Exercise Makes Me Feel Good

We have enough evidence to know that all of us, yes, you too, need to engage in physical activity every day. A recent article in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease highlighted the importance of exercise. The study discovered that those patients who exercised 2 ½ hours per week had a smaller decline in their quality-of-life
(that means they experienced a more enjoyable quality of life).
We have similar studies for other diseases like arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and diabetes.

The National Institute of Senior Health (nihseniorhealth.gov) provides guidance on increasing physical activity and exercise for senior adults. Research shows that even moderate exercise and physical activity can improve the health of people who are frail or who have diseases that accompany aging. Fellowship Square-Mesa provides our residents with many choices when it comes to exercising. We have fitness centers, fitness trainers, walking paths, and daily exercise classes that range from Aerobic Swimming to Yoga. Here are a few suggestions for increasing your physical activity.

·         Make it a priority. Put it at the top of your “to-do” list for the day.

·         Make it easy. Walking, stretching, and dancing are great ways to exercise.

·         Make it safe. Talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. The fitness coaches at Fellowship Square-Mesa can help assess your readiness and help you design that meets your needs.

·         Make it social. Enlist a friend or family member.

·         Make it interesting. Do the things you like to do and follow the NIH Guidelines: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.

·         Make exercise an active decision. Multi-task the active way: walk the long way to visit a friend.

Most of all make it fun!  Visit us online today @ www.fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org/campus/az/mesa/

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Blue Lakes Assisted Living

We are pleased to announce our newest advertiser in the 

Phoenix SPOTLIGHT Senior Services & Living Options Guide!

          Blue Lakes Assisted Living provides what most traditional nursing homes cannot...the same warm, caring atmosphere of your own home with the benefit of professional health care provided by loving staff members and qualified third party providers.  We offer many of the same benefits of a skilled nursing home, in a more social environment and at about half the cost. 

Our exquisite care home is conveniently situated in a quiet cul-de-sac, close to HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, big retail stores and various places of business. We are a family operated business, fully licensed by Arizona Health
 Department for 10 beds.

At Blue Lakes Assisted Living we provide all levels of care, including supervisory, personal and directed. This ensures that our residents can remain in their familiar & comfortable home among friends, even if their level of care increases. Sometimes, all a person needs to appreciate a full and independent life is a little assistance with routine daily activities. In our home, residents feel comfortable and cared for in a home-like environment that allows them to maintain a sense of love and support.

Our goal is to provide the highest quality of care in a warm, loving environment that looks and feels like "home!"

Visit us online today @ www.BlueLakesAssistedLiving.com 

Fellowship Square Mesa Shares Learning with a Purpose

Learning with a Purpose at Fellowship Square-Mesa

Nancy Merz Nordstrom (author of Learning Later, Living Greater) is one of many researchers and authors who have discovered that having a healthy brain requires more than the daily dose of crossword puzzles and Suduko. Older adult learners, who seek continuous education, or lifelong learning, are feeding their brains in a way that day-to-day ordinary activities do not.

Ms. Merz writes, “Like the body needs healthy food, so does the brain – and this healthy brain food is education.” There are, however, other benefits of lifelong learning in a community like Fellowship Square-Mesa.

• Connections. One resident attending a weekly lifelong learning class remarked, “I have passed many of these people in the hall for several years. I’ve seen them on the bus to the theatre but I have never really talked with them or laughed with them. Now we are classmates and I feel as if I have new, close friends that will be with me as long as I am here.” Connecting with new friends, being open to new ideas, having common experiences, creating a strong community; all of these are benefits of lifelong learning.
  
•   Learning with purpose. Another resident said, “As I read and listen to daily news reports, or reflect on a creative idea, I’m aware of a direct connection to a classroom discussion we have had. It thrills me when that lightbulb goes off; I suddenly want to call someone (my daughter usually gets this call) and tell her what I have discovered. She tells the grandchildren and they call because they want to learn more. I feel really good about myself.”
  
•  Opening up to new experiences. We have small group discussions, large group discussions, book studies and book talks; we study famous artists, social movements (19^th & 20^th century immigration), American icons like Frank Lloyd Wright and Grandma Moses.

