Bethany Living

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8

The blogger team at Bethany Village shares their favorite tips and advice about how to honor Mother and celebrate her special day.

Larry Ramey says:

Call mother and say "I love you." Send flowers with a card included.

Karen Kuhn says:

Take a picture of your Mom and yourself together: priceless.
Give fresh cut flowers. No cooking for Mom on Mother’s Day; you take care of her meal---go out to her favorite restaurant or get her favorite carry out.
Take time to select a card for Mom with a beautiful message and add your own personal sentiment. If your Mom is living, make every effort to visit her on Mother’s Day.


Robyn Nelson says:

Unfortunately, my mom is no longer with me, so part of what I do to honor her memory on Mother’s Day is to reminisce with my children about wonderful memories we have of her. When my mother was living we would prepare a special meal to take to her and spend the day visiting. My mom loved lilacs and tulips, so I always make sure I have a bouquet for my table. The scent of lilacs always reminds me of my mother.

Cathy Bourquin says:

Think as adult children: our Mom’s often have most of the "material" things they need or want. So when my Mom was alive, I would take a day and devote to her and what she wanted done or wanted to do. It may be planting flowers, going shopping or cleaning out a closet….something that made her feel good.

Artie Taylor says:

Invite the rest of the family to be at mom’s house and cook out and have her just mingle with everyone visiting.
Go to the garden center and select some items to plant at her house.
Go to church.
Call her the morning of Mother’s Day and pick her up, and take her to breakfast.

Pam Blumensheid says:

Give her the best gift of all -- your time and conversation!
Spend time together over coffee or a cool drink on the deck or porch.
This is a great idea for a daughter: Schedule a pedicure or manicure for mom – and go with her and have one yourself! Then you can be pampered together.
If you can’t be with her in person, schedule a group Skype call and include as many of our siblings as possible. Make sure to account for different time zones.
If you live near your mom, fix brunch and share it with her. Make sure you call ahead to tell her what the plan is. Then go to her kitchen with all the fixings and cook brunch. Include a small bouquet for the table.

Allyson Crawford says:

For Mother’s Day, every year I select my mom a special gift, take her to lunch and get her some flowers. She doesn’t like flowers that die – rather – flowers that she can plant in the yard and grow all summer long. Now that I’m married, I do the same thing for my mother-in-law.

Meg Wulfeck says:

Post on Facebook…"Top 5 Reasons Why I Love My Mother".
As a child, I would write her poems.
Send her a card.
Take her out to dinner.
Pay a visit.

Barbara Wells-Seay says:

I lost my Mom in April. I’d like to say "Hug your Mother and hold her tight and most of all tell her that you love her."

Rachel Abshear says:

Take her out for an experience—i.e. spa day (both of you getting facials or massages), a tour of the current exhibit at the art museum and lunch, a trip to the zoo or museum of discovery if she’s an animal lover, a make your own pottery day, etc.
Send her a gourmet food basket with her favorite treats.

Jennita Sullenger says:

With my Mom no longer alive, I LOVE planting a perennial in my butterfly garden to honor/ remind me of her or add to my garden statuaries.

My three brothers have started calling me since she died and we reminisce so I get the best of both worlds: being honored by them as a mom and smiling with them because of the blessing my mom was in our lives.

Deb Dicus says:

Go out and have ice cream together.
Go to church with her.
Buy her a new outfit to wear on Mother’s Day.
Coordinate for her to get her hair done.
Call Mom and thank her for everything she has done for me and my siblings.
I send a card with money for my sister to buy flowers for her garden as she lives out of state.

What are some of your favorite tips to honor mom?

There is positive news to report in the battle against Alzheimer’s: the discovery of five new genes that are possibly linked to the disease. American investigators analyzed the genes of 54,000 people, some with the disease and others without. This lead to the discovery of four new genes. British researchers found an additional gene. Together, the teams are working to figure out the correlation of genes on the development of Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a form of degenerative dementia. Scientists now believe the disease is 80% genetic.

