Choosing senior care for yourself or a loved one can feel overwhelming, especially when every option sounds similar but offers very different levels of support. Families often worry about making the wrong decision, moving too soon, or waiting too long. If you are trying to understand the different types of senior care and how they compare, you are in the right place.
At Raya’s Paradise, we work closely with families across Los Angeles and Orange County every day. Our goal is to help you understand your options clearly so you can make a confident, informed decision that supports safety, dignity, and quality of life. If you would like personalized guidance, you can always reach out through our contact page or explore our residential communities to see what care looks like in a home-like setting.
Senior Care Resources
Explore practical advice, expert tips, and supportive resources for navigating the challenges of senior care and enhancing the well-being of your loved ones.
Grandparents are the latest players on board
Teenagers hold the gaming fort strong, but they are now being forced to share their gaming console with another group, their grandparents. Seniors across America have started jumping on the gaming bandwagon to stay busy and to find a community to engage with. According to a survey, the USA had 51 million gamers above the age of 50 years. The rise in the grey-haired players is owing to two factors. They are either aiming to spend quality time with their grandkids by engaging in activities the younger generation enjoys. Or they are looking for intellectual challenges. Video games are fun, they challenge the players, provide adventure, and help them connect with people. Just like youngsters, the elderly have started forming groups with players interested in the same game and have started having dedicating play sessions. Video games are proving to be more engaging, active versions of the good old poker and bridge clubs. While video games provide intellectual challenge and stimulus is spades, researches have proved that video games are helping seniors cope with cognitive ailments Alzheimer’s and dementia. They provide an excellent workout for the brain by creating meaningful experiences without leaving the comforts and safety of a community. At Raya’s paradise, seniors, we encourage you to virtually wield your sword, run to your heart’s content, create your own city, and care for your animals, all while sitting on your comfy chair. We understand that leaving your safe zone to travel far and wide isn’t a possibility, but this doesn’t mean you don’t get to see all the great places. This is what virtual reality is designed for. Travel to Paris with your friends, experience the long-pending Gondola Ride with your better half, or engage in a multi-player Super Mario game to see who’s the best player. Once you experience gaming, you will realize that not only is it super fun, but it is also helping you lead an engaging fulfilling life. Regular gaming sessions with your friends or with your grandkids will increase your social interaction and will give you daily updates of their lives. To facilitate your gaming, we have the best Wii Consoles. Wii consoles will help you game with your friend who lives across the country as well as be your gaming partner while playing solo. Get gaming seniors, our consoles are waiting for you!The biggest travel day of the year, the day before Thanksgiving, is almost here. For families with an aging loved one, that brings up the question of how to get that person to the feast. Whether travel means just a few hours by car or a plane ride, here are some tips for making sure your voyage goes as smoothly as possible.
1. Talk to your loved one’s doctor. Make sure that it’s OK for them to travel before you take off, and that the place where you’re headed is somewhere they can handle. Your doctor will let you know if there’s any special preparations you need to make in advance, and can also give you advice on medication to take if problems with anxiety or other issues arise. Make sure that you fill your loved one’s prescriptions before you go.
2. Do some advance planning. Think through your trip with your loved one’s limitations in mind. Are you renting a car? Then make sure you’ve requested a minivan or other vehicle that will be easy for them to get into and out of. Make sure you can fit their wheelchair and any other bulky equipment. If you’re flying, put in a request for seats meant for the disabled and notify the airline of any dietary restrictions. Also request a wheelchair so that you have some help navigating the airport. Contact both your hotel and airline to make sure they are able to handle any medical equipment that your loved one needs. Request a hotel room at ground level.
3. Be realistic. You may need to scale down on your usual travel routine. Keep things simple. For example, consider renting a cabin in the woods that’s just a two-hour drive away, rather than going to Europe or planning anything that will require a lot of walking (such as visiting an amusement park). Do your research in advance to make sure the location is properly equipped to have your loved one as a guest. Put plenty of padding in your schedule and don’t overload on the activities: it will likely take much more time to do things than normal.
