Embracing
Ageless Living p. 2–3
Bridging Generations p. 4–6
Simplify Your Life p. 7
Brain Games p. 8
SPRING/SUMMER 2024 • SOUTHEAST
Azalea Trace— Lonette Bentley
Lonette.Bentley@actslife.org
Edgewater at Boca Pointe— Delia Goldberg
Delia.Goldberg@actslife.org
Indian River Estates— Christi Knight
Christi.Knight@actslife.org
St. Andrews Estates— Camille De Araujo
Camille.DeAraujo@actslife.org
Sheree.Broadhurst@actslife.org
Heart & House is a publication of the Acts Retirement-Life Communities
For Suggestions And Comments HeartHouse@actslife.org
Editorial Group
Lori Woodward
Chief Marketing Officer
Beth Carey
Corporate Director of Brand Management & Development
Kimberly Burke Director of Sales
Lisa Sileo
Marketing Manager
Jill Quirk
Marketing Manager
Contributors For This Issue
Editorial
Lisa Sileo
Design
Lia Calhoun Graphic Design
Acts Resident Photography
John Warner Photography
Pace Branding & Marketing Photography
Production
Beth Carey & Jill Quirk
Acts Mission Statement
Acts is committed to providing security and peace of mind to seniors by being a preeminent provider of retirement-life services, responsive to individual, social, personal, health and spiritual needs in a Christian atmosphere graced with Loving-Kindness, dignity, sensitivity, honesty and respect, without prejudice or preference. Acts Retirement-Life Communities
Washington, PA 19034 www.actsretirement.org
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m too old for this,” or joke to others about having a “senior moment,” it’s time to change your mindset on growing older. Medical experts and researchers warn it’s fundamental for your health—do yourself a favor and think twice before engaging in any negative self-talk about aging!
Often our internal dialogue and deepest thoughts can shape our experiences more than we realize. In a groundbreaking study, internal ageism, or our own negative perceptions on aging, can profoundly impact our health, longevity, and the risk of dementia. (Source: Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, Longevity Increased by Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging. Levy, Becca, et al)
"Older adults have never really thought that they were practicing ageism against themselves, and this can drastically limit our potential for growth and vitality,” said Connie Rasmussen, Director of Rehabilitation and Special Programs at Acts Retirement-Life Communities (Acts). Rasmussen recently gave a widely popular presentation to Acts residents about the often overlooked issue of self-inflicted ageism and how to combat it.
"When people believe that aging is a negative time of life, they are more likely to have a negative experience,” she said, citing research published by a team from the University of Oklahoma, Norman and the University of Michigan.
The recent study found nearly all older adults have experienced some forms of “everyday ageism,” but those who experienced higher rates of ageism were more likely to have poor physical or mental health and more chronic health conditions. (Source: American Medical Association/JAMA)
Dr. Becca Levy, author of “Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live,” tracked people over time and found that older people with more positive age beliefs were much
less likely to develop dementia. In fact, even those positive-thinking participants who carried a gene that puts them at higher risk for Alzheimer’s were nearly 50 percent less likely to develop the disease than their peers who held negative age beliefs. (Source: Yale School of Public Health)
Dr. Levy found people with a more positive mindset on growing older outlived their pessimistic peers, an average 7.5 years longer. Her research found adults with a negative view on aging are less motivated to prioritize their health and fitness, and often are less confident in social settings, which could lead to withdrawal and isolation. Negative emotions can also elevate biological stress levels, hereby increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“Multiple studies show when we shift our mindset on aging as a time for growth, joy, and vitality we end up living purpose-driven, vibrant lives,” Rasmussen said.
“Acts residents enjoyed learning about ageless living— seeing 100- and 102-year-olds running marathons or sprinting 100-yard dashes,” she said, “It’s amazing what can happen when we don’t limit ourselves and are surrounded with resources for support. At Acts, we have so many resources to help residents lead more vibrant lives.”
Acts offers ample opportunities for this transformative mindset to flourish. Through initiatives like THRIVE with Acts, residents are empowered to proactively manage their health and fitness, guided by therapists who specialize in working with seniors, and are given access to programs from preventing falls to enhancing cognitive function and mood.
