Home Inspired Care
By Amy Morgan
As people age, they may gradually lose the ability to care for themselves safely and independently. Everyday tasks like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom can become challenging and unmanageable. Over time, as cognitive and physical abilities decline and care needs increase, the level of support often exceeds what family members can provide at home. For a devoted daughter or son, nothing is more important than ensuring their mom or dad is safe, well cared for, and able to spend their remaining years in comfort, surrounded by love and treated with dignity.
Premier Assisted Living offers a high level of residential care in a home-like environment just across from Hollywood Park. The facility is owned and run by a Registered Nurse with more than 30 years of experience in Geriatric Care, Clinical Case Management and Senior Living. Each resident entrusted to their care is treated with warmth and compassion as if they were a beloved family member. Premier Assisted Living is conveniently located close to Stone Oak, so it’s easy to stop over to visit a loved one.
The low 1:3 staff ratio means your parent will never have to wait when they need an extra blanket or they’ve dropped the TV remote. Someone is available to assist immediately. In fact, because staff levels are robust, there’s time to get to know each resident on a personal level and anticipate their wants. A caregiver might offer a snack or bring fresh coffee even before the resident has thought to ask. In addition to caring for physical needs, caregivers often play games, do puzzles or read to residents. Staff members are awake and available 24/7 to help someone to the bathroom in the middle of the night or change position to alleviate discomfort.
Premier Assisted Living Allows Loved Ones to Age Gracefully with Loving Care
Premier Assisted Living is a licensed Type B facility that can provide care to those who have dementia or other diagnoses that render them no longer able to walk to self-evacuate. They are able to serve their residents until end of life –which brings peace of mind knowing that a move to Premier Assisted Living can be a parent’s last, if that’s what you choose. The month-to-month contracts are all-inclusive and transparent, so there’ll be no financial surprises.
Unlike a corporate facility with many residents and a high staffing ratio, Premier Assisted Living provides a lovely alternative with a homelike feel. Each resident occupies a private room but joins the others in the dining room for homecooked meals made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Activities are offered daily by the living room fireplace or out on the flower-filled patio where residents enjoy watching deer and birds at the feeders.
Another benefit — primary medical care and grooming are provided in-house. No longer
do adult children need to juggle the details of scheduling and transporting a loved one to multiple doctor visits or appointments. Premier Assisted Living plans and organizes on-site podiatry, dentistry, hairdressing, lab, X-ray, ophthalmology, audiology, occupational, speech, massage, and physical therapy. Your loved one will benefit from professional management of all their health and medication needs – even refills – and you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they are well looked after.
Because staff members develop a personal relationship with each resident, they are able to tailor enrichment activities to suit their preferences. Some enjoy cuddling lifelike baby dolls. Others look forward to visits from the therapy dog, Bible study, musical presentations, or exercise.
If your parent’s needs have changed, and you are interested in an alternative to a large community, contact Premier Assisted Living for a tour.
Community Calendar
Presented by Frost
Activities at the Walker Ranch Senior Center – MondayFriday, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Hot meals served daily from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. for qualifying seniors and their spouses. Exercise, field trips, bingo, loteria, movies, arts and crafts, free health and wellness screenings vary daily. 835 W. Rhapsody 78216; 210-207-5280.
Stone Oak Rotary Club – Tuesdays, noon -1 p.m. Guest speakers weekly. Dona Tota, 923 Loop 1604 W. #115 78232; www.stoneoaksarotary.org.
Old West Christmas Light Fest – Fridays – Sundays through Dec. 8; daily Dec. 13 - 23, 5 - 10 p.m. Synchronized light and music show, lighted maze, Christmas carols, shopping and Santa’s Holly Jolly Herd of Texas Longhorns. Old West Christmas Light Fest, 242 State Highway 46 West, Boerne 78006; www.christmaslightfest.com.
Ford Holiday Boat Caroling – Wednesday, December 4 - Monday, Dec. 23, evenings starting at 6 p.m. Sing in the holidays with family and friends from a boat on the Riverwalk. International Center Building, 203 S. St. Mary’s St. 78205; thesanantonioriverwalk.com.
