Explore one of the seven dimensions of wellbeing

E n v i r onmental S oci al

Emotional

Vocational Sp iritual

When talking about wellbeing, there is more to the topic than just physical activity and healthy eating. At Cedar Community, we strive to support the seven core areas of wellbeing: emotional, environmental, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual, and vocational. We will explore these seven areas through education, programs, and resources.

Spiritual wellbeing and you

Spirituality can be a di cult concept for many people. At its core, spirituality is deeply personal—you, and only you, de ne the role it has in your life. A simple way to de ne spiritual wellbeing is by being connected to something greater than yourself and holding a set of values, principles, and beliefs that provide a sense of purpose and meaning to your life.

Tips to enhance your spiritual wellbeing:

Personal re ection Just as your physical and emotional health changes and you experience ups and downs throughout your life, your spiritual life may, too. As you embark, re-embark, or continue on your emotional journey—take the opportunity to stop and re ect on what matters to you and the values that guide your life. Consider: ·What gives my life meaning and purpose? ·Which values do I live by, and how do I re ect them in my thoughts and actions? ·Do I nd spiritual energy in a community or as an individual? ·How do I navigate challenges, and what sustains me in times of di culty? ·What brings me inner peace and comfort? ·How do I make an e ort to understand those from other backgrounds? ·What would I like to accomplish in this life? Prayer and meditation The bene ts of prayer and meditation for your overall wellbeing—including stress reduction, improved emotional health, boosted self-awareness, and more—are well-known. If you have not tried meditation before, here are some tips: ·Find a comfortable, seated position in a quiet, distraction-free space. ·Set a timer for ve minutes. ·Begin by focusing on your breathing. Count to ve on your inhale, and ve on your exhale. Focus on the feeling of the breath as it enters and exits your body. ·If your mind wanders, that’s okay! You’re doing an exercise with mental muscles you’ve never used before—it’s normal to nd it di cult. Just bring your mind back, gently, to your breath. Forgiveness Approach others and yourself with grace and kindness. Grudges, anger, and regret hurt no one but you.

Seek out positive and spiritual content If you dedicate a particular amount of time daily for reading, listening to music, or scrolling through social media, why not add some positive messages? Try listening to a spiritual podcast or music while you’re on a walk or before you go to bed. Seek out books and authors whose messages are enlightening and positive. And, if you’re active on social media, you can follow positive in uencers or pages that deepen your re ection. Mixing this type of content in your daily life is a perfect way to improve your spiritual wellbeing.

Summer can be a busy time, but if you try to incorporate some of these spiritual wellbeing tips into your daily life, you may nd more peace and less stress.

Wishing you all more spiritual wellbeing this summer!

Source: nih.gov

Every quarter, Cedar Community recognizes team members who go above and beyond their everyday tasks for our residents, families, volunteers, and their fellow team members. Cedar Community is proud to announce our Team Members of the Quarter award winners: Barb Bartz, head cook, and Damon Peña, customer relations associate

“Barb goes above and beyond her everyday responsibilities.” “Barb makes sure everything runs smoothly and even extended her retirement date to help out in the kitchen!” When she could have retired in 2013, Barb Bartz joined the dining team at Cedar Community’s assisted living. She was hired as a dining assistant and was transferred to the main kitchen as an assistant to the cook. Barb was soon head cook when the position became available. Five years later, on June 10, 2022, Barb o cially retired.

As a cook, Barb made sure each resident’s meal was prepared with love, and to their speci c dietary needs—serving residents in skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and assisted living. Following a veweek rotating menu, she worked part time, 30 hours per week, making dinner meals during the 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. shift. “I made everything from the soup, the main meal, alternate meal option, as well as ground and pureed food—always careful to follow each resident’s needs and restrictions,” says Barb. “With current sta ng and manpower challenges, and pandemic stresses, Barb has gone out of her way to ensure that our residents come rst, covering shifts and lling in when needed,” says Jerry Chmielewski, director of culinary operations.

Barb enjoyed the camaraderie with her kitchen coworkers but is looking forward to spending more time with her two children and four grandchildren. “My kids really wanted me to retire. I ended up staying at Cedar Community a little longer than I expected, but I am de nitely looking forward to visiting with friends, traveling, gol ng, and just relaxing,” says Barb. She realizes how precious life and time are after recently losing a sister, and wants to be sure to stay connected and spend time with those close to her.

Congratulations, Barb! We wish you all the best in your retirement. We will miss you!

