Weekly News & Updates
Caring for Older Adults Since 1907
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MARGOT & WARREN COVILLE ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE |
Our hearts are heavy as we stand in solidarity and support of Rose and Buddy Fenster and their entire family, longtime supporters of JSL and the Program for Holocaust Survivors and Families.
#BringDannyHome #FreeFenster
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The phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none” is thought to have originated in the 14th century. Working class men or “the common man” were often referred to collectively as ‘Jack’, a variant of John and were known to work all hours, doing odd jobs on top of their main employment to increase their income. A farmer might try gardening, swapping his plow for pliers, or a market trader might do some painting and decorating, pulling the paintbrush out of the toolbox, and taking it for an experimental spin. Often, they didn’t complete this extra work to the same high standard as their day jobs, and so the idiom was born. In the 16th century, the phrase had begun to take on the barbed meaning with which it’s used today.
But when it comes to the modern outlook on pastimes, it can be used to refer to those who take up many hobbies rather than focusing on perfecting one or two. The fact is there are many rewards to be reaped from the more diverse approach, including sustainability, resourcefulness, and resilience plus the ability to keep calm and carry on when the going gets tough. A toolkit of hobbies could offer you a more reliable wellspring of well-being than mastery of one. Think of the JSL Meer Men’s Club and the projects they build. Think of our campus newsletter committees creatively writing about life at JSL. Think of the joy in cardio drumming, walking clubs, Rumikuub foursomes, knitting and crocheting blankets for others in need or simply as gifts to share.
For some time now, research has shown that hobbies benefit both mind and body. They relieve stress, combat low mood, and act as a salve for anxiety and depression. They’ve also been shown to be life-protecting. In a niche but eye-opening study, a positive association was found between the duration of survival of patients after breast surgery and the number of hobbies they have. Additionally, some activities have been associated with reduced risk of dementia. Spending time doing things you enjoy can help you now and in the future. When it comes to general well-being, cultural leisure pursuits have been less studied, with most of the evidence holding up exercise as a poster boy or girl for hobbies overall, which isn’t the case for everyone.
A pioneering US study in 2010 involving Sarah D. Pressman, Professor of Psychological Science at University of California, Irvine and a team of her colleagues judged a leisure activity as “any pleasurable activity that individuals engage in voluntarily when they are free from the demands of work or other responsibilities. This officially opened the scientists’ eyes to more ordinary pastimes, such as aspects of socializing and spending time in nature that aren’t usually included under the umbrella term of hobbies, but still make people feel good.”
Activities that act as restorers require little mental effort, and so can replenish depleted energy resources. Think of book clubs or online scrabble. Other leisure activities, such as a naps or teatime, are considered breathers. They reduce stress by way of diversion. Hobbies are eclectic, from solitaire to yoga, but their effects are alike and help us feel better about ourselves and allow us to fare better in our lives. Different interests benefit people in different ways, culminating in a positive effect on well-being. Breathers and restorers are just as essential as more physically demanding sporting activities. Variety is really the spice of life, and it is the secret to building self-esteem. Arm yourself with a toolkit of pastimes that can be picked up or put down when you need them, because life is unpredictable. A sprained ankle can come between you and your morning walk, and strained fingers or arthritic wrists caused by too many hours of crocheting or painting can turn habits and routines inside out without warning. So having many interests enables you to indulge in the one that suits any life moment.
It’s a good idea to reclaim this practice of diversification and apply it to downtime. As the weather gets colder here in Michigan, think about doing different things to restore yourself. Take a breather, and then take up a new or age-old hobby that brings you pleasure. Better yet, call a friend and share a hobby together.
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JSL honored its resident and staff veterans on Thursday in meaningful Veterans Day ceremonies in West Bloomfield and Oak Park. Thank you to all who have served! |
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS! |
Dining: Need volunteers to set dining room tables at Hechtman and Meer from 12-3pm Monday – Friday
Dining: Need volunteers to roll silverware at Hechtman and Meer from 12-3pm Monday – Friday
Dining: Need volunteers to pour beverages at Hechtman and Meer for dinner time service from 4-6pm Monday-Friday
Dining: Need volunteers to pour beverages at Fleischman for dinner time service from 5-6pm every day
BINGO: Need BINGO callers for evening activities
Entertainment: Can you play an instrument or sing? Do you have 30-45 minutes of musical selections that you can offer residents? We have a beautiful piano to offer musical recitals to entertain residents.
