A B ROOKDALE S E N IOR L IVI NG 速 P U BLICATION
OPTIMUM LIFE
速
Vo l . 2 , I s s u e 3
Changing the culture of aging one wish at a time.
Jeremy Bloom and Esther Wilson
Wishes Do Come True F O R
B R O O K D A L E
R E S I D E N T S
Turn your Wish of a Lifetime into the experience of a lifetime! Brookdale Wishes can come true anywhere— Skydiving over Arizona... Visiting a national monument in Virginia... Riding in a Corvette in Texas... Attending a presidential inauguration in Washington, DC... Rekindling a long lost friendship in Ohio... Hot air ballooning above New Mexico Wishes are coming true for Brookdale residents all over America through our unique partnership with Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime Foundation. Brookdale Wishes rewards you for daring to dream and then having the fortitude to embrace the fulfillment of your dreams. What’s more, your fulfilled wish can inspire others to dream more boldly as well. So if you are a Brookdale resident, submit your wish today through the Lifestyle Director or Life Enrichment Coordinator at your Brookdale Senior Living community.
Together, we’ll discover the joy of having dreams, and making wishes come true.
FROM THE EDITOR 2011 to Provide Expanded Opportunities for Brookdale Residents!
CONTENTS
Optimum Life magazine enables our residents to motivate and inspire others by telling their stories of active and purposeful living based on the six dimensions of Optimum Life®. The year 2010 was an amazing one for our residents; 2011 is promising to be even bigger and better. Thanks to an exciting new program with Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime foundation, Brookdale Wishes has already begun fulfilling the wishes of hundreds of our residents throughout the country. We understand that it’s important for our residents at every stage in life to keep dreaming and wishing. So, whether they are seeking to reconnect with old friends, attend a national sporting event, host a family reunion, or ride in a hot air balloon, we will work to make as many of those resident wishes as possible come true. This year, our Celebrations program will take Brookdale residents on a 365-day journey around the world by combining the foods, activities, celebrations and history of some of our planet’s amazing places and sights. From the romantic canals of Venice, to breathtaking views of Mt. Everest; and from Africa’s Serengeti Plain to the fabulous Northern Lights of Canada – and many places in between – this may be the most exciting Celebrations program ever. As you know, we recently completed our Ultimate Chef America tour, which we held in six major markets across the country. These were exciting events that saw 60 of Brookdale’s professional chefs from across the country compete for the title of Ultimate Chef America. When it was over, we crowned six regional winners and one national winner. Ultimate Chef America was a special program on many levels: It showcased the talents and skills of our professional chefs; our silent auction contributed generously to the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation; and the event provided relief fund donations to help the people of Haiti recover from that nation’s devastating earthquake last year. We are happy and honored to tell all these stories and many more in this expanded issue as we pursue our mission: “to enrich the lives of those we serve with compassion, respect, excellence and integrity.”
1
WISH OF A LIFETIME
3
AGE LOOKS AT AGING
7
GLAMOURGALS
9
LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!
11
RESIDENTS GRADUATE
13
MAN ON THE MOON
14
GROWING TOGETHER
15
PAPER CHEF HATS
17
AROUND THE WORLD
19
ULTIMATE CHEF AMERICA
24
UCA WINNERS
25
SILENT AUCTION
32
MARCEL DAVIGNON
36
STROOP TEST
sterry@brookdaleliving.com
Optimum Life® is a publication of Brookdale Senior Living®, Inc. Optimum Life is available free of charge to the residents, associates and friends of Brookdale Senior Living communities. Subjects in feature articles are actual residents or associates of Brookdale communities across the country, or Brookdale home offices in Chicago, Milwaukee and Nashville. Inquiries about content or suggestions for future articles should be directed to the Lifestyle or Life Enrichment associate at any Brookdale Senior Living community. ® Reg. U.S. Pat. and TM Office. “Daily Moments of SuccessSM is a Service Mark of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Nashville, TN, USA
★ Wish of a Lifetime is a
★
★
Coming Together to Fulfill Hundreds of Wishes Wishes are ageless, timeless, and priceless. To residents, they are also testimonials to hope and validation that there is no age limit on their desire to live life to the fullest. Brookdale Senior Living and Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime Foundation, a Coloradobased nonprofit established to grant wishes to seniors throughout the United States, have joined forces in 2011
their lifelong dreams a reality,” said Sara Terry, Vice President of Optimum Life® for Brookdale. “Thanks to this program, more Brookdale Senior Living residents will have the opportunity to turn ‘someday’ into ‘today’ – rather than being a code word for ‘never.’ Our mutual commitment underscores that we are never too old to fulfill our dreams.”
“I created Wish of a Lifetime to change our views about aging and remind future generations about the value, wisdom and dreams of older adults.” — Jeremy Bloom
to encourage our residents to keep dreaming, daring and discovering by helping their wishes come true. Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime (JBWOL) was established in 2008 by two-time Olympic Skier, former NFL player and Colorado native, Jeremy Bloom, in living honor of his grandmother, Donna Wheeler. Bloom left competitive sports to launch the Foundation in order to initiate a cultural change by enriching the lives of seniors. By teaming up with Brookdale Senior Living, Bloom believes that he can take his message and passion for serving to many seniors. “Our sponsorship of Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime will enable more Brookdale residents to make 1 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Bloom wanted to give Brookdale residents a chance to live their dreams because he was drawn to the company’s Optimum Life® concept. Optimum Life helps cultivate whole-person wellness through fulfillment in six key dimensions: physical, emotional, purposeful, social, spiritual, and intellectual. “I originally launched Wish of a Lifetime to initiate a cultural change on the viewpoint of aging,” said Bloom. “This partnership will take the initiative to the next level, and I am confident a cultural change will be ignited. By teaming up with Brookdale Senior Living, we can take our message and passion for serving to more seniors than I ever imagined possible.”
★
★ “Dream Come True” ★
The mission of the Foundation is to create a cultural shift of how people view aging. Bloom has a strong belief that growing older doesn’t mean that a person has to stop dreaming and living a life of purpose. By granting inspirational wishes to seniors, Bloom’s Foundation spreads stories of hope. “All too often, older generations are overlooked as
★
perished in the wreck of the Blackthorn, in memory of her son. • Brookdale residents from the Denver area attended a Denver Nuggets basketball game, where they enjoyed the action on the court, complemented by full VIP treatment.
society yields to the dynamics and pressures of our modern culture,” said Bloom. “I created Wish of a Lifetime to change our views about aging and remind future generations about the value, wisdom and dreams of older adults. This partnership will take the initiative to the next level, so we can expand our message and serve more seniors.” Brookdale Senior Living and JBWOL have already begun granting wishes together. Some of these include…
• At 88 years old, a Carriage Club Jacksonville resident fulfilled her wish of attending NASCAR’s Daytona 500 race, in which her favorite driver, Jeff Gordon, was competing.
