Senior Living Today

Holiday Warning Signs to Watch with Older Adults

• The Ohio Masonic Communities • Season 4 • Episode 15

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If you’re planning to see loved ones during the holidays, you need to know these 6 warning signs they need more help.

Physical Appearance

Pay specific attention to their physical appearance, like weight loss or gain and changes with things like their hair or clothes.

Home Environment

Notice if their house is more cluttered than usual or if they’ve started keeping things in different places that are either strange or more convenient to where they spend most of their time. 

Nutrition

Check out the food your loved one has in the fridge, freezer, and pantry and look at things like expiration dates and the types of foods they have.

Medication Management

Look at your loved one’s pill organizer (if they have one) and look at their medications to see if things are expired or are being taken as prescribed.

Mobility

Watch your loved one walk around to see if they are furniture walking or if there are tripping hazards. 

Cognitive Changes

Monitor if your loved one seems to have changes in personality, increased forgetfulness or confusion, or is more withdrawn than you would expect.

Hear from experts with The Ohio Masonic Communities to learn not only the warning signs to watch for, but what to do if you notice them. Head into the holiday season empowered to recognize your loved ones who need help and equipped with the tools you need to have tough, open conversations with the whole family.

If you want help recognizing these six warning signs in a loved one, or are looking for support as you navigate the next steps of having conversations and making decisions, reach out to us. The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center is here to offer support to older adults and their loved ones. Give them a call at 1-877-881-1623 or visit https://omcresourcecenter.org/. 

The Ohio Masonic Communities' Here to Help guides cover everything from what Alzheimer's is to what senior living community and contract types exist and more. You can access your free copy of the guides by visiting omcoh.org/sltguide. 

