Mercy Retirement & Care Center

  • Masking the Problem: A Non-Pharmacological Approach to Senior Care

    Masking the Problem: A Non-Pharmacological Approach to Senior Care

    A baby cries, and we soothe it. But, when our older adult parent suffering from dementia has an outburst, how do we handle that? Sometimes these non-memory-related symptoms such as aggressiveness, agitation, or even delusions, the first treatment plan is to go to antipsychotic medications. But, more often than not, these drugs mask real issues……

  • Why Nonpharmacologic Approaches to Alzheimer’s Are Successful

    Why Nonpharmacologic Approaches to Alzheimer’s Are Successful

    The words “dementia” or “Alzheimer’s” can often elicit fear for us. We instantly think about what a loved one will lose if we hear that diagnosis. Dementia doesn’t have to mean you are losing out on your life. Cognitive skills may diminish, but every person can grow. That is the fundamental philosophy behind I’m Still……

  • Mercy Brown Bag Director Wins Jefferson Award

    Mercy Brown Bag Director Wins Jefferson Award

    The two words “thank you” are not enough to express the gratitude thousands of East Bay seniors and we at Elder Care Alliance have for the Mercy Brown Bag Program and its director, Krista Lucchesi. Lucchesi and Brown Bag provides more than a million pounds of groceries to low-income older adults across Alameda County. Since……

  • Issues Older Adults Commonly Face When Driving

    Issues Older Adults Commonly Face When Driving

    You gain wisdom with age, as well as potential health and mobility problems that can affect your ability to drive safely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2018, over 45 million adults age 65 or older had valid driver’s licenses, representing a 60% increase since 2000 for this demographic. If you……

  • Why is Older Adult Living So Expensive?

    Why is Older Adult Living So Expensive?

    If you’ve noticed your cost of living increasing each year, you’re not alone. Everything costs more today than it did even five years ago. And if you’re an older adult who fondly remembers $90-a-month mortgage payments and 49-cents-a-pound ground beef, wrapping your head around today’s prices can be difficult at best. Do you wish to……

  • Spiritual Care in Senior Living

    Spirituality is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. Just like we tend to our physical health, it is important to nurture our spiritual health. All people need spiritual care, whether they realize it or not. Perhaps the best place to start is to consider what spirituality really means. Spirituality is finding alignment between our……

  • Creating Supportive Environments for LGBTQ Seniors

    The month of June is Pride Month across America. We are honored to recognize the thousands of people in the LGBTQ community, especially our seniors, who have worked tirelessly to gain rights, change laws, and increase social acceptance. Every person deserves to grow older with dignity; this is especially true for LGBTQ seniors who have……

  • Helping people afford not only food but medicine too!

    Our heart broke when we heard from this woman who is struggling to pay for all her medicine: “I didn’t expect to be in this place financially but am in the position of affording my medications or groceries. I fell into the Medicare Part D donut hole for the first time, even though my medications,……

  • Cristo Rey De La Salle Partnership

    Jesus and Jayden are joining us from Cristo Rey De La Salle High School this school year.  We are thrilled to have their energy, skills and vision.  Their questions help us see our program from another set of eyes and it makes us stronger.  They come with all kinds of dreams of the future. Therefore,……

  • For Your Reading List: New Book Explores An Approach to Art Therapy Rooted In Elder Autonomy & Collaboration.

    Based on pioneering research conducted in partnership with Elder Care Alliance, the newly released book “Art Therapy With Older Adults: Connected & Empowered” outlines a framework for art therapy with older adults rooted in a belief in the autonomy and self-efficacy of older adults, including those with dementia or other diseases of later life. The……

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