Friends Homes Celebrates 65 Years of Continuing Care
In a year where Friends Homes will complete another community expansion, it’s notable to look back and honor the 65 years of growth dedicated to the enrichment of the lives of our residents. With a vision for a community with exceptional values, Seth Hinshaw saw a need and was instrumental in the creation of Friends
Friends Homes has implemented a Grant Program to help support the mission. The mission of Friends Homes: Guided by Quaker values, Friends Homes offers a Life Plan Community that encourages a sense of wholeness, wellness, purpose and security at a fair cost, so that each resident may live a fulfilling life. With those guidelines, the
During the week of October 3, 2002, the residents of Friends Homes participated in the Brightspire Olympics. Over the course of the week, participants were able to travel to Brightspire communities: River Landing at Sandy Ridge, Glenaire, and Scotia Village. Beginning in 2008, the Brightspire Olympics engages residents to participate in physical activity and friendly
Dick and Lita Swanson are all set to move into Friends Homes this October. Although they have to wait just a little while longer for their new townhome to be completed, they’re positive it will be well worth the wait. “It’s about peace of mind,” says Lita. “We’re ready to be done with yard work
5 Ways Family Reunions Can Be Good For Your Health
Cathy Harper-Hogan, M.D., never misses a chance at family gatherings to bug everyone about their health. “I’ve got this captive audience, and what better way to teach them than taking blood pressures, showing them a scale of what’s considered good blood pressures and bad blood pressures, and then giving them some education in terms of,
Life in the 2020s has been rough, with waves of COVID-19 and other world-disrupting crises coming one after another. We all could use a little cheer right now. Luckily, daily opportunities for joy are there for the taking, experts in the art of happier living say. “We often view happiness as this kind of passive experience … determined by
Future resident, Crispin (Cris) Schamp and his wife, Margery Knott, are looking forward to moving into their new cottage at Friends Homes this August. And according to Cris, he’s bringing his passion for cycling and fixing up bicycles with him. Cris got into cycling in his 20s when he rode across the United States from
When you visit your grandchildren, do you find they spend more time with their Xboxes than with a book? It wouldn’t be surprising: The percentage of American kids ages 9 to 13 who say they read for fun almost daily has plunged, according to a 2019-2020 survey by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. About
The dining venues of Friends Homes may be quite different than the intense competition of the Great Food Truck Race. But that suits Nick Hunter just fine. The Friends Homes Senior Executive Chef shares his experience in the competition and in the kitchen. Back in 2017, Nick was part of a three-chef food truck team
Falling asleep at this time may protect your heart
The time you go to bed may affect your risk for heart disease. In fact, researchers say, there is a heart health sweet spot for falling asleep: from 10 to 11 p.m. An analysis of data from more than 88,000 adults tracked for around six years revealed a 12 percent greater risk among those who
10 superfoods for older adults: you are what you eat!