(music) Hi everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Senior Living Today. With me today is Jason French, Melissa Lunney and Samantha Loy. Thank you all so much for joining me today. So before we dive in, would each of you mind telling our listeners a little bit about yourself and your role with the Ohio Masonic Communities? Jason, why don't we start with you? Sure. I am Jason French, and I am the president at Western Reserve Masonic Community in beautiful Medina, Ohio. And my name is Melissa Lunney. I am the corporate sales manager for all three of our wonderful Ohio Masonic Community properties, and I help support our families during their admission process as they're navigating some of the changes we're going to probably discuss today that they're seeing with themselves or their loved ones. And I am Samantha Loy. I'm the director of the Resource Center. And we offer services across the state of Ohio. So today we're going to be talking about visiting our loved ones and the holidays, as we know they are quickly approaching. And you might be visiting some loved ones that you might not have seen for a while. So it's important to keep an eye out for changes that might be concerning. So in today's episode, we're going to talk about some of the things you might want to pay attention to while visiting your loved ones or Mom and Dad this holiday season. First, I want to get into talking about some changes that you might notice with physical appearance or personal care. So if you notice changes in Mom or Dad's weight, is that a cause for concern? And what should we be looking for? That is definitely a concern. There are a lot of things that that you can notice when you go in and just come in red flags. But, weight is a definitely one that you should be concerned about because it could signal things like whether they don't have enough to eat, maybe there are financial concerns. There could be a lot of things that play into that. Yeah, I think a lot of times too, it's not we think of like weight and we think weight loss. But it could also be for a senior or a loved one. You know, the concern of weight gain that could lead into different health issues, not even just surrounding food and nutrition, and intake or consumption, but actually a more serious underlying health issue of like water retention. If there is a significant weight gain that, is being. So yeah, just broaden your scope on not just thinking about weight loss and nutrition, but weight gain can also be something just as serious. And what about other general appearance changes? Like maybe you notice a change in your loved ones’ hygiene. What type of changes should we be looking out for when it comes to their appearance? Yeah, I think that's something that you should pay really close attention to. Especially obviously, you know, if you're a family member or someone that always made sure that they were ready for the day changes in those types of routines that if you know, an even if it was hey, Dad always wore, you know, a button down shirt and his khaki pants, but now Dad is staying in his pajama bottoms longer throughout the day, or he's wearing something different than maybe he normally would have. But personal hygiene, you know, are we combing our hair in the morning and, you know, and sometimes we take a nap in the afternoon and maybe the hair gets a little fluffed up. That's not the same thing that we're talking about here. We're talking about, you know, changes with, you know, whether or not maybe we're not brushing our teeth the way that we used to. Or maybe we are, you know, wearing the same clothes, you know, over and over again. Those are all things that, you know, that you shouldn't necessarily gloss over as, hey, there might be something else happening there. And that doesn't mean that there are. Maybe they just, like, wearing that outfit. But, it's definitely something to be paying attention to. I think a good point with that, too, Jason, is just paying attention to anything that's out of the ordinary for your loved one. Anything that seems atypical for them or their appearance is something that I think you should definitely keep an eye on. Absolutely. So another cause for worry could be changes in their home environment that could lead to potential safety issues, specifically with cleanliness and clutter. So if your loved one is typically organized and keeps a pretty clean home, should changes in their homes appearance trigger concern? Yeah, I, you know, had this experience personally to me with one of my loved ones. And I wouldn't say they were the most clean person ever, you know. But I know that, you know, they had a routine of when they did laundry or, you know, when someone was getting ready to, you know, do the floors or, you know, run the vacuum. So with, like, the cleanliness and the clutter, I think when families are heading, you know, around the holidays to visit, one of the things that you might not necessarily think is like things that might be out of place. So if they start surrounding themselves with like grab and go items, that was a huge personal trigger for me. Like there was a stack of clothing next to, you know, the favorite chair, followed by the medications within reach, followed by the bills, like all surrounding them. Well, the bills used to be at the kitchen table, the medicines used to be in a cabinet, and the laundry was always put away in a drawer. So like as