April 2014
Judson Courier
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Celebrating
April
Lawn and Garden Month
Humor Month
Welding Month
Laugh at Work Week
April 1–7
Volunteer Week
April 6–13
Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
April 2
World Rat Day
April 4
Teflon Day
April 6
Take a Wild Guess Day
April 15
Earth Day
April 22
Talk Like Shakespeare Day
April 23
International Jazz Day
April 30
From the Executive Director’s Desk
We’re so happy Spring is finally here! I just wanted
to take a moment in this month’s newsletter to
address some of the common questions asked by
our residents and staff, as well as to update you on
upcoming news.
The curtains and blinds for the resident common
areas will be installed starting next week into the
following week to make our space more homelike and reduce glare.
Further, we are currently hunting for the perfect clock to go in the
dining room, as was suggested by residents.
A significant donation has been made to Judson Meadows for a
meditation room/chapel, which is currently being planned. The
location is across the hall from the private dining room. It will be
very calming, and peaceful – with a soft color palate and soft lighting.
The colors, fabrics, lighting, and furniture have been chosen and are
being ready to be ordered. Construction will begin once the items
arrive. We are very excited to be able to offer this to the residents
and their families should they wish to utilize the space. It will also
serve as a perfect location for church services and meditative
activities programming. It will be available at all hours.
Baptist and Judson Meadows are currently meeting to plan a
Strawberry Festival for June so we can invite members of the
community to interact and visit Judson Meadows, as well as having
fun activities, vendors, foods and entertainers.
Thank Christine for the Baby Grand you now see in seating area
located off of the lobby. Through hard work and searching, Christine
has obtained something that will be an asset to Judson Meadows as
well as a beautiful way to entertain the residents and invite
performers. Thank you Christine for your dedication to providing
activities and opportunities to the residents of Judson Meadows.
There will be further information sent out soon as we will have Dr.
Kirk Panneton will be speaking at the end of the month on a topic
applicable for seniors.
Lastly, we are happy to now be able to offer podiatry services
through Dr. Gines, who also sees residents at Baptist Nursing Home.
I’m looking forward to the warmer months ahead, and all of your
smiling faces as we continue on through our first year at Judson
Meadows together, and as the warmer weather brings us outside to
our beautiful pergola and patio area!
April 2014
A Fool’s Errand
It is a strange tradition that on April 1 we celebrate the
practice of making others look foolish through tricks and
practical jokes. But April Fools’ Day, or All Fools Day as it’s
sometimes called, is boisterously celebrated through-out the
world as an unofficial holiday.
There is confusion surrounding the origins of April Fools’ Day.
Some believe it sprang from the ancient Roman festival of
Hilaria, which celebrated the arrival of spring with silly
masquerade parties. Another belief is that it developed out of
the medieval celebration known as the Feast of Fools. On this
December holiday, common folk and young people were
allowed to become popes, archbishops, and bishops for a day.
The social order was turned upside down, and power was
handed over to those who did not have much. These people
took names such as “Lord of Misrule” and “Pope of Fools.”
But how did two separate celebrations, one in March and the
other in December, turn into the holiday celebrated on April
1? Some think April Fools’ Day became official when Pope
Gregory XIII established his new Gregorian calendar in 1582.
This new calendar ordered that New Year’s Day be changed
to January 1. While many adopted this change, some refused
and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1. As a
result, these traditionalists became the butt of jokes every
April 1.
In France, someone who is tricked is called a poisson d’avril, or
“April fish.” Victims are humiliated by unknowingly having a
paper fish taped to their back. In the United Kingdom, joking
traditionally ceases at midday, and anyone playing a joke after
noon is a fool themselves. Iranians have been playing pranks
on April 1 since the year 536 BC, which makes Iran's holiday of
Sizdah Bedar the oldest pranking holiday in the world.
How long have you been at Judson Meadows?
Judson Meadows was still under construction when I came
on board. I started in August 2013. Our office was located in
Family Practice behind Baptist. We had this small office that
five of us shared. We were packed like sardines in that
office. How we would laugh! They are some of my fondest
memories.
What do you do when you aren't working?
Many things, depends on the season. I love the outdoors. In
the winter, I cross-country ski. Spring, Summer & Fall, I try
to hike, bike, and horseback ride. Every Sunday, I take care
of a barn full of horses. I have this need to be outside and be
in touch with nature. When I am in touch with nature, it
quiets my mind and brings peace to my heart. I always find
the time to spend with my family, companion, and friends.
What do you find most rewarding about working here?
The opportunity to serve our elderly. It is important to me
that they feel safe, and cared for. I am here to help them in
any way that I can.
What do you find most challenging?
Being able to touch base with all of my coworkers about
what is going on each day. It is often such a busy
environment, and sometimes we don’t all see each other.
Since I am the person who is addressed first, I always try to
be aware of the daily comings and goings.