"Through our ongoing research, we are finding genes that increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, allowing us to pinpoint what may be going wrong, biologically, in the brain," Cardiff University's Julie Williams said of the study and its findings.

The five newly discovered genes impact the body in the way the brain processes cholesterol, lipids, the removal of toxic amyloid-beta protein from the brain and even the immune system.

According to researchers, there are now ten known genes linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Experts estimate that just being able to treat the effects of those 10 genes would reduce Alzheimer’s cases by 60%.

Researchers say finding these five new genes is a positive step in the right direction when it comes to completely understanding what causes Alzheimer’s disease. Experts say it could take 15 years for treatments to result from this most recent, promising study.

Have a family member or loved one with Alzheimer's disease? Bethany Village's Courtyard Park is a state-of-the art memory supportive care center. Our staff is dedicated to helping residents face the challenges of living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

The new research is published in the journal Nature Genetics.

ABC News recently launched a series called Elder Care: Families on the Brink hosted by Diane Sawyer. The roundtable discussions focus on topics for adult children, specifically, having difficult conversations with mom and dad.

Have you ever wondered how to handle sensitive subjects involving aging parents such as driving, medication management, will creation and more? The ABC News series promises to help.

Panelists include Martha Stewart, Dr. Neil Resnick, Virginia Morris and Dr. Marie Bernard.

Watch the debut of the series below.




Are your parents thinking of moving to a continuing care retirement community like Bethany Village? Get your questions answered one-on-one by scheduling a personalized appointment with a senior living counselor. Just call 937-436-6850 or click through our website.

Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women? February is all about love and other matters of the heart. What better time to fight heart disease?

"Eighty percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented, if they make the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking," Dr. Abdul Ghani of Advocate South Suburban Hospital said in a recent interview with Beacon News. "This is why it is so important that women talk to one another about their No. 1 killer."

The American Heart Association wants to make it easy for you to Go Red and get fit! The BetterU program is a free, 12 week course that will help you improve your overall health. Best yet, you can track the entire program online!

The program includes step-by-step guidance on becoming healthy, a downloadable coaching tool, goal setting tips, recipes, forum and more.

Check out the easy to follow program overview.

Bethany residents have access to a professional exercise physiologist, a state-of-the-art gym and chef who prepares meals that are both nutritious and delicious. Plus, there's the health benefit of laughter with neighbors and friends!

Share your stories about heart disease and stroke below. How have you been affected by cardiovascular disease?

Are you retired and looking to make a move to a senior living community like Bethany Village? Maybe you’re an adult child and you are planning for both your parent and yourself. As we get ready to usher in a new year, give yourself some time to reflect on the past…and what you would like to happen in the future.

If you want to start 2011 off right, you’ll need a plan. Here are some popular resolutions for seniors:


 

1. Consider your living arrangements. Is it time to move to a senior living community and leave the life of maintenance and housework behind?
2. Get (or keep!) moving every day for optimal physical fitness. Bethany Village exercise physiologist Christy Trittschuh reminds all of us to start small and do mild exercises like walking.
3. Clean out your dressers, drawers, closets and donate what you no longer want or need. Think of the feeling of accomplishment when you have all that free closet space!
4. Make plans to get together with a friend or neighbor at least once a week. This forces you to keep a social schedule and strengthens your non-familial relationships.
5. Be indulgent. That’s right! You’ve earned that extra (occasional!) cookie or extra hour of sleep. Drop the guilt, enjoy life more.

All those resolutions are well and good for people who are already retired. But what if you are a Baby Boomer and thinking about retiring in the next decade or so? There are some important resolutions you should be considering as well. Here are a few key points:

1. Get your financial house in order. Baby Boomers Retirement Network has an entire checklist regarding your finances and future retirement goals. The top of their list? Stashing enough money in your 401(k) to get your employer match and don’t keep all your investments in one company’s stock.
2. Get moving everyday. Just like mom and dad, you need to move it…or lose it! Hit the gym or grab a friend and go walking. Staying healthy cuts down on doctor bills.
3. Take good care of your aging parents and plan for both your futures.
4. Hire a lawyer and get a will…and a living will, too.
5. Travel to different destinations and consider where you’d like to spend retirement. 