things change around the house and start getting cluttered and like intrusive into their at reach distance, that's something that I is very unique and very specific, but I think families should kind of watch for that. If it's not in its normal place and it's starting to gravitate closer to your loved ones, something's going on. And we also have to watch for things like, you know, are there fall risks? Are there rugs? Are there tripping hazards? Are there pets that could get under their feet? Is the home well lit, there's things like that that are important to notice just to make things safer at home as well. So proper nutrition is also something that's very important for older adults as they continue to age. What about looking in your loved ones fridge while you're visiting? What might be a cause for concern if you're taking a look, you know, maybe they don't have a proper amount of food in their fridge or what should we be looking for? So this is one of my favorite things to talk about, because it is like a key indicator number one that, hey, something's maybe going on. And I'm not talking about, you know, the jar of mayo that gets forgotten in the back of the of the refrigerator. But, you know, checking things like pantries and dates inside the refrigerator for those for those items are super important. You know, depending depending on your loved one, you know, and how much food they keep in their refrigerator. You know, I had a grandmother that it always had everything in it, you know, and if there was one jar of pickles, I bet there was two more hiding in there somewhere. So making sure that those dates are getting rotated out and they're paying attention to those things, are really important. And make sure that they're not being, you know, that they're not expired items that are in there. And, you know, the generation, there's some folks out there that just don't like to get rid of things, but that's also different than someone not recognizing that, hey, something really is spoiled in the refrigerator and paying attention to it. I always tell folks when they’re going back home and they haven't seen Mom and Dad for a while and nobody's laid eyes on, go to the fridge, because if there's going to be something wrong, it's going to be in that fridge or that freezer in the pantry that's out of place. And that'll be the first spot to find something. Yeah, not only that, but when we have canned goods or, you know, meat in the freezer, I also remind folks, look in the fridge and see how much takeout or ordered food there are. Because those, you know, meals that have been ordered and taken a, to-go bag, doggy bag, takeout bag, you know, when when was that actually purchased and how long has it been in there? Because there's no data on that. And if they're warming up something that has been in there, you know, for a certain length of time, that is definitely a concern how long that might have been in there. Melissa, that's such a great call out because I, I don't think about it. But in today's world where you've got Uber Eats and everything else that's around the corner that you never have to leave for. And the other thing to, to, to look at in that pantry and, and what's in there is, you know, what are some of these things like, you know, Hormel chili meals and what are the frozen dinners looking like that are in there. Like if there's a lot of pre processed food happening that's in that space and that looks like that's all that's in the refrigerator. Probably not the most healthy environment for for that person either. So medication management is something that we might see older adults struggling with as well. So while you're visiting, how can you check to see if your loved one is taking their medication as directed? A good thing to look at is if they have a maybe they have a pill box, or something that ought to remind them, as far as what what needs taken AM and PM. It's something that that families could ask if they don't see that. They can also look at their pill bottles and just ask them, I mean, have those hard conversations. Yeah, definitely. Looking at the dates on the bottles. Again, sometimes there's stuff that's sitting in there that, you know, oh, it said that I should take it until day 14. But I stopped at day ten. And then you turn around and there's a, you know, five year old amoxicillin that's still in the medicine cabinet that hasn't been gotten rid of, you know, not that it's necessarily hurting anybody there, but those are all the indicators of, you know, do I have multiple medications that have been, that have been, that are in there that were refilled at different times and one should have ended by now? Those are all things to be paying attention to or I've got something that, hey, the last time it was supposed to be refilled it was six months ago. And there's no more refills of that. But the pill bottle is still in there. You know, just looking at the dates and when those things were prescribed and when they were filled, you can get a pretty good idea, you know, of how diligent that medication is being taken pretty quickly just by doing a quick inventory. But I would agree with Sam too, I think don't do it as a surprise. Like, you know, it's the, these, these are, these are adults. They're human beings. Like it’s not a gotcha moment. I think it's totally safe to come in and have a conversation and say, hey, let's talk about what medications you're