Senior Living in Lincoln – February 2022

While there is not a specific age to qualify an individual as a “senior citizen,” Western cultures typically begin to use this term at ages 60-65. Many who reach this age are still in good health and continue to live independently at home. Others may find themselves in need of some assistance with certain activities, or their health deteriorating due to diseases such as dementia. Regardless of your age and health, or that of a family member’s, it’s never too early to begin planning for senior care.

One of the biggest pieces of advice that we receive from senior living services and facilities is to start planning right away. You never know when care is going to be needed. Unanticipated events, such as a negative diagnosis or an injury, can cause one’s health and independence to diminish quickly. However, no one is ever upset that they came into an unexpected event prepared!

When you choose to begin planning, it can be overwhelming when looking at your options for senior care. According to the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), there are 200 assisted living communities in the state of Nebraska. Remember, that number just represents assisted living communities – it doesn’t go into all of the other senior living services available in Nebraska, such as independent living communities, at-home care, and health care services.

If the thought of planning for your future or that of your aging loved one’s causes you to feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone – that’s why we spoke to experts from senior living businesses and services right here in our community to help you get a better understanding of what is available in the Lincoln area and how they can help you or your loved one continue to thrive in their later stages of life.

An Advisor to Help You through the Process

If you are searching for senior housing options, Oasis Senior Advisors (oasissenioradvisors.com) is a wonderful place to begin. They are committed to simplifying the process of selecting a senior housing community for you and your family, and they do this through their free senior housing services. Their advisors handle all of the research and matching services for you, and utilize their proprietary OasisIQ software, which takes into account your lifestyle, finances, and other factors to find the perfect option. Owner of Lincoln’s Oasis Senior Advisors is Beth Friesen, and she offered some tips to consider when looking at senior care options.

“First, know that there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to senior living communities,” said Beth. “There are many flavors of ice cream for a reason. It is also going to largely depend on what type of care you or your loved one is in need of.”

Beth shared a list of things that Oasis Senior Advisors recommends considering when looking for housing:

• Continuity/longevity of staff and the staff-to-resident ratio
• Training that staff must participate in that is directly related to the type of care they are providing
• The licensing that is required of staff (i.e. RN/LPN/CNA)
• The activities offered
• Who family can contact with questions and concerns, and if they can be assured that they will be responded to
• What happens in the event that an individual’s needs exceed what a community can provide
• What happens in the event that finances deplete
• Quality of the food provided
• The opinion the current residents of the community have on the facility

“When you choose a service like Oasis Senior Advisors to help you with the search, we bring clarity to the complex,” Beth said. “Instead of feeling like you need to look at everything, we meet with you, find out what is important to you, review medical and financial needs, and then allow you to see all the wonderful places that could meet those needs. The best part is that we are a FREE service to seniors and their families.”

Beth also explained that Oasis Senior Advisors is helpful to caretakers, as caregiving for a loved one is one of the most stressful things for an individual to undertake, and that it can be daunting when it is time to make a move to a senior living community. Their advisors wholeheartedly understand the importance of this decision and will work
to help you find the best choice available.

“We will be advocates for you and/or your loved ones,” shared Beth. “We love what we do and count it as a privilege and honor when you choose us to guide you to the next best place to call home.”

Senior Living Communities that Care

Fallbrook Assisted Living & Memory Care (fallbrookassisted.com) has created a homelike environment for all of their residents. With easy access from the apartments to the common areas and amenities, residents can conveniently enjoy a variety of services such as the salon, a beautiful chapel, and the comfortable theater room. In addition, they have special memory-specific amenities for their residents living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, such as the Alzheimer’s Lounge or Journey Stations that are meant to trigger special memories.

“Our seniors are looking for a place where they can keep their independence, but have the security and comfort of getting the assistance and support they need to meet their unique individual needs,” said Karrie Seeman, director of sales and marketing. “They have worked hard to get to this chapter of their life and deserve nothing less than a community that can meet those expectations.”

In 2021, Fallbrook hosted daily activities such as cards, exercise class, and morning coffee club, in addition to special events like Western Day, Italian Night, a luau, outdoor movie night, and Veterans events. For 2022, they look forward to getting back to their usual outings to the Lied Center, the melodrama performances at Mahoney State park, trips to the casinos, and visits at the Sunken Gardens.

Fallbrook is owned by MJ Senior Living, who recently acquired Pemberly Place (pemberlyplace.com) to be the newest member of their senior living family. Pemberly Place provides the same quality of care standards offered at all MJ Senior Living communities, such as a fabulous theater room, activity room, dining area, and plenty of space to call home.

