Moving Into An ASSISTED LIVING CENTER?

January 31, 2009

Moving into an Assisted Living Center can be a very big change in a seniors life. There are many things to consider when choosing a community that will fit your needs and lifestyle. We have put together a FREE report and an ASSISTED LIVING TOURING CHECKLIST to help you understand what to look for and what questions to ask when doing your research. Click here to VIEW The “Assisted Living Center: 11 Things To Know Before You Move” and to receive the Free Assisted Living Touring CheckList, “35 Questions To Ask To Ensure You’re Choosing Right!”

A few tips Prior to Moving In:

* Read all the materials about the assisted living center before you move in.
* Measure the closet space and don’t bring too many of one thing such as coats.
* Try to meet the Executive Director and the staff before moving in.
* Pack wisely. Do not bring everything. Downsizing is the name of the game. Make life easier.
* Read the activity schedule and choose two or three programs to attend early on to meet new neighbors and other residents.

Assisted Living Center: Senior Living Solutions, San Francisco, California

SEAS THE DAY WITH GRATITUDE – Senior Living Insights

November 25, 2008

SEAS THE DAY WITH GRATITUDE    - Senior Living Insights                        

“A day without gratitude is like a day without sunshine.”

 

Today the sky is a lovely cobalt blue, a welcome change from the rains. Fluffy white clouds tease the sun. The horizon is a less vivid color as it dips down into the Coral Sea here on the north eastern coast of Australia. I’m sitting on the deck of a catamaran watching the dark blue waves that barely hint at white caps. We’re cruising along at ten knots and all is well.  Life is good. We utter a silent prayer of gratitude.

 

Gratitude! Such a powerful word. This word is a potent tool for life when we remember to focus on it. Oh, it’s easy to focus on gratitude on a perfect day such as this one when my mind is peaceful; I’m comfortable, healthy and well fed.

 

But what about those days when a persistent wind whips our sails or the seas are so choppy it’s difficult to find our sea legs – or the engines fail to fire up in the face of an approaching cyclone?

 

Even on land everyone has days like those. They seem to multiply as we grow into being more “seasoned adults.” But when we shift our focus from gratitude for all that’s right about our lives and focus on all that is not so right, often the sea of life becomes too rough to handle. It is then that thoughts of gratitude seem to have sunk to the bottom of the sea and the desire to be thankful for what fate has handed us is locked tight in Davey’s locker.

 

The sixty four dollar question then, is, “How can I focus on the positive things in my life when it feels as though I’ve drowned in my own problems?”  Changing our thought pattern is simple but not easy—since the way we think is a habit and habits are not easy to break. But the good news is that since thoughts are a habit, we can start a new habit—a new way of thinking. Use the methods outlined below, and stick with it for the entire month. These new habits will enrich your life and help develop an attitude of gratitude.

 

1. The first thought of negativity that sneaks into your mind must be speared as soon as possible so it doesn’t spread its tentacles like an octopus and render you helpless. A thought, (what you think ) is one of the most powerful, invisible, weapons (tools) in the world. Doubt me? Think about how Hitler’s powerful thoughts/words contaminated the world.  On the positive side, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale influenced thousands, perhaps millions of people including me, with his book, The Power of Positive Thinking. It all started with a thought. Dr. Wayne Dyer, a modern day motivational teacher of wisdom, says that we become what we think about all day long, and the Bible warned us to be careful what we ask for (it is a thought first). A thought alone is as powerful as asking for something with words. Think of it as a seed. As soon as energy is given to any thought it sprouts, and like a pesky weed, will spread its roots and grow.
2. Take charge of your thoughts and words. Remember, thoughts are powerful tools and you are in control of them. Many us allow our thoughts to sail through our minds with no controls. Yet we surely wouldn’t get into a boat that had no captain, engine (sails), no rudder, or wheel, and let the sea joust us about and be at the mercy of the seas Yet that is exactly what many of us do with our lives when we don’t control our thoughts.
3. Have your ammunition at hand. We must have constructive thoughts ready to push out and replace the first negative/destructive thoughts that enter.. Usually negative thoughts stir in the morning as soon as we wake up. Old habits have been lying beside us all night and they get up with us. It’s up to us to usher them out or invite them to stay. There are several kinds of ammunition that will replace those destructive thoughts while we break the old thought-patterns:
   1. Bible verses to read or saying those you have memorized
   2. Being in a state of gratitude first thing in the morning and before sleeping
   3. Prayers of affirmation and gratitude
   4. Reading inspirational magazines and books to keep your mind focused on the positive side of life.
   5. Listening to tapes, CDs of inspirational speakers
   6. Making a nightly list of at least five things for which you are grateful each day.
   7. Taking a quiet time each day to consciously focus on gratitude.
   8. Hanging out with positive people. “You gotta accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative,” to quote from an old song.

