Spectrum Enriched Senior Living

h e a lt h & w e l l n e s s | r e l a t i o n s h i p s | c o m m u n i t y

Enriched Senior Living spring 2013

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power laughter of

A Publication of Spectrum Retirement Communities, LLC

ELDEResources easinG the eldercare Maze

Your resource when you need direction and support for the well-being of elders

serving the Greater denver metro area

Geriatric c are ManaG eMent & Guardianship s ervices

www.elderesources.com

(303) 268-2282

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, transitional memory care and memory care. Spectrum Retirement Communities, LLC has multiple locations in 11 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.

John Sevo managing director Jeff Kraus managing director Phillip Luebbers Senior VP & CFO Joe Mikalajunas Senior VP & COO Mike Longfellow senior VP of construction & development

Live Well and Live Strong

James Parker senior vp of Development & Capitol Markets Kathleen MacDonald editor and vP of Marketing Erin Caswell VP of Financial Planning & Analysis Rebecca Givens VP & General Counsel Jane Goulette VP of Operations Eastern division

Heart failure is serious but you can take control. Learn how to manage the symptoms, live well, and live strong.

Jenny Graham VP of Operations Western division Tony Harbour controller & VP of Finance Brenda Hunt VP of Fun Carole Hull VP of resident care & community development

Suzann Lupton VP of Organizational Development Ann Olson VP of Sales Lawrence Rugar VP of Corporate Risk Management Dennis Van Wynsberghe VP of Dining Services Brendan Harrington president Lindsay Burke creative DIRECTOR Tom Wilmes editor Susan Humphrey project manager

(541) 269-8111 1775 Thompson Road, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420 www.bayareahospital.org

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The Medical Center for Oregon’s Coast

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(800) 852-0857 www.hungryeyemedia.com

Welcome to

Spectrum “All I know about humor is that I don’t know anything about it,” radio comedian Fred Allen once said. So aptly put. Do we really want to understand the complexities of this thing called laughter, and whatever makes it so contagious? Or shall we just enjoy it?

In “Laugh and be Joyful” (p. 5), we look at how a hearty “ho, ho, ho” helps change the body and uplift the spirit, at least for awhile.

A companion story describes Spectrum’s new Aging with Grace through Laughter Yoga program and takes on the question: Can a fake laugh become real and derive the same results?

We think it can.

Then again, sometimes we get too much of a good thing. In “Before You Down that D” (p. 8), we consider the rise in Vitamin D’s popularity, even as the Institute of Medicine says we may be taking more than we need.

This issue also features dating and relationship tips in “Cupid’s Second Act” (p. 13), as well as a separate story on the financial considerations of late-in-life marriage (p. 20).

In our popular “Greatest Generation” feature (p. 10), we profile two residents who continued to serve after World War II—one as a police officer and one in the National Guard.

Managing Directors Jeff Kraus and John Sevo

Finally, this issue announces our annual Gatekeeper Award winners (p. 24), and introduces our Year of Care initiative (p. 23), where Spectrum furthers our person-centered approach to what we do.

Plainly, spring is here, the time when we begin to look forward, to plan to our best ability, to dig in, and just as we do with our gardens, foster the ability to bloom where we are planted.

Humor and laughter can sometimes seem superfluous, but they also oil the machinery of human relationships and concerns.

We wish for you a warm and healthy springtime, filled with loved ones and laughter. Maybe all of us can give a knowing chuckle when we remember Herman Melville’s quote from Moby Dick: “I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.”

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

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Spectrum Lifestyle Cupid’s Second Act A look at late-in-life love, dating and companionship.

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Greatest Generation: Our Nation’s Bedrock Meet two residents who exemplify post-war public and private duty.

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Words of Wisdom Spectrum centenarians share insight from the road to 100.

Spectrum Advisor

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Marital Blitz Popping the question can lead to some thorny financial decisions.

Here are some considerations to help untangle the process.

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Calculating mental Capacity Defining this elusive legal issue can be tricky. Bottom line: It depends.

Inside Spectrum

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Year of Care Spectrum executives chart the course for furthering our personcentered approach to care.

Spectrum Wellness

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Laugh and be Joyful A daily dose of humor brings a not-so-surprising boon to your body.

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Before You Down That D A much-vaunted vitamin invites closer scrutiny—with intriguing results.

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Gatekeeper Awards Spectrum announces the winners of its annual award for excellence.

Honoring Spectrum’s Community of the Year We recognize our Team Members for their distinguished service.

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looking ahead Spectrum will debut a new community in the charming northwest town of Eugene, Ore.

wellness

Laugh!

and be Joyful A daily dose of humor brings a not-so-surprising boon to your body.

Norman Cousins got it. So did Groucho Marx. So did poet George Gordon Byron.

These unique and complex characters had one thing in common: They understood the awesome, restorative power of sustained laughter.

“I made the very interesting discovery that 10 minutes of good belly laughter would give me two hours of pain-free sleep,” Cousins told an interviewer in 1974.

The editor of the Saturday Review was describing his much-publicized battle with

ankylosing spondylitis, a disintegration of the spine’s connective tissues, to James Day, host of Day at Night. Along with massive doses of Vitamin C, “I discovered that laughter produced a natural body anesthesia,” he said.

With those words – and as put forth in his book, Anatomy of an Illness – Cousins set the tone for actively and successfully participating in one’s own medical treatment and opened the door to further research on the physiology of laughter.

His results helped foster the field of gelotology, the study of how laughter affects the body’s processes.

Researchers say solid evidence on any gains is ambiguous, but agree that it’s difficult to dispute that a hearty laugh –Lord Byron just plain feels good.

