Category Archives: Wellness

Meet The Branscombs – Park Springs Members & Atlanta Active Adults

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Members John & Dot Branscomb

Park Springs Members are as congenial a bunch as you’ll find.  But get them in the gym and they become pretty fierce competitors.  The community’s annual Physical Fitness Challenge is a much-anticipated event for many Members, including Dot and John Branscomb.

This year John placed third out of 106 participants and Dot was on a winning team, aptly named The Wonder Women.

There’s plenty of friendly trash talk around the Park Springs fitness center.  But Park Springs Atlanta active adults are serious about earning points for cardio exercise, resistance training, strengthening the brain, taking wellness classes and doing acts of kindness.

“The day after this year’s winners were announced we attended an exercise class, expecting to see very few Members because the competition was over,” John recalls.  “But there were more than 40 people there!”

For the Branscombs, the commitment to staying well is part of daily life.  When John was warned by his cardiologist that he was pre-diabetic and had to lose weight, he jumped into action.  “The doctor recommended a nutritionist and personal trainer in town, but I told him I had both of those right at Park Springs.”

Working with the onsite trainer and nutritionist, John dropped 20 pounds and is no longer pre-diabetic.

“There’s a new light menu option in the dining room that gives me everything I want,” he explains.  The community is known for exceptional food in all of its dining venues.

Whether they’re rehearsing for the annual Park Springs Broadway musical, serving on committees or spending time with friends, the Branscombs choose a full and active life, enhanced by daily efforts to stay fit and healthy.

To learn more about health & wellness at Park Springs, join us for a lunch & learn Tuesday, May 15 or Thursday, May 17 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Click here to RSVP NOW!

 Get informed. Get in motion. Get involved.

Park Springs – health and wellness like no other.

 

Unleash Your Inner Artist & Enjoy the Health & Wellness Benefits

Shona Alexander
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Park Springs Member in On-site Art Studio

In response to our recent Art Show, which will be held April 27th and featured many of our Member’s works of art, I began to reflect and wanted to share some of the benefits of art for those aging.

Creative activities can have a healing and protective effect on mental well-being. It is an important strategy for coping with chronic illness and an important contributor to improved quality of life for residents at Park Springs Continuing Care Retirement Community.

There is increasing recognition that the benefits of the arts play an important role in the health of individuals. The therapeutic effects of creative activity promote relaxation and provide a means of self-expression to boosting the immune system while reducing stress.

Park Springs offers both visual art appreciation and hands on creative work which play an important role in improving the health and well- being of its residents. Residents who participate in the arts express feelings of emotional stabilization and relaxation as they are among their peers with similar interests. The art classes and opportunities to present pieces of their own work are intended to enrich the lives of those participants, and promote socialization while enhancing psychological well- being.

Although  it is unknown if this is documented in the literature, several residents have expressed significant improvements in their blood pressure as it relates to their involvement with the arts. I have been told by many of the residents who participate in the arts the therapeutic benefits include celebrating multiple perspectives, and most importantly the ability to surrender to possibilities as they watch their own pieces of work unfold.

For those dealing with the stress of being a caregiver or coping with their own health issues the benefits of the arts has proven to be a priceless coping mechanism.

Healthfully Yours,

Shona Alexander

Director of Clinical & Home Care Services

The Lady Chatterley Caper – The Latest Theatrical Production from Park Springs

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All are invited to this year’s play by Barbara Rives called Life at Park Springs or the Lady Chatterley Caper. There is a cast of 35 players and ten barbershop singers who will perform for the Atlanta area retirement community.

The play is about a mysterious donation of twenty-five Lady Chatterley’s Lover books to the Park Springs library. All have disappeared and many strange phenomena have begun to occur. Cornerstoners from the Tuesday religious group are trying to get to the bottom of the matter and root out the licentious behavior spotted around the campus. Prada shoes seem to be the identifying badge of membership in the underground movement although there has been a run on a new perfume, Savage Secretions, sold at Kroger. In fact, the grocery shelves were wiped clean three minutes after the Park springs bus arrived there. Michael Hasselbarth claims to be on the side of the morality police but it is discovered that he has broken out in hives because of his own application of a dab of Savage Secretions. While he is recuperating, our Food and Beverage Director, Nils Stein, takes matters into his own hands and unfortunately accuses the wrong couple of being the ringleaders of the movement. All is forgiven them in the end when the real  culprits are caught by two of our employees while fleeing down the laundry chute in disgracefully inappropriate clothing.

