In this episode of the SNF Spotlight Series, we’re featuring AvaLynda Casey, owner of AvonLea Cottage Dixon, a small privately owned memory care home for residents with Alzheimer's and dementia in Dixon, Illinois. 

She talks about how she  and her husband found themselves jumping into healthcare administration with both feet two years ago when they found the 16-bedroom residential home in Dixon for sale. They’ve put their business and real estate background into creating an intimate home away from home for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Turns out having an insider in real estate combined with experts in skilled nursing and memory care is a winning combination.

AvaLynda says, “The living room and dining room and kitchen are all open to each other. And so it smells like the coffee when it’s percolating, and you can tell what's for supper. And it just smells, feels and sounds like home there.”

For memory care patients, this intimate setting is ideal for helping them transition to a skilled nursing care environment.

Staff at AvonLea have focused on making the facility feel like a home away from home with the decor, natural lighting and furniture residents bring from home for their rooms. AvaLynda’s background in residential real estate means she’s focused on the aesthetics of making the facility feel like home.

An estimated 5.8 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia in 2020. One in 10 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer's dementia. 

With the rapid increase in the aging population of baby boomers, the size of the population with cognitive impairment and dementia will continue to grow.

For those who have Alzheimer’s or dementia, this places a tremendous burden on their loved ones.

“Family members are exhausted trying to give care 24 seven. We're not made to do that,” says AvaLynda. 

Go to snfspotlight.com for more episodes of the SNF Spotlight Series or to apply to be a guest on our podcast.

Liz Bicknell of Memory Training Centers of Florida is on a mission to improve memories in  order to improve lives. On this episode of the SNF Spotlight Series sponsored by Renewal Rehab, Liz offers ways she supports seniors in Florida, as well as ways we can strengthen and preserve memory at any age.

Scientists continue to study what causes memory loss and what treatment and behavior can slow the decline. One possible contributor that needs to still be examined is stress. Studies have found that stress can cause inflammation in the brain, making the brain more susceptible to health problems like dementia. Stress can also lead to depression, a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s and related forms of the disease.

Liz explains why stress can affect memory. She says, “First, there is a physiological stress-response of the hormone cortisol, and it can make you sad, but it can also affect your brain.”

The main use of cortisol is for times of danger when you need to go into fight or flight mode. “The cortisol puts you there in survival mode. That's why we have it. But if you are going into this stress response during your daily life in the grocery line or when someone cuts you off in traffic, you're consistently releasing cortisol from just daily events that can't be controlled. Then you’re wearing down the pathways in your brain that form your memory.” 

Some other factors leading to health decline come as the response to this stress. Liz says, “A common reaction is isolation or withdrawal, which are not good for your brain. Eating junk food, watching too much TV, zoning out drinking or smoking are all behaviors from this withdrawal that lead to decreased memory function.”

Liz takes a proactive approach in preventing memory loss. “Manage your stress, eat a healthy diet, exercise, drink water and take care of your brain just as you would your body,” she says. 

In this episode of the SNF Spotlight series, we’re featuring Tamar Frieden, founder of Music for Life, has seen music create miracles as well.

In her two decades of doing music therapy with seniors, Tamar’s seen participants who were unresponsive or had been mute for months suddenly come to life and sing a song or even speak to another participant.

“Music is just something that makes people feel happy, but when it comes to those with dementia and Alzheimer's, music is the key to open a door to being present in the moment.” 

Scientific research shows evidence of what Tamar’s seen firsthand throughout her career in music and dance therapy. Music memory taps into the salience network of the brain that is still relatively functioning among individuals with Alzheimer’s.

Tamar offers interactive programming with toddlers and seniors together, as well as classes for seniors in senior care facilities. 

Seniors Samba is an interactive music and movement series designed to:

• Increase cognitive functions

Most importantly, the program creates strong community interaction and joy. 

During the pandemic, Tamar is offering a turnkey solution for skilled nursing facilities to run Senior Samba with videos, instruments and training. Learn more about it here. 

Go to snfspotlight.com for more episodes of the SNF Spotlight Series or to apply to be a guest on our podcast.

Rapid CPAP is a full-service respiratory therapy company primarily serving skilled nursing and hospice patients. Rapid CPAP provides respiratory services as well as DME and medical supplies. Eric Harter has been a respiratory therapist for 20 years, which helps as he runs the business side of Rapid CPAP.

Yitz Rubin of Renewal Rehab chatted with Eric Harter on the difference respiratory therapy is making in nursing homes.

COVID-19 has closed the doors for visitation to many elderly care centers. Advantage Living Centers facilities were no different. The safety of their residents is their top priority, so they did everything in their power to protect them. On this episode of the SNF Spotlight Series, Sima Lerman, Business Development and Vice President of Advantage Living talks in detail about the changes they have had to make to keep their residents and staff safe during this public health crisis, as well as how closing and limiting visitation has effected their seniors.

On this episode of the SNF Spotlight Series, our host, Yitz Rubin spoke with David Miller, Vice President of Sales for Guidance Care HMO about their services. Guidance Care HMO works with medical providers to help join the networks of insurance companies. With a 90% chance of joining an insurance network through Guidance’s services, it also leads to a faster, and efficient process.

Listen our illuminating interview here!

Fresenius Medical Care is a kidney dialysis care company that caters to kidney care, vascular access care, and integrated renal care. They aim to deliver superior care that improves the quality of life of every patient, every day, setting the standard by which others in the healthcare industry are judged. Kelly McCullough, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Fresenius Medical Care spot to Yitz Rubin of Renewal Rehab about diabetes, dialysis, and the effect COVID-19 has on both.

COVID-19 has created turmoil in the way that we live, and the way senior communities operate. Elevate Care has taken it as a challenge to think outside the box. Tish Wilkerson is the Life Enrichment Consultant at Elevate Care and our guest on this podcast episode of SNF Spotlight Series. Tish was very excited to tell us about the new activities that their Activities’ team have had to create in order to keep residents safe, and outside of their usual group settings.

Listen to this episode to hear more about the amazingly adaptive leadership and many more creative ideas to keep a positive atmosphere during this time.

Lee Tuchfarber began his career in commercial real estate. He made the choice to pivot slightly into the senior housing industry. What he came to realize was, unlike commercial real estates, it wasn't actually about real estate, but the resident experience. On this episode of the SNF Spotlight Series sponsored by Renewal Rehab, we spoke with Lee Tuchfarber, CEO of RENEW Senior Communities, about his mission and the collaboration with research institutions to measure the sustainability of senior programs.

Grandison Management takes an a-typical approach to staffing personnel in the healthcare industry. Through their thorough process of recruiting they offer knowledgeable and experienced professionals. We spoke with Alyssa Tumulak, Clinical and Quality Assurance Liason about Grandison Management, and why they differ from other staffing agencies.