According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, an international senior living development company is building a senior living facility for people with Alzheimer’s disease, its first project in North Florida.

Sunrise Senior Living  plans to open the 65,000-square-foot facility this fall at 4870 Belfort Road next to St. Luke’s Hospital. The assisted living and Alzheimer’s care facility will be able to offer more than 90 residents a variety of amenities and services. Sunrise Senior Living operates about 450 facilities around the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany, including eight others in Florida.

As many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s. According to the Florida Alzheimer’s Research Center, the following is a list of early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. However, if someone has several of these symptoms, it does not mean they definitely have the disease. It does mean they should be evaluated by a medical specialist trained in memory disorders. The seven warning signs are:

1. Asking the same question over and over again
2. Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again
3. Forgetting how to cook, or how to make repairs or how to play cards- activities that were previously done with ease and regularity.
4. Losing one’s ability to pay bills or balance ones checkbook
5. Getting lost in familiar surroundings or misplacing household objects.
6. Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean
7. Relying on somebody else, such as a spouse, to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.

There is no way to guarantee that you or your loved one will not get Alzheimer’s. However, many of the things that are good for your heart are also good for your brain. Quit smoking, get regular exercise, and eat foods such as fruits, vegetables, and fish. Avoid foods high in saturated fat or cholesterol. Other helpful lifestyle changes include keeping mentally active, staying socially involved with others, reducing stress, and wearing seatbelts and bicycle/motorcycle helmets.

Tags: Alzheimer's disease, Florida senior living facility, senior living, senior living facilities

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