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BMA Blog |
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Touching Lives · Providing Dignified Lifestyles
Posts Tagged ‘aalc’
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
By Rick Banas of assisted living and senior living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
The nine teams of residents from affordable assisted living communities in northern Illinois were gathered together at the Manteno Golf Club in Manteno, Illinois.
They were joined by Arlene Allen and Ann Atkinson. Arlene grew up in Jo Davies County, Illinois, where she attended school in a one-room schoolhouse for seven years. She taught school in the Kankakee area for 38 years. Ann taught kindergarten in Quincy, Massachusetts and Bourbonnais, Illinois, and worked for 22 years in the Graduate School at Olivet Nazarene University.
Anne and Arlene were there to serve as judges for the Illinois Supportive Living Spelling Bee Regional Finals for the North Region. The competition is being sponsored by the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition (AALC), an organization that represents affordable assisted living communities that operate through the Illinois Supportive Living program.
The program enables older adults and adults with physical disabilities of all incomes, including those on Medicaid, to live in a residential-apartment home environment and receive personal assistance, help with medications, and services such as meals, housekeeping and laundry.
Also there to help as assistant judges were six students from Manteno Middle School. Nora Crockett, Taylor Gilliam, Caitlin Godsey, Colin Smith, Olzea Smolinski and Cassidy St. Peter are all members of the school’s Spelling Bee team. They were joined by the school’s Spelling Bee team’s sponsor Erica Lehrus.
More than 100 teams of residents from communities located throughout Illinois had entered the Spelling Bee, with nine teams qualifying for the regional finals in the North Region.
Standard spelling bee rules were followed, with judges giving the team a word to spell. The team had two minutes to work together to agree on a spelling. They could ask the judge to repeat the word, for the definition and for the word to be used in a sentence. One member of the team needed to correctly spell the word for the judges. One wrong letter and the team was out.
The Gold Medal winners was the team from Heritage Woods of Rockford, with Heritage Woods of Manteno coming in second, and Victory Center of Joliet finishing in third.
All three teams qualified for the Spelling Bee Finals, which will be held on May 14 and 15 at the Decatur Hotel and Conference Center in Decatur, Illinois. The most frequently used words in the Scripps national Spelling Bee will be used.
They will be competing against the teams that qualified in the Cook County, Central and Southern Divisions.
Cook County
Eden Supportive Living of Chicago
Victory Centre of Bartlett
Victory Centre of River Woods
Central Division
Springfield Supportive Living
Mary Bryant Home in Springfield
Heritage Woods of Charleston
South Division
Prairie Living at Chautauqua
Cambridge House of Maryville
Cambridge House of Swansea
Dorie Johnson, one of the members of the winning team from Heritage Woods of Rockford, mentioned that winning the regional title and qualifying for the state finals was an early birthday present. She is celebrating her 90th Birthday today. Like judge Arlene Allen, she grew up in Jo Davies County.
Dorie’s teammate, Nita Mahan, will be 85 on June 26. She started her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse and then taught second and third grades.
When Dorie and Nita returned home to Heritage Woods of Rockford from the competition in Manteno last Thursday, they were honored by residents and staff with a victory celebration and a banner congratulated them on victory.
Spectators are welcome to attend the Spelling Bee Finals next month in Decatur. We hope to see you there.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
Tags: aalc, affordable assisted living, Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, assisted living in Illinois, bma, Cambridge House of Maryville, Cambridge House of Swansea, Eden Supportive Living of Chicago, Heritage Woods of Charleston, Heritage Woods of Manteno, Heritage Woods of Rockford, Illinois Supportive Living Program, Illinois Supportive Living Spelling Bee Regional Finals, Manteno Golf Club, Mary Bryant Home in Springfield, Prairie Living at Chautauqua, Spelling Bee, Springfield Supportive Living, supportive living, Victory Center of Joliet, Victory Centre of Bartlett, Victory Centre of River Woods
Posted in BMA Management | No Comments »
Thursday, April 11th, 2013
By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
Thirty-two teams of residents from affordable assisted living communities located throughout the State of Illinois have qualified for the playoffs in the 2013 Affordable Assisted Living Coalition’s 2013 Wii Bowling Tournament.
All of the communities are certified to operate through the Illinois Supportive Living program and either serve older adults or adults with physical disabilities who need some help to maintain their independence.
