Belmont Village of Oak Park Community Management Team

Belmont Village of Oak Park 1035 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302 Phone 708-848-7200 Fax 708-848-7204 January 2016 Belmont Village of Oak Park Community Management Team Michael Amici x102 Executive Director mamici@belmontvillage.com Frances Loftus x103 Human Resources Specialist floftus@belmontvillage.com Samantha Knoblauch x104 Activity Programs Coord. sknoblau@belmontvillage.com Art Tillman x105 Building Engineer atillman@belmontvillage.com Silvia Mosqueda x106 Chef Manager smosqueda@ belmontvillage.com Pat Porter x107 Community Relations pporter@belmontvillage.com Rollin Smith x108 Community Relations rcsmith@belmontvillage.com Carol Mangan x109 Dir. Resident Care Services cmangan@belmontvillage.com Ned Wagner x110 Memory Programs Coord. nwagner@belmontvillage.com To reach any of our community staff, please call our main number: (708) 848-7200. Exercise Your Brain We all know the benefits of physical activity, but don t underestimate the importance of giving your brain regular workouts, too. Studies have found that exercising the brain enhances memory, reduces the risk of Alzheimer s disease and other forms of dementia, and improves concentration. In honor of International Brain Teaser Month, build your brainpower with some of these fun activities: Word games. Reach for crossword puzzles, jumbles, word searches or riddles to enhance mental fitness. Number games. If numbers are your thing, give sudoku, sequence puzzles or math riddles a try to keep your brain fit. Memory games. Remember the card matching games you played as a child? They re beneficial for adults, too, and a great way to play with grandchildren. Strategy games. Chess, checkers, Connect Four and tic-tac-toe are just a few games that can give your brain a boost while you spend time with a friend or family member. Reading. Already a popular hobby for many, reading regularly is a good way to maximize your mind. This list is just the beginning if an activity requires you to think, make it a regular part of your routine, and keep your brain brilliant! Mark Brainteaser Month The new year often encourages fitness goals, but don t forget about exercising your gray matter. January is International Brainteaser Month, celebrating those mind benders that test our logic and thinking skills. Warm up with this one: A farmer has five haystacks in one field and four haystacks in another. How many haystacks would he have if he combined them all in one field? (Answer: One. If he combines them all, he now has one big stack!) Mike Amici, Executive Director

Don t Be Fooled by Wintertime Myths Did your mother ever say you would catch a cold if you went outside with wet hair? Well, our mothers weren t always right. How many of the following winter health myths did you think were true? You catch cold by being in the cold. Freezing temperatures, wet hair and bare heads don t cause colds. Colds are caused by viruses, which are more often spread in the winter because people tend to stay inside, in closer contact with each other. You don t need sunscreen. You may be wearing more clothing and spending less time outside, but you should still wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun s UV rays, which are present year-round. You should also wear sunglasses in the winter, especially if there is snow on the ground, which reflects the sun s rays. Don t exercise outside in the cold. As long as you do a proper warm-up before starting any strenuous physical activity, it should be safe to exercise outdoors. What better way to beat the cold? You should sleep longer in the winter. Always make sure you are getting enough sleep to feel rested, but sleep is no more or less important in wintertime. Laugh Lines: Snowman Snickers Q. What do snowmen eat for lunch? A. Icebergers Q. What did one snowman say to the other? A. Do you smell carrots? Q. Where does a snowman keep his money? A. In a snowbank Q. What is a snowman s favorite cereal? A. Frosted Flakes Q. How do snowmen travel? A. By icicle Q. What do snowmen call their offspring? A. Chill-dren Q. What kind of cakes do snowmen like? A. The ones with lots of icing Hot Cocoa and Health A cup or two of cocoa each day may do more than ward off a chill. Cocoa is rich in antioxidants, potassium, iron and other nutrients. Hot chocolate is also chock-full of flavonoids, powerful compounds that are being studied for their link to fighting cancer, preventing stroke and delaying dementia and other cognitive problems. Plus, sipping this sweet treat can make you feel better not only because the drink is delicious, but also because it raises the body s levels of serotonin, which produces endorphins and can banish a bad mood. Aquarius The Water Bearer

