spectrum enriched senior living

Enriched Senior LivingSpring 2012

A publicAtion of Spectrum retirement communitieS, llc

Plus! A n i n s i d e lo o k At li f e i n o u r co m m u n i t y

thAt devotion emotionHow one Spectrum couple found love

triumphAnt journeyA WWII P.O.W. looks back

wisdom At 100Centenarians share their stories

T h e g o o d i n T h e g r e e n

Gardenshealing

2 www.spectrumretirement.com

John Sevo managing director

Jeff Kraus managing director

Phillip Luebbers Senior VP & cFo

Joe Mikalajunas Senior VP & coo

Kathleen MacDonald editor and VP oF marketing

Rebecca Givens VP & general counSel

Jane Goulette VP oF oPerationS eaSt

Jenny Graham VP oF oPerationS WeSt

Tony Harbour VP oF Finance

Carole Hull VP oF organizational deVeloPment

Brenda Hunt VP oF Fun

Joni Lee VP oF clinical SerViceS

Mike Longfellow VP oF conStruction & deVeloPment

Ann Olson VP oF SaleS

James Parker VP oF Finance & deVeloPment

Lawrence Rugar VP oF reSultS management

Dennis Van Wynsberghe VP oF dining SerViceS

Brendan Harrington PreSident

Lindsay Burke creatiVe director

Anne Kerven editor

Susan Humphrey Project manager

(800) 852-0857

WWW.HunGRyeyeMeDiA.COM

Spectrum Retirement Communities, LLC offers flexible, affordable month-to-month rental programs, enabling residents to enjoy the luxury they desire without a prohibitive financial commitment or buy-in fee. Lifestyle options include independent, assisted living, and memory care. Spectrum Retirement Communities, LLC has multiple locations in ten states across the country.

To learn more or find a community near you, call 888-516-2188

or visit us online at www.spectrumretirement.com.

Registering a team gets you to the starting line.

Fundraising gets us closer to a cure.

The end of Alzheimer’s starts with

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Join the Movement to End Alzheimer’s! Go online for a walk

near you.

Coloradoalzwalk.org 800.272.3900

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spectrum / spring 2012 3

Welcome to SpectrumTry This informal experimenT: Search for “Renewal Older Age” on the Inter-net, and see what you get. If you’re like us, you’ll find more hits than you’ll ever need … about driver’s license renewal. Now expand your search and try “Life Renewal Old Age.” Again, a lot of hits, on life insurance renewal. Try “Personal Renewal and Older Adults,” and you’re facing reams of academic studies – the kind you gladly left behind in college.

We could try more combinations with vary-ing outcomes, but our results were already in line with that third attempt. The search engine gave us exactly what we did not want — and it also proves our point (renewal in later years).

At Spectrum, we understand that life is a perpetual evolution and that older adults seek new direction, new relationships, new energy. In this issue, we look at opportunities for personal renewal as we age. In “Landscape’s Alter Ego,” we examine the strong connection between horticulture and its effect on our health, including how certain garden tasks become therapeutic exercise. And symboli-cally, does anything say renewal like watching your carefully tended seeds sprout into a spring garden?

In “When Mom Just Has to Move,” we look at helping a loved one move, likely from a long-time

home with its potpourri of memories. Though an often complex and sensitive transition, it also poses an opportunity for renewal. Renewal, too, is pervasive in “A P.O.W.’s Perspective,” where a courageous World War II veteran describes his journey from prisoner of war to wisdom.

In “The Spirit of Well-Being,” we focus on studies showing how religious and spiritual beliefs can positively affect one’s health and outlook. And don’t miss “A Love Story” to see how one couple found love and a new life together in a Spectrum community.

The Spectrum community is truly an extended family. As such, we extend a warm welcome to your family. Whether you are a resident, or seeking help for a loved one, we are here for you. We invite your thoughts, questions and feedback at any time. Mean-while, we hope you enjoy this issue of Spec-trum Magazine, our magazine for enriched senior living.

John sevo and Jeff Kraus Managing Directors Spectrum Retirement Communities, LLC

Managing Directors Jeff Kraus and John Sevo


Spectrum Wellness

05 Landscape’s aLter egoThat serene Spectrum landscape

aims to heal; plus, a look at

horticulture therapy

08 When MoM Just has to MoveHelp for one of life’s toughest

transitions

Spectrum Lifestyle

14 the spirit of WeLL-BeingStudies show a strong link between

religion or spirituality, and health in

older adults

16 a Love storyA charming tale of a Spectrum

couple’s encounter with Cupid

18 Words of WisdoMTales from the road to 100

Spectrum Advisor

21 What Makes a Marriage?Tips for wedded bliss from

seasoned matrimonial veterans

22 Where there’s a WiLL, there’s a WayTips on bringing order to your

estate documents

Inside Spectrum

24 honoring spectruM’s teaMWe recognize three of our team

members for their distinguished

service

26 Looking aheadSpectrum debuts in the New

Mexico market with the launch of

Palmilla Senior Living

CONTENTS

11a p.o.W.’s perspectiveHank cornell isson’s journey from war to wisdom


WELLNESS

sTroll The paThs of our garden some soft summer evening. Breathe deeply. Absorb the scent of freshly tended soil, the floral fragrances, the distinct aroma of recently watered vegetables. Gaze off over the home-like landscaped grounds.

To observers, the scene is fresh, fragrant, restful, and in some cases, edible. To residents, the grounds and gardens represent that and more: exercise, renewal, memories, a social venue, and perhaps, a purpose. It is comforting and stimulating, all at once.