Magik Theatre Presents The Velveteen Rabbit – through Sunday, Dec. 29. Times vary. Live theater production based on the children’s classic story. The Magik Theatre, 420 S. Alamo St. 78205; www.magiktheatre.org.
Zoo Lights – Through Sunday, Dec. 31 – Lights illuminate at dusk. Zoo grounds awaken with magical lights at dark, including a 15-foot-tall giraffe. San Antonio Zoo, 3903 N. St. Mary's St. 78212; www.sazoo.org.
Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park – through Sunday, Jan. 5. Monday -Thursday 5 - 10 p.m., Friday, 5 - 11 p.m., Saturday, noon - 11 p.m., Sunday, 1 - 8 p.m. Fun and festive recreational activity for the family throughout the holiday season. 301 E. Travis St. 78205; www.rotaryicerink.com.
Lightscape at the Botanical Gardens – through Monday, Jan. 12, 5:30 - 9 p.m. Entry times available every 15 minutes. Behold the Winter Cathedral's 100,000 lights, roast s'mores in the Fire Garden and delight in a shimmering field of Texas bluebonnets. San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place 78209; ticketing@sabot.org.
The Polar Express – The Musical – Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. The most magical journey of the season presented by Children’s Ballet of San Antonio. Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 226 N. St. Mary’s St. 78205; www.majesticempire.com/events.
Ballet San Antonio’s The Nutcracker – Fridays - Sundays, Dec. 6-8, 13-15. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. This production features a cast of more than 100 San Antonio-area children alongside professional performers. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, HEB Performance Hall, 100 Auditorium Circle 78205; www.tobincenter.org.
Holiday Street Festivals in Boerne – Friday - Sunday, Dec. 6-22. A Hill Country Christmas event of epic proportions with different themes each weekend. Boerne’s Main Street transforms into a vintage Christmas experience complete with shopping, Santa, children’s activities, unique vendors, music and food trucks. Main Street, Boerne 78006; www.dickensonmain.com.
Single Professionals Networking Meeting – Wednesday, Dec. 6, 4:30 –6:30 p.m. Join other 55+ widowed, divorced and single mature professionals for conversation, libations and food in a relaxed, social setting. Eggspectation, 402 N. Loop 1604 W. 78232; www.spn-sa.org.
WinterFest San Antonio – Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Stone Oak festival with Santa, elves, rocking Christmas music, carnival, food, and 50,000 pounds of snow will benefit Brighton Center. North Central Baptist Hospital, 502 Madison Oak 78258; www.winterfestivalsa.com.
14th Annual Holiday Hunger Run – Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 a.m. ‘Tis the season to help others. Run a 5K to benefit Provisions Outreach. Prizes awarded for best holiday costume. Bulverde City Park, 29815 Bulverde Lane, Bulverde 78163; www.provisionsoutreach.org.
San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Races: marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K Saturday, Dec. 7, Sunday, Dec. 8, times and courses vary. Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio has become the famous historical landmark-lined course that tours the Tower of the Americas, The Alamo, Mission Concepcion, San Fernando Cathedral and more. Enjoy a finish line concert and live bands. Start on East Commerce St. 78205; www.runrocknroll.com/san-antonio/.
Christmas at the Caverns – Saturdays, Sundays, Dec. 7-8, 14-15. Weekdays, Dec. 20-23, 4:30-9:30 p.m. 30-foot Christmas tree, 1/3-mile trail of lights, Santa “Spelunker” Claus, 500 square-foot outdoor maze, live music, s’mores. Check website for specific activities. Natural Bridge Caverns, 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road 78266; www.naturalbridgecaverns.com.
Candle Cautions
Keep Fido Safe from Olfactory Overload or Accidental Burn
By Camp Bow Wow Staff
Cooler weather and the approaching holidays might inspire you to up your home’s seasonal aroma with scented candles or perfumed diffusers. As tempting as it might be to recreate a fragrant indoor winter wonderland, be aware that too much of a good thing can be harmful to your furry family members.
