Magnolia Manor Blog

These days we are so enthralled with all the ways we can connect with loved ones electronically, we almost forget about good, old-fashioned postcards and letters. You know – the ones that come in the mail. We rudely refer to it as “snail” mail because it takes a few days (so long!) to arrive. Hardly the split-second communication we’ve become accustomed to in our impatient world.

Here at Magnolia Manor, we consider every resident to be a member of our family as well as yours. Since the coronavirus first became known, we have taken maximum precautions that go beyond CDC and State of Georgia guidelines to protect our residents and staff from this very serious health concern. It hasn’t been fun, but it is important! And our diligent efforts are paying off.

Besides, we are still having fun around here. And there are plenty of ways for families and residents to have fun together while apart.

Whether you’re considering some type of senior living community for yourself or a loved one, you will want the best environment and accommodations you can find. After all, this will be your new home – or the new home of someone very dear to you. However, for most of us, cost plays a role in our decision-making when it comes to momentous matters such as living arrangements.

At Magnolia Manor, we understand because we talk with seniors and their families every day about their challenges and the choices available to them. Naturally, everyone wants to know what various options will cost. And, frankly, their first reaction is sometimes, “Gee, that seems like a lot.” In truth, though, senior living can be surprisingly affordable, once you compare all of the costs and benefits to your current situation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home to all of us just how vital it is to stay connected with loved ones, especially our seniors. Right away, as soon as stay-at-home orders were being issued, our Magnolia Manor team jumped into action. We created Family Connect, a program to keep our residents in touch with their families. No physical contact allowed, maybe, but our goal was to ensure plenty of face time.

We are both proud and pleased to say that Family Connect has been a tremendous success, for everyone involved.

Senior living communities have been front-page news during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic because older adults are more vulnerable to contracting this virus, especially those residents in skilled nursing who are already challenged by significant medical issues. Uppermost in the minds of families as well as residents themselves is what we are doing to keep our communities safe.

Dry. Sore. Red. Itchy. Rough. Chapped, even cracked. Did we mention dry? Your hands have become victims of COVID-19 in an entirely unexpected way, thanks to all that extra hand-washing you’re doing. Seniors are more vulnerable to the side-effects of excessive hand washing because skin naturally loses moisture as we age. You’re also more vulnerable if you’re prone to eczema or other forms of dermatitis.

But this is one problem you can easily solve. And when your hands feel better, you may even feel a little bit better about having to stay away from your friends and family, especially the grandkids.

So let’s heal those dry hands.

Feeling a little too cooped-up in self-quarantine? By now we’re all going a bit stir crazy. For seniors who live alone, physical separation from friends and loved ones can feel especially difficult. Psychologists suggest you should take heart knowing that literally billions of others around the world are also staying at home, many of them alone.

But let’s be honest. Knowing you’re not alone doesn’t really make you feel less alone, does it? It’s time to take action!

It’s so hard knowing your grandkids are close-by, yet, thanks to coronavirus-inspired social distancing, they cannot visit in person so you can hug and smooch and chat with them in the usual ways. Even under normal conditions, lots of grandparents don’t have the luxury of living near their adult children and grandkids. So they know a little something about keeping in touch even when you can’t literally touch each other.

Here are some tips from grandparents who have found rewarding ways to stay connected during these difficult times and beyond.

When you hear the phrase “senior housing,” you get a mental picture of what that might be like. Some conjure up images of the worst nursing home they can imagine and think that’s what senior living is like. But does your impression match up with reality? Many people – including seniors themselves – have never seen a senior living community first hand, so they have only assumptions to go by. All too often, those assumptions are based on myths and misconceptions. The truth about senior housing might surprise you – a lot.

There is no tougher job than serving as someone’s caregiver. And when the person you’re helping is a loved one, your close relationship can make the “job” even more stressful. It’s so hard to see your aging Mom or Dad struggle. And it’s all too easy to feel exhausted, overwhelmed and isolated as you try to help. Yet there are more than 34 million unpaid caregivers in the US responsible for assisting adults 50 or older. Almost 16 million of them care for someone who has Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.