Heading this horticultural potpourri is Keith Clarke, Director of Landscape for Spectrum Retirement Communities. With great sensitivity to the needs and desires of residents, Clarke navigates the many facets of creating an outdoor world that is simultaneously reminiscent of home, therapeutic and just plain fun.

“Our main goal is to create a residential setting as close as possible to what residents had in their homes,” he says.

To achieve that, Clarke taps an army of contract landscape designers, as well as experts in the aging and therapy fields. Together, they consider the future residents’ mobility levels, the location’s climate and geography, and the aesthetics of native plants.

“Many of the residents have been in their homes in that region for 40 or 50 years,” Clarke says. The goal is to replicate that environment as closely as possible to allow walking, wheelchairs and walkers.

For independent and assisted living residents, that might mean lawns and walkways with occa-sional benches, umbrella tables and shade sources. Each new resident receives the resources for an

By Anne Kerven

Landscape’s Alter EgoThat serene Spectrum landscape packs a dual purpose


WELLNESS

individual garden, if desired, usually close to the buildings for easy shade access. Options may include a garden at ground level, but recently, Clarke has been incorporating raised beds and vertical gardens with wheelchair accessibility.

At Pine Ridge Villas of Shelby in Shelby Town-ship, Michigan, for example, residents often help with the four four-by-eight-foot raised gardens, says Director of Fun Tonya Wilson. In the spring, talk is thick about soil and seeds, and in the summer, the gardeners pull together to plant, weed and tend the vegetables and zinnias. “It’s definitely a community

effort,” she says.In memory care, Clarke uses

the latest in memory care garden design, including a figure-eight walkway, water sources and a fireplace that is always cool to the touch. But, he notes, actual models for these contained gardens are still fairly rare. Each memory-garden component has a purpose and a theme, based on the region. Clarke may use color to suggest a theme or a mood – blues for coolness to match a water theme in Phoenix, for example. He chooses plants carefully, focused

on helping to stimulate the senses – and trigger memo-ries – while ensuring safety. Roses and their thorns are not used, but a leaf of thyme can be rubbed, smelled, seen and tasted. Likewise, a resident might see a tomato and know what it is, but not know he can eat it until a caregiver tells him, Clarke says. Once he eats it, the tomato may trigger more memories – a favorite recipe, a long-ago meal or a gardening experience.

Most residents plant vegetable gardens, he says, providing fresh produce for their own, private, in-room kitchens. To foster that off-season, Clarke’s crew has recently fashioned greenhouses inside the building. In turn, those have attracted local garden clubs for meetings and demos, furthering the social

“Our goal is to create a

setting as close as possible

to what residents

had in their homes.”


aspects of gardening. The greenhouses will be a new standard, he says.

Finally, Clarke focuses on three key points in any Spectrum location: The entrance and dining patio (one and two) must be aestheti-cally pleasing, and the grounds (three) should allow safe and easy outdoor walking. Future plans include devising ways to accommodate visits from adult children and grandchildren, many of whom prefer the outdoors. “We’re working on that now,” he says.

Horticulture TherapyNothiNg quite says reNewal like a gardeN. each year, seeds go in, bud, grow and produce again. But gardens provide a parallel renewal, one that directly affects the human body.

horticulture Therapy is a relatively new field. Denver-based horticulture Therapy Institute describes it as “a professional practice that uses the cultivation of plants and gardening activities to improve the mental and physical health of its participants.”

For older adults, though, gardening can simply blend endurance and resistance exer-cises that help offset aging symptoms. Garden-ing’s exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic disease, improve balance and reduce the risk of falls.

a 2008 Kansas State University study shows that mixing soil and filling pots promotes hand strength, particularly in stroke victims. a separate KSU study found that “a task like raking, which uses the whole body, had the most exercise benefit, whereas activities like mixing soil or transplanting seedlings give the most benefit to the upper body.” Gardening can provide both moderate and low-level exercise.

For its part, in an article titled “Low protein + Low exercise = Sarcopenia,” the U.S. Department of agriculture says that gardening can offset Sarcopenia, a slow decline in muscle mass stem-ming from low protein and low exercise.

rutgers University, in an article called “Garden-ing With Seniors,” goes into even greater detail about gardening’s benefits:

planting and transplanting seedlings strength-ens fine motor skills, digging and raking use gross motor skills, and the oxygen from plants “can be stimulating.”

Spiritually, “Working with plants brings people closer to the mysteries of growth and development.”

Gardening provides mental stimulation by encouraging use of problem-solving, research and memory skills.

a garden’s shapes, colors, textures, and fragrances can stimulate sight, touch, taste and smell.

Gardening enhances social skills as gardeners share stories, tools and produce.

Finally, Ohio State University’s extension released a Fact Sheet, “Gardening With the elderly,” describing how to adapt gardens and tools to accommodate aging:

as one ages, vision yellows, affecting sight and depth perception. Try painting tools bright colors, use vertical gardens and ensure pathways have smooth surfaces.

Muscle and bone density decline, affecting strength and balance. Try raised gardens with stools, and adaptive tools with good grips.


WELLNESS

h o m e . f e w w o r d s a r e m o r e p o T e n T , loaded with context, meaning and experiences. When people define home, the physical structure usually comes far down the list, after security, safety, privacy, warmth, families, memories and comfort, according to a Kansas State University report.

