Help for IBS April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month, and time to realize that IBS actually is a constellation of symptoms,

not a specific disease. It afflicts mostly women, with one in seven Americans experiencing IBS symptoms—constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, painful cramping and mucous in the stool.

Symptoms do come and go throughout life and often worsen with age. Several factors account for this. Older adults face life-changing events such as retirement, relocation, death of a spouse and illness, which can compromise immunity and trigger flare-ups. Aging digestive systems tend to be more sensitive and less efficient. Older adults also tend to take multiple medications, which can upset digestion. Aging abdominal muscles also tend to weaken, compromising placement of the large intestines.

To manage IBS, consider these strategies: • Eat healthy, regular meals—especially breakfast—to promote regularity.

• Avoid simple carbohydrates like sugar and fructose corn syrup. Also avoid substances that can trigger diarrhea, such as chocolate and Sorbitol, a sweetener used gum and candy confections.

• Eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and take Metamucil to make sure you get enough fiber.

• Perform Kegel exercises to maintain proper positioning of organs in the abdominal region.

IBS symptoms are very similar to those experienced by individuals with colon cancer and Crohn’s Disease, so it’s very important to get regularly tested for these.

April 2014

This year, we embark upon an exciting

journey for our community. In caring for

residents in Memory Support, we are

moving away from a traditional model of

medical-style care to a culture that supports

flexibility and social engagement. This

means that residents will be supported and

encouraged to awaken on their own, eat what

they want when they want, and engage in

activities they enjoy—regardless of what the

calendar or clock may say. Called Person

Centered Care, this new approach has been

shown to promote independence, lessen

depression and reduce incidence of falls.

In deciding to make this change, members of

the Smith Village team asked ourselves,

“How would people want to live at home?

What would help them to thrive?”

Person Centered Care works best when staff

members regularly assist the same residents

each day. This pairing naturally fosters

strong and warm relationships. It also

translates to better care and quality of life for

all Smith Village residents.

Although we’ve only just begun this journey,

already we are seeing residents act more

independently and become more engaged.

We look forward to sharing more of these

wonderful strides in upcoming issues!

Join us in celebrating our progress!

Marti Jatis

Executive Director

Happy Easter Celebrations Egg Artistry Thursday, April 17—1 p.m. Main Dining Room

Try your creative hand at decorating Easter Eggs. Easter Brunch Sunday, April 20—11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main Dining Room Invite family to join you for Easter Brunch. Reserva-tions are required and may be made by calling ext. 7330. Cost is $18.95 per person, limit 12. Look for Easter Brunch menus posted in the Main Dining Room.

Starting a New Journey

Easter Egg Hunt & Bunny Photo Op Saturday, April 12 1p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Community Hall

Bring baskets to gather eggs and treats at our Easter Egg Hunt. Pose with your family for keepsake photos with the Easter Bunny compliments of Marquette Bank. All are welcome.

News to Consider

With advancing age, people often focus more on spiritual matters. The good news is that recognizing the value of spirituality in your life may even improve your chances of living longer. Of 4,000 people tracked for four years in a Duke University study, those who worshipped regularly experienced a lower mortality rate. Another Duke University study of 1,700 older Americans found that those who attended religious services had stronger

immune responses.

Supporting these findings, the National Institutes of Health associates religious involvement and spirituality with better health outcomes that include: increased longevity, improved coping skills, and reduced anxiety and depression—even when dealing with terminal illness. While the exact source of inspiration may vary greatly among individuals, experiencing some form of spiritual connection can provide valuable

benefits.

After the disruption of World War I and amid the exuberance of the Roaring Twenties, Susie Woodman resumed her innovative plan to establish a home for older adults where Smith Village stands today. Originally called Oakhaven Old People’s Home, this retirement community welcomed its first residents on May 1, 1924. Please join us in celebrating our 90th anniversary on Friday, May 2. Look for details later this month.

Give Thanks to Mother Earth By Tom Zarzycki Amid last winter’s record breaking snowfall and constant below-zero wind chills, many of us craved the warmth of the sun and gentler breezes. No doubt the extreme weather gave us plenty to talk about, but more than anything, it caused us to appreciate that seasons come and go.