The teams earned the right to participate in the playoffs by posting the highest scores in their divisions after seven weeks of bowling.
Nearly 80 teams had entered the tournament.
The playoffs will culminate in a Final Four competition May 14 and 15 at the Decatur Conference Center in Decatur, Illinois.
Last year, teams from Cambridge House of Maryville, Glenhaven Gardens in Alton, Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook and Prairie Living in Carbondale bowled in the Final Four. The Gardeners from Glenhaven took home the First Place trophy for the second year in a row, and Oy Vey! from Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook took Second Place.
Teams from the following communities qualified for the playoffs this year:
Cambridge House of Maryville
Cambridge House of O’Fallon (two teams)
Castle Manor in Lincoln
Eagle Ridge of Decatur
Eastgate Manor in Algonquin
Eden Supportive Living in Chicago (two teams)
Eden Supportive Living in North Chicago
Evergreen Place in Streator
Glenhaven Gardens of Alton (two teams)
Glenwood in Staunton
Heritage Woods of Aledo
Heritage Woods of Batavia
Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook (two teams)
Heritage Woods of Centralia
Heritage Woods of Charleston
Heritage Woods of DeKalb
Heritage Woods of Manteno
Heritage Woods of McHenry
Heritage Woods of Moline
Heritage Woods of Mt. Vernon
Heritage Woods of Plainfield
Heritage Woods of Watseka
Heritage Woods of Yorkville
Manor at Craig Farms in Chester
Mary Bryant Home in Springfield
Morraine Court in Bridgeview
Springfield Supportive Living (two teams)
Who are you cheering for to make the Final Four?
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
Tags: aalc, Affordable Assisted Living Coalition’s 2013 Wii Bowling Tournament, Affordable Assisted Living Community, assisted living in Illinois, Decatur Conference Center, Heritage Woods, Illinois, senior, Supportive Living Program, Wii Bowling, Wii Bowling Tournament
Posted in Assisted Living Event, BMA Management | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 13th, 2013
By Rick Banas of senior living and assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
 If you think assisted living residents do nothing but sit around and play BINGO, you should have been at the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community that we manage in Manteno, Illinois, this past Friday afternoon.
For the second year in a row, residents on the community’s Wii bowling team smoked firefighters and paramedics with the Manteno Fire Protection District during an annual Wii Bowling Challenge.
In fact, the members of the Acorns did themselves one better in this year’s competition. Last year, they beat the firefighters by a combined total of 225 pins, or an average of 37.5 pins per bowler per game. This year, they won by a combined total of 226 pins.
Resident Helen Wotring, who is 86 years young, had the high game, tossing a 236. Her game included a turkey and a four bagger.
“I like to show off,” Helen told those who were gathered in the dining room at Heritage Woods to cheer on the bowlers. It only took a couple of thousand games to be able to do this, she said.
“You have every right to be bragging,” Mary Robbins of the Fire Protection told Helen.
Scott Spanos rolled the high game for the Fire Protection District, tossing a 167.
Wii Bowling is an activity that has become very popular at the assisted living communities that BMA manages.
We have 44 teams of residents entered into the 2013 Supportive Living Wii Bowling Championship sponsored by the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition (AALC).
AALC represents affordble assisted living communities located throughout Illinois that operate through the state’s Supportive Living program. The program enables the communities to serve older adults and adults with physical disabilities of all incomes, including those on Medicaid.
The 4th Annual Supportive Living Wii Championship will culminate with a Final Four competition to be held on May 14 and 15 at the Decatur Conference Center & Hotel in Decatur, Illinois.
Last year, three of teams competing in the Final Four were from BMA communities.
The Oy Vey! team of residents from Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook brought home the Second Place trophy. Team member Michael Malina had the high game in the Final Four competition. He rolled a 279 in the semi-finals. In addition, team member Manny Shellist was recognized for being the oldest bowler ever to compete in an AALC Wii bowling Final Four. Manny, who turned 101 not long after the Final Four, averaged 176.
The Prairie Pins from Prairie Living at Chautauqua in Carbondale finished in Third Place.
For the Silver Sliders from Cambridge House of Maryville, qualifying for the Final Four was old hat. It was the third year in a row that the team from the community in the St. Louis Metro East area were among the four best teams in the state. In 2010, the Silver Sliders struck gold and brought home the First Place trophy.
