Senior Living – Orland Park
(708) 479-1082
(708) 479-1082

Tag: Senior Living

Senior Sports Fans

Friday, June 6, 2023   

If your senior is a sports fan, you might wonder how they can still enjoy their passion. They may have fond memories of playing on teams and attending games with friends and family. Sports have the power to bring strangers and generations together, and your senior should not have to give up that part of their life. There are still plenty of ways they can experience sports! Here are some things to do:

 

Sporting Events:

A great way to help your senior enjoy a game is by visiting a local venue. Calling the location beforehand to inquire about accommodations would ease any complications or stress. Similarly, attending a local high school event can also be engaging and thrilling! Some local recommendations from minor league teams are Joliet Slammers, Schaumburg Boomers, and Windy City Thunderbolts. Additionally, sports at Carl Sandburg High School include football, baseball, soccer, softball, tennis, badminton, and more!

 

Casual Sports and Entertainment:

If your senior does not wish to travel to a stadium or arena, plenty of local spots have a sporty atmosphere. In fact, there are even restaurants with bocce ball so your senior can spectate or play. Some other restaurants have golf or bowling available. Local picks include Mama Vesuvio’s East, Pinstripes, Topgolf, or the 19th Hole.

Another way to encourage your loved one to express their competitive spirit is through sports-themed board games. Try trivia, checkers, Shuffleboard, an edition of Monopoly specific to their favorite team, etc. These games can be played from home comfortably, but teamwork and friendly rivalry will quickly form!

 

Watching Live Sports:

If an exciting game or series is coming up, you could organize a viewing party. Invite their friends or relatives for snacks and share past stories and memories from athletic experiences! For seniors that watch sports frequently and hate missing a game, consider a live-streaming app, such as Fox Sports, ESPN, or FuboTV. Technology has provided sports fans with numerous chances to support their favorite teams. Your senior will surely cherish watching an event live with some company.

 

Our residents at Evergreen Senior Living have many unique hobbies and passions, which is why our community is so joyful and compassionate. To hear more about this community, please schedule a tour! We’d love to show you around. 

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Move-in Gifts Your Senior Will Love

Monday, March 3, 2023   

.If your senior is moving soon or in the future, you might be trying to find a valuable welcome gift they will appreciate. Since moving might be stressful, gifts are great ways to brighten their mood or reassure them that they are loved. Here are some sentimental and practical ideas to warm up their home:

  • If your loved one enjoys a challenge, puzzles make great gifts, especially personalized ones. It could even be a picture of a fond memory from their old residence! Find options here.
  • For readers, a magazine or book subscription can entertain and inspire your loved one. They might be interested in AARP, Reader’s Digest, Prevention, or Woman’s Day. Additionally, Big Reads is a subscription service that delivers large-print books monthly. You choose the genre; they choose the book and ship it. You can also send your seniors an included, personalized note with each package!
  • Additionally, a comforting gift is a chair cushion or an infrared foot massager. These items are the next best thing to a massage, and your senior will love them when they’re in the mood for self-care and relaxation.
  • Another physically satisfying item is acupressure accessories that offer relief if they are affected by chronic pain. For example, the Aculief hand clip may be a good option if they have migraines or headaches. An acupressure relief mat may assist if they want to target their back!
  • An organizational gift can say welcome home as well. Daily planners or wall calendars make unique gifts so your senior can create plans, work toward achieving them, and follow a daily routine. When they write down their appointments and goals, they will have something to look forward to and are less likely to forget.
  • If you are trying to take your senior’s mind off moving for a while, gifting them tickets to a musical or local event they would enjoy also supports their move. Although they cannot hang it on their wall, they will cherish the memory forever!

If your senior is considering or planning a move to Evergreen Senior Living Orland Park, check out the floor plans here. Although the move-in process can be hectic, we assist our seniors and families in many ways. Contact us for more information.

