Our lush meditation garden offers residents a place to unwind and relax.

At The Independence, in addition to many exercise classes and enjoyable planned activities, there is a wonderful Meditation Garden.  This garden, located behind the building, provides a private, quiet and attractive haven for community members.  It is a different way for residents to unwind and relax.

A multitude of studies show that there are many benefits of meditation.  There are physiological benefits such as increasing blood flow and slowing the heart rate; reducing anxiety levels; and enhancing the immune system. There are many psychological benefits such as increasing feelings of vitality and rejuvenation; increasing the serotonin level which influences mood and behavior; and decreasing the tendency to worry.

Residents have discovered that the Meditation Garden is a good place to sit with a cup of coffee as one contemplates the beginning of the day or to unwind by the fountain in the evening.  Since meditation or contemplation requires no special equipment and is not complicated, it can easily be practiced in the garden at any time.  And the benefits can be far reaching.

May 12- 18 was National Women’s Health Week! This annual observance, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is a gentle nudge for women of all ages to take stock of their health – both physical and mental.  However, just because it’s over doesn’t mean we forget some important lessons.

Now in its 14^th year, National Women’s Health Week was established because: Women often serve as caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, partners, children, and parents before their own. As a result, women’s health and well-being becomes secondary.           

Sound familiar?

At Home Instead Senior Care serving Charlottesville, we understand how easy it can be for women to let their own health take a backseat to the many other demands that are placed on their time. This is especially true for women who have taken on the responsibilities of caring for a senior loved one.  This is why we work to ensure not only the health of our senior clients, but their family caregivers as well.

During Women’s National Week, we joined HHS, in encouraging women to incorporate five steps into their routines to improve their overall health.  They are important to remember going forward:

• Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings
• Get active
• Eat healthy
• Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress
• Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet, and texting while driving

It may seem like a lot to balance when you have the needs of your senior to consider, but there are ways to break it into manageable tasks:

• If you don’t think you are able to get away for your personal doctor’s appointments or regular exercise, don’t be afraid to enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member. If you feel guilty or encounter any resistance (either from the person you’ve asked or your senior), think of it this way: if you’re not taking care of your own health, you will not be able to take care of your senior.
• Prepare healthy meals for your senior and yourself and enjoy them together. Have you ever observed a caregiver who conscientiously prepared three squares a day for the person in her care – paying meticulous attention to dietary restrictions, portion control and quality – then shoveled down a few handfuls of pretzels for her own dinner while doing the dishes? Maybe you’ve even done this yourself. Instead, how about sitting down and enjoying the wholesome, balanced meal with your senior. Not only would it be beneficial to you, but studies show that seniors eat more nutritiously and enjoy food more when they are dining with someone.
• Pay attention to stress. Stress and exhaustion tend to feed off of themselves and they can escalate fast. We can promise you this: if you ignore them, they won’t go away. Instead, develop some stress-busters that you can work into your daily routine. Whether it’s a walk, a few minutes of yoga or a time out for meditation and/or prayer, de-stress is the cure for distress.

Home Instead Senior Care of Charlottesville offers information and services to anyone in the Charllottesville area including those at The Independence.  For more information, call Home Instead Senior Care of Charlottesville at 434-979-4663, visit our website or Like Us on Facebook.

Managing Stress

We all know too much stress isn’t good for our health. So what can seniors do to help manage their stress?    Regular exercise, talking with friends and participating in social activities, gardening, sight seeing – or even adopting a pet and going for walks can help keep stress levels at bay.

The Independence Charlottesville was designed around the unique needs of active seniors and dedicated to helping them enjoy a happy, stress-free retirement.  Even though our senior apartments are large and comfortable, we don’t want our residents to stay inside!  Every day they gather to socialize and enjoy all our community has to offer including:

• Regular social hours, cookouts and receptions welcome new residents and help them get connected to the community.
• Clubs and groups for every interest including walkers club, dinner club, crafters group and bridge club.
• Fitness center with jacuzzi and group exercise classes.
• Scheduled trips to shopping, restaurants and some of the best attractions around Charlottesville.
• Gardens where residents can plant and tend to their own flowers or vegetables.
• On-site walking trails, or stroll to Darden Towe park featuring miles of trails and 1-acre fenced dog park (yes we are a pet friendly community!).
• Seminars and classes like gardening, computer training and health screenings.

