Senior Living Information Blog

Fit over 50 Gentle Yoga Class

Judith Brown, a registered and licensed occupational therapist and certified Phoenix Rising yoga therapy practitioner will be guiding you during a complimentary chair yoga fitness class.  The class is offered every other Saturday at 9:30 am at Belmont Village in Oak Park at 1035 Madison Street.

As we age, we are more susceptible to diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism and high blood pressure.  The need for exercise increases, but our bodies sometimes limit or level of participation.

Yoga is a form of exercise that adapts to your needs and abilities, regardless of your fitness level.  Yoga promotes fitness, helps calm your mind and can help with relaxation.  Who couldn't use a little relaxation in these crazy times.

The class is free, but space is limited so please RSVP to 708-848-7200

Upcoming Saturday Morning Class dates:
Feb 28
March 14
March 28

Upcoming Free Community Events at Central Baptist Village

Could not resist passing on to you all of the things going on over at Central Baptist Village in March.

1. They are continuing their "Friday Afternoon Movies" - come meet in their multi-purpose room at 1:30 and enjoy a movie and fresh popped popcorn

3/6/09 - Jane Goodall's Return to Gombe
3/13/09 - America's National Park Series - Part 1
3/20/09 - America's National Park Series - Part 2

2. Join them for an "Apartment Walk" and learn what an enhanced senior living lifestyle can mean for you.  View studios, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments as well as the library, state of the art fitness center, arts & crafts room, chapel & more.

Wednesday, March 11
4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

3. Special musical performance with keyboardist and vocalist, Edizon Dayao.  He will be featuring classic tunes from Perry Como & Don Ho

Wednesday, March 19
10 am

All events are at :
4747 N. Canfield Ave, Norridge, IL 60706

For questions and to RSVP please call: 708-583-8500

Free Seminar About Aid & Attendance Benefit for Wartime Veterans

Attend this free seminar on the north side of Chicago to learn how special VA pensions can provide significant help in paying for long-term care costs.

Most VA pensions are only for Veterans who were wounded or disabled while serving in the armed forces.  But millions of wartime veterans and their spouses may be eligible for special monthly pension benefits soley because they are over 65 AND are homebound or in an assisted/supportive living or nursing home.

Rick L. Law of Law ElderLaw, LLP will present

DATE: TUESDAY MARCH 3
TIME: 5PM - 7PM
LOCATION:  Covenant Home of Chicago
2720 W. Foster, Chicago IL

RSVP: 773-506-6900

Family Caregivers - Unsung Heros

Award winner, author, trainer, and volunteer coordinator for the Midwestern States for the National Family Caregivers Assn (NFCA). Maya Hennessey, will present excerpts from her book and will sign copies of If Only I'd Had  This Caregiving Book, on the perils and solutions to the stress of caregiving. 

As the health care system deteriorates more is heaped on the already breaking the backs of family caregivers.  Maya's book has over 50 delightful exercises to empower and protect family caregivers.

Family caregivers will receive free membership and free brochures to NFCA.

DATE:  SATURDAY FEB 28
TIME: 1-3PM
PLACE: WOODSON REGIONAL LIBRARY, 9525 S. HALSTED, CHICAGO

FREE!

Macy's & The Hallmark Fashion Shows Feb 17th & 18th

It was the idea of one resident, Ruth Sperber.  This one resident loves Macy's.  In fact she may have been part of the small handful of people in Chicago who were actually excited when Macy's took over Marshall Fields on State Street!!  Regardless, she has had a life long relationship with Macy's as a customer and was hoping to some day have them sponsor a fashion show in the retirement community where she lives. 

The Hallmark which is operated by Brookdale Senior Living is a beautiful high rise on the shore of Lake Michigan just north of downtown.  For years it has been "the" place to move to if you were looking for an independent living lifestyle.

Together with the Lifestyles Director, Erica Cohen, she put together one very impressive show.  All of the models were residents of the Hallmark, up to the tender age of 94!  The models went down to Macy's and with the help with of the personal shoppers at the store, picked out the clothing they wore.  Each model showed two outfits which ranged in price from $100 - to $3000!

