WEST VALLEY - APRIL 2024

GS 0424 4/30/24

Spring into April

AAA SENIOR PLACEMENT AZ

A Message from Sue Royer

“I was born and raised in inner city Chicago, the sixth of eighteen children with fifteen brothers. Being the oldest daughter, I was always a caregiver which I believe influenced me to pursue work in the healthcare industry. Today, I have three daughters and five grandchildren.

Years ago, I volunteered for hospice and knew immediately that helping seniors was my calling. I was soon employed by hospice but I felt something was missing. I realized it was the limited time I was able to spend with my clients. Having my own business allows me to provide the intimate hands on service needed in our community. I am committed to our seniors throughout their lives and I thank the community for the opportunity to serve.”

Sue RoyerDirector

About Us

Since 2002, AAA Senior Placement AZ has been offering FREE services helping seniors find safe, affordable and loving assisted living.

When it becomes too difficult for you or your loved ones to safely manage daily living and/or manage medical needs, call Sue Royer for help navigating the many options available.

We are specialists in all levels of assisted living care resources with referrals to Arizona’s best:

• Group Homes

• Assisted Living Communities

• In-Home Primary Care Physicians

• Home Health Care Therapy

• Transportation

• Private Duty In-Home Care

• Respite Care

• Alzheimer’s Care

• Memory Care

• Hospice

• Support Groups

Assisted living resources accepting:

• Private pay

• Arizona Long Term Care-ALTCS

• Medicaid

• VA Benefits

6 Reasons You Should Call

AAA Senior Placement AZ

• We are well known and respected in the medical community.

• All clients are given a thorough assessment to determine proper placement needs.

• There is never a fee charged to the senior or their family for our service.

• We are NOT contractually bound to any outside business. This allows us to serve our clients with only their interests in mind.

• Years of knowledge and experience in the field of senior care.

• AAA Senior Placement AZ is family owned, allowing us to give you quality, personalized service.

Spring is officially here!

It’s amazing to me how quickly life passes us by. Each month, we go about our regular routines, and experience pretty much the same thing daily. What surprises me, however, is how adjusting one or two things during my daily routine, changes my perspective. Whether it’s trying to have a positive attitude or being more aware of those around me.

While a sense of calm has been restored to the Valley of the Sun, now that the Cactus League and NCAA Basketball Championships have all but come and gone—it might be time for you to start packing your items, and head back to your summer home. If so, we hope you have a great summer.

For those of you who are staying, I hope you enjoy the shorter lines at the grocery stores, restaurants and your favorite activities. Please don’t forget to visit our local advertisers who make The Grand Season possible.

Get outside and enjoy our beautiful State!

Melissa Whitton Associate Publisher

WORDS HAVE POWER

Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Unknown

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. Peter Drucker

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.

Evelyn Beatrice Hall

Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

To communicate through silence is a link between the thoughts of man. Marcel Marceau

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. George Bernard Shaw

Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.

D. H. Lawrence

You can change your world by changing your words... Remember, death and life are in the power of the tongue. Joel Osteen

Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble. Yehuda Berg

GROWTH TALK LESS

Some people have an innate ability to command the room. They know how to get their point across in a group without barking orders or dominating the conversation—they are good at talking and listening.

But good communication skills don’t grow overnight; good communication takes planning, preparation and consistent practice. Here are some tips to help you develop your public communication skills.

1. Be a good listener. Being a good listener is the key. Don’t go in with the sole objective to just speak. As the conversation goes on, listen and respond, incorporating your points into the response. People are more willing to listen, if they believe they’re being listened to.

2. Pick the right time to speak. The best way to ensure your voice is heard in a group is to pick your spots, meaning find a gap within the conversation to speak, no matter how many people are involved. By selecting the most opportune time to speak, you can ensure that you

have the attention of the group and can get your entire message across without being interrupted.

3. Keep your responses succinct. Keep it simple when responding in groups. This shows you have respect for others’ time. A long, drawn-out answer to a question is not only inconsiderate, but you lose their interest in what you have to say. Short, snappy answers that get right to the heart of the issue will help get your point across and be remembered in the process.

4. Don’t be the person who needs to comment on everything.

You’ll be respected more in a group if you have a reputation for kicking in only when you have something important to say.

5. Smile.

Be positive. If you smile and nod along as other people speak, they will be positive about opening up and letting you speak as well. If they see that you aren’t listening to them but, instead, impatiently waiting for your turn to speak, they won’t pay you any respect.

If new denims are too stiff, add half a cup of salt to your wash water along with the regular detergent.

Save power with this tip: Use cold water to wash towels and jeans. Then hang them to dry. When they are mostly dry, pop them in the dryer on air dry to fluff up. Towels and jeans take the longest to dry in the clothes dryer, and use a lot of electricity.

Lighten blemish spots on your skin with lemon juice. Just dab on several times per day.

Looking for ways to grow closer with your spouse? The following questions can help you learn more about your views, wishes, dreams, best and worst moments, and what you need from each other emotionally. While some of the questions might make you feel vulnerable, you’ll strengthen your relationship through a much deeper understanding of what makes both of you tick.