Gift Shop: Looking for a volunteer to help work in our beautiful boutique Wednesday and Friday from 11am-2pm
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If we were to update the expression "Nothing is certain but death and taxes” for accuracy, “stress” would surely be added to that short list of life’s certainties. Stress isn’t all bad — it helped us survive thousands of years ago when we were running away from wild animals, and in today’s world, it motivates us to keep working until we complete a key presentation for a big client.
It’s clear from the USOS stress report story that stress is part of our daily lives. But it’s possible to get too much of a good thing when we experience that “fight-or-flight,” stressed-to-the-max feeling every day, or even several times a day. That’s considered chronic stress, and can throw the body out of balance.
There are many natural complementary approaches that have been proven to ease stress-related symptoms that don’t involve a medical procedure or a prescription. Here we highlight seven natural remedies that are backed by scientific evidence.
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NORMA JEAN & EDWARD MEER APARTMENTS |
Colette Beattie is the new Life Enrichment Coordinator on our Oak Park campus. She says she is “overjoyed to become a part of the team at Jewish Senior Life and can’t wait to make new memories and positively impact everyone that I meet.”
Colette and her husband, Darren live in Roseville, having moved there nearly 5 years ago after living across the pond in Salford, England for 15 years. While in England, she was an Activities Coordinator at Heathlands Village, a Jewish Assisted Living facility.
Colette enjoys opportunities in her everyday life to connect with people on a deep level. She says, “I’ve known from a young age that my calling in life, my purpose, is to spread joy to those around me. I honestly believe that we are all one and by helping others, I am in turn helping myself to become the best version of me that I could possibly be. I learned so much about the Jewish faith and will cherish every memory I made.”
Colette suggests “we should spread peace, love, and understanding and give ourselves and each other a break. Each one of us is doing the best we can with what we have and remembering that we’re all in this together is the most important thing we can do.”
Colette says “we should practice acceptance, enlightenment, and the removal of judgement. I honestly believe that the world would be a better place for everyone if we could all take the time to truly accept not only one another, but ourselves. I feel like a lot of the issues that we have as humans all stem from the internal. We all must focus on ourselves, loving ourselves, accepting ourselves and forgiving ourselves. Then, when we reach that level of internal peace, we can spread it to others. As for interests, meditation is incredibly important to me. I practice Transcendental Meditation and have meditated twice a day, every day for the last 12 years! I am also very passionate about yoga and am a registered certified yoga teacher. I specialize in chair yoga and will also be completing additional training soon that will give me expertise in senior anatomy in yoga.”
Family life is the most important thing to Colette. She says she is “blessed beyond words. My husband of 11 years was born and raised in the UK and we have two wonderful cats, Monty and Zira. We are honestly even happier now than day one. Darren works from home doing administration for a local food truck that he owns with his business partner. My family is the greatest gift I have ever received.” Speaking of food, her absolute favorite food is rice. “My favorite way to eat it is in Dolsot Bibimbap. It’s a Korean rice dish that comes in a hot clay pot. The rice gets crispy on the bottom and is seasoned with sesame oil and topped with a mixture of vegetables, and in my case, tofu. The finishing touch is Bibimbap sauce, which is made with gochujang, a sweet and spicy fermented chili paste. (There is a grocery store called HMart at 16 mile and Dequindre that does THE BEST Dolsot Bibimbap).”
Colette shares that “I have nothing but the best intentions in everything that I do in life, but I also suffer from ADHD, OCD and Panic Disorder, which has made my personal, academic, and professional life something that I have had to put a lot of extra effort into. There are still stigmas against people with mental health conditions and I do fear at times that I might be judged harshly for my disabilities, but all I can do is my best and hope that everyone I interact with will have the level of acceptance for me that I have for them.”
