The Atlantic recently published an article about sensors cropping up in senior living communities. Some companies are installing motion and humidity sensors to monitor residents’ health.  These sensors can help residents and staff detect health threats early on and nip them in the bud, save money on medical costs and help seniors feel safer.  

One company worked with the University of Minnesota to test the practicality of monitoring tools. They recruited 1,600 seniors in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa to test the impact monitoring tools would have on cost, quality of care and senior independence. They have been collecting data at 40 assisted living facilities since January 2011, and will continue its research through June of this year.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is especially difficult. You’re likely presented with situations that you don’t always know how to handle, such as when the person you care for loses his or her temper. The Huffington Post recently published an insightful and touching piece by Marie Marley, a woman who spent seven years caring for her partner suffering from Alzheimer’s. Marley reflects on her time as a caregiver a bit regretfully, but offers forth what she learned from her experience to all other Alzheimer’s caregivers:

Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. We had a lot of fun celebrating, making Valentine’s and of course, indulging in chocolate! But the fun’s not over. We have plenty more great events planned at our EPOCH communities this week. Professor Gary Hylander is returning for a riveting presentation on Adolf Hitler. Come by and discuss the insights of this renowned history buff. The Massachusetts Audubon Society will also come by to present “Birds of Prey.” You’ll learn how birds of prey hunt, what they eat and what makes them special. Plus, you’ll get to see hawks, owls, eagles and more up close! But these aren’t the only animals you can learn about this week. Local science writer Todd McLeish will tell you all about artic whales. We will also host “Hearth of the Home,” a presentation by Abigail Whitney on 18^th century life. Finally, our last “Flex and Stretch” class for seniors is this week. Don’t miss the chance to make new friends and engage in healthy, gentle exercise! Keep reading to learn more.

Gary Hylander returns for discussion of Adolf Hitler (Feb. 19)

We should be celebrating high health care spending. Wait a minute, what? That’s what Michael Hodin, executive director of the Global Coalition on Aging, recently wrote in the Huffington Post.

Hodin says that while many Americans believe our health care system is failing and the costs are too high, the opposite is actually the case – the high costs are a testament to our health care’s success. Health care in America has provided us with groundbreaking medicine and treatments that are keeping us alive longer than previous generations. And because Americans are now living longer than ever before, health care has become a widely sought-after commodity. Being in such high demand, health care costs have of course gone up.

By Mark Nussman, Administrator, EPOCH Senior Healthcare of Sharon

I may have spent the night on a makeshift bed in our community during the recent snow storm, but despite my fatigue, I’m eager to give credit to and salute all the employees of EPOCH Senior Healthcare of Sharon for their dedication to their residents during this ordeal.

Everyone at Sharon felt very fortunate we didn’t lose power. Some places, including the Cape, dealt with high winds that knocked down their power lines; as many as 400,000 people lost electricity and had to use generators. Having electricity throughout the storm gave our staff and residents one less thing to worry about.