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Southgate at Shrewsbury

Retirement community near Shrewsbury and Worcester, MA

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Events

Five New Year’s Resolutions to Better Connect Seniors and Their Families

January 6, 2017 by Southgate at Shrewsbury

Life is full of traditions. Many are handed down through the years, and some are newly created between family and friends. Either way, traditions are part of the colorful fabric that intertwines our lives and holds us together, transcending time and distance. One common tradition this time of year is making New Year’s resolutions, which usually include stopping bad habits or starting good habits. This tradition is also a great way to stay connected and engaged with those special seniors in your life. By working together with your aging loved ones to put those resolutions into action, you can both maintain the momentum to keep those commitments throughout the year. Providing accountability for each other provides valuable reinforcement, offers the opportunity to stay in touch regularly, and gives you a greater sense of purpose, which is particularly important for seniors and their well-being . We have compiled a number of interactive New Year’s resolutions designed to keep you connected, in touch, and in tune with each other the entire year:

Start a letter journal.

Thanks to the Internet, handwritten letters are almost a thing of the past. However, seniors come from an era when writing letters by hand was an important, valued form of etiquette—a more personal way of keeping in touch. Purchase a bound journal, write a letter inside and give it to your loved one. He or she then writes a letter to you and returns the journal. The same can be done with individual letters written back and forth and pasted into the book. The process repeats throughout the year, or until the journal is full. Sharing a letter journal with your loved one is a unique way to strengthen your connection and getting to know each other better. An added perk is the excitement of looking forward to receiving “real” mail. You find yourselves thinking of each other more often and contemplating what bit of news to share in the next letter.

Plan to age gracefully.

Growing old has advantages as well as a few disadvantages, such as wrinkles, gray hair and changes to our bodies. It is never too late to decide to pursue a healthy lifestyle, which increases the odds of aging gracefully. Plan to exercise often, eat nutritious foods and encourage each other while doing so. If you live near your senior loved one, take walks or participate in a group exercise class together. Even if your senior lives far away, you can take walks during the same time of day and talk on the phone to plan healthy meals and other activities. Share your favorite recipes. Exchanging healthy recipes helps your elderly loved one eat more nutritious meals and gives you the opportunity to ensure she is eating well. As a bonus, your loved one sends you favorite family recipes that have been passed down through the generations.

Get tech savvy.

A study in 2010 found that seniors are the fastest growing demographic on social networks. If mom and dad do not already have a computer, now is the time to expand their horizons. It might seem a bit intimidating at first, but once they are comfortable, their prowess might surprise you. Communicating and trading pictures via email becomes a snap. Even better, webcams allow “face-to-face” conversations between family members who live far apart. The grandkids can relay their adventures, and everyone gets the pleasure of seeing each other laugh. You also get the chance to observe your loved one and check for signs of good or failing health. Southgate offers a variety of computer courses to our senior community on topics like becoming familiar with your electronic devices, internet safety, learning how to use social media and more.  Our residents can check our activities calendar for dates and times of the courses offered.

Talk about the hard stuff.

This resolution is not fun, but it is the most important. While your senior is able, help set the standards of care he or she desires should he or she become incapacitated later. Decide if you will designate a family member or hire a senior care professional to be the primary caregiver. Talking about estate planning and wills, along with other related issues, helps prepare everyone for the inevitable. Discussing these things in advance ensures that your loved one’s wishes are recorded and understood by all. Making New Year’s resolutions together builds bonds with family and friends. Set your resolution, involve your loved one and help each other reach your goals.

It’s been a great year for our Southgate community and we wish all our residents and their friends and family a happy New Year and a wonderful 2017!

Filed Under: Blog, Events, Healthy Living, Lifestyle

SOUTHGATE HOSTS MLCRA MEETING

December 20, 2016 by Southgate at Shrewsbury

Southgate hosted a meeting of the Massachusetts Life Care Residents’ Association (MLCRA) in November.   Residents from Southgate and four other retirement communities in Central Massachusetts attended the day-long event.

Michael Festa, State Director for AARP Massachusetts, spoke to meeting participants in the morning.  He discussed social security, Medicare and other issues of interest to seniors.  He answered audience questions on a range of subjects.