• A resident of Patriot Heights in San Antonio was granted her wish of attending the memorial service for members of the U.S. Coast Guard who
To be sure, many more wish fulfillments are on the way, as the program is planning to grant hundreds of wishes to Brookdale residents in 2011.
• For a resident of Sterling House of Shelby, North Carolina, celebrating the Martin Luther King, Jr., birthday at his monument and museum in Atlanta was a wish come true.
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 2
Age Looks at Aging Transforming the Conversation on Aging by Brian Braff Lillian Berland, 95, carries a small Nikon® pointand-shoot camera in the bag attached to her walker wherever she goes in Ocean House, a Brookdale Senior Living® Independent and Personalized Assisted Living community in Santa Monica, Calif. Her hands shake constantly now, but she won't let that prevent her from participating in a new project that has come to the community, Age Looks at Aging, in which older adults, for the first time, have been asked to contribute to the conversation on aging in photographs, writing and interviews. I’m a photographer based in Marina del Rey, Calif., and asked Brookdale® if I could bring this project into Ocean House and The Gardens of Santa Monica when it occurred to me that, in all the photo magazines and books I had looked at in my career, I could think of no photographs taken by older people to document their experience of aging. There
3 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
were many photos of older people, but it appeared that it hadn't occurred to anyone to put the cameras in their hands so that they could document their own experience of aging. With the sponsorship of Samy's Camera and Nikon®, and the enthusiastic cooperation of Sara Terry, Senior Vice President of Optimum Life® for Brookdale Senior Living, the project began. If residents chose to participate, they were given the opportunity to take photos, write, or interview each other, and, for a period of three months, they were given training and support to tell their stories. The results were incredible. While Berland took photos, Anne Jordan, a resident of Ocean House, interviewed everyone in sight. Pat Kindt and Martha Waller, also residents of Ocean House, chose writing as their medium. Some people, like Fana Spielberg and Florence Horne, residents of The Gardens of Santa Monica, who came into the project thinking they might write, found new possibilities in photography
Continued on page 0
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 4
that they never knew. Other very industrious seniors chose more than one medium. Doris Paddison, a resident of Ocean House, was one indefatigable 92-yearold who never stopped shooting pictures and interviewing, and her contributions are brilliant. We even had an extraordinary couple, Dr. Bernard and Lillian Sachs, residents of The Gardens of Santa Monica, and together for 67 years, who, with great courage and dignity, dug very deep into their personal lives to share their experience. When this project was first introduced to the residents of these two communities, many of them wanted to know what difference their contributions would make. They even had trouble believing anyone wanted to hear anything they had to say. This provided even more motivation and proof of the importance of Age Looks at Aging. Up until this project, it seemed that the people who had anything legitimate to say on the subject had Ph.D.s, and they were considered the experts. They might interview older adults, and then write an intellectual article for a scholarly journal. Of course, no one is more expert in the field of aging than the people who wake up with it every day, and live it. They know what it feels like when their minds, still young and agile, want to go somewhere that their bodies won’t take them. They know
what it’s like to have been an “expert” in their day, and now feel as if their contributions are no longer valued. And, unlike an objective academic engaged in a study, their stories come from the heart, with no pretense at being 5 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
balanced in their reporting. They talk from their own experience, and the impact on the viewer, reader and listener goes straight to the heart, as well. I have to admit that I walked into The Gardens of Santa Monica believing that I had something to offer them. I saw a resident walking slowly across the lobby with the aid of a walker, and thought, “What kind of contribution can I hope to get from her?” Far more than I thought, as was proven repeatedly. The conversations in every meeting with these elderly seniors were lively, and were always generated from the group itself. I wasn’t giving anything to them but an idea and support. The contributions were entirely theirs, and were more brilliant, relevant and profound than I could have imagined. Every day was a gift to me, and their contributions are now a gift to the world. We have had two big shows of this work so far. The first was for the participants, family members, associates and friends of these two communities. More recently, this show was accepted by Month of Photography in Los Angeles, and that show was even better attended and more powerful. We now have a presence on MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, and our own website – www.agelooksataging.org. In December 2010, we were asked to present at the Fourth International Conference on Positive Aging in Los Angeles. Age Looks at Aging is growing rapidly, and will continue to grow as the project extends out into the world. For it to be truly valid, we need to include everyone – those who live alone or with companions, or with family members; those who have extremely limited means or no means; as well as those who have maintained their independence and are doing well. It must transcend race, sex, religion and geographical boundaries. Our goal is nothing short of transforming the conversation on aging to include, at
long last, the voices of those who know it best. We invite contributions from everywhere, and that can easily be done on www.agelooksataging.org. In answer to those people who asked if they would make any difference by contributing to this project, I can now say that I have already seen lives changed because of their sharing. The response to their work is really overwhelming, from children to older adults. Everyone seems to get it, and is deeply moved. I’ve tried to understand why the response is so powerful, and think that it has something to do with the breakup of communities and families out of economic necessity, and the changing patterns of society. That fragmentation of family has, itself, created a longing for connection, and
for the voices of our elders. They always were our wise tribal leaders, and they are no less wise today. Their voices and counsel are missed. Age Looks at Aging will continue to restore connection and communication in the world, and to afford our elderly seniors the dignity and respect that comes from being heard. For the rest of us, it is simply an opportunity to listen.
With fondness and sincere appreciation for the many memories she gave to us, this article is affectionately dedicated to the late Florence Horne.
Brian Braff is a portrait and celebrity photographer based in Marina del Rey, Calif. Originally trained as a lawyer, he eventually left law to pursue a more creative and satisfying life, and that brought him back to what he always loved most - photography. Brian is the founding director of Age Looks at Aging. To learn more about him, and see where that creativity has taken him, visit www.brianbraff.com. To learn more about Age Looks at Aging, go to www.agelooksataging.org.
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 6
GlamourGals
Host Holiday Mega Makeover for Residents During this past holiday season, more than just the decorations on the tree sparkled, so did the residents who participated in a Holiday Mega Makeover by GlamourGals. The volunteers of GlamourGals, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster intergenerational relationships between teen girls and elderly women living in senior homes through monthly facials and makeovers, collected their most glamorous cosmetics and went to Brookdale Senior Living's Robin Run community in Indianapolis for a holiday season surprise. More than 30 residents were pampered with makeovers and manicures while happily chatting with the GlamourGals volunteers. “The very first thing I noticed was that as each lady entered the room, they had smiles on their faces that were big and beautiful,” said Louis Valerio, executive board member for GlamourGals. “They were all so excited.”