“My favorite film is Harold and Maude (1971) which is about two people that appear to have nothing in common and no one understands them finding love and acceptance in one another. “
After the Pandemic, Colette wants to go back to the UK. “We haven’t seen my husband’s family in years now and we’re both certainly homesick for some UK food!” What brings her joy is her love of her cats, food, nature, deep breaths, sci-fi, smiles, a cup of decaf tea, 60’s and 70’s music, lazy days, video games, drinking water and laughing. “To be honest, most things bring me joy. I’m bursting at the seams with joy,” says the very peaceful Colette.
In her spare time, Colette practices self-care! “I listen to my body and mind and give myself whatever I ask for, ha-ha! That could mean sitting in my pajamas all day watching British TV or Star Trek, or sharing a whole cake with a friend, laughing, and catching up. I love spending an entire day cozied up with my cats and playing video games too! In my spare time, less is more.”
Colette, we are so happy we found you and we are grateful for the work you are doing at JSL.
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Please join us as a sponsor or friend of JSL for our annual Lives Well Lived fundraiser!
Your support provides our residents:
- Health & Wellness Programming
- Diverse & Exciting Speakers
- In-house Entertainment
- Art Supplies
- Large Print Books
- Gardening Supplies
- Seasonal Floral Arrangements
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Looking for a fun and rewarding place to work…. Look no further!
Jewish Senior Life is hiring servers for the Dining Rooms on the West Bloomfield Campus!
Flexible schedules and great hours!
Great opportunities for teens after school!
If interested, please call or email
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Apple Cider Mini Bundt Cakes
Ingrediants
Cake Batter
1 package Manischewitz Yellow Cake Mix
1 teaspoon Gefen Cinnamon
1 cup apple cider
baking spray
Frosting
1 cup Gefen Confectioners' Sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider
1/2 teaspoon Gefen Cinnamon
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare your bundt pans by spraying with baking spray.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix and cinnamon until combined. Pour in apple cider and combine well.
3) Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
4) When cooled, run a knife along the inside of the baking pans and invert them onto a cake platter to release the cakes. Combine ingredients for frosting and transfer to a pastry bag. Drizzle in a zig-zag pattern over the bundt cakes.
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This 10 minute chair workout is one you will love! Get stronger, build endurance, and strengthen your core. |
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Rabbi Dovid S. Polter, JSL Community Chaplain
A Guide to Every Step
A wise citizen of a kingdom long ago was strolling down the street. During his journey, he was confronted by the king himself who asked him, “Where are you going?” to which he responded, “I don’t know.” The king, enraged at his disrespectful answer sent him off to prison. After calming down, the king decided to release the man and question him as to the reason for his unusual response.
The king asked, “What do you mean ‘you don’t know where you’re going?!” The man said, “I will testify that I truly did not know where I was going. I was hoping to go visit a friend and look where I ended up – in prison. Now tell me, did I know where I was going? Had you asked me, “Where are you hoping to go, I would have told you I am hoping to go visit a friend, but where I was actually going, I truly did not know.”
The king immediately released the man and offered him a stipend for his insightful wisdom.
Although each of us typically has our own itinerary planned in life - our experiences often reveal that we, individually, are not controlling the events of our lives. Just as G-d has created each of us, we can be sure that where we are at any given time, is where we are meant to be for that moment.
We need to plan and hope and work toward fulfilling our dreams – yet at the same time, we need to remember that G-d, who is all-knowing, is forever looking after us and finding the exact spot on the globe we should be occupying at that exact moment.
Enjoy some inspiration - Shabbat Shalom by Phone
Dial Toll free: 605-313-4107 Access code: 270368#
(Reference number not needed)
Dial # to hear the most recent recorded message.
Rabbi Dovid S. Polter Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program Jewish Senior Life
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This newsletter was created by Jo Rosen and Amanda Martlock
We’re human, prone to mistakes, so if we erred in our newsletter, please forgive us!
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L’Chaim!
We are so grateful for your financial contributions.
Please continue your engAGEment with JSL.
Your support enhances the lives of our residents.
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Nancy Heinrich, Chief Executive Officer
Jennie Klepinger, Chief Financial Officer
Barbra Giles, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives
Jo Strausz Rosen, Executive Director, Development
Dianne Azzopardi, Executive Director, Human Resources
Ron Colasanti, Executive Director, Dining Services
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People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome. |
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