october 2014 celebrating our foundress, st. marguerite d ... · the salem witch trials with gary...

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Assisted Living Residences Marguerite was born in 1701 in Varennes, Quebec. Her early life had its share of misfortune, starting with the death of her father when she was just a little girl. As a young woman she married Francois d’Youville, a notorious bootlegger. He would disappear from home for long periods of time and eventually fell ill. Marguerite had al- ready lost four of their children to illness. When her husband passed away, he left her a poor widow at the age of 30. At this time, her faith and devotion to those in need continued to strengthen. She opened a shop where she sold her handiwork, using the proceeds to pay off her late husband’s debt and help others. She and three other women began living together and providing shelter to the homeless. e work of the Grey Nuns, continued on page 2 October 16th is the Feast Day of St. Marguerite d’Youville, foundress of the Grey Nuns and the first native Canadian in history to be canonized as a Catholic saint. She is also the namesake of the Youville Assisted Living Residences, which is why we pay her special tribute. Marguerite lived during the 18th century in Montreal, where she devoted most of her life to serving the sick and the poor. She defied gender and class boundaries of the time, becoming the director of e General Hospital in Montreal in spite of her status as a poor widow. She advocated for the burial rights of executed criminals and even begged for money to pay to have them buried. Faced with her own financial worries, she remained focused on those who had even less than she did. roughout her life, Marguerite’s strong religious faith fueled her charitable endeavors and her zeal to help those in need. Her energy inspired support from those around her and eventually won her a considerable following. Celebrating Our Foundress, St. Marguerite d’Youville October 2014 Celebrate Oktoberfest Tuessday, October 7 at 2:30 PM e Oktoberfest German Band will help us usher in the fall season with waltzes, polkas and some traditional beer-drinking songs. No Oktoberfest is complete without these requisite Bavarian and German standards. Roll out the barrel and get in the Oktoberfest spirit!

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Page 1: October 2014 Celebrating Our Foundress, St. Marguerite d ... · The Salem Witch Trials with Gary Hylander Saturday, October 18 at 1:30 PM “An army of devils,” warned Reverend

Assisted Living Residences

Marguerite was born in 1701in Varennes, Quebec. Her early life had its share of misfortune, starting with the death of her father when she was just a little girl. As a young woman she married Francois d’Youville,a notorious bootlegger. He would disappear from home for long periods of time and eventually fell ill. Marguerite had al-ready lost four of their children to illness. When her husband passed away, he left her a poor widow at the age of 30. At this time, her faith and devotion to those in need continued to strengthen. She opened a shop where she sold her handiwork, using the proceeds to pay off her late husband’s debt and help others. She and three other women began living together and providing shelter to the homeless. The work of the Grey Nuns, continued on page 2

October 16th is the Feast Day of St. Marguerite d’Youville, foundress of the Grey Nuns and the first native Canadian in history to be canonized as a Catholic saint. She is also the namesake of the Youville Assisted Living Residences, which is why we pay her special tribute. Marguerite lived during the 18th century in Montreal, where she devoted most of her life to serving the sick and the poor. She defied gender and class boundariesof the time, becoming the director of The General Hospital in Montreal in spite of her status as a poor widow. She advocated for the burial rights of executed criminals and even begged for money to pay to have them buried. Faced with her own financial worries, she remained focused on those who had even less than she did. Throughout her life, Marguerite’s strong religious faith fueled her charitable endeavors and her zeal to help those in need. Her energy inspired support from those around her and eventually won her a considerable following.

Celebrating Our Foundress, St. Marguerite d’YouvilleOctober 2014

Celebrate Oktoberfest Tuessday, October 7 at 2:30 PMThe Oktoberfest German Band will help us usher in the fall season with waltzes, polkas and some traditional beer-drinking songs. No Oktoberfest is complete without these requisite Bavarian and German standards. Roll out the barrel and get in the Oktoberfest spirit!

