Buenos Dias! Habla Espanol?

Have you ever wanted to speak Spanish? Well, this month is your opportunity to begin learning! Spanish classes will begin Thursday, September 6th. Annette Royal will be teaching Spanish classes on Thursdays at 6:45 in the activity center.

Originally from South Texas, Annette Royal lives with her family in Lawrenceville. While she never dreamed of being a Spanish teacher, it’s obvious she loves people and when you meet her, it’s easy to see how teaching found her. With a bilingual up-brining, creative communication skills, and bubbly personality, Annette Royal is a natural-born teacher.

“I was born and raised in South Texas, "The Valley" is what people call the cluster of little towns that border Mexico and the U.S. Spanish is EVERYone’s first language there. Teaching Spanish was the last thing I thought I would ever do. My dream was to become an RN and help as many people as possible. But along came prince charming knocking on my door and I now have 3 kids and a wonderful husband.”

“Four years ago when my oldest son AJ started to attend preschool, I noticed that he would not understand or speak any of the Spanish that he had picked up from me. I started to wonder why this was happening. AJ was spending the majority of his time around English speaking people and loosing his Spanish. I then decided to leave work and stay home with my child. In search of supplementing our income, I started to teach my nieces and nephews Spanish, then came other children.”

Annette teaches at preschools, after-school programs, tutoring, and summer camps. But she loves to teach adults as well. In fact, she conducts conversational Spanish sessions at local coffee shops for adults where the topics range from entertainment to politics.

“Over the years I have learned that teaching another language can be very challenging, yet very simple. The key to learning Spanish is "baby steps" literally. Kids learn with songs, pictures, games, and crafts. It’s repetition, repetition, repetition. I teach adults the same way I teach children. In my class, you need to bring a big smile, good attitude and a sense of humor, because you will sing, and dance lots of silly songs that will help you learn Spanish.

So I say to you my friends; Hola = Hello, Adios = Goodbye. Spanish is fun so give it a try! Hope to see you in Spanish class!”

Annette has all kinds of fun activities designed to help beginning students grasp the basics of this romance language. Don't forget to sign up for classes in the Activity Center!

Bingo With the EYES Kids

On Monday, July 16th, Bingo night was shared with some young helpers. The EYES kids summer camp came to Laurel Grove to help out with Bingo.

"This was their first time volunteering and interacting with the public so we are very proud of them." said Cheryl Collins, president of EYES Kid's camp.

"Our kids enjoyed helping out as well, but I think our parents enjoyed it more. We're also excited that Tijuanna from Flagstar invited the kids to come to her branch for a tour of the bank. Overall, we feel that the whole night was a success and we hope to be of service to you in the future."

The residents enjoyed having the kids here on Bingo night. They were a pleasure to be with and very well-behaved.

Special thanks to Tijuanna from Flagstar Bank!

Deandrea Cox, Our Wednesday Night Bingo Queen

During the week, Deandrea Cox gets off work at 5:30 and drives about 45 minutes from her downtown Atlanta job to her home in the lofty suburbs of Gwinnett County. Wednesday nights however, is "Bingo Night" and rain or shine, she is stocked with candy and armed with smiles to entertain the residents of Laurel Grove with Bingo games.

There are nearly 40 residents in the activity room and she knows everyone by name. If she has never met you before, she will write your name down and commit your face to memory on the spot. In fact, one of the reasons residents like her so much is because even though she is here only once a week, she takes the time to learn people by name. Majorie Narey says; "She is so organized. She knows all of our names and it's nice to be called by your name. She speaks clearly."

Like a Bingo caller professional, she starts her games by staying "Bingo Ready?" It is said that she will not start calling numbers until everyone is focused and ready. "She's wonderful!" says Anne Weisburg who says the Bingo crowd can sometimes be rowdy. "No one can shut this crowd up --but she does. Deandrea is the only one I've seen that can keep people quiet."

Dorothy Smith enjoys her cheerful demeanor. "She makes it a fun experience. She has a good voice --very clear."

"I love her!" says Ellie Peterson. She tries to please everybody --and that's pretty much impossible. She is very thorough."

"She is such a good person. She has sympathy for everybody. When she walked in the first day we felt she was part of this home." says Marguarite Goldsmith.