For older adults, home may represent stability, family and friends, a fixed routine, or a long-time identity. Indeed, many women age 65-plus traditionally were full-time homemakers, and “their identities are often tied to their families, homes and possessions,” according to an article in the 2004 issue of The Journal of Aging Studies. Because of this, home can be hard to leave behind. Older adults age 65-plus move at a rate of 4.1 percent a year, the article adds. If that older adult does move, it’s usually in the first year of widowhood. Probability goes down from there.

Helping the older adult in your world with one of life’s toughest transitions

When Mom JustHas to Move


That partly explains why helping a loved one make that transition can be such a formidable task. Many aging parents decide to move closer to family. But what if that isn’t your case? What if your loved one shows signs of fall or health risks, or cogni-tion changes, and is no longer safe at home? How do you help?

Moving is overwhelming, especially for older adults, but you needn’t start this alone. A first step: Call your local Area Agency on Aging referral line. Describe your situation. These folks listen and can help you find resources.

Likewise, professional Geriatric Care Managers (GCM) can coordinate the move and movers, from start to finish. They can help find a new residence, assist with the logistics, and most of all keep an advocating ear open to what your loved one wants and feels. GCMs can lend a compassionate, objective voice to the discus-sion, and can navigate not only the seemingly piecemeal senior-services system, but sibling and family relationships as well. Some even offer geriatric counseling.

The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers offers a few help-ful hints for caregivers considering a move:

Use “I” messages. Say that you are concerned for her safety, not that she “should” hire someone or move.

Start care “in spoonfuls instead of buckets” – two hours, a few times a week. Spend more time as the relation-ship develops.

Allow your parent to tour a few retirement communities for the “future.” No pressure. This is about exposure to options.

A few other points, for the run-up to and the day of the move, might help. From Jennifer Prell, owner of Cary, Illinois-based Paxem Inc., a senior-relocation company:

With your loved one, list the tasks and build a timeline that includes each one.

Include her in the process as much as possible. If you begin to sort through years of belongings and she grows agitated or emotional, stop and redirect. Find another job to do.

Start early in the day and stop for breaks.

See things from her view. Stay calm if she moves slowly, or makes poor or no decisions.

Help list what goes to the new home, and what is optional. Use sticky notes on each item. Ask her to number each by order of importance.

Consider hiring a professional senior-move manager. That person does the planning and work, while you and your loved one can reminisce and sort.

Finally, remember to use every avail-able resource in the new home. Spectrum Retirement Communities has a contingent of Directors of Fun, who thoroughly under-stand what the move means to new residents.

“We always tell families it takes a couple of weeks to adjust to moving from home to a community residence,” says Eric Lindley, Director of Fun at Spectrum Retirement Communities’ Pheasant Pointe location in Molalla, Oregon.


WELLNESS

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Once, Lindley found that a new resident missed having toaster waffles in the morning. Lindley purchased waffles, and other residents served them up. Appreciating the gesture, that new resident began to help other newcomers adjust.

Likewise, Michele Scott, Director of Fun at Spectrum’s Palos Verdes location in Peoria, Arizona, has a coffee bar in the lobby. New residents can get a cup of coffee and choose to join others to discuss any given topic. Alternately, an upstairs greenhouse attracts residents for its serenity. Debi Bruni, Coordinator of Fun at Palos Verdes, hosts several activities designed to engage and integrate residents, such as lunch and a movie in town and regular bingo events.

Lindley points to outdated assumptions of retirement communities as an adjust-ment issue. At one time, housing choices were few and most fell under the umbrella of “nursing home.” Too often, older adults don’t realize times have changed, bringing more choices, he

says. He distinguishes between independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing. “I wish people knew more about the differences,” he says.

These days, “It’s not about restrictions and housing people,” he says. “We want to help people live independently so they can have a full and fulfilling life.”

LifESTyLE

hanK Cornellisson, 92, lisTs his top three, most-important priorities: things, people and ideas. “That’s reverse order of impor-

tance,” he says from his studio apartment at Lakeview Senior Living in Lakewood, Colorado. “Things don’t mean a whole lot. But without ideas, we would still be hunting woolly mammoth with a rock.”

An upbeat and energetic man, Cornellis-son’s priorities come from a unique perspec-tive. Fate and the Army Air Corps took him from the harvests of Kansas to the Philippines as part of the 28th Bombardment Squadron and, after Pearl Harbor, to war.

And then, a drastic turn: Cornellisson was captured by the Japanese and remained a

prisoner of war in a Kawasaki camp for 3 1/2 years, until the war ended.

He married Ruth in April 1947, and the couple raised three boys. Cornellisson retired from the military in 1960, and promptly began civilian work for the Army and Air Force, work that took him and his family to Brazil for three years. Ruth died in October 1995, and he lived alone in Greeley until marrying again five years later. He and his bride, Genie, traveled and played until her passing in January 2011. In February, he sold his home and moved to Spectrum’s Lakewood location, nearer to his three sons.

Through the years, he has stayed connected with his war-time buddies, spoken to school groups about his experiences, and recorded them for the Veteran’s History Project at the

A WWII veteran describes his journey from war to wisdom

A P.O.W.’s PersPective


Library of Congress. He is writing a book about his experiences and what he learned. Here, he shares his story with Spectrum Magazine.

Where did you grow up?I was raised in Kansas. We lived in town, but my father sold farm equipment and volunteered my work to the local farmers for the harvests. The first nine or ten years, things were good. But then, there was the Depression. I graduated high school in 1938, and considered college.

Why didn’t you go?I got the mumps. I couldn’t work for six weeks, and my summer was shot.

