By Rick Banas of assisted living and senior living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
Brian N Minton of BMA and I spoke yesterday on The Wonderful World of Blogs, Videos and E-Newsletters in the Successful Marketing of assisted living and senior living communities at the 2013 Annual Meeting of Life Services Network (LSN).
LSN is the largest eldercare association in Illinois and the Illinois state affiliate of Leading Age and the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA).
As part of our presentation, we highlighted Ten Tips for Better Blogging based on our experience and what we have learned from others.
This was a headline for a Blog about an educational program that was conducted at the Bridle Brook of Mahomet assisted living and memory care community in Champaign County. Professional Arthur Kramer from the University of Illinois spoke on his research into the benefits of physical activity for older adults. He noted that if we have a pill that provided all of the benefits that exercise provides in enhancing the health of our brain, we take it in a minute and pay good money for it.
This Blog focused on an emotional presentation by Julie Papievis at the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community in Batavia, Illinois. Julie was critically injured in a car accident as she was pulling out of a shopping center parking lot in the western suburbs of Chicago. Doctors pegged her chances of survival at 4%; if she did somehow manage to survive, it would be in a vegetative state. Just six years later, Julie ran a 5K and has since competed in an indoor triathlon.
2) Focus on “What’s In It for the Reader”
The approach to branding in the Social Media is different than branding in print, radio and television.
As Time Sanders, CEO of Net Minds, noted in a Chase Business Insight webinar in January, “you build your brand by providing information and solving problems, not by talking about your brand.”
3) Write from Your Point of View
Writing a Blog is much like writing a column for a newspaper. Write it from your point of few. For instance, in a Blog titled “Calling Assisted Living an “Acute Care Setting” Is Just Plain Wrong” I provided my opinion about a story that was posted in the Washington Times.
4) Use a Conversational Style
For instance, I started a Blog that we posted last week on “Can Assisted Living Prevent Premature Death with “with my years of experience in assisted and senior living, an article recently posted on the Medical News Today website really has me thinking.”
In a Blog on Assisted Living Residents Join the Harlem Shake Craze provides an example of how you can use video. <blog>
7) Post Regularly
We post once a week, occasionally more often if we have the time and a topic of value.
8) Link to Others
If your Blog highlights an educational program conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association, include a link to the Alzheimer’s Association’s website in your Blog.
By Rick Banas of assisted and senior living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
With my years of experience in assisted and senior living, an article recently posted on the Medical News Today website really has me thinking.
The article <link> is about research that ties social isolation to shorter lifespans in older adults.
One of the surprising results, the article notes, is that even people who are happy being alone are more likely to die prematurely if they don’t have enough social interactions with other humans.
One of the biggest benefits of living in an assisted living community is all of the opportunities that are available for residents to socialize with others.
Instead of eating alone in front of a television, older adults in assisted living communities are dining with other residents.
They can gather with other residents in a lounge area to watch a movie, a ball game or their favorite television shows.
They can join others for exercise programs. Our Heritage Woods of DeKalb community, for instance, offers Tai Chi on Thursdays; Heritage Woods of Centralia has Yoga on Wednesdays; John Evans Supportive Living in Pekin hosts a “Move Those Joints” program three times a week. Residents of Bridle Brook in Champaign County can stay active with a Walking Club in the indoor comfort of their assisted living and memory care community.
They can participate with other residents in the activities and special events offered by the community.
Wii Bowling has become a very popular activity, with the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition (AALC) hosting an annual statewide Wii Bowling Tournament. This year, nearly 80 teams of residents from affordable assisted living communities in Illinois entered the competition, which will culminate with the top teams bowling against each other in a Final Four on May 14 and 15 in Decatur, Illinois.
This year, the AALC also is hosting a statewide Spelling Bee. More than 100 teams of residents entered the competition, with 12 teams qualifying to compete in the Spelling Finals in Decatur on May 14 and 15. The most frequently used words in the Scripps National Spelling Bee will be used.
Other recent and upcoming programs at the communities BMA manages include:
Laughter Yoga
Mother’s Day Celebrations and Memorial Day Tributes
Fashion Shows with residents and staff modeling the clothing
BBQs, Ice Cream Socials and Happy Hours
Senior Proms
Hawaiian Luaus
Musical entertainment and health education programs
Residents can participate no matter what the weather.
With this in mind, isn’t it possible that assisted living can help prevent premature death among seniors?
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.”
