jfralin, Author at Kirby Pines LifeCare Community

Posted on Posted on March 25, 2020

Curiosity Series: Growing – One Snack At A Time.

Monogram Foods

About Monogram Foods

Founded in 2004 with the purchase of King Cotton and Circle B brand meats from Sara Lee Corporation, Monogram Foods manufactures and markets top-quality food products. Among these are a full range of meat snacks, corn dogs, pre-cooked bacon, smoked sausage, baked goods, appetizers, and other value-added meats. Monogram Foods’ brands include King Cotton, Circle B, Wild Bill’s, O’Brien’s, Trail’s Best, Hannah’s, Bull’s, Snapps and licensed brands, Johnsonville, Butterball and Team Realtree. Monogram Foods is a major co-packer and private label provider for strategic partners throughout the nation. Monogram Foods is headquartered in Memphis, TN and operates facilities in Virginia, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Massachusetts.

Monogram now has over 3,000 associates nationwide. Next year they project to go over 1 BILLION in sales. Wes Jackson and Karl Schledwitz started in Memphis with eight associates and are still headquartered here now with over 125 local employees, including the sons of residents, Pat Cavender and Margaret Bivens, featured on ours covers. They are privately owned with over 130 shareholders most of whom are from Memphis. They locally own and sell “King Cotton“ meats, a full line of hot dogs, sausages, bacon and luncheon meats and “Circle B“ smoked sausages.

Kirby Pines residents visit Monogram Foods as part of our new Curiosity Series — Kirby Pines residents visit Monogram Foods
as part of our new Curiosity Series

Monogram’s Mission Statement

We are a GROWTH COMPANY that REALLY CARES about our TEAM MEMBERS and CUSTOMERS so we can PROFITABLY grow together.

Monogram’s Valued Behaviors

Gratefully provide best service to our customers
If we say it, we do it
Keep quality and safety at the forefront
Embrace the entrepreneurial spirit
Value candor “done right”
Celebrate our successes
Give back to the communities in which we do business
Promote Positive Energy
Embrace Diversity

Monogram Foods Local Office is at:
530 Oak Court Drive, Suite 400 • Memphis, TN 38117

Posted on Posted on March 17, 2020

How Are You Sleeping?

Retired woman waking up and yawning

An average of 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep each night is considered healthy for most adults. Seniors are often unable to sleep this much due to a variety of sleep-related problems. During sleep awareness month, learn what can be done to help seniors establish healthy sleep patterns.

How Aging Affects Sleep

Unfortunately, changes in sleep patterns are a normal part of aging. Many seniors have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. In some cases, the challenge is due to a sleeping disorder or the side effect of a medication. However, sleep disturbance in the aging is often just the result of reduced REM sleep. In other words, seniors tend to be lighter sleepers. They wake up more often due to noise, aches, movement, the need to use the bathroom, etc.

Common Sleep Illnesses Seniors Face

For those seniors whose difficulties with sleep result from medical conditions, it is important to receive medical treatment. Encourage sleep-deprived seniors to see the doctor if they experience:

Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome
Sleep Apnea
Restless Leg Syndrome
Insomnia
Sleep-related side effects of medication
Sleep-related side effects of underlying diseases

Issues like these are often addressed through lifestyle changes or medications. Seniors can consult with their doctor to learn about the best treatment options for their particular problem.

Sleep Awareness Tips for the Aging

These simple tips will help you or the Senior you love make the most out of their sleep routine.

Be Mindful
Stress, worry, and negative thought patterns can disrupt sleep— even if seniors try to “think positively” right before bed. Since sleep deprivation affects mental health and vice versa, it is important to encourage seniors to develop a healthy response to stress at all hours.
Exercise Regularly
Physical activity can help the body sleep. Regular exercise also offers health benefits that positively impact sleep, like lower blood pressure, stress relief, and improved breathing.
Form a Bedtime Routine
Many habits can influence sleep for better or for worse. Lying in bed during the day can disrupt sleep patterns. Watching television or screen time on the phone at night can also delay sleep. Encourage seniors to establish a bedtime routine that includes doing something quiet and relaxing for an hour.
Eat and Drink for Better Sleep
Sometimes seniors drink alcohol before bed because it makes them sleepy. However, alcohol tends to wake people up in the middle of the night and reduce REM sleep cycles. Food does the same. Seniors should avoid eating food or drinking alcohol for 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Retired man waking up and stretching

