Under Pressure

God didn't do it all in one day.  What makes me think I can?  ~Author Unknown

Sound familiar? While we all are aware that stress is the root of sleepless nights and can lead to a myriad of health issues, we pay little heed to the warnings and charge ahead attempting to do it all. Browse the self-help section of the library or your favorite book store and the number of books written to help us all remove stress from our lives is a testament to our desire to live life stress-free. 

Here are just a few suggestions that we can easily apply to our lives allowing us to concentrate on the important things in our life. It's been said that if we did just that - there would be a shortage of fishing poles.

Be prepared. It's more than the Girl Scout's motto. Keep some cash on hand, avoid letting the gas level in your car fall into the empty zone, keep pain relievers such as Tyelnol or Advil on hand was well as over the counter antacid and treatment for mild diarrhea. Taking care of the 'small details' on a daily basis will help ease your mind and reduce stress.

Reverse your dinner/breakfast caloric intake. You know that eating breakfast is good for you - the word for the first meal of the day instructs us to "break the fast." Our constant motion, get it all done right now society has made breakfast something that we can "eat on the go." Debbie Mandel, a stress-management expert and author of "Addicted to Stress" advocates making breakfast the biggest meal of the day and dinner your smallest. A breakfast of lean proteins to fuel your brain to think straight and complex carbohydrates, like oatmeal or multi-grain bread, will help keep you in a good mood.

Get organized. Studies show we are more likely to forget things if our homes are cluttered. Apparently someone has seen my kitchen counters and dining room table. If you are stressed about forgetting appointments or other events, get into the habit of writing them down in a special notebook, calendar or electronic device such as your Smartphone or computer. Repeating each entry out loud as you write it down will help commit it to memory. Set aside a certain place for your wallet and your keys and put them away in the same place every day.

Take a walk around the block. Yes, exercise at any time of the day is better than no exercise at all but the experts agree that when it comes to eliminating stress and setting the tone for your day, the morning is the best time to get your heart rate up. If you're like me, you'll feel great about crossing "exercise" off your list at the start of the day, but the added benefits of boosting the energizing endorphins will help carry you through the rest of your day.

Clear your mind. Lack of sleep is one of the major causes of stress. If you are anxious about something your brain will trigger the adrenal glands to make you more alert. Meditate or do some simple breathing exercises to help prepare your body for sleep.

Socialize. We all know that getting together with friends and family can help keep depression at bay but did you know that depression and stress can contribute to memory loss? Seek out opportunities to get together with loved ones - especially if you live alone. When someone extends an invitation to share a meal or attend an event - go! 

Cinnamon and Alzheimer's

Plants have a long history as a rich source of new compounds for drug discovery. Cinnamon is widely used by humans, both as a spice and as a traditional medicine. It is, perhaps, one of the oldest herbal medicines, having been mentioned in the Bible and in Chinese texts as long as 4,000 years ago.

Previous studies have already demonstrated the potential for herbal extracts to interact with beta-amyloid, and perhaps slow down or even prevent AD. As we move towards earlier identification of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in minimally symptomatic individuals, such therapies will undoubtedly become areas of intense research. Examples for extensively studied naturally occurring compounds are the (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from green tea and Curcumin, which is derived from the natural turmeric.

Now, a research team headed by Michael Ovadia from Tel Aviv University, has isolated one of the ingredients in cinnamon, CEppt, and used it in a series of tests conducted on two-month-old lab mice that were raised with five aggressive strains of Alzheimer’s-inducing genes. The experiment’s results, recently published in the PLoS ONE scientific journal, were impressive. Laboratory rodents, genetically altered to develop dementia, received either the cinnamon extract or an inert treatment for four months. The extract improved the rats’ performance on learning and memory tasks. It also reduced the amount of plaque formed in the brain. The animals were fed drinking water containing a CEppt solution over four months, and researchers found that the disease’s development was delayed, with additional trials showing that existing amyloids had been dissolved. The results show the ability of CEppt to inhibit the progress of beta-amyloid aggregation. CEppt is actually comprised of several molecules, and it remains to be found which molecule is exerting this effect.

Supplements such as Curcumin, EGCG, DHA and CEppt will likely be evaluated in clinical trials in patients who have minimal symptoms, but are on the path towards developing AD. That is, patients with amyloid building up in the brain, but not yet showing symptoms as assessed by Amyloid scans (for example. From studies such as ADNI, we believe that there is a 15 year window during which amyloid is building up in the brain, while there are minimal symptoms, such as memory loss present. This window may be the best time to initiate anti-amyloid therapy.)

Anat Frydman-Marom, et al, Orally Administrated Cinnamon Extract Reduces ß-Amyloid Oligomerization and Corrects Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease Animal Models; PLoS One Jan. 28, 2011

Michael S. Rafii, M.D., Ph.D.

Director, Memory Disorders Clinic
Associate Medical Core Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study
University of California San Diego

This post originally appeared in Alzheimer’s Insights, an ADCS Blog.

Source: http://blog.alz.org/cinnamon-and-ad

The End of Alzhemier's Starts With Me

We will be wearing purple on September 21 to help raise awareness during World Alzheimer's Month. You CAN make a difference

National Assisted Living Week September 11-17, 2011: Live Life

National Assisted Living Week begins on, Sunday, September 11, 2011.  Many assisted living residents are the people who made significant contributions to our community; teachers, business people, civic leaders, public officials, parents, and now grandparents. 

