According to a recent article in Better Health While Aging, “seniors often feel a burden when taking medications due to numerous medications that need to be taken at different times each day. At a minimum, this is often a hassle; at worst, it becomes a serious drain on quality of life.”

At Ally Senior Living, we understand the potential harmful effects that missing medications or taking them at the wrong time can have on Seniors. According to the same article, “depending on which medications are missed, this can cause serious effects on an older person’s health.”

Therefore, we have invested in an Electronic Medications Administration Record or eMar system. This is a software system that helps ensure that our residents are taking the right medication at the right time.

The eMar system alerts staff to which residents need medication, what the medication is, and will not allow staff to close it out until each resident has received their medication. Additionally, the system tracks the medication inventory and reorders when needed. Finally, the system will alert our staff when a resident is given a new medication that might have a drug interaction with current medication.

At Ally, we take the health of our residents very seriously. This system takes as much human error as possible out of the medication management process.

According to the Alzheimer’s Facts & Figures, an annual report by the Alzheimer’s Association, “studies suggest that remaining socially and mentally active throughout life may support brain health and possibly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Remaining socially and mentally active may help build cognitive reserve.”

At Ally Senior Living our residents stay busy. They have plenty of opportunities to be socially active. We have happy hours, movies, arts and crafts, and lunch outings. Even daily meals offer our residents opportunities to be social and interact with each other as well as our staff.

Who would have thought laughing and talking with others would be good for brain health?

According to a recent study in the medical journal Age and Aging, “Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to osteoporosis, muscle weakness, hip fractures, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and poor general health in seniors.”

At Ally Senior Living, we understand the effects that vitamin D deficiency has on our residents. While there are numerous foods that contain vitamin D naturally, and others that are fortified with vitamin D, sunlight remains the most important source. Therefore, our residents have numerous areas to enjoy the outdoors and access sunlight. Whether it be in our beautiful courtyards or in the front of our community, our residents enjoy the great outdoors!

Senior assisted living communities are built for independent living, as much as they are for assisted living. Communities can offer ongoing social events, friendly neighbors to enjoy them with and expert care around the clock. To pinpoint what your must-haves are, create a wishlist that identifies the amenities you would prefer, such as continuing education courses, wellness programs or direct physician services.