 

1. BE GRATEFUL.  No matter what the day brings, work at being grateful about the many things that are still good in your life.  Write “GRATITUDE” on your mirror or paper to constantly remind you until GRATITUDE becomes an automatic habit.

 

                              “Serving your mind a dose of gratitude is like a multivitamin for your body.”

 Senior Living Insights

The Art of Ruby MacDonald and The Secret To Happiness

November 18, 2008

The Artwork of Ruby MacDonald

Ruby MacDonald’s Art
GRATITUDE

HAPPINESS

“The door to a balanced success opens widest on the hinges of hope and encouragement.” – Zig Ziglar

In December, our family was involved in the Manos de Amor shelter in Bucerias, Nayarit.  We helped to collect money to buy much needed clothing plus toys for a few of what, in Mexico, are sometimes referred to as “children of the dump.”  There are many reasons why children are left, such as one or both parents being in prison, abandonment or mother has died, domestic violence and abuse, alcohol-drug abuse, neglect, poverty, divorce/separation, emigration to the USA, and more. You name it and it will probably apply to these children.

There are twelve children in this particular temporary shelter, which is run mostly by volunteer help. In the near future, the construction of the Manos de Amor (Hands of Love) Orphanage will begin, thanks to the efforts of a few American expatriates and Mexican women. These tireless women have and still hold a myriad of benefits to raise the money for this building. They donate much time, effort and hard work, plus keep an enduring attitude of enthusiasm and determination.  The ages of the twelve children range from 3 years up to ten. An invalid wheelchair bound boy, 10, should be in an institution where he can be properly cared for; he is a drug child who cries out for attention.  Three blond siblings, have an American mother and a Mexican father.  A beautiful curly haired girl, three, has dark eyes that shine with happiness even though she is one of those who has been recently dumped. It is indeed sad and tears your heart out. Yet if you saw most of these children on the street, playing like other children, you’d see smiles and happiness on their faces.  And we have to ask, How is this so? Are they born with an attitude of gratitude towards life that keeps them smiling?”

We have visited Mexico many times throughout the years as we do now, and my observation is that, generally, not only the children but also the adults , seem like happy people. Their eyes shine, their smiles are wide, their laughter robust and from the heart, as they toil in the hot sun to earn a meager living. Perhaps they sometimes gripe and complain but I have not gotten that impression while I am here. They seem to live in an attitude of gratitude rather than feel sorry for themselves or resent the cards they have been dealt.

By contrast, we in America, for the most part, have so much more for which we could live in an attitude of gratitude yet many of us grumble and complain about minuscule things daily. Or we focus on the not so great part of our lives instead of elevating the greatest part. Our focus and  attitude tilt out of balance. We lack an attitude of gratitude for all that is right in our lives. And even when all is not so great, if we take time to sort it out, we will still find much that is right. How we think is habit and effects our health and shapes our lives, so again, as in the past, I suggest the following to make the year 2007 bright and joyful in the midst of our unique circumstances.

Keep a gratitude journal; write at least 5 things every day for which you are grateful.
Do an attitude check on yourself every morning, noon and night.
Never go to sleep with negativity on your mind. If you can’t shake it, pray or meditate and give thanks to your Higher Power for something that is right in your life.
Remember to forgive people. Resentments equal negative attitudes and ill health.
Help someone everyday, especially new residents who need to feel welcome.

“A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit; nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree is known by the fruit it bears.”  Or in my words, “we become what we think about all day long.”