All of the volunteers and residents were quickly immersed in conversations, which led to new friendships. “As the process began, you couldn’t help but be struck by how the volunteers and residents quickly got into conversations that ranged from all different subjects; they were all so at ease,” said Valerio. “Sincere chats and new friendships were occurring before my eyes.” Indiana's weatherman, Paul Poteet, graciously made an appearance at the event for photos after the ladies were made over. The beautifully groomed women gathered with Poteet, and were given the opportunity to take pictures with him. “What a wonderful experience to do something so simple as putting blush on or painting nails and having a simple conversation with a 92-year-old woman,” said GlamourGals volunteer, Paulette Dolores Dukes. “This time of year can be especially difficult for some of the Continued on page 33
www.glamourgals.org
7 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 8
Lights! C Freedom Village Brandywine, a Brookdale Senior Living Continuing Care Retirement Community in Pennsylvania, began an in-house TV channel for the residents in October 2000, within two years of the opening of the community. Since its inception, Channel 66 has been completely resident-run as a volunteer directed and operated entity. This closed-circuit station was started by an eager group of residents with no video knowledge or skills. In fact, the first broadcasts were of simply converting the community’s bulletin board into a PowerPoint presentation of the daily and weekly events, daily meal menus, etc. The physical operation literally began in a closet, but during the last nine and a half years it has morphed into a fully operational studio. More than $50,000 worth of equipment has been assembled, including two digital cameras, two editors, four computers, and a bank of studio lights for high-quality interviews. One of the segments, the Bulletin Board, is narrated twice a day for the visually-impaired. It runs 24/7, and is interrupted by four special programs a day. Each program is shown five times a week. The channel shows commercially-produced biographies, documentaries, TV mini-series, travelogues, history programs, and in-house created programs. Channel 66 has its own TV guide, 9 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
In-House TV Station Gives Residents New Skills and Purpose which is printed every four weeks and distributed to all residents. In-house programming takes many forms. Every month, the Residents’ Advisory Council and village meetings are recorded and broadcast, along with entertainment programs provided by the Lifestyles and Enrichment staff. Two monthly news magazine shows are also produced. One is Focus on Freedom Village that
previews next month’s events, including interviews with administrators, doctors, contractors, and residents. Some special features of Focus include Faces in the Neighborhood, Behind the Scenes at FVB, and Volunteer Profile. Another show, titled “$ and Sense”, sponsored by First National Bank of Chester County, covers market reviews, scams that older adults need to watch for, and insurance questions. In addition, special videos on request have been produced, including a series for Dining Services to help train the wait staff. Also, they have provided fire safety
videos for the facilities department and a new resident orientation video. The team even created a video for marketing. The Marketing Director for Freedom Village Brandywine, was extremely pleased with the video, and with the way Channel 66 shows off the community to prospective residents. “Channel 66 informs residents of news from banking, local industry, medicine, and tourism as well as happenings at Freedom Village,” said the Marketing Continued on page 33
Camera! Action!
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 10
RESIDENTS
Graduate WITH
HONORS
Every day, the lives of residents are being changed due to the services of Innovative Senior CareSM (ISC). At Clare Bridge® Spokane, a Brookdale Senior Living Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care community in Washington, residents literally gave ISC a standing ovation. ISC is offered by Brookdale Senior Living at select communities, and offers ancillary services including physical, occupational, and speech therapies; specialized clinical programs designed for seniors; and health education programs. At Clare Bridge Spokane, residents who participate in ISC are being honored for their hard work and perseverance. “Many residents have gone into the program with obstacles in their way, but have come out victorious because they have beaten the odds,” said Pat Johnson, Executive Director at Clare Bridge Spokane. “We wanted to give these residents the honor of being recognized for all they accomplished.” Therefore, the community planned an ISC Achievement Reception. Tears of joy and memorable moments were made when the residents walked across the stage to receive their awards. “We announced our residents names one by one and told a short story of their achievement to the group. The residents beamed with pride, some gasped in surprise. It was wonderful,” said Johnson. “The Optimum Life concept was truly demonstrated as to how it makes a difference in our residents lives.” Brookdale’s Optimum Life® concept is geared toward cultivating whole-person wellness through fulfillment in six key dimensions: purposeful, emotional, physical, social, spiritual, and intellectual. 11 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Isabel Annan, a graduate of Clare Bridge Spokane’s ISC program, lived at the community for years, and had broken her hip. After her discharge from the hospital, she was able to return to Clare Bridge Spokane, rather than going to a skilled nursing center for rehabilitation. The decision was made by Annan’s family, the management staff at Clare Bridge Spokane, the social worker and the physician at the hospital. This was a true testament to the faith in the ISC program that all agreed her therapy and other needs could be met at the community. According to Johnson, Annan was one of their success stories. Prior to her hip fracture, she walked independently with a cane and was active. Annan made great progress with her physical and occupational therapy. “The success was due to the teamwork between ISC therapists and the community staff who were invaluable in helping us to keep Isabel on her daily routine,” said Maria Brooks, Physical Therapist and Outpatient Coordinator for ISC. “The benefit of rehabilitating in her own setting was a great factor in helping her regain her mobility. She was a pleasure to work with and worked hard.” One resident, Jack Brace, while walking across the stage to receive his certificate, began to sing, “Thanks for the Memories.” Before Brace was placed in the ISC program, he experienced a decline in walking and balance. After he graduated, he had improved his strength, walking, and balance abilities and decreased his fall risk. “We used his love for music, singing, and dancing as part of his therapeutic interventions to improve his gait and balance,” said Sandy Richardson, Physical
Therapist Assistant for ISC. “I would hide Frank Sinatra CDs and have Jack find them on a scavenger hunt or obstacle course. We also related his physical activities from his military background into his exercise program by focusing on marching and posture exercises.” Before going into the program, Mary Rumsey, a resident at Clare Bridge Spokane, was admitted from another community and was not walking. After working with Brooks that day, Rumsey walked five feet with a rolling walker, and graduated to 80 feet. Brooks was thrilled with Rumsey’s improvements. “Mary exceeded my expectations. I feel that the ISC graduations not only honor the hard work and determination of our residents, but also are uplifting to their families and to the caregivers. It reminds us of what an important role we play in their journey.” Andy and Geri Kyriaco, a couple living at Clare Bridge Spokane, also had graduated and were proud of all that they were able to accomplish. At one point in time, both were living in different communities for about two years after more than 50 years of marriage. They had different needs that had to be taken care of, and both were limited to wheelchairs. Once they were brought together, they stayed in the same apartment and were truly happy again. “It was inspirational and heartwarming to see the functional improvement in this couple, but also the enhanced quality of life they now have living together again,” said Brooks. “Andy’s wife was so proud of his accomplishments and would always tell him to work hard and listen to Maria before sending him off for his therapy.” As can be seen, Brookdale Senior Living has demonstrated its commitment to making the lives of its residents more meaningful and enriching through its Optimum Life culture. A resident becomes well-rounded through six key dimensions of wellness, which are essential since what happens in one influences the others. ISC’s goal is to minimize the effects of aging by offering treatments that help residents be more independent. Not only do they give techniques to prevent pain and disability, ISC also educates residents about healthy aging. This gives them the opportunity to become their own health advocates and be as independent as they can be. BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 12
Man on the Moon
By: MaKenzie Boozer Ted A. Pryzybylski, a resident of Wynwood® Columbia Edgewater, a Brookdale Senior Living Independent and Personalized Assisted Living community in Richland, Wash., helped America reach extraordinary heights…literally. As a dining room server, I have the opportunity of working with many wise and knowledgeable residents. As an associate, I genuinely appreciate and respect all of the unique qualities of the residents. After first serving Pryzybylski and experiencing his dynamism — whether it’s his infectious bouts of laughter or joking about needing to trim down – it was clear he is an important member of the community. Several months after working for Brookdale, I learned that Pryzybylski has his name on the moon even though he is not an astronaut. Knowing a smart man who has achieved such great heights can be so kind, comical, and modest, revealed to me a great lesson about life; it’s the down to earth people that soar as high as the moon.