Mr. Festa’s speech was followed by a working lunch.   Participants were assigned to small tables to discuss a specific topic with representatives of other communities.     Among the topics covered were legislative issues, ideas for MLCRA’s newsletter,   the use of electronic communication in our communities, and information about the variety of cultural and educational programs offered at our communities.

At the end of the day, each group reported the results of its discussion and made recommendations for possible MLCRA action.

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Filed Under: Blog, Events

Celebrating Thanksgiving With Family And Friends

November 18, 2016 by Southgate at Shrewsbury

Thanksgiving is a great time to get together with family and friends to feast on some of the great holiday offerings. For those with family members in senior living communities, it is important to reach out during this time of year. The holidays in general can be stressful, but there are ways to ensure that your family’s celebration goes off without a hitch.

Plan Ahead For Traveling
If you’re picking up your senior loved one from their residence, you may want to leave early. The same goes for older adults who are trying to get to a family member’s home. The Wall Street Journal reports that recent findings from AAA suggest traffic will be tight during the Thanksgiving weekend. The data indicates that more than 43.6 million Americans will be on the road for at least 50 miles. Those who are planning on road tripping to see loved ones may want to consider leaving early on before the major rush.

Assign Roles
Sometimes, there can be too many cooks in the kitchen – literally. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by having too many family members try to help you assemble dinner, try and stay organized. You may want to consider assigning roles to everyone who wants to help. For example, someone can be in charge of setting the table, while other guests are tasked with different side dishes. Make sure the side dishes vary in cook time, so not everyone needs to be in the kitchen at once.

Make Cleaning A Team Effort
There will surely be plenty of dishes left over, and they can be cleaned quickly if everyone chips in. Ask some people to gather the plates and have two or three family members at the sink. Once they clean the dishes, ask some other family members to dry, while additional guests put the dishes away.

Play Some Games
Because Thanksgiving can bring family members from near and far, it’s a good idea to celebrate togetherness. Send the grandkids outside for some touch football, which some of the parents will surely want to get in on as well. It’s also a great time to break out cards and board games, allowing everyone to bond while they digest dinner before diving into some pumpkin pie and other desserts.

For both those members of our community who are travelling to spend Thanksgiving with their families and those residents spending the holiday with their friends and loved ones here at Southgate, we wish you all and wonderful and blessed holiday.

Filed Under: Blog, Events, Healthy Living

Honoring Our Loved Ones On Grandparents Day

September 9, 2016 by Southgate at Shrewsbury

It’s difficult to overstate the important role many grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren. They offer wisdom and comfort, and often serve as a paragon of active senior living. But while they play an important role in the lives of many adults, the contributions grandparents make can sometimes be overlooked. With Sept. 11 being recognized as National Grandparents Day, it is the perfect time for everyone to tell, and show, their older loved ones how much they appreciate everything they’ve done.

Origins of the holiday
National Grandparents Day has not been around for that long. It got its start in West Virginia, when Marian McQuade, an advocate for the elderly, pitched the idea to other members of the state’s Commission on Aging and Nursing Home Licensing Board. What started as a way to draw attention to the issues facing lonely seniors living in nursing homes and similar facilities has grown into something much larger. The first Grandparents Day was celebrated in West Virginia in 1973, and just five years later it had spread across the country when President Jimmy Carter signed a bill establishing the first Sunday after Labor day as National Grandparents Day, beginning in 1979.

Although it has been around for less than 40 years, National Grandparents Day will likely increase in importance in the coming years as the population gets older. According to the Administration on Aging, the number of adults 65 and older is expected to hit 72.1 million by 2030 – more than double the amount there was in 2000.

Celebrate the right way
There are a number of ways for grandchildren to show their grandparents how important they are, but one of the most effective ways is to simply spend time with them. Gathering all the members of the family for a get-together, whether it is at a retirement living community or elsewhere, is often all that they need. Grandchildren looking to go the extra mile can consider creating a family tree to give to their grandparents, bringing them flowers to brighten up their home, or even just watching their favorite movie with them. Whatever route grandchildren take, it is sure to warm their grandparents’ hearts and strengthen the special bond that only grandparents and grandchildren hold.

Filed Under: Blog, Events, Lifestyle

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