What took you to the military?It was 1939, and a high school friend said, ‘Let’s join the Navy.’ On Sept. 6, 1939, we joined the Army Air Corps. On Oct. 4, we left San Francisco for the Philippines. I signed up for two years in Manila, assigned to Clark Field, but when the war started, the Army automatically detained me.

And then the war started?We knew the war was going to happen. We just didn’t know when. We saw freighters in the Philippine waters. Our captain flew over Taiwan the day after Thanksgiving, 1941, and the airport was full of planes. One morning, we woke up and heard about Pearl Harbor. We knew we were next, and were attacked [on December 8]. We went to Mindanao, the southernmost island. But then [General Jona-than M.] Wainwright surrendered the islands. It was chaos.

What happened?I was captured May 10, 1942. I was driving a bus and slowed for a town. Suddenly, there was a Japanese guard on each running board with bayonets in my ribs. I thought of going for my gun. But there was nothing I could do.

What then?They took me to a prison camp in Mindanao, then to Manila and then to Osaka on the [Hell-ship] Tottori Maru. It took 1,600 of us 30 days to get to Japan, just across the China Sea. Down in the hold, it was so crowded, if you wanted to lie down, your friend sat or stood. I stayed on deck as much as possible. From Osaka, we took a train directly to Kawasaki.

How did you survive?It was about hate and love, and living one day at a time.

“It was about hate and love, and living one day at a time.”

LifESTyLE


Hank Cornellisson, after the war

And after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings?They had also bombed Kawasaki and destroyed the camp. We moved up into the mountains to an iron mine. One day, a Dutch man said, ‘Those Americans have done it again.’ He said they dropped a bomb that blew things 1,000 feet in the air. I thought he was crazy and didn’t believe him. But later, the guards started patrolling outside of the fence. Aircraft carriers dropped food, papers, flags – I was the one who picked up the flag. Our captain said, ‘Run it up.’ I was released Sept. 6, 1945, six years to the day from joining.

What happened then?We took a train to Yoko-hama, flew to Manila and took a boat to San Francisco. When I stepped off the boat, it was a great feeling. But the day I was liberated outshone every-thing. I landed October 8, 1945, six years and four days since I enlisted for a two-year tour!

Did you stay in the military?I retired in 1960 as a master sergeant, then worked as a civilian, overhauling missiles and

missile guidance systems for the Army, and as an electrician for the Air Force. I studied psychology for 20 years, self-taught. I learned about PTSD, and how the mind works, how people perceive things, human nature. I was able to move forward in life and do things.

Did you help Spectrum with a project for Japanese tsunami victims? Why?Yes, someone donated a lot of socks, and we opened the large packages and put the socks into smaller bags to send. That (being in the path of a tsunami) must be the most awful thing in the world. They’re people, too.

What would you want someone to learn from your story?

If you hate something – I did have hate from prison – it hurts no one but you. It doesn’t affect the other person at all. I try very hard to never say anything negative about anyone. There’s a difference between not liking what someone does and not liking the person.

I learned that people sometimes hesitate to do things because they might fail. But failing is a part of life. If you fail, you get up again and do it differently, and you don’t quit.

“It was about hate and love, and living one day at a time.”

“ The day I was liberated outshone everything.”


Hank Cornellisson, 1958


LifESTyLE

wiTh religion and spiriTualiTy prominent in news coverage lately, perhaps it’s time to take a quick look at how, or if, one’s beliefs affect health and well-being in life’s later years.

Most studies on the topic – and there are many – begin by trying to define the terms religion and spirituality. It’s challenging.

“Much debate surrounds the definition of both terms,” according to the National Center for Cultural Competence, a unit of George-town University’s Center for Child and Human Development. “The breadth of spirituality and religion along with a lack of clarity and

agreement on definitions” hinders research.The ambiguity comes from spirituality, says

an article in Psychology and Aging’s December 2003 issue. The term can apply to anything from traditional religious beliefs to someone seeking a meaning in life.

Generally, religion involves participation in an institution with leaders, traditions, prac-tices and a community of like-minded people. Spirituality is considered more individual, and entails one’s search for meaning, sometimes by looking inward but also outward in community or social projects.

The Spirit of Well-BeingHow religious belief and practice affects health in older adults


Most Americans age 70-plus are Baptists (21 percent), according to Pew Research Center’s ARIS 2008 Summary Report. The next largest groups are Judaism at 18 percent, Protestant, 14 percent, and Catholic, 13 percent. Americans ages 50 to 69 also are largely Baptist (37 percent), with Pentecostal a close second at 36 percent, then Protestant and Catholic at 28 percent. A minority of both groups report no religion at all.

Overall, more than 90 percent of older Americans consider themselves religious and spiritual, and about 5 percent consider themselves spiritual but not religious, the Merck Manual reports in “Social Issues of the Elderly.” Moreover, 96 percent believe in God or a universal spirit, more than 90 percent pray, and more than 50 percent attend services one or more times per week.

More women than men tend toward religion, and among low-income African American, Native American and Hispanic older adults, formal and informal religious participation is high, according to an overview in “Emotional and Social Development in Late Adulthood.”

What does that mean to you? Studies connect religion and spirituality positively to better health and well-being, although, Merck

notes, religion may simply attract healthy people. Experts aren’t sure. Still, a good exam-ple: “Having a hopeful, positive attitude about the future helps people with physical problems remain motivated to recover,” it reports.