What is the best thing that’s happened since you began
working here?
The people that I work with. Each person brings a unique
personality to the table.
Employee
Spotlight:
What advice would you give to someone looking to work
in this field?
You have to be patient and caring. Definitely patient! It’s
not your agenda, it’s theirs.
Front Desk
Receptionist/
Marketing Assistant
What do you wish other people knew about Judson
Meadows?
That we are open. It’s amazing that there are people in our
community that ask me “when did you open?”
Darlene Wells
What inspired you to
work in the health
care field?
I wasn’t really looking
for a job in the health
care field. I was
working in the banking
industry at the time,
and when I had the opportunity to help the elderly it gave
me a great feeling of satisfaction. Listening to that inner
voice, I decided to do some research with the help of a
career counselor. The more I looked into the many facets
of Senior Care, I knew that I could find my niche and
pursue a new career.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
People are always surprised to hear that I was a smoker
once. It’s because I am so heath conscious.
What do you think sets us apart from other communities
in the area?
The love and commitment we have towards each other and
our residents.
How would you describe your role in the Judson Meadows
community?
My title is Receptionist/Marketing Assistant. I feel I wear
many hats. I would describe myself as the “go to girl” Have a
problem? Come to the front desk. I will either figure it out, or
find the right person to help.
April 2014
The Best Policy
You may find that April 4 goes against your moral
code, for it’s Tell a Lie Day. Many ethical people
live by the credo “Always tell the truth.” But do
we? Researchers have discovered that most
everyone tells untruths, and we tell lies for several
reasons. Sometimes we lie to gain other peoples’
respect or to cover up for making mistakes. The
good news is that most people lie to spare
another’s feelings from being hurt. If people chose
to always be honest regardless of the
consequences, then that honesty could possibly
lead to injury or harm. Compassion may
sometimes override honesty.
Lucky, then, that April 30 is Honesty Day.
Certainly, honesty can sometimes hurt, but it also
takes courage and maturity to be honest in
difficult situations. Furthermore, staying honest
attracts other honest people to you. When you
are surrounded by the truth, you can be your
authentic self. The freedom that comes with
honesty is worth celebrating!
Tit-for-Tat
While a handkerchief, table runner, doily, or collar
made of intricate knotted lace appears nearly
impossible to construct, the art of tatting is easy to
learn. All you need to start tatting is thread, a
shuttle (a small device that helps guide a silk
thread through loops into knots), and your two
hands. Give it a try on April 1, International Tatting
Day.
Perhaps this decorative
art form grew from the
netting and ropework
handmade by sailors
and fishermen of olden
times. Tatting became
fashionable
in
the
1800s and enjoyed a
surge in popularity during the 1950s and 1960s.
Technology has usurped the handiwork required
to make tatted lace, making handmade tatting
more appreciated than ever.
Playing for Keeps
All April long, opponents will
throwing their knuckles
down. This isn’t anything
sinister. “Knuckles down” is
position you assume before
shooting in a classic game of
marbles. So this April,
Knuckles Down Month, you
can play for keeps.
be
the
too
The classic game of marbles is called “ringer.” Two
parallel lines, called lag lines, are drawn 10 feet away
from each other. A large 10-foot circle is drawn
between the lag lines. In the middle of the circle is a
cross made of 13 target marbles, or “mibs.” To
determine who plays first, each player “lags” from one
lag line to the other; that is, they toss their “shooter”
marble to the opposite line. The player whose shooter
lands closest to the lag line goes first.
Play starts by knuckling down along the edge of the ring
and using your thumb to cast your shooter at the mibs
inside. The object is to knock a mib outside the circle
while keeping your shooter inside. You next knuckle
down inside the ring where your shooter landed. If you
fail to knock out a mib, then it is your opponent’s turn.
The first player to knock out a majority of marbles wins,
and it’s up to you to determine whether to play for fair
(return all marbles to their original owners) or play for
keeps (the winner keeps all the marbles.)
Cellular History
On April 3, 1973,
Motorola employee
Martin Cooper stood
on a New York City
street corner and
made the first cellular
phone call to a
colleague at Bell Labs in New Jersey. Unlike the first
telegraph message (“What hath God wrought”) or the first
telephone conversation (“Watson, come here. I want to see
you”), Cooper’s words are forgotten. His device, however, is
now everywhere thanks to a purchase price far below the
original price tag of $3,995.
April 2014
Slow Motion
April 12 is Slow Art Day. No, this
doesn’t mean it’s a day to draw
pictures of turtles or molasses. It’s
a day to spend some quality time
with
art,
pondering
the
composition, and inspecting them
for many minutes at a time.
For some, staring at a work of art
for 10 minutes or more may
present a challenge. But Phil Terry,
the founder of the slow art concept, discovered something
highly rewarding when he spent hours studying two
paintings in a New York City art museum one afternoon. He
realized he did not have to be a professional art critic to
understand and appreciate art.
