“John Fielder has worked tirelessly to protect Colorado’s open spaces and wilderness and we are honored to have him present his latest project at our community,” said Holly Creek sales and marketing director Marilyn Berry.

Mr. Fielder will discuss his two-year project documenting 20 years of the work of Great Outdoors Colorado and its partners to protect parks, trails, open spaces, wildlife areas, and ranches with Colorado Lottery profits.

He will also share his photo techniques and will have book signing before and after the presentation. Attendees may also bring their own Fielder books in to be signed. 30 percent of gross sales are donated to non-profit organizations.

Holly Creek is located at 5500 E. Peakview Ave. in Centennial. Although the presentation is free, space is limited. To reserve a seat of for more information, call 720-266-5611 or go to www.hollycreekretirementcommunity.org.

Author: Chuck Montera

This ageist attitude is not only prevalent amongst the young, but in our elders as well. Think about it. If you heard the message every day that your skin was blue, you might start believing it. The same goes for our elders. Ageism is perpetuated throughout American culture- through the media, language, humor- even greeting cards. We see this in phrases like “over the hill” and “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.” In the International Longevity Center’s 2006 Report on Ageism in America, it was revealed that less two percent of characters on TV are older than 65 and they are usually portrayed in a disrespectful manner, treated with little courtesy and viewed as “bad” (iii). Our older adults constantly receive the message that they’re too old to accomplish, too old to contribute and too old to add value.

Masterpiece Living at Holly Creek is working to defy this notion. We’ve embraced the idea that it’s never too late. Never too late to learn, never too late to contribute, never too late to grow. This is the successful aging culture of Holly Creek. A culture in which residents are empowered to realize their potential. Take our art gallery for example. Some months back, several residents came together to form the Art Committee. They saw the tremendous talent that exists at Holly Creek and knew that it had to be shared. They spearheaded the vision and now we have a wonderful space for our artists to display their work. Being inspired by Neurobics, a brain fitness program by Masterpiece, residents decided they wanted to challenge themselves intellectually. Now several of them have come together to learn the Spanish language. The list could go on and on- a recently formed theater group, resident driven committees, a resident poetry hour, and whole person wellness classes. All inspired by the culture of growth and potential at Holly Creek. Every day, our residents prove that no matter what your age, anything is possible. Age is truly just a number!

(i) Retrieved from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/ageismintro.html
(ii) Masterpiece Living (2006). Your Aging IQ Powerpoint.
(iii) The International Longevity Center (2006). Ageism in America.

Written by Melissa Fisk, Masterpiece Living Lifestyle Coordinator at Holly Creek Retirement Community and The Village Retirement Community

Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate or in your bowl. Choose foods that provide the nutrients you need without too many calories. Build your healthy plate with foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein foods. Try these eating right tips.

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables plus beans and peas. Fresh, frozen and canned vegetables all count. Choose “reduced sodium” or “no-salt-added” canned vegetables. Add fruit to meals and snacks. Buy fruits that are dried, frozen or canned in water or 100% juice, as well as fresh fruits.

Make at least half your grains whole.
Choose 100% whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Also, look for fiber-rich cereals to help stay regular.
Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese.
Older adults need more calcium and vitamin D to help keep bones healthy. Include three servings of fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese each day. If you are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage.

Vary your protein choices.
Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week, such as seafood, nuts, and beans and peas, as well as lean meat, poultry and eggs.
Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars.
Look out for salt (sodium) in foods you buy. Compare sodium in foods and choose those with lower numbers. Add spices or herbs to season food without adding salt.
Make major sources of saturated fats such as desserts, pizza, cheese, sausages and hot dogs occasional choices, not every day foods. Switch from solid fats to oils when preparing food. Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Select fruit for dessert. Eat sugary desserts less often.

Enjoy your food but eat less.
Most older adults need fewer calories than in younger years. Avoid oversized portions. Try using a smaller plate, bowl and glass. Cook more often at home, where you are in control of what’s in your food. When eating out, choose lower calorie menu options. Choose dishes that include vegetables, fruits and whole grains. When portions are large, share a meal or take half home for later. Write down what you eat to keep track of how much you eat.

