to caring for others.

Vision Care for Seniors: Symptoms, Risks and Treatments for Cataracts

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 7th, 2013

Did you know that individuals over the age of 65 who remove cataracts from their eyes, significantly lower their risk of needing hip replacement surgery? Vision loss is a well-known risk factor for falls and fractures—and while August is Cataract Awareness Month, let’s take a look at the symptoms, risks factors and treatments for cataracts in seniors.

Protecting Seniors from Fraud: Fraud Awareness Week 2013

By: Elizabeth Bemis August 5th, 2013

In today’s world of modern technology, seniors can unfortunately become the victims of many damaging scams. Equipping seniors with the tools they need to protect themselves against scams and shady dealers can help them become savvy consumers and shine a spotlight on fraud. National Fraud Awareness Week was introduced in the United States twelve years ago with the goal of proactively preventing and detecting fraud. This important observance will fall this week, from August 4-10, 2013 , and includes an education campaign against scammers who prey on individuals and communities, particularly senior residents who are an increasingly vulnerable group.

Seniors and Pets: The Benefits of Companionship

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 31st, 2013

Pet therapy is a real health-promoting exercise for seniors. Those slobbering, furry animals, we call pets, can transform an individual’s sorrow into joy, right before your eyes. Pets are seen as loyal companions that do wonders for their owners’ well being. For this reason, many assisted living communities offer pet programs as part of their senior care services.

Celebrating National Parents’ Day in Senior Living Communities

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 29th, 2013

What is National Parents’ Day? Many Americans are still unaware of this commemorative day, signed into law in 1994. Compared with the century’s old Mother’s Day or Father’s Day fanfare, Parents’ Day is but a ”baby” yet its establishment was meant to hold a similar stature of recognition, maybe even more so as it joins the two into a family unit.

The Secrets to Staying Fit in a Senior Living Community

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 29th, 2013

What’s the secret to staying fit at any age? Motivation! Finding that champion spirit that inspires you—to stay active--regardless of your age or abilities. Senior living communities can offer that extra inspiration and motivation to help you in reaching your fitness goals.

Aging Seniors and Their Children: Knowing When to Let Go

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 26th, 2013

Imagine you walked into your mom’s assisted living community and noticed she bought a new outfit from a catalog. Has your first response ever sounded anything like this: “Stop wasting your money, Mom; haven’t I asked you to stop buying things you don’t need?”

Assisted Living Communities in CT are Disaster Ready, are you?

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 24th, 2013

Depending on where you call home, your assisted living community may be prone to certain natural disasters. Storms, hurricanes, tornados or flooding may occur frequently in your “neck of the woods.” Assisted living communities are required to have disaster plans in place. If you are searching for a community for yourself or a loved one, find out what steps they take to keep residents safe and communicate with families.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s, or Old Age: The Differences

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 19th, 2013

When a physician says: “Your mom is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s disease” your first reaction may be one of shock and anxiety. On the other hand, if he say’s “she has a little bit of dementia” you might feel a sense of relief thinking dementia comes with old age, and “at least she doesn’t have Alzheimer’s.”