Posted on Posted on March 10, 2020

Walking is easy to do and offers many benefits:

Seniors on a nature hike

What’s not to like about walking? It’s free. It’s easy to do, and it’s easy on the joints. And there’s no question that walking is good for you. Walking is an aerobic exercise; a University of Tennessee study found that women who walked had less body fat than those who didn’t walk. It also lowers the risk of blood clots, since the calf acts as a venous pump, reducing the load on the heart. Walking is good for you in other ways as well.

Walking improves circulation. It also wards off heart disease, brings up the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart. Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Tennessee found that post-menopausal women who walked just one to two miles a day lowered blood pressure by nearly 11 points in 24 weeks. Women who walked 30 minutes a day reduced their risk of stroke by 20 percent.
Walking shores up your bones. It can stop the loss of bone mass for those with osteoporosis, according to Michael A. Schwartz, MD, of Plancher Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in New York. In fact, a study of postmenopausal women found that 30 minutes of walking each day reduced their risk of hip fractures by 40 percent.
Walking lightens mood. A California State University study showed that the more steps people took during the day, the better their moods were. Why? Walking releases natural painkilling endorphins to the body – one of the emotional benefits of exercise.
Walking can lead to weight loss. A brisk 30-minute walk burns 200 calories. Over time, calories burned can lead to pounds dropped.
Walking strengthens muscles. It tones your leg and abdominal muscles – and even arm muscles if you pump them as you walk. This increases your range of motion, shifting the pressure and weight from your joints and muscles – which are meant to handle weight – helping to lessen arthritis pain.
Walking improves sleep. A study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that women, ages 50 to 75, who took one-hour morning walks, were more likely to relieve insomnia than women who didn’t walk.
Walking supports your joints. The majority of joint cartilage has no direct blood supply. It gets its nutrition from synovial or joint fluid that circulates as we move. Impact that comes from movement or compression, such as walking, “squishes” the cartilage, bringing oxygen and nutrients into the area. If you don’t walk, joints are deprived of life-giving fluid, which can speed deterioration.
Walking improves your breath. When walking, your breathing rate increases, causing oxygen to travel faster through bloodstream, helping to eliminate waste products and improve your energy level and the ability to heal.
Walking slows mental decline. A study of 6,000 women, ages 65 and older, performed by researchers at the University of California, found that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more. The women walking 2.5 miles per day had a 17-percent decline in memory, as opposed to a 25-percent decline in women who walked less than a half-mile per week.
Walking helps you do more, longer. Aerobic walking and resistance exercise programs may reduce the incidence of disability in the activities of daily living of people who are older than 65 and have symptomatic OA, shows a study published in the Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management.

Posted on Posted on February 24, 2020

Curiosity Series: Be Human. Be Humane.

Thousands of animals are neglected or abused in Memphis and Shelby County each year. Hungry, scared and injured, these animals face a bleak future. That’s where we come in. Since 1933, the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County (HSMSC) has been providing shelter, food and medical care for thousands of injured, neglected and abused animals.

HSMSC is a limited-intake facility that never euthanizes an animal for time or space reasons. We accomplish this by managing our intake, utilizing many wonderful fosters, and having a network of volunteers who work tirelessly to help us with training and promoting our adoptable animals.

Heart paw shape With support from animal lovers, we are able to help prevent animal abuse as well as help injured animals in Memphis and Shelby County. We are able to provide animals with refuge to recover, nutritious food and outstanding veterinary care. On average, we provide sanctuary to over 100 animals at our facility at any given time, with dozens more placed with foster families until they are ready to be adopted. And we are dedicated to giving these animals a brighter future and improving human lives through animal companionship.

An important part of our work is giving theses animals the emotional support, training and socialization that will allow them to be adopted into new and loving homes and long-lasting relationships. Did you know that all seniors (65+) received a special 50% discount off of our adoption fees? That is just one way we try to make adoption a reality for anyone that can provide a loving home for one of our residents.