For those of you who might be interested, we invite you to watch the 4th Annual Wii Bowling Championship Final Four live in Decatur. If you cannot make it, live streaming on the Internet will be available.
We will be sure to keep your informed.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
Tags: 2013 Supportive Living Wii Bowling Championship, 4th Annual Supportive Living Wii Championship, aalc, Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, assisted living, bma, Cambridge House of Maryville, Decatur Conference Center & Hotel, FIrefighters, Helen Wotring, Heritage Woods, Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook, Heritage Woods of Manteno, Mary Robbins, Paramedics, Prairie Living at Chautauqua, Scott Spanos, senior living, Wii Bowling, Wii Bowling Challenge
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Thursday, May 24th, 2012
By Wayne Smallwood of the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition (AALC)
Last month, Supportive Living communities from throughout the State of Illinois joined together to celebrate Supportive Living Week 2012.
Out 5th Annual Supportive Living Celebration provided a special opportunity to salute the Illinois Supportive Living program as the best program for affordable assisted living in the country and a model for other states to follow.
 Our theme this year was “Taking the Mystery Out of Supportive Living.” Our focus was on showing why Supportive Living is the obvious solution for seniors and adults with disabilities seeking an affordable residential style of living with the availability of personal assistance and support services.
Residents, their families, and the State of Illinois all benefit from the program.
Residents benefit from a program that emphasizes personal choice, dignity, privacy and individuality. They enjoy a wonderful alternative to a nursing home or to struggling alone at home.
Families enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that a loved one is receiving the help with medications and personal assistance they need while living in a wonderful residential environment.
The State of Illinois and taxpayers benefit because the cost to the State of a person receiving financial support from Medicaid is 40% less in Supportive Living than it would be if the person were in a nursing home.
Since the first Supportive Living community began operating in the fall of 1999, the Supportive Living program has grown significantly. Today, there are 136 Supportive Living communities in operation in more than 70 Counties. Together, these communities house more than 10,500 apartments. To help celebrate Supportive Living Week 2012, the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition sponsored several programs:
SLFs Got Talent
Residents from more than 45 Supportive Living communities participated in our 2012 SLFs Got Talent contest.
A panel of judges narrowed the field down to 25 and then popular voting was used to help determine the “Top Ten”. The “Top Ten” performed live in Springfield, with representatives from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services serving as judges. First Place
Dave “Twinky” Stewart of Friedman Place in Chicago for his rendition on the piano of a song that he wrote.
Second Place
Warren Lane of Courtyard Estates of Sullivan for his piano and vocal performance of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
Third Place
Rhonda Martin of Eden Supportive Living in Chicago for her vocal rendition of “King of the Road.”
Fourth Place
Marjorie Conrad of Springfield Supportive Living for her vocal and dance performance of “Kansas City.”
The other Top Ten winners who performed live in Springfield were:
Flora Morgan of Cambridge House of Maryville singing “God Bless the USA”
Fran Henke of Glenhaven Gardens singing “Unto These Hills”
Irma Sands of Evergreen Village in Normal playing the “12th Street Rag” on the piano
A “Harmonica Medley” by Ray “Budzo” Soltis of Evergreen Place in Streator
Ted Kraft of Eagle Ridge of Decatur singing “Besame Mucho”
A performance of Peggy Lee’s “Fever” by Eleanor Coppola, Virginia Jankowksi, Marilyn Johnson, Vera Mitchell, James Wiener and Mary and Carmen Siciliano of Heritage Woods of Batavia.
Testimonial Contest Link
Our 2012 Testimonial Contest featured testimonials submitted by residents of Supportive Living communities.
First Place
Edward and Mary Jane Marrs of Heritage Woods of Yorkville
Second Place
Ora Mae Goodrich of Springfield Supportive Living
Third Place
Patricia Black of Heritage Woods of Chicago
Honorable Mentions
Mildred Cast of River to River in Marion
Mary Hawkins of Heritage Woods of Flora
Frances Henke of Glenhaven Gardens of Alton
Mary Lois McCarnes of Legacy Estates of Monmouth
Wii Bowling Tournament
More than 70 teams of residents in Supportive Living communities throughout the State participated in our 3rd Annual Wii Bowling Tournament.