Tickets are $5 with all profits going to the Park Springs Foundation. Performances are three nights, April 12, 13 and 14 at 7:30 in the Community Hall.

New Year Resolutions

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I read in this morning’s news paper an article written by an Associated Press writer listing worthy resolutions for retirees.  The majority of those he listed were financially related such as, getting disciplined about money matters, getting your estate in order and checking into long-term care insurance possibilities.

These financial goals are all worthy resolutions and in working with retirees on a daily basis, I find most have planned well financially but having the means to pay for wants and needs in retirement does not ensure those wants and needs will be provided for in the intended manner.  Many feel simply having the money they need in retirement insures they’ll live well.  What I find many seniors don’t plan for are the who, what, when and where those wants and needs will be addressed.

I recommend retirees or for that matter anyone retired, working or otherwise planning for retirement think about the lifestyle, senior retirement housing and healthcare needs they’ll have and not just how they’ll be paid for but where they’ll be provided and by whom and perhaps most importantly when they ought to be sought out.

 When should you seek a suitable environment with which to live?  The answer is, before you need it.  My favorite quote from a Member I worked with in the past is, “it’s better to be 5 years early than 5 minutes late.”  Sound advice because the longer you wait and the more pressing the need, the fewer the options and the less likely you’ll find the quality services you had intended. Where do you want to seek the services?  There are many options and my recommendation is that you think about an environment that can address all your needs, limiting the likelihood of having to make additional changes should circumstances dictate.

Yes, you can stay in control.  There are choices you can make today to best insure the most positive outcome tomorrow.Who do you wish to have provide the services you’ll need?  You ought to seek the best, of course.

The wants you’ll have are only determined by you and while the needs can in part be determined by you, there are many that are ultimately out of your control.  Do you know the lifestyle you want to live, the services you’d like to have and the environment in which you’d like to have them?  What about those things you may need?  Perhaps those questions ought to be addressed as you establish resolutions for the new year, and perhaps these resolutions will bring you to a wonderful new lifestyle at Park Springs retirement community.

Happy New Year!

Park Springs Members support the cultural arts of Atlanta.

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Park Springs is proud to host the Atlanta Symphony Associates for the 6th year as they hold their annual holiday luncheon in the Springhouse Grill.  Many Members of the Atlanta Symphony Associates are Atlanta active adults residing here at Park Springs.

We are so fortunate to have here in our city the Atlanta Symphony as well as the Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet and so many more wonderful social and cultural arts programs to enjoy.  Members of Parks Springs actively participate in local cultural arts, which is yet another example of the rich and lively senior living lifestyle at Park Springs.

Why do Foxes have white tails?

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In a post last week I made reference to the Oldsmobile slogan: “This is not your father’s retirement community…” Park Springs is the next generation of retirement communities and an innovation in independent senior living in Atlanta.

Another way Members are proving that to be true is the recent publishing of a children’s book written by a Member. The book, “Leela the Fox,” is published by Amazon and as you might have guessed, it’s about why foxes have white tails.

Avis Fox, the author and illustrator, wrote the book for her granddaughter who wanted a story about good foxes and not the sly, sneaky ones you often read about.Leela the Fox is a playful story of a curious and friendly little girl fox who finds herself in a bit of trouble.

When Leela forgets “Mom’s rule #1″ she winds up stranded on a rock in the middle of the big river. With the help of her brothers and friends she is rescued, and in the process, contributes a defining trait to the world of red foxes. The book is written for ages 3 – 7.  Seeing as I have three kids within that age range, I have purchased the book and you can too at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Leela-Fox-Foxes-White-Tails/dp/1466276940/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323883593&sr=8-1

As you can see, Park Springs is more than just senior housing in Atlanta, it’s a place where active adults thrive as a community, doing and creating wonderful things!

 

A musical at a retirement community!