taking. You know, and what are they? And then that leads into this greater conversation about, you know, about getting into how things are and how can they help or do they even need help? I would definitely not do any of this stuff, you know, covertly that's gonna set you up for failure with any conversation you may need to have with a loved one. Yeah, I think that's a great point. Just having those open and honest conversations and coming out and asking them about their medications and making sure that they are taking everything properly rather than trying to, like you said, Jason, do that covertly and and come back to them at a later time. I think it's good to just maybe have some of those conversations while you're there. So another red flag that you might notice are changes in mobility. So what are some signs that your loved one might be experiencing mobility issues? Mobility can be a tricky one. In a sense, if you don't see your loved one often and it's, you know, just around the holidays, you know, especially when you're getting a large group of family together. So one of the things I would just tell our listeners to, you know, be aware of is if there's any what I call furniture walking happening, and furniture walking is, you know, when someone is actually grabbing onto furniture or the counter or the banister or the wall as they're navigating through their normal home path. This can also be, you know, if they're visiting your house and it's not their home environment, just check some of the navigation ways that they're taking. And if they're reaching out or if there are instances where you're noticing them losing balance quick, you know, steps backwards. Those are some of the mobility things that we're looking for as we navigate some of our community. So definitely, you know, be aware of some of the furniture walking that can happen. So mood and behavior changes, or cognitive changes in your loved one are also something that you should be keeping an eye out for. And and these can be kind of individualized to each person. Once again, we want to be paying attention to what might be abnormal for your loved one. But what are some concerning changes that listeners should be aware of and looking for? Yeah I want to add to that too. If you're grumpy when you're 40, you're going to be grumpy when you're 80. You know those personalities don't change, but when they do change, then that's something to be concerned about. So there's things to, things to be looking for when it comes to mood and behavior. Certainly, regressing and withdrawing from things. You know, that could be mobility that's causing that. I can't get out and do the things that I want to do. So I'm not as physically well. There could be medical conditions underlying. It could be early onset of some cognitive deficits that may be happening, whether it's Alzheimer’s, dementia. There could be Parkinson's happening underneath there. There's any number of diagnoses that that could do that, or it could just be depression that that is there. And, you know, we think about, you know, you know, something that that, you know, I think in most people's minds, depression is something that gets diagnosed very young in life. But really, to be honest, it's really something that we're all combating when it comes to mental health and our awareness of that. And I think our older generations are less aware of what those options are and what that looks like. And so if you're seeing that kind of withdrawn behavior or some irritability and confusion and disorientation, don't just chalk that up to, well, you know, they're 80, it's okay that they're a little confused. Being confused is not a normal part of the aging process. And I think that's something that's a misnomer that, oh, it's okay to be, you know, forgetful. And it is okay. You know, I don't remember what I eat for lunch yesterday, but that's different than me not being able to remember Aunt Sue's name who I've known my whole life. And there's a big difference between the two of those. And I think sometimes we tend to kind of gloss that over. Or say, oh, she was just having a bad day that day. But if you're seeing that in that instance, when it's something that somebody that she should have known for 40 or 50 years, then it's something that you should be paying attention to. I was just going to say that it might not just be age, it might be some sort of medical condition, or maybe they have a UTI or, you know, it could be a lot of different things. But definitely just noticing things if they're not able to handle tasks that they used to. That's an important thing. With mood and, you know, as we're talking about the holidays approaching, you know, the holidays aren't necessarily always a happy time of year for everyone that we work with. You know, some of our loved ones. So mood and behavior around the holidays is something that I encourage families to talk about. Just because it might necessarily not be a happy time. If this is, you know, the first holiday you're celebrating without a loved one. But try to bring that to light in the conversation just because there is still room to celebrate, you know, even at any point in time. And if their mood is, you know, down, we're heading into winter months where we're naturally all going to hibernate a little bit. So this is the opportunity to make sure that we step up as our family and, you know, make some extra phone calls so they're