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Community Outings

Signs of Fall at the Mount Auburn CemeteryWednesday, October 1Depart: 1:15 PMReturn: 3:30 PM Cost: FreeThe Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge is one of the most popular sites for admiring fall foliage. Founded in 1831 as “America’s first garden cemetery,” this famous Cambridge landmark contains some of the oldest graves in the country, a tower with breathtaking views of the city, magestic trees and acres of beautiful, calming landscape.

Fall Foliage Ride to the Arnold ArboretumWednesday, October 8Depart: 1:00 PMReturn: 4:00 PM Cost: FreeFrederick Law Olmstead, a designer of “parks for the people,” believed that beautiful landscapes provide moral and spiritual sustenance. Charles Sprague Sargent, director of the Arnold Arboretum, was devoted to the scientific study of trees. In 1872, their seperate visions came together on an old farm in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston to create the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. The Arnold Arboretum, a link in Boston’s “Emerald Necklace” park system, designed by Olmstead, has given pleasure to millions of visitors for well over a century.

Lunch Trip: Olde Mill Restaurant Wednesday, October 22Depart: 10:45 AMReturn: 3:00 PM Cost: $ for lunchTake a scenic fall foliage ride out to Westminster, Massachusetts where we will stop at the Olde MillRestaurant for a delicious lunch served in a rustic setting. Voices of diners mingle with the merry music of water rushing gaily over the mill dam as it dances its way to the sea.

“St. Margureite d’Youville” continued from page 1in its earliest incarnation, had begun. The women were mocked as “the tipsy nuns,” a reference to Marguerite’s late husband, an appellation that also means “grey nuns” in French. The women adopted the name and even began dressing in grey.

Officially recognized as The Sisters of Charity of Montreal, “The Grey Nuns” have established and managed a vast network of healthcare organizations, nursing homes, senior care facilities and, of course, assisted living residences throughout North and South America.

The Grey Nuns cordially invite you to a Eucharistic Celebration on Thursday, October 16 at 7:00 PM as we celebrate the life of St. Marguerite d’Youville.

Visit Our Blog, Like Us On FacebookThis newsletter only comes out once a month. Interested in hearing from us more often? Then visit our blog any time for the latest news and additional articles. To access the blog, visit the Youville web site at www.youvilleassistedliving.org and click on the “Visit our Blog” button. Or, like us on Facebook. When you like us on Facebook, we will send you updates and links to the most recent items posted on the blog. Just search for Youville Assisted Living on Facebook and click “like.” See you on the web!

Resident & Family Halloween PartyBonaparte–– Boston’s Hottest MagicianSunday, October 19 from 2:30 PM - 4:00 PMResidents, staff, families, and friends of Youville Place are invited to share in the festivities of the day. There will be picture taking, trick or treating, followed by an afternoon of laughter and magic with Bonaparte. We encourage all to dress up in their favorite Halloween costume. Please let the Programs Department know by October 15, how many children you will have attending.

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The Salem Witch Trials with Gary HylanderSaturday, October 18 at 1:30 PM“An army of devils,” warned Reverend Cotton Mather, was on its way to af ict the men and women of the Massa chusetts Bay Colony for their sinfulness and wicked ways. New Englanders believed in the “Old Deluder” and the malevolent powers of his “Invisible World.” When rumors of Tituba’s conjuring of spirits in the household of Reverend Parrish surfaced, power ful witchcraft hysteria seized Salem Village and neighboring towns. By the time the Salem witchcraft trials were suspended, nineteen of the accused, mostly women, had been hanged for the crime of witchcraft.

Things that Go Bump in the Nightwith Patricia PerryTuesday, October 21 at 1:30 PMJoin dramatist Patricia Perry for a glimpse into the darkest corners of haunted New England. Once you are sufficiently terrified of the local ghouls and apparitions, Perry will broaden out and introduce you to a few international ghosts. Warning: you might want to sleep with the lights on after this show.

Happy Birthday!

Trudy H. October 3 Margaret M. October 5 Mildred P. October 8 Margaret B. October 12 Sr. Helen S. October 13 Audrey B. October 14 Evelyn B. October 24

Residents born in October are invited to lunch in the Private Dining Room to celebrate on Friday, October 24 at 12:00 PM.