Be physically active your way.
Pick activities that you like and start by doing what you can. Every bit adds up and health benefits increase as you spend more time being active. If you are currently inactive, start with a few minutes of activity such as walking. Gradually increase the minutes as you become stronger.

Consult a registered dietitian if you have special dietary needs. A registered dietitian can create a customized eating plan for you. Visit www.eatright.org to find a registered dietitian near you.

For a referral to a registered dietitian and for additional food and nutrition information visit www.eatright.org.
This tip sheet is provided by:
Authored by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics staff registered dietitians.Sources: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ADA Complete Food & Nutrition Guide.
©2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Reproduction of this tip sheet is permitted for educational purposes. Reproduction for sales purposes is not authorized.

The state health department issued a “deficiency free” initial report, meaning The Suites at Holly Creek met each and every stringent standard set forth by the state of Colorado and the federal government. Typically Colorado skilled nursing communities receive between 12 and 16 citations.

The 24 skilled nursing care suites are part of Holly Creek Retirement Community located in Centennial near Holly and Arapahoe. Holly Creek is a continuing care retirement community, which offers seniors a full spectrum of living options, including residential, assisted, memory support and skilled care.

By Olivia Mayer

Recipe

Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy of an Illness was diagnosed with a terminal illness but decided to laugh a lot in spite of it. He did just that, and laughed himself into remission and another thirty years of life. Decades ago, when this occurred, we had no idea of why it happened. Now we know that laughter, happiness, or positive attitude…however we want to label it… turbo-charges our immune system and thereby can lower our risk for many serious threats to our health such as heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease. The New England Centenarian Study, in fact, has found that those who reach ages 100 and over most often have such positive attitudes, even in the face of significant impairment.

So why aren’t we all happy? It’s more fun, and now seems to protect us? Well, anyone who hasn’t lived in a cave all his life knows it’s not that easy. Bad things happen, we lose loved ones, the toaster won’t work, people annoy us…sometimes even those who are always happy annoy us, right? So, we’ll try to be happy, smile more, and take deep breaths when that person next to us talks too loud on his cell phone.

But, wait, there’s more we can do to be happy and positive. Here’s how. Most unhappiness and negativity is caused by stress…stress from loss, confrontation, fear. Nearly all stress is self induced….that’s right, self induced. Unless we have a tiger about to make a meal out of us, stress is caused by our mind’s judgment about whatever is happening to us. For example, take

the cell phone guy. We begin to stew about how rude he is, how the younger generation is going to the dogs, how cell phones have made us a bunch of talking heads who really are not communicating at all. You’re now angry, stressed, unhappy, and with a blood pressure and pulse a bit higher. But what if you choose to ignore him, walk away, or ask him to talk more softly? In reality, these are the only three choices you have to resolve any issue. Don’t do any of them and your smile’s upside down and so are your risks of bad things happening.

So what’s the message here? It is…WE CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY. Even though bad things WILL happen (it comes with having a pulse), how you respond is the key. Choose to judge and stew about it, and you’re unhappy, unpopular, and on your way to lower quality life. Choose to accept things as they are, or walk away, or act to change them, and you eliminate stress, and can smile in the face whatever comes your way, and in the process laugh your way to aging more successfully.

Don’t miss the final My Stress Solutions class “Creating Lasting Stress Management Strategies” on Thursday, January 26th at 1:30 p.m. Call 720-266-5611 for more information.

For great tips on stress reduction, check out this article from the Mayo Clinic:
Stress Relievers: Top 10 picks to tame stress

Don’t let stress get you down. Manage it! Learn how at Holly Creek’s My Stress Solution series, developed by Masterpiece Living and the Mayo Clinic.  And, you can take part in this four week program at absolutely no cost.

January 6th at 10:30 a.m.  What Stresses You Out?