4. Make sure you have necessary supplies. Special stockings can help if your loved one will be sitting for long periods, so that their extremities don’t go numb or a blood clot forms. Make sure you have protective gear for the sun, and especially that you have enough water since seniors are more susceptible to dehydration. Make sure medical information is with you at all times in case there’s an emergency.
It’s well known that having friends boosts your wellbeing. In fact, today’s research has even shown that having numerous friends reduces the risk of medical conditions like heart disease. “Stereotypes of aging tend to paint older adults in many cultures as sad and lonely,” says lead author Dr. Wändi Bruine de Bruin in a release by the Americans Psychological Association. Recent studies have also demonstrated the continued importance of friendship and positive relationship networks for assisted living residents without cognitive impairment and for residents with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.
Engagement Coordinator for Raya’s Paradise, Elsa Argueta added, “my goal is to encourage and create opportunities for our residents to make new personal connections. Through programs designed based on our residents’ hobbies and interests, I have found that seniors begin to gravitate to those with shared interests. This way they are able to keep up the social interactions that keep them mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy.
At Raya’s Paradise, we are aware that making friends in a new place can be a challenge. Elsa added, “because of this, we create events for new residents that allow for connections. These connections result in a feeling of community and family.” As a best practice, Elsa recommended that though a new residents may be somewhat anxious, tired, or overwhelmed by a move, “it is a great start to attend outing and activities as they act as a good way to strike up conversations, ask questions, and find out what upcoming programs and special events there are to look forward to.”
A study in ‘The Gerontologist’ states that, “approximately one-third of 65-year-olds are single.” That’s a 50% increase since 1980 according to the U.S. Census.
Aging with family and friends has been shown to result in improved health of seniors, including lower chances of cognitive impairment, and hospitalization. Research shows that socialization, companionship and hobby-building has great benefits for seniors: older adults who are surrounded by others are at a decreased risk of both cardiovascular and cognitive decline.
For some seniors, moving into an Assisted Living Community is the first step they can take to help maintain or increase the quality of life as they grow older. In reputable communities, experts in the field of long-term care help coordinate between activities to create communities where older adults are able to create new memories with one another. Residents take on scheduled group hobbies such as yoga, cooking, and artistry while pursing passions both new and old. Assisted Living Communities can act as a hub for seniors to connect and make new friends.
Our advice for making friends in a community? Participate and try out all the opportunities that are available. The goal is to foster an natural feeling of community with residents similar in age and circumstances.
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With the rise of online shopping, many people are now considering purchasing their prescription medications over the internet. Online pharmacies promise convenience, lower prices, and home delivery, making them an attractive option, especially for seniors or individuals managing chronic conditions. However, the risks of counterfeit or unsafe medications are significant, making it essential to navigate online purchases with caution.
Your loved one has multiple doctors already. Do they really need to add one more to the list? This post is designed to help you decide whether your loved one should consider seeing a geriatric specialist.
A geriatric specialist provides comprehensive care for the elderly. They’ve completed their residency in Family or Internal Medicine, and have one or two years additional training in the various issues – physical, mental, and social – that affect this age group.
There are several benefits to seeing a geriatric specialist. Seniors sometimes experience illnesses differently than younger adults, and so it helps for them to work with a doctor who understands their specific situation. Geriatric specialists are especially well-equipped to understand the particular complexity of senior health issues, which are typically caused by multiple factors. For example, they can examine a senior’s prescription drug regimine and make sure that they’re not over-medicated. They will also be familiar with the particular resources available to help your loved one in your specific local area.
Whether or not a senior should see a geriatric specialist depends on their particular situation. After all, seniors themselves are different: one 80 year-old may be active with minimal health problems, while another may be struggling with serious health conditions. Geriatric specialists tend to step in when an individual’s health problems become complicated. It’s recommended that all seniors consider a visit when they turn 65, and highly recommended for those seniors who are in some way impaired, who have multiple medical problems, who are experiencing cognitive decline or dementia, or whose family members are struggling with caregiving.