“We are excited to create our signature MJ Senior Living quality of care standards at Pemberly Place,” shared Tracy Magill, executive director of Pemberly Place. “Our residents and employees deserve our commitment to excellence. We don’t want to be good – we want to be the best.”

Pemberly Place offers independent and assisted living, as well as memory care, so a resident’s level of care can be adjusted as their needs change. Right next to providing compassionate care for the seniors residing in their home, Pemberly prioritizes helping families find the best senior community for their loved one.

“We don’t have a competitive spirit when it comes to helping seniors find the right place for them,” said Tracy. “In the time we spend with our seniors and their families, we are going to do our best to help them fi nd safety and comfort, as well as ensure the answer to their situation is one that they have led us to. Making sure our residents will be happy and fulfilled in this chapter of their life is so important to us.”

We all know it’s best to be prepared – senior housing is absolutely not an exception to this concept! Kyle Yates, retirement living advisor with Legacy Retirement Communities (legacyretirement.com), gave us a bit of advice to keep in mind.

“If you’re considering retirement living, be proactive about your search,” said Kyle. “Don’t wait until there’s an emergency to force you to make a decision. With so many wonderful options out there, there might be one that supports whatever you need in the moment and can also provide additional care along the way.”

Legacy offers four different communities: Legacy Terrace; Legacy Estates; The Legacy; and their memory care community, Legacy Arbors. Legacy’s communities offer independent and assisted living, allowing seniors to age in place when they choose to stay at Legacy.

“If you or a loved one would benefit from more social engagement and activities that bring more joy and fulfillment to your day along with the safety and security of a community, then independent and assisted living communities like Legacy Retirement Communities are a great fit,” said Kyle. “Tour several different places and watch for things such as staff engaging with the residents or how much activity is going on. Make sure to try the food and get to know what activities are available!”

The Waterford Communities (thewaterford.net) is comprised of three different senior living homes: Williamsburg Campus and College View Campus, both of which are assisted living communities, and Wilderness Hills Memory Care. Each home provides a high staff-to-resident ratio, daily home-cooked meals, regular housekeeping, and security, among other features to give you peace of mind. We spoke to Executive Director Gracia Kremer, who touched on a topic that nearly all of us will have to discuss at some point in our lives: Deciding the right time to consider assisted living for aging parents.

“While it’s crucial that you talk with them about assisted living, get their opinion, and try to make decisions with their wishes in mind, there may come a time when an aging parent is no longer safe living at home alone,” began Gracia. “In those situations, it’s tough to make the decision to move them into a place with adequate care – especially if they’re against the idea.”

Some of the warning signs to look for that will let you know whether or not assisted living is a necessity:

• Not eating enough food, or enough of the right foods
• Experiencing a bad fall or being at risk for a fall
• Wandering or forgetting to take a medication
• Poor personal hygiene
• Cluttered or dirty living spaces

“We want to help our residents maintain their independence while also receiving the quality, professional help they require,” said Gracia. “Give us a call to schedule a visit if you or a loved one is considering assisted living.”

Sumner Place Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation (sumnerplacecare.com) has been enhancing resident’s lives since 1975. They pride themselves on providing resident-focused care, independence, and a home-like atmosphere. Sumner Place is committed to delivering innovative, customer focused care in a setting that is right for you. Their excellent staff and teams strive daily to serve the residents’ and their families’ needs, while maintaining dignity in life for all residents, families, visitors, and their team of caregivers. They aim to enrich the lives of their residents through regular activities and daily spiritual services.

“Some of our services include our restorative program, therapy programs, specialized and therapeutic diets, morning rounds by our medical director, a beauty and barber shop, and outings in the community when permitted,” offered Admissions and Public Relations Coordinator Megan Herter. “We also provide specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and individualized programs that are designed to reduce feelings of confusion, fear, and agitation and offer meaningful, enjoyable activities that stimulate the mind and body.”

Sumner Place has three households providing long-term care, short-term rehabilitation services, and memory support. They can provide what you need today, along with the security of knowing that there are options for tomorrow.

“We create a living environment that radiates love, dignity, and safety while encouraging personal independence,” concluded Megan. “Whether it is sleeping in until ten o’clock in the morning or taking a resident to a movie they want to see, we at Sumner Place focus on personalized care.”

When looking for independent senior-living options that include opportunities for engagement, check out the Lincoln Housing Authority (l-housing.com). They pride themselves on providing “more than housing” and nowhere is that more evident than at Burke Plaza, Crossroads House, and Mahoney Manor, where more than 270 older adults reside and have access to a wide variety of social and personal support services through the Resident Services and Congregate Housing Services programs.