The tournament culminated with a “Final Four” at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield, Illinois. First Place
For the second year in a row, the Glenhaven Gardeners from Glenhaven Gardens in Alton took home the First Place Trophy. Team member Edna Mobley was recognized for having the highest average of all bowlers in the Final Four competition. Her average per game score was 246.
Team Members:
Frank Bosoluke • Peggy Brown • Shirley Kane
Carol Kuhlman • Edna Mobley
Second Place
Oy Vey! From Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook finished in Second Place. Team member Michael Malina was honored for bowling the High Game in the Final Four, bowling a 279 in the Semi-Finals. Team member Manny Shellist was recognized for being the oldest resident to have bowled in an AALC Final Four. Many is 100 years of age.
Team Members:
Salvatore Armenia • Dorothy Green • Frances Heagy
Michael Malina • Joan Schmitz • Manny Shellist
Third Place
The Prairie Pins from Prairie Living at Chautauqua in Carbondale secured the Third Place trophy be defeating the team from Cambridge House of Maryville by seven pins.
Team Members:
Alla Boyer • Carol Evans • Chris Garden
Sharon Hawkins • Bridget Watson • Arline White
Fourth Place
For the second year in a row, the Silver Sliders from Cambridge House of Maryville finished in Fourth Place. The team won the inaugural tournament in 2010.
Team Members:
Betty Mahan • Gladys Nasif • P.J. Weihl
Photo Contest Link
Our 2012 Photo Contest featured photos submitted by Supportive Living communities.
First Place
“Wind in Your Sails” by Eden Supportive Living (Image Right)
Second Place
“Enjoying the Barn Dance” by Heritage Woods of Sterling
Third Place
“Academy Awards” by Magnolia Terrace in Waterloo
Honorable Mentions
“Barn Dance” by Heritage Woods of Sterling
“Everyone Enjoy a Little Pet” by Evergreen Village of Normal
“Horseback Riding” by Pathway Senior Living
“Joy & Happiness of Supportive Living” by Heritage Woods of DeKalb
“Planting Flowers” by Heritage Woods of Flora
“Tractor” by Heritage Woods of Batavia
“Watch Out Below” by Evergreen Place of Litchfield
“Advocating in Springfield”
Residents and staff from Supportive Living communities travelled to our State Capitol in Springfield to advocate for Supportive Living. During their visit, they met with Gov. Patrick Quinn to express their concerns over proposed cuts to Medicaid that would have a major negative impact on the Supportive Living program. Our thanks to Wayne Smallwood – Executive Director of the AALC – for contributing this guest blog.
Tags: aalc, affordable assisted living, Cambridge House of Maryville, Courtyard Estates of Sullivan, Eagle Ridge of Decatur, Eden Supportive Living, Evergreen Place in Streator, Evergreen Place of Litchfield, Evergreen Village of Normal, Friedman Place in Chicago, Glenhaven Gardens in Alton, Gov. Patrick Quinn, Heritage Woods of Batavia, Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook, Heritage Woods of Chicago, Heritage Woods of DeKalb, Heritage Woods of Flora, Heritage Woods of Sterling, Heritage Woods of Yorkville, Legacy Estates of Monmouth, Magnolia Terrace in Waterloo, Pathway Senior Living, Prairie Living at Chautauqua, River to River in Marion, Springfield Supportive Living, supportive living, Supportive Living Week 2012, Taking the Mystery Out of Supportive Living, The BMA Blog, Wayne Smallwood
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Thursday, May 10th, 2012
By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
Oh, how the residents of Heritage Woods of Moline enjoyed the “Remember When Fashion Show.” The smiles, the laughs, the applause, the hooting and hollering.
The Move-In Coordinator parading around the Dining Room in a black Flapper Dress trimmed with gold braiding.
The Director of Maintenance coolly playing a Greaser,
The Administrator dressed as June Cleaver, offering up freshly baked cookies. These are just a few of the highlights of the show, which was part of the community’s celebration of Supportive Living Week 2012.
Sponsored by the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, Supportive Living Week is designed to bring attention to the Illinois Supportive Living program. The program provides a cost-effective solution to older adults and adults with physical disabilities who can benefit from an affordable residential style of living with the availability of personal assistance and support services.
Residents of Supportive Living communities such as Heritage Woods of Moline also benefit from the opportunity to socialize and enjoy programs such as the “Remember When Fashion Show.”
Staff members did the research and tracked down examples of what was worn. They shared the information and modeled the fashions to the delight of residents.
