PRIME LIVING

Wellness for the golden years

Growing older doesn’t mean you have to stop growing, period. Opportunities abound for Dallas-area senior citizens to be involved and active in the community, keeping up with longstanding interests and nurturing new ones along the way.

Those who live within neighborhood retirement centers (or know someone who does) will find there an emphasis on wellness, learning and connections –keeping the mind, body and soul engaged and alive, as it’s described at C.C. Young, a continuing care retirement community.

The C. C. Young campus, located on 20 acres of land near White Rock Lake, consists of eight buildings and offers services that include independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, hospice and home health. Additionally, The Point, Center for Arts and Education provides creative and fitness outlets for both campus residents and seniors from the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“People don’t come to here to retire. They come here to live,” said Russell Crews, C.C. Young president and CEO. “Our 400-plus residents are continuously

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Lakewood: 214-827-1900

4130 Abrams Rd.

@ Mockingbird (SE Corner)

Richardson/Plano: 972-380-0222

7615 Campbell Rd.

@ Coit (NW Corner) seeking activities, resources and offerings appropriate for them.”

In this vein, C.C. Young last month led a campaign to launch Senior Thursdays, a collaborative partnership of arts, education, fitness, and dining organizations. The goal is to connect seniors to engaging activities while promoting what D-FW has to offer. Organizations involved with the Senior Thursdays campaign show the community that they have offerings specifically designed for seniors.

Partners include Bass Performance Hall, Dallas Arboretum, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Summer Musicals, Dallas Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, LOOK Cinemas, Nasher Sculpture Center and The Sixth Floor Museum.

Despite the name, Senior Thursdays features activities each day of the week through multiple websites as well as social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

Additionally, C.C. Young will soon introduce an expanded sensory therapy program called “The Spirit is Ageless” (or “Ageless” for short). This experience will include music therapy, aromatherapy, and other sensory stimulation. It is based on a program designed by Joyce Simard, who has been working with dementia patients for more than 35 years and is a specialist in geriatric consulting. Simard will visit the campus in November to train staff members and help set up the program.

C.C. Young is also recognized locally for opening its doors to seniors – those 55 and better – to enjoy an array of community programs, many of which are offered at no cost. Yoga, singing, dancing, movies and more are available to seniors looking for opportunities for recreation and time with friends.

Partnerships within the community are also a theme at Juliette Fowler Communities, a faith-based, notfor-profit organization operating in East Dallas since 1892. Located on 16 acres, Juliette Fowler Communities is home today to approximately 355 adults and offers independent and assisted living apartments, long-term and skilled nursing care and subsidized apartments for the elderly and the mobility-impaired.

Residents enjoy Juliette Fowler Communities’ beautifully landscaped setting, with amenities including a swimming pool, fitness center, barber/beauty shops, chapel, libraries and gazebo. The shops, restaurants and services of nearby Lakewood also are convenient destinations, with regularly scheduled transportation available for shopping and cultural outings.

“We create innovative, stimulating programs based on what residents want,” said Tammy Vines, director of community relations at Juliette Fowler Communities. “The charge is not only to care for others, but to provide a life of fulfillment for all we serve.” This approach is echoed in the community’s mission statement: To provide choice, community and connection for those we serve.

Juliette Fowler Communities has had an approved Dallas County Master Gardener Association program since 2003. The current program is known as Inspiring Gardeners through New Interactions, Time and Education, or IGNITE. The goal of the program is to establish gardening classes focused on horticultural, nutritional and environmental stewardship to educate residents of Juliette Fowler Communities. The program includes therapeutic elements fostering personal pride, responsibility for Fowler community gardens and container plantings, as well as providing peer and cross-generational mentoring.

Additionally, volunteer opportunities bring hundreds of individuals to Juliette Fowler Communities annually to provide thousands of hours of volunteer work at the campus and with the residents. Many corporate, church and school groups enjoy volunteering at Fowler because of the wide range of residents’ ages and the many hands-on projects and resident activities available.

At The Forum at Park Lane, the activity program is known as Healthy Generations. An inaugural Park Lane Open putting contest at a 9-hole putting green behind the community proved so popular that it became a regular weekly activity. Since D-FW has so many beautiful courses, residents visit and have lunch at a different course each month.