So that’s what the experts say should be on your resolution list for 2011. Do you have any other resolutions not listed here?

Are you retired and considering adopting a pet? Maybe you’re an adult child helping mom or dad pick a new furry friend? Pets can be a wonderful addition to a senior’s daily routine. Pets - especially older animals - can provide seniors with improved health, mood and activity. Studies show that having a cat or dog can even lower blood pressure!

When considering a pet, think about your daily life. You probably don’t want a kitten or puppy. While young animals are certainly cute and can be a lot of fun, they are also a lot of work. Both older cats and dogs provide just as much love as their younger counterparts – but require much less work.

According to the American Humane Association, cats are especially great for seniors:

• Unlike dogs, cats are happy staying indoors all the time.　
• Most adult cats require only 20 to 30 minutes of playtime per day, and interactive play does not require the owner to be mobile.
• Cats are also very content to spend most of their time sleeping on their owner’s lap or bed.　

Of course, this isn’t to say older dogs can’t make great companions! There are many programs that pair senior dogs with older owners.

The American Kennel Club has some tips and some important facts to consider. First, consider your activity level and favorite activities. You also need to strongly evaluate your financial fitness. Older pets may require more medical care than a puppy. Also, make sure you choose the right breed of dog. All dogs have different temperaments and you don’t want a hyperactive dog that barks incessantly if you live in an apartment.

Like cats, dogs can easily keep you active. They provide you with a routine and encourage exercise because dogs need walked. Consider a small breed, or "toy" dog as they require less physical activity and make great lap pets!

Remember the rules of your community. Some places, like Bethany Village, have limits on how many pets you may own at one time. Your senior living counselor will provide you with all the information you need to make the right pet decision for your living arrangement.
 

Recently, this blog featured some great gift ideas for seniors. As we enter holiday shopping crunchtime, Bethany Village is pleased to present a few more options for your gift list.

• Create a scrapbook of photos of your family and go over the memories together.
• Clean your favorite senior's home for them. Who doesn't love working in a sparking kitchen?
• Be a handyman (or woman!) - Fix leaky faucets, clean gutters, clear snow. Anything to make life a little easier for that senior in your life.
• Make a mix CD. Legally download some favorite tracks and include some you personally love as well. Share a conversation over the changes in music from one decade to the next.

The holidays are a time of good cheer and wonderment. But if a person is grieving, the holiday season can seem more like a curse than blessing.

“One of the best things you can do is to ask the person who is grieving how they would like to deal with it. And if they have an idea then go with it,” says Paula Burgstaller, Life Enrichment Coordinator for the Memory Support Center at Bethany Village. “Plan for the grief and know that it is going to be there and don’t try to avoid it – it’s best for it to come out.”

Dale G. Larson, professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University in California agrees that loss during the holidays is tough. In an article with the Washington Post, Larson advisees that "...The key is to acknowledge that you have changed and that the holidays aren't going to be the same. It's important to know that from the outset."

Paula firmly believes that knowing exactly what you’re going to do for the holidays will help and that it is okay to pick and choose. You don’t need to go to every holiday party – and you certainly don’t have to go it alone.

“It’s okay to ask for help if you get overwhelmed,” Paula continues. "Ask a friend to help maybe with cookie baking so you’ll have some. Have a friend pick-up dry cleaning. Or have someone else bake the pies for dinner so you can be with family members and not be preoccupied with chores the whole time.”

Finally, consider a loss a time for new traditions. Honor the one you’ve lost by sharing sentiments and other good thoughts. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to “handle” the holidays. Lean on those you can trust for support and ask for help when necessary.

Do you have tips on dealing with grief or loss during the holiday season?

