Country Meadows of Mechanicsburg

All Feelings Welcome: How Residents and their Families are Emotionally Supported in Retirement Living While every resident situation and motivation for seeking out retirement options are unique to each family, the feelings that come along the journey tend to be universal. There is peace in knowing loved ones are finally able to receive the care and attention they need. Joy can be felt when family members see residents enjoying an activity they once loved. There can be grief in the reality of declining health and idea of losing independence. Relief comes with knowing there are options, and a full care team can attend to tasks that once fell on the caregiver. It can also be an overwhelming time as family members look to downsize and sell a home, understand finances and other logistics that come with a major life shift. But ultimately, we hope one of the most-felt feelings of all is love. All the planning and activity that goes into the research and moves into retirement living is done out love for the resident when the decisions lead to the fullest and happiest quality of life. Its important to know-there is no right way to feel while experiencing changes that come with a partners cognitive decline, feeling the stresses of caregiving, unsure about what the future looks like in retirement living or even the death of a spouse or loved one. At Country Meadows, there is support in every level of care that provides community and connection to both residents and their families. We believe emotional well-being is just as important as physical care, described Carol Ditman, Country Meadows Senior Executive Director of Programming. When families and residents are met with compassion and seen for the wonderful and complex individuals, they are, we become a safe place for open conversation and a source of strength. We hope everyone can remember they are not alone and learn from each other. Between support groups, events on campus and trusted relationships built between families, residents and members of the care team, one of the greatest strengths of retirement living is connection. When family members hear from others with similar challenges and wins, everyone can feel seen and heard. Support Groups in our Retirement Living Community are Open to the Public Still Us is a virtual or in-person support group for spouses navigating a partners dementia diagnosis. Tools are shared for ways to navigate the difficult and emotional journey together and come to the realization that love and connection remain. This group was inspired by an interaction we had with a resident at a Dementia Live training session. A husband of a resident in the Connections Memory Support Services neighborhood was feeling discouraged after his wife was no longer recognizing him by name, described Martie Haller, one of the program facilitators and an advisor at Country Meadows of Allentown. Throughout the training, he learned about this being a natural progression of the disease and what to do at his next visit-arrive with a picture of a younger version of himself and introduce himself. Something clicked-he was recognized as someone special! Techniques and experiences like this example need to be shared to help others. During Still Us sessions, participants gain strategies to manage caregiving responsibilities and learn how you can live and love through dementia and other memory-related challenges. The group meets on the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. in Building 1 at our Allentown campus. You can join virtually from anywhere through Zoom. To learn more and join the next session, email [email protected]. G.R.A.C.E. is a caregiver support network focused on Guiding with Respect And Compassion for Everyone. Caregiving, like all the feelings that come with a retirement living journey, is not one-size-fits-all. These monthly sessions are open to anyone who is at any stage of the caregiving journey. If an adult daughter is recently finding herself with the responsibility to transport to doctors appointments or portion medications or a son who is starting to see the decline and wondering what happens next, this group would be a good place to come to learn, listen and tap into the experiences of fellow caregivers. When roles are reversed and family dynamics seem to change overnight with a diagnosis of a spouse, parent or loved one, the weight of responsibilities of caregiving can feel very isolating, described Mandy Knight, Executive Director at Country Meadows of York-South (Leader Heights). We hope to be a source of encouragement and give caregivers a moment to remember that they have a village behind them. For more details on a G.R.A.C.E. Network at a campus near you, contact that campus team of advisors.

Resources for Every Voice in the Senior Living Conversation: Because Decisions Arent Made Alone There are many voices and opinions that go into the decision of considering senior living communities, and ultimately deciding to move in. The end goal is the same: health, happiness and safety for the residents and peace of mind for the family. However, the road to get there is rarely linear and may even be a little bumpy. There could be loved ones to convince, financials to reconcile and decisions to be made about family assets and heirlooms. It can be a lot and take a toll on everyone physically, mentally and emotionally. Every family situation is unique, as are the circumstances that prompt them to consider a senior living community, explained Suzanne Okuniewski, an advisor at Country Meadows of Wyomissing. The motivations are often safety, a medical diagnosis requiring additional support and oversight, the weight of being a primary caregiver, loneliness or transportation limitations. Having family members, loved ones or partners involved in the senior living decision making process is key. For daughters, many take on the role of advocate and researcher. They are balancing care decisions for parents with possibly raising their own family and managing busy lives. Sons often focus on the practical side of senior living: care options, safety and long-term planning. For them, understanding the big picture helps them become more comfortable and confident with next steps. For siblings, being on the same page is very important and setting up clear communication is critical, especially if one sibling doesnt live locally. For couples who are researching their next move, its important to make it a unified decision and consider all the benefits that could be gained by taking this step. When a spouse is the sole caregiver, leaning into the advice of medical professionals and even friends can make the process a little less daunting. From strategizing the first conversation to planning the packing list for moving in, Country Meadows Retirement Communities is here for to support your senior living conversations and has resources to help every member of the family at every step of the journey.