Just like people, dogs can be affected by chemical compounds in fragrances that irritate airways, create breathing problems or cause allergic reactions. If you’ve ever experienced respiratory effects from a scent, just think of how much more it might impact your poor dog, as his sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than that of his human pup parent. The part of a dog’s brain responsible for analyzing smells is 40 times larger than ours, and canines have 50 times as many smell receptors than their owners, according to downwardpaws.
Candles also may contain ingredients like pesticides or plastic softeners. Naphthalene, made from oil or coal tar, is a common insecticide. Phthalates, also called plasticizers, are found in hundreds of household products. Gases from the chemicals released by burning candles containing them can build up in the body over time and increase the risk for cancer.
Signs your dog may be having a negative reaction due to overexposure to the fragrance of a scented candle, potpourri or diffuser include sneezing, coughing, itching or wheezing.
Scented candles often are made up of essential oils, highly concentrated plant substances, many of which are toxic to dogs. In fact, several of the most common “wintertime” fragrances — pine, cedar, cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen and clove — are on the poisonous list.
If your persistent pup mistakes your tempting gingerbread-scented candle for the real treat and takes a bite, watch him carefully and call your vet if you notice any signs of intestinal blockage or poisoning. Your vet may advise you to check your dog’s potty for the next several days to make sure the wick and any
metal parts pass through his gastrointestinal tract. Poisoning symptoms include vomiting, shaking, trouble breathing, drooling, or seizures. You can check what Fido ate against known poisons at the Pet Poison Helpline website, www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons.
A better option to avoid olfactory overload or risk of ingestion is to choose unscented candles made of soy, beeswax or vegetable wax.
Another potential problem with an open flame is the risk of accidental burn. Just like you wouldn’t leave a toddler unsupervised within reach of a lighted candle, so, too, should you take precautionary measures to keep your curious canine from getting too close and burning his face or fur. And a misplaced toy toss could wreak havoc if it knocks over something ablaze. Your best course of action is to place candles out of reach of a stray snout or tail.
If poor Fido should fall into the fireplace or singe himself on a burning candle, bathe the affected area immediately in cold water. Then take your pup to the vet as soon as possible. He may need pain medication or antibiotics to ward off infection.
If you’d still like to create a holiday ambience with scent, why not bake cookies or hang a pine or cinnamon wreath on the wall out of harm’s way to infuse your home with natural fragrance and protect your precious pup. What better present could you give him than the gift of health and safety?
Holiday Help
Dental Office Kickstarts Season of Giving
By Amy Morgan
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! The holidays prick our hearts and encourage us to make the season a little brighter for those less fortunate. Not to be left behind, the professionals at 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics kickstarted their season of giving efforts back in October, when they donated more than $3,000 to the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. The office partnered with Unchartered Adventures to host an innovative Car Smash event, where contributors painted a car pink and earned the privilege of breaking glass items as a way to figuratively smash cancer.
The Car Smash was just the most recent antic 7to7 Dental’s Director of Marketing Travis DeZuba planned to involve staff and patients alike in fundraising efforts. In the past, they’ve decorated the office pink and allowed employees to throw pink balloons filled with pink paint at the practice’s management team. One year, 7to7 Dental founder and CEO Justin Coke personally visited each office dressed in a pink wig and tutu as a reward for a $1500 fundraising week! Throughout the years the practice has donated close to $20,000 for breast cancer research.
The broken glass had barely settled before Travis was busy rounding up 150 turkeys the practice donated to SAMMinistries and families in need at several Title 1 schools located in neighborhoods close to 7to7 Dental offices.
“Everything has gotten more expensive,” Travis said, “and the turkey’s the biggest part of the Thanksgiving meal. We want to make sure everybody is able to gather with their families without worrying they won’t be able to afford the most essential ingredient.”