From our founding until today, our funding comes exclusively from private donations from animal lovers. The cost of operating the HSMSC for one day is $4,500! The expenses of a full-service animal rescue operation are considerable, particularly the veterinary care that allows us to focus on animals that have been injured, abused, and neglected.

To see the pets available for adoption, check out volunteer opportunities or learn more about the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County, visit their website at www.memphishumane.org.

Posted on Posted on February 19, 2020

Resident Spotlight: Donna Griffin & Merry LeShane

THE LOVE OF TWO SISTERS

Love is a relationship that we all experience in some form and at some level throughout our lives. There are different types of love: one being the special love or bond between the siblings of a family. Margaret Mead, the anthropologist wrote “sister is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship.”

Someone else has said that “growing up with a sister can be trying at times. They get into your stuff, can be weird and troublesome-but having a sister means you have a friend for life. They will always be there for you, no matter the circumstances”.

Such could describe the sisters, Merry LeShane and Donna Griffin. Although there is a 12-year difference in their ages, that acorn of bonding planted in early life has grown to an oak-sized love for one another as they have matured. This is their story.

Merry and Donna were born in Memphis and into a family experiencing the trying times of the depression years. The parents understood hard work but considered a high school education as sufficient for life. Girls were expected to get married after graduation from high school and create their own families. This is what Merry and Donna did. Merry married and moved to Miami. She had one son. Donna married and stayed in Memphis. She has 2 daughters and 4 grandsons.

However, both Merry and Donna had higher ambitions. Merry graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. and Masters in Education and Counseling and worked 25 years with the Miami Public School System. Donna waited until her daughters were in school and fulfilled her dream of becoming a nurse. She spent most of her career in cardiovascular ICU at St. Francis Hospital. Donna says she loved taking care of patients and shunned any management positions. She was happy when her 2 daughters followed in her footsteps and became nurses as well.

Due to the age difference, Merry and Donna were not close growing up. With Merry living in Miami, their time together was infrequent. However, when Merry visited Memphis, she and Donna would spend an entire day at Goldsmiths Department Store. There were also retreats when Donna visited Merry in the cabin she owned in Blue Ridge, GA. Donna recalls that these visits occurred 2 or 3 times a year and they just enjoyed getting to know each other and having lots of fun.

Merry Holding Donna - 1943 — Merry Holding Donna – 1943

When Merry and Donna’s parents became older and besieged with health problems, it fell upon Donna to be their caregiver. Although frequent phone calls kept Merry in the loop, she felt she was needed to help with her parent’s care. So, in 1997, she retired from teaching snd moved back to Memphis. “Merry was such a blessing as I still had a family and a full-time job. We divided up the needs. I continued with their medical care and Merry with their finances” recalls Donna.

Merry has loved to dance since the age of 5. When she moved back to Memphis, she joined the McWherter’s “Steppin’ Out Dancers”, dancing with the group for 18 years and until her back said “no more”. Merry was accepted as a close family member by Donna’s children. When Merry’s son died unexpectedly in 2014, Donna’s sons-in-law took vacation time to go to Miami to take care of his estate, arriving back in Memphis with a big bird, a McCaw named Paco in tow.

Merry and Donna began their research on retirement communities when their parents began having severe health problems. They found care to be extremely fragmented and expensive. Merry had attended several events at Kirby Pines and learned about Life Care offered to all residents. When Donna’s husband, Jim, began showing signs of dementia, they both decided that Kirby was the right choice for them. Merry moved to Kirby in September, 2017. Donna and her husband, Jim moved in 2 weeks later. Because of Jim’s declining health, he had experiences with Job’s Way, Rehabilitation Unit and eventually Hospice. Donna says, “we were able to visit and stay in the room with him from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and he received excellent care in all 3 areas”.

Both Merry and Donna are very involved in activities at Kirby. Merry volunteers in the Blossom Shop and attends the Book Baggers. “She has cared for everybody’s dog or cat in I Wing”, says Donna. Donna is currently serving on the Advisory Committee, loves line dancing, enjoys the exercising opportunities and the Book Baggers. You can see them in the Bistro having breakfast together or eating at the same table in the dining room at night. They are almost inseparable as they go to the same hairdresser, nail salon, doctor and grocery store.