“Many of the psychophysiological benefits of humor and laughter are similar to the health benefits of aerobic exercise,” laughter

“Always laugh when you can; it is cheap medicine.”

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WELLNESS

Anatomy of a Laugh researcher Ronald A. Berk wrote in a 2001 study for Johns Hopkins University. He suggests that humor brings about a “cognitive shift in perspective” that can help us better cope with or find some relief from such ailments as chronic pain, arthritis, rheumatism, emphysema, memory loss, depression, and stress.

And interestingly, researchers say that even people with advanced dementia retain a sense of humor.

Physically, laughter and mirth improves mental functioning by raising catecholamine levels. It also exercises and relaxes muscles and increases immune defenses – though only temporarily, leading to speculation that we need a daily dose for maximum effect.

In terms of raising endorphins – the chemicals responsible for post-workout euphoria – Berk says “there doesn’t seem to be a shred of physiological evidence that quantifies any significant change in endorphin levels with laughter.” Endorphins, after all, are hard to take samples of while laughing.

But in practice, is humor’s buzz for real? The American Cancer Society points out that scientific evidence “does not support claims that laughter can cure cancer or any other disease, (but) it can reduce stress and enhance a person’s quality of life.”

Laughter also stimulates the circulatory system, immune system, and other systems in the body.

Perhaps in the end, poet Lord Byron puts it best: “Always laugh when you can; it is cheap medicine.”

Humor can help us better cope with chronic pain, arthritis, rheumatism, emphysema, memory loss, depression, and stress.

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We all know it when we hear it. But what exactly does laughter look like?

In a 1994 issue of the Journal of Nursing Jocularity, physician Clifford C. Kuhn identified the 15 Stages of Laughter:

Smirk Smile Grin Snicker Giggle Chuckle Chortle Laugh Cackle Guffaw Howl Shriek Roar Convulse “Die” laughing

Spectrum Residents Enjoying Laughter Yoga

Aging with Grace Through Laughter Yoga Laughter Yoga, an age-old practice introduced to the United States in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria, has proven as contagious as a giggle.

The activity is a hit at Rigden Farm Senior Living in Fort Collins, Colo., where it was introduced in February as part of Spectrum Retirement’s system-wide “Just for Laughs and Aging With Grace” program by Director of Fun Jamie Deines, a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.

“Even though the laughter is self-induced,” Deines says, “your brain tells you it’s good for you, and it helps reduce anxiety and stress.”

For older adults, laughter can offset age’s unique pains of body and mind. “It’s suitable for sedentary people— fifteen minutes in the morning has effects that last through the day,” Deines says.

A Laughter Yoga session might start with participants

stating their names while clapping rhythmically, and chanting “very good, very good, ho, ho, ho, ha, ha, ha.”

The momentum and rhythm builds, as tones and types of laughter flow – one moment, a four-point “ha, ha, ha, ha” to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony or a drawn out “ho, ho, ho” to simulate a lion’s roar. One chooses from “argument” laughs, “milkshake” laughs or mellow “heart-to-heart” laughs. Each style is a different exercise in exhaling, Deines explains.

Sessions begin and end with traditional yoga moves, with meditation and affirmation at the end.

Michele Renner, Director of Fun at Clearwater Springs Assisted Living in Vancouver, Wash., takes a slightly different approach. She hired a local couple experienced in Laughter Yoga to lead the twicemonthly classes.

Laughs usually start out small, she says, and build to an energetic crescendo. “I definitely think the forced laughter becomes the real thing,” she says. Although they start out a little selfconscious, “residents feel happy when they’re done.”

The thrice-weekly classes offered at Mountain Park Senior Living in Phoenix, Ariz., start with regular yoga and transition to laughter.

“We always end with laughter yoga,” says Director of Fun Michelle Major. Residents’ selfconsciousness often transitions into spontaneous laughter, especially as weeks go on.

Even after class has ended, staff and yoga participants often share impromptu chuckles in the halls, the elevators, and even on the buses headed out on one of Mountain Park’s frequent “mystery trips,” Major says. “They’re having fun, and it’s heartwarming to see.”

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WELLNESS

Before you down that D New studies suggest that our bodies may need less vitamin D than previously thought.

V i t a m i n D a n d ca l ci u m , T h e dynamic duo of older adult health, are often touted as helping to build better bones and balance, reduce risk of disease, and heighten memory. And if a little is good, more would be better, right?

Not exactly, science says. While both the vitamin and the mineral bring benefits, the hype may exceed the actual gains.

A February 2010 New York Times article says that, despite vitamin D’s inconclusive benefits, physicians ordered some 50 percent more tests in the fourth quarter of 2009 than in the same period of 2008.

Likewise, consumers spent $235 million on vitamin D supplements in 2008, up from $40 million in 2001.

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It’s clear that vitamin D is big business, but it’s health benefits may be overstated.

New guidelines from the Institute of Medicine revised old standards and suggest that only 30.3 percent of adult Americans with healthy kidneys have insufficient levels (measured in one’s blood in nanograms per milliliter or ng/mL) of vitamin D – a far cry from the 70.5 percent under the old guidelines, according to an October 2012 Science Daily article.

The Mayo Clinic notes that there still is no scientific consensus on the minimum and maximum thresholds of vitamin D in the body, even though a 30 ng/mL level or higher was considered safe. The study behind the Science Daily article, however, rejected that amount as too high.

A study was commissioned by the Canadian and United States governments in 2011 to examine existing data, double-check those thresholds, and perhaps raise the current Daily Required Intake

(DRI) of vitamin D and calcium.