not, you know, home alone in the winter months without having human interaction or talking to someone more frequently because it's just not as easy to get out and about when it's cold, not even if it's not accessible. I know I don't want to go outside in the middle of the blizzard, and I don't blame anyone. So I'm going to hibernate a little bit more. Which means, you know what, I'm going to make a greater effort to pick up the phone or use FaceTime, or reach out to people and check in with them. Because we're getting to the holidays and we're getting some snow here in Ohio. So that's, that's really impactful. Yeah. And I actually think that the Resource Center, Sam, can be a great resource for family members when they are noticing some of these issues maybe. So how does the Resource Center provide support to Ohioans, and do you have any special programs that can help families get through some of these stressful times particularly during the holiday season? We do, and just some of the things that we talked about already today during this podcast, we we provide a lot of support to families. So we work with the client, but we also work with the caregiver or the family. And if we if we receive a phone call from somebody that needs help, we'll talk to them over the phone. We can go out and do a home visit and just do a home assessment and help you look for some of those red flags and some of those things. We can help to make referrals to bring in additional support if home care is needed. If someone needs medical equipment, if they're struggling financially, maybe they're having to make hard choices, like whether they buy food or their medication for the month. We can also help provide financial assistance for those who qualify. So, there's a lot of different programs that we have. We have over 425 volunteers throughout the state that also go out and and help. And then we have a bereavement program, a youth outreach program. And we actually also have a holiday outreach program. So for those seniors that are facing social isolation or loneliness, we send a care package, we go out, we do home visits. If they're able to still prepare meals we will take a food basket with things to help make their holiday meal. Or we've seen a recent trend of seniors raising grandchildren. So we also will provide gifts for families that have younger children. And for our listeners, I'll be sure to include information about the Resource Center and how you can get in touch with them if you are struggling a little bit this holiday season and need some assistance. So if you have noticed any of the changes that we've talked about so far, it might be time that you need to bring your siblings in, bring other family members in and start having conversations with your loved ones about your concerns. But these conversations can be tricky to navigate. They're very sensitive topics. So what are some tips you can share with our listeners for preparing having these conversations? So I think I would first start off as and you've gotta tailor it for who you're speaking with. Know your audience like that's the number one thing. And if you know that the loved ones are going to talk, you're going to have the conversation with is going to, you know, come right back at you with it. Then you need to approach it and understand that that's the that's where that might be. Or you might have to, you know, just dip your toe into the water first and then pull back and then come back to the conversation later. But I think a really great way of starting this conversation is to start finding out things like, hey, Mom and Dad, do you have a power of attorney? Who is your power of attorney? And if you don't have one, can we talk about who that person might be? You know, do you have a will? Do you have a living will? So starting with some of these planning conversations about, hey, you know what, what do you want to have happen to you if you're not able to make these types of decisions? And oh, by the way, if you have these documents, where are they? And if they do exist, can I have a copy? So that way it doesn't exist in one spot. And that's just a way that you can start getting into the conversations about, hey, what is the plan? And then that can lead to what, what needs they might have and what thoughts they have. You may not know, Mom and Dad might have a whole plan of what they want to do. They might have already talked to the assisted living down the street in the senior living community that they want to go to, and have it all planned out and not have shared that information. Or they may not have a plan at all. And maybe this is the time to be able to bring it up and have that conversation. And then from there you can start bringing in about some of those concerns and maybe we need to have a plan just in case, because the the the place that no one wants to be at is when there has to be a decision made and there is no plan, and then your options become really, really small and nobody wants to be in that situation when you're making decisions out of necessity and need as opposed to choices and wants. And then you can get into the other conversations about hey, you know, maybe it's maybe we need some...you notice the meds weren’t the way they were supposed to be or the housekeeping wasn't there. And, you know, maybe we can get some help with somebody coming into the house. Or maybe we do need to talk about downsizing, but