Live a Longer, Happier Life with Healthy Recipes!

Want to live a longer, healthier life?

Looking for healthy recipes?

Are you wondering what you should be eating more of?

According to Where You Live Matters, foods seniors should eat more of include:

• For calcium and vitamin D, choose fortified cereals and fruit juices, dark green leafy vegetables, milk, non-sugary yogurt, and fortified plant-based beverages.
• For vitamin B12, fortified cereals, lean meats and poultry (look for cuts with “loin” or “round” in the name), as well as fish and seafood.
• To add fiber to their diet, switch to whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas, and add beans, peas, fruits and vegetables.
• A good source of Potassium can come from fruits, vegetables and beans.

Learn more!

Memory Care Facilities in Ann Arbor: Make Hillside Terrace Your Home Away from Home! 

We can help give your family peace of mind. When you’re at home, you’ll know your loved one is taken care of and in good hands. Hillside Terrace, “Where our family shares life with your family!” Schedule a tour of Hillside Terrace today!

For other floorplan information and availability, please contact us today at (734) 761-4451.

Meaningful Activities Make a Difference!

Good memory care facilities in Ann Arbor are hard to come by. When it comes to choosing an attractive, affordable senior living option for yourself or someone you care about, you want something special: outstanding, quality services, a vibrant, friendly atmosphere, and attentive, courteous staff. Hillside Terrace is all this and more! The Litz family – Nanya, Vic, Trey, Amanda, and their grandchildren – are Co-owners and operators of Hillside Terrace, bringing together residents.

At Hillside Terrace Senior Living in Ann Arbor, our resident lives are enriched by meaningful activities throughout the day.  Keeping active hobbies and interests that give you pleasure is important after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Learn more!

Tour Memory Care Facilities in Ann Arbor: Schedule a Tour!

We can help give your family peace of mind. When you’re at home you’ll know your loved one is taken care of and in good hands. Hillside Terrace – “Where our family shares life with your family!” We warmly invite you to see the difference we can make when your family shares life with our family. Schedule a tour of Hillside Terrace today!

Contact us for more information about independent living, memory care or independent living offered at Hillside Terrace.

Easy Home Improvements to Consider for Aging Parents

Do you have an elderly parent or loved one who lives alone?

Do you or a loved one have mobility issues? Are you worried about their risk of injury, or just their ability to take good care of themselves?

Are you considering making some home modifications?

Learn more about DIY home improvements here.

If these home improvements aren’t right for you, consider making the switch to independent living today! 

Independent Living in Ann Arbor: Make Hillside Terrace Your Home Away from Home! 

We can help give your family peace of mind. When you’re at home, you’ll know your loved one is taken care of and in good hands. Hillside Terrace, “Where our family shares life with your family!”

Our "Aging by Choice" philosophy allows a flexibility of options for our residents and their families; you choose what is best for you, and we make it possible. We’re confident in our ability to provide the best quality of care, the security, and the family atmosphere that you’re seeking! We warmly invite you to see the difference we can make when your family shares life with our family. Schedule a tour of Hillside Terrace today!

For other floorplan information and availability, please contact us today at (734) 761-4451.

DIY Home Improvements for Aging in Place

Is your parent insistent about staying in their home as they age?

Do they need assistance but afraid to ask for help?

There are some easy DIY home improvements you can make to their home to make living there a little bit easier for them.

According to Consumer Affairs, these are the most popular DIY home improvements you can make to your loved one’s home:

1. Install grab bars
2. Add outdoor ramps
3. Install a bathroom heat lamp 
4. Consider life alert technology
5. Replace faucets with touchless technology
6. Update your flooring
7. Improve your lighting
8. Replace doorknobs with lever-style handles

Get Started Today: Schedule a Tour!

We can help give your family peace of mind. When you’re at home you’ll know your loved one is taken care of and in good hands. Hillside Terrace – “Where our family shares life with your family!” We warmly invite you to see the difference we can make when your family shares life with our family. Schedule a tour of Hillside Terrace today– a facility for independent living in Ann Arbor.

Contact us for more information about independent living, memory care or assisted living offered at Hillside Terrace

Recognizing the Signs of Medication Misuse in Seniors

Are you worried that a senior in your life may not be using their medication properly? Is it possible that changes in mood could be because of a misuse of medication? Not sure how to spot or talk about best use of medications with a loved one?

Misuse of medications is something that can happen at any age. But the senior population might be at greater risk if they have difficulty remembering proper use of their medication or have trouble reading the instructions on their prescriptions. Misuse of medication, especially pain killers, can lead to serious issues, so it’s important to be aware of the signs of misuse to help spot a problem and act fast! 

Signs of medication misuse.