The study found 12 ng/mLs or less to be “risky,” with some people exhibiting deficiency in the 12 to 20 range. Most people, however, are fine at 20 ng/mLs or higher. The study found no added benefit to levels higher than 30 ng/mLs and potential danger at higher than 50 ng/mLs. The study also assumed a minimal exposure to sun, since most of us try to avoid excess UV rays. It

what we know about vitamin d It acts as a hormone in your body.

rimarily, it helps your body absorb the P calcium you probably take with it to avoid bone diseases.

I t has a role in helping muscles move and nerves conduct messages from the brain.

Vitamin D has, the Mayo Clinic notes, “important, emerging roles in immune function and cancer prevention.”

I t is fat soluble, and can build up in your system. Toxicity signs include nausea,vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss.

Vitamin D can interact poorly with some medications.

also adjusted for the customary pairing of vitamin D and calcium in its data. In the end, the study did not find a need to raise DRIs. It does caution, however, that older adults and those who live in institutions may need dietary supplements of some kind, due largely to the lack of sun exposure. Only you and your physician can know what your blood level should read. You just have to ask.

what we don’t know about vitamin d How it behaves alone. Because it is so often paired with calcium, few studies have investigated just vitamin D. Whether or not it helps fight dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. Numerous studies report no cognitive differences in test subjects who used vitamin D or placebos.

They suggest further studies, particularly with vitamin D alone.

Whether it can prevent cancer or not.

According to the National Institute of Health, some studies suggest a link between low vitamin D and colon cancer – but also suggest a link between high vitamin D and pancreatic cancer.

Exactly how much vitamin D you need.

Most Americans get their vitamin D from fortified foods such as milk and cereal, always striving for an optimal level … what is what exactly?

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lifes t yle

{ Greatest Generation }

our nation’s bedrock Two stories honoring post-war public and private duty In our collective memories, we tend to meld the Greatest Generation with times of great fortitude and drama, namely the Great Depression and World War II. Yet these unique men and women lived later and brought about remarkable change. They launched a time of economic prosperity, weathered exceptional change, and ushered in an era of unprecedented invention and technological advancement. Even as peace and prosperity grew, this generation honored its beginnings and remembered, always, that a country is only as strong as it citizens’ contributions. We bring you two stories of ordinary Americans in an extraordinary time.

Richard Loftus maple heights Retirement Community | allen park, mich.

Tell us about your childhood.

I was born and raised in Highland Park, in Detroit, Mich. My dad was an electrician on the Detroit Street Railway. I loved baseball. We played in the street out front. We had one kid who had a baseball and one with a bat, and that was the equipment we had. When we’d choose up sides, we had to pick them first.

And you joined the military from school?

I joined the Army Air Corps at 17 and they sent me to college for nine months. Then I went to basic training in Biloxi, Miss. After that, I went to school for basic engine manufacturing, then went to Nebraska. They put me on flying status as a flight engineer on B-17s and B-25s.

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What happened in basic training?

The war ended. We were trudging single-file on a dusty road and a farmer held up a sign that told us that the war was over.

What happened after you left the service?

I worked at a mill shop and went nights to the University of Detroit to study engineering. I also met my wife, Janette. She was typing in a parish office, and was sitting there with a black sweater and blonde hair. It was all over for me. We were married 57 years and had eight kids. She had a stroke in 1971, and it took her awhile to come out of it.

You remained in the service?

I joined ROTC at the University of Detroit, and I switched to the Michigan National Guard in 1964. I was eventually commissioned as a second lieutenant and then became a lieutenant colonel.

I worked as an engineer at Ford Motor Company for 34 years and with the Air Force for 36 years.

Richard Loftus finished his military career as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Air Corps. He later worked as an engineer at Ford for 34 years.

What happened during that time?

I worked riot patrol in Detroit in ’67 and ’68. Two of my sons went to the Air Force Academy (in Colorado Springs, Colo.).

And after retirement, you traveled?

We went to Europe at least six times. The last time, my wife was dying of cancer, and her doctor told her to go. When we got home, we both collapsed at the same time and were in the hospital for months. While I was in the hospital, my wife passed away. I saw her the day before she died and then went to her funeral. I was still sick and went back to the hospital. That was in 2005.

Then what happened?

My son found this community (Maple Heights), and I came here on a stretcher, with one leg missing.

And you stayed?

They found me a wheelchair and took care of me.

After two years in their care, I moved to the 10th floor. I have a view of a church from one window and a ballpark roof from another. I like it here.

They spoil me.

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Fern Rogers redwood heights assisted living | Salem, ore.

Tell us about your childhood.

I was born in May of 1918 in Twin Falls, Idaho. I was a star basketball player in high school, and then assistant coach of the Junior Varsity team after I graduated. I contracted with The Redheads, a women’s professional team. We practiced against the Harlem Globetrotters on several occasions.

But you didn’t stay with The Redheads?

I was with them for three months when they told me to dye my hair red. I went back to school instead!

And you got married?

Yes, in 1937 to Rex.

But your life took an interesting turn …

And you assisted with jury selection?

The judge would say, ‘Madam Deputy, walk the highways and byways and find me some jurors.’ I’d walk through town and randomly select citizens for jury duty, and then issue them a court summons to appear. After awhile, citizens avoided me. They never knew if I was out looking for jurors!

We moved to Dallas, Ore., in 1946, and in 1958, I accepted And there were times a job as secretary in the Polk of drama?

County tax department. But Fern Rogers played on The I held the police line on Main my first day on the job, they Redheads women’s professional Street when we had a sniper sent me to the sheriff, and I basketball team, and later served in the bell tower of a church. was sworn in as a deputy. They as Dallas, Oregon’s first female police officer.

And there was the Columgave me a badge and a gun and bus Day storm in 1962. The I became Dallas’ first female tower at Campbell Hall collapsed and the county police officer. I stayed 20 years and retired in June, courthouse windows blew out and sailed through 1978. the air like Frisbees.