Rita McMahon is a newcomer to the Wednesday night bingo. "I came for the first time last week. Deandrea was so patient and lively with a wonderful disposition. She really pays attention." Rita says.

Staying Fit: Why Not Take The Stairs?

If you have ever taken April's fitness class, you know how much she loves making you use those legs to do chair squats. Strengthening your legs is important in everyday movement such as balance and getting in and out of a chair.

Nina Buchanan, Director of Health Resources encourages the Holiday staff and residents to look for "health opportunities" during day-to-day activities.

TOP TEN REASONS TO TAKE THE STAIRS

1. It's a FREE WORKOUT!
2. It burns TEN TIMES more calories than taking the elevator. Stair climbing requires about 8-10 kcal (kilocalories) of energy per minute. Just 2 flights of stairs climbed per day can lead to a 5.94 weight loss in a year.
3. It is faster than taking the elevator!
4. It improves your heart health. Physical activity can increase the amount of "good cholesterol" in your blood (HDL).
5. It reduces your risk of osteoporosis. There is a strong association between weight-bearing exercise and increased bone density, especially in post-menopausal women!
6. It helps you to breath better. Be more FIT and increase your aerobic capacity.
7. It lowers your mortality risk. A significantly lower risk of mortality was indicated in studies where participants climbed more than 55 flights per week!
8. It boosts your leg power, and reduces injury.
10. It relieves stress and tension.

Who would have thought that stair climbing would be such a benefit of living at Laurel Grove?

Chocolate Festival --A HUGE Hit!

"It was my biggest turn-out yet" says April, enrichment coordinator for Laurel Grove. "People showed up early and stayed late! They even brought their kids and grandkids to share the chocolate love!"

The chocolate feast featured gigantic chocolate covered strawberries, cherries, bananas, pound cake and for those who like some salty with their sweet there were pretzels, and pringles potato chips. "If you are a chocolate lover, you haven't lived until you have tried chocolate covered pringles!" says April.

Interview with Patty Riehm, Tai Chi instructor at Laurel Grove

Panlexcie Riehm, "Patty" has been teaching T'ai Chi at Laurel Grove every Saturday since April. Dressed for class in soft, Asian-inspired slippers and flexible cotton clothing, she appears as calm and relaxed as the martial art movements she implements. Many Laurel Grove residents enjoy her mesmerizing instruction and find the health benefits of her class invaluable.

April: Tell me about yourself. (Where you are from, kids?, etc..)

Patty: I'm originally from Northern Virginia, but lived in Richmond, VA for 11
years after college, and have been here for 17 years. I am still married to
my college sweetheart, and have two children, Alex, 19, and Gracie, 15. We
also have a crazy dog named Millie.

April: What got you interested in T'ai Chi?

Patty: I have been teaching Tai Chi for 7 years, and first started practicing Tai
Chi 12 years ago. From the first time I saw it being practiced (and I have
no idea when that was) I wanted to learn it. I was so fascinated by the
beauty of it. I still am. Sometimes when I watch other people practice I
have that old "gosh that's pretty, I wish I could do that" feeling, but then
I remember that I can!

April: What do you like about teaching T'ai Chi to seniors?

Patty: I love teaching Tai Chi to anyone who will listen to me for long enough.
What I like about teaching to seniors is basically the same thing I like
about teaching anyone. I love to see people get turned on by this, and just
enjoy the process.

April: Do you see improvement in the group that you are teaching here at Laurel Grove? Are they making progress as a class?

Patty: The group that comes regularly here is making progress
every week, even if they don't think so.

April: What is the most important skill needed to be successful in this martial art?

Patty: It's such a different way of moving, that sometimes you can't see the progress that you yourself are making, but I can see it. That's why patience is the most important skill
needed to be successful at Tai Chi. We don't measure success by how "good"
you are at it, but by how little by little it starts to make sense to you,
and you are enjoying the process. That's really all that matters.