After surgery, injury or even illness, we all need time to recover. The Bethany Rehabilitation Center (BRC) provides short-term nursing care and therapy for individuals who aren't ready to return home from the hospital following an injury, illness or surgery. The BRC is renowned for caring for persons after hip or knee replacement surgery. If you know you’re having a hip or knee replacement, you can plan ahead for your post-hospitalization stay.

If you need to find a rehabilitation facility for yourself – or a loved one – there are some important things to consider. The facility you choose should have specialists, such as physical and occupational therapists and dedicated nurses. Also, you may want to consider a rehabilitation facility that is part of a larger continuum of care. Bethany Village is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) that provides residential choices like apartments and cottages as well as various healthcare services, from assisted living to state-of-the-art memory support. You may require different levels of care following your surgery or illness.

Choosing a community like Bethany means not moving around and having ample opportunities for learning, fitness and making friends. Admissions to Bethany Rehabilitation Center are accepted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The center is certified by Medicare and Medicaid, and Bethany Village is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities—Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CARF-- CCAC).

Approximately 25 individuals comprise a team specializing in physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Therapy is offered seven days a week in one of two specialized therapy gymnasiums. Moreover, the Bethany Rehabilitation Center provides services within the highly acclaimed Linden House. Private rooms feature private baths and many overlook gardens and waterscapes to promote relaxation and healing.

For more information call 937-436-6846.

The holiday season is upon us. For most of us, this means trying to find the perfect gifts for all the important people in our lives. What usually starts out innocently enough usually ends in frustration, arms thrown high in the air with an audible sigh.

Before you give up before you start, we’ve collected some great gift ideas for all the seniors in your life. If you’re worried about buying for a senior that has recently downsized or maybe isn’t as mobile as in the past, take heart - the perfect gift does exist! Check out our list of gift ideas below.


 

1. Hire a maid.

Seriously, hiring a cleaning service is a gift that any of us would love to receive! Having someone else do the cleaning is a great, practical gift that frees up time and lets the gift receiver feel pampered. Plus, a clean house is much more calming than a dirty one.

2. Give a Jitterbug cell phone.

Want to stay in touch with grandpa but he refuses to learn how to use an iPhone? Don’t fret. Jitterbug phones are made for older adults: the keypad is larger and there’s no insane gadgetry or applications to learn. Seriously…this cell phone is really just a phone!

3. Netflix.

Movies are a hit with people of all ages. Even better if someone else is paying price of admission! With Netflix, movies come at the user's leisure: simply watch and return when ready, then select another DVD.

4. Wii Consoles

Want to keep your parents active past 60? 70? 80? The Wii gets everyone in the family moving thanks to low-impact, high excitement games and fitness courses. Wii bowling is wildly popular on the Bethany Village campus. All Wii fitness games promote movement and circulation – without having to leave the comfort of home. Such games are exceptionally good in cold winter areas where walking outside could be dangerous because of snow and ice.

5. Coffee. And a Keurig machine, too.

Keurig machines are great for all coffee lovers, but especially for those who live alone or who maybe don’t drink a lot of the caffeinated stuff anymore. With a Keurig machine, coffee is brewed one cup at a time – courtesy of the Keurig K-cups. K-cups come in all flavors and can be purchased just about anywhere. Hot chocolate and teas are also available.

6. Puzzles.

Puzzles help keep the mind alert and can provide hours of activity. Giving a few puzzles means your gift recipient can share with others – and perhaps make a new friend in the process.

If you’re looking for more ideas, you might check here or at Wellhaven. Do you have any ideas of your own? Please let us know in the comments section below.

If you hate to move, you’re not alone. In fact, the thought of moving can often act as a deterrent from people making the decision to move to a continuing care retirement community like Bethany Village.

"Downsizing is always the biggest part -- and fear -- of the move because the majority of our residents have lived in their home for 20 or more years," says Bethany Village move-in coordinator April Shank.

April has a unique job at Bethany: she gets to meet every new indepedent living resident before they actually move into their cottage, villa or apartment on campus! She helps with the transition and makes moving to Bethany more manageable. She can provide information about moving companies and even help future residents determine which furniture to bring to campus.