Sounds like interesting work.

There was a lot of paperwork, especially for abandoned vehicles. The best part was the travel when I would extradite prisoners.

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Did you raise a family?

Rex and I have four children, nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Cupid’s Second Act

With spring in the air, we turn our attention to late-in-life love and companionship in a retirement community.

Who can argue the beauty of love in the springtime – the season of new life, lengthening days, and budding plants and romance?

And who doesn’t – just a little – thrill to British Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s classic line from “Locksley Hall”: “In the Spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.”

But then, spring can affect older men’s and women’s fancies, too. Retirement living brings its own complexities to romance and relationships, but some things don’t change.

On the upside, for example, you have the time and proximity to observe that interesting someone, and learn the true person. On the downside, the same applies to you.

Romance provides companionship and helps ward off loneliness, says Carolyn Lincoln, Director of Fun at Parkrose Estates Retirement Community, Liverpool, N.Y. “Some people feel more comfortable always

having a partner,” she says. Conversely, romance can come with baggage or cause family issues. It can increase gossip and incite jealousy. And some folks prefer to keep their independence, she adds.

But Spectrum communities are game in this dating game, and our staff encourages residents’ friendly pairing.

“When you get older, romance isn’t like it was when you were a kid,” says Lisa Jensen, Director of Fun at Lincoln Meadows Senior Living in Parker, Colo. “They walk dogs together, sit at the same table together. You can talk about the War and the Depression with people your own age. It’s about face time and companionship.”

Prom Night At Three Oaks Assisted Living & Memory Care in Cary, Ill., plans are underway for the first annual Senior Prom – with seniors from a local high school serving as chaperones. spect rum / spr ing 2 0 1 3

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“It will be a night to take pride in looking our best, to take joy in being with friends and to add a little romance to our lives,” says Penny Friedberg, Director of Fun. “Romance is that wonderful sense of excitement and mystery that comes from being in love. As a community, we want to help our residents kindle a passionate love affair with life.”

Harry Gibson and Dolores Bradshaw enjoy a meal together at Three Oaks strives for a sense Lincoln Meadows Senior Living in Parker, Colo. of community and well-being stemming from social connec“If they want to gossip, that’s fine, as long as tions. Indeed, study after study they stick to the truth,” Sherwood says. has determined that those who mix with others live longer, healthier lives. It’s isolation that hurts.

Breaking the Ice As for the prom, no pressure to the dateless: Dolores Bradshaw and Harry Gibson met six “We’ll create joyous memories of a special time with months ago in the dining room at Lincoln Meadcompanions of all ages and most importantly, make ows, when Harry was a newcomer looking for a a commitment to enjoying life,” Friedberg says. table. Bradshaw thought he was “good looking.”

They talked into the evening with three other In Sweet Harmony diners, and Bradshaw called him the next day.

At Ocean Crest Assisted Living in Coos Bay, Today, the two enjoy long walks with Gibson’s dog, Ore., Joyce Sherwood, 90, and Jack Henry, 91, met Corki, leisurely dinners, and watching game shows over dinner in the dining room. or cheering on their favorite NFL teams. Both of “He has a lot of qualities that I think a gentletheir families live in the area, and the couple often man should have,” says Sherwood. “He doesn’t attend family dinners together. smoke, drink, or use bad language.”

Henry, for his part, notes the couple’s common interests. “There are things that we enjoy doing together,” he says. “We both like to dance. We watch basketball on occasion, and we like to bandy the English language around a bit.”

But, “she’s a real lady,” he’s quick to add.

The couple married four years ago and also play together in the Ocean Crest Jug Band.

Friends teased them affectionately about dating, and a few residents gossiped.

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“ When you get older, romance isn’t like it was when you were a kid.

It’s about face time and companionship.”

–L isa Jensen, Director of Fun at Lincoln Meadows Senior Living, Parker, Colo.

Dating Tips for Seniors Here are a few pointers from those who have been there.

“Dating in an assisted living community is beneficial for a number of reasons,” according to AssistedLivingFacilities.org, an informational and advocacy site.

Benefits include good spirits and adding a sense of normalcy to life, and that warmth can also inspire others. But those relationships need time and privacy to develop.

But what do residents say about relationships? Few couples are comfortable openly discussing dating. Privacy is an issue, perhaps for its rarity. And some simply may not think they’re dating.

“Overall, the desire to re-partner is rare, even among widowed men,” says a 2004 article from the Journal of Marriage and Family. “Eighteen months after their loss, only a minority of bereaved elders desire romantic relationships.” Approximately 2 percent of older widows and 20 percent of older widowers ever remarry, the article adds.

Does that mean older women are less inclined to marriage? Yes and no. Women greatly outnumber men because of males’ “mortality disadvantage,” the study says.

At age 65 and older, the female/male ratio is about 1.5 to 1. At age 85 and older, it rises to 4 to 1. Money is also an issue: women can jeopardize their own pensions by remarrying.

In the end, warm and friendly companionship might be a simple question away.

When a male resident wondered aloud if a lady was interested in him, Ocean Crest’s Henry gave a practical response: “I guess about the only thing he can do is ask her.”

Ask yourself why you seek a relationship.

“Dating isn’t the only form of companionship,” says The National Widowers’ Organization, a men’s support organization.

“Seek a social life first, before a sex life. Be ready for the give and take of a relationship.”

It’s OK to not want to date. If you’ve lost a much-loved spouse, go slow. “In some cases, they just aren’t ready,” says Jack Henry, 91, who met his wife at Spectrum Retirement’s Ocean Crest Assisted Living in Coos Bay, Ore. Enter relationships for fun, not for a soul mate, says U.S. News and World Report in “7 Tips for Dating After Age 50.”