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How to Manage your Senior’s Seasonal Allergies

Tuesday, February 2, 2023   

 Allergy season can be frustrating for our loved ones but helping them manage these symptoms should not be. The potential inconsistency of allergies can make it challenging to determine the best actions to take. As spring rolls around this year, here are some steps to ensure our seniors stay happy and healthy.

 

More than 50 million people in America experience allergy symptoms each year. It’s not surprising that our seniors are not excluded. These allergies may develop as our seniors age because they have increased exposure to environmental allergens, so look for any indicators that your senior may have recently developed an allergy. Watch for sneezing, itchy and runny noses, itchy and watering eyes, or congestion. Whether new or old, if your loved one is affected, there are a few ways to avoid flare-ups:

 

  • Reduce their exposure to allergens. Although this might be tricky, stay current with the local pollen count and mold spore level reports to know when your senior should catch some fresh air. While walking outside is excellent for physical activity, it might be counterproductive if triggers are present. Additionally, keep these details in mind when opening windows.
  • If your loved one is outside when allergen levels are high, help them shower and change clothes when they arrive home. Of course, clean hands will reduce the risk of allergens spreading rampantly, so family members and friends should also be mindful. Wearing sunglasses is more than a fashion statement; they keep pollen out of the sensitive eye area!
  • For allergy relief, your senior can try using nasal sprays. An indoor air purifier or dehumidifier might make a great gift! Your senior’s doctor can better assess the condition and identify specific triggers, so always convey these concerns to them.
 

At Evergreen Senior Living Orland Park, we have everything needed to maintain your senior’s health. Even if they need to stay inside due to allergen levels occasionally, our senior Flex fitness center is available to keep your senior active. Schedule a tour to see our amenities now!

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6 Indoor Activities to Do with Your Senior

Tuesday, January 1, 2023   

We all long for some fresh outdoor air around this time, and our seniors are no different. When the chilly temperatures confine us indoors, the days seem long and tedious if we are not strategic with our plans. Get rid of cabin fever with indoor activities you and your senior can do together!


Puzzles are bound to bring out your senior’s focus and determination, and numerous options exist. Between jigsaw puzzles, 3D puzzles, logic puzzles like word searches and sudoku, and crossword puzzles, you are sure to find something to interest and challenge your senior while having a blast teaming up together!


Crafts are another way to kick boredom and let your senior’s creativity shine. One of the most fun parts about crafting is making something useful out of a few materials. Set out some paper towels or old magazines for easy cleanup to catch any excess mess.


If your senior is a candle lover, try making your own with empty jars or vases. Collect a natural candle wick, unscented soy wax, a double boiler, and scissors. Add the wick to the jar and cut it to match the size. Then, melt the soy wax with a double boiler and pour it into the jar. You can add scented oil or herbs to the wax if preferred. Wait for it to solidify and enjoy the gentle flame.


For avid readers, suggest crafting a personal bookmark! Some material recommendations are scrapbook paper or cardstock, book or magazine pages, scissors, craft punches, a hole punch, a glue stick, and ribbon. However, this idea is customizable and could even be made from a brown paper bag!


With some of the same materials, try to put together a scrapbook to show off to family and friends! Just find an album, cardstock, favorite photos, adhesive, decorative embellishments, markers or pens to write captions, stickers, and scissors. Of course, these crafts are about the quality time spent together, not the product.


Lastly, help your loved one stay warm and comfy with homemade grippy socks. Just take a pair of socks and use puffy paint to draw lines on the bottom of the sock. After the paint dries, the socks are perfectly safe to wash.

At Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park, we love to see our residents expressing their creativity in new ways, so we regularly offer activities like these. Give us a call at 708-479-1082 to schedule a tour and check out our community.



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December Activities to do with your Loved One

Wednesday, December 12, 2022   

Wintertime is here, which means sparkling white snow, beautiful lights, and, most importantly, quality family time. We want to help you make this holiday season one your senior will remember with these meaningful holiday activities.

