Farmington Community Matters February 2017

Commun ty Matters Farmington Presbyterian Manor

February 2017

4 ways to beat the winter blues When the sun wakes up late and slips away before the workday ends, when many a day is dark and gray, when it’s Groundhog Day and even an early spring seems far away, many large, hairy mammals — Punxsutawney Phil, included — choose to hibernate. But not us!

We slog through, knowing that the passage of time will bring brighter days ahead. But we can do more than wait it out. Here are four easy ways to beat the winter blues and create a little sunshine of your own: 1. Bring light to others’ lives “I’m 87 years old and I can still finish The NewYork Times Sunday crossword puzzle,” a friend wrote in a holiday note to me. She added, “And I love hearing from you!”

My aunt, who is 86 and lives in rural Illinois, also likes hearing from me.

The joy is evident in her voice when WINTER, continued on page 3

Artist picks up her brush again If you have been past Norma “Jeanie” Gegg’s room recently at Farmington Presbyterian Manor, you may have been treated to an impromptu art exhibit right there in the hall.

Jeanie’s son, Tim Gegg, told us his mother has picked up her paintbrushes again recently after a bit of a hiatus. She wasn’t completely satisfied with some of the pictures she made, so she set them out, free for the taking.

Tim, however, said they looked as good as ever to him. His own home is ARTIST continued on page 2

Better to give This year Farmington Presbyterian Manor got the pleasure of meeting Bill Bunch, the new Executive Director of the St. Francois County Partnership (SFCCP).

The Presbyterian Manor team donated more than $500 to the “Season of Hope,” which provides warm clothing, toys and gifts to low income families in St. Francois County. It was our honor to donate to SFCCP and help make the season brighter!

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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Farmington Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org Jane Hull, executive director Heidi Beyer, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact hbeyer@pmma.org Telephone: 573-756-6768 Fax: 573-756-6014 Address: 500 Cayce St., Farmington, MO 63640-2910 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

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a Jeanie Gegg gallery of sorts, with more than a dozen of his mother’s paintings on display.

“I think it gives her great joy when she does it,” Tim said. “She’s given away a lot of it. There is a lot of her work around the town.”

Tim said his sons, Jeanie’s grandchildren, also treasure their grandmother’s paintings. “There were certain pieces they wanted and did not want anyone else to get,” he said.

Jeanie has been making art for most of her life, Tim said, but she became especially prolific after her children

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Community Matters February 2017

were grown. Scenery and landscapes are her favorite subjects. As Jeanie’s abilities have changed, her scenes have become a little more abstract, Tim said.

Last year, Tim brought a number of Jeanie’s paintings from his home to Presbyterian Manor for display in the annual Art is Ageless® exhibit.

They were not eligible for the juried competition because they were more than five years old. But this year, Tim said his mother is ready to compete and has several new pieces ready to enter. We can’t wait to see them!

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WINTER, continued from page 1

I call to report any new funny stories about my grandson or even when I call just to say hello.

I care about both these women, and about other distant friends as well.

Talking with them brightens my day and theirs, too.

No matter how behind in life you are, consider making time right now to pick up the phone and bring some sunshine into the lives of your older relatives and friends.

“A light box mimics outdoor light.

Researchers believe this type of light causes a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood and eases other symptoms of SAD,” says the Mayo Clinic. A light box may be an effective treatment on its own or, the Mayo Clinic adds, “in combination with an antidepressant medication or psychotherapy.”

Think you may suffer from SAD? The Mayo Clinic lists these symptoms: • Irritability

After the call(s), keep that smile on your face. Research shows that when you smile, your mood elevates and you feel less stressed.

• Tiredness or low energy

In an article for Forbes, Roger Dooley writes that if you smile in public, those around you will be lifted as well. “UCLA scientist Marco Iacoboni notes that our brains are wired for sociability,” Dooley reports.

“In particular, if one person observes another person smile, mirror neurons in that person’s brain will light up as if he were smiling himself.” (Or herself, I’m certain.)

• Hypersensitivity to rejection

2. Open a box of light In mid-December, my friend Carol Porter posted this on Facebook: “I’m enjoying an early Christmas present to myself — my new light box! I sit next to it for 30 minutes daily, relaxing with coffee, calendar, notepad, tablet, organizing my day and thinking beautiful thoughts as the bright light bathes my retinas.”

• Problems getting along with other people • Heavy, “leaden” feeling in the arms or legs • Oversleeping

4.Treat your ‘defects’ lightly “The truth is that the older I get, the more I like my defects. Old age is the best moment to be and do whatever you enjoy.”That’s Alma speaking. She’s the 81-year-old main character in Isabelle Allende’s book, “The Japanese Lover: A Novel,” about a woman who carries on a secret affair well into her later years.What’s especially intriguing about Alma’s quote is the encouragement to embrace our flaws and emphasize our eccentricities.

3. Light up the night

Another important self-improvement tip comes from a recent book by Allen Klein, who insists it’s time to stop blaming other people for anything.You Can’t Ruin My Day: 52 Wake-Up Calls to Turn Any Situation Around is Klein’s 25th book on harnessing the power of humor to make a better life.

Me, I like the dark. (Cue “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which starts out with this evocative line: “In the velvet darkness of the blackest night…”

What, you’re not a fan?)

“You are the only person who can ruin your day,” Klein writes. He says our reactions to any thought or action determines how we perceive that thought or action, and we have ultimate control over our reactions.

Night is when I write, read, listen to music and relax. I also like vanillascented candles, and one recent rainy evening I gathered up five of them, put them on a placemat in the middle of my dining room table and lit them all.

To bolster his case, Klein, 77, quotes rabbis, Japanese proverbs, Desmond Tutu, Chinese philosophers, Pema Chodron (an American Buddhist nun) and even Alexander Pope, the 18th century poet.

• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates • Weight gain Carol likes her lamp a lot. Sitting by it, she exhorts, “SAD, be gone!”

When Carol complained of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — also known as the winter blues — her doctor gave her a brochure about a company that makes several varieties of I turned off the lamps and then, with high-powered therapy lights and lamps. a clear sight line from the living room Like us on Facebook

couch, I sat with a glass of wine, enjoying my impromptu candle party and the subtle scent of vanilla.

The gist of Klein’s message? Lighten up.

Farmington Presbyterian Manor

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Art is Ageless® exhibit this month Farmington Presbyterian Manor is accepting entries for the 2017 Art is Ageless competition until Feb. 20.The exhibit will be Feb. 22-24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Assisted Living Lobby.

There will be a reception with the artists at 2 p.m. on Feb. 24. For more information, contact Heidi Beyer at 573756-6768, ext. 2111, or hbeyer@ pmma.org.

Farmington Presbyterian Manor 500 Cayce St. Farmington, MO 63640-2910 Return Service Requested

Volunteerism and you

We will focus on volunteerism in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. Where have you volunteered your time? Why do you volunteer? What are the benefits for you?

If you’ve got a story to share, contact Marketing Director Heidi Beyer, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.

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Community Matters February 2017

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