Retirement is a big decision.    If you are thinking about downsizing and moving to a retirement community, click to schedule a tour or call to find out more about our Home To Sell program designed to keep your rent low while you sell your current home.

Come to The Independence and Live Someplace Awesome!

Here are some of our favorite tips for all natural cleaning:

Glass and Mirrors
Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on glass or mirror and wipe clean with old newspaper.

Counters and Bathroom Tile
Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part baking soda with 4 parts water. Apply with a towel or sponge then wipe clean.

Mopping Floors
Mix 4 cups of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of hot water and mop as you usually would.

Showers or Toilets
Just sprinkle baking soda on a sponge or cleaning brush and scrub. Rinse with plain water.

Even with these easy to make cleaning products, many active residents of The Independence would rather  spend their time outside enjoying the weather instead of cleaning.    And with our optional housekeeping service they can!

Many seniors are tired of daily home maintenance, lawn care or just having a larger home than they need.     They are excited about moving to an active senior community, but don’t think they can until they sell their home.

This is why our “Home To Sell” program was created.   It is designed for people who have their home on the market, but don’t want to wait for it to sell before they move to The Independence.

During this time of transition, our “Home To Sell” program can reduce your monthly rent at The Independence while your house is on the market — for a specified number of months.

To see exactly how much your rent could be reduced while you sell your home, and for how many months, please contact us.  We can review which floor plans and options best suit your lifestyle and then determine your monthly rent reduction and other details.

Our staff will do everything possible to help ease your transition from the hassles of home ownership to the awesome, carefree lifestyle at The Independence!

There are many choices  for seniors to select from when they decide they are tired of the maintenance and costs of maintaining a home.  Shovelling snow in the winter months or raking leaves in the fall can be exhausting.  And the costs of paying property taxes or replacing a furnace can be a burden.  For seniors in the Charlottesville area, there are many options to be considered.

One very special choice is The Independence, one of Charlottesville’s newest senior living apartment communities.  Known in its advertisements as an “awesome” place to live, this community recently completed a major renovation which included a spacious, 30-seat movie theater, a picturesque community room and a Game Room with billiards.  You can find homes with high ceilings, large windows, and spacious floor plans.  And when you leave your home, you can enjoy a circle of friends who are ready to gather at the end of a long day and enjoy a glass of wine together.   Additionally, there is a full array of interesting activities  both inside the community – such as movies, card games and potluck dinners – and outside such as trips to shopping malls, wineries and historic sites.

Learn why residents of The Independence call their community “awesome.”   If you are thinking of a move to a senior living apartment community you should consider a visit to The Independence.   It will be an opportunity to meet and talk to staff as well as take a tour and to see the things that make the community so special.

The Independence is one of Charlottesville’s newest senior living apartment communities and is conveniently located off Fontana Drive and across from Darden Towe Park in the Pantops area.  Some of the very special features include:  a Wellness and Fitness Center with senior-friendly equipment, convenient transportation by community bus, yoga room, Business Center, meditation garden, a range of planned activities, saunas, movie theater, community room, Game Room with billiards, and more.

To learn more about the community or to take a tour, please call 1-434-979-5000 .  Or please see the website at:

www.TheIndependenceCville.com

Missie Marks is an energetic Virginian – having grown up on a farm in Orange County and attended local schools. Husband Neal was born and raised in the Baltimore area. She met him at a local apartment complex and over time became good friends. They got married in 1966, and share a common background in real estate and a love of lacrosse. They now have four children and nine grandchildren.

They are an active couple. Neal volunteers to transport friends and neighbors to local meetings and appointments. You can often find them both at UVA lacrosse games as they enjoy the sport. They also enjoy the many activities at The Independence, where they moved in June 2012.