“We created programs to help residents increase their physical activity, sleep better, and experience less pain and better brain function,” Rasmussen said. “This also reduces the effects of chronic diseases, prevents falls—the list is endless.”
Norm Colb, a resident of St. Andrews Estates, in Boca Raton, Florida, said the move to his Acts community profoundly changed his lifestyle—for the better.
“Living at an Acts community is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, far exceeding what I had hoped when I moved here from California,” Colb said. “One of the reasons I’m so enthusiastic about living here is my physical therapist, who introduced me to Activator Poles so I’m able to be more active and social.”
“If left to myself, I would not be a walker,” he admitted. “I’m fairly lazy, but these simple sticks have really changed my life. I can’t imagine going a day without them.”
Moving to an Acts community was also transformative for Rosemary Hart, a resident of Westminster Village in Spanish Fort, Alabama, who was moved to tears when speaking about the THRIVE with Acts program.
“I had failed the balance portion of my initial evaluation,” she said. “It wasn’t surprised because I walked everywhere with a cane. I had polio as a child and didn’t have any problems until recently.”
She met with her community’s nurse practitioner who referred her to begin physical therapy with an individualized approach suited to her needs.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” Hart said. “Now, I don’t need my cane. I got my walk back, and I’m so thankful to Acts.”
Another Acts resident, Susan Dube, of Westminster Village, had thought she was in excellent physical shape after moving in. She couldn’t believe all the positive health changes a year later.
“I'm shocked at how much healthier I am,” she said. “My last THRIVE with Acts screening was off the charts better a year after I came in, and all I was doing was going to the (TheraBand) class three times a week, and walking around campus.”
She added, “I look at friends my age, and some younger, and their health is declining, while I’m in better shape. This is life giving!”
Rasmussen likens a positive mindset on aging and the right resources to a plant able to whether any storm.
“Aging is like growing a plant: older adults have deep roots of wisdom, experience, and often have freedoms; it’s the roots that sustain us,” she said. “We can grow if given the right fertilizer and resources like education, fitness and rehabilitation.”
“This support is readily available to all residents living at an Acts community,” she added. “Ageless living is our specialty.”
It started as a high school English assignment and has become a much bigger lesson on life.
For the second year, seniors at Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania visited with residents of Fort Washington Estates, an Acts Retirement-Life Community, to collect their life stories as part of an English course called The Art of a Story.
This senior elective is taught by two teachers who were inspired by the popular Yale University course on the study of happiness and what makes for a good life. Teachers Jesse Ippolito and Jen Kaplan had hoped the assignment, meeting with older people to talk about grit, resilience and how to persevere through challenging times, would empower their 17- and 18-year-old students who are anxious about starting their next life chapters as soon-to-be high school graduates. Little did they know, real friendships formed!
“We were able to pair up the residents and students who shared some common interests,” said Madeline Hlywiak, the Life Engagement Director at Fort Washington Estates. “Music, sports, cooking, teaching, faith, values, and cultural similarities - it was amazing how many things linked them to each other!”
“Students met with the residents in small groups in the community’s billiards room, café, chapel, fitness room, and hallways - no place was spared,” she added. “Team members and other residents could be heard saying, ‘Are the kids here today?’”
“These residents are enjoying their lives and their relationships and are still lifelong learners,” said Jen Kaplan, one of the teachers who created this incredible project. “Our students came to the understanding that one of the practices that leads to a happier life is that of kindness.”
“The teenagers also witnessed the importance of a very vibrant community of friends and social connections deep into your years,” she added.
“When the students visited, we heard laughter everywhere and conversations never lagged. When the meetings were over there were hugs and tears,”
Hlywiak said.
Students shared pictures on their phones and emails were exchanged. “My students were a bunch of young men on the football team,” said Linda Morgandale, a Fort Washington Estates resident.
“It’s been a very rewarding experience,” said Marion Kosinsky, another Fort Washington Estates resident who took part in the project. “It’s a different generation with different problems than we had growing up, but we shared our stories and connected.”
Our students came to the understanding that one of the practices that leads to a happier life is that of kindness.
“This generation, our culture, moves so quickly, with social media, smart phones, and limitless abilities with technology,” said Ippolito.