Patty teaches T'ai Chi on Saturdays at 10:00am in the activity center

Elderly Gain Strength & Endurance with Tai Chi

Tai Chi for Strength and Endurance
Study Finds Increased Muscle Gains in Elderly Subjects

Tai chi chuan (tai chi) is one of the most popular forms of exercise in
China (and arguably the world). Originally practiced as a form of martial
arts, tai chi consists of breathing exercises performed in conjunction
with a series of body postures. These movements, practiced in a slow,
sequential pattern, are designed to improve balance and alignment and
enhance agility and coordination. People who practice tai chi often report
attaining feelings of inner peace and a heightened self-awareness.

Although the advantages of tai chi have been known for hundreds of years,
only recently have its effects on the human body been studied
scientifically. One such study was performed earlier this year by a group
of scientists at the National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, the
results of which were published in a recent issue of the Archives of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.1 The researchers found that tai chi
"may be beneficial to elderly individuals for muscular strength and
endurance enhancement," and that it is safer, more cost-effective and
easier to perform than other forms of exercise.

A research team led by Dr. Ching Lan evaluated the effects of tai chi on a
group of 32 volunteers (15 men, 17 women) between the ages of 53-64.
Subjects participated in a voluntary six-month tai chi program, which took
place every morning in a park near the university.

Each session consisted of a 20-minute warmup period, 24 minutes of Yang
tai chi training, and 10 minutes of cooldown exercises. Each set of tai
chi included 108 postures, with some repeated body movements. During the
exercise, subjects were led by a tai chi instructor and performed the same
movements and postures at the same speed as the instructor.

Before the start of the program, the strength and endurance of each
patient's knee extensor muscles were tested at various degrees, with
patients undergoing several sets of extension-type exercises on their
dominant and non-dominant legs. A dynamometer was used to measure changes
in the muscle during both the concentric and eccentric phases of
contraction.

Results and Conclusions

Both men and women appeared to show "significant" increases in muscle
strength after participating in the tai chi program. In the male group,
concentric knee extensor strength increased between 16.4-20.0% in the
dominant leg and 15.1-19.7% in the non-dominant leg. Eccentric extensor
strength increased between 15.1-23.7% in the dominant leg and 19.1-22.6%
in the non-dominant leg.

Similar changes in strength were seen in the female group. Concentric knee
extensor strength increased 13.5-19.3% in the dominant leg and 17.7-21.8%
in the non-dominant leg; eccentric strength increased 18.6-23.7% in the
dominant leg and 18.3-20.0% in the non-dominant leg.

While men and women experienced significant gains in extensor strength,
increased extensor endurance levels were also reported for both groups. In
men, endurance increased 9.6-18.8%; in the women, endurance increased
10.4-14.7%.

The researchers noted many advantages that tai chi may have over other
conventional exercise routines. Unlike most physical activities, tai chi
requires no specialized equipment and can be performed in a variety of
locations, making it both practical and cost-effective.

"Low-technology exercises deserve more attention because they can be more
easily implemented in the community," they said. "TCC is a low- technology
approach to conditioning that can be implemented in the community with
very low cost."

They also noted tai chi "seemed safe" compared to other exercises,
particularly among elderly populations. For instance, while a small number
of patients dropped out of the study because of lack of interest or health
problems, none of the patients were forced to stop exercising because of
injury. And while the different motions and postures can place considerable demand on the knee extensor muscles, most of the movements in
tai chi are performed in a closed kinematic chain, which may prevent
excess stress from being placed on the knee joints.

Some study limitations were also noted. As is the case with many pilot
studies, no control group was used, weakening the scientists' overall
findings. Lan's team also suggested that more than one test might be
necessary to determine the strength of the subjects' extensor muscles
because of a traditionally low reliability in test results among elderly
patients.

Despite the limitations, it appears that tai chi does provide a benefit to
its subjects, and that more studies are warranted to determine its effects
not just among the elderly, but in a wide range of patients. As the
researchers stated in their conclusion:

"TCC has the potential to reduce expenditures associated with poor health
by facilitating a lifestyle that promotes wellness among people of all
ages. From the perspective of exercise prescription, TCC is a promising
alternative for strength training because of its efficacy and safety ·
Further controlled study is needed to validate this evidence."

