4 Unique Holiday Gifts

The holiday shopping season is here. What do you give a loved one to show them just how much you care? It’s time to think outside the box. Here are four presents you can give to special young people in your life now that they may not appreciate in the moment but will thank you for later.

1. Savings bonds. This is the gift that affordable way to protect loved ones and help them pay off debts, living expenses and even medical bills. To learn more about life insurance, contact your agent or visit erieinsurance. com/life-insurance.

3. 529 plan. Anyone who wants to save for a child’s education can open or gift money to an existing 529 plan account. The best part is the

keeps adding in value. Savings bonds can be purchased for as little as $25 and their value grows over time with interest and as the bond matures.

Considered one of the most reliable ways to grow wealth over time, you’ll be guaranteeing recipients are able to help fund the important things they want later in life, such as that new car, their college education, first house, wedding or honeymoon.

2. Life insurance. This is probably the last thing on a young person’s list of wishes but buying a life insurance policy now when they’re young and healthy will ensure coverage later in life when they may not be insurable. Having a life insurance policy through Erie Insurance with a Guaranteed Insurability Option rider (GIO) can bring peace of mind that kids, or grandkids, are covered should they develop a life threatening condition. A policy is an contributions grow tax free and can be used for K-12 tuition, college expenses and even student loan repayments.

4. T-shirt quilt. For more of a sentimental gift, gather all your kids’ old sports or other event tshirts and turn them into a quilt. They may not love it today as much as they would the hottest gadget, but they’ll treasure the memories as time goes on.

“As you look for that perfect gift, don’t overlook presents that have long-term benefits,” said Louis Colaizzo, senior vice president and division officer of Erie Family Life, Erie Insurance. “Life insurance, along with savings bonds and 529 plans, can put your kids on the path to financial security.”

Avoid the holiday crowds at the stores this year and channel your money into a gift your loved ones will truly appreciate for years to come. (Statepoint)

Austin South Asian Invites Contributions From Readers And Community

10 Austin South Asian | December 2022 Shining Light On Fall Prevention In Nursing Homes

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in U.S. adults aged 65 or older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The economic impact of falls is immense, with fatal falls estimated to cost $754 million and nonfatal falls $50 billion annually. As the aging population enters long-term care facilities, fall prevention will become an increasingly important public health priority. The good news is a novel approach has recently come to light.

A first-of-its-kind, two-year study conducted by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders—a division of Harvard University—and the Midwest Lighting Institute (MLI) found that dynamic, tunable lighting systems, when implemented at long-term care facilities, reduced falls by 43% compared to facilities that retained traditional lighting. The study focused on the positive effects of lighting on alertness, cognitive function, and sleep and how this affects fall risk.

For people who seldom get outside to experience daylight, such as older adults living in nursing homes, the body’s natural sleepwake cycle is disrupted. While this disruption can cause dangerous falls leading to injuries and worse, the results of this study show how institutional settings can implement lighting changes to their environment to make it safer for both residents and workers.

“The lighting we used in the study implemented specific spectrum and intensity levels timed to regularize sleep-wake cycles and boost the daytime alerting effects of light,” says Brian Liebel, director of research at MLI, the non-profit organization that designed the study as part of its mission to improve lives by putting existing scientific findings about light into real-world practice.

“When residents experience improved alertness and cognitive function during the day and better sleep at night, it not only improves their well-being, but also improves the working conditions for staff.”

The system was installed in several long-term care facilities with goals of maximizing the home-like en-

Make Holiday Memories With Sweet Eats

Whether your festivities include immediate family or bring together relatives from around the country, the holidays are about making memories with loved ones.

From the first days of the season to the last, many families spend their precious time together with favorite activities and the best foods the holidays have to offer.

This year, you can change things up and start new traditions with a fresh ingredient like Envy apples, which provide an easy way to update classics due to their sweet taste and availability.

The sweet, sophisticated flavor; uplifting, fresh aroma; delightfully satisfying crunch; beautiful appearance; and naturally white flesh that doesn’t brown as quickly as other apples all lend themselves to shareable recipes like this Apple Wreath Salad or Roasted Apple Macaroni and Cheese, both perfect for holiday parties.

Because cherished memories are made with sweet ingredients, you can turn cozy movie nights into festive and memorable events year after year by pairing Hallmark Channel’s popular “Countdown to Christmas” holiday movies with delicious desserts like Apple Custard Sponge Trifle and Brown Butter Apple Pie.

Find more memory-making recipes at EnvyApple.com.

Apple Custard Sponge Trifle Servings: 8-10

6 Envy apples 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, water 1 tablespoon corn flour 1 large plain sponge cake 2 cups vanilla bean custard 1/2 cup caramel or butterscotch sauce, plus additional for garnish, divided 1/2 cup cream fresh apple slices fresh strawberry slices

Peel, core and dice apples; place in large saucepan. Add caster sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 cup water. Simmer apples 5-8 minutes until tender. Combine corn flour and remaining water. Stir corn flour mixture into apples until apples are syrupy.

Cut sponge cake into 2-centimeter diced pieces. Arrange 1/3 of sponge pieces in base of serving bowl.

Add half of cinnamon apple pieces, including syrupy juices. Add 1 cup custard and drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients, finishing with sponge cake; chill.

Whip cream and spoon dollops over sponge cake to cover top. Garnish with apple slices, strawberry slices and caramel sauce.

Apple Wreath Salad Recipe courtesy of “The Produce Moms” (@theproducemoms)

Balsamic Dressing: 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, finely ground 1 large garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad: 10 ounces baby arugula 3 Envy apples, sliced 9 ounces goat cheese, crumbled 3 ounces pomegranate arils 3 ounces pecans, toasted

To make balsamic dressing: In small serving bowl, whisk honey, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Place dressing bowl in center of large board or platter. Arrange arugula around dressing bowl in wreath shape.

Place apple slices on top of arugula. Sprinkle on goat cheese, pomegranate arils and pecans.

Brown Butter Apple Pie

Streusel Topping: 1/2 cup flour 1/4 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 4 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2inch cubes (Continued On Page 11) vironment and helping residents, especially dementia patients, with “sundowning,” which is the increased confusion, exit seeking, anxiety and verbal/physical aggression many experience in the afternoon and evening.

“There was just a general calmness at 6 p.m. with the lights dimmed, noticeably different as soon as it was installed,” says Jennifer Nelson, dietary aide at Maple Ridge Care Center in Wisconsin. She noticed a tremendous difference in terms of behaviors such as exit seeking and anxiety, especially among dementia patients.

Current strategies to reduce falls typically include complex, multicomponent interventions requiring significant resources, staff time and resident education.

The study’s promising results, published in the “Journal of the American Medical Directors Association,” provide a noninvasive and relatively inexpensive method for lowering the risk of falls in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

“What we know now is that modern lighting technology can promote the body’s health and overall well-being, resulting in a decreased risk of falls among seniors.” says Rodney Heller, president of MLI.

“We believe these findings could pave the way for improving the health outcomes of those not only in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, but also in schools, hospitals, office buildings and in industrial environments with 24hour shifts.”

To learn more about this patented lighting system and how to get it installed in your institution, contact bliebel@midwestlightinginstitute.org.

In the years ahead, fall prevention will become an increasingly important public health priority. The good news is that we have a solution to reducing falls and it has enormous potential to improve well-being and save lives. (StatePoint)