Pass down family recipes

Cooking and baking can be great activities to bond with your senior. Ask for their favorite family recipe. The creation of delicious snacks and meals is a great opportunity to grab those ingredients and have some children in the family learn how to cook with grandma and grandpa.


Deck the halls

Show your holiday spirit with twinkling lights, a nice Christmas tree, and stocking hanging! To make decorating a great memory, have grandchildren get creative and make their own Christmas ornament decorations for your family tree or something special for grandma and grandpa!


Share holiday traditions

It is always a fun time sharing and remembering past holidays. Sharing traditions will truly help make this season more enjoyable for your senior. For example, on Christmas eve, pick someone special to represent St Nick, and let everyone open one gift that Santa passes out. It’s a great laugh for the grownups and a moment of magic for the little ones.


Cookie decorating competition

Winter is the best season for cookie decorating! And a great time to have a little friendly competition. Purchase different sprinkles, food coloring for the frosting, and any other fun item you can find! Cover the distance by inviting far-away family members to see the finished cookies and vote via a video call!


Scrapbooking

Nowadays, everyone takes photos on their phones. It is easy to print off those photos and make a meaningful scrapbook with your senior. Not only will these photos bring back memories, but it is also a great way to share with future generations all those lovely stories.


At Evergreen Senior Living, we want to help keep your senior in the Christmas spirit! We also plan multiple great activities to help keep your senior engaged, creative, and in a festive mood. Contact us today to see how we do the holidays at Evergreen Place Assisted Living and the Legacy: Memory Support in Orland Park!

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Should Your Senior Be Behind the Wheel

Wednesday, November 11, 2022   

Talking to your senior about their driving can be a tough conversation. There may come a time in anyone’s life when you question if it is still safe for them and others on the road for them to be behind the wheel.


As we age, some physical and mental abilities decline, causing difficulty driving. Being aware of warning signs of unsafe driving can help keep your senior and those around them protected. Safe driving requires cognitive capabilities, skills that can decline over time. You should monitor these proficiencies to gauge whether your senior should be driving.

Warning signs of unsafe driving include:

• Delayed response
• Easily distracted
• Driving too fast or driving too slow
• Reduced confidence in driving
• Difficulty moving into another lane of traffic
• Becoming unfamiliar with the area that they drive-in
• Confused by traffic signals
• Stopping at traffic lights when the light is green
• Not stopping completely at red lights or stop signs

If you are unsure about your senior’s abilities to drive, there are physical therapy centers able to measure reaction time and test vision. If you notice your loved one is showing any of these signs while driving, it would be good to talk with them. Driving is often one of the last ties seniors have to their independence. Your senior might have strong feelings about losing that piece of their freedom.
At Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park, we offer our residents the best and safest transportation whenever we go on outings, trips, and community events. Learn more about the safe transportation we offer here by scheduling a tour today!

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Tips to Remember when Talking to Those with Dementia

Wednesday, June 6, 2022   

Communication can be challenging when talking to a loved one with dementia. How you communicate with your loved one is very important, the goal being to confuse them as little as possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind when talking to your loved one with dementia.

Phrases to avoid

Many phrases are used frequently in our day-to-day conversations that we may not think are harmful but can be challenging for those with dementia. For example, the phrase “Do you remember…” can lead to embarrassment. Your senior doesn’t want to tell you they have forgotten a memory, especially a meaningful one. Asking a senior with dementia if they remember something will bring more sadness to their insecurity about having dementia. Instead, use the phrase “I remember when” to avoid putting pressure on your senior by not asking them a question directly about memory.

Another phrase to avoid, “As I already said…” When talking to someone with dementia, you will often repeat yourself, but you don’t want your senior to feel embarrassed, and you don’t want them to know you have repeated yourself already. Other phrases like “I already told you” only reminds your senior of their struggle. Instead of saying those phrases, kindly repeat yourself.

Be direct

You don’t want to be too vague, so it is important to be specific with your words. For example, avoid using general pronouns like he, she, or they or vague terms such as that and those. Instead, be specific and say, “Jack bought a car,” and “the spoon is under the napkin on the counter.” Dementia makes it difficult for seniors to follow conversations like they once did, so it is key to use short sentences, speak clearly, and give them your full attention.