The arrival of spring reminds us that time spent reveling in nature goes a long way toward bolstering our physical and mental health. Sunnier days can make us more cheerful. Milder temperatures enable us to stay warm and alert with a lot less effort. Longer daylight hours provide additional sunlight and encourage our bodies to make Vitamin D, which protects our bones.

Even better, in spring we have more opportunities to appreciate earth’s beauty and perennial nature. We see that life renews itself with birds building nests, grass turning green and grandchildren playing outdoors.

Beyond enjoying nature’s gifts, actually giving back Mother Earth can nourish our spirits as well. This month offers a good time to do our part—particularly on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22. The observance began in 1970 to teach people to become better stewards of the environment.

You might assume there’s very little you can do, but every little bit helps. So if you’re not already doing this, turn off the water tap when brushing your teeth. Bring your used batteries to our Village Store for proper disposal. Turn off lights and electronic equipment in your room when not in use. Encourage your friends to do these things too. Mother Earth will thank you.

Guilt-Free Condiments By Phil Blundell, wellness coordinator There’s more to an entrée or salad than just main ingredients. Condiments do add flavor but also account for significant calories. By selecting healthy dressings and sauces, you can easily trim about 50 empty calories from each meal.

Here are three guilt-free condiments for use every day.

1. Salsa adds spice and flavor to many foods, including chicken dishes, tortillas, sandwich wraps, turkey sandwiches and salads. Its variety of vegetables adds nutrients, very few calories, little or no fat, and a great medley of flavors. Replace the salad dressings you normally use with chunky and flavorful salsa.

2. Non-fat plain yogurt has no added sugars or salts and serves as a delicious substitute for mayonnaise in homemade salad dressings. It also can make sweet potatoes taste creamier. For dips and other dishes, replace sour cream with non-fat plain yogurt.

3. Balsamic vinegar gives delicious tang to vegetables like asparagus, green peppers, red peppers, onions, yellow squash and zucchini when grilled or broiled. Add a dash of sea salt and some freshly ground pepper. With balsamic vinegar, use of Italian dressing or olive oil becomes completely optional!

Favorite Easter Memories By Libby Goldrick

“I walked into Easter Mass to

make my Communion and

instead of the darkness of

previous weeks the church was

beautifully lit up. I thought it

was all for me.” –Dorothy

Reynolds

“My mother would take our

Easter baskets to church to get

blessed. We colored eggs and

enjoyed good company.” –

Geraldine Grasich

“Waking up to the Easter eggs

my grandmother would color

for us. –Josephine Hughes

“The Big Polish feast my

mother would make for my

family.” –Cecelia Swiontek

“Family, food and friends. We

would all play cards, which

was fun.” –Bill Rus

“Running around collecting

Easter baskets from all our

friends and family. It was

always filled with good treats

like eggs and different

chocolates.” –Mary Jane

Krull

Getting To Know You By Emily Eisinas

Meet Beth Carlson, Smith Village’s new Life Enrichment facilitator.

Beth officially joined the Smith Village team in late February. She

had served as an intern at Smith Crossing while studying recreation

therapy at Moraine Valley Community College.

Beth’s favorite part of working at Smith Village is connecting with

residents through a variety of activities. She enjoys golfing with

friends and dabbling in home decorating. The mother of three

sons—Nate, Evan and Sam, who range in age from 11 to 17—Beth

looks forward to traveling with her family

to Michigan, a favorite summer vacation

destination. Please welcome Beth to our

Smith Village Family.

Publication Credits

Editors: Sarah Jewett and Amanda Mauceri

Contributors: Phil Blundell, Emily Eisinas,

Libby Goldrick, Michael Thomas, D.O.,

Cheryle Woods and Tom Zarzycki

Beth Carlson

Photo Montage By Cheryle Woods

Cecelia Swiontek, Emily Eisinas and Margaret Anthony enjoy Fat Tuesday Fun at the Mardi Gras

Social. Lena Bogliani shows off her festive beads while listening to Mardi Gras

Jazz.

If people did not love one

another, I really don’t see what

use there would be in having

any spring. –Victor Hugo, Les

Misérables