Singing in the New Year At one point or another, you have surely heard or even sung along to the old Scottish ballad Auld Lang Syne. The song title literally translates to old long since, meaning long, long ago or days gone by. Learn more about this traditional New Year s number: The famed Scottish bard Robert Burns wrote his version of this traditional song about the endurance of friendships in 1788, originally set to a tune he considered mediocre. After his death in 1796, Burns editor published the song set to a different air, which is the tune we use today. Popular during the Civil War, Auld Lang Syne was banned in 1862 by the Union Army after a crushing defeat by the Confederates at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Officers were afraid the sentimental song about times gone by would prompt weary soldiers to desert their posts. In the late 1920s, Guy Lombardo s band popularized the song as a New Year s tradition when they played it during a live radio performance at the stroke of midnight on New Year s Day. Denise s Boutique Please join us on Saturday, January 30th, from 9:30 to 11 am in the Bistro for our first Boutique! Denise makes bibs, body covers, clothes protectors, walker bags, and walker aprons for residents of Belmont Villages. She also makes baskets, and anything she makes can be made for men or women; she has plenty of patterns and tries to make sure there are not too many of the same style or pattern worn by the residents in one community. Her products are machine washable, and she can do sewing repairs. There is a chance we can have the boutique open monthly, so come by and see what she has so we can find out how much interest/demand there might be! Transportation Schedule Sign up early for outings! Space in our van is limited; make sure you see the concierge so you don t get left behind! Sunday Church Transportation Errands Monday and Friday Jewel/Walgreens/Walmart 9 a.m. Lunch Outings and Trips Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Doctor, Dentist, Etc. Appointments 8 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Saturday Scenic Excursion: 1:30 p.m. (Except Where Otherwise Noted in Calendar AND Weather Permitting) Errands We will honor as many transportation requests as possible. Walker aprons/lap covers

January 2016 TH Town Hall JK Josephine's Kitchen GR Great Room TR Terrace Room CFLE (Gym) MBA B Bistro O Outing Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday New Year's Day 1 10:00 TR Book Club 10:00 B Crocheting w/ Tatyana 10:15 TH Yoga w/ Judy 2 8:00 Church Transportation 1:00 B Sunday Movie Matinee 7:15 GR Fun Trivia 10 8:00 Church Transportation 1:00 B Sunday Movie Matinee 7:15 GR Fun Trivia 17 8:00 Church Transportation 1:00 B Sunday Movie Matinee 7:15 GR Fun Trivia 3 24 31 10:00 TH Chat w/ Rabbi 2:30 TH Brain Games 1:30 TH Resident Council Mtg. 1:45 JK Popcorn w/ Terry 2:30 TH Brain Games 4 11 Martin Luther King Jr. Day 18 10:00 TH Chat with Reverend Martin 1:30 TH Travel Presentation w/ Bill 2:45 TH Tai Chi with Louie 1:45 JK Popcorn w/ Terry 2:30 TH Brain Games 25 5 12 19 26 10:00 B Jewelry Class w/ Tatyana 1:30 CHF Exercise 2:15 GR Wine and Cheese Social 3:30 TR History You Never Knew 6:45 B Midweekek Movie & Popcorn 6 10:00 B Art Class w/ Beth 11:00 TH Communion Service 1:00 GR New Resident Meet/Greet 2:30 B Word Puzzles w/ Sam 3:30 B Mysteries at the Museum 13 14 10:00 B Art Class w/ Beth Exercise 11:00 TH 1:30 CHF Communion Service 2:15 GR Wine and Cheese Social 1:30 TH Balloon Volleyball 3:30 TR History You Never 2:30 B Word Puzzles w/ Sam Knew 3:30 B Mysteries at the Museum 6:45 B Midweekek Movie & Popcorn 20 21 10:00 B Jewelry Class w/ Tatyana 10:00 B Art Class w/ Beth 11:00 TH Communion Service 1:30 CHF Exercise 1:30 B Making Sandwiches for Church 2:15 GR Wine and Cheese Social 3:30 TR History You Never Knew 2:30 B Word Puzzles w/ Sam ek Movie & Popcorn 3:30 B 6:45 Mysteries at the Museum B Midweek 27 10:00 B Art Class w/ Beth Exercise 11:00 TH 1:30 CHF Communion Service 2:15 GR Wine and Cheese Social 1:30 B Dancing with Louie 3:30 TR History You Never 2:00 GR Gin Rummy w/ Sam Knew 3:30 B Mysteries at the Museum 6:45 B Midweekek Movie & Popcorn 7 10:15 TR Book Club 10:30 TH Drum Circle w/ Chris 10:15 TR Book Club 8 15 22 28 29 12:00 JK Resident Birthday Lunch 10:00 B Crocheting w/ Tatyana 10:15 TH Yoga w/ Judy 9:00 TH Alzheimer s Support Group 10:00 B Crocheting w/ Tatyana 9 16 23 30