1910s
When it came to fashion, women were beginning to think more of comfort than fashion, although many quickly fell for the “ hobble skirt,” which was so tight around the ankles that moving quickly was impossible.
Fabrics became lighter, colors were brighter and styles were looser. Lowered necklines became popular, and sales of cold cream and lemon extract escalated. The Tea Gown was worn at home, and the sack, sheath oriental costumes, harem trousers and the Hellenic tunic were all introduced. Head gear was worn and was very costumary.
 When World War 1 – the first war to end all wars – began, fashion design came to a standstill and “Made in America” was in style.
Also during the decade, new materials and technologies made colors more available. The suffragettes focused on more comfortable fashion, with lots of pockets. And, hemlines began to inch up – to show the ankles. 1920s
 The Flapper dress is the most iconic outfit of the Roaring 20s.
Marked by its tight fit and knee-high length, the Flapper Dress was emblematic of the entire Jazz Age. A woman showing the skin of her legs in public would have been a case for scandal in prior decades, but in the 1920s society was changing and fashion changed along with it.
The narrow and straight style of the Flapper Dress gave women an adolescent look. The term Flapper, however, is open to debate. Some folks say that it was used to describe a young woman (bird) just learning to fly while others used the term to describe a woman of the night. 1950s
When it comes to fashion, two distinctly different television characters come to mind.
June Cleaver was a principal character in the sitcom Leave It to Beaver. June was very ladylike and slightly formal in appearance. She was notorious for consistently being dressed as a part hostess, even when doing her housework or relaxing around the house. She wore a pearl necklace in almost every scene, even when gardening.
 The sitcom Happy Days featured Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli. The Fonz portrayed the Greaser, an iconic symbol of rebellion and pure coolness.
The Greaser sported a plain white cotton t-shirt and a pair of tight blue jeans. The shirt was never ducked in daddy-o. A leather jacket with the collar flipped up said “your crusin for a brusin” if you mess with this cat.
Having a comb in hand to slick back a heavily greased up head of hair was essential as was a bandanna to mop up any extra grease.
Smooth black shoes accented the rolled up pair of blue jeans, and a pair of black mirrored shades was the final accent to help convey the coolness of the Greaser. 1960s
Both the fashions and music of the 1960s reflected the counter-cultural revolution that was underway.
In the early 1960s, women wore mini-skirts and leather boots and men wore Paisley shirts and velvet trousers.
In 1966, the age of the Hippie was born and Psychedelic clothes featuring bright colors for both men and women were introduced. Men started to wear their hair longer, and women identified with the Hippie look by wearing longer skirts and dresses known as Maxies. Anything and everything had color, including the body. 1970s
In the 1970s, the influence of the Hippies was mainstreamed into fashions. Men sported shoulder-length hair. Bellbottom pants, hip huggers, colorful patches, hot pants, platform shoes, earth shoes, clogs, t-shirts and gypsy dresses were some of the non-traditional clothing that became the rage.
 Women were wearing everything from ankle-length dresses to hot pants and micro-miniskirts while men were donning leisure suits.
Fashions also were impacted by Woody Allen’s movie “Annie Hall,” which was released in the spring of 1977. The clothing worn by Diane Keaton in the movie started a fashion trend of women wearing traditional men’s clothing. In particular, derby hats, tweed jackets, neckties, and baggy pants or skirts were the rage. 1980s
 The “In Things” in the 1980s included big hair, bright color patterns, mismatched clothing and stone-washed jeans.
Aquanet hairspray helped women keep their ratted up big hair in place for days, and some men joined the big hair trend by sporting a Mullet.
MC Hammer brought us parachute pants, which seemed to come in any color or pattern one could dream up, and Madonna brought us the look of lace, black leather, long pearls and a big hair bow. To view the Remember When Fashion Show
photo gallery, click here.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
   
Tags: 1910s, 1920s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, aalc, Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, Annie Hall, Aquanet Hairspray, assisted living in Illinois, Diane Keaton, Fashion Show, Flapper, Happy Days, Heritage Woods of Moline, Hippie, Hobble Skirt, June Cleaver, Leave it to Beaver, MC Hammer, Psychedelic clothes, Roaring 20s, Supportive Living Program, Supportive Living Week 2012, The Fonz, World War I
Posted in BMA Management | 1 Comment »
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