“One resident spoke about treasuring his wife’s handwritten love letters,” she added. “To a generation that’s Snapchat and texting, this opportunity showed them the importance of putting more thought into how they communicate with others.”
“The students are worried and concerned about their future, they asked us about having regrets and making mistakes,” Kosinsky said. “I told them not to dwell on
things you can’t control and don’t be afraid of learning new things because you never know where it may lead you.”
“I told them, having regret means you’re living in the past,” Morgandale said. “You may have made different choices, but our decisions are based on the information we knew at the time, you can’t regret what you did not know.”
“Some of the young people may not live close to their grandparents, or may not interact with them,” she added. “This gives them the opportunity to connect because no matter our age, we all have something to offer.”
In December, the students reconvened at the retirement community and presented their senior friends with personalized books on their life, handcrafted with embellishments and captions of what they learned. The 17and 18-year-olds also shared letters of gratitude for this rare opportunity to learn from the older generation, just a few months before they graduate.
The project had a profound impact on the high school seniors at a formative time in their lives.
“I had never seen a school assignment designed for students to grow as people,” said Raleigh Wartman, a senior at Upper Dublin High School. “I learned so much about how to communicate with others, that by asking simple questions you could understand people so much better.”
Wartman also works at the retirement community, as a server in its restaurant, and she immensely enjoys the deeper connections with residents. She was surprised by how she personally evolved and grew simply by sharing all they have in common.
“Before I started working at Fort Washington Estates, I had the worst social anxiety,” she said. “I hated speaking up in front of the class and talking to people I didn’t know.”
Connecting with residents has helped her self-confidence.
“Once I started working at the Acts community,” she said, “I conquered my fear of public speaking and made many lifelong friends!”
Motivated by all they learned in this intergenerational project, the high school students were inspired to pay it forward. This special group now mentors sixth graders through a school pen pal program. The older teens share how to navigate middle school and impart their wisdom, taking the time to make deeper connections.
“It’s incredible how it’s come full circle,” Hlywiak said. “If there was ever a doubt that loving-kindness was lost among today’s young people, it was certainly revitalized through this wonderful experience.”
Sometimes we all need a helping hand. In today's fast-paced world, juggling medical, family, and personal commitments can be overwhelming. This is where Lifestyle Services through Acts Home Services steps in, becoming the unsung heroes that enable you to continue living your best life!
What kind of services? Nearly anything you can think of, just ask.
“It could be as simple as picking up your dinner or breakfast, or walking your dog, it doesn’t have to be a lengthy time, just anytime you need extra help,” said Pat Alderson, Acts Corporate Director of Ancillary Health and Fitness Services.
“We offer a variety of lifestyle options from laundry services to food prep for a holiday party, gift wrapping, or changing out the seasonal clothing in your closet. If you need all hands-on deck, we can assist you with any chore,” she said.
Acts Home Services team can seamlessly integrate into your routine, ensuring those tedious, time-consuming tasks become a thing of the past. By entrusting these responsibilities to dedicated professionals, you reclaim precious hours, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—enjoying the richness of life.
“Residents and family members are very complimentary and grateful for our lifestyle services,” Alderson said. “Our Acts Home Health and Home Service aids are often treated like members of the family because they’re so engaged in various aspects of life.”
Acts Home Services is offered at most Acts communities for an hourly fee. Please reach out to your Life Care Consultant for more information on the availability and variety of lifestyle services offered.
Acts residents also have access to registered dietitians to help them with nutritional guidance.
“Everyone has a slightly different need, so there's not a one size fits all,” said Mary Herrstrom, Acts' Corporate Director of Nutrition Services. “You might be focused on calories and maintaining your weight, where another resident might be more concerned about sodium, or food allergies.”
This personalized approach to nutrition is reflected in the innovative tools provided to residents who can easily access the nutritional information of every item on the menu using an app on their smartphones. This allows residents to make food choices that align with their individual needs.
"We offer a robust menu that rivals many high-end restaurants; in fact, we often are among the best restaurants in town in some areas,” Herrstrom said. “Our restaurants offer plenty of choices with more cooked-toorder options, which makes it even easier to customize an individual’s dietary needs."
For recipe and directions, please scan QR code.
See if you can spot the differences in the two photos.