The Foundation for the Resident Services Program is the Resident Services Specialist at each building. Their job is to provide general support to residents and offer a range of activities and programs to enhance the overall quality of life at each building. Activities range between pot-luck meals and garage sales to shopping trips and movie nights. They also plan and educate the tenants on the building’s emergency and urgent-response systems. The Congregate Housing Services Program (CHSP) brings the services of two full-time social workers, who share time between all buildings. These social workers are able to work with individuals who need additional supportive services such as case management, personal care, house-keeping assistance, and transportation. The CHSP also serves hot meals six days a week in the dining rooms at Burke Plaza and Mahoney Manor.

A Specialized Memory Care Home

According to the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), 35% of assisted living residents in Nebraska have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. When a large percentage of the assisted living population is living with dementia, it’s important that there are communities available that specialize in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. CountryHouse Residence for Memory Care (countryhouse.net), a community by Agemark Senior Living, is a wonderful choice when looking at a home for your loved one with dementia.

CountryHouse believes that quality of life can be enhanced in the right environment, and that by triggering positive memories, finding common connections, and stimulating the mind, body, and spirit, they can make the most of each day for residents, staff, and families.

“When you are looking at memory care communities, prioritize concepts such as safety and security, access to medical care, activities that promote interaction and socializing, and programs that are designed specifically for residents with dementia,” said Marcia Houchin, Agemark’s national director of life enrichment. “What may be most important, though, is finding a place where your loved one will actually feel at home. This is something that CountryHouse takes seriously.”

If you have a loved one that may be in need of memory care in the future, you may be wondering what timeline you should be following to ensure that your loved one is well taken care of. Marcia first explained that you should consult a doctor when you see a loved one struggling with basic cognitive abilities; while most forms of dementia cannot be
cured, there are treatments that can slow the progression and ways to manage symptoms and behaviors. Early diagnosis enables families to begin intervention and make plans for the future.

“Dementia is a progressive decline,” Marcia began. “Its initial symptoms may be gradual, and there may not be an immediate need to seek memory care. As the decline continues, however, you may come to believe that your loved one needs a stable memory care environment. You never know how severe your loved one’s decline will be, so it’s wise to prepare by looking at your memory care options sooner than later.”

A Complete Continuum of Care

Tabitha (tabitha.org) has been supporting seniors and their families for over 135 years across Nebraska with a continuum of Senior Care resources designed to help older adults and their families navigate the aging journey while successfully accomplishing health and lifestyle goals. As the state’s quality award-winning Senior Care expert, the nonprofit lives into their purpose to empower people to live joyfully, age gratefully. Tabitha offers a range of services from results driven rehabilitation, accessible at-home home health care, innovative living communities (including Tabitha at Prairie Commons which is slated to open in Fall 2022, and an InterGenerational Community where independent seniors and College of Health Science students will call home in 2023), and compassionate hospice services. In addition, Tabitha recently launched Tabitha Care +Plus, a service which partners with physicians to seamlessly support care and management of chronically ill patients.

“Tabitha’s Senior Care Experts work with each client, along with their support system, to determine current needs and anticipate how they may evolve,” said Senior Living Advocate Aubrey Paulsen. “The goal is to provide loving, compassionate, and professional care that enhances the safety and well-being of older adults while proactively avoiding the need to make major life and health decisions during times of crisis.

“No one has to do this alone,” Aubrey continued. “We’re here to help take the burden off loved ones and caregivers. We will listen, learn, and provide expert guidance to best fit your unique situation. As a nonprofit, for-purpose organization, we approach our work in the right way, for the right reasons. We are a free, no-obligation call away, and we’ll find the right answer for you.”

More than Ordinary Caregiving

Family-owned, faith-based company AmanaCare (amana-care.com) has a mission to serve seniors and disabled adults all throughout Nebraska. On the surface, they provide non-medical assistance in the comfort of their clients’ homes, but their services go beyond just that of ordinary caregiving. AmanaCare focuses on fostering the relationship between their clients and their caregivers.

“We believe family/community engagement is crucial for maintaining a happy life at home!” said Sara Jeffery, marketer recruiter. “Our team is dedicated to keeping our clients active in the things that bring them joy, whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, or a trip to a local museum or market. Our clients make appearances at staff birthday parties and team events and if they can’t come to us, our owners may just stop by with lunch and a friendly hello!”

