All Posts in "Month: June 2016"

In an ongoing 10-week program, seniors at an assisted-living community in King County are exploring music and the recollections it evokes down the sometimes inaccessible memory lane.

Music Together program is an internationally recognized music program for children from birth through age 7 and the adults who love them. At the core of the program is the concept that creating music aids young minds in their development, a benefit that extends itself to older minds, as well, such as those at the Spiritwood at Pine Lake community in Issaquah.

“The part of the brain that handles music deteriorates remarkably slowly as we age, which is why familiar music stirs up such rich and calming memories for even those suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Tracy Willis, director of corporate development at Village Concepts, which operates Spiritwood. “Some of our non-verbal memory care residents have actually been able to sing along to their favorite songs, remembering past parts of themselves. This new group class will be another meaningful way to engage our residents in memory care.”

Statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association project that by 2050, the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will increase from 5.1 million to 7.1 million. Alzheimer’s, which primarily affects women, is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the association.

The program is “a fantastic avenue for the Spiritwood seniors to create intergenerational music with our students,” said Julie Millar, director of Lake View Music Together. “Research shows that graduates of our class develop socially, cognitively and physically, and we couldn’t be happier to extend some of those same benefits to the residents.”

Founded in 1975, Village Concepts owns and operates residential and assisted living communities throughout Washington, including King and Pierce counties.

 

 

 

 

srmedia by — June 8, 2016 in News

In 2007, Victoria’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Victoria knew to contact the Alzheimer’s Association through the 24/7 Helpline and was connected to the Connections Care Consultant program, which offers resources and suggestions on how to ease the burden and stress of being a caregiver.

After four years of caring for her mother, Victoria found Zumba as an outlet for her stress. She leads a variety of Zumba classes, from chair Zumba to low-impact Zumba. People of all ages, including those living with dementia, frequently attend her classes, and Victoria is able to communicate and engage people of all abilities on a whole new level.

Because of her experience as a caregiver, Victoria wanted to find a way to ensure that more people like her could be helped by the Alzheimer’s Association’s.

“My consultant aided me in coping with emotional issues from every level,” said Victoria. “Because of her invaluable sense of understanding, mediation and resolve, I decided to do whatever I can to ensure the one-on-one Care Consultant program may continue.”

Through The Longest Day, she found the perfect opportunity to give back to programs that helped her.

The Longest Day raises funds to fuel care, support and research that help people like Victoria every day. Held on the longest day of the year, June 20, thousands of people across the globe unite in a sunrise-to sunset event to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those facing Alzheimer’s disease.

Victoria’s team, Dance With Us, hosted four Zumbathon events in the spirit of The Longest Day in 2015. They received a tremendous amount of support from those who have been touched by Alzheimer’s. Victoria knows that there is no way to entirely relieve the burden and stress of caregiving, but says that “by supporting this passion doing what we love best — dancing our Zumba off — we hope to help.”

This year’s Zumbathon will be held on June 25 at the Seattle Filipino Community Center on 3001 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Pre-registration is required, and tickets are on sale.

Whether it is dancing, running, gardening, cooking, or a Zumbathon, anyone can celebrate those facing the disease by gathering a group of friends, co-workers and family members to start a Longest Day team by registering at alz.org/tld.

 

Hailey Thomassen wrote this article for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Dance With Us, a team led by a Zumba instructor, will stage a Zumbathon June 25 in Seattle in support of The Longest Day fund-raiser for the Alzheimer's Association.
Dance With Us, a team led by a Zumba instructor, will stage a Zumbathon June 25 in Seattle in support of The Longest Day fund-raiser for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Contributing Author by — June 8, 2016 in News

Among adults 60 years of age or more, walking is the most common form of leisure-time physical activity because it is self-paced, low-impact and doesn’t require special equipment. And researchers have determined that older adults who combine walking with dog ownership are healthier and happier.

Dog-walking is associated with lower body mass index, fewer doctor visits, more frequent exercise and an increase in social benefits for seniors, according to findings of a study by the University of Missouri.

The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults of all ages should engage in 150 or more minutes of moderate physical activity per week.That was a connection researchrs explored “between dog ownership and pet-bonding with walking and health outcomes in older adults,” said Rebecca Johnson, a professor at the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Sinclair School of Nursing.

The study analyzed 2012 data from the Health and Retirement study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the Social Security Administration. The study included data about human-animal interactions, physical activity, frequency of doctor visits and health outcomes of the participants.

“Our results showed that dog ownership and walking were related to increases in physical health among older adults,” said Johnson, who also serves as director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the university. “These results can be translated into reduced healthcare expenditures for the aging population.”

Results from the study also indicated that people with higher degrees of pet bonding were more likely to walk their dogs and to spend more time walking their dogs each time than those who reported weaker bonds. Additionally, the study showed that pet walking offers a means to socialize with pet owners and others.

Retirement communities also could be encouraged to incorporate more pet-friendly policies such as including dog-walking trails and dog exercise areas so that their residents could have access to the health benefits, Johnson said.

 

According to researchers, people who get exercise by walking their dogs are healthier and happier.
According to researchers, people who get exercise by walking their dogs are healthier and happier.
srmedia by — June 8, 2016 in Spotlight

Dim Sum are oriental appetizers, served as small bites of various meats, vegetables and bean curd in various wrappers and buns, steamed, sometimes fried, served hot and sometimes with dipping sauce.

The Ginger Palace on Tacoma’s Hosmer Street just off I-5 prepares an extensive menu of dim sum on weekends and holidays to enrich their regular menu of tavern cuisine. Some of the dim sum are mysterious, with textures and spices that the average diner doesn’t recognize. Some are familiar, such as chicken wings.

When we visited, there were 36 different items on the dim sum menu. After looking them over and consulting with our server, Amy, we ordered four fried and steamed Chicken Feet at $3.95, since I have seen people eating chicken feet on TV and always wanted to try them. They were very tasty, but the little bones were troublesome. Chiu Chow dumplings were pork and peanut in steamed wrappers and very good, at $3.95. Four bacon shrimp wraps (shrimp wrapped in bacon and grilled) cost $6. Four  Garlic Hawaiian wings were also $6 and also very good. We also ordered four fried plain dough donuts, bland but very crisp at $2.75; four deep-fried sesame seed balls at $2.75 which were sesame-covered dough balls filled with sweetened bean paste; and four steamed Barbecue Pork Buns at $2.75. We also ordered Mini Roast Duck Burgers at $5. These were delicious, with sliced barbecued pork and  green onions on steamed buns.

The food was all freshly cooked, and there was no oily taste which can happen. It came to the table very hot, and even the things that we took home were warm when we got there. One thing that was not up to standards we have come to expect in local restaurants was the state of the dining room and washrooms. It appeared that it had been a rough night, and the cleaning staff had not gotten in yet.  After noon, I expect more.

If you are interested in trying something new and are willing to ask questions, stop by the Ginger Palace and check out the dim sum.  Plenty of parking, and no reservations needed for the large dining room. You will be sure to find something you like.

 

Carolyn Augustine, a freelance restaurant writer, writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene.

Dim sum, an oriental appetizer made from meat, vegetables and bean curd, is available in 36 varieties at Ginger Palace in Tacoma.
Dim sum, an oriental appetizer made from meat, vegetables and bean curd, is available in 36 varieties at Ginger Palace in Tacoma.
Carolyn Augustine by — June 8, 2016 in Food, People