Finding the Best Senior Community for a Loved One

Experts recommend that your first step before beginning the actual search for the “perfect” senior living community should be compiling answers to some important questions.  The first is to evaluate the level of care mom or dad needs, or if you are looking for yourself, be honest about the care you need to improve the quality of your life.  

Also, look at your finances to determine your range of affordability.  Include pensions, annuities and other retirement income as well as social security.  An Elder law attorney can help you explore other options including your eligibility for Veterans benefits, long-term care insurance, real estate assets that can be sold or leveraged, life insurance, tax benefits, etc.  

Once you have a good idea of your loved one’s situation, begin your search for senior living communities in your preferred location that meet the above criteria as well as offer onsite amenities and services desired.  If mom or dad no longer drives, does the community offer transportation to doctor appointments? Is a meal service included?  Is it important for you to have a fitness center, hair salon, theater, etc. onsite?  Do you need parking?  These are just a few of the questions to consider when looking for the perfect community.  Once you narrow down your options, give the communities a call to inquiry about availability, pricing, and to set up a tour.    

At Casa Sandoval, you will find our beautiful all-inclusive home in Hayward, CA has it all including independent living, assisted living, memory care, companion living, and respite care.  Our community allows seniors to comfortably age in place with an array of resort-style amenities, care services, wellness programs and activities. Our East Bay location offers scenic views, and is close to shopping, medical facilities, and other services.  Please contact us or visit our website to learn more.  

Casa Sandoval’s mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other assisted living, memory care and independent living Hayward offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide outstanding senior housing. 

Are You Overwhelmed with Caregiver Responsibility?

Being a caregiver for an elderly parent or another loved one can be stressful and over time your duties can increase to a point where it is more than you can handle. For your wellbeing and that of your parent’s, it is probably time to make a change. Today’s senior living communities offer a range of options including assisted living, designed to provide help with the ADLs (activities of daily living). This level of care allows the senior to regain their sense of independence; and for you, your time with mom or dad goes back to just enjoying being together.   

Senior living communities like Casa Sandoval in Hayward, CA offer assisted living residents much more than just comprehensive physical care. Residents enjoy a whole range of amenities and services as well as the opportunity to make new friends.

At Casa Sandoval, once the family decides to entrust us with the care of their loved one, we do a thorough evaluation of the person's medical history, background and personal preferences. Then we create a care plan approved by you and your parents, which is also routinely updated to address any changes in care. Mom or dad will receive access to a full-time licensed nurse and a caring, responsive 24-hour staff. We also offer medication management services.

Casa Sandoval’s stylish apartments come in a range of floor plans including studio, alcove, one-bedroom and two-bedroom configurations.  Amenities include a fitness center, garage parking, billiards lounge, card room, ice cream parlor, salon, theatre/chapel, outdoor dining deck and more. In addition, we offer a range of wellness programs and activities designed to promote a healthy, engaged lifestyle. 

Other services include scheduled transportation and onsite therapeutic services such as physical therapy and occupational therapy.  Weekly housekeeping and daily trash removal keeps mom or dad’s suite spotless, and linen and laundry services keep life simple. A five-star meal service ensures your loved one gets the daily nutrition they need. For more information on the finest independent and assisted living in Hayward, CA please visit our website. 

At Casa Sandoval, our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other independent and assisted living Hayward, CA offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide outstanding senior housing. 

Keep Your Brain Fit with Good Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Mental Stimulation

Research supports the importance of seniors staying physical fit as well as keeping their brains’ fit.  Harvard Health Publishing reports on research with mice and humans that show “brainy activities stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells, developing neurological ‘plasticity’ and building up a functional reserve that provides a hedge against future cell loss.”   

Mentally stimulating activities such as trivia and memory games, puzzles, crosswords, board and card games can help maintain brain function.  Even if you don’t have a partner to play with, many of these types of games can be found on a computer or tablet.   Reading, taking courses, drawing, painting and experimenting with things that require manual dexterity are stimulating mental gymnastics.  Other great brain boosters include learning or engaging in creative activities like playing an instrument or dancing.

Board games, such as chess and checkers, require counting, strategy and decision-making. Memory games, scrabble and crosswords can help to improve recall and reduce those times when you cannot get the right word out.  Another added benefit to playing games with others is companionship.    

Experts say physical activity is also necessary for good brain health as it increases the number of tiny blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to the region of the brain responsible for thought.  It encourages the development of “new nerve cells and increases the connections between brain cells (synapses).”   Another positive side effect of exercise is it also improves your heart health by lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, improving blood sugar balance and reducing mental stress.  Brain health is also improved with good nutrition.   Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, unsaturated oils (olive oil) and plant sources of proteins may help to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia.

If you are looking for exceptional assisted living or independent living, Hayward, CA’s Casa Sandoval may be your answer.  Our broad range of services and amenities include wellness programs and activities, Chef inspired nutritious meals, billiards lounge, fitness center, life enrichment room, and more to promote a healthy, engaged lifestyle. Please see our website for more information.

At Casa Sandoval, our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other assisted living and independent living Hayward, CA offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide outstanding senior housing. 

Sources: health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/12-ways-to-keep-your-brain-young

June is National Safety Month

Seniors are especially vulnerable to falls, burns, and poisonings and many of these accidents happen in the home. This is why experts recommend using a safety checklist such as the one the CDC publishes, A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults. It points out the problems and provides solutions.

In addition, experts say if you have balance problems, you may want to get a fall risk assessment from your healthcare provider. They can give you tips to help improve balance along with suggestions on how to protect yourself from falls. Recommendations include wearing non-slip footwear on smooth floors, and if you need a cane or walker to remain steady on your feet, use it rather than relying on holding on to furniture and walls. 

Keep hallways and stairways free of clutter, make sure they are well-lit, and use the banister rail when going up or down the stairs. If you do have area rugs, tape the edges down so they do not create a trip-hazard or use ones with non-skid backing. It is important to get annual eye examinations to check for problems, and update glasses as needed.   

Other suggestions include setting your water heater’s thermostat no higher than 120 degrees to prevent scalding yourself. Install grab bars in the bathtub and near the toilet and place a rubber mat in the bottom of the tub. Store medications safely and dispose of expired and unused medications. Install nightlights in the bedroom, bathroom and hallways.  

At the Casa Sandoval senior living community, we offer residents comfort, security, built-in companionship, and predictable budgeting. Our beautiful home has 233 apartments for a selection of floor plans and a broad range of amenities and services to meet seniors’ needs including nutrient-rich, tasty meals. Our residents’ safety is important to us, and each suite is equipped with a handicap-accessible bathroom and emergency call system. For trusted assisted and independent living Hayward, CA seniors can count on, visit our website or contact us for further information.

At Casa Sandoval, our mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other assisted living and independent living Hayward, CA offers. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide outstanding senior housing.