AmanaCare is expanding quickly, but at their core, they’re still a family-owned company. They deliver professional services with a personal touch and strive to make their clients feel like part of their family. They believe their employees are their greatest assets, and organization-wide focuses include training and on-the-job mentorship to help their employees grow both personally and professionally. In addition, AmanaCare regularly shows their appreciation for their employees through retirement parties, birthday celebrations, and other staff outings. Sara says that happy staff members lead to happier clients!

“Home care is about more than just housekeeping,” Sara concluded. “At AmanaCare, we realize that there’s a difference between staying home and thriving at home! We focus on all areas of care to ensure our clients remain happy and safe and exactly where they want to be.”

Home Care, Plus Care Management

The caregivers at Home Care Partners (homecarepartnersofnebraska.com) dedicate their professional lives to caring for others and providing them with the greatest quality of life, wherever they call home. They are the care option for families who are looking for support and care management in their health care continuum. Their partnerships within the healthcare community allow them to provide care together to help reduce hospital readmissions and to promote health and healing.

“After we start supporting a family, they find so much relief in having a care manager,” said Co-owner Karla Frese. “They need an advocate that is an expert in collaborating with healthcare professionals. Interactions with a variety of different healthcare professionals are a necessary aspect of everyone’s journey. A care manager will help organize appointments, provide consultation, assessment, planning, and evaluation with the right professional at the right time.”

Sometimes all of the required medical information and coordination can be a bit stressful and overwhelming, which is why choosing a home care provider that offers care management is so important. As part of the planning process with Home Care Partners, a care manager supports the family by creating a plan of care, building a care team, understanding powers of attorney, advanced directives, medication management, and long-term care policies. They coordinate a hospital discharge or transition, explain the reasoning for health changes, and educated the client and family on “what’s next”.

“The shared focus and oversight on health, home management, and maintenance keeps everyone on the same page-without one person getting burned out,” explained Karla. “For example, when there are multiple appointments, a caregiver can transport mom or dad to an appointment for hearing, vision, foot care, hair, etc., and the daughter or son can save their day off for a doctor’s appointment or other important commitment.”

Home Care Partners invites you to reach out to them today to learn more about how their services can benefit your family.

Senior Health and Wellness

Nebraska LTC Pharmacy (neltcpharmacy.com) is a concierge pharmacy that simplifies the medication process from start to finish. They offer in-home consultations, in which a member of their team will meet with customers and caregivers directly to customize a medication plan.

“Each patient has the option to choose which type of packaging they want to receive their medication in – multi-dose blister pack, 31 day blister pack, seven day blister pack, pill box, or vials – and how often they’d like to receive their medications – weekly, every four weeks, or every 12 weeks,” explained Kylie Reinsch, assistant manager. “They can pick it up, or we can mail or deliver it to them. We also uniquely offer in-home injections and we accept all expired medications for destruction and encourage compliance with an appropriate medication plan.”

Nebraska LTC works closely with all medical professionals to maximize communication for best possible patient care. They are a great resource for seniors and/or their caregivers, as they do all of the work involved when switching services and maintaining services, which allows a trusted relief that you or your loved one is being taken care of.

“Our services allow seniors and caregivers to relax and focus on other priorities knowing that Nebraska LTC has all of their medications covered.”

According the CDC, adults 65 years of age and older who are generally fit and do not have limiting health conditions should get 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, and work on muscle-strengthening at least twice a week. This aims to prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age, as well as grow one’s muscles to allow them to continue to perform their day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.

If you or your loved one is ready to lead an active lifestyle, join a gym, or simply has questions about exercise for seniors, get in touch with Right Foot Forward Fitness (rightfootforwardfitness.com). They have a selection of tools and resources to help seniors reach their ultimate fitness goals.

“Seniors, who we refer to as Masters Athletes, have oftentimes reached a stage in their life where they desire to travel
more, see more, just plain do more,” shared Owner Jeff Madsen. “Sometimes they find that they are starting to struggle physically to keep up with their plans and busy life. Walking long distances, up stairwells, and other things that weren’t challenging before start to become challenging. That’s where we can help. It’s very possible for seniors to increase their balance, proprioception, strength, and endurance, utilizing safe and effective exercises modified specifically for their needs.”

Right Foot Forward Fitness is not just a gym or a training program, it’s a community. Whether you’re there for a month, a year, or a decade, Jeff’s goal is to:

1. Help you understand a better way to work out based on your age and the physical shape you are in, and
2. Help you build relationships that will help you with your fitness journey, wherever you go!

“We have extensive experience in helping seniors develop an exercise routine and stick to it to reach their health goals,” Jeff said. “Seniors are capable of amazing things! While we want to make sure that all exercises are appropriate for a person’s current fitness level, we also want to acknowledge their capabilities and help them reach their objectives.”