Yiddishkeit Alan Pearlmutter, pianistLinda Poland, clarinetistSaturday, October 4 at 1:30 PMPianist and vocalist Alan Pearlmutter accompanies clarinetist Linda Poland in a terrific mix of traditional Jewish and Hebrew songs celebrating the Jewish spirit. Favorites include Bel Mir Bist Du Shen, Tum Balalaika, Hava Nagila, Miserlou, and a lively selection of klezmer dance tunes.

The Moveable Feast with Paolo DiGregorioA Brief History of Paris Friday, October 10 at 2:00 PMParis is known throughout the world as a center of refinement, culture and romance. However, “The City of Lights” did not always have such prestige. Paolo DiGregorio, a self-styled “artifactual scholar,” will trace the dramatic, often colorful history of Paris through its artistic, architectural and cultural legacy. Learn how Paris grew, by fits and starts, into the city we know and love today.

Art Matters Presents... Pablo PicassoTuesday, October 14 at 2:00 PMWhether you swear by him or at him, Picasso was undeniably the most successful and influential artist of the 20th Century. He was certainly the most influential artist since Leonardo Da Vinci. He was able to change his style, so quickly, so completely, that he seemed like many different artists. He made over 50,000 works of art. But there will be one era, one style, even a single painting, that will make you say; “I didn’t know Picasso did that, I love that.” Join us for a look at, and a discus-sion of, the many, many styles, expressions, loves and lives of the man at the heart of modern art.

Caring CaninesFriday,October 17 at 2:00 PMIf you haven’t stopped by the Community Room when Caring Canines comes to visit, you are missing out! Spend the afternoon with adorable, affectionate dogs from the neighborhood.

Monthly Highlights...

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9:30 Fitness 9:30 Shopping Trip: Bedford Stop & Shop 10:30 An Hour w/ Sheila 2:00 ArtMatters Presents... Pablo Picasso 3:30 Black Jack

9:30 Fitness 9:30 Shopping Trip: Burlington Market Basket10:30 An Hour w/ Sheila 1:30 Things That Go Bump in the Night w/ Patricia Perry 3:30 Black Jack

9:30 Fitness 10:00 LexFun visits....10:30 Centering Prayer 1:30 Documentary Movie: Maidentrip 3:00 Bible Study 4:00-5:30 Happy Hour 7:00 Documentary Movie: Maidentrip

9:30 Fitness 10:30 Centering Prayer10:45 Lunch Trip: Olde Mill Restaurant 3:00 Tea for the Soul 7:00 Documentary Movie: The Story of India: 1

Feast of St. Marguerite D’Youville10:00 Music & Movement w/ Barbara Lyon 1:00 Trans. to Lexington Ctr. 2:00 Forever Fit

7:00 Feast of St. Marguerite D’Youville

9:30 Fitness10:15 Flower Arranging 2:00 The Moveable Feast–– A Brief History of Paris w/ Paolo DiGregorio 3:15 Movement to Music w/ Stephanie 7:00 Movie: Good Will Hunting

9:30 Fitness10:15 Flower Arranging 2:00 Caring Canines 3:15 Bonus Bingo 5:00 Dinner w/ Gerhardt 7:00 Movie: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

9:30 Fitness10:15 Flower Arranging12:00 Birthday Luncheon 2:00 You Be the Judge! 3:15 Bonus Bingo 4:30-6:30 Manicures by Appt. 7:00 Movie: A Streetcar Named Desire

1:30 Historical Lecture w/ Gary Hylander 7:00 Classic Movie Night: To Catch a Thief

11:30 Autumn BBQ 1:30 Classic Movie Matinee: Charade 7:00 Classic Movie Night: Charade

Columbus Day 9:30 Fitness10:15 Group Crosswords10:30 Reminscing w/ Sheila 1:30 Mad Science: The Science of Fingerprints 3:00 Bingo

9:30 Fitness10:15 Group Crosswords 10:30 Reminscing w/ Sheila 1:30 Art Class: Notan Art Design 3:00 Bingo

