True Living Winter 2009

your guide to

WINTER

2009

True Living Tips, news and fun facts for active senior adults

Inside...

Bella Blooms Downtown March 1

2009: The Year of Travel Bargains

Healthy Living Comes With The Neighborhood

t h i s p u b l i c at i o n m a d e p o s s i b l e b y s h a n n o n d e l l at va l l ey f o rg e

Around Town

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It’s about the allure of Italy, the artistry, and the passion.

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Advance tickets ($13 to $22) are available at the Pennsylvania Convention Center box office and at theflowershow.com. Tickets are also available at select locations of PNC Bank, Borders Books, Giant Food Stores, and SEPTA ticket sales outlets.

Bella Blooms

2009 Philadelphia Flower Show opens March 1 This winter, treat yourself to a trip to Italy without ever leaving town when the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society presents “Bella Italia” March 1-8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The annual event, which showcases state-of-the-art sustainable gardening techniques and thousands of live plants and flowers, is a key fundraiser for Philadelphia Green, one of the country’s premiere urban revitalization programs.

Stroll through recreations of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes, including a Roman formal garden with statuary, topiary, manicured hedges and tiered plantings for the show’s 2009 Entrance Garden, designed by top landscape and floral designers. Other exhibitors will pay tribute to the innovative flora and fauna of Venice, the resort paradise of San Remo, the Renaissance beauty of Florence, the fashion district of Milan, and the sunny gardens of the Almalfi Coast and Sicily.

Gardening tips, musical entertainment, folk dancers and traditional food add to the show’s “beautiful Italy” theme.

“We’re going to showcase not only the diverse gardens of Italy,” says Flower Show Designer Sam Lemheney, “but glimpse the whole culture and what you experience when you go to this beautiful and intriguing country. It’s about the allure of Italy, the artistry, and the passion.”

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Local Gardens Beckon: Fountains, Jazz & More If this year’s Flower Show leaves you yearning for more, you’re in luck. Just 30 minutes from Valley Forge is an equally inspiring afternoon or evening escape. Longwood Gardens is not only a 100-year-old arboretum, it’s also more than 1,000 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows –– including a 62-bell carillon chime tower and a music conservatory that once housed one of the world’s largest pipe organs.

While chilly winter days may not be perfect for exploring the entire grounds Continued on pg 8

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Travel

Take Your Pick

2009 Is Ripe For Travel Bargains One BIG upside of our down economy: travel bargains galore.

Falling gas prices and the resurgence of the U.S. dollar are making travel more affordable in 2009, both domestically and internationally.

Pauline Frommer, of Frommer’s Travel Guides, told the Associated Press, “Because of the sharp drop off in bookings, we’re seeing some pretty deep discounts to just about everywhere. It’s definitely going to be a buyer’s market.”

Frommer cited a recent Disney World offer of seven nights for the price of four as one example of a great deal. Or if Disney doesn’t float your boat, consider a five-day Caribbean cruise for two, for less than $600 – before applying the senior discount!

Bargains like these are more available and accessible than they have been in years, maybe decades. Particularly jaunts overseas.

“Although domestic airfare is expected to remain stable, the cost of international travel should decrease,” says Richard Seaney, CEO of internet airline ticket sales site, FareCompare.com. He

recommends purchasing tickets in March for summer trips to Europe to get the best price.

For great getaways in 2009, check out these deals from MSNBC.com: • Berlin marks the 20th anniversary of the November 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall with exhibits and events; www.visitBerlin.de (Click on the Union Jack flag icon to read in English).

• A “Homecoming Scotland 2009” celebration will include a “clan gathering” in Edinburgh, July 2526, for people of Scottish ancestry from around the world, www.homecomingscotland2009.com • And closer to home, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway kicks off a 3-year centennial celebration in 2009, marking the 100th anniversary of the facility and the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500 in 2011, www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/

3 Tips

For The Best Rates

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Sign up for email alerts. Airlines and travel sites (Expedia.com/ Travelocity.com) notify you when fares to your destination go on sale.

