INFORMER Friday, November 10, 2017 Chapel: Every Tuesday, at 10:00 a.m. in Carman Center Coffee, tea & fellowship preceding Chapel at 9:30 & again at 10:30 following the service. Video tapes/dvd s available from Shane Estes. Service Leaders: November 14 Rev. Deanna Shorb, Grinnell College November 21 Rev. Dr. Joel Koepp, Immanuel Lutheran Church Spiritual Care Coordinator Christine Tinker is available 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily and as needed on weekends. Christine takes Wednesday off and emergencies are covered by Len Eberhart. She is available by phone 641-990-9062 and appointments may be made at times other than her regular schedule. