What to Look for When Touring an Assisted Living Community

Just as MorningStar of Sparks encourages anyone interested in our community to schedule a tour, so do most other assisted living communities.   This is because you cannot really get an idea of what a community looks like or feels like without seeing it in person.

In addition to wanting your loved one to be happy in their new “home,” your priorities most likely include finding a community that is well run, clean, and within your price range.   Experts recommend your first step should be to do some research over the Internet and on the phone.  Narrowing down your choices includes considering things such as how convenient will it be for the family to visit and is it located close to a pharmacy, medical facilities and shopping.  Furthermore, find out if the community is accepting new residents, and if not, you may want to go on their waiting list.

Senior support networks like Caring.com has a great checklist (it is even printable) of tips to consider for when touring an assisted living community.  To start with, they say you should always listen to your gut instincts.   From the moment you walk through the door, do you get a good feeling?  Regardless of how beautifully decorated, does it feel welcoming and have a home-like atmosphere?  If they offer the service, eat lunch with the residents as it will help to give you a more complete picture of the community.

At MorningStar of Sparks, we encourage families to come and visit as we are proud of each and every aspect of our community.  Not only is our community beautifully decorated and designed for residents’ every comfort and need, but we have a staff that is committed to serving seniors and come to work each day with a smile on their face.  Please visit our website to learn more.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

Source: caring.com/articles/assisted-living-facilities-choosing-the-right-one#research

Learn More about the Revolutionary iN2L Technology

Among all of the numerous services and amenities we provide to our residents, MorningStar of Sparks is proud to offers the intuitive, user-friendly “It’s Never 2 Late” (iN2L) system.  Infused with innovative technology, the software makes it easy for everyone to enjoy using a computer regardless of prior experience.  Users can easily launch hundreds of applications, navigate the web and access their email with a simple press of a button.

The state-of-the-art engagement system combines touchscreen computers with intuitive, picture-based software.  Also with a library of 3,000 choices geared toward social and spiritual connection, intellectual and physical stimulation, emotional support, and vocational interest, activities are adapted to a resident’s unique abilities and interests. Examples of some of the content include online newspapers, brain fitness programs, inspirational videos and sermons, classic movies and TV shows, and virtual world tours.

In addition each resident has the opportunity to create a “My Page,” with their own personal profile including email addresses, family photos, favorite games and websites.  Residents can also Skype with family members and easily receive new photos of family activities.

The iN2L technology is also designed to be used by memory care residents and has content developed by dementia care experts to help engage people with dementia.  The software contains hundreds of entertaining, challenging and interactive games and puzzles, specifically designed for all levels of cognition.

Please visit MorningStar of Sparks website to learn about all of our amenities and services, and while you are there, take a look at our photo gallery.  However to really understand why our residents are proud to call MorningStar of Sparks home, we recommend that you set up a tour of our community.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

The Finest Independent Living in Sparks

If you are looking for stress-free living and a refreshing change of lifestyle, MorningStar of Sparks has it all.  With 128 bright suites for independent living, we provide seniors with carefree, comfortable retirement years.

Independent living provides seniors with a range of benefits including predictable monthly budgeting, activities and programming, and tasty meals they no longer need to cook as well as built-in companionship.  Also as we take care of all the maintenance, both inside and out, and offer weekly housekeeping, which allows our residents plenty of time to pursue their interests.

Our community offers smartly-designed private suites in several floorplans including one bedroom–one bath, two bedroom–one bath, and two bedroom-two bath configurations.  Each unit has high ceilings, large windows, wall-to-wall carpeting, ceiling lighting, and mini blinds as well as private heating & air conditioning controls, basic cable TV, utilities and much more.

In addition the MorningStar of Sparks’ community has beautifully-appointed, warm and inviting common areas where residents can comfortably gather and enjoy the day.  Even our outdoor area is inviting with a fireside patio and all-season porches. When you visit our website, we encourage you to take a look at our Gallery photos to get an idea of what our community looks like.

Moreover as a resident, you get resort-style amenities and lots of services including daily meals prepared by our Executive Chef that are served restaurant-style in our lovely dining room.  Also all of our independent living suites are equipped with their own washer and dryer and full kitchens so you can prepare meals on your own whenever you like.

We are proud to report that MorningStar of Sparks was awarded the Service Excellence Award, which is based on positive online reviews by families and eldercare experts on the Caring.com website.  Please contact us to set up a tour of our exceptional senior living community.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

Read What Our Residents and Families Say about Our Community

You do not have to take just our word for it when we say MorningStar of Sparks is the area’s best senior living community but rather read some reviews from actual residents and their families.  Whenever our families let us know we are doing a good job, it affirms everything our wonderful, caring team does every day to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of our cherished residents.

We are especially pleased to hear praise from a longtime resident who writes, “MorningStar Senior Living of Sparks is the most wonderful senior living center around.  They have never let me down in the two and a half years that I’ve been a resident.”  They go on to add, “It is run by very nice people and very nice people work for them, you’re always taken care of. MorningStar offers plenty of activities to keep you busy, a dining area as well as a lovely landscape. I couldn’t be happier living here.”

Another review from the adult child of one of our residents really touched our heart.  They write, “As a psychologist, I know well that no real improvement in any healthcare facility ever takes place without personal touch, consistent respect and quality leadership.”  She explains that her mother is 101 and may not have been around to celebrate her birthday had it not been for the care and affection of our well-trained and attentive staff.

In addition letters of appreciation from former residents’ families always mean a lot to us.  One such family expressed their “sincere appreciation for the outstanding kindness and care provided by MorningStar. Without exception, they were proficient and compassionate. They did a superb job in caring for our mother, and we are deeply grateful.”

Our gorgeous community offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care.  Please visit our website to set up a tour to see firsthand why residents are proud to call our community home.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

We Proudly Welcome Vets to Our Community

Among our many residents, MorningStar of Sparks is proud to counts 58 veterans as part of our community.  In fact, honoring our local vets during last year’s Veterans Day ceremony was quite an affair as every veteran received a token of thanks in the form of a certificate and a patriotic Christmas ornament.  Throughout all of MorningStar’s communities, we are privileged to have veterans from all five branches of military service call us home.

Whenever we hear that veterans or families of vets are interested in our community, we are pleased to direct them to local resources that can help to ease and quicken the application process for “Aid & Attendance”. This is a monthly benefit payment allocated by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to certain wartime veterans and their survivors who qualify for financial need and have a doctor’s order for regular assistance with daily living activities.

Additional qualifications for the vets include having served at least 90 days of active duty, of which at least one day was spent serving during a period of a foreign war.  Also, the vet must not have been dishonorably discharged.  The Aid & Attendance benefit does not require the vet to have served overseas, seen combat or retired from the military.  For surviving spouses to be eligible for the benefit, they must have been married to the vet at the time of their death and never remarried.

We encourage you to contact us to learn more about applying for the benefit.  MorningStar of Sparks offers the area’s best independent living, assisted living and memory care with the goal to make your retirement years as carefree as possible.  Visit our website to set up a tour of our beautiful community.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

Great Things Going on at MorningStar Senior Living of Sparks

At MorningStar Senior Living of Sparks, we offer our residents a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community by providing an array of amenities and services designed around the needs of our seniors.  In addition all throughout the year residents participate in a variety of activities, programs and special events that are interesting, educational and fun.

An example of one of our special activities is our recent Veterans Day ceremony.  Our impressive 58 veterans from MorningStar of Sparks gathered by the flag pole where two of our veterans raised the flag at 11:11am as the National Anthem was sung.  Every veteran received a symbol of our thanks in the form of a certificate and patriotic Christmas ornament.

And our community loves to celebrate every holiday in style with activities such as our salute to Halloween with a “scary” round of Bingo. TV Horror Show host, Zomboo was invited to be our Bingo caller. Also adding spooky humor to the game: the “Crazy Cat Lady” and her cats, GI Girl and the Bride of Frankenstein. Resident Irene was our big (and not at all scary) Bingo winner. Fun was had by all!

At MorningStar of Sparks, we also like to get out and about.  Recently our residents were treated to a visit to Andelin Family Farms. We enjoyed a scenic hayride through the farm, followed by a meet and greet with some of its furry occupants: everything from pigs from New Zealand to alpacas from the Andes. We encourage you to take a look at our website and scroll through our recent happenings to get a sense of the fellowship and fun our staff and residents have on a daily basis in our community.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

The Reno Area’s Best Senior Living is More Affordable than You Thought

Would you or a loved one like a lifestyle or elegance, security and community without the responsibly of a private home?   Do you or a loved one need a little assistance daily?  Have you shied away from senior living as you thought it was too expensive?  MorningStar of Sparks invites you to take a more in-depth look at senior living and to consider all the advantages and benefits it offers to residents.

It may be you have heard about the monthly cost of independent senior living or assisted living from friends or acquaintances and thought it was more than you or your parent could handle.  While that may be true, have you factored in the real costs of a community such as MorningStar of Sparks as compared to living in a private home?  Keep in mind that MorningStar’s monthly suite rental includes the resident’s meals, snacks and refreshment along with a whole range of services and amenities such as scheduled transportation, housekeeping, and laundry services.

If you or your parent is still maintaining a home, expenses now include property taxes, home insurance, utilities, home maintenance and repairs.  Also, you may have the costs of home care providers coming in to help as well as paying for someone for transportation to doctor appointments, run errands and buy groceries.

At MorningStar of Sparks the monthly suite rental also includes a 24-hour care staff and an emergency call service along with a range of wellness and leisure activities, health monitoring, and much more.  Our residents are treated to three daily meals and snacks prepared by our Executive Chef and designed to be tasty as well as nutritional.  Please see our website to learn more about one of the best senior living communities in the Reno area.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

Assisted Living and Senior Independent Living Explained

Many people are unsure of the meaning of terms such as “independent living” and “assisted living” used by many senior communities.  Or which would be best suited for their needs.  To clarify, the term independent living is used to describe a community that is designed specifically for seniors who want to and are able to live without any help.  Assisted living is designed for seniors who still wish to live independently with personal privacy and autonomy, but require a helping hand with daily activities.

Independent living is ideal for individuals who no longer wish to maintain their own home and desire a more carefree lifestyle.  While each community can vary, many offer daily meals, transportation, and a range of other amenities and social activities.  Senior independent communities offer residents the freedom to enjoy their retirement years without being tied down with yardwork and other routine chores that need to be done when owning a home.

At assisted living communities, residents get help with daily personal care and are provided with an array of services such as housekeeping, laundry, transportation, daily meals, and 24-hour supervision.  Generally a community assesses in-coming residents to determine the level of assistance needed that is agreeable to the senior and their extended family.  Other amenities offered by assisted living communities include a range of activities and wellness programs.

At MorningStar Senior Living of Sparks, we provide high-quality independent living, assisted living and memory care as well as respite care.  Our beautiful community offers residents a safe and comfortable place to age in place while taking advantage of resort-style amenities and a broad range of meaningful activities.   Please contact us to schedule a visit to experience our gracious home firsthand.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

Assisted Living Services to Meet Your Every Need

MorningStar of Sparks’ assisted living is just the place for seniors who require a little assistance with their daily personal care and wish to live in a community with a home-like atmosphere.   You will find a wealth of amenities such as delicious, nutritional meals as well as an on-site chapel, theatre, library (including multiple computers and newspapers), salon, general store and much more.  Every day our residents are treated to a choice of daily activities that include games, scrapbooking, art classes, writing groups, flower arranging movie nights, sing-alongs, and a variety of physical activities to name but a few.

In addition we provide a wide range of professional clinical services to meet your health needs like having a full-time licensed nurse on staff and 24-hour Care Managers.  Each shift also has a CPR trained staff member.  We have Certified Med Care Managers and each resident has their care plan reviewed periodically as well as scheduled health and wellness evaluations.

The MorningStar community offers the convenience of pharmacy services and onsite dental and podiatry services.  Furthermore, we partner with home health agencies to provide our residents with nursing, therapy, and social work services if needed.  As a resident, you will have a choice of physicians and receive scheduled visits.  We also provide diabetic management, oxygen administration, and catheter and colostomy care as well as palliative and hospice care and much more.

All of our resident-centered clinical assistance is done through the full authority of our license from the Department of Health with the goal of providing each resident with a higher quality of care at a lower cost.  Please visit our website for more information about the extensive services provided to MorningStar residents.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities.  Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.  We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.

What Sets Our Memory Care Apart from Others?

For everyone involved, a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or a dementia-related disease is heart wrenching.  As a family, you are faced with many difficult decisions and that includes deciding what type of living arrangements will best suit your loved one.

In our Reflections Neighborhood at Morning Senior Living of Sparks, we offer families one of the best memory care communities in the area.  So what is it that sets us apart from other senior living memory care communities?  At MorningStar of Sparks, we use a resident-directed approach to memory care with multi-sensory cues, including aromatherapy, as a way to calm and awaken memories, and support capabilities.  We also understand the importance of recreational and purposeful activities such as art, music, entertainment and exercise, all of which we integrate into our memory care.

In addition our Reflections Neighborhood provides daily health monitoring, assistance with meals prepared by our Executive Chef, scheduled outings and special events, and a secure courtyard for the exclusive use of our memory care patients.  Our memory care suites accommodate a resident’s own furniture and mementos so they are sure to feel right at home.

When people visit us for the first time, they are impressed with the atmosphere of our community.  However beyond all of our beautiful well-designed surroundings, MorningStar of Sparks is most proud of our caring and loving staff.  Our mission is to affirm the dignity and value of our most tender residents and provide an environment where they feel truly at home.

MorningStar of Sparks’ unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior communities. Committed to creating a true home for residents within a gorgeous setting, our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve. We invite you to schedule a visit to learn more about our exceptional senior living.