Assisted living has emerged as a popular senior living option for those elderly people who need some assistance with activities of daily living, but are able to live and function for the most part on their own.  A typical assisted living home offers 24-hour monitoring of its residents, common cares, including meals, housekeeping, laundry services, bathing, dressing, ambulating, and medication assistance while respecting their dignity and enhancing their quality of life.  There is specialized Alzheimer’s care units designed with safety features for those suffering from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

How Can I Tell When My Loved One Needs More Help Than I Can Provide?

The following warning signs may indicate that it’s time for a talk about assisted living: 

• Your loved one needs more help than family and friends are able to provide.
• They feel lonely and isolated in their home.
• Family members are worried for their safety.
• The refrigerator is empty or filled with spoiled food.
• You notice frequent bruises on your loved one.
• Your loved one wears the same clothes over and over again.
• The house and yard isn’t as clean as it used to be.
• Your loved one become increasingly forgetful.
• Your loved one seems depressed.
• You notice strange or inappropriate behavior. 

Choosing an Assisted Living Home

The most important factor when choosing an assisted living home is that it feels friendly, safe, and comfortable for your loved one and family.  Things to consider when choosing an assisted living home; does the staff speak with you and appear genuinely interested in you, do they interact warmly with residents, do residents appear happy, do they appear to be enjoying and interacting with others, does it feel homey to you, is there an activity program, are there home cooked meals that are appealing, nutritious, and appetizing, do they handle health problems, is the facility in compliance with state and local licensing requirements. 

In evaluating assisted living, cost most likely will be a consideration, so take the time to check if you’re loved ones long term insurance, health insurance, or governmental programs will cover any of the costs of assisted living. Don’t assume that expensive means better; make sure you understand how the facility bills or do additional services require additional costs, and understand their rate increases.  Your goal should be to find the right facility where you feel most at home that is best for your loved one and family. 

Lori Schuler is the Marketing and Activity Director for Central Wisconsin Senior Living.

Never Too Old To Have Fun!

‘If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!’

George Burns (who lived to be 100).

Senior people still have many intellectual needs.  Just because they are advancing in years does not mean they can no longer grow, learn new things, and enjoy activities.  Not only do the seniors have a major longing for companionship just as anyone of any age, but they need to be around others to continue to stimulate their minds.  Too often the elderly are left alone and in isolation with only a television for company.  Is it really a surprise many may seem to be listless and forgetful when in actually they are bored?

When senior citizens are involved in stimulating activities they keep their minds exercised and growing.  These new skills become very important to seniors who secretly may fear the onset of Depression, or Dementia/Alzheimer’s.  It is far better staying active than to be spending time worrying needlessly.

A winning activity program in Assisted Living Homes or Senior Apartments is an essential part of choosing the right placement for your love one.  Planned activities can enhance the person’s sense of dignity and self-esteem by giving purpose and meaning to their life.  Our motto where I work is ‘We Are Never to Old to Have Fun!’  It is like the movie Field of Dreams, build a field and they will come.  Ours is have activities and they will come.  Most residents want to participate and an enthusiastic activity director will personally invite and encourage residents to engage in the activities.  There are many activities of interest to enhance the social, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of each person promoting self-worth, self expression, growth and development.

Scheduled activities that reflect the personal needs and desires is an important aspect of any activity program; fitness, entertainment, cognitive/creativity, spirituality, outdoor activities, daily routines; personal cares, homemaking tasks, pet therapy, social, spontaneous, person centered activity, dancing, virtual tours.  There are many activities of interest to enhance senior needs to explore new interests even the internet.

After teaching fitness classes for over 16 years I understand the importance of fitness at all ages of life.  As a senior it is crucial to exercise as it keeps seniors strong.  Muscle mass decreases as people age, exercise helps maintain weight, improve flexibility, and it contributes to balance and bone strength.  Exercise has been proven to help cognitive function and improve mood in adults over 55 years old.

Planning the right activity for seniors with or without dementia is best when you consider the person’s likes and dislikes; strengths and abilities, interests, keeping activities flexible, and be ready to make adjustments. 

Lori Schuler is the Marketing and Activity Director/Central Wisconsin Senior Living 

Preparing for Walk To End Alzheimer's

It's never too late to get involved in a good cause and we can't think of any better cause than the Walk To End Alzheimer's, a cause that holds special meaning for so many people but especially the families of our residents and our staff.


According to alz.org, Alzheimer's disease is the number one form of dementia. Dementia is caused by various disease conditions that result in damaged brain cells or the connections between brain cells. A few of the common characteristics of Alzheimer's disease are difficulty remembering names and recent events; depression is often an early symptoms also include impaired judgment, disorientation, confusion, behavior changes and difficulty swallowing and walking.


An estimated 5.4 million people have Alzheimer's disease and affects and estimated 14.9 unpaid caregivers. Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia touches the lives of families everywhere.


Central Wisconsin Senior Living has been involved with the Alzheimer's organization walk for years. Recently the name of this annual event was changed from the Memory Walk to Walk To End Alzheimer's.


We hope you will consider joining our team on September 17th. You can register by clicking on this link for additional information. Contributions can be made online or by contacting North Haven Assisted Living. We will be offering certificates/awards at the walk as an added incentive.


Don't think you are in shape for a charity walk? It's never too late! You can find some very helpful advice here for helping you tune up those walking muscles and help out a great cause in the process.


We've posted a video on our Facebook page that we hope you'll watch and share.

Open House at Pioneer Place