January 12th at 1:30 p.m.  Coping With Stress

January 20th at 1:30 p.m. Live Healthy, Prevent Stress

January 26th at 1:30 p.m.  Managing Stress Every Day

Call today to reserve your spot for this four week series. Space is limited. 720.266.5611

The holiday season is upon us. The days are shorter, the weather cooler, and holiday stress, excess winter weight gain and overall disruption in balance is lurking right around the corner. Yet it is never too late to devise a proactive plan to navigate the holiday frenzy. Consider the following five tips…

Tip #1: Give the gift of health. If you plan to give the gift of food, why give sugar and fat-laden fare when you can give a healthy gift instead? Consider a gift from Edible Arrangements (www.ediblearrangements.com), The Healthy Basket (www.thehealthybasket.com) or create your own basket filled with fresh, seasonal produce and a healthy cookbook. Intellectually stimulating gifts such as puzzles, games and books are also great ideas. Likewise, consider spiritual gifts such as candles and soothing bath soaps help to promote relaxation. As a resident, you can purchase a gift certificate for a Spa day at Holly Creek which includes a massage by Holly Creek’s massage therapists, getting a new hair-do at the Grand Mesa hair salon and enjoying a tasty lunch in the Heritage Grill.

Tip #2: Ditch the all or nothing mentality. If you over-indulge in a high calorie meal, balance it out with increased physical activity and get back on track the next day. Dine in the Centennial’s restaurant and enjoy Filet Mignon, garlic mash potatoes, a glass of Merlot and Crème Brule for dinner. The next day swim a few laps in the pool and challenge yourself at the Life Moves exercise class and for lunch enjoy an entrée from our Flavors 450 menu (450 calories or less).

Tip #3: Get engaged. Remember the many health benefits of social connectivity, and attend your holiday events ready to expand your social circle. Take advantage of all the opportunities to engage with friends, family and neighbors. Deepen your connections by starting new traditions with new friends. While you’re at a party, if you have the opportunity, dance like nobody is watching. At Holly Creek you can enjoy our social hour in the bistro every Friday and attend our festive New Years Eve party.

Tip #4: Find your Stress Solution. Participate in My Stress Solution being offered in January at Holly Creek and engage in other activities that help you to find your balance. Yoga, Tai Chi and massage are some examples of stress managing activities. Reduce your stress with a relaxing massage in the Clear Creek Spa or calm your mind with the Tai Chi class on Thursdays and then relax with friends over a cup of coffee in the Bistro.

Tip #5: Welcome the New Year with a plan to challenge yourself physically, socially, spiritually and intellectually. Move to Holly Creek and take advantage of all Masterpiece Living has to offer. Take the Lifestyle Review to evaluate your physical, spiritual, social and intellectual health. Receive a customized report to guide you in how you’d like to spend your time. Masterpiece offers a wide variety of educational programs as well as an individual coaching session to help you achieve your successful aging goals. Move to Holly Creek and thrive!

May 2012 be a Masterpiece, filled with growth and potential!

Roger Landry, M.D., M.P.H.

The famous actor, John Barrymore, once said, “We’re old when our regrets outweigh our dreams.”  So when is it too late to dream and try to improve ourselves?  The answer is NEVER!  The MacArthur Foundation Study on Aging and subsequent research concluded that it was indeed never too late to make a significant difference in our lives.   Since most of how we age is determined by the choices we make, it only requires us to make some good choices in order to improve our lives and to age successfully.

Nola Ochs recently received her bachelor’s degree at age 95 and is now considering a master’s degree.   The oldest man to climb Mount Everest was 71.  Helen Green wrote her first e-mail at age 95.  Frank Shearer celebrated his 100th birthday by water skiing in Mexico.  Harry Bernstein began writing at 91 and published his first book at age 95.  The list of inspirational accomplishments by people who refused to “act their age,” is fortunately getting longer.  Your own list doesn’t have to include world records, only personal hopes and dreams.

“Acting our age” basically means we accept as true the stereotype that aging is mostly about decline.  In communities with a Masterpiece Living culture, we believe that older adults can continue to grow as long as they have a pulse.  This belief is manifested by our commitment to looking at our lives and using feedback from the Mayo Clinic and other sources to determine what we need to do physically, mentally, socially and spiritually to be the best we can be . . . to age successfully.

So, what is it you always wanted to do but never got around to it?  Music? Another language?  Travel?  Maybe just a garden?  Whatever it is, be confident, give it a try.   What have you got to lose at this point?  Besides, you have neighbors who probably have experience in whatever you want to do.  Ask them.  George Eliot said, “It’s never too late to become what you might have been.”

To learn more about our Masterpiece Living at Holly Creek call us at 303-713-9004.