you've got to be able to see how that conversation goes. I have always suggested to folks, when you're first figuring this out is hey, let's find out who's on First first. Like, where's the paperwork at? Do you have a POA? Mom, you know, what do you want to do? Do you want to be a DNR? If you you know, these are all really big conversations and you got to start somewhere with it. So I would start with the, the beginnings of it about, hey, what is the plan? And then go from there. Yeah. And approach as like a partner, not as like a child or someone who's trying to be like the “solve all decision maker.” You really have to, you know, approach your loved ones again based on their personality with like, this partnering mentality. And put it back on yourself, you know, Mom, Dad, I want to honor your wishes, but I don't know what they are. And it would hurt me if I ever did not honor your wishes. So there is some type of, you know, psychology to it. You're not saying, Mom, I need this, this and this, and we're doing this, this and that, but partner with them and get them to communicate back to you what's reasonable, what they would consider, and being prepared to have that conversation. You don't want to go into a conversation about senior living without knowing enough yourself because your loved one is just going to give you a bunch of objections and barriers, and you're not going to have the education or the ammunition to say, well, that's not true, Mom. Or actually, I've learned X, Y, and Z, so don't go in blind. Just kind of prepare yourself with some of the options that are available in order to have that conversation. I think that's all great advice. I think another roadblock that we might run into is also choosing who to involve in those conversations. So let's say you have a big family. Maybe you have a lot of siblings. How do you decide who should be involved in those conversations with Mom and Dad? By default, a lot of times this this happens to go to the oldest daughter in the house in the family. This is like the default mode for most places, but I think you need to have that conversation with the family. And I think that's where the power of attorney paperwork comes into play. It's not that they're making decisions, but to know who is that person that's going to be Mom and Dad's go-to, because it does have to be one. But I think getting everybody's voice at the table and maybe that's having, you know, a family call that doesn't have Mom and Dad, to say, hey, this is what we talked about. And, you know, what are your guys's wishes? Who would you like? And if they can't pick one, then then. But I think, you know, you've got to get everybody, you know, involved at the table if that wants to be, and that needs to be. And it may not necessarily build consensus, but it then provides the best support for, for the loved ones from there. Absolutely. I agree, and just talking beforehand sometimes is helpful to find out who really is willing and able to take that responsibility. And I think when you start to have these conversations, you know, no matter how delicate you are about approaching the subject, these can still be emotional conversations to have. So what suggestions do you have for handling the different emotions that might come up during these conversations and navigating the sensitive subject matter that might be at play? I can definitely help with this one. You know, our our teams talk with a lot of families. Daily, weekly, monthly. The key really is asking and having, like, open ended questions. You don't want to lean into very simple static “yes no” questions like, Mom, do you want to move? That's a yes no answer, right? Mom, if you could picture a different place to live, what would it look like? That is a great example of getting conversations started, digging deeper, really outlining, you know, what amenities are going to be important to your loved one. So I always tell families use a lot of “imagine if” statements because those are the easiest ones, just to be like, we're not talking about doing something today or tomorrow, but in the future imagine if x, y, and z happened, what would it look like? And and listen, right. Give them time to respond. If if they kind of shut down a little bit, trust me, they're going to go to bed thinking about it and then re approach. Be like Mom, last week when I asked you, you know, about imagining what a different environment might look like. Did you give any thought to that? You know, do you have anything else that you've thought of? Because someone in that exact moment isn't going to have the perfect example and perfect answer of exactly what they want. They also need time and deserve time to really think about it and circle back to you. So let's say after you've talked with your loved ones, you decide that the decision to move to a senior living community is the next best step. Finding the right community can be really overwhelming, and that search can be overwhelming. So what are some tips for beginning the process? You know, how how do families decide on the right community? What should they be looking for? I think one of the first suggestions that I make to families when they're making this decision is, well, you know, I don't want to take Mom away from her friends or I don't want to get Dad away from church and things of that nature. But I think part of what the support network of the senior living community