How does looking slowly at a piece of art heighten the
experience of viewing art? In the good old days, the
expert craftsmanship of products was appreciated.
Modern culture places an emphasis on mass production,
often at the hands of unskilled craftspeople or in
mechanized factories. One of the major benefits of slow
art is appreciating the amazing expert craftsmanship it
takes to make a work of art. Slowly looking at art allows
us to appreciate each brushstroke, the choice of
materials, the step-by-step process of creating a work of
art. With this heightened awareness of craftsmanship
comes a deeper emotional connection to the artwork.
Museums around the world have embraced the slow art
movement, and on April 12, many will offer tours that
visit only a few works of art. These tours end with lunch,
where visitors can discuss what they saw and how the
art affected them. But Terry is quick to point out that
Slow Art Day isn’t confined to just museums. Taking the
time to appreciate art can happen anywhere, from
sculpture gardens to city parks to historic houses. In
essence, Terry is simply repeating the old maxim “Stop
and smell the roses.” These roses just happen to be in a
museum.
In the Good Old Days
In April 1970:
The average income was $8,734. The average new house
cost $26,600. A dozen eggs were $0.62, and a gallon of
milk cost $1.15. ($1 in 1970 = $5.58 today)
In April 1985:
The average income was $64,600. The average new
house cost $100,800. A dozen eggs were $.80, and a
gallon of milk cost $2.26. ($1 in 1985 = $2.17 today)
The Future Is Now
From April 5–13, science and
technology geeks will gather for
RoboWeek 2014 to explore the
future of robots and their useful
place in society. Robots have long
fascinated humans. Leonardo da
Vinci may have been the first to
envision a human-like robot. The
original Renaissance man, da Vinci
was a painter, sculptor, inventor, and
engineer. He sketched his idea of a “mechanical knight”
and engineered a suit of armor that could be moved by
a system of pulleys and levers.
When does a simple machine become a robot? Robots
often possess computers that enable them to sense the
environment and react accordingly. Also, they are able
to move, either by themselves or via remote control. In
these ways, robots are truly intelligent machines. From
R2-D2 and C-3PO of Star Wars to Rosie the robot maid
in The Jetsons, robots have become an integral part of
our vision of the future.
The word robot first appeared in 1920, when the Czech
writer Karel Capek wrote a play about a factory that
makes human-like android workers. The word robot in
Czech means “serf labor,” “drudgery,” and “hard work.”
Today, companies are beginning to manufacture
intelligent machines that perform many laborious
household tasks. For example, the Roomba is a floorcleaning robot about the size and shape of a round cake
that moves inde-pendently around the room sucking up
dirt. Sure, it may get stuck under the couch or miss
some dirt in the corner, but it could make vacuums
obsolete. A similar lawn-mowing robot, the Automower,
cuts lawns by itself. Sensors keep it from running into
lawn furniture, flowers, or pets. There are even robots
with arms that can feed people with disabilities, and
soft pillows with robot arms inside that can be remotely
directed to contract, hugging whoever is holding the
pillow.
CHECK OUT THE VITAMIN D IN
THESE FOODS:
Fatty Fish
Fortified Mushrooms
150-800 IU per 3 ounces 400 IU per 3 ounces
Egg Yolks
25 IU per yolk
Fortified Milk
100 IU per one cup
Beef Liver
46 IU per 3.5 ounces
Fortified Yogurt
80 IU per 6 ounces
VitamIn D
the Sunshine Vitamin
Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin” because it is
produced in the skin by ultraviolet rays (UV) from sunlight.
Over the last decade, the health impact of this important
vitamin has been overlooked. Today, research shows that
inadequate amounts of vitamin D can potentially have serious
health effects. How can you make sure that you are getting
enough vitamin D?
Role in Health
Vitamin D is important for bone health and plays a critical role
in calcium absorption and preventing osteoporosis. Before the
U.S. milk supply was fortified with vitamin D, children often
suffered from rickets, a condition where the bones become
soft and bend. As research develops, the role that vitamin D
plays in preventing disease is becoming clearer. The vitamin
appears to reduce pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia, and
improve muscle strength and coordination. Vitamin D is also
thought to play a role in preventing certain cancers, diabetes,
hypertension, heart attacks and stroke. It may also preserve
thinking and memory, protect against depression and even
12
prevent and treat multiple sclerosis , .
Are You “D”-Pleted?
Today, people spend less time in the sun. When they are in
the sun, they use plenty of sunscreen to block the harmful rays
that can cause skin cancer. Unfortunately, this can also block
the vitamin D that your skin produces. Where you live in the
country and what season it is can also impact the amount of
vitamin D your body might produce. Between the months of
November - February, people who live in areas of the U.S. that
are north of Atlanta, GA do not make enough vitamin D due to
3
limited winter sun exposure . People with dark skin are also at
risk due to the higher SPF (sun protection factor) of their skin.