“The foundation of our programs is based on continually providing opportunities for physical and mental interaction that helps older adults thrive,” said Darrell Baltimore, executive director of The Forum, which is owned and operated by Five Star Quality Care. In independent living, there is morning exercise six days a week, yoga twice a week and Tai Chi twice a week. The Forum also provides exercise opportunities in the health care side of the community that includes assisted living and long-term care.

“We feel there is some truth to the saying ‘use it or lose it’ so in addition to the focus of providing physical exercise and low-impact sessions, we place the same focus on mental exercise opportunities,” Baltimore concluded. Throughout the month, The Forum schedules speakers covering topics such as current events, politics or the arts. The Dallas Library Bookmobile visits monthly and there are resident computers for residents to stay in touch with family members, as well as check their own social media accounts like Facebook.

Ongoing opportunities for residents to monitor their own health include hearing clinics, weekly blood pressure and weight checks and vision support groups. All useful tools, especially the hearing clinics, which may help an otherwise uncommentedupon struggle come to light.

Research shows that hearing loss is frequently associated with other physical, mental and emotional health conditions, and that people who address their hearing loss often experience better quality of life.

Dr. Debbie Schirico describes hearing loss as an often undiagnosed, invisible handicap, one that can damage relationships and make it harder for seniors to stay mentally sharp. She encourages seniors, their doctors and caregivers to place the same emphasis on addressing hearing loss that they would if the issue were sight or mobility.

“The gift of hearing is too precious to lose, and we are fortunate to have so many advances and options that even patients with just a slight hearing loss can once again enjoy their lives,” said Dr. Schirico, the founder and owner of Total Hearing Care. “Every member of our staff is dedicated to helping every client achieve the highest possible improvement in hearing.”

A past president of the Dallas Association of Hear- ing Aid Dispensers and a former representative for hearing aid manufacturers, Dr. Schirico is a recognized expert in hearing instrumentation. She understands well that when it comes to something as essential as hearing, one size does not fit all.

The board-certified audiologists of Total Hearing Care treat each client as an individual with specific, unique needs. By listening and understanding the needs of each person, they can find solutions to maximize their hearing.

Dr. Schirico and her team recognize that using hearing instruments can be a challenge, and they are committed to being there to help each person and their families through the learning curve – ensuring that these challenges are met and solved.

Eight out of 10 hearing aid users, in fact, say they’re satisfied with the changes that have occurred in their lives specifically due to their hearing instruments -including positive changes noted in their relationships, social interactions and work lives.

An additional residence for seniors will be coming to Dallas in 2014. The new residence will be operated by the management team behind The Tradition-Prestonwood, a 220-unit independent living property located at 15250 Prestonwood Blvd. between Belt Line and Arapaho. The Tradition-Prestonwood opened the summer of 2010.

When The Tradition-Lovers Lane opens in the summer of 2014 next door to Central Market on East Lovers Lane, its physical beauty will hit you as you walk through the front door. But according to CEO Jonathan Perlman, beauty is just the beginning within this continuum-of-care campus.

“Beyond a beautiful environment – which is key –will be an extraordinary depth of individual care and service in our independent living, assisted living and memory care communities,” said Perlman. “For example, our focus on wellness along with interesting and informative activities will be stressed throughout. Within our assisted living and memory care communities, a cutting-edge technology that will truly be unsurpassed will promote safety and proactive care for our higher-needs residents. And a superlatively trained staff will carry a common thread of graciousness and hospitality throughout each community.”◆

Websites www.ccyoung.org www.seniorthursdays.org www.fowlercommunities.org www.theforumatparklane.com www.traditionseniorliving.com www.totalhearingcare.com

THE FORUM AT PARK LANE FEATURES:

• Elegant, full service retirement living with no buy-in fees

• Assisted Living, Independent Living, Skilled Nursing, Respite Stays, and Rehabilitation

• A staff of long-term caregivers

• Healthcare building with free WiFi

• A beautiful and very convenient Park Cities location

• And much more...

Please join us at The Forum at Park Lane as we celebrate the completion of our $1.5 million renovation with a special GRAND RE-OPENING event. Experience the fresh new look of our community and meet with members of our leadership team while you enjoy live entertainment, hor’doeuvres, tours, gift bags and more! PARK

Innovative teachers

Two teachers at Alex Sanger Elementary received recognition and Innovative Teacher grants from the Junior League of Dallas. Dorothy Boga Green (left) received a $700 grant, and Amanda Fletcher (right) received a $1,886 grant.