Resident President: Natalie Clark Vice President: Richard Larson All residents are encouraged to attend the meetings and to participate in welcoming newcomers to our community! These meetings are a forum for residents to discuss concerns about Belmont Village and have an opportunity to ask questions of the administration. This month s meeting will be held on Monday, January 11th, at 1:30 p.m. in Town Hall. NFL Belmont Village is honored to be a Designated Assisted Living Provider of the NFL Player Care Plan. JANUARY 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell graduates from medical school, becoming the first female doctor in the United States. 1922: For the first time, insulin injections are used successfully to treat diabetes in humans. A 14-year-old Canadian boy was the first to receive the treatment. Welc me New Residents Please join us every first Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. in the Great Room to meet new faces of Belmont! You can meet those who moved in over the past few weeks and take a moment to introduce yourself! 1943: Franklin D. Roosevelt becomes the first sitting U.S. president to travel by airplane. He flew to Morocco to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. 1959: Walt Disney releases Sleeping Beauty, an animated feature film based on the fairy tale. 1973: The Miami Dolphins defeat the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl and record the only perfect football season in NFL history. 1988: The Phantom of the Opera premieres on Broadway. It would become the longest-running show in Broadway history. 1990: McDonald s opens in Moscow, serving 30,000 people. It was the fast-food icon s first location in the Soviet Union. 2004: After a seven-month voyage, NASA s Mars robotic rover, named Spirit, touches down on the red planet. 2010: At a presentation in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveils the ipad tablet computer. 2011: Created by talk show host Oprah Winfrey, the OWN cable TV network premieres. Our amazing therapy team, Paxxon Healthcare Services, leads a presentation for us every month. The topics are educational and health-related, and are always fun! The presentations are every last Wednesday of the month at 10 am in Town Hall. This month s topic is Keeping Your Brain Healthy. Paxxon always offers a bonus tip too! Make sure you wear shoes with good traction in icy and snowy weather to prevent falls!

Health Stop the Stress Stress is any change that makes a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes body or mental tension. Stress is different for every person. What one person considers stressful another person may not. The symptoms of stress can disguise themselves in every aspect of our day to day lives. Stress affects the young as well as the young at heart. Many health problems can be caused by stress; but stress can also make current health issues worse. Stress can make a person lose sleep (insomnia,) cause depression, cause weight gain and also make digestive problems worse causing diarrhea or constipation. Stress can appear in the body as pain of any kind and even knock down our immune system making us more susceptible to illness and infections. Some symptoms of too much stress may include aches and pains, anxiety, memory problems, or constant worrying. Emotional responses to stress may include moodiness, anger, or feeling overwhelmed. Behavioral responses to stress may include sleeping too much or too little, feeling nervous or jumpy and eating too much or too little. So what can we do about our stress? Proper diet and exercise can help reduce one s stress. Reduce caffeine intake and increase water intake. Josephine s Kitchen has a variety of healthy food options to choose from. Decaffeinated tea and coffee is always available. Drink alcohol in moderation. See your community bulletin boards for an array of exercise programs to help you take control of your stress level. Interested in trying more solitary pursuits to manage your stress? Try counting to yourself from 1 to 100. Go for a walk. You may try journaling about your stressors, or read something to make you laugh. Listening to music is a great stress reliever as is meditating. If at anytime you feel that your stress is unbearable, or you find yourself growing depressed, please contact your doctor immediately. Josephine s Kitchen Hours Breakfast 7-9 a.m. Lunch 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Dinner 4:30-7 p.m. Neighborhood Mealtimes Breakfast 8 a.m. Lunch 12:30 p.m. Dinner 5:30 p.m. Center for Life Enhancement Hours Monday Friday 8 a.m. 4 p.m. Golden Years Salon Sign up at the Concierge desk to make an appointment. Open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Belmont Village Scene Josephine s Kitchen Team at the Holiday Party! Mike with some of the Josephine s Kitchen Team! Holiday Magic Show with Bill Crocheting Class! Some Good Conversation! Golden Voices Chorus of Belmont 1035 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302 SENIO R LIV IN G OAK PARK SC Lic. 47837 www.belmontvillage.com