Don’t offer too much help

Seniors want to feel independent. We understand that you want to help your loved one as much as possible. Find that even balance of helping your senior and knowing when it’s too much help. We don’t want our seniors to feel like they are no longer competent.

At The Legacy: Memory Support, our care for seniors with dementia is unmatched. Schedule a tour to learn more about all the different memory care activities we provide for our amazing residents.

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Ways To Prevent A Common Winter Injury

Monday, December 12, 2021   

As we approach winter, Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park wants to provide our community with some helpful tips on preventing common winter injuries!

 

Slipping and falling on ice and snow is a very common injury for people of all ages, but seniors are especially at risk. In fact, according to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury among older Americans, and winter weather conditions only exacerbate that concern.

 

Ice can be difficult to see both at night and during the day. Seniors can easily lose their footing and take a fall that can put them in severe danger. Those who previously suffered hip injuries can especially be affected by damage to their hips or back. Seniors should be accompanied when walking outside, helped down driveways, and helped across parking lots to ensure they are stable and have the support to walk safely.

 

Below we have provided some helpful ways to keep you and your loved safe this winter:

 

  • Wear proper footwear made for icy and snowy conditions.
  • Keep your stride shorter and avoid long steps.
  • Slow things down — try not to rush or run outdoors.
  • Keep de-icer or sand on hand for when things get slippery around your house.
  • In case of injury, always have your cell phone handy.
  • If you need to do outdoor chores, take your time and don’t hurry.

 

Following safety protocols leads to a 35% reduction in the fall rate and a 62% decrease in the injury rate!

 

Here at Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park, we care about the safety of our wonderful residents and those in our community. This winter, your loved one can experience a white Christmas in a fun and safe manner. Schedule a tour to see for yourself!

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (708) 479-1082 or through our website!

 

Stay warm and safe this winter, and happy holidays to everyone!

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Couples Suites at Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park

Thursday, March 3, 2018   

Live the suite life at Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park.

How Suite It Is

Looking for a little more space to call your own? Or maybe you need a little extra room for an extra person. Whatever your needs, as always, Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park is there to meet them. Our generous two-bedroom suites are the perfect size for spreading out, or for sharing. Whether it’s you and your spouse or your favorite sibling, our generous two bedroom assisted living suites come fully-equipped with the worry-free living, independence and compassionate care you’ve come to expect at Evergreen Senior Living. We’d love to show you around – for more details on our two-bedroom suites or single bedroom apartments for assisted living, or our renowned Life Unrehearsed: Memory Care at The Legacy. Call (708) 479-1082 or go online to schedule a tour today.

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IT’S BEEN A GOOD YEAR FOR SENIOR LIVING IN ORLAND PARK

Friday, April 4, 2017   

Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park has offered a worry-free senior living for over a year now!It’s hard to believe we’ve offered seniors with empowered senior residential experiences in Orland Park for so long! As we celebrate our one year anniversary, we welcome you to join us for our community appreciation celebration on May 4, 2017, starting at 5:30pm. Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park is so thankful for this supportive community, and we look forward to celebrating with you!

For our big anniversary, we invite the community into our residence to thank them and give back for their support in this very critical time in our development.Come and enjoy cocktails, Hors d’oevres, and the Del Bergeson Orchestra 13 Piece Band with the staff and citizens of Evergreen Senior Living in Orland Park, where unmatched care and unwavering support is always our number one focus.

Our director, Amanda Mauceri, will offer a celebratory “thank you” toast and mint chocolate desserts will be served, as well, all because we have loved making Orland Park a home to Evergreen and our wonderful residents. This anniversary is truly magical, and this celebration is not one to miss. Please join us and bring someone along… Everything is more fun with a friend! RSVP to Neil Guajardo at nguajardo@heritageofcare.com or by calling 708-478-6015. We hope to see you all there!

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