The love these 2 sisters have for each other and others is apparent. Their positive attitudes and friendly dispositions represent the caring and love available to each of us as members of the Kirby family.

Written by Joan Dodson, Resident, Kirby Pines

Posted on Posted on February 14, 2020

Cardiovascular Wellness

Love Your Heart
How many times in your life have you stopped, looked at the life choices you were making and thought, “I need to do better.” Maybe you thought you should change your diet, exercise more, stop smoking, or be more careful about blood pressure or cholesterol.

Research shows those who can reach cardiovascular wellness goals by age 50 can expect to live another 40 years free from heart disease and stroke. What are those wellness goals? Let’s take a look at Life’s Simple Seven, developed by the American Heart Association.

Managing Blood Pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the single most significant risk factor for heart disease. It’s sometimes called “the silent killer” because it has no symptoms. One in three American adults has high blood pressure, yet about 21% don’t even know they have it. Of those with high blood pressure, 69% are receiving treatment, but only 45% have their blood pressure controlled.
Get Active. The evidence is clear: people who exercise have better health than those who do not. A recent American Heart Association survey shows that fewer than two out of every ten Americans get the recommended 150 minutes or more of moderate physical activity each week.
Control Cholesterol. Everyone has cholesterol. It’s the waxy substance in your bloodstream and cells. Some cholesterol is important for good health, but too much cholesterol in your blood puts you at major risk for heart disease and stroke. When too much LDL (or bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up inside the walls of your arteries that feed your heart and brain. Cholesterol particles combine with other substances in your blood to form plaque. This can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible, putting you at major risk for heart disease and stroke.
Eat Better. Eating for good health means choosing lots of fruits and vegetables, whole-grain carbohydrates, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. You might have to train yourself to avoid foods and drinks with high sodium or added sugar. Another perhaps surprising part of healthy eating is to regularly include fish rich in Omega-3’s. It’s great for your heart and your brain.
Lose Weight. If you’re overweight, don’t waste your energy feeling guilty or bad about it. Instead, do something positive. BMI is the key. BMI is a height-to-weight comparison that helps you identify the healthy weight target for your height. If your BMI is higher than 25, you need to bring that number down. Losing weight means changing the balance of calories into calories out.
Don’t Smoke. Even if you’ve smoked for years, your body can start the repair process as soon as you stop. If you’re ready to start your plan for smoke-free health, it’s a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider. Medication can be helpful for some people during the kick-the-habit phase and research shows combining medical and behavioral therapies can increase success rates.
Reduce Blood Sugar. Your digestion turns all carbohydrates into sugar or glucose which is then carried throughout your bloodstream to give you energy. Complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat breads and grains, and fruits and vegetables take longer to digest, helping to keep your energy supply steady. But simple sugars, like sweets, donuts, and white bread are very quickly converted into glucose, which can cause your body to call for extra surges of a hormone, insulin, to help regulate the energy supply. If your blood sugar is high, as often happens when you maintain a diet with too many simple carbohydrates, there will be a growth of plaque in your arteries. Diabetes is treatable but very dangerous and can often lead to heart disease and stroke. Even if you don’t have diabetes, you need to know your blood sugar level. Be sure to get a blood sugar level test after fasting at least every three years, because controlling glucose is an important part of stopping heart disease before it starts.

Remember, Life’s Simple Seven work together to help you build a better and stronger life, so by investing in improving in one area, like your blood sugar levels, you are likely to improve your weight and nutrition, too. However, without a plan, you’ll be at an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and other illnesses and disabilities. You may see an increased need for surgeries and other medical treatments, and you’ll almost certainly face a diminished quality of life.

Posted on Posted on February 10, 2020

Heart Health!

Retired woman lifting weights

Your heart beats on average 115,200 times per day without you even thinking about it; sending nourishments and oxygen to all areas of your body. February is the American Heart Month reminding us to keep our heart healthy by diet, rest, and exercise. Your heart is a muscle and exercising makes it stronger and healthier. Research shows that people who do not exercise have a greater risk of heart disease than active people. Like all exercise programs, check with your physician before beginning any new regimen. So, “What exercise works best for my heart?”