Be open to new people and experiences.

“If someone comes on your horizon, talk to that person about different subjects, and start a conversation to find common interests,” advises Joyce Sherwood, 90,

who married Henry at Ocean Crest.

Socialize in groups.

Those who find companionship often meet over Spectrum’s dinner tables.

Pursue interesting activities to meet likeminded others. Shared activities lend themselves to topics, even passions, to discuss.

Have a list of three conversation starters, U.S. News advises.

Sherwood says sports or questions on past pets are icebreakers.

Stay updated on current events. It furthers discussions and gives insight into another’s ideas, politics, and beliefs.

Share history: past wars, inventions, music, events.

Mention your kids, but don’t dwell, suggests U.S. News.

Be open with family, and compassionate toward your kids’ responses. It’s your business, but they may need time. spect rum / spr ing 2 0 1 3

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Words of WISDOM

Spectrum centenarians share insight from the road to 100.

W h a t i s W i s d o m ? P h i l o s o p h e r s , academics, psychologists, spiritualists, religious

leaders and others have puzzled for millennia with its definition. Can only certain people be wise? Is it true that, “With age, comes wisdom?” Our centenarians have lived life’s complexities, ambiguities, 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 six Spectrum centenarian residents.

What was the greatest adventure in your life?

Traveling after retirement to Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and camping all around the U.S. My daughter and I were kicked out of Hitler’s kitchen on a tour of his Eagle’s Nest mountaintop chalet in Germany.

Can you share a favorite childhood memory?

Virginia Bloch Ocean Ridge Assisted Living Coos Bay, Ore. Birthday: 12/1/1912

What are the most important things in life?

Good food, fun, friends and lots of sleep.

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I grew up in Ashland, Ore., and I remember soaking in the Hot Springs in our underwear.

What did you do for a living?

I worked in the county doglicensing department, as a librarian assistant, and in a bakery.

What role does exercise and diet play in your life?

I eat a good diet and love good food. My exercise is making my bed and staying on my feet.

I walk with a walker and get around pretty well.

What do you enjoy doing?

I enjoy getting my hair done once a week. I take care of my cat, Peaches, and I feed the feral cat, Sylvia, that lives in our woods.

What keeps you going so strong today?

I enjoy practicing and performing with the Jug Band. I sing, play harmonica, and recite poetry in the band. I love our lunch trips and going out with my son and daughter.

If you could do one thing in life again, what would it be?

I would learn to play the piano.

Did you marry?

Yes, to Clayton Bloch – but I called him Pa – in 1930 in Walnut Grove, Calif.

lifes t yle

What are the most important things in life?

Loving yourself and others.

What did you do for a living?

I raised my kids and then owned Edna’s Beauty Salon. Most of my clients were working class, so I was happy I didn’t have to do a lot of the beehive hair styles.

What role does exercise and diet play in your life?

Edna Swenson Clearwater Springs Assisted Living Vancouver, Wash.

Birthday: 1/11/1913

I eat very healthy and have always walked a lot. I played on a baseball team in high school.

Can you share some favorite childhood memories?

What did you do for a living?

Hard work.

I raised my children and worked at Travelers Insurance.

My three children.

What was the greatest adventure in your life?

Yes, to Carl Swenson, the town barber. We were married for 78 years. He passed away two years ago at the age of 103.

Any advice for younger people?

Never give up on your dreams.

Also, never feel like you know it all because there is always something to learn.

What role does exercise and diet play in your life?

Running every day has made my bones strong.

Running 6.2 miles every day for eight years. I began at age 69.

What keeps you going so strong today?

Can you share some favorite memories from your childhood?

Any regrets?

One of my favorite birthdays was when I was 12 and I received a bicycle as a gift.

Did you marry?

I was raised in Mylo, N.D. with only 80 people in the town. I

What are the most important things in life?

What is your biggest accomplishment?

graduated with honors. I participated in lots of plays and won a playwright contest. I also worked as a nanny to help my family during the Depression.

Hard work.

I have many regrets, but the one that comes most to mind is I wish I had more knowledge.

Betty Robinson Park Meadows Senior Living Overland Park, Kan. Birthday: 10/9/1912

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What did you do for a living?

I kept busy as a housewife and mother. I have twin boys and a daughter.

What did your parents do?

My mother was a housewife. My father worked on airplanes at the Ford Airport.

What role does exercise and diet play in your life?

Hazel Dickey Maple Heights Retirement Community Allen Park, Mich.

Birthday: 4/14/1913

What are the most important things in life?

It is most important to enjoy life. Live it to the fullest.

What was the greatest adventure in your life?

I went on three wonderful cruises – two Dutch ones and one Swedish cruise.

We had so much fun.

Can you share some favorite memories from your childhood?

My biggest childhood memory was moving to America from Scotland in 1926.

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I still exercise every day. I eat healthy, too.

What keeps you going so strong today?

Birdie Foegeding Westview at Ellisville Assisted Living & Memory Care Ellisville, Mo. Birthday: 2/13/1913

Getting up early and starting my day off with some tea.

What are the most important things in life?

Did you marry?

My family – two daughters, six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, with another on the way.

Yes, to Joseph Dickey in Detroit, Mich.

If you could do one thing in life again, what would it be?

I would marry the same man and have the same family again.

Any regrets?

I have many regrets, but I don’t go back and dwell on them.

If you could do anything today, what would it be?

I want to walk by myself again.

What matters most?

My relationship with my husband. We were married more than 50 years. He was my best friend.

What was the greatest adventure in your life?

I eloped at age 27 and my mother and stepfather disowned me. My mother thought I’d made a mistake and that the marriage would not last. Eventually, she got along well with my husband, but it was an adventure!