is A:

What’s Mom and Dad interested in and what are those communities that offer those things, like what Melissa was talking about. With, hey, what if you could draw it, what would it be like? But then also finding a location that is convenient to the family that is going to be most engaged with that loved one is probably in the top three, if not number one, it's 1:A, 1:B in my mind because you're going to want to make sure that you can include them, and you can be included on what's happening with them. Assuming that Mom and Dad is going to have to move towns, you know that there's something that's going to be happening in there. Now, if everybody's living in the same county and it's a 20 minutes to get to everybody, then that's a win win. But that doesn't happen all the time. And oftentimes, you know, my suggestion would be is, you know, find something that is, meets the needs and the things that you want, but then it is also convenient for that family member that is going to be the support person, because at the end of a work day, if it takes you a half hour in the opposite direction of the way that you're going to get home to stop by and go help Mom and Dad with something, then it's added an extra half hour on your route back. So that's an hour to get home from the time that you've left to go do that, then that's not convenient for the family member that's there putting that support. It puts the the senior in like an inconvenience of being asked an opportunity where oh I don't want him to drive all the way out here. So I would, number one piece of advice would be to find something that geographically makes sense for the family, for how their visits are going to happen. Location, location, location. I agree with you, Jason. Definitely. Immediately following location if I had to put it as number one or in my top three, I would lead with the concept of researching the senior living or the communities that are in your area. We all live in different areas and there seems to be a lot of senior living campuses. But what exactly is inside that brick and mortar? I think folks are often surprised when they start their research. They're like, oh, there's that one right down the street on the corner, and Mom can just go there. But they don't realize that that brick and mortar building that senior living, you know, X, Y, Z only has independent living. And you learn that a little too late because you are now looking for assisted living, or you're now looking for memory care. And in your mind, that building's always been so close. Now it's not an option. So really understanding what's inside of those senior living communities, if they are full continuums of care and what is their care acuity inside, what do they do? What do they offer? And then as things progress, are their needs going to be able to be met at that campus? So definitely do your research. And don't wait till the last minute is the only thing I would add. So don't wait until there's a need. You know, go, go when things are good and research your options. Go do a tour. Yeah, I think it's never too early to start planning for future needs. So moving into a community is can be a really big adjustment for your loved ones. So what are some things that families can do to help make that transition a little bit easier? Making sure that you're not taking complete control of the situation. You know, Type-A people can be like, okay, let's get it done, and I know how to make this happen. You don't want to start off on the wrong foot by by excluding the the senior from making choices for being an active part of what's happening. But, you know, talking about the new space and how exciting it's going to be and what would they like to have decorated in there, what would they like to take with them from from the current home, you know, really focusing on, on, on those types of things, but making sure that that senior is included in that. You know, getting prepared for, you know, hey, Mom, this is how the this is how the dining space works and and doing frequent visits. You know, once you've decided to move on to a campus, nobody's going to say, oh, no, you can't come around here. You know, come in ahead of time, you know, get to know your neighbors and get to know the meal and the dining plan. I think those are really important things as you start to transition into that. And then making sure that that, that when you're leaving for the end of the day after that first move-in day, it doesn't have to be perfect today. We're going to continue to work on it, and it doesn't have to be a finished product. I think there's a lot of pressure sometimes that, you know, it's not like a college dorm move-in where, you know, you only have this amount of time, and this is the only time you get to the elevators. Like moving is stressful to begin with. But moving for a senior can be even more stressful. So being patient, offering choices, and making sure they feel empowered in the decision making process is really, really critical to making sure that that they feel, you know, a part of the move and not just them moving. Them, them being really an integral part of it is important. One of the things I find, you know, when our family has agreed to, you know, pick a move-in day is I encourage them, you know, to come back out before move-in day. Let's blow up a big sheet of the floor plan, and let's make sure that Mom, Dad and uncle are involved with the design and the placement of the space because that can really make them feel involved, feel like they have a say. Definitely, you know, pick some of the things in their house that are most important to them and really help them visualize where that's going to go in their new space, because it's going to ease moving day to just know that, you know, that table or that chair is moving and we're going to put it right here in your new apartment, in your new villa, in your new room. And just kind of like, give them the peace of mind that, you know, their top three and top five priorities or paintings or knickknacks are coming. And where are they going? So before we wrap up today, is there anything else you think our listeners should know, or any other advice that you would like to share with them? Just know that there's help available. It's an overwhelming thought for seniors to have to think about moving. It's overwhelming for the caregiver and the loved one, too, because they often don’t want to be put in that position to where they feel like, you know, the bad guy, so to speak. So, there is help available. We are happy to help through the Resource Center, through the Ohio Masonic Communities and all of our campuses. And I think to to tag on to what Sam said earlier is have a plan. Don't don't wait until there is an, there is an urgent emergency situation for this to happen. Have these conversations early. You know, if you start noticing things, like get a plan in place, make that decision so you know where it's at, and then communicate what that plan is. So that way when that decision is made and it is time to go, that you know what the plan is and do it early. Everybody that moves onto our campus, everyone says, I should have moved here five years earlier, or I should have moved here six years earlier. If you wait until it’s a “have to,” then it's probably too late and you should be doing it sooner. So it's never too early to be having these conversations. And if I could share one last thing. From my perspective as we head into the holidays is actually move before the holidays. And I say to that because at our campuses, the holidays are the most beautiful time of year. I've never seen more Christmas trees, more lights, more festivity, more smiles on a campus than in the holiday season that we're heading into, and I want people to embrace the fact that there could be more joy and love around the holidays if their loved one is in the right environment, because I don't think anyone should ever be spending New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, you know, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, whatever holiday you celebrate, it is only one day that you're postponing for. And we celebrate the holidays starting now throughout the year. And we embrace all of those activities and, and it's a really fun time. So just don't wait and make that like a staple item in your family, like, oh, we can't talk about it until after the holidays. No, come during the holidays, come before and, you know, embrace it because it really is beautiful and special. I want to thank the three of you again for joining me today and sharing all of your advice with our listeners. And for our listeners, be sure to like and subscribe to the Senior Living Today podcast so that you never miss a new episode.(music)

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Alexandria Rohrbaugh

Host
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Jason French, LNHA

Guest
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Melissa (Todd) Lunney

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Samantha Loy

Guest