Aerobic or cardio exercise like walking, swimming, or biking raise your heart rate and making breathing a little harder, but do not go so fast that you cannot catch your breath or be able to carry a conversation. Three to five times a week for 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is recommended by the CDC. Ten or fifteen minute sessions work just as well as 30 to 60 minutes. Our water aerobics and the Sit and Stand Exercise classes will get your heart rate up without wearing you out. Also the Nustep, treadmill and recumbent bike can raise your heart rate and monitor your heart rate, too.

Stretching is also important. Be sure to stretch after warming up for a few minutes and after each exercise session to keep your body more flexible. Stretch gently (no pain) and hold your stretch for at least 30 seconds. We offer Tai chi and Yoga classes to provide full body stretching as well as water aerobics and sit and stand classes that finish with stretching.

Strength training uses weights and resistance like with stretch bands or in water, and even your own body weight (yoga). Do strength exercises 2 or 3 times a week resting a day between sessions. The Oasis has weight resistance equipment for upper and lower body work. Resistance levels can be increased on the Nustep and the bike.

It is never too late to begin an exercise habit. Start gradually 10 – 15 minutes at a time and increase slowly… If you experience pain or pressure in your chest or trouble breathing, stop immediately and get medical assistance. A little soreness in the beginning is normal, but if pain lasts more than 2 hours after exercise it may mean you have overdone it. After a few weeks, you can increase your workouts for longer sessions and add more resistance gradually. Exercise is a key to a healthier heart. Check out the schedule of exercise classes or make an afternoon appointment with Mary Hand (369-1334) if you want to learn more about the equipment in the Oasis. Remember an active life leads to a healthy heart.

Posted on Posted on January 22, 2020

Resident Spotlight: Shirley Anderson

♥ A SERVANT’S HEART ♥

What motivates someone to provide an act of kindness to others? Could it be the good feeling about self that is the reward? Or, perhaps it is something GOD plants in the heart of someone so that others in need can be served? The latter explanation probably best fits Shirley Anderson, who unquestionably spends many hours each day volunteering and helping others.

Perhaps Shirley’s desire to help others came about as the result of her humble beginning. The youngest of six children, her family struggled to survive. As a result of financial circumstances, Shirley was born in the John Gaston Hospital, the city hospital, on January 23,1935. Shirley remembers, “our family lived in a ‘run-down’ shack in Ellendale (suburb of Memphis). Our house burned to the ground when I was five years old and our family moved to Memphis and I have lived here ever since”. Because both parents worked, Shirley spent most of her summers at South Side Park where she became interested in many sports, including tennis which she continues to play occasionally.

Shirley attended A. B. Hill Elementary and won the school’s spelling bee contest while in 7th grade. She attended South Side High School where she was a cheerleader for three years. “I had a great time in high school and was honored to be voted Best Dancer and Most Popular Girl my senior year”.

Graduating from high school in 1953, Shirley could not afford to attend college. So, she found employment at MLG&W. She became involved in a sponsored bowling team that played at Southern Lanes. There, she met a handsome, young man who was working his way through college. The man was James William “Jim” Anderson and they were married in September of 1959. Shirley continued working at MLGW until motherhood came along. The first daughter, Leslie was born in 1961, the second, Tracy in 1962. “We got the shock of our lives in 1965 when I gave birth to twin boys, James Christopher “Jim” and William Timothy “Tim”. The doctor didn’t even know I was expecting twins. Four children in less than five years, I was quite busy for a few years” says Shirley.

The family moved to Germantown in 1971 and Shirley remained a “stay-at-home mom” until 1975 when she became employed as school secretary at Farmington Elementary. She stayed there until the last child graduated from college. By that time the daughters, Leslie and Tracy had married and the grandchildren started arriving. Shirley’s husband, Jim, was then Superintendent of Shelby County Schools, an appointed job which he held from 1985-1997. During this time, Shirley was able to devote time to and enjoy her four grandchildren. “I did a lot of volunteering work at church and Ronald McDonald House”. Jim also liked serving others and for two years they spent every Monday morning, in all kind of weather, serving breakfast to the homeless in a park in mid-town. “I felt so blessed to be able to do this” says Shirley.