“Family and relationships are the most important things in life.”

Can you share some favorite childhood memories?

My father died from tuberculosis when I was 10. He loved cars. One thing I remember is taking drives with the windows down on hot days.

What did you do for a living?

I was an assistant teacher’s aide for 25 years at Keysor Elementary School.

What role does attitude play in your health and longevity?

Maynard Grant Pine Ridge of Hayes Senior Living Sterling Heights, Mich.

Birthday: 2/18/1913

I’ve always been pretty easy to get along with. I love children, and that is why I worked in the schools for so long.

What are the most important things in life?

What about exercise and diet in your life?

What else matters?

I never was in to exercise, but I always tried to watch my weight.

What keeps you going today?

I don’t know. I just enjoy living. I never really have had any bad experiences in my life.

Did you marry?

Yes, to Clement “Clem” Foegeding in October 1940.

Family and relationships.

Honesty.

What was the greatest adventure in your life?

The birth of my first son.

Can you share some favorite memories from your childhood?

Driving an ox when I was young. I would help pull out pine stumps on the farm.

What did your parents do?

They were farmers.

What about exercise and diet in your life?

I never smoked or drank hard liquor. Working was my form of exercise.

What keeps you going so strong today?

I want to outlive a relative who died on her 100th birthday.

If you could do one thing in life again, what would it be?

Raise my family.

Did you marry?

Yes, to Mary Ann Fehrenbach in October 1933 in Detroit, Mich.

Any regrets?

What did you do for a living?

If you could do anything today, what would it be?

Not really.

I was a mechanic.

Travel. spect rum / spr ing 2 0 1 3

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advisor

Marital Blitz

Popping the question late in life can lead to some thorny financial decisions. Here are a few considerations to help untangle the process.

Wow, what happened? You met, fell in love, and now with your engagement, you’re feeling a little shell-shocked.

The kids are steaming and your estate planner is wary. Friends are cautious and suggest what, back in the day, might have been unthinkable: That you simply live together.

Engaged older adults often consider themselves past the encumbrances of younger folks – meaning money and children. They’ve worked 20

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and saved, and accumulated assets and heirlooms. Now they can honor their commitment by joining those, right?

“As it turns out, two main problems are, still, money and children,” Psychology Today reported in its November 2011 issue.

Adult children – conflicted by loyalty to deceased parents, by feelings of abandonment by the living parent, and fears of losing an inheritance – may view your love in a suspicious

light. Friends may feel concern for your welfare or fear losing your closeness.

Your estate planner sees red flags that include a complex mix of tax, retirement, and legal ramifications.

“The legal implications can get so thorny that many older couples opt not to get married and instead just live together,” says Dow Jones’ SmartMoney blog.

Consider long-term care, for example. Laws vary by states, but in many, if one of you needs expensive care – an estimated $185 per day for an assisted living community – “the assets and income of the other may be used to pay them,” writes Craig Reaves in The New York Times’ The New Old Age Blog. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 took a stab at a national long-term care insurance plan, but it was repealed via the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Consider also distribution of your assets. Your original estate plan leaves everything to you after your first spouse dies, and then to your kids. With remarriage, and without new estate planning, one-third could go to your new spouse. When he or she dies, it can go to his or her children.

A solution: A prenuptial agreement.

A prenup is “a contract between two people about to wed that spells out how assets will be distributed in the event of divorce or death,” Bankrate.com reports, adding that, “Nothing can kill romance faster.” The peace of mind it can provide, however, is priceless.

Other considerations before tying the knot

Prenups are a part of an estate plan package, and don’t “necessarily take precedence over a will or trust,” SmartMoney notes. They also don’t supersede laws regarding your 401(k) accounts – which go automatically to your spouse when you die.

Set up an estate plan and keep your assets separate. A trust can ensure an income while you live and the distribution you want after.

According to AARP, about one-third of assisted living residents pay for their own care, and usually exhaust their funds within six months. About 5 percent buy long-term care insurance. For its part, Medicare only pays for short-term care. So if Medicaid is part of your long-term care planning, as it is for two-thirds of residents, know that Medicaid counts assets of both spouses, regardless of a prenup.

And finally, consider the impact on Social Security and other retirement plans. Widows and those who divorced after more than 10 years of marriage may collect Social Security based on the spouse’s earnings. That benefit stops if you remarry before age 60.

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advisor

Calculating Capacity Defining this elusive legal issue can be tricky. Bottom line: It depends.

T h e t e r m “ L e g a l C a p aci t y ” simply means that a person has the cognitive ability to make an informed decision regarding his or her legal or medical concerns. The law assumes that you have it – as do you – unless you clearly show otherwise. But there’s a more nuanced consideration: Exactly what does diminished capacity look like and how does it impact decision making on a case-by-case basis?

Not surprisingly, definitions are ambiguous.

Effectiveness is hard to measure, much less quantify. Older age can make us forget, feel confused, and sometimes have trouble with language. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we are incapacitated.

“Strangely, there is no standardized procedure or even a universally accepted legal definition,” writes John Gosselin in Aging Well magazine (Jan. 2009).

Capacity is also situational, he adds. Wills require a relatively low level of capacity, for example, while we need a higher level to give 22

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informed consent for medical treatment. Capacity needed for loan documents falls somewhere in the middle.

The Merck Manual of Home Health Handbook points out that only a court can decide legal incapacity. “Today, state laws … define the term as taskspecific – that is, every task requires different capabilities to accomplish,” it says.

In the end, the answer may be that you’ll know it when you see it, and perhaps you’ll recognize it only gradually. Some notable recommendations for caregivers and family members: Ask the person involved some basic questions and gauge capacity from their answers.