Pew also reported that 34 percent of adults older than 65 say religion has become more important to them over the years – a number

that jumps to 43 percent after an illness or “feeling sad.”

Most studies seem to link religion and spiri-tuality to coping and building social networks, which in turn can improve physical health.

“Spiritual practices tend to improve coping skills and social support, foster feelings of optimism and hope, promote healthy behavior, reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, and encourage a sense of relaxation,” the Univer-sity of Maryland Medical Center reports. “By alleviating stressful feelings and promoting healing ones, spirituality can positively influ-ence immune, cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels), hormonal, and nervous systems.”

On the downside, religions that instill guilt, shame and fear don’t compel the same benefits as more positive beliefs. And finally, as people age, it becomes harder to get to a service, as reflected in participation numbers.

While it has no formal services, Palos Verdes Senior Living, in Peoria, Arizona, tries to respond to residents’ spiritual needs by either helping to arrange transportation to a local church service, or, if requested, helping arrange clergy to visit.

“The only thing we offer here right now is Catholic communion,” says Michele Scott,

Director of Fun. “We’re looking to start up a bible study. And in memory care, we gear Sunday activities around gospel singing.”

Debi Bruni, Fun Coordinator, agrees with Scott that religion and spirituality, while respected, aren’t a focus. “It isn’t about reli-gion,” she says. “It’s about talking with them and getting them out to see other people.”

Studies link religion and spirituality to coping and building social networks, which in turn can improve physical health.

Jack and Joyce Henry – A Love Story

LifESTyLE

The story begins in 2006 When Joyce Sherwood moved to Ocean RidgeShe had lived a full and rewarding lifeAnd was ready to cross her next bridge.

For the next two years she went through the motionsOf living from day to dayLittle did she realizeThat her life was about to change

It all started in the dining room In November 2008Two people came togetherNot knowing they were creating their fate

Now, things might not have happened so quicklyIf it wasn’t for a friend Who found a seat elsewhereTo help this romance begin

Jack Henry had just moved to Ocean RidgeWhile Joyce had been there awhileJack thought she was adorableAnd Joyce liked his great smile

They talked together easilyAnd found they had much to sayThey loved music, dancing, and laughingAnd discovered more about each other every single day

Jack stated one day (without really asking)“Joyce, you have to decide where you’d like to dine”To his surprise he had won a drawing And for Joyce, dinner out with Jack would be just fine

They went to the Coach House on a crowded nightAnd enjoyed ribs and evening outThey had no trouble conversingThere was always something to talk aboutThey continued to learn about each other


Editor’s note: Writer Gina Oldenburg stresses the importance of

recording one’s legacy. What follows is her rendering of a story

from Spectrum’s Ocean Ridge Community in Coos Bay, Oregon.

a love storyThe charming tale of a Spectrum couple’s encounter with Cupid

By Gina Oldenburg Joyce and Jack Henry


And acknowledged there were health challenges to be metBut they knew they were falling in loveAnd were sure there would be no regret

They took it slow and continued to growTaking part in all of life’s treasuresDancing together, or visiting friendsTheir excitement couldn’t be measured Then on July 20th, 2009With friends and family coming togetherA celebration sealed their loveJack and Joyce promised the rest of their lives to each other.

They took a vacation in 2010 Through the Canadian Rockies they touredBanff, Calgary, and the City of KamloopsAs long as they were together – they were never bored.

Their favorite occasions are simple onesDinner out and flowers from JackThey enjoy their “couch dates” with Wheel of FortuneTogether they relax and just sit back

They share a love of the English languageCompleting newspaper puzzles

And don’t forget Jeopardy Another time to just cuddle

Their love for dance and musicKeeps them in the groovePracticing routines in their room or hall -Or anywhere they can move

And don’t forget the Jug Band Joyce on tambourineJack is hot on the BongosJust having fun and being seen On July the 20thThe year of 2012They celebrate their 3rd AnniversaryAnd their birthdays as well

Jack will celebrate 91And Joyce a year behindWhat an amazing gift they haveWhat a treasured find.

Two people were meant to be togetherLove awakened their soulsAnd made them reach a little moreTo trust and release control

Jack and Joyce share their joy With everyone they meetTheir love for life is evidentTheir lives have become complete.

“Not only are we a couple, we are on a daily basis each

other’s caregiver – in the most loving ways.” - JOyce


Wisdom. Philosophers, academics, psychologists, spiritualists, religious leaders and others have tussled for centuries with its definition. What exactly is it? Can only certain people be wise? Is it

true that, “With age comes wisdom?”Our centenarians may smile calmly at such questions. They have lived life’s complexities, ambigui-

ties, and ups and downs. Experience and years have taught them to recognize and coolly navigate uncertainty. In short, they offer wisdom and invaluable insight into life, and living it well.

With great pleasure, we bring you the accumulated wisdom of three Spectrum centenarian residents.

What are the most important things in life?Having good people in your life, getting along with others, staying in good health.

What should one’s priorities be?God, family, and having good health.

What was your greatest adventure?Raising a family.

What are your favorite childhood memories?Simply put: Time spent with family.

What did you do for a living?I worked for a dentist as a dental assistant. I met my husband Anthony there when he was a patient. We got married in Detroit in 1932 at St. Francis Church.

What did your parents do?My dad was a businessman. He had a restaurant, a bar, and a chicken and fish store. Mother was a housewife and helped with the business.

What role does attitude play in your health and longevity?A positive attitude is key to good health and longevity.

What about diet and exercise?I exercise every day with a physical therapist. No special diet here, I eat whatever I feel like eating!