Since moving to Kirby Pines in August 2014, Shirley has been constantly busy. Not long after moving to Kirby Pines, Jim began showing signs of declining health and Shirley devoted most of her time to caring for him. Jim’s move to the health care facilities here at Kirby motivated her to see the need for her services in those areas. Since Jim’s death two years ago, Shirley has devoted countless hours to activities for the residents there. In a more public light, Shirley is currently serving on the Advisory Committee, having formerly served as Wing Leader. You can see her in every resident entertainment venue, in the Blossom Shop and transporting residents from the health areas to Vespers every Thursday night. You might see her filing music in the “music closet” or assisting with memorial services. “I’m happy to transport or run errands for anyone who needs help”, says Shirley. Such a statement comes from a true servant!

Shirley is currently a member of Germantown Church of Christ. She was baptized at age 17 and has consistently been involved in all church activities. In Shirley’s own words, “I, like most people, have had hard times in my life, but GOD has gotten me through them. I believe He always will. Since Jim’s death, GOD has led me to many great people and so many opportunities to help others here at Kirby Pines. This is a great place to live. I thank GOD for blessing me with these opportunities and for all the others who serve in so many ways”.

Shirley Anderson is certainly an example of someone with a true servant’s heart. She, like many others at Kirby Pines provide in excess of 30,000 hours of volunteer service each year. We are truly blessed to have so many residents who devote their talents to making life better at Kirby Pines and so fortunate that Shirley and her husband, Jim, decided to make Kirby Pines their forever home.

Written by Joan Dodson, Resident, Kirby Pines

Posted on Posted on January 15, 2020

Quality of Life

7 Dimensions of Wellness

The Intellectual Dimension
The Intellectual dimension focuses on activities that stimulate and challenge your brain, helping keep the mind alert and engaged. Examples could include painting, journaling, solving puzzles and games or even enrolling in a college course!
The Spiritual Dimension
The Spiritual dimension involves finding purpose and meaning in life. This can be achieved through meditation, faith-based activities, yoga/tai chi or just experiencing nature.
The Physical Dimension
The Physical dimension of wellness emphasizes strengthening and caring for the body in order to stay as independent as possible. Implementing this dimension includes proper nutrition, regular exercise, stress management, and regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments.
The Social Dimension
The Social dimension emphasizes the importance of social interactions—spending time with family and friends, or joining clubs or group activities.
The Emptional Dimension
The Emotional dimension focuses on our ability to cope with challenges and deal with feelings in a respectful way. This can be achieved through counseling, stress management or support groups.
The Professional/Vocational Dimension
The Professional/Vocational dimension focuses on utilizing your skills—harnessing your passions and strengths to help others. Examples might be tutoring or mentoring, volunteering, or even caregiving.
The Environmental Dimension
The Environmental dimension demonstrates respect for our natural resources by choosing “green” processes including recycling and reusing goods. Another aspect is a human connection to the environment through outdoor walks, meditation or even planing a garden.

Posted on Posted on January 8, 2020

Let Kirby Pines Help You Keep Your Resolution for Improving Your Health!

Retired man and woman working out

Happy New Year! The Oasis is a great place to begin your New Year’s resolution to feel better. Diet, rest, and exercise are keys to better health. Kirby Pines offers many opportunities to improve strength, endurance, balance and cardiovascular health. Our four exercise classes supported by the Arthritis Foundation include Tai Chi, Arthritis Exercise (Stand and Sit), Water Aerobics and Walk with Ease (an 8-week class that will be offered in the spring). We also offer a Yoga Stretch class. These classes are tailored to your needs and having arthritis is not a requirement to take a class.

If group exercise is not your forte, Kirby Pines has an amazing variety of equipment for a small gym to exercise upper body, lower body and improve cardiovascular functions. The Oasis is open 24 hours / 7days a week. For training to operate the equipment, make an appointment with Mary Hand at 369-7334.