The Beginning of Great Achievements In 1958, Pryzybylski moved to Seattle to work in the 201 Building for Experimental Air. While there, he was in charge of evaluating all of the facilities and providing aid to employees with their purchasing needs. Not much later, Pryzybylski went to work for NASA as the director of project management for Boeing.
Reaching Great Heights A plane load of engineers were sent to Huntsville, Ala. as associates for Boeing. Their initial job was to locate facilities needed to build the first stage of shuttles. The facilities adequate for the job were located in New Orleans, and that is where he relocated his family to begin working on the Apollo projects. Pryzybylski worked on Apollo 1 through Apollo 11. He also worked on the Lunar Rover and was invited to Cape Canaveral to observe several flight missions. During that time, Pryzybylski was able to meet every astronaut involved in all of the Apollo projects. When asked who his favorite astronaut was, he said: “I liked them all.” His proudest accomplishment throughout his journey in NASA was the landing of Apollo 11. All of the engineers involved with the creation of Apollo 11 made a time capsule, and each one placed their names inside. With the landing of Apollo 11, the astronauts buried the time capsule. With this great accomplishment, he received pendants and coins that serve as memorabilia of his historic pastimes which is recorded in the Smithsonian Institution as being part of the first United States manned lunar landing.
13 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Brookdale has recently added the program Growing Together, a hospitality English series designed to assist Spanish speaking associates, to its roster of opportunities. For some associates within Dining Services, English is their second language. This supplemental training tool aids its associates in communicating with residents. The program not only improves the English speaking skills of associates in dining rooms, but it also improves an associate’s comfort level when communicating with residents – therefore effectively enhancing their dining experience. “The purpose of the program is to have associates feel more confident while interacting with residents, guests and other associates,” said Joska Hajdu, Senior Vice President of Dining Services for Brookdale Senior Living. “Giving associates the tools to communicate with residents has been beneficial for the associates, the residents, and the community overall.” Not only does this program achieve residents’
ability to fulfill the dimensions of the company’s Optimum Life® concept, which is geared toward cultivating whole-person wellness through fulfillment in six key dimensions: physical, emotional, purposeful, social, spiritual, and intellectual, but it also benefits associates as well. Together, associates and residents grow together within the six dimensions of Optimum Life. Growing Together started at select communities in early 2010. Thus far, 47 associates have participated in the program. Growing Together consists of two components – a Web portion and a resident/associate interaction. For the Web component, there are six dining services management associates from communities throughout Brookdale that are fluent in both Spanish and English that teach sessions each Thursday to associates via a WebEx seminar. Throughout each session, the program is intellectually challenging by teaching a lesson of basic hospitality
Residents & Associates Grow Together
Continued on page 33
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 14
The hats worn ‘round the world… And how they came to be.
Former resident Georges Lamour was the creator of the paper chef hat The chef hat was conceived 40 years ago by a man named Georges Lamour, a former resident of Chambrel Roswell, a Brookdale Senior Living community in Atlanta. LaMour had originally worked as a chef at the Americana Hotel in Miami. Before the paper chef hats were created, Lamour’s wife would wash and iron his chef hats daily. This process, however, was time-consuming; it took more than one hour every day. His wife would have to execute the strenuous chore of washing the hats, put them into heavy starch, and then iron each pleat while the hat was still moist to help the hat stand up on its own.
15 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
One year, Lamour faced a problem when his wife took their children on vacation. He quickly realized he did not have time to perform the physically draining task of washing and preparing his chef hats. He did not have other options for cleaning his hats, which led Lamour to creating a paper hat. After several weeks of intellectual designing, he decided to use parchment paper and included a band of cloth to soak up sweat. “Georges was so determined to create a new hat that he would be able to prepare without my help,” said Lamour’s wife. Although Lamour created this purposeful invention, he was unable to reap the financial awards. A businessman asked Lemour if he could buy the patent. Lamour agreed because he thought that he would receive $2,500 plus a penny for every hat sold. He was sadly mistaken, and had to deal with the emotional toil of only earning $2,500. To this day, chef hats are sold throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada. Although Lamour cannot financially show his success with the paper chef hats, he still has high-spirits because he is socially recognized as the man that made this change for culinary uniforms.
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 16
In 2010, Brookdale celebrated the “Amazing Places of America” and took residents on incredible adventures across the country to highlight the exquisiteness of the United States. During 2011, through its award-winning Celebrations program, Brookdale will take its residents on another breathtaking virtual “trip” around the world with its Celebrations theme, “Amazing Places of the World.” A yearlong life enrichment and dining program opportunity designed exclusively for its residents and communities, Celebrations offers authentically themed experiences, memorable special events, and enriching programs. With 2011’s theme, residents and associates will travel outside America to discover the “Amazing Places of the World.” There will be opportunities to visit both natural wonders and manmade marvels across six continents. The journey begins at the winding Venice waterways in Italy, and will finish in North America to see the spectacular Northern Lights.