2:00 Reflections w/ Maria Benoit 3:15 Documentary Film: Yellowstone: Fabric of a Dream 7:00 Great Courses on DVD–– 23 Great Solo Piano Works Lecture 1 & 2

2:00 Reflections w/ Maria Benoit 3:15 Wolves: A Legend Returns to Yellowstone 7:00 Great Courses on DVD–– 23 Great Solo Piano Works Lecture 3 & 4

2:30 Resident & Family Halloween Party w/ Bonaparte- Boston’s Hottest Magician 7:00 Great Courses on DVD–– 23 Great Solo Piano Works Lecture 5 & 6

2:00 Reflections w/ Maria Benoit 2:00 Documentary Film: Nature: Echo of the Elephants 7:00 Great Courses on DVD–– 23 Great Solo Piano Works Lecture 7 & 8

Country StoreHours

Monday & Friday 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Wednesday 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

9:30 Fitness 10:15 Group Crosswords10:30 Short Stories w/ Sheila 1:30 Outreach Project Make Heating Pads for Pet Shelter 3:00 Bingo

October 2014

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9:30 Fitness 9:30 Shopping Trip: Lexington Stop & Shop10:30 An Hour w/ Sheila 2:30 Celebrate Oktoberfest w/ an Oktoberfest German Band 3:30 Black Jack

9:30 Yoga w/ Annie Hoffman 2:00 Blues & Jazz Pianist Matt McCabe 4:00 - 5:30 Happy Hour 7:00 Music & Musical Film: Gypsy

11:30 Autumn BBQ 1:30 Classic Movie Matinee: Suspicion 7:00 Classic Movie Night: Suspicion

9:30 Fitness10:15 Group Crosswords10:30 Short Stories w/ Sheila 2:00 October Jeopardy Trivia 3:00 Bingo

9:30 Fitness 10:30 Centering Prayer 1:00 Trip: Fall Foliage Ride to the Arnold Arboretum 1:30 Documentary Movie: Bears 7:00 Documentary Movie: Bears

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9:30 Yoga w/ Annie Hoffman 1:30 Great Songwriters: The Gerswhins w/ Jack Craig 4:00 - 5:30 Happy Hour 7:00 Music & Musical Film: Auntie Mame

1:30 Yiddishkeit w/ Pianist Alan Pearlmutter & Clarinetist Linda Poland 7:00 Classic Movie Night: Vertigo

Hair SalonHours

Thursday, Friday & Saturday8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Yom Kippur begins at sundown 9:30 Fitness10:15 Flower Arranging 1:00 Blood Pressure Clinic 2:30 Bonus Bingo 4:30-6:30 Manicures by Appt. 7:00 Movie: The King’s Speech

9:30 Fitness 9:30 Shopping Trip: Bedford Stop & Shop10:30 An Hour w/ Sheila 1:00 Outreach Project: Brown Bag Meals for the Homeless 3:30 Black Jack

9:30 Fitness 10:30 Centering Prayer 1:15 Trip: Fall Foliage Ride 3:00 Bible Study 7:00 Documentary Movie: Birth of Flight

10:00 Music & Movement w/ Barbara Lyon 1:00 Trans. to Lexington Ctr. 2:30 Resident/Management Mtg. 4:00 - 5:30 Happy Hour 7:00 Music & Musical Film: Funny Face

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Halloween 9:30 Fitness10:15 Flower Arranging 2:00 Bonus Bingo 3:15 Haunted Treats & Trivia 7:00 Movie: East of Eden

9:30 Fitness 10:30 Centering Prayer11:00 Lunch Trip: Margaritas Mexican Restaurant 1:30 Documentary Movie: The Story of India: 2 3:00 Bible Study 7:00 Documentary Movie: The Story of India: 2

9:30 Fitness10:30 Current Events w/ Pam 1:00 Trans. to Lexington Ctr. 2:00 Forever Fit 4:00 - 5:30 Happy Hour 7:00 Music & Musical Film: Theat’s Entertainment 2

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All the necessary ingredients will be there: German music, sauerkraut, a variety of sausages, and beer. Later, on Octo-ber 15th, be sure to learn all about the process of brewing beer in a special presentation: Beermaking 101. We may be a long way away from the crowded tents in Munich, but we will raise our glasses nonetheless this month.