"I will visit them at their place to look at their furniture and help them determine what might work," continues April. "We will even measure current pieces and sometimes discuss new furniture." Being able to arrange their new environment -- make it their home -- also gives them a certain peace of mind.

Not everyone coming to Bethany is from Dayton or even Ohio. It’s not uncommon for new residents to come from a neighboring state or across the country. April assists residents with moves both large and small and provides info packets with partner companies worldwide. Before moving day arrives, April ensures all details are ready like carpeting, paint or other upgrades. On moving day, April is on hand to help with last minute details. If something needs fixed, she contacts maintenance immediately. Plus, her presence helps new residents feel at ease. She makes sure new residents know their way around campus and gets them settled.

All of April’s services are free to incoming residents.

Interested in Bethany Village? Call 937-436-6850 to schedule an appointment with a senior living counselor. Or, take our virtual tour before calling!

Bethany Village is remodeling! Some of our popular cottages are receiving a facelift. The remodeled cottages are now known as the Contemporary Cottages of Bethany.

The Contemporary Cottages of Bethany feature an open floor plan with kitchen islands overlooking the dining and living areas. Amenities include granite islands and maple cabinetry in kitchens; master bedroom suites with walk-in closet and bath; guest suites and wood plank laminate flooring in the kitchen and foyer. Upgrade packages are available as are sunrooms. Not all cottages will be remodeled and only a few remain. There is special pricing on these remodeled homes – but only for a limited time.

If you’re worried about downsizing, our personal moving assistance program can help. A specially trained move-in coordinator will help you get on track, prioritize your most prized possessions and give advice during the downsizing process.

All residents enjoy the security, flexibility and fun that comes with being a member of the Bethany community. You can enjoy a vibrant lifestyle with the built-in security of a full continuum of healthcare services should your needs change in the future.

 Learn more about Bethany Village by visiting us online or by calling 937-436-6850.

Bethany Village is located just north of the intersection of Interstate 675 and Far Hills Avenue in Centerville, 10 miles south of Dayton, Ohio.
Click here for a map or for Mapquest directions.
 

Trying anything new is terrifying, isn’t it? Sometimes change is forced on us and sometimes we’re lucky enough to make proactive choices about life before events are hoisted upon us.

I’m new to Bethany Village and the Graceworks organization. I work in the marketing department and I get to write a lot of interesting content. Sometimes I get to meet residents and learn about their lives.

If you would have asked me a year ago if I’d be working at a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Dayton, Ohio, I’d have laughed and shook my head "no." After all, I had a corporate PR job and things were humming along fine. Then the economy collapsed and just like millions of other Americans, I was without a job.

I suppose my "move" to Bethany Village can somehow parallel a retiree’s decision to transition to our community. After all, retirement is a whole new phase of life and for many people, the options are endless. Should you stay in your home or move somewhere exotic? Move near children or downsize and travel nonstop? What if you want to stay close to where you’ve always lived but are done with the endless household chores? Asking yourself many questions can help you make a decision about where you would like to live during retirement… but the honest truth is that pretty much all change is scary.

I didn’t know what to expect, showing up to work on my first day at Bethany Village. After all, this was completely new for me and I didn’t personally know anyone who lived at Bethany. I didn’t know any of the employees and I’ve never done anything remotely close to human services…so some of the regulations and training classes made me nervous. Yet, a month later, it all sort of makes sense. Everything fits and people are very nice and helpful.

Moving is both scary and exciting, even if it’s planned way in advance. After all, you might be leaving possessions and good neighbors behind. I was sad about leaving my old job because I didn’t want to leave my friends. I realized soon after my last day at my old company that those friends weren’t going anywhere. Good friends always stick together, no matter what. Just like good neighbors.

So, if you’re lucky enough to be in retirement and considering a move, you might consider Bethany when checking out places to live. You might find you move next door to the friend of a lifetime in the process. It all starts with change and you can remain completely independent.  

Do you know someone who recently moved to a Continuing Care Retirement Community? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.