If you do decide to take your loved one to see a geriatric specialist, the initial assessment will take several hours. You’ll be given a detailed questionairre to fill out that your loved one will most likely need help with. Make sure you bring a list of all medications, hearing aids and dentures, eyeglass prescriptions, and information about other doctors your loved on is seeing or has seen recently. The following elements make up a typical assessment:
- Complete physical exam
- Detailed medical history
- List of medications and their purpose
- Dental exam
- Hearing and vision tests
- Pain level analysis
- Cognitive evaluation
- Osteoporosis screening
- Dietary analysis and advice
- Meeting with a social worker
- Discussion with family members
We often think of zoos as destinations for children’s class trips, but seniors can enjoy them just as much! Taking your loved one to visit a zoo, perhaps with the extended family in tow, is a wonderful way to create togetherness and provide a stimulating activity.
With some of the best zoos and aquariums in the nation located in Southern California, this can be an excellent local day trip option for your loved one.
Health care bills are notoriously confusing. Of course, Medicare all by itself is a maze, but beyond that there’s also the out-of-pocket expenses that Medicare doesn’t cover. These can be a significant financial obligation: almost $200,000 for a married couple over the course of their retirement according to one estimate. Here are some steps you can take to try to make these expenses more manageable.
1. Use in-network providers
Whenever possible, use in-network providers for all your care. This can lower your bill tremendously, as in-network providers have previously negotiated what they’ll charge with your insurance company. Take the time to sit down with your plan to understand what is covered and what isn’t. This can result in significant savings, both immediately for particular medical events and over time.
2. Examine your bill closely
Whenever we get a bill, many of us will quickly write a check out of habit, wanting to be prompt and on top of these sort of things. However, it’s worth taking the time to go over medical bills line-by-line, as they frequently contain errors and services that you or your loved one didn’t receive (as often as 80% of the time!). This is the time to be a pain and question anything you don’t understand: don’t pay until you’re confident about what you’re paying for. You’ll also want to verify the basics, such as your name, address and date of service. You may be surprised at how often it’s worth it and that being thorough leads to savings. Plus, it’s a much better idea to do this up front. If you discover an error later, it may be very difficult to get a refund from the provider after you’ve paid. Unfortunately, they’ll tend to be more responsive when they’re eager to get the matter resolved and have your payment in hand.
3. Verify that the bill has been adjusted for insurance payment
One important item to note when reviewing your bill is whether the different line items have been adjusted to reflect the insurance rates. If you don’t see this, insurance was not applied. You should contact the office right away to make sure they run the charges through your insurance first.
4. Check the bill against your EOB
You should never pay a medical bill without getting an EOB from your insurance company first. This document will verify what you’re supposed to pay. This is an important step for eliminating possible errors. Be wary if the bill arrives much sooner than the EOB does–this means that the medical provider has not received payment from your insurance company yet.
5. Be proactive
Don’t just let errors slide–contact both your insurance company and the provider to resolve billing issues. Often it will be important to be persistent: sadly, larger companies will try to win in these disputes by ignoring you sometimes. At the same time, make sure you keep the lines of communication open with all parties. If you are waiting to hear from your insurance company before you pay the doctor, let their office know what the delay is. Otherwise, they may be very quick to assume that you’re trying to dodge the bill and send the account to collections. This will be counterproductive, resulting in more unnecessary charges and time spent resolving the issue.
6. Negotiate
Even if you don’t have insurance, you can try asking providers if they’ll charge you the same rate they charge insurance companies. Also, if a bill is more than you can afford right away, see if the provider will lower it in exchange for faster payment. You can also try asking for financial assistance. Some providers will let you pay in interest-free installments or work out some other reasonable arrangement. They would much rather get the bill paid than have you feel the situation is hopeless and ignore it.