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The statement needs to be read aloud with a hint of sarcasm.  That’s the response I have received as I speak with others (those outside the confines of our community of course) about how impressed I have been with the annual Park Springs’ musical which was performed this week for the fifth year in a row.  I paraphrased an old Oldsmobile ad campaign and said “this is not your father’s retirement community!”  Park Springs represents the new generation of retirement communities and our Members embody that spirit well, as evidenced by the musical and many more pursuits.

The musical entitled “Here We Go Again” is produced and directed by Marvin Himmel, a Member of Park Springs.   Except for those parts performed by the Vista Grove Dancers, who do a fantastic job, all cast and crew are Members of the Atlanta area retirement community.  In total, cast, and crew number more than 40, not including the Park Springs Art Department who created much of the scenery.  If you weren’t in the musical, than you were most certainly there to watch; this year’s performance sold out all four nights.  The auditorium in Park Springs Community Hall seats over 100.

The program this year includes Broadway hits such as “Annie Get Your Gun,” “My Fair Lady,” “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma,” and many more.  The photos I took with my own phone don’t do the show any justice, but I wanted to include some visual.  I look forward to posting some of the professional photography taken of the show, as well as airing a video on You Tube after the first of the year.

Thank you Marvin, cast and crew as well as all the Members of Park Springs who, as the program aptly states, “make Park Springs a very unique, valued retirement community.”

“Thank you so much for my supper front row ticket to the delightful production of Here We Go Again, by the Park Springs Players. It was truly spectacular, filled with an extraordinary level of energy! The players were clearly having great fun and that great sense of enjoyment was certainly experience by the audience throughout the performance. Thanks again for a very memorable evening of fun, great music and meeting new friends!!  Very best wishes to you and to your family for a very Merry Christmas and for all good things in the New Year!”

-Dick, Park Springs Member

Here We Go Again

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What an appropriate title for this year’s musical at Park Springs, the Premiere Atlanta retirement community.  For the fourth year in a row, Park Springs’ Member Marvin Himmel will cast, direct and certainly play a part alongside many of Park Spring’s own Atlanta active adults in what is sure to be the best show yet.

I’ll have the opportunity to view the musical tonight and if this years set is any indication, the cast and crew have raised the bar.  The community hall at Park Springs, site of this year’s show, seats 130 and has sold out all 4 performances.

We will post this year’s musical on You Tube.  If you wish to view last year’s performance, please click the following link.

Taste of the Good Life

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Our Food and Beverage Department put on the first ever “Taste of Park Springs” early in October. The event was a showcase for our foodservice vendors. Some of the delicious creations were returning favorites and some were new original ideas. There were some true works of culinary art by Park Spring’s very own Food and Beverage Department. It was a treat for everyone in attendance. On hand we had Buckhead Beef, Inland Seafood, Performance Food Group, Empire Distributers, Kraft Foods and Phoenix Produce. Special tables were devoted to our Dining Venues (Springhouse Grill, Main Dining Room, Le Cordon Bleu Externs). Our Registered Dietician also had a table and answered any questions the members had about diets or the any of the foods presented. The event was truly a tasty experience!

The Waiting Place

Kevin Isakson
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Oh, the Places You’ll Go! is a Dr. Seuss classic and a favorite of mine to read my children.  Written in Dr. Seuss one and only style, the books main character refered to simply as “you,” travels to numerous places eventually ending up in a place called ”The Waiting Place.”  In ”The Waiting Place” everyone is just waiting for something to happen and it is not a place you want to be.  “The Waiting Place” reminds me of a place many folks considering a move to Park Springs find themselves and, with apologies to the master, I’d like to share my version.

The Waiting Place… for people just waiting.

Waiting for a house to sell or the market to rise,

or a birthday to come or go or to win the lotto.

Or waiting for my kids to say yes or someone to say no,

or a health issue to arise or home health to arrive.

Or an elevator to come or the location to change,

or to maintain independence or perhaps become dependent.

Everyone is just waiting.

If you find yourself in the waiting place, check back here periodically or better yet contact one of our Residency Counselors for assistance with your retirement planning as they may just provide keys that will enable you to move on to great places.