Travis already works closely with counselors at those schools to furnish school supplies and backpacks in August. 7to7 Dental also will fulfill
the wish lists for several of their individual families. Sponsoring designated families allows the doctors and staff to have a closer connection with the recipients, Travis added.
Over the past 16 years, 7to7 Dental has donated thousands of new toys in December to organizations like Blue Santa who work directly with families in the community. The team wholeheartedly embraces the opportunity to provide toys to needy children in San Antonio.
“We want to do what we can to make sure children have something to look forward to under the tree on Christmas morning,” Travis said. “I’ve always loved serving the community, and 7to7 Dental sees the bigger picture of contributing as a business. The reason they went into practice was ultimately to take care of people.”
Patients and community members alike can help by dropping off a toy at one of 7to7 Dental’s locations across the city. The Stone Oak office is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Stone Oak Parkway and Evans Road.
While you are there, if you realize you’ve let the year slip by without using the last of your dental benefits, you can still squeeze in a visit before the clock ticks down. 7to7 Dental will stay open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Friday, even during the holiday season — including New Year’s Eve.
Victorious Vaulters
JHS
By Amy Morgan
Thissummer, many were captivated by the Olympic games. We watched in amazement as Swedish phenom Mondo Duplantis pole vaulted 20.505 feet to set his ninth world record! As exciting as the world stage may be, Johnson High School can count not one, but two, state level pole vaulters among their roster of athletes.
Thomas Bucks and Taylor Fuentespina train together at Elite Sports Pole Vault in St. Hedwig under coach, Anicka Newell, who herself competed in the 2024 summer games. Elite Sports, located in a transformed airplane hangar, has produced two Olympians — Logan Cunningham and Anicka. Thomas and Taylor are nipping at their heels, as both have qualified for State competition more than once – most recently Thomas finished fourth at 16’ 3”, with Taylor’s 12’1’’ earning a seventhplace finish.
When the two started pole vault as middle schoolers, they quickly outgrew JHS’s facilities, which is how the pair ended up at Elite Sports. Pole vault is expensive, Taylor explained. The 15-16’ poles average $1000 each. An athlete might use up to 10 poles at a meet. Elite Sports has a variety of equipment and an updated pit.
Time at the gym has fostered camaraderie. Taylor and Thomas’s moms also have become close friends, sporting matching sweatshirts displaying the word, “Fly,” and chatting in the bleachers during spring track season and club meets representing Elite Sports across the country. Both Thomas and Taylor qualified for nationals last summer and are gunning for this year’s biggest outdoor meet sponsored by Nike in Eugene, Oregon.
Taylor transitioned to pole vault and diving from a background in gymnastics, while Thomas followed the footsteps of his father, who also pole vaulted in high school.
“It was really fun for me to do, and I started to get good,” Thomas said. “I’ve broken my own height record at JHS. I’m trying to make it unbeatable this year!”
Taylor enjoys the close-knit community and appreciates how pole vault combines skills she acquired on the bar and vault. “It leaves a lot of
room for improvement and allows you to excel in one thing,” she said.
Thomas serves in student council and played saxophone in the JHS band for three years, including region band twice. He marched in the BOA national competition last year. Thomas also is involved with Young Life and CBC youth group. As a hobby, he follows the financial markets and has started day trading. Not surprisingly, he hopes to study business and continue pole vault in college. He recently committed to the University of Pennsylvania.
A consummate athlete – Taylor was just one spot away from qualifying for state in diving as well as reaching district competition on the JHS water polo team. She also coaches younger divers at Alamo Area Aquatics Diving and builds sets in JHS’s theater department. She’s hoping to study international affairs or mechanical engineering at West Point, High Point or UNT. While her professional aspiration is to join the CIA, going to the Olympics has been her dream since she was in gymnastics.
Both Taylor and Thomas have younger siblings who attend JHS. The two volunteer during the track season to teach potential pole vaulters from Tex Hill and Tejeda, hoping to inspire the next generation of JHS athletes to follow their footsteps.
Dynamic Duo Soar to Success
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