Fellowship Square-Mesa sponsors lifelong learning programs for every resident.  Every Saturday afternoon from 1:00 – 3:00 ALLE Learning teams with Independent Living residents who are seeking learning opportunities.  All we are missing is you and your brain, won’t you join us?

Visit us online today @ www.fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org/campus/az/mesa/

Person Centered Care

One of the most popular trends in senior adult living is the focus on “person centered care” and “person centered perks.” We know that person centered care is clinical care and is specific and unique to an individual.

While we might think that “person centered perks” is different than care, in reality we can address it the same way. What do we need to do to keep our residents engaged and connected to the world around us? The word “perks” changes the dynamic because we are no longer talking about medicine or therapy. We are talking about “lifestyle.” So now we can ask the question, “What can we do to improve the lifestyle of our residents?”  While we believe that we offer a unique lifestyle at Fellowship Square Mesa we also believe that we need to improve every single day.

1.      Our technology needs to be current and accessible to everyone. We have recently deployed the “Center of Aging Excellence Resident Portal.” This virtual and physical Portal enables our residents to schedule repairs, transportation and even RSVP for a special event, all from the comfort of their apartments. In addition they can view their bill, see an interactive calendar, the weekly menu, TV Guide, and newsletter.

2.      Recreation, exercise, and health and wellness programs need to be robust and include a plethora of options: group classes, individual sessions with a trainer, open gym times, walking programs and health & wellness classes are an example of what we offer.

3.      Lifelong learning classes are available to every resident who lives on our campus: independent living, assisted living, memory care, etc. Classes are presented by our trained staff and include topics that our residents easily relate to: “Anne and Charles Lindbergh,” “Henry Ford,” “Route 66,” “1935, It Was a Big Deal,” and “All that Jazz!” Our residents have an opportunity to engage in conversation and reminisce about their experiences with these topics.

The one size-fits-all approach to lifestyle programs is no longer relevant for our hip residents! Contact us to learn more about our exciting community by visiting our website www.fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org or by calling 1.888.460.2182

Keeping Up With Technology

Keeping Up with Technology

Have you ever asked yourself why technology is so important today? Although your generation may not have been raised on technology you were certainly the genesis for the growth of technology. Today we are surrounded by technology and believe it or not we need technology. Just think it was not that long ago that microwave ovens were invented, they were expensive and not well understood. When I was growing up the term “NUKE IT” meant duck under my desk at school because the Russian’s were coming. But today it means warm up a cup of coffee or a meal.  

As the Executive Director at Fellowship Square-Mesa, it is my responsibility to provide long term road maps for all things related to successful aging experiences for our residents.  From the beginning, nearly 20 years ago, Fellowship Square-Mesa has been a leader in using technology to improve the aging experience for our Residents.  From the day we opened we offered cable TV, in-house resident channels, and emergency alert buttons for each resident.

In 2005, we added individual resident coaxial Internet access with our private broadband system. Today every resident can receive email speed Internet access (1 MB) included at no additional charge in their basic monthly fee. We recently added 8 more HD 720p television stations and our residents now have 32 HD channels available for their viewing pleasure (with an additional 16 being added).  

The technology that we have in place today includes five in-house resident TV channels, cable TV, high definition TV, and Wi-Fi connectivity for every resident who wants it. The resident emergency call system now uses triangulation to locate pendants anywhere on the 10 acre campus, including parking lots.

We recently deployed a new technology we call the “Fellowship Square-Mesa Center of Aging Excellence” or the “Resident Portal.” This Portal has been designed specifically for our residents. By logging on you can view your bill (eventually you will be able to pay your bill from the Portal), schedule a repair or transportation service; read about a popular new book, or learn about an upcoming lifelong learning class.

Technology is very important to our community; now routine tasks, administrative functions and oversight responsibilities can be handled through automation. Technology gives us a way to improve communication with each resident. Whether we use the in-house resident channels or the Resident Portal we want you to always know that you have received up-to-date and meaningful information from Fellowship Square-Mesa.

The last factor related to our use of technology is that it can help the staff do their jobs better. We want all of our staff members to be well trained and quick to respond to any question or issue you may have. We can use technology to give staff access to information, to track job certifications and provide feedback to you, the resident.