Reference

1. Lan C, et al. Tai Chi Chuan to improve muscular strength and endurance
in elderly individuals: a pilot study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil May
2000;81:604-607.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF T’AI CHI

1. 1/3 OF PEOPLE OVER AGE 65 LOSE THEIR BALANCE AND FALL EACH YEAR.
T’AI CHI IMPROVES BALANCE AND REDUCES RISK OF MULTIPLE FALLS BY 55%

2. OVER 50% OF OLDER AMERICANS HAVE ARTHRITIS.
T’AI CHI REDUCES ARTHRITIC PAIN AND STIFFNESS

3. HEART DISEASE AND STROKE ARE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN THE U.S.
T’AI CHI IMPROVES CARDIO-RESIRATORY FUNCTION BY 10%

4. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE/CHOLESTEROL ARE SILENT KILLERS
T’AI CHI LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE, IMPROVES CHOLESTEROL

5. MANY OLDER PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE STANDING AND MOVING.
T’AI CHI IMPROVES LEG STRENGTH AND MOBILITY.

6. OSTEOPEROSIS IS A HEALTH THREAT FOR 44 MILLION PEOPLE CAUSING 1.5
MILLION FRACTURES ANNUALLY.
T’AI CHI REDUCES BONE LOSS AND SLOWS OSTEOPEROSIS.

7. ONE IN FIVE ADULTS WHO HAD CHICKEN POX WILL GET SHINGLES, A VERY
PAINFUL CONDITION. T’AI CHI DOUBLES ONES IMMUNITY TO SHINGLES.

8. 17 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION.
T’AI CHI LOWERS THE SEVERITY OF DEPRESSION.

9. MANY PEOPLE FEEL LISTLESS.
T’AI CHI INCREASES ENERGY LEVELS.

10. MORE THAN 4 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER FROM ALZHEIMERS DISEASE.
T’AI CHI IMPROVES THINKING ABILITIES.

11. 32 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE INSOMNIA.
T’AI CHI INCREASES SLEEP BY 48 MINUTES PER NIGHT AND REDUCES AMOUNT OF
TIME TO FALL ASLEEP BY 18 MINUTES.

12. AGE-RELATED MEMORY LOSS IS WIDESPREAD.
TAI CHI IMPROVES LEARNING, INFORMATION RETRIEVAL AND MEMORY.

13. MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE BACK AND NECK ACHES AND PAINS.
IN ONE STUDY T’AI CHI PLAYERS REPORTED THAT THEIR BACK AND NECK ACHES AND PAIN DISAPPEARED.

14. STRESS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR MANY PEOPLE.
T’AI CHI HELPS PEOPLE RELAX AND REDUCES STRESS.

15. A COMMON COMPLAINT AS WE AGE IS TIRING EASILY.
T’AI CHI CAN IMPROVE EXTENSOR ENDURANCE BY UP TO 20%.

16. 12 TO 20 PEOPLE PER THOUSAND SUFFER FROM PARKINSON’S DISEASE,
ESPECIALLY THOSE OVER AGE 70. T’AI CHI HAS BEEN FOUND TO SLOW THE EFFECTS OF PARKINSON’S.

17. ALMOST 400 THOUSAND AMERICANS HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.
T’AI CHI SLOWS THE EFFECTS OF MS.

18. 16 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE DIABETES.
T’AI CHI MAY IMPROVE GLUCOSE METABOLISM AND IMMUNITY OF TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS.

CONCLUSION; T’AI CHI IS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF
LIFE.

"Worn Clothes"

Louise Beardon is craking jokes again...

Louise: "What do you do when you wear your clothes out?"
April: "I don't know. Give them to Goodwill? Throw them away?"
Louise: "You wear them back!"

My Life (by Juanita Childers)

When I was young and in my prime
I could climb a tree just any ole time
Now I'm old and my feet are cold
And I can't climb a tree to save my soul

Today, I'm a resident of Laurel Grove
I don't have to clean or touch a stove
No dishes to wash, no chores to do
Just sit back and relax and choose what to do

My knees don't bend
My hair is grey
I just sit down and sing
with a lady named day

So many new friends to get to know
They are from so many states
From North and South and East and West
With so many talents they have to put to rest

What will I do with the time I have left?
A cheery good morning and a smile on my face
as I greet my new friends and neighbors
I've met in this lovely place.

Juantia Childers
~a Laurel Grove resident