What do you enjoy doing?I used to knit and crochet, and now I enjoy time with family more than anything else.

What keeps you going today?God’s good graces upon me.

If you could do one thing over, what would it be?I would go to school and become a teacher.

Do you have any regrets?Not at all.

Good People, Good Health

WorDS ofSpectrum centenarians share insight from the road to 100

Marie DiMaggio Pine Ridge Villas of Shelby

Shelby Township, Michigan

Birthday: 12/11/11


What are the most important things in life?Loving one another and having consideration for each other, especially the elderly.

What matters most?I don’t have any family left alive, but my friends are my family and they matter most to me.

What should one’s priorities be?Stay in good health. Think about it, and stay that way as long as you can.

What was the greatest adventure of your life?Raising my sons. I really enjoyed them and loved being their mother.

What are your favorite childhood memories?I remember playing in the creek at home in Toledo [Wash-ington] and riding my horse. My brother and I used to beg my dad, “Why can’t we have a horse?” And we got one!

What did you do for a living?I was a bookkeeper in a bank. I went to business college and really liked the business end of things.

What did your parents do?My father was a blacksmith, carpenter, farmer, and a wonderful man. Mom was a housewife, but she was his part-ner and helped him with every-thing. They worked together.

What role does attitude play in your health and longevity?Staying positive and loving people keeps you young.

What do you enjoy doing?I love to read, and I love all kinds of music. I enjoy the musicians that come here.

What keeps you going today?Faith in the Bible and the way I was raised keep me strong.

If you could do one thing in life again, what would it be?I would become a lawyer.

Did you marry?In Chehalis, Washington, to George. I can’t remember the anniversary date, but it was in 1934 and we were married for 28 years. We were high-school sweethearts.

Any regrets?None.

If you could do anything today, what would it be?I would go into music and encourage people to get into it, because it’s one of the greatest things in life.

“Love one another and have

consideration for each other.”

WorDS of WISDoM

Putting People First

Milbur Ingram Ocean Ridge

Coos Bay, Oregon

Birthday: 11/01/1911


What are the most important things in life?I think the most important things in life are the people that you’re close to. Yes, that’s it.

What matters most?Trying to get along with people, having lots of friends and making people happy. Having an interest in most everything. Having a desire to learn and gain knowledge. You need to keep your brain working!

What should one’s priorities be?I should think that living your life in a way that contributes to the lives of others should be a priority. Being a good friend to others.

What was the greatest adventure of your life?My greatest adventure was trying to raise a family with no money, I guess! I was married and had two children during the Great Depression, and that was quite a challenge.

Can you share some favorite childhood memories?I don’t have a lot of memories from my childhood, but after retiring, I was a part of a travel group. We did a lot of traveling throughout Oregon and I took some cruises to Alaska and the Hawaiian islands. Those were good memories. I did a lot of camping, hiking and swimming in the rivers. I enjoyed looking at the birds and animals. I enjoyed being outdoors.

What did you do for a living?Oh mercy! I guess it was during the Depression that I first started working. I babysat and worked for Dole Packag-ing Company. I worked in a dry-cleaning factory, waited on tables and a lot more than that. I could do most anything I had to in order to eat. Later though, I worked for quite some time with the Department of Motor Vehicles and then the Depart-ment of Employment. After that,

I worked for the Salem-Keizer School District. When I finally retired, I retired from the Salem Public Library.

What role does attitude play in your health and longevity?Just being interested in every-thing I run into, and trying to learn more about it. I haven’t always had a positive attitude. My kids say I growl and grumble too much. I say, ‘Wait till you get as old as I am, and you may do a little grumbling, too!’ But I guess without the Lord, this life would have been a lot harder!

What do you enjoy doing?Not much I can do now that I enjoy. I like to hike a lot around the building, and I really enjoy good, interesting conversation with people I like.

If you could do one thing in life again, what would it be?Oh that’s a hard question. Maybe make people miss me when I’m gone. I’d be more helpful and more encouraging to other people, showing more compassion and understanding for others.

If you could do anything today, what would it be?I’ve lived a good life. I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to do and seen everything I’ve wanted to see. It’s been a good life.

Exercising the Mind

Maxine Allen Redwood Heights

Salem, Oregon

Birthday: 10/04/11

“Live your life in a way that contributes to the lives of others.”

Tips for wedded bliss from seasoned matrimonial veterans

what makes a marriage?afTer alex ryan, mainTenanCe and houseKeeping direCTor aT speCTrum’s Lakeview Senior Living in Lakewood, Colorado, announced his engagement, we asked residents for their advice on how to have a happy marriage. With gratitude, we offer what they shared from their accumulated centuries of experience.

WELLNESS

“ Love, respect, patience, tolerance, trust and a will ingness to listen and compromise will go a long way to ensure a lasting, happy marriage.” – BoB

“ Always be kind to your mother-in-law — she could be your best friend!” – Dorothy

“ IF YOU ARE NOT PERFECT, DON’T ExPECT YOUR WIFE TO BE PERFECT.” – ANNE

“ DON’T FIGHT OVER MONEY. THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH!” – JEAN

“2 cups patience, 1 gallon of trust (undiluted), 1 cup of respect, 2 cups of encouragement,

1 pinch of respect for in-laws.” – Ella

“ALWAYS HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR.” – BECKY

“ My husband and I were married 60 years. We always kept in mind the vows we took on our wedding day – ‘til death do us part,’ to love and honor each other.” – Mary

“A key to success is to put each other first.” – PAt

“When you found the one who touches your soul,

Who fills your life and makes you whole, then you

found true love.” – debbie

“Most marriages don’t survive

because couples stop communicating with

each other.” – PAT

“ Remember – love is a verb!” – HOLLY

“ Happiness is fleeting,

but your joy can carry

you through some

tough times. Your

marriage and your

family will always be

worth it.” – JaCkie

“ Whatever ‘kind of’ bugs you about another person will, after you are married for awhile, drive you absolutely nuts.” – TerrI

“use the Word ‘i,’ ‘i feel,’ ‘i Wish,’

‘i believe,’ ‘What do you think?’” – Warren



advisor

remember The lasT Time you went to a library? What would happen if you needed a certain book and someone forgot to create a catalog of the inventory? Or imagine an Internet with no search engines.