1. Do you remember the moment that you knew that you loved me?

2. What were you most afraid of as a kid?

3. What’s your biggest fear as an adult?

4. Has anything seriously upset you in recent months?

5. When was the last time I made you feel appreciated?

6. What’s a bad habit I have that bothers you?

7. What activity do you most enjoy doing with me?

8. Do you feel that you tend to be introverted or extroverted?

9. If you could change one big decision in your life, what would it be?

10. What’s your favorite memory from our relationship so far?

11. What’s the worst thing that has ever happened to you that you haven’t told me about?

12. How can I be a better partner?

13. What do I do right in our relationship?

14. What do I do that makes you feel loved?

15. What do you do when you’re trying to show me your love?

16. When you’re upset, do you want me to talk to you or give you space?

17. How often do you choose to put my needs ahead of yours?

18. If you were in trouble with the law, would you tell me?

19. What was the funniest thing you have ever seen me do?

20. What’s a talent that you would like to develop in yourself?

21. Tell me something that you admire about me?

22. What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?

23. What is something that intimidates you?

24. If money were no object, where would you like to go on vacation with me?

25. Is there anything that I helped you learn about yourself?

26. What aspect of our relationship makes you the happiest?

27. Tell me something that has changed about your outlook over the past 5 years?

28. What book or film had the biggest influence on you?

29. What are you most grateful for in our relationship?

Dinner and a Movie!

Solve the crossword puzzle and mail it in for your chance to win a $50 Restaurant Gift Card and 4 Movie Tickets. Answers to the clues can be found in this month’s Grand Season Ads.

Sponsored by:

If you have a question about the puzzle, please call 623-594-1630 ext 3070.

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES: Solve the crossword puzzle and mail it in to win. The answers to all crossword clues will contain all or part of a company name found in this month’s Grand Season ads. Must be 21 or older to enter the contest. Employees of the Grand Season or its advertisers are ineligible. When entering an advertisers’ name, there are no spaces, no LLC, or Corporations. Example: C & R Plus II would be entered into the spaces as: C&RPLUSII Entries must be postmarked no later than April 26th. A drawing will be held from all correct entries. One winner will receive a $50.00 Gift Card and 4 movie tickets, with a photo in our magazine. 8 winners will receive a consolation prize of a 2 movie tickets. Winners will be notified by phone, and prizes will be sent by mail. Winners will be announced in the May issue of the Grand Season. Mail puzzle with answers to: Grand Season

YOU ARE YOU LISTENING?

You may believe you listen to other people when they’re talking—but do you really? Are you engaged in the conversation, or are you multitasking as you scroll through social media? Do you allow yourself to digest what they’re saying, or are you mentally preparing your response?

Being a good listener is a skill that requires practice. Want to be a better listener? Start by working on these tips:

Ask open-ended questions

If you’ve ever tried to chat with someone who gave you one-word answers (your grandchild), you understand the frustration of not being able to keep a conversation going. Part of learning how to listen is using what you hear to then explore new ways of asking questions. When trying to navigate a problem, asking open-ended questions can help someone feel heard.

Focus on compassion

When you seek to listen, make a conscious effort to be empathetic toward another person. Maybe it’s

understanding why your partner feels neglected at work and is taking it out on you. Whatever the case, it’s essential to consider every conversation to be an act of compassion.

Make time for 1 on 1 conversations

While some people thrive in group situations, others turn into wallflowers who pull away. Spending 1on1 time with your family members will help improve your listening abilities. This is a time where you can understand how each individual communicates.

Give your undivided attention

When someone is talking to you, it’s time to clear the decks. This means, you’re only listening to them—either looking at them or zeroing in on their voice while chatting on the phone. Maybe you need to step away from your computer, put down your phone or turn off the TV. In short, you need to be fully present, so you can digest what they’re saying.

MAKE SOME NEW ONES

It’s possible to make friends as an adult, but it may require a bit of effort and dedication. Every season of adulthood brings new challenges and making new friends can be one of them. Time constraints, family issues and health concerns can make it hard to meet people or even nurture relationships you already have.

So, how do you make friends as an adult? Consider these steps to improve your social circle:

Try to transition acquaintances into solid friendships. One way to grow your network is by tapping into your existing one. You may already have acquaintances that are potential close friendships in the works.

Consider the people you encounter regularly at your fitness classes, place of worship, book clubs or favorite coffee shop. Those casual encounters may be one meaningful conversation away from a closer friendship.

Some of the ways you could help the transition include:

• Invite them for a cup of coffee.

• Start casual conversations that may slowly become longer and more meaningful offering to share your unique experiences or even recent events.

• Make a plan to meet outside your usual meeting place.

To find people who share your interests and beliefs and who can potentially become friends, try the following:

• Join local groups on Facebook, MeetUp, and other platforms that take social activities offline.

• Participate in local events, such as signing up for a 5k race or volunteering at a local animal shelter.

• Take a group class for cooking, dancing, golfing, or gardening.

HOLLYWOOD HAPPENINGS

Christopher Nolan took home more than one Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture. His pay for directing “Oppenheimer” was just south of $100 million, from the combination of his salary, back-end compensation from the billion-dollar box-office grosses, and the bonus from winning two Oscars. His next project looks to be his screenplay for a film based on the 1960s TV series “The Prisoner.”

Best Actor winner

Cillian Murphy has already completed his next film—“Small Things like These” with Emily Watson. It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.

Best Supporting Actor winner Robert Downey Jr. is one of the producers of the upcoming HBO historical black-comedy television series “The Sympathizer.” He will also appear in the miniseries in several antagonist roles.