Commun ty Matters Lawrence Presbyterian Manor
January 2017
4 ways to beat the winter blues When the sun wakes up late and slips away before the workday ends, when many a day is dark and gray, when it’s Groundhog Day and even an early spring seems far away, many large, hairy mammals — Punxsutawney Phil, included — choose to hibernate. But not us! We slog through, knowing that the passage of time will bring brighter days ahead. But we can do more than wait it out. Here are four easy ways to beat the winter blues and create a little sunshine of your own: 1. Bring light to others’ lives “I’m 87 years old and I can still finish The NewYork Times Sunday crossword puzzle,” a friend wrote in a holiday note to me. She added, “And I love hearing from you!” My aunt, who is 86 and lives in rural Illinois, also likes hearing from me. The joy is evident in her voice when WINTER, continued on page 3
Artists don’t retire – they get better Meet Lawrence artist Jewell Willhite Lawrence artist Jewell Willhite didn’t have the opportunity to take art classes growing up. They weren’t offered in her high school or at Iowa State College. Instead, she got her degree in “applied art,” a course of study in the home economics department. Jewell learned about design and illustration as it applied to homemaking — think sewing and décor. But she also found a way to try painting for the first time. Many years later, once her children were grown, Jewell became a prolific painter, creating a couple dozen pictures a year. Her painting “Onions” took the Best in Show ribbon in last year’s Art is Ageless competition at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor. Jewell tried oil painting early on, but once she discovered acrylics, she never ARTISTS, continued on page 2
Art is Ageless® exhibit to open Lawrence Presbyterian Manor is accepting entries for the 2017 Art is Ageless competition until Feb. 12. Artwork may be submitted at the business office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Art will be on display Feb. 14 through 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Meadowlark Dining Room and Alcove.There will be a reception with the artists at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 22. For more information, contact Angela Fonseca, 785-841-4262, ext. 3422, or afonseca@pmma.org. ARTISTS, continued from page 1
looked back. “If you’re painting outdoors, it dries very fast. Oil does not,” Jewell said.
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Lawrence Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Christie Patrick, executive director Angela Fonseca, marketing director To submit or suggest articles, contact afonseca@pmma.org. Telephone: 785-841-4262 Fax: 785-841-0923 Address: 1429 Kasold Dr., Lawrence, KS 66049-3425 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. LawrencePresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters January 2017
Landscapes and flowers are two of her favorite subjects, so Jewell paints outdoors as often as possible. Fortunately, she’s friends with artists who have perfect spots for setting up her canvas — including one whose son raises fields of sunflowers, which attract scores of sightseers. “I like to do landscapes on site if possible. I have a couple of artist friends out in country around Lawrence, and I paint on their land a lot,” she said. She also took along her art supplies to a family
reunion in Colorado last year and captured some of the scenes there. Jewell is an active member of the art guilds in Lawrence and Topeka, and she exhibits her work regularly in their shows, as well as other events in both communities. We’re pleased that she has become a regular Art is Ageless participant as well, and we look forward to seeing what she has to show us this year! “I think that artists don’t really retire,” Jewell said. “They may change what they do a little, or do less, but it’s not something you suddenly stop. People keep going, and they don’t get worse — they get better.”
Volunteerism and you
We will focus on volunteerism in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. Where have you volunteered your time? Why do you volunteer? What are the benefits for you? If you’ve got a story to share, contact Marketing Director Angela Fonseca and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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I call to report any new funny stories about my grandson or even when I call just to say hello. I care about both these women, and about other distant friends as well. Talking with them brightens my day and theirs, too. No matter how behind in life you are, consider making time right now to pick up the phone and bring some sunshine into the lives of your older relatives and friends.
“A light box mimics outdoor light. Researchers believe this type of light causes a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood and eases other symptoms of SAD,” says the Mayo Clinic. A light box may be an effective treatment on its own or, the Mayo Clinic adds, “in combination with an antidepressant medication or psychotherapy.” Think you may suffer from SAD? The Mayo Clinic lists these symptoms: • Irritability
After the call(s), keep that smile on your face. Research shows that when you smile, your mood elevates and you feel less stressed.
• Tiredness or low energy
In an article for Forbes, Roger Dooley writes that if you smile in public, those around you will be lifted as well. “UCLA scientist Marco Iacoboni notes that our brains are wired for sociability,” Dooley reports. “In particular, if one person observes another person smile, mirror neurons in that person’s brain will light up as if he were smiling himself.” (Or herself, I’m certain.)
• Hypersensitivity to rejection
2. Open a box of light In mid-December, my friend Carol Porter posted this on Facebook: “I’m enjoying an early Christmas present to myself — my new light box! I sit next to it for 30 minutes daily, relaxing with coffee, calendar, notepad, tablet, organizing my day and thinking beautiful thoughts as the bright light bathes my retinas.”
• Problems getting along with other people
• Heavy, “leaden” feeling in the arms or legs • Oversleeping • Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates • Weight gain Carol likes her lamp a lot. Sitting by it, she exhorts, “SAD, be gone!” 3. Light up the night Me, I like the dark. (Cue “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which starts out with this evocative line: “In the velvet darkness of the blackest night…” What, you’re not a fan?) Night is when I write, read, listen to music and relax. I also like vanillascented candles, and one recent rainy evening I gathered up five of them, put them on a placemat in the middle of my dining room table and lit them all.
When Carol complained of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — also known as the winter blues — her doctor gave her a brochure about a company that makes several varieties of high-powered therapy lights and lamps. I turned off the lamps and then, with a Like us on Facebook
clear sight line from the living room couch, I sat with a glass of wine, enjoying my impromptu candle party and the subtle scent of vanilla. 4.Treat your ‘defects’ lightly “The truth is that the older I get, the more I like my defects. Old age is the best moment to be and do whatever you enjoy.”That’s Alma speaking. She’s the 81-year-old main character in Isabelle Allende’s book,The Japanese Lover: A Novel, about a woman who carries on a secret affair well into her later years.What’s especially intriguing about Alma’s quote is the encouragement to embrace our flaws and emphasize our eccentricities. Another important self-improvement tip comes from a recent book by Allen Klein, who insists it’s time to stop blaming other people for anything.You Can’t Ruin My Day: 52 Wake-Up Calls to Turn Any Situation Around is Klein’s 25th book on harnessing the power of humor to make a better life. “You are the only person who can ruin your day,” Klein writes. He says our reactions to any thought or action determines how we perceive that thought or action, and we have ultimate control over our reactions. To bolster his case, Klein, 77, quotes rabbis, Japanese proverbs, Desmond Tutu, Chinese philosophers, Pema Chodron (an American Buddhist nun) and even Alexander Pope, the 18th century poet. The gist of Klein’s message? Lighten up. Lawrence Presbyterian Manor
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Community Matters January 2017
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