Neighbors and friends stop by to see their spacious new apartment, but often folks stop by to visit the Marks’ special friend, Miss Harvey. The youngest member of their family is a three-year old white, brown and black rabbit. She came into their lives through their daughter who found the animal on her doorstep one day and made it clear she expected to be adopted!

Miss Harvey has been a part of the Marks’ family for about two years and is quite a “home body” reported Missie. She sleeps in her spacious cage at night, but enjoys the run of the apartment during the day. “Every night at about 7:30 she lies in front of her cage to let us know she is ready for bed,” said Missie. “And she waits there until we join her.” For those that wonder, yes, Miss Harvey is housebroken; however, she has a penchant for fine leather – chewing on it! She is a beloved member of the community despite that affinity!

TIP: The Marks moved to The Independence from a nearby Charlottesville neighborhood after selling their 2100 sq. ft. home. They have made many new friends here as well as continue to see their old ones. They agree that seniors should consider moving on when they no longer enjoy taking care of a large property. “We had a lovely home on two and a half acres of land,” said Neal. “It was beautiful and we loved it. But we don’t need all of that responsibility now. We want time to pursue other interests – and to relax and enjoy life to its fullest.”

Come to the main office at The Independence and you most likely will see a resident sitting and chatting across from Darlene Lee-Hill.

As a concierge, she spends much of her day assisting the many residents who make up her family at our retirement community. In any given day she takes telephone calls, makes appointments, distributes packages and newspapers, and helps with questions and problems. “I’m an all around problem solver,” say Darlene.

Darlene developed her listening ear because she was raised by grandparents. They lived on a farm in Frederick, Maryland without many modern conveniences. She grew up enjoying the stories of her grandparents and today enjoys listening to the residents’ anecdotes about their youth.

After graduating from high school, Darlene received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hood College and only recently returned to Virginia. She is very active in the Charlottesville community, volunteering at Martha Jefferson Hospital and being active in her church. When Darlene is at home you most likely will find her curled up on the couch with a book and her best friend – her Papillion, Babi.

Darlene enjoys her job in this close-knit community of active retirees– so much so that she will be moving to The Independence soon. “The people here are caring,” she said. “Not only do they tell you about themselves; they want to know all about you. We aren’t treated like employees – we’re treated like friends.” And Darlene returns the favor every day.

A heart healthy lifestyle is vital to everyone in order to avoid  heart problems such as arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension, stroke or congenital heart disease.  Those of us that have high blood pressure or high cholesterol need to alter our lifestyle habits so as to better manage these chronic illnesses.  1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have High Blood Pressure, primarily due to high stress levels, eating too many salty and  processed foods , and living a sedentary lifestyle. Heredity does play a role in these diseases, but to a large extent, our individual lifestyles are a major contributor to these diseases.

Anyone who is currently smoking would benefit tremendously from ending that habit as quickly as possible. Smokers are 2 to 4 times as likely to develop plaque in the arteries  Quitting the habit of smoking, no matter at what age that may be, will help decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, and many other heart related problems.

Eating healthy foods is one of the best ways to control and prevent many health problems.  We are what we eat and it shows on the inside as well as the outside.

A sedentary lifestyle is responsible for as high a risk for cardiovascular disease as does smoking cigarettes. Being active helps lower our risk for heart disease and helps us feel and look good.  Being active and eating right are two easy ways to affect a positive change for our hearts.

Seeing our doctors  regularly and getting the necessary screening tests is important. The sooner our doctor can diagnose a disease, the more likely it can be managed. To reduce our risk of heart and blood vessel problems, we must be vigilant about cholesterol and blood pressure screening. The frequency of these tests vary depending on our age, health, gender, and risk factors. Talk to your doctor to find out which tests are right for you.

A heart healthy lifestyle can reduce our risk for cardiovascular disease by 80%.  By living a heart healthy lifestyle, we can give our heart the best gift of all this Feb. 14^th.  The gift of caring for our heart because it cares for us.