• Behavior: clear changes in behavior like mood swings and excessive or unusual angry outbursts. 
• Fatigue: a sudden increase in daytime fatigue or drowsiness is another red flag. Taking the correct dosage of medication shouldn’t leave a person noticeably loopy in the middle day. 
• Falls: a series of falls or trouble with balance can be a sign of misuse. While falls are more likely to occur in the older population, if you notice a sudden change in coordination or several minor falls in recent weeks, medication could be the culprit. 
• Withdrawal: depression or withdrawal from social activities or family may suggest a misuse of medication. Chronic pain could also be to blame for this kind of behavior. Either way, it’s something to address. 
• Refills: if you’re worried about possible misuse of medication, one way to check is by comparing the refill date on the medication and how many doses are left. If the meds are nearly gone and there are still a few weeks before the refill date, something’s not matching up!

Now that you know the signs of medication misuse, you can feel more confident about checking on your loved one and allowing them independent living in Ann Arbor. But remember that many seniors may begin to misuse their medication unintentionally! That means that confronting the problem should be done gently. 

If you have more questions about medication misuse or managing medications, give the experts at Hillside Terrace Senior Living a call today.

4 Easy Ways to Help a Senior Manage Medication

Is managing your medication becoming more important for independent living in Ann Arbor? Are you finding your growing list of medications harder to keep track of? Need a simple solution to help a loved one manage medications in their senior years? 

As we age, many of us find that managing medications is an essential part of our daily routine. Often if a senior person is not able to manage their medications, it could put their life at risk and limit their ability to live independently. Luckily the experts at Hillside Terrace have 4 easy ways to help seniors manage medications. 

1. Organizers: pill organizers are an essential tool for anyone managing multiple medications. You can find an organizer that works with your schedule, or use several simple organizers if medications need to be taken at different times throughout the day. 
2. Everything in its place: over time, supplements and medications may have taken up residence in different places throughout a home. Get everything into one convenient place so refilling organizers is fast and easy. 
3. Use the phone: if the senior has and uses a smartphone, you can easily set up an app to help them remember to take theirmeds. For someone who is less technically inclined, you can help manage meds by making a phone call or two throughout the day. 
4. Make a list: write out simple instructions in large print to put up in the same place where medications are stored. Make the list more usable by using a color-coding system with colored dots on the meds and the list! Keep extra copies of the list for family and doctor visits. 

You or your loved one don’t have to feel overwhelmed by an expanding list of medications anymore! Simply by practicing one or two of these items, you’ll find managing medications is much easier and independent living in Ann Arbor is achievable! If you still have questions about managing your medications, give the experts at Hillside Terrace Senior Living a call today.

What Causes Difficult Behaviors with Dementia?

Want to know more about the reason behind difficult behaviors from your loved one with dementia and how to handle them? Feeling overwhelmed by your loved one’s aggression and confusion? Interested in memory care facilities in Ann Arbor?

Difficult behaviors caused by dementia, like aggression, present a real challenge to caregivers and family who don’t understand them. That's why it's so important to learn what causes or triggers these behaviors. When you discover the root causes, it becomes easier to address tough behaviors and even avoid them entirely, giving you more quality time with your loved one!

Main causes of difficult behavior in people with dementia. 

Confusion: no matter who you are, confusion is extremely frustrating. Imagine being confused about time, place, people, and objects maybe 50% of the time. You’d feel pretty on-edge and emotional. Because confusion is a major symptom of dementia, it only makes sense that emotional outbursts come with the territory. 

You can help someone with dementia handle their confusion in many ways. Offer to help with an activity if they seem stuck. Answer questions with short and simple responses. Or go through an old photo album that might trigger lucid memories. 

Avoid confusion by steering clear of asking questions, arguing, or trying to rationalize. 

Fear: daily activities can easily provoke fear in a person with dementia as it becomes more difficult to recognize people and places. This fear can cause them to lash out suddenly or refuse to do something. 

You can help someone avoid fear by walking them through an activity with short, simple, statements explaining what’s happening. Be sure to speak calmly and take your time. 

If someone with dementia becomes aggressive or refuses, give them space and don’t try to reason with them. In time, you’ll learn what things are most likely to trigger fear and get better at avoiding them!

Brain deterioration: with dementia, the brain goes through physical and chemical changes. Because the brain controls behavior, we can expect significant changes in behavior, too. As you consider how to interact and respond to your loved one, it helps to always keep this in mind.

Before you reply to a whacky statement, troubling accusation, or frustrating question, remember that you’re talking to someone whose brain has changed and doesn’t operate the way it once did. Take a deep breath and give yourself a minute to think before you say something. In time, you’ll develop your own rhythm and feel more comfortable talking to your loved one with dementia.

 

The difficult behaviors that come with dementia will always present a challenge. But by learning more about the cause of these behaviors, you can adapt and better enjoy your time together. If you want to talk more about difficult behaviors and dementia or have questions about memory care facilities in Ann Arbor, give us a call at Hillside Terrace today. Remember that at Hillside Terrace, our family shares life with yours.