The adage is true: to stay healthy you need to eat right. But that advice becomes especially important over time. Seniors in particular need to eat a variety of healthy foods to maintain strength, bone mass and cognitive function. The good news is that there are lots of tasty superfoods that can help you do just
Elwood and Ellen Parker appeared in this e-newsletter in early 2020 as Friends Homes residents of the future. At the time, they were looking forward to moving into one of the new townhomes that was being built as part of the community’s expansion. Construction hadn’t even broken ground yet back then. However, the Parkers were
Maybe you’ve been sedentary for months or have held off on exercise because of the pain in your knees. Or maybe you walk most days of the week but want to up your game a little and tone your arms, too. We’ve gathered tips from fitness gurus on how to beef up your fitness regimen, whether you’re
Social Security recipients projected to receive 6% increase next year
With inflation on the rise, Social Security recipients will get a raise next year. The question is, how much? The latest estimate from The Senior Citizens League, an advocacy group, predicts a cost of living adjustment (COLA) of between 6% and 6.1%. The estimate came as the latest consumer price index data was released Tuesday. The increase
Ruth and Randall Jobe moved to Friends Homes West on Valentine’s Day in 2020. Less than a month later, the pandemic caused the community to shut down much of the social activities and dining rooms. But that turned out to have a silver lining. Although it was a hard time to move, the pause in
Friends Homes Capital Campaign building “Bridges to the Future”
The Capital Campaign for Friends Homes has already gotten a fast start toward reaching its goal, both financially and physically. Sarah Barker, our Associate Director of Development, shares how the campaign is allowing the community to more fully achieve its mission. The campaign’s goal, through charitable giving, initially started out to raise $1 million. Eighty
While staying safe at a gym took on a whole new meaning during the pandemic, if you’re thinking about getting back to a fitness regimen this summer, you’ll be wise to consider the more pedestrian dangers involving treadmills and bench presses — especially if you’re over 50. Exercise-related visits to the ER topped 107,000 for those
Perhaps it’s late at night; you’re watching a video online or listening to a podcast and need to have the sound on your computer low so you won’t disturb the person in another room trying to sleep. Did you know that you now can turn on “live captions” to read what’s on the screen for
Circle of Friends: Older Adults’ Friendships Linked to Stronger Emotional Well-Being
A recent study published in The Journals of Gerontology highlighted how everyday contact with friends may be linked to higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction in later years. Specifically, the study examined whether encounters with friends over the course of the day resulted in more pleasantness, less discussion about stressful experiences, and better mood, compared to
Art has been part of Diana Clark’s life for as long as she can remember. And the 16-year Friends Homes resident still creates new works of art as often as she can. Her apartment in Friends Homes Guilford is a treasure trove of her paintings along with works by other artists. Over the years, she
Exercise helps reduce cognitive decline in older consumers, study finds
A new study conducted by researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center explored the brain benefits associated with getting regular exercise. According to their findings, exercise led to better blood flow to the brain for older consumers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). “This is part of a growing body of evidence linking exercises with brain health,” said researcher Rong Zhang, Ph.D. “We’ve shown for the
Are Today’s Seniors “Younger” Than Previous Generations?
You’ve heard the phrase, “You’re only as old as you feel.” There is mounting evidence that, to a large extent, this cliché isn’t too far off. In several different studies, researchers have explored the difference between people’s chronological age (their age based on the number of trips they’ve made around the sun) and their subjective
At 82, you might think Wyn Hrdlicka is ready to slow down. However, one look at her schedule and you know she has no plans to take it easy any time soon. “I just got back from class,” says Wyn. “One of my students dropped me off.” The class Wyn is referring to is a
What defines a romantic gesture is as distinctive as any relationship. Sweeping gestures of love may be important to some couples, but everyday kindnesses might be the language of affection for others. This Valentine’s Day, amid a pandemic, many people are putting more stock in celebrating the simple pleasures of being with someone they love. Here’s a
Open communication keeps vaccinations going smoothly
Ted Lide is feeling good, not just about his health, but about how well the Friends Homes community is protecting staff and residents from COVID-19. As current president of the residents’ association at Friends Homes West, Ted offered his take on the effort to get residents vaccinated as well as what life has been like
We love to think about decluttering and organizing. But we don’t always love to do it. Last year, people binge-watched The Home Edit on Netflix to see pantries and bookshelves organized in a rainbow of colors and messy garages and bedrooms transformed. In the past, people have Marie Kondo–ed their closets and drawers by tossing items that don’t
Want to Avoid Fraud? Start by Getting Your Eyes and Ears Checked
Older people who have been victims of financial exploitation have much poorer hearing and marginally weaker eyesight than those who have not been ripped off, a new study out of the University of Southern California found. However, what’s encouraging to lead investigator Duke Han, a psychologist and professor at the university’s Keck School of Medicine,
Extra Credit: The Cognitive Benefits of Lifelong Learning for Older Adults
What happens when older adults go back to school? Researchers investigated the cognitive benefits of coursework for older adults in a study that earned a 2020 Silver Innovative Research on Aging Award. In two interventions, researchers examined how learning multiple real-world skills impacts older adults’ cognitive health. The aim was to mimic the course load of