Negotiate. Call the hotel’s local phone number and ask for the lowest rate including AAA, AARP or other senior discounts.

Seek out alternatives: bed-andbreakfast inns or small boutique hotels can be a viable, often more affordable option.

For more information, check out SeniorsTravelGuide.com

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Spotlight on The Aquatics & Fitness Center at Shannondell Increase Your Vitamin I.Q. Healthy Habits From Dr. David Galinsky The aisles of vitamin supplements in most drug stores can be confusing and overwhelming.

While supplements can provide health benefits, some may also be unnecessary or even harmful (Vitamins A and K).

As we age, some of us face obstacles that interfere with good nutrition, such as:

Healthy Living Comes With The Neighborhood

• Problems chewing and swallowing • Difficulty preparing meals • Declining taste and smell • Medications that affect your appetite

On a recent winter morning, it was a shivering 29 degrees outside.

If any of these are affecting your eating habits, talk to your physician about supplements and dosages that might be right for you.

But inside the state-of-the-art Aquatics & Fitness Center at Shannondell (one of two Fitness Centers within Shannondell), residents were waist deep in 88-degree water, doing stretches with water noodles while Sinatra crooned “Fly Me To The Moon” over the speakers.

This entertaining water aerobics class was just one of the several classes offered that morning by the Center’s Exercise Physiologists.

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Other classes included Yoga, Hydropilates, Body Balance, Tai Chi, and the always- popular Belly Dancing (finger cymbals optional).

“Our programs are developed specifically for senior adults and seek to work all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility,” says Michelle Swartwood, Center Director.

“We also work one-on-one with residents wanting more customized programs, such as those training to participate in a charity walk, 5K race or upcoming golf tournament.

And for those residents in physical therapy, we design complementary programs to work safely with their rehabilitation,” she adds.

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Ensuring that residents’ wellness and medical programs work together is easy when, mere steps from the Fitness Center, there’s a Main Line Health Center. As a fullystaffed physicians’ office offering diagnostic, medical and therapeutic services including access to more than 1,200 physicians and specialists, the Main Line Health Center at Shannondell delivers comprehensive access to the highest-quality health care available.

And both the Fitness and Main Line Health Centers are connected to all residences via climate-controlled walkways. So, maintaining a healthy lifestyle at Shannondell is not only easy, but convenient, too.

“It’s all part of our comprehensive approach to wellness for our residents,” says Shannondell C.O.O. William Ross. “With so many activities to do and share every day, our residents find themselves challenging their minds and bodies more often, and, in the process, feeling better and living a more active, healthy lifestyle,” he adds.

With aquatics and fitness programs, bocce courts, an 18-hole golf course and putting green, billiards, ping-pong, Nintendo Wii video games and more at Shannondell, healthy living comes with the neighborhood.

I suggest you take a close look at two vitamins in particular: B12 and D. Vitamin B12 – As we age, some people lose their ability to absorb this important vitamin from the foods we eat.

Vitamin D – protects against osteoporosis, and recent evidence also suggests it helps to protect your heart.

Remember, most general multivitamins are adequate and safe. I encourage you to talk to your doctor about the right vitamins for you. Your doctor can also determine if a consultation with a registered dietician might be helpful.

Yours, in good health!

Shannondell Medical Director

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Money

Living

2009 Fiscal Fact

Save Money with Online Coupons It’s fun to clip coupons from the flyers that arrive with your newspaper, but did you know that many websites offer discounts not only on food and everyday products, but also on bigticket items such as electronics and travel?

To print the coupons, special software must be downloaded. No registration is required to gain access and local discounts are also available with a zip code locator.

Visit www.coupon.com

Although there are websites that may prompt you to register or give personal information such as a zip code in order to download (and print) or redeem an internet coupon, never enter your credit card or bank information: it’s safer to look for online coupons that are free and easily accessible.