To learn more about the rewarding opportunities available at Cedar Community, visit our careers page at cedarcommunity.org.

Damon Peña is the smiling face you will see sitting behind the customer relations desk at our Cedar Lake Campus. He has been a member of the Cedar Community team for four years and enjoys every moment—greeting guests and helping any way he can to make each person’s visit a pleasant one. Damon wasn’t even looking for a job at the time, but his parents (who live in Cedar Community’s independent living homes) knew they needed help at the customer relations desk. “My mom encouraged me to apply, and I can’t say no to my mom,” laughs Damon.

However, you won’t see much of Damon during the baseball season. When the Milwaukee Brewers are playing at home, you will nd him at the stadium, where he has worked for 22 years. He answered an ad in the paper and started as an usher—working for eight years before moving into guest relations. Damon is certainly a people-person and enjoyed the interaction with fans. Today, Damon has moved up the ranks and is a supervisor—overseeing the ushers, dealing with unruly fans, and “ elding” complaints. He has de nitely experienced the gamut of fan conduct, including swearing, smoking, ghts, and drunken behavior. “I enjoy being able to rectify and control a situation. Oftentimes, people look at me like I am security because I carry a radio. That makes me look pretty o cial. I also roll up my sleeves and show them my big guns,” laughs Damon. He also says his deep, loud voice helps in these situations. Milwaukee Brewers’ season has Damon working ve to six hours on game days, and when he’s not there he helps his parents with whatever they need.

Damon’s parents, Otto and Kay Peña, raised eight adopted children and one biological child. Damon was adopted at four years old from Vietnam and came to the United States deaf and with polio. He is grateful to his parents for all they have done for him. When he was seven years old, he had two arti cial ear drums implanted and over the years he had other medical procedures to improve his health. At 32 years old, Damon was able to visit the orphanage in Vietnam to learn more about where his life started.

He enjoys gol ng, shing, and working out what he lovingly calls his “big guns.” You would also be challenged to nd a day that Damon does not have a smile on his face. His coworkers all concur—commenting how awesome he is. “Damon treats everyone he encounters like family. There is nothing he won’t do to help someone, and if he can’t he will nd a solution. He is kind and generous and is always willing to do anything for the team,” says Michelle Stehlik-Hurst, customer relations supervisor.

Go Brewers! Go Damon!

TIME, TALENTS, AND TREASURES

Remembering where you come from

Sossié Yorot, talent acquisition and retention specialist, was born and raised on the southern portion of West Africa’s Ivory Coast. His father began visiting other family members in Wisconsin in the year 2000, and wanting a better education and opportunities for their sons, Sossié’s parents and younger brother made the permanent move to Milwaukee in 2003. Sossié was 16 years old.

Sossié attended the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, where he met his future wife, Cailin. Together, they traveled to Ivory Coast for the wedding of his sister. While there, Cailin learned of a school for the deaf and suggested they visit. As a sign language interpreter, she was interested in learning more. “The individuals I met were welcoming and eager to show me around. However, I soon realized that the rights of deaf students in Africa were far from what I was accustomed to. Their

Residents and team members at Cedar Community can enjoy, explore, and embrace their best life through many life-enriching opportunities. In addition to the many amenities we o er, there are also a variety of ways to use your time, talents, and treasures to help others and enrich your own life. We hope they inspire you to Live More!

sign language is not recognized as a legitimate language, there are no laws protecting their rights, and deaf education lacks basic necessities,” shares Cailin. Upon their return to the States, Cailin and Sossié created the Sign Language Coalition, a nonpro t that raises funds for the deaf and hard of hearing in Ivory Coast. Now, 10 years later, Sossié is making the trip again to visit the school and donate items and funds they have collected. The project has been on hold for several years as a busy family life with two sons took precedence.

The school has come a long way since Sossié’s rst visit. They now have a trade school that provides the students the opportunity to learn more about sewing, carpentry, baking, and other skills to help them succeed in life. Sossié hopes to make the trip more often and is currently building a home in Ivory Coast along with his parents so they have a place to call home when they visit. “This is my country and I want to help. Getting more involved in the healthcare of the community and creating a clinic or hospital someday is my dream,” says Sossié. Feeling that connection to their community and sense of commitment to where they came from has been instilled in Sossié. His mother collects donations of clothing for an orphanage and ships them to Ivory Coast or his father will take what he can when he visits.

Someday, Sossié hopes to travel back with his two sons so they can see where their father grew up. Until then he shares his native language with them and often speaks to the boys, ages two and four, in French.