If that weren’t enough cause for concern, there are only a few
foods that naturally contain vitamin D. Fortified foods provide
most of the vitamin D in American diets. The recommended
intake of vitamin D is 200 IU (international units) for adults 19
– 50 years old; however many experts suggest that this level
1
should be increased to 1000 IU daily .
What Can You
Do?
The most important
step you can take is
to ask your doctor
to
check
your
vitamin D level.
Emerging research
suggests that your
serum vitamin D
should be greater
than 30 ng/ml. It is
recommended to
have sun exposure
on your arms and
legs for at least 1015
minutes, twice per
week, before applying
sunscreen.
Consuming at least
2 servings of milk or
yogurt daily in
addition to taking a
multivitamin and
1000 IU of supplemental vitamin D
will also help you
maintain optimal
levels of vitamin D.
References: Holick MF. Vitamin
D Deficiency. N Engl J Med.
2007;357:266-81. PierrotDeseilligny C. Clinical implications of a possible role of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis. J
Neurol. 2009;256(9):1468-79.
Epub 2009 Apr 28. Scragg R,
Camargo CA. Frequency of
Leisure-Time Physical Activity
and Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin
D Levels in the US Population:
Results from the Third National
Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey. Am. J.
Epidemiol. 2008;168 (6): 577586.
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service.
USDA Nutrient Database for
Standard Reference. Release
22, 2009.
Written by Lisa Roberson, RD,
LD.
Published November 2010.
April 2014
Birds of a Feather
April Birthdays
Many have heard of the
Audubon Society and know
it as an environmental
organization dedicated to
studying and preserving
birds and their natural
habitats. This organization
is named after John James
Audubon,
the
FrenchAmerican painter of birds
who dedicated his life to his unique art. His
birthday, April 26, is now celebrated as Audubon
Day.
If you were born between April 1–19, you are Aries,
the Ram. These independent adventurers like to
strike out on their own and are natural leaders. Their
enthusiasm and confidence give them big and
outgoing personalities. Those born between April
20–30 are Bulls of Taurus. Bulls show a steady
persistence in endeavors both professional and
personal, and after working hard, like to reward
themselves for a job well done.
Audubon showed an affinity for birds starting in
childhood. He spent hours roaming the
countryside, collecting birds’ nests and eggs,
drawing them once he returned home. Audubon’s
father was a sailor, so John James went to military
school. However, he suffered from seasickness
and so returned to the woods.
In 1803, the Napoleonic Wars broke out in France.
Audubon’s father obtained a fake passport and
sent John James to America to avoid the war. It
was at his family’s farm in Pennsylvania that
Audubon devoted himself full-time to the
outdoors: hunting, fishing, and drawing birds.
Audubon was obsessed with birds. In an effort to
study their habits, he tied string around their legs
to see if they returned year after year. He learned
the art of taxidermy and worked in natural
museums. But his greatest contribution to
ornithology was his brilliant book Birds of
America. He dedicated his life to drawing every
single bird in America. His style was new and
different: a highly detailed drawing of each bird,
more accurate than ever before. His drawings
were life-sized, with pages over three feet tall and
two feet wide. After 14 years of traveling the
entire country, Audubon drew over 700 species of
birds. Birds of America is often considered the
greatest picture book ever made, and original
copies have sold for over 10 million dollars.
How’s that for a nest egg?
JOHN J. – April 23rd
MARY G. – April 27th
Emmylou Harris (musician) – April 2, 1947
Marlon Brando (actor) – April 3, 1924
James D. Watson (scientist) – April 6, 1928
Beverly Cleary (author) – April 12, 1916
James Franco (actor) – April 19, 1978
Queen Elizabeth II (royalty) – April 21, 1926
Barbra Streisand (entertainer) – April 24, 1942
Kelly Clarkson (singer) – April 24, 1982
Jay Leno (comedian) – April 28, 1950
Duke Ellington (pianist) – April 29, 1899
Breaking the Color Barrier
On April 15, 1947, Jackie
Robinson played his first
major league baseball game
with the Brooklyn Dodgers
against the Boston Braves in
front of a crowd of 25,000
spectators at Ebbets Field in
Brooklyn. This marked the
first moment that an African
American played a sport in any of the major
sports leagues.
Robinson did not get a hit that day, but he was
awarded the first ever Rookie of the Year title
that same year. In 1949, he was named the
National League’s Most Valuable Player. The
next year, he became the Dodgers’ highest paid
player with a salary of $35,000. In 1955,
Robinson led the Dodgers to a World Series
victory over the New York Yankees. A perennial
All-Star and Hall of Famer, Robinson’s number
42 was retired by all of baseball on April 15,
1997.