By Rick Banas of senior living and assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
For seniors, inactivity can be risky.
Taking it easy can lead to a loss of independence and to more visits to your doctor, more stays in the hospital, and more medications, says the National Institutes for Health (NIH).
Older adults tend to lose their ability to do things on their own not simply because they are growing older, but because they have become less physically active, notes an NIH article on the benefits of exercise.
Making regular physical activity part of your daily life is one of the best steps you can take to maintain your independence. In addition, it is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being.
In a recent presentation at the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community that BMA manages in McLeansboro, Illinois, Jennifer Hawkins of NovaCare Rehabilitation talked about the most common causes of decreased physical activity in seniors.
These include osteoarthritis, balance disorders, fear of falling, depression and insomnia.
Osteoarthritis affects 43 million people and is the leading cause of disability in the United States, Jennifer said. “Exercise is the key to treating this disease,” yet is “under prescribed.” Pharmaceutical treatment tends to be “the most common method of managing the symptoms,” she added.
On average, one in three people in the United States over the age of 65 fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of injury, hospital admissions for trauma, and death due to injury among older adults, Hawkins said.
There are many reasons for poor balance among older adults, including the lack of physical activity due to a fear of falling. Physical therapy that incorporates balance exercises is the cornerstone in treating many of the causes, said Hawkins.
Anxiety and depression among older adults often is under diagnosed and under treated. The symptoms can impact the ability of older adults to enjoy life and can lead to a disability and loss of independence.
Insomnia is one of the most common complaints among seniors. It can cause “decreased feelings of social well-being” and can affect one’s ability to concentrate, said Hawkins.
Exercise can also help with diabetes, glaucoma, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and colorectal cancer.
If you have any of these conditions or symptoms, you should contact your doctor and ask if exercise is appropriate for you, says Hawkins. When you exercise, oxygen will run through your blood better. You’ll be in a better mood. It will help you sleep better. And, you’ll feel better.
To stay active, the best thing you can do is to stay active.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
By Rick Banas of senior living and assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
Everything was in the pink as assisted living resident Louise Donley celebrated her 100th Birthday earlier this week.
Louise, who was born in Danville, Illinois, has been a resident of our Bowman Estates of Danville affordable assisted living community for the past 3½ years.
She attributes her longevity to, “hard work and the Good Lord being on my side.”
She and her husband farmed and raised four children.
Living out on a farm, she says that the biggest change she has witnessed in her lifetime was the introduction of electricity. Lights made it so much easier for us to see, and appliances such as washing machines became available. Now, it is all of the computer technology.
The day before she turned 100, her family held an open house that was attended by 130 relatives and friends.
On her birthday, she went out to Red Lobster for a “whole plate full of shrimp” before attending the party held in her honor at Bowman Estates.
With pink being Louise’s favorite color, the serving table was decorated with a vase of pink roses, a bowl of pink punch, a sheet cake decorated with pink flowers and Birthday Wishes written in pink.
Of course, Louise wore a pink outfit.
Displayed outside on a table outside the Dining Room was a poster created by Louise’s daughter, Betty Plotner. Using a combination of candy and gum wrappers and words, Betty expressed Happy Birthday wishes to Louise – “Our Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Friend.” Of course, Betty used pink poster board.
Here is what Betty wrote (with the Candy & Gum Wrappers reflected in Bold)
Five Skor’s ago, today, March 4, 1913
Way beyond the Milky Way,
there was a little Sweet Tart born
and Baby Louise, not Baby Ruth, was to be your name.
In your parent’s eye, you were worth a 100 Grand,
& you will hear no Snickers from us,
for we all agree you are worth that much, plus Smores!
Yes, today is your Special day
& there is no one worth a Bit-O-Honey more than you,
Our Mother and our friend!
We wanted to take you to New York
Because you have never been,
But the Extra cash slipped through out Butterfingers
and our Pay Day is yet to come.
So on this, your 100th Birthday
Go ahead Take Five and rest,
For it’s been a Whopper of a day
But we hope it’s been your best!
And we wish you Mounds of Almond Joy
As you Zero in on this day, The BIG 100.
We pray your joints don’t Crunch Crisp and Krackle
And that you enjoy a NutRageous day and year
Filled with lots of Good & Plenty of love and joy.
Dots of Love, Hugs & Kisses
from all the M&Ms & Tootsie Rolls in Your Life.
‘Live your life as The Lord sends it.’ – Louise Donley
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.”
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 