Happy Oktoberfest!

Moving Day: Walk for Parkinson’sOn Saturday, October 11, Youville will participate in “Moving Day,” an annual fundraising event that supports Parkinson’s research and awareness. Moving Day is sponsored by the National Parkinson Foundation and is intended to unite families, friends and communities in the fight against this debilitating disease.

Parkinson’s affects 1 million people in the United States. It is a progressive neurological disease that impairs movement and motor skills. The causes of Parkinson’s are unknown, and symptoms affect different people in different ways. The most common symptoms include tremor, slowness of movement, difficulty making facial expressions, and difficulty with gait and balance. There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s.

Moving Day will be held at Artesani Park in Brighton from 9:00 AM to noon. It is a celebration of movement, featuring a walking course, a children’s area, a relaxation tent for caregivers and a special “Movement Pavilion” offering yoga, dance, Tai Chi, Pilates.

Come join us as we celebrate movement and help raise awareness for Parkinson’s. Residents, staff and family members are encouraged to join in. Please speak with Katie Blanchard in the Programs Department for more information.

Celebrating OktoberfestHeld in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Oktoberfest is a rollicking, beer-centered celebration that attracts over 16 million people every year. Enormous tents are set up around the city during this 16-week celebration, which begins in late September and lasts through the first weekend of October.

As previously mentioned, beer is central to Oktoberfest! During the festival, approximately 7 million liters of “Oktoberfest beer” (more on this soon) will be served. The opening ceremony of Oktoberfest involves a 12-gun salute, followed by the tapping of the first keg. The mayor of Munich gets this honor, after which he declares “O’Zapft is!” meaning “It’s tapped!” and hands the first beer stein to the Bavarian president.

In Munich, there are strict regulations dictating the type of beer that can be served during Oktoberfest. All beers must have been crafted within the city of Munich and conform to the standards set forth in the German Beer Purity Law of 1487, known as Reinheitsgebot. According to Reinheitsgebot, the only acceptable ingredients could be water, barley and hops. More on these:

Hops: beer enthusiasts often have strong opinions about how “hoppy” a beer should be. Hops were important in the Reinheitsgebot partly for flavor, but more importantly for their role in preserving beer. Before the discovery of hops, preservatives included many undesirable substances, among them soot and stinging nettles. By dictating the use of hops and hops alone, Reinheitsgebot ensured that only the best and most flavorful preservative would be used in Bavarian beer.

Barley: The Reinheitsgebot regulations prized barley for economic reasons. Namely, the use of barley in beer would prevent price competition with bakers, keeping the price of wheat and rye bread low. So remember, if anyone tries to tell you that a wheat beer is Oktoberfest compliant – they are lying!

At Youville, we will celebrate our second annual Oktoberfest on Tuesday, October 7th.

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Seasonal Reflections on PumpkinThe pumpkin: this odd-looking, giant member of the squash family has come to symbolize the bounty of the fall harvest and the festivi-ties of Halloween. Perhaps due to its striking appearance, the pumpkin has inspired many creative uses over the course of its long history. American Indians took strips from dried pumpkins to weave into mats, and subsisted on roasted pumpkin flesh for nourishment. Pilgrims later adapted the pumpkin to their British tastes and – as the British have been known to do with most ingredients – developed a pie. Today, the versatility of the pumpkin knows no bounds in the kitchen. The gastronomically curious have likely experienced pumpkin in bread, ravioli, beer, lattes, risotto, and a variety of confections. Pumpkins are healthy! • Just one cup of cooked pumpkin contains 200% of a day’s worth of vitamin A, providing valuable protection for eyes and vision. • Pumpkin is low in calories and rich in fiber, making it a healthy option for people trying to loose weight. One cup of pumpkin contains 3 grams of fiber and only 49 calories. • In addition to being a tasty prize after jack-o-lantern making, pumpkin seeds may also elevate mood. They contain high amounts of tryptophan, an amino acid that plays an important role in producing the mood-enhancing chemical serotonin in our brains. To the best knowledge of the editors of this newsletter,the pumpkin is the only fruit that has ever inspired hu-man attempts to animate it. Most of us have toiled away in our kitchens, possessed by the desire to make the year’s Halloween pumpkin as lifelike and unique as possible. The writers of the 1950s film Cinderella were undoubt-edly inspired by similar motives when they gave the first pumpkin its cameo as an actor on the big screen. As you may remember, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother has just transformed Cinderella into a princess ready to go to the ball, before realizing that she lacked one thing: a means of transportation. After spying the pumpkin patch in