If you have any feedback related to the access or use of technology at Fellowship Square-Mesa, please send me an email at JonScott.Williams@christiancare.org. I look forward to hearing from you.

Visit us online @ www.fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org/campus/az/mesa/

Will You Be My Neighbor?

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor,” says Mr. Rogers.

You might be interested in learning that at Fellowship Square-Mesa we have a strong felling of community enhanced by a network of individual neighborhoods. How does that work you might ask. Every floor in our multi-story buildings acts and feels like a good old fashioned neighborhood; we abandoned the “nursing care look and feel” over 20 years ago and today our residents live and thrive in a home like atmosphere with friendly neighbors living next door.

Today each floor has a comfortable gathering space, kitchen and meeting room. Residents get to know the people on their floor as if they were the “neighbor next door.” Several of the neighborhoods begin their day with morning coffee, a home-made sweet treat (baked that morning by one of the residents), the newspaper and friendly neighbors.

When asked about the benefits of living in a senior adult community with a neighborhood atmosphere, residents tell us there are three things that stand out for them.

1.       Peaceful living. Our residents find it is far more peaceful to live among neighbors that they know and that like and respect each other. They also tell us that the way that happens is by getting to know everyone on the floor.

2.       Safety first. Good neighbors watch out for each other. Our residents check in on someone they may not have seen during the day. If someone is ill or recovering from an illness then their neighbors will check in to make sure they are doing OK.

3.       Social connections. Some old fashioned neighborhoods thrive on over-the-fence conversations each day. Our neighborhoods are like that. Residents say that having people close by to socialize with creates wonderful and long lasting friendships.

The “neighborhood” concept at Fellowship Square-Mesa is what sets us apart from other communities. We have programs that assist in assimilation and connection with our community but our individual neighborhoods are the glue that holds it all together. As Mr. Rodgers said, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”

Visit us online today @ http://www.fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org/campus/as/mesa/

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Fellowship Square Mesa

We are pleased to announce our new Corporate Sponsor in the 

Phoenix SPOTLIGHT Senior Services & Living Options 

“The Longevity Dividend”

Life expectancy in the United States is at an all-time high. You have probably heard the terms “healthy aging,” or “improved quality-of-life;” our favorite is “Longevity Dividend.”  Advertisers use these terms to entice you to spend money with them and senior adult communities often use these terms to attract new residents. Of course the challenge with these terms is that they are often defined by the marketing department instead of by residents.

At Fellowship Square-Mesa we take these terms very seriously and we strive to be a Center of Aging Excellence. We work every day to make certain that our residents are provided with the opportunity to achieve “healthy aging,” and a high standard of “quality-of-life.”

Nutritious Meals.  Research has shown that eating regular meals that contain protein, fresh vegetables & fruit, and fewer carbohydrates result in a healthier senior population. Alternative meals and special dietary needs can be easily accommodated. Don’t be afraid to ask! When you feel better you have less stress in your life, more energy and are more likely to engage in social interaction, (USDA, Nutrition.gov).  

Social Interaction. Social connections help senior adults stay active and mobile, and can even slow the rate of cognitive decline. At Fellowship Square-Mesa we provide a variety of planned events and activities. We encourage every resident to study the monthly calendar and find the events that appeal to them and make that event a regular occurrence.

Intellectual Stimulation. The idea of keeping our “brains healthy” is way beyond crossword puzzles, computer games, and Bingo. We realized a long time ago that our residents wanted current information about our community and exposure to technology and lifelong learning classes. Learning is a way for us to stay connected to the world around us, learn things that we may not know, engage with our fellow residents and improve our brain fitness.

Fitness or Wellness Programs. Physical activity is important for everyone but especially for senior adults who are concerned with healthy aging, “Stay Strong to Live Long.” Exercise can energize your mood, relieve stress, help you manage symptoms of illness and pain and improve your overall sense of well-being. At Fellowship Square-Mesa we provide many opportunities for our residents on a variety of levels: cardio workouts, fitness classes, and classes for improving posture and balance.

Take the steps necessary to improve or sustain your quality-of-life today. Try something new; don’t make up your mind that you won’t like it before you’ve tried it. Most of all make a commitment to be healthy and happy and you will benefit from the “Longevity Dividend!”

Visit us online @ www.fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org/campus/az/mesa/