Also speak with family members about their observations. Beware of confusing incapacity with eccentricity.

Have an up-to-date estate plan and power of attorney in place, detailing his or her wishes and naming trusted loved ones who can look out for his or her best interest in the event they cannot.

A person with mild dementia may be fine with making decision, although more advanced dementia may require a medical evaluation.

The Alzheimer’s Association writes that: “In most cases, if a person with dementia is able to understand the meaning and importance of a given legal document, he or she likely has the legal capacity to execute it.” When in doubt, seek medical guidance before signing anything.

inside spec trum

Compassionate

Care

Spectrum’s Year of Care conference celebrates excellence across the network.

P r o vidi n g e x c e p t i o n a l , personalized care to our residents has always been a top priority at Spectrum. But our commitment doesn’t stop there.

The strength of our network is derived from the many merits of our communities – from the individual residents, families, and staff members who impact each other’s lives on a daily basis. And when we recognize excellence and share best practices across the network, we raise the bar for everyone involved and set an even higher standard of service.

Spectrum’s executive and sales teams came together to do just that earlier this year in Denver during its annual conference. The theme, “Year of Care,” reflects not only a commitment to providing even more personalized services in the future, but also recognizes the individual efforts of those who help further Spectrum’s mission by what they do each and every day.

“It’s an opportunity to celebrate what we do best and plan how to further our focus on personcentered care,” says Carole Hull, Vice President of Resident Care. “When we understand what’s important to our residents on an individual basis, it helps us make their day that much better.”

The conference focused on four foundational principles: Cultivating relationships, personalizing care, pursuing quality, and achieving excellence in service.

“Those are the tenants that differentiate us within the service industry,” says Hull. “Our core

business is providing care. Not just care of residents, but for everyone we come in contact with.”

Recognizing that every person’s situation is unique and taking time to understand family dynamics, for example, can help alleviate much of the uncertainty and stress that can arise when a loved one transitions to a Spectrum community.

To that end, Spectrum encourages family involvement through family counsels, educational meetings and by staff “just spending a lot of time with the families, which has a tremendous impact,” says Hull.

“We don’t treat our families as visitors,” she says. “We treat them as part of the caregiving team, because they are.”

Person-centered care also entails providing more choices for our residents. Instead of strict meal times, for example, residents can rise in the morning according to their accustomed schedule and find a meal based on their own choices and dietary needs.

And of course Spectrum’s staff members provide that all-important X factor that’s central to what we do, a factor Hull identifies as compassion.

“You can teach daily tasks, but if our team members don’t have a caring heart then it’s not a good fit,” she says. “Our staff is invaluable to what we do, and we want to continue to stoke the fire and passion that brought them to us in the first place.”

Nurturing those individual sparks keeps the fire burning brightly across the network.

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inside spec trum

The 2 012

Gatekeeper Awards Spectrum honors its outstanding team members.

Legend tells of how the venerable, impenetrable Great Wall of China was breached in the simplest of ways: a solitary gatekeeper accepted a bribe. One link rendered moot the mighty fortification.

At Spectrum Retirement Communities, we thrive on our strong links. Every Team Member’s efforts matter to our mission, and each exemplifies our core values. We show this through our commitment to our residents and communities.

We honor our exceptional Gatekeepers, those who go beyond routine duties to meet residents’ physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs.

This genuine commitment can be a single, extraordinary incident or a series of outstanding actions. Each of our winners – nominated by families, residents, peers, vendors, or visitors – receive a plaque, cash prize and recognition on the Committed to the Core wall at his or her community.

With our warmest congratulations, we announce the recipients of our annual Gatekeeper Award.

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John Aman, Concierge, Pine Ridge of Plumbrook Retirement Community, Sterling Heights, Mich.

Darlene Arechederra, Concierge, Westview at Ellisville Assisted Living & Memory Care, Ellisville, Mo. Joyce Atwater, Housekeeper, Maple Heights Retirement Community, Allen Park, Mich.

Christine Beschta, Concierge, Palos Verdes Senior Living, Peoria, Ariz.

Helen Capps, Dining Server, The Homestead at Hickory View Retirement Community, Washington, Mo. Colleen Dingow, Caregiver, Gardens at Westlake Assisted Living, Westlake, Ohio Tina Eckes, Concierge, Ocean Ridge Assisted Living, Coos Bay, Ore. Mike Giglio, Community Relations Coordinator, Lincoln Meadows Senior Living, Parker, Colo., Rita Holmes-Buckley, Concierge, Shawnee Hills Senior Living, Shawnee, Kan. Kelly Johnson, Housekeeping Supervisor, Rigden Farm Senior Living, Fort Collins, Colo.

Nancy Kramer, Concierge, Crestview Senior Living, Crestview, Mo. Adrian Moore, Resident Assistant, Ocean Crest Assisted Living, Coos Bay, Ore.

Beth Njoroge, Medical Assistant, Park Meadows Senior Living, Overland Park, Kan. Katherine Rannochio, Resident Assistant, Mountain Park Senior Living, Phoenix, Ariz.

Tori Richter, Fun Coordinator, Southview Assisted Living & Memory Care, Affton, Mo. Darlene Schwartz, Concierge, Pine Ridge Villas of Shelby Senior Living, Shelby Township, Mich.

Jennifer Scott, Resident Aide, Pheasant Pointe Assisted Living & Memory Care, Molalla, Ore. Michelle Smith, Medication Assistant, Clearwater Springs Assisted Living, Vancouver, Wash.

Sandra Sobocinski, Dining Server, Lakeview Senior Living, Lakewood, Colo.

Angela Stephens, Housekeeper, Pine Ridge of Garfield Senior Living, Clinton Township, Mich.