Around the Wor l
The monthly theme destinations are: January – Venice Waterways, Italy February – The Great Wall of China March – Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April – Mount Everest, Tibet May – Mayan Ruins, Mexico June – The Great Barrier Reef, Australia July – The Fjords, Norway August – The Serengeti, Tanzania September – Taj Mahal, India October – The Pyramids, Egypt November – The Parthenon, Greece December – The Northern Lights, Canada
17 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
r ld in 365 Days!
The communities will create opportunities representing the 12 Amazing Places of the World. These programs, opportunities and experiences touch each of the dimensions of Optimum Life®. A way of life offered exclusively by Brookdale Senior Living at its communities, Optimum Life focuses on six key dimensions - purposeful, emotional, physical, social, spiritual and intellectual. Residents will experience the monthly themes each according to their individual Optimum Life goals. For those who enjoy a social setting, they may participate in an authentic party “theme dinner” experience, a casual “mix and mingle,” or an interactive “cooking demo” where they can learn to cook and enjoy recipes from the featured region. “Food and the dining experience play a significant role in the Celebrations program,” said Joska Hajdu, Senior Vice President of Dining Services for Brookdale Senior Living. “By planning unique meals and themed cooking demonstrations, the Dining Services team is able to bring to taste the theme through their passion and talent for food.” For those pursuing opportunities in the physical dimension of wellness, Celebrations offers “Move to the Music,” which highlights the vibrant musical scenes and distinctive styles of each destination. In addition, many residents focus on the intellectual opportunities, which may be cultivated with the virtual journey program, “Passport Travels.” Through this, residents will experience the amazing places of the world through the sights, sounds, flavors and scents that make them feel as though they are actually in the destination. Spiritually, residents may explore “Stories of Hope,” which provides them with the opportunity to nurture their spiritual needs and learn about the inspiring projects and Continued on page 34
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 18
ULTIMATE CHEF COMPETITION Entertains and Delights Brookdale Residents Across America!
PHOENIX
DALLAS
19 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
DENVER
DETROIT
The grills flamed and the food sizzled across America as 60 Brookdale chefs showcased their culinary skills in a series of competitive events that supported Brookdale Senior Living’s Optimum Life concept, as well as worthy causes, in the company’s Ultimate Chef America competition. At Brookdale, 2010 will be remembered as the year of Ultimate Chef America as the company’s culinary professionals put on a year-long series of firstclass cooking shows in six markets stretching from Phoenix to Jacksonville with stops along the way in Dallas, Denver, Detroit and Atlanta. Each event showcased the talents of Brookdale’s professional chefs, who created dishes that were not only flavorful, but were healthy as well for senior diets. “Cooking for seniors requires special training because of the heightened importance of healthy meals to seniors, along with richer, bolder flavors,” said Joska Hajdu, Brookdale’s Senior Vice President of Dining
ATLANTA
Services. “The textures of the foods must also be more senior friendly. That’s one reason why these chefs and their creations are special; their dishes are created with passion and an intensity that surpasses food served in other venues. “To seniors, diet is much more than a source of health and pleasure,” Hajdu added. “Healthy and goodtasting food is an important component of overall life satisfaction. But delivering those traits has its challenges for the culinary staff – and that’s why this competition was so meaningful for our residents and to our chefs as well.” A quick glance at the Ultimate Chef America menu reveals the level of sophistication of the competing chefs, as well as providing insights into the Continued on next page
JACKSONVILLE
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 20
meals they are capable of preparing for their residents. From grilled sea bass with roasted red pepper coulis and balsamic syrup, to the overall winning entrée, triple berry tiramisu, each healthy entrée revealed a depth of flavor, along with culinary presentations on a scale that far exceeded expectations. But Ultimate Chef America was much more than a professional cooking competition. Each event was a bona fide celebration of great food and life fulfillment. In each of the six locations, residents and guests were in the audience for live talk shows with celebrity judges and senior health and culinary experts, which was streamed over the Internet and broadcast to other Brookdale communities. The competition featured
21 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
seminars on food, wine and seasonings, presented by experts on each topic. There were also guided tours of the host community, a silent auction benefiting the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, which helps caregivers facing Alzheimer’s and dementia issues, and a vendor and resource expo that was supported by Brookdale’s national and divisional sponsors who contributed abundantly to the national event’s success. Promotes Optimum Life® Concept “The really neat thing about Ultimate Chef America is that for our residents and those considering a move to a Brookdale community, the competition and related events provided an
introduction to our concept for living an Optimum Life,” noted Sara Terry, Vice President of Optimum Life for Brookdale Senior Living. A Brookdale innovation, Optimum Life incorporates a complete wellness program to help seniors achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle, one that incorporates nutrition, exercise, purposeful living, lifelong learning, socialization and emotional health. By providing an outstanding backdrop for socializing with friends, for learning about products for seniors and for giving something back to others by participating in the silent auction, Ultimate Chef America supported the Brookdale concept of living an Optimum Life. Beyond the obvious culinary aspects there were also live opportunities to watch celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, business, cooking and sports interact with one another and with the audience. “Ultimate Chef America is definitely much more than a professional cooking competition,” said Terry. “Each event was a true celebration of great food and healthy cooking – along with acknowledgement of the important role of nutrition in contributing to overall wellness. It was, simply, a celebration of the life fulfillment – an Optimum Life in all its dimensions.” Professional Training Brookdale Style Ultimate Chef America participants all have years of experience in the culinary arts. However, training professional chefs to please senior residents with culinary creations is no simple process. That’s why Brookdale trains its chefs at The Culinary Arts Institute at Brookdale, the company’s development program that teaches the finer points of cooking for seniors. The Institute calls it the fresh approach to developing culinary talent for Brookdale’s communities. And as Ultimate Chef America has shown “the proof is in the pudding,” to borrow a familiar cliché. At each event, two teams consisting of five trained Continued on next page
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 22
Brookdale chefs from the region competed during an intense two-hour contest focusing on healthy fare for seniors. Dishes prepared by the chefs were judged onsite by a panel of up to five celebrity judges, including one Brookdale resident with a culinary background. By The Numbers Ultimate Chef America was a major focal point for Brookdale and its six featured markets in 2010. Altogether, the program logged more than 3,500 miles from one market to the next, included 60 professional chefs and some two dozen judges. The six events welcomed, entertained and served more than 5,000 outside guests. Its silent auctions donated more than $50,000 to support the work of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, as well as $16, 000 to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Ultimate Chef America also generated abundant nationwide and international publicity for Brookdale and its featured communities and markets. “By any measure, Ultimate Chef America has been a hugely successful event for Brookdale and its communities, for its residents, associates and guests and for the worthy causes that we have supported through this program,” said Hajdu. “It is the sum total of what we were able to accomplish in this event that affirms Brookdale’s leadership position in the industry. That, more than anything else, underscores the formidable skills of our associates and the selfless dedication to serving others that they bring to their communities every day.” 23 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
And the Winners are... Ultimate Chef America events were held in one major market in each of Brookdale’s six divisions. In each division, one winner was selected for his or her entrée; the Chef whose entrée scored the most points overall during the competition was declared Ultimate Chef America. In all, sixty Brookdale Chefs competed for the title.