Cinderella’s garden, she summons one of the pumpkins and promptly transforms it into an enormous pumpkin-shaped carriage. Enormous pumpkins are not just the stuff of fairy tales. In 2013, Napa, California, normally celebrated for its wines, became the birthplace of the world’s largest pumpkin: a 2,032 pound monstrosity. The grower responsible for bringing this colossus into existence attributed his success to the mild temperatures in the 2013 fall season. The giant pumpkin was shipped to New York for display at the New York Botanical Garden, along with two 1,000 pound pumpkins and a 350-pound watermelon. According to Don Langevin, author of “How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins,” the first step to growing an enormous pumpkin is to use the right seed: a variety known as Howard Dill’s “Atlantic Giant.” This is the seed that has produced every single one of the world’s largest pumpkins throughout the years (disclaimer: residents who attempt to grow their own enormous pumpkins this fall do so at their own risk!).

Shopping TripsBedford Stop & Shop/Great Roads Shopping CenterTuesday, October 14 & 28Time: 9:30 AM Return: 11:00 AM

Lexington Stop & ShopTuesday, October 7Time: 9:30 AM Return: 11:00 AM

Lexington Center / Walgreen’sThursday, October 2, 16 & 30Time: 1:00 PM Return: 2:30 PM

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Save the Dates...Resident/Management MeetingThursday, October 2 at 2:30 PM

Blood Pressure ClinicFriday, October 3 at 1:00 PM

Manicures with Joanne by AppointmentFriday, October 3 & 24 from 4:30 PM- 6:30 PMSign up in the Community Happenings book!

Dinner with GerhardtFriday, October 17 at 5:00 PM

Country Store Store HoursMonday 10:00 AM - 11:30 AMWednesday 10:00 AM - 12:00 PMFriday 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Store Volunteers: Sr. Theresa R., Margart B., Sr. Dolores B., & Alice G.

Transportation ServicesMonday,Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday8:00 AM - 2:00 PMThe fee for transportation is $10.00 for Lexington and $20.00 for surrounding communities. Please see Brian King in the Programs Department with any questions. We will make every effort to accommodate your wishes, but please understand that no transportation can be guaranteed with less than 48 hours notice.

Programs / Menu Hotline...Have you ever wondered whether your favorite program is on the schedule for the day? Would you like to know in advance what the daily menu choices are? Now you can hear a recorded list of the daily programs as well as the menu for lunch and dinner at Youville Place. Simply call 781-761-1334 directly, or call the Reception Desk and the receptionist will connect you.

Youville Place Mannagement Team

Joanne Parsons CEO & PresidentJoanne Scianna COOJohn Cooney Senior Director of FinanceDinah Olanoff Senior Director of Marketing & Communications Katie Blanchard Director of Programs Claudia Wilson Director of Marketing Joyce R. Looney, RN Director of WellnessBob Salamanca Director of Environmental ServicesMike Dickerson Director of Dining ServicesVirginia Ellis Director of Community Life Maria Benoit Director of Mission & Pastoral CareTom Landry Director of Human Resources

The Mission of Youville PlaceTo be a community of enduring hope that

celebrates God’s love through compassionate care, while fostering the individual and embracing all.

ValuesReverence - profound respect

Integrity - complete truth and justice Dedication - selfless giving

Hospitality - generosity of spirit

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Spiritual

Physical

Cognitive

Nutritional

Our most spiritual experiences fill us with the sense that life has inherent meaning. Spiritual teachings give shape to this meaning by teaching us how to live according to a set of important beliefs. If you have ever been puzzled by the difference between religion and spirituality, you might think about it this way: while the spiritual teachings we receive from religion are solid and well-established, individual spiritual life is always in a state of flux. At different stages in life, we are likely to gravitate toward different aspects of our faith traditions and take away different meanings.