Because that’s what your estate is like with-out a list of where your assets and documents are. Planning your estate is one thing. Carrying it out is another. Too many people prepare for the former without considering the latter.

According to the National Association of

Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA), state treasurers and other agencies currently hold at least $32.877 billion in unclaimed property for 117 million accounts. Perhaps your life insurance policy – that one your employer gave you when you left – is in that stash. Those particular policies are one of the most commonly overlooked by estate planners, the Wall Street Journal reports.

But maybe it’s your bank accounts, your insurance policies, your stocks and bonds, and

How to leave your heirs with an orderly estate

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way


your other ownership papers that are stuffed in drawers, file cabinets or boxes – somewhere. Before your heirs can follow your wishes, they must know where to start. Without readily available documents, they may spend valuable time searching, getting court orders or pain-stakingly piecing your financial world together without your help. Assets can slip away to the state treasury and be held in perpetuity.

NAUPA stresses that property becomes lost because communication stops. It recommends contacting annually any company where you have money, particularly if you’ve moved or married in that year. It also advises:

Keeping accurate financial records and details on where those are;

Recording all insurance policies, bank account numbers with bank names and addresses, types of accounts, stock certifi-cates, and rent and utility deposits;

Cashing all checks for dividends, wages, and insurance settlements without delay;

Responding to requests for confirmation of account balances and stockholder proxies;

Recording safe deposit box numbers, and bank name and address, and leaving the extra key with a trusted person; and

Preparing and filing a will detailing the disposition of your assets.

For its part, the Wall Street Journal suggests designing your “death dossier – or you could be setting up your heirs for frustration and financial pain.” In an article titled, “The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die,” it says frankly that an estate plan and end-of-life instructions aren’t enough. “You also have to make your heirs aware of them and leave the documents where they can find them,” it says.

Among the documents to collect and store in a readily available spot:

Your will/revocable living trust left with your attorney or at the courthouse, and a letter of instruction left where heirs can find it. The instructions should have contact information for attorneys, financial advisors, accountants and others.

Proof of ownership for mortgages, stocks and savings, corporate partnerships, “and a list of brokerage and escrow mortgage accounts.” Include your debts, loans you’ve made and the last three tax returns.

Bank accounts and numbers

Safe deposit boxes – do you really want your belongings listed on eBay by your state after a few years? NAUPA’s site suggests just how common it is for unclaimed safe-deposit box belongings to be auctioned after a multiyear holding period. The funds are kept for your heirs – if they know to claim them.

Health care papers, including a durable power of attorney and authorized release of health information. Include advanced directives.

Life Insurance information

Retirement account information

Marital information, including qualified domestic-relations orders

The Chicago Tribune, in “Orderly Papers Will Ease Way for Heirs,” also suggests having available all family personal and medical histories, birth papers, veterans benefits, social security information, funeral instructions and clear instructions on dividing personal posses-sions. It, too, advises a clear list of investments and other financial papers, and details on where those papers are.

Too often, it says, heirs find old stocks in drawers and stuffed away, for companies that have since lost value. If heirs had known the stocks existed, they might have sold when the time was right.


inside

sarah heads The paTh To The PresentSM Memory Care program at Palos Verdes Senior Living in Peoria, Arizona, and is recognized for her development of the program and catering to the needs of its residents.

Wylie’s knowledge, warmth and compassion for those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia has made a tremendous differ-ence for the residents and family members at Palos Verdes.

“Throughout my life I have had the privilege of being near older adults, being raised in a multigenerational home, and enjoying them as neighbors and close friends. I have been a caregiver to my own parents’ needs, and expe-rienced the loss of a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease. I have spent many years serving the senior population in a variety of venues. I

delight in serving them and their families.”Wylie was selected “Student of the Year” by

the Oregon Gerontological Society and has a master’s degree (summa cum laude) in Geron-tology from the University of Central Oklahoma.

“Sarah’s knowledge and dedication has made the Memory Care program at Palos Verdes one of the best in Arizona,” says Bob Bailey, executive director at Palos Verdes. “We are very lucky to have her.”

Sarah WylieMeMory care coordinaTor,

geronTologiST

h o n o r i n g

SpeCtrUM’S teAMThree of our own earn awards

for distinguished service


C h r i s T i n a m e l a r a g n o i s a visionary with extraordinary talent and creativity, and her goal has always been to make life better for those whose lives she touches along the way. She recently received a Community of the Year award at Spectrum Retirement Communities’ annual leadership conference. The designation is the event’s top honor.

Despite her executive status at Gardens at Westlake Assisted Living in Westlake, Ohio, she pitches in to help her employees. She serves meals to residents, mops a flooded bathroom, and assists her nurses and caregivers with hands-on care. Melaragno was recently awarded Outstanding Director/Administrator for 2011 by The Ohio Assisted Living Association.

