By Rick Banas of assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
As Veterans Day 2012 nears, I am reminded of two people that I met on Veterans Day last year. Both served our country in World War II and were living at the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community that BMA manages in Moline, Illinois.
Lee Trainor talked with me about where he was when he heard the news about the Bombing of Pearl Harbor and his experience in the war.
He was living in Kansas City and had gone to Hutchinson, Kansas, for a visit. Hutchinson is located on the Arkansas River, nearly 40 miles northwest of Wichita. There was a radio playing on a small table in the lobby of the hotel where he was staying. It stopped playing so he went over to see what was wrong and heard the announcement.
Two weeks later, Lee went into the service of our country at the age of 18. He was in the second wave of Marines to land on Iwo Jima in the battle with the Japanese for this strategic stronghold in 1945. He watched from within a few hundred yards as Marines raised the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi.
He spent nearly six weeks in combat on the island but said he does not remember a single thing from about the third day until the last day of combat. About 4 a.m. that morning, a live mortar landed just two feet away from where he was standing. He reasons that the mortar did not explode because the volcanic soil he was standing in was so soft.
Following his discharge from the service, Lee went to the University of Missouri in Columbia and on to enjoy a career in newspapers and advertising. While working for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, he had the opportunity to cover President Eisenhower at a ranch up in the high country.
Fred Collins was working as a machinist at the Arsenal in Rock Island when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He served as a Fighting Seabee in the South Pacific. He was part of the Battle of Okinawa, which was the largest amphibious invasion of the Pacific campaign and the bloodiest battle in the Pacific War. Reportedly, more people lost their lives in the Battle of Okinawa than in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Fred talked about serving in a fox hole during the battle, with bullets flying and Kamikaze aircraft and mortar shells dropping from the sky. His buddy serving next to him in the fox hole was killed. Fred was awarded a Bronze Star for his service.
All of us at BMA Management and at the senior living, assisted living, supportive living and memory care communities that we manage salute our Veterans.
Here is a listing of some of the activities being hosted by BMA communities to honor our Veterans:
Veterans Breakfast & Flag Ceremony
8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 12
At Heritage Woods of Centralia
Centralia, Illinois
Veterans Day Celebration
With the music of Rick Pickren
3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 12
At Heritage Woods of McHenry
McHenry, Illinois
Heritage Woods of Dwight is providing the opportunity for you to honor individuals who have served our country in the military in a special way. The community is selling luminaries for its Patriotic Luminary Display at a cost of $3 each, with proceeds benefiting the effort to update and beautify the Veterans of Foreign War Memorial in Dwight. You can put the name of the person you would like to honor on the luminary. They community is selling the luminaries between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 9. For more information, call 815-584-9280 or visit online.
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.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are saying this year will be one of the worst years we ever had for the flu, Lori Johnson, R.N., told those attending the “Preventing the Flu” informational program she conducted last week at the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community that we manage in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
Lori, who has been a Registered Nurse for 25 years, is with Regional Home Health Crossroads in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
The flu season usually begins in October and can last through the end of May, says the CDC.
There are things you can do to help reduce your risk of contracting the seasonal influenza virus and things you should do if you get the flu, Lori said.
Signs of the Flu
Just because you are not vomiting, does not mean you do not have the flu, Lori cautioned.
Symptoms of the flu include diarrhea, gas, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, abdominal pain and cramps, fever, feeling tired or weak. Headaches and muscle aches may also accompany these symptoms.
Things You Can Do To Reduce Your Risk
Since flu viruses can travel through the air, coming into close contact with a person or animal infected with the flu virus increases your risk of getting the flu.
Avoid close contact with someone who has the flu.
Do not drink from the same glass or share clothes or linens.
Encourage everyone if your house to wash their hands with soap and water after they use the bathroom.
Wash the clothes and towels that you use while you are ill separately from the rest of your laundry.
Clean the surfaces in your homes with antibacterial cleaner or bleach.
Use tissues to blow your nose and throw them away.
Wash your hands before preparing or serving any meals.
Older adults also are strongly encouraged to get the flu shot. The shot, says Lori, may not keep you from getting the flu, but helps with the symptoms. The CDC recommends that you get the shot as soon as possible each year.
What To Do If You Get The Flu
Make sure your stay hydrated. Dehydration is the biggest reason why people end up in hospitals. People do not realize how quickly they can become dehydrated. Dehydration can be life-threatening for people with health problems and for older adults. Without treatment, dehydration can affect your organs. Even if you feel sick or have been vomiting, suck on ice chips or take small sips of clear liquids often. Slowly increase the amount of clear liquids you drink.