Start with these sites recommended

by SeniorDiscounts.com:

From the same company that fills your mailbox with the blue envelope packed with local coupons, Valpak offers a list of their available coupons on their web site to sort and print by geographic location and category.

Visit www.valpak.com

Coupons.com This site provides coupons on various items found at local grocery stores.

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Valpak.com

ThePromoCodes.com This site features limited-time coupons for shoppers ready to act fast. Great for last-minute shopping and gift ideas.

Visit www.thepromocodes.com

The current economic downturn has senior adults everywhere reassessing their future. As you consider your current situation and contemplate prudent changes, consider both the financial and physical security that a top rated continuing care retirement community (CCRC) offers you. In fact, reallocating part of your home’s equity to a 100% refundable entrance fee, in addition to reducing monthly fixed expenses while securing access to top quality long-term care, has likely never been a smarter step for active seniors.

Beat the Winter Blues with Happy Days Kimmel Center Lifts Curtain and Mood With shorter, grayer days come inevitable bouts of the winter blues.

Well, we know of no better way to snap out of Philadelphia’s coldweather blahs than by getting out of the house with friends and family and taking a short trip downtown to the Kimmel Center for some fingersnapping fun. And this season’s line-up offers ample medicine to win the battle of the blues, beginning with Happy Days: A New Musical.

March 24-29, Academy of Music, It’s Happy Days: A New Musical Based on the popular 1970s television series featuring Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli, Happy Days: A New Musical brings the days of 1959 Milwaukee back to life,

complete with an all-new cast and their varsity sweaters, hula hoops, and jukebox sock-hoppin’.

To preview this event, visit kimmelcenter.org/player keyword: HAPPY DAYS Happy Days will be followed by the return of Riverdance at the Academy of Music. This thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has tapped its way onto the world stage thrilling millions of people, will play eight Farewell Performances at the Academy of Music beginning March 31.

For tickets and show times for any Kimmel Center performance, call 215-731-3333.

Healthy Does It 1. Exercise – studies show aerobic exercise improves mood and reduces stress.

2. Eat right – avoid high-sugar sodas and food and eat larger portions of complex carbs like rice and pasta and simple carbs like fruits and fruit juices.

3. Get outside – and soak up the sun and fresh air early in the day. Your body will thank you for increased energy levels through mid-afternoon.

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Continued from pg 2 on foot, Longwood offers 20 indoor gardens, fountain shows in some its more than 400 water features, tours of the Peirce-du Pont home, a “Nature’s Castles” exhibit featuring oversized treehouses, and gardening and planting demonstrations.

If you go, be sure to check the Gardens’ winter concert schedule. National Public Radio’s Marian McPartland personally chose this year’s stellar lineup of up-andcoming musicians for the winter “ Jazz Club” concert series, including the Bill Charlap trio, Renee Rosnes, Taylor Eigsti & Julian Lage. And give yourself ample time before the concerts to enjoy smallplate cuisine from some of the area’s top chefs at Tapas Table, a restaurant located within the conservatory.

For performance dates and times, events schedules and ticket prices (starting at just $14 for seniors), visit www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-1000.

Shannondell: At A Glance With so many things to do, share and celebrate every day at Shannondell, our residents find themselves doing more … learning new things … challenging their minds … improving their health … and in the process, feeling better and living a more active, enjoyable lifestyle.

• 40 plus customizable floor plans

And the best part is that it’s all right outside their door within the gated, top-ranked Shannondell at Valley Forge community.*

• State-of-the-art Performing Arts Theater

• Two 110,000 square foot clubhouses • Aquatics & Fitness Centers • 6 dining venues • 18-hole golf course • Shopping • Two Movie Theaters • Main Line Health Center

For more information, call 610.728.5211 or 1.800.669.2318 today.

Or, visit www.shannondell.com

*Main Line Life Newspapers Readers Choice Awards ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08

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