Pasqual (Paco) Theodore, Cook, Cedar Village Assisted Living, Salem, Ore. Melanie VanDeSteene, Housekeeper, Pine Ridge of Hayes Senior Living, Sterling Heights, Mich.

Alicia Vazquez, Housekeeper, Parkrose Estates Retirement Community, Liverpool, N.Y. Rhonda Wooten, Medication Assistant, Redwood Heights Assisted Living, Salem, Ore. Michelle Yerkes, Caregiver – Memory Care, Three Oaks Assisted Living & Memory Care, Cary, Ill.

Community of the Year Recognizing one of our own for distinguished service.

Hospice Partners of America is honored to provide quality hospice care for Spectrum residents.

For more information about Hospice Partners’ locations, call 1-855-839-0600.

Doing whatever it takes when it matters most.

Christina Melaragno Executive Director

Gardens at Westlake Assisted Living Westlake, Ohio

For the third year in a row, Spectrum Retirement Communities designated Gardens at Westlake Assisted Living in Westlake, Ohio as its Community of the Year. Headed by Executive Director Christina Melaragno, the community consistently ranked highest in the qualifying criteria:

IS YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION...

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE?

• Maintained an average occupancy of

95 percent or higher

• Received the highest percentage of resi-

dent satisfaction surveys

• Received the highest percentage of team

member satisfaction surveys

• Reported the lowest number of team

member injuries

• Held the lowest turnover rate

With sincere appreciation, Spectrum honors Melaragno and Westlake for their superior performance!

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inside spec trum

Looking Ahead Spectrum will debut a new community in the charming northwest town of Eugene, Ore. Li k e m a n y n ic h e s a n d n o o k s i n picturesque parts of the country, Eugene, Ore., offers its own unique blend of lifestyle and community.

In this charming town, brand new family homes coexist beside fields of pick-your-own fruits. Two intersecting freeways – State Highway 569 and Interstate 5 – imply a bustling commerce center, even as city and state parks fill much of the landscape. Here in Lane County, near the triangle that is County Farm Road and Coburg Road, one is almost equidistant from Harry’s Berries farm market to the north and the University of Oregon’s 94-year-old Hayward Field to the south, host of the 2012 Olympic Track & Field Team Trials and home to the Oregon Ducks.

Into this unique mix comes the neighborhood’s newest resident. Spectrum Retirement will debut our 5.74-acre Crescent Park Senior Living in July 2014. The retirement community will offer 119 apartments, a wellness center, a sky lounge, a 26

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theater, and a dining room with anytime dining and chef-prepared meals. Spectrum has dedicated onethird of the grounds to walkways, common areas, and functional landscaping.

The location also offers a host of desirable amenities. Take an early-morning stroll and you may catch a whiff of the Big Town Hero sandwich crew starting the day’s baking of homemade bread.

Across the parking lot, a Costco heralds its pharmacy and hearing center. To the east, a short highway ride away, the Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend oversees a neurology institute, an acute care center for seniors, a gerontology institute, and the Oregon Rehabilitation Center. And to the west lie the parks and views of the Cascade Range.

Call 888-516-2188 for information on Crescent Park Senior Living or visit us at www.spectrumretirement.com. We look forward to meeting you.

JOIN US FOR

Who sa y exercis s e can’t be

r e t Y h o g g u a a !

L

FUN?

Join one of the many Laughter Yoga programs scheduled in our communities

Anyone can participate in these classes: it is not your traditional yoga.

It’s called Laughter Yoga because we combine laughter exercises with yoga breathing.

Not only will you laugh with us, but you will receive health benefits and gain a sense of well-being.

888.516.2188 SpectrumRetirement.com

3

B

brain boosting

Who knew you could pack so many brain-boosting benefits into such a tasty treat?

B E N E F I T S

Introducing the

B3 PROGRAM

MEMORY CARE

at select Spectrum Retirement Communities.

TESTED AND INDEPENDENT LIVING REQUESTED.

We provide our residents with the best possible source of vitamins and nutrients through our Brain Boosting Benefits (B3) smoothie program.

SpectrumRetirement.com spect rum / spr ing 2 0 1 3

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Northeast Communities Gardens at Westlake - Westlake, OH Maple Heights - Allen Park, MI Parkrose Estates - Liverpool, NY Pine Ridge Garfield - Clinton Township, MI Pine Ridge Hayes - Sterling Heights, MI Pine Ridge Plumbrook - Sterling Heights, MI Pine Ridge Villas of Shelby - Shelby Township, MI

Midwest Communities Cedar Lake - Lake Zurich, IL - Now Leasing!

Crestview - Crestwood, MO Homestead at Hickory View - Washington, MO Park Meadows - Overland Park, KS Shawnee Hills - Shawnee, KS Southview - Affton, MO Three Oaks - Cary, IL Westview at Ellisville - Ellisville, MO Actual Spectrum Residents

Northwest Communities Cedar Village - Salem, OR Clearwater Springs - Vancouver, WA Ocean Crest - Coos Bay, OR Ocean Ridge - Coos Bay, OR Pheasant Pointe - Molalla, OR Redwood Heights - Salem, OR

This feels like home.

SM

Independent Living Assisted Living Transitional Memory Care Memory Care Please call or visit today!

888-516-2188

SPECTRUM RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

SpectrumRetirement.com

West Communities HighPointe - Denver, CO - Now Leasing!

Lakeview - Lakewood, CO Lincoln Meadows - Parker, CO Mountain Park - Phoenix, AZ Palmilla - Albuquerque, NM - Now Leasing!

Palos Verdes - Peoria, AZ Rigden Farm - Ft. Collins, CO