Living It by Masterpiece Living is a 3-week campaign to inspire and challenge yourself in new ways. Try new activities, meet people, stimulate your brain! Each week focuses on the physical, intellectual or spiritual aspects of wellness.

ACTIVE MINDS: Current Events Discussion – September 12th at 3:00 p.m.   Learn about Pakistan, the precarious nuclear nation. Created in 1947 from the partitioning of British Colonial territories in South Asia, Pakistan has experienced decades of conflict with India. More recently, it has endured internal conflict between its secular government and the rising tide of Taliban-led Islamic fundamentalism. As a long-time U.S. ally, Pakistan has been considered a key in the war on terror.

ACTIVE MINDS: Music Appreciation – September 14th at 1:30 p.m.                         Travel musically to Jolly Old England to explore the folk and courtly roots of British music. Listen, learn and discuss the progress of concert music from Handel in the Baroque era through   Elgar, Vaugh-Williams and Britten; into the first decades of the 20th century. No experience necessary.

SUPER FOODS: Avocados & Tomatoes – September 22nd at 2:00 p.m.              Join Chef Edis and discover the power within tomatoes and avocados, two true super foods. Learn why the fat in avocado is good for you  and how the micronutrients, vitamins and antioxidants in tomatoes work together to ward off cancer, heart disease and other ailments.

FALL PREVENTION WORKSHOP: September 23rd at 9:45 p.m.                               One of the biggest identified fears in the senior population is falling. This hands-on informational  workshop will help you recognize and avoid potential hazards and identify some of the mistakes we make that cause us to fall. You’ll also learn an easy to remember and empowering checklist of what to do if a fall occurs.

STRESS & RELAXATION TECHNIQUES: September 30th at 1:30 p.m.                      In this instructional workshop, you’ll learn how breathing in certain  ways is one of the major stress relieving weapons we have in our arsenal. Join Hans Houtman, local psychotherapist and yoga instructor, to hear the science behind meditation and stress relief. Simple relaxation techniques such as meditation and chair yoga can improve the quality of your daily life.

Attend one or all Living It sessions – space is limited so call today! 

720-266-5611

The basic science of brain growth indicates that two major things happen across the lifespan within the brain. First, your basic brain network – all those nerves that make up the brain – constantly change, depending on how they are stimulated. Lots of stimulation leads to nerves with lots of branches that connect to other nerves in the brain. This network of connections is made more dense or sparse, depending on how you interact with your environment. Second, you produce approximately 10,000 new brain cells (neurons) every day. These can replace lost neurons, add to the density of parts of the brain, or just be lost and reabsorbed and broken down, never to contribute to your mental ability.

How can you manage this critical part of your aging? How can you take advantage of this ever changing process of building and breaking down the brain? First, believe you do have control over a significant part of your mental ability over time. Then, begin (or continue) an exercise program. The brain needs blood and oxygen in large quantity, and the only way to increase the amount of blood and oxygen you pump to the brain is with exercise. In addition to feeding hungry brain cells, the extra blood and oxygen, offers another important benefit: stimulating the production of brain growth hormones, in particular Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF). This chemical acts like “Miracle Grow” for the brain, enabling existing neurons to branch and make more connections, and helps new brain cells become more permanent. A newly discovered protein, “Noggin” (I am not kidding) is produced when you exercise, and it directly influences stem cells in your brain to make new neurons. So, to speed up the replacement of lost brain cells, exercise is one of the most important things you can do.

The second thing you need to do to keep all those new brain cells, and to continue to make your existing cells branch more, is to do complex, novel things. Such activities can include: learning a language, learning to play an instrument, learning a new brain game, etc. When you make your brain intellectually uncomfortable, and do so for an extended time every day, you create the need for changing your brain. And, your brain does change by increasing the density of its interconnections, and plugging in new cells where needed.

The outcome of your efforts will produce the best brain that is possible for you. Continue to challenge yourself with both physical tasks that make your heart pump lots of blood, and challenge your brain to solve complex, novel things, and you will be the proud owner of a dense brain. That is the best science can tell us at this time, and it is the best you can do for yourself at all stages of life.

Join Holly Creek for a 6 week series on Neurobics starting Friday, August 5th at 1:30 p.m. Call 303-713-9004 for more details!