Storage Solutions

When the time comes for a loved one to move into a senior living community, it’s likely that they’re going to have a difficult time giving up some of their treasured items. Things such as furniture, knick-knacks, kitchen items, and more can be filled with many years’ worth of memories for them. Rather than selling or tossing out these mementos – potentially upsetting your loved one – consider renting a storage unit at Store It All (storeitalllincoln.com) facility. The self-storage facility is locally owned and operated by Rod Berens and Rick Wintermute and is located at 3321 Ox Bow Circle, just east of North Star High School. Store It All offers a variety of different unit sizes so you can find storage that fits exactly what you need and protect your loved one’s treasures with the utmost care.

All Your Senior Living Resources – In One Place!

CCA Home Care (ccahomecare.com) is an in-home care agency providing a Nurse Registry, in which they screen and refer CNA caregivers who work directly for their client as an independent contractor. The care is client-directed, ensuring the specific daily needs of your loved one are being met. With no hourly minimums or up-front deposits, CCA Home Care is affordable and can fit budgets of all sizes.

CCA Home Care provides a valuable resource to the Lincoln community through the production of their ElderCare Resource Handbook. The handbook is an all-inclusive listing of services, programs, and other resources available for the aging in each area. By understanding the services, resources, and options which are available locally, they hope seniors and their families can make informed decisions which have the potential to enhance their quality of life and independence.

From government and financial services, to medical support and living options, to home health care and end of life services, the ElderCare Resource Handbook can help seniors throughout all stages of senior living. CCA Home Care offers both an Omaha and Lincoln-specific handbook, so be sure to check out both to really understand all of the amazing senior living options we have in our local area!

At-Home Care with End-of-Life Services

There’s truly no place like home, and Visiting Angels (visitingangels.com) agrees. Rather than moving your loved one into an assisted living facility, Visiting Angels provides compassionate care at your loved one’s home, allowing them to age in place. They offer a variety of care services, including companion care, personal care, social care, dementia care, and more. They even offer end-of-life care, allowing a loved one to remain in their home up until their last days.

“Our caregivers are able to offer end-of-life support so that your loved one can spend their final days at home, if they choose,” said Owner Natalie Leon. “It can be an overwhelming responsibility for family and friends to provide emotional and physical support, which is where we can step in and help.”

The caregivers at Visiting Angels receive training in non-medical end-of-life care. The training includes information on the stages of death and dying, which provides background knowledge they need to support seniors and their families.

“Our caregivers serve as ‘eyes and ears’ for families and keep a watchful eye on a loved one’s condition to check for any changes,” Natalie offered. “Our professional home care aims to give you much-needed non-medical assistance for a dying loved one, and support for families as they navigate through this difficult time.”

Leaving Your Loved Ones Prepared

The older we or our loved ones get, the more important it is to plan ahead for the day in which our time on Earth comes to an end. By preparing for this day, you are relieving some of the emotional weight from those you love by freeing them from making stressful decisions quickly during a difficult time. Pre-planning also ensures your wishes
will be honored, and financial worry is no burden to your loved ones because these plans were previously made and funded.

Wyuka Funeral Home & Cemetery (wyuka.com) has guides who can help you make these often difficult but always important decisions. We spoke to Family Service Representative Stephanie Springer to learn more about how Wyuka can help in the pre-planning process.

“I am here as a guide and counsel to help navigate you through the decisions needed for the services and items a person needs for their own arrangements,” said Stephanie. “I don’t make any decisions in the pre-planning process. I simply listen to what your wishes and desires are and formulate a plan custom tailored. You make an impact on others’ lives and even the world during the time you spend on Earth. Your funeral or celebration of life should reflect just that. I like to sit down with individuals to begin this conversation and always welcome their families to join the process. I want to be able to help commemorate a person’s life the way they deserve. I meet with people to find out what they want for their final arrangements and explain the steps and decisions that need to be made to make sure their wishes are carried out.”

Though it can be a difficult and somewhat awkward task to handle, Wyuka’s experts are well-versed in helping make these decisions and want you to feel at peace knowing plans have been made ahead of time. Families have never come to Wyuka feeling upset that all of the details were made in advance; they see it as a gift and are truly relieved that they know exactly what their loved one wanted and know exactly what to do.

Everyone wants to continue to be healthy and live comfortably as they age. These local businesses and experts have the tools and resources to help you and your loved one do just that. From assisted living communities to home care to health and wellness, they each have so much more for senior living than what we can fit on paper, so be sure to reach out to them to learn more about what they can offer to you and your family.