The quest for spiritual meaning is both an essential aspect of healthy aging and one that can prove difficult. According to Carole Johansson, an Episcopal priest and healthcare chaplain based in New York, there is a tendency for seniors to lose touch with the faith traditions to which they adhered in earlier life. She believes that this happens simply because the spiritual needs of seniors are not adequately understood.

“In my experience, faith communities give little attention to the spiritual needs of elders. They may host luncheons, provide rides or visit shut-ins, all of which are needed and usually appreciated. It is no small thing to continue to receive sacraments, join in community prayer, or study Scripture with others. But I believe more is needed. Just as children and young adults need spiritual guidance, so do elders,” she writes in an article that appeared in the 2013 fall edition of Yale’s Reflections Magazine.

People who live into their 80s, 90s and beyond confront a set of life circumstances that might be difficult for younger generations to fathom. Most aren’t ready or particularly eager to grow old, but they grow older anyway. They cope with reduced mobility, a variety of physical ailments, slower working memory, and in some cases cognitive decline. They also cope with the loss of friends and loved ones. These outward factors have an enormous and underappreciated effect on inward life.

“Many people start to feel that they don’t deserve to have this much time on earth,” says Maria Benoit, Director of Mission & Pastoral Care at Youville Assisted Living. “Some feel guilty, or simply bewildered that they continue to go on living when so many of their friends and loved ones have been taken away. Many start to feel that their life lacks the meaning it used to have because they are not as productive as they used to be.”

October 2014Spiritual Meaning in the Afternoon of Life

continued

Get fit. Stay sharp. Age well.©

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Youville House • 1573 Cambridge Street • Cambridge, MA 02138 • 617.491.1234Youville Place • 10 Pelham Road • Lexington, MA 02421 • 781.861.3535 • www.youvilleassistedliving.org

Assisted Living Residences

Letting Go, Scaling BackHow does the challenging business of aging present the opportunity for spiritual growth? In a society that measures the “meaningfulness” of life in units of activity and achievement, where should seniors who have retreated from such activities seek their purpose?

According to Johansson, becoming less active is precisely the point of the latter stages of life. We were meant to become less active to enable us to turn inward, to tell stories and reminisce. We grow old so that we can have the chance to retire from our earlier activities and reflect on what those activities mean to us now. We must be prepared to gracefully let go of what previously gave us a sense of purpose (i.e. our roles as “productive contributors” to society).

“A human being would certainly not grow to be 70 or 80 years old if this longevity had no meaning for the species to which he belongs.

The afternoon of human life must also have a significance of its own.” – Carl Jung

The manner in which we make this transition should be, according to Johansson, the animating purpose of aging. “The purpose of an elder’s life is to review, understand, and accept – doing so, ideally, within community. For the faithful person, this assessment must include one’s relationship with God. For the non-theist, it might involve a connection with creation. It is spiritual work, and organized religion could, should, assist it.”

At Youville, we observe Pastoral Care week from October 19-25. This year the theme is spiritual well-being. Residents are encouraged to meet with Maria for a spiritually themed “Tea for the Soul” on Wednesday, October 22 at 3:00 PM. The tea will include a series of guided meditations as well as group discussion.

Yoga w/ Annie Hoffman Music & Movement w/ Barbara Lyon Fitness Forever Fit

Dark leafy greens are a rich source of vitamin C, K, E, and B, as well as iron, calcium, and fiber, which are essential for good health.

Catholic Mass Reflections w/ Maria Benoit Celebrate Yom Kippur Centering Prayer Bible Study ArtMatters Presents.... Pablo Picasso Mad Science: The Science Behind Fingerprints Group Crosswords

Celebrate Oktoberfest w/ an Oktoberfest German Band Halloween Party w/ Bonaparte

Get fit. Stay sharp. Age well.©