Erica asked me to do the make up for the models and I could not resist.  I also brought along my long time friend (who will be sharing a room with me in an assisted living community 50 years from now) Chris to help.  Below are some highlights of the two days!

 

Audrey in an outfit that I loved!  So Jackie O.  Its an Armani.  Dress and duster retail for about $3000.00

 

Dorothy is always glamorous and that's Ruth behind her enjoying the show.

 

Flossie is working the room in this fabulous St. John.

Mr. Bouey Returns To Share His Experience of a Lifetime at the Inauguration

As a follow up to a post from last month - I wanted to share what Mr. Bouey had to say about his recent trip to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama...

“I felt born again,” said Alfred Bouey, resident of Holley Court Terrace, a Brookdale Senior Living community in Oak Park, Ill.  “I never dreamed this day would ever happen in American history. I have witnessed not only my greatest wish, but also the dream of my parents,” said Bouey, the grandson of slaves. “I’m still on cloud nine,” he said.

Bouey began to get excited the morning he and his family left for Washington, D.C. Once  they arrived  at the hotel, that’s when it hit him; he would be witnessing history in the making. The most memorable part of the trip was seeing President Obama taking the oath. “I felt pure joy,” said Bouey. “Tears were flowing all around me, and down my cheeks as well.”

What a joyful story to tell.  For this whole story and other inspiring stories of seniors who get to live out their dream, go to Brookdales Experience of a Lifetime Page.

Help relieve the stress of a hospital trip for a loved on with Alzheimer's

A new and updated 18 page booklet by Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center of the National Institute on Aging provides tips on easing the stress of hospitalization for those with and those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's and other dementia.  It also has ideas and checklists that help you prepare for a hospital trip and the anxiety and agitation that goes with it.

To download or order free copies of "Hospitalization Happens: A Guide to Hospital Visits for Individuals with Memory Loss," visit www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/happens.htm or call the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center toll-free at 800-438-4380

What is Assisted Living?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Assisted living residences or assisted living facilities (ALFs) provide supervision or assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs); coordination of services by outside health care providers; and monitoring of resident activities to help to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Assistance may include the administration or supervision of medication, or personal care services provided by a trained staff person. Assisted living as it exists today emerged in the 1990's as an eldercare alternative on the continuum of care for people, normally seniors, who cannot live independently in a private residence, but who do not need the 24-hour medical care provided by a nursing home. Assisted living is a philosophy of care and services promoting independence and dignity.

My Notes: Assisted living was based on a resident centered model instead of a traditional medical model.  The idea is to bring the services to the resident instead of moving a resident around to make it easier for the medical staff.  Think of how women deliver now - instead of going to the holding room than the birthing room, then the recovery room - all of the services are done in one room, making it a much better experience - same idea for assisted living.

Bring the services to the resident.  Allow the resident to dictate their schedule.  They can decide when to wake up so if they were always a late sleeper (that's me!) then they can continue to be a late sleeper instead of being woken up early so that the staff can get everyone fed by 8 am and move on to their next chore.

Another example: Allowing the resident to dictate when and how they bathe.  Maybe they always preferred baths over showers.  Certainly its easier just to do a shower, but if they want to take a bath and they want lavender bubble bath in there - so be it. 

Also note, its a resident, not a patient.

And yes, that is a real resident in a real assisted living property that I work with and those are both of his dogs who live with him there!

More notes soon...

Boomers and Beyond: Support in a Changing Economy

Saint Joseph Hospital at 2900 N. Lake Shore Drive is hosting a free informative seminar as part of their Resources for Health Living program.

This program is co-sponsored with CJE Senior Life and is designed to help you navigate the system of services available to meet your needs and cope with the stresses of our changing lives.

Tuesday, Feb 17th 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Program is offered in the Boikan Conference Center on the second floor.

Registration required, call 1-877-737-4636