“Everything goes back to the residents,” Melar-agno says. “They encourage us to be the best and give all we can.”

Christina Melaragno

execuTive direcTor and direcTor of nurSing

l i s a J e n s e n r e C e i v e d T h e inaugural Gatekeeper award at Spectrum Retirement Communities’ recent leadership conference. Jensen was nominated by residents and peers for demon-strating the company’s core values as Concierge at Lincoln Meadows Senior Living in Parker, Colorado.

Jensen has been with Lincoln Meadows since its July 2009 opening. As Concierge, she greets all visi-tors and residents, and serves resident’s requests.

“Lisa is the glue that holds the community together and is a great representative of the Spec-trum Core Values,” wrote one resident.

“We congratulate Lisa on this award — it is well deserved” says John Sevo, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Spectrum.

Spectrum debuted the Gatekeeper award at its annual Leadership Conference this year. The Gate-keeper Award stems from a bit of history from the

4,000-mile Great Wall of China. The monument has more than 10,000 watchtowers, and reaches 25 feet high and 30 feet wide in places. Considered impenetrable when designed, it was breached three times in its first 100 years of use – not by force, but by bribing the gatekeepers to look the other way. The massive wall could not compensate for one greedy gate guard. Thus, Spectrum imbues each team member with a responsibility to work hard, keep the walls of its culture strong and keep residents safe. At Spectrum, each employee is a gatekeeper.

Lisa Jensenconcierge, gaTekeeper aWard

John Sevo, Lisa Jensen and Jeff Kraus

Jeff Kraus, Christina Melaragno and John Sevo


iNSiDE

deep in The land of enChanTmenT, near the banks of the Rio Grande, sits a site that soon will host Spectrum’s newest retirement community. Located in the Westside area of Albu-querque’s northwest quadrant, Palmilla Senior Living will welcome new residents in 2013.

Plans call for a 136-room, independent living, assisted living, and memory care community close to Cottonwood Mall, restaurants, Lovelace Westside Hospital and Desert Greens Golf Course. Construction began in February 2012 on the complex, which boasts the latest amenities in senior living. Residents will relax with restaurant-style dining, exercise on the latest in Technogym equipment, and savor the satisfaction inherent in the full-service beauty salon, theater and game rooms. With more than 40 percent of the campus dedicated to community rooms, residents will have a variety of daily activity choices.

Palmilla’s memory care wing will have a private dining room, living room, and beautifully land-scaped and secure memory garden. Its compas-sionate, highly trained staff will follow Spectrum Retirement’s “The Path to the PresentSM” Memory Care program.

This new, three-story community represents Spectrum Retirement’s entry into New Mexico. See it for yourself. You’ll find it, when complete, at Golf Course Road NW and the first traffic light south of McMahon Boulevard NW.

Since its 2003 founding, Denver-based Spectrum Retirement Communities, LLC has opened and operates 22 communities in nine different states, with three more under construction. Spectrum employs more than 1,200 compassionate and caring team members. For more information on Spectrum Retirement Communities, please visit www.spectrumretirement.com.

looking AheAdNewest community marks Spectrum’s New Mexico debut


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A F U L L S P E C T RUM O F E V E N T S

888.516.2188 www.SpectrumRetirement.com

Visit a Spectrum Community today and be a part of what’s happening. Your mind, body and spirit will thank you!

YourselfT R E AT

This program is separate from the dining program. Selections and prices may vary. Purchase tickets at participating Spectrum Retirement Communities.www.spectrumretirement.com

Treat yourself or someone you love

Rack of Lamb for $15.95New Zealand mustard & herbed rack of lamb

Due to its increasing popularity, Spectrum Retirement is pleased to continue our Treat Yourself Dining Program.

TREAT YOURSELF is a unique dining program that offers a new special every quarter. Featuring such items as steak and lobster for only a third of the price of an upscale restaurant.

Northeast CommunitiesGardens at Westlake - Westlake, OHMaple Heights - Allen Park, MIParkrose Estates - Liverpool, NYPine Ridge Garfield - Clinton Township, MIPine Ridge Hayes - Sterling Heights, MIPine Ridge Plumbrook - Sterling Heights, MIPine Ridge Villas of Shelby - Shelby Township, MI

Midwest CommunitiesClairview - Lake Zurich, IL - Coming Soon!Crestview - Crestwood, MOHomestead at Hickory View - Washington, MOPark Meadows - Overland Park, KSShawnee Hills - Shawnee, KSSouthview - St. Louis, MO - Now Leasing!Three Oaks - Cary, IL - Now Leasing!Westview at Ellisville - Ellisville, MO - Now Leasing!

Northwest CommunitiesCedar Village - Salem, ORClearwater Springs - Vancouver, WAOcean Crest - Coos Bay, OROcean Ridge - Coos Bay, ORPheasant Pointe - Molalla, ORRedwood Heights - Salem, OR

West CommunitiesHighPointe - Denver, CO - Coming Soon!Lakeview - Lakewood, COLincoln Meadows - Parker, COMountain Park - Phoenix, AZ - Now Open!Palmilla - Albuqerque, NM - Coming Soon!Palos Verdes - Peoria, AZRigden Farm - Ft. Collins, CO

This feels like home.SM

Please call or visit today! 888-516-2188

She’s Still Mom.Now With a New Lease on Life.

SPECTRUM RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES | www.SpectrumRetirement.com

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

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