When you feel hungry, begin eating foods that are soft and bland such as bananas, clear soups, potatoes and applesauce. Do not have dairy products, alcohol, sugary drinks or drinks with caffeine until you feel better.
Rest as much as possible. When you begin to feel better, slowly start to do more each day.
Seeking Medical Help
Always contact your primary care physician should you have any concerns.
Contact your caregiver or physician if you are not urinating as much as you usually do; you have a fever; you continue to vomit or have diarrhea, even after treatment; or if you mouth or eyes are dry.
If you are living in an assisted living community, do not hesitate to contact the nurse or other staff member.
The flu is a serious contagious disease. Complications can lead to hospitalizations and death. And seniors are among those most at risk for developing serious complications.
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.”
If you want a quick indication of just how important sleep is, think about how refreshed you feel after you get a good night’s sleep.
So noted Kelsey Woodrow, of SSM Home Health, as she talked about the “Benefits of Sleep” at the Heritage Woodsaffordable assisted living community in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
What amazed me was all the different ways sleep benefits us both physically and mentally.
Sleep helps your body to repair itself and stay healthy. It helps reduce stress, improve memory and keep your blood pressure in check. Since sleep helps regulate the hormone that regulates your appetite, sleep helps control body weight. Sleep also helps reduce the risk of developing Type Two diabetes, long-term mood disorders and depression.
Seven to nine hours of sleep daily is recommended, but you can get too much sleep.
The key to getting a good night sleep is to find out what works best for you, Kelsey said.
She provided the following Tips for Better Sleep:
Follow a regular sleep schedule. Have a regular bedtime time and wake up time.
Be smart about napping. Nap in the early afternoon.
Fight after meal drowsiness.
Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
Make sure your bed and bedding are comfortable.
Eat right. Stay away from big meals at night.
Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening.
Exercise. You will sleep more deeply if you exercise on a regular basis.
If you have trouble falling asleep or getting back to sleep, make relaxation rather than sleep your goal.
Kelsey also emphasized the value of creating a relaxing bedtime routine.
The routine of tucking our children into bed and reading them a story before lights out is so common place that Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book has a warning printed on the inside front cover that reads “this book is to be read in bed.” The book is intended to put children to sleep.
The movie offers an offbeat lesson in the benefits of routines in our lives, says Dan Schecter. He certainly does not recommended recurring encounters with groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, but stresses that routine increases the odds for more serene slumber.
I hope this information from Kelsey Woodrow and SSM Home Health is of benefit.
With that Good Night, Sleep Tight, and in light of their recent comeback, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite.
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.”
With the loss of independence being one of the biggest concerns of older adults, we are thrilled that three of our affordable assisted living communities were selected to test the viability of offering special programs for older adults with osteoarthritis and chronic medical conditions.
The Affordable Assisted Living Coalition (AALC), which is based in Springfield, Illinois, secured grant monies from the Federal Stimulus program to enable three communities in the Chicago area to test the award-winning “Fit & Strong” program and six communities in other parts of the state to test the “Live Well, Be Well” program.
The AALC represents 120 Supportive Living communities in Illinois that offer an alternative to nursing home care for older adults and the disabled of all incomes, including those on Medicaid.
The grants enable us evidence-based programs to promote healthy aging by holding exercise and educational classes in supportive living communities for both residents and non-residents, says Wayne Smallwood, Executive Director of AALC.
Our Heritage Woods of South Elgin affordable assisted living community is testing the “Fit & Strong” program, which is designed for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis or arthritis in the lower extremities. Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in older adults and a significant risk factor for future disability.
The eight-week program involves education, exercise and evaluation and has been shown to improve lower extremity stiffness, pain and strength and increase aerobic capacity.
Our Heritage Woods affordable assisted living communities in Flora and Mt. Vernon are testing the “Take Charge of Your Life: Live Well, Be Well” program, which was developed by Stanford University.
The program is designed for those with chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, asthma, lung disease, diabetes, emphysema and Parkinson’s disease.
In the six week program, participants learn about building a more effective relationship with their doctor; dealing with pain, isolation and frustration; and communicating with family and friends. Tips on eating, exercise and medication management also are covered, and participants are provided with a copy of a companion book “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions.”
Our goal is to help seniors care develop healthy lifestyle habits and ultimately live longer and stronger, says Smallwood. Both of these programs have proven to improve the quality of life; reduce disability and injury; improve health; and lower health care costs.
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.”
Fred Collins was working as a machinist at the Arsenal in Rock Island when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He served as a Fighting Seabee in the South Pacific. He was part of the Battle of Okinawa, which was the largest amphibious invasion of the Pacific campaign and the bloodiest battle in the Pacific War. Reportedly, more people lost their lives in the Battle of Okinawa than in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 
By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