Congratulations to CHEF
ELIZABETH ARCHER
Our Ultimate Chef America for 2010 for her winning entrée,
Triple Berry Tiramisu. Florida Division Winner, Director of Dining Services, Grand Court Tavares, Florida. Elizabeth Archer was born and raised in Nuremberg, Germany, and educated in nutrition and child development, but her love of culinary arts was manifest in early childhood. She moved to the U.S. and worked as a cook at Fort Jackson. She has also worked as a Food and Nutrition Supervisor at Highsmith Rainey Hospital, as a Dietary Technician at Auburn Washington Hospital and at Rueleme Center Nursing Home. She lists comment cards she received from the hospital patients she served and letters of recommendation from Fort Jackson as among her most treasured awards. Chef Archer joined Brookdale as the Dining Room Manager at Grand Court Tavares where she enjoys making a daily difference in the lives of the residents she serves. Her favorite foods to cook are old recipes because the ingredients are more authentic and traditional and they allow her to add her own personal touch. According to Chef Archer, being promoted to Director of Dining Services for Brookdale and serving the residents each day is one of her greatest career accomplishments. WEST DIVISION WINNER:
JEFFERY AMPERSE Director of Dining Services, Brookdale Place Paradise Valley. Winning Entrée: Grilled Sea Bass with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis and Balsamic Syrup.
NORTH DIVISION WINNER:
RICHARD LAMOUREUX Dining Services Coordinator: Wynwood® Northville. Winning Entrée: Grilled Salmon with Peach Salsa.
SOUTHWEST DIVISION WINNER:
SOUTHEAST DIVISION WINNER:
WILLIAM ANCHONDO
JOE CAREY
Director of Dining Services, Town Village North. Winning Entrée: Pan Asian Whipped Potato Duo and Asian Vegetable Toss.
Director of Dining Services: Carriage Club Charlotte Winning Entrée: Grilled Fresh Harvest Fruits with Blueberry Gorgonzola Cream.
PLAINS DIVISION WINNER:
BEN DONOVAN Executive Chef: Foxwood Springs. Winning Entrée: Umeboshi Grilled Salmon. BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 24
Silent Auctions Support The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation In the true spirit of Optimum Life, the Ultimate Chef America program was much more than a cooking demonstration; it was also a purposeful exercise in corporate citizenship. At each event, Ultimate Chef conducted a silent auction to raise funds for The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation. The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation was started to offer a safe setting for all families who are dealing with loved ones diagnosed with a memory disorder. As one of Brookdale’s preferred charities, the six Ultimate Chef
America events in 2010 featured a special silent auction with artworks created by Brookdale residents – some of whom have Alzheimer’s disease. The auctions raised $50,000 to support this worthy cause. Some of the artwork featured are proudly shown in this photo essay.
25 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Phoenix Art Auction
A Taste of Arizona, Collaborative Piece Freedom Inn at Ventana Canyon
Wooden Fruit Bowl, Ben Brotman The Inn at Freedom Plaza
Brambles, Kathy Baggett Sterling House® East Speedway
Tea Time, Jane Brown Freedom Plaza Peoria
Autumn’s Bounty II, Eleanor Clark Glenwood Gardens
Ancient Wisdom, Pam Stafford Freedom Inn at Ventana Canyon Sunflower Seed, Dean Travis Clare Bridge® Place at Freedom Plaza
Monument Valley, Tom Raubenheimer Freedom Inn Scottsdale
Blooming Desert, Ralph Marchese Freedom Inn Scottsdale
Tropical Fruit Flower, Collaborative Piece Clare Bridge® Place at Freedom Plaza
Bars and Stripes, Cathy Pease Santa Catalina Villas
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 26
Dallas Art Auction
Mountain Lake, Delora Helmke Chambrel Club Hill
Geraniums, Larry Nyland Chambrel Club Hill
An American President Presidential Library – Austin, Texas
Creek Bridge, Marona Hewitt Chambrel Club Hill
No Warranty, No Refund, Doane Fessenden Chambrel Club Hill
An Apple a Day, Doane Fessenden Chambrel Club Hill
27 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Companions, Frances McAlister Town Village North Dallas
Spring Flowers, Judy Gibson Town Village North Dallas
Spring Fruits, Larry Nyland Chambrel Club Hill
Denver Art Auction
A Place in the Forest, Thelma Tavelli Heritage Club Mountain View
Sunflower, Barbara McClung Brookdale Place Colorado Springs
Water Flowers, Janine Thrash Brookdale Place Colorado Springs
My Favorite Fruit, Lorraine Shotwell Village at Skyline Clare Bridge速
Flower Cart, Alice Ellis Heritage Club Denver
Beginning of a Forest, Jack Connor Brookdale Place Colorado Springs
Mountain Stream, Virginia Blakeman Brookdale Place Colorado Springs
Home Sweet Home, Art Cole Sterling House速 Loveland
Columbine, Jack Connor Brookdale Place Colorado Springs
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 28
Detroit Art Auction
Birds of a Feather, Anonymous
Portrait of a Man, Mae Weisman The Heritage Southfield
Tarkay, Mae Wiseman The Heritage Southfield
Hands of Wisdom Residents of Wynwood速 Northville
A Summer's Delight Collage Residents of Brookdale速 Place Ann Arbor
Early Autumn, Virginia Rembor Sterling House速 Davidson
Paradise, Betty Bohn Grand Court Springfield
Lilly Pads, Toni Borger The Heritage Southfield Abstract Piece, Craig Smith The Heritage Southfield
29 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Atlanta Art Auction
Bubbles Above the Water, Bobby Clare Bridge® Cary
Hands of Wisdom in the Garden Residents – Chambrel Roswell Coffe Cup, Georgia Nagle Wellington Place Kennesaw
Water Can, John Whistler Photographer Harvest Time, Evelyn Johnson Chambrel Roswell
Calla Lillies, Bill Ganong Chambrel Roswell
Magnolia Seeds, Connie Dickenson Chambrel Roswell
The Road Home, Jeanette Clare Bridge® Cary Pear Still LIfe II, Georgia Nagle Wellington Place Kennesaw
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 30
Jacksonville Art Auction
Oriental Ladies, Alice Finkelstein The Classic West Palm Beach
Still Life With Wine and Cheese, Lillian Gingrich – Cypress Village
Wild Pears Stevens Gallery of San Marco
Hands of Wisdom for Charlene, Grand Court Tampa Residents
Nothing Better Than Coffee Ima Jean Hall Clare Bridge® Cape Coral
Disconnected, William Brace Cypress Village
Birthday Party, Margie Campbell Carriage Club Jacksonville
Laughing Child, Rachael Harford Cypress Village
Furry Friends, Helene Coleman Carriage Club Jacksonville
Flowers, Emily Stork Carriage Club Jacksonville
31 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
Skateboards, Margie Campbell Carriage Club Jacksonville
Marcel Davignon, a resident of chef at a country club where he Freedom Pointe at The Villages, won an opportunity to take was recently a celebrity resident advanced culinary courses at judge for the Jacksonville, Fla. the American Culinary Ultimate Chef America Institute in Hartford, Conn. competition. Even when “Being a Mess Sergeant flanked by celebrities such as was really the beginning of my media personality Leeza experiences with my culinary ARCEL AVIGNON Gibbons and Olympic medalist career,” said Davignon. Chef, Entrepreneur, Celebrity Shannon Miller, Davignon After Davignon was quickly won the crowd over discharged from the military in with his charm and culinary expertise. 1953, he continued his career in the culinary arts. “Being chosen as a UCA judge and being in the He worked at a variety of country clubs and company of celebrities is certainly the highlight of restaurants as the executive chef. He then went my 60 years in the culinary arts business,” said another level and opened his first restaurant, Davignon. Marcello’s Spaghetti House, located in Woonsocket, Davignon’s past experience in the culinary arts R.I. in 1965. After four years, he converted this gave him knowledge to share with the audience as a restaurant to Marcello’s Steak House where he judge of the heart-healthy food competition. continued this successful business until 1973. “Marcel was the perfect resident judge for the He then moved with his family to Florida. In UCA event because he is a celebrity every day at 1973, Davignon established Diversified Food Freedom Pointe,” said Walt Stroly, Executive Marketing, a purchasing arm for Food Service Director for Freedom Pointe at The Villages. “His Marketing, a food service concessionaire for Sears celebrity with residents and associates is his upbeat stores. After his time in the food market, the personality, expert cooking guidance and ease with restaurant bug caught him again and he opened a everyone he encounters.” restaurant called Reuben Pub that was operated by Davignon was born in 1929 in Pawtucket, R.I. his son. In 1983, Marcel developed a 275-seat In 1951 he was drafted into the United States Army. seafood restaurant in Dunedin Beach, Fla. known as During his time in the military, he served as a Mess Pier Dunedin. Sergeant where he began his cooking career. After In 1986 the restaurant was sold, and declared Continued on page 35 being discharged, he was employed as an apprentice
M
D
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 32
Continued from page 7
GlamourGals elderly who have lost their spouse or have no frequent visits from loved ones. Being there with the group of volunteers seemed to really lift the residents' spirits and ours, as well.” “Thank you for a delightful experience with the GlamourGals. I enjoyed the afternoon with the young women ‘pampering’ us, the great refreshments and the visiting. Wow! What a day,” said Robin Run resident Betty Wehlage. This event touched each of the dimensions of Optimum Life®. A way of life offered exclusively by Brookdale Senior Living at its communities, Optimum Life® focuses on six key dimensions of wellness: purposeful, emotional, physical, social, spiritual, and intellectual. “This event truly embodied all of the six dimensions of Optimum Life,” said Sara Terry, Vice President of Optimum Life. “It also achieves the goal of teaching the younger generation to honor and interact with other generations, which, when experienced firsthand, is genuinely heartwarming.”
Continued from page 10
Lights! Camera! Action! Director. “The ratings show that residents love to tune into Channel 66.” As an outreach project, Channel 66 prepared promotional video for the local Brandywine Health Foundation. With more than six hours of recording done, and 200 hours of editing, they created a nineminute DVD highlighting the charitable work done by the Foundation to improve the health of the wider community. The Channel 66 Volunteer Committee now consists of 33 dedicated, hard-working members. Resident Dr. Alvin Artz said, “As a retired dentist, working in Freedom Village Brandywine with a totally new set of 33 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
endeavors, Channel 66 has been most fulfilling. Videotaping, editing, and creating DVDs is exciting and challenging. Time goes rapidly and retirement is stimulating.” “I enjoy working on ‘66’ in-house TV because I can contribute to our community, work, and learn with others who enjoy doing the same things,” said Committee member Betty McCausland. Committee Co-Chair Ernie Wortmann said, “Inhouse TV offers me the means to continue applying some of my engineering skills. That, combined with being part of a great group of active resident volunteers with other backgrounds, makes it a hard-to-beat combination.” Indeed, many have found creative and challenging new work through Channel 66, which in turn provides them with a new-found sense of value and renewed interest in life. The in-house TV; it’s Committee celebrated a 10th anniversary in October 2010, which highlighted the enduring value of ‘66’ in the life of the Freedom Village Brandywine community.
Continued from page 14
Residents & Associates Grow Together vocabulary and phrases in English to associates. To go along with each lesson, each student will receive a DVD, CD and a student workbook that will contain the six lessons of vocabulary and phrases. Each week the students will study the DVD and practice that week’s lesson prior to the Thursday session. To encourage the associates emotionally and help them learn, each student will be paired with a resident mentor who will assist them and work as a team in practicing English throughout the week. “With this program, Spanish speaking associates will feel more socially and emotionally connected with all people at Brookdale,” said Hajdu. “After completing this program, the newfound confidence in an associate is palpable. There is a whole new bounce in the associate’s
step when they approach a table.” One of the most important and differentiating factors is the resident mentors that assist the associates in role playing scenarios that allow them practice their new communication skills. “Adding resident involvement has been a win-win situation,” said Hajdu. “Residents develop a sense of purpose with this program, and any potential generation block is completely abolished.” Francisco “Pancho” Chavez, a 94-year-old resident of Chambrel Roswell, a Brookdale Senior living retirement community in Georgia, is a mentor for the program. He will immediately share with everyone he talks with that teaching is his absolute passion. He began his teaching career strictly by accident, however. Upon leaving Cuba after 20 years of practicing law, he attempted several careers and found none to be fulfilling. He owned a book store in Miami and hired a friend’s daughter to work in the store. The friend told Chavez to see him if he ever needed a job. He took him up on the offer, and was trained to be a Spanish teacher. “Teaching is a very rewarding career,” said Chavez. “Giving knowledge to someone else is a valuable tool that can be beneficial to the person you are teaching. Establishing a relationship with your student is equally important because relationships may yield fruit in the future.” Chavez has taken a leadership role in the community for the past 10 years. He works with the Growing Together program by teaching the community’s Spanish speaking associates English. Manulla Castro, Dining Services associate at Chambrel Roswell, has taken English classes from Chavez for four years, and says that she has a greater understanding of speaking English, and is more confident now when speaking. Another Dining Services associate, LaLa Olvera, has been taking classes with Chavez for the past three years and communicates more effectively both within and outside the community with stronger English speaking skills. Chavez says he enjoys the exchange of information as well as the relationships he has established with the associates. Teaching is a way for Pancho to “exercise his brain.” He feels that he continues to build a better life for himself in the future because he is fulfilling his passion.
Continued from page 18
Around the World in 365 Days activities that take place all around the world. Another 2011 Celebrations program has a new emotional perspective called, “Living Out Loud,” which is a monthly lunch to discuss current events based on the monthly theme. This year, as residents travel to the 12 locations around the globe, specific topics will be discussed, which are of significance in these locations. The purpose of this activity is to create an opportunity for residents to voice their thoughts, feelings and creativity, thus creating an outlet for emotional expression and well-being. “These program opportunities will encourage residents to think about the little things that connect us to people who lived thousands of years ago, and to those who live thousands of miles away,” said Charles Richardson, Lifestyles and Life Enrichment Director for Brookdale Senior Living. “It is a small world, after all.” Along with the “Living Out Loud” program, Brookdale has implemented the “One Thing” program to add a purposeful dimension for residents. America, like many other cultures, values the wisdom of elders. By asking a monthly question; “What one thing would you tell a younger person about...?” Brookdale will document and immortalize this wisdom for the world to see. As a result of Brookdale’s “One Thing” project, a book will be published sharing the collective wisdom of Brookdale’s 53,600 residents. “Celebrations encourages the power of the six dimensions of Optimum Life at each community while using a common theme and topic,” said Sara Terry, vice president of Optimum Life. “Through this program, residents are able to ‘travel’ to magnificent places and discover the wonders of the world around us. We hope to evoke a feeling of great pride for our world, and stand in awe at the incredible beauty all around us.”
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 34
Continued from page 32
Marcel Davignon bankruptcy in 1990. Because his retirement dollars were involved as a mortgage holder, Davignon, who was 61-years-old at that time, chose the challenge of reorganizing the restaurant as a profitable enterprise. With his wife as his partner and his youngest daughter joining him, they reopened the restaurant as Mothers Shucker’s in February 1990. It took Davignon six years to deplete the debt obligations and establish a profitable business, which was sold as a thriving business in 1996. Finally, in 1996 it was time to retire. Finding life boring living on the beach, Davignon moved to The Villages in 1999 seeking a more active life style. As a hobby, he started writing a book titled “Preparing Proper Fuel for the Body.” This book was published in 2003, and is based on the simplicity of developing and maintaining a healthy body. Davignon was inspired to write this book at the urging of his granddaughter who wanted a recipe book with simple recipes and basic food preparation techniques that she could learn as a teenager. Davignon also taught “Healthy Cooking” classes for three years. In addition, even in retirement, Davignon was not done using his culinary cooking talents. As a volunteer, he designed and created the food concept for the Hospice House in The Villages, and created a menu designed utilizing the concept of “Cook, Chill, Heat, and Serve.” All meals were fully cooked, portion controlled, quick frozen and easily re-constituted by volunteers offering the patient a controlled meal anytime of the day or night. Davignon was involved in developing this concept in 1980 to service airlines, and institutions. This concept is being used today in many hospitals, colleges and nursing homes. In 2009, due to his wife’s medical condition, and with some persuasion from her, he decided to make his home at Freedom Pointe. Even though he has retired, he still demonstrated his cooking knowledge while judging Ultimate Chef America 35 / OPTIMUM LIFE - VOL. 2, ISSUE 3
where he delighted the audience with his talents. “It was an honor to be a judge. I have participated in many food shows and presentations, but UCA was truly an honor,” said Davignon. “In my 60 years in the food service industry, being a UCA judge will always be a highlighted experience.”
Humor: The Great Remedy We’ve all heard it said that “humor is the best medicine.” Here is a small dose of humor to help keep your smile vibrant and your funnybone intact. • • • Being “The Greatest” still ain’t being Superman! Once when Muhammad Ali was flying the flight attendant came up and asked him to fasten his seatbelt. Ali told the flight attendant, “Superman doesn’t need a seatbelt.” After a brief moment of thought, the flight attendant looked him in the eye and said: “That’s true enough, Champ, but then again, Superman doesn’t need the plane either.” • • • Humor in the Physical Dimension “My doctor told me to walk five miles a day and come back in two weeks. So I called him two weeks later and said, ‘Hey, Doc, I’ve been walking five miles a day just like you told me to, but now I’m 70 miles from home. How am I supposed to get back for the appointment?’” - Rodney Dangerfield • • • Always ask before you offer help… A man walking down a suburban street noticed a young boy standing on the porch of a house trying to reach the doorbell. But no matter how much the little guy stretched, he just couldn’t reach the button. With a smile, the man walked up onto the porch and said to the young boy, “Here, let me get that for you” and pushes the button. “Thanks, mister, says the young lad, “Now we’re supposed to run!”
Take The Stroop Test
to look at each word going across row by row and say aloud the color in which the word is printed, not the word itself. To increase the level of difficulty you can skip around randomly from one word to another. Do this as quickly as you can to help sharpen your brain.
As you look at the chart below you will notice that the words red, white, brown and green appear in one of those four different colors. The object is
red
white
green
red
white
brown
red
white
green brown green green
brown
green
white
brown
green
white
red
brown
white red brown green
brown white red brown red green red white
The Stroop test is used in neuropsychological evaluations to measure mental vitality and flexibility. Performing well requires strong attention and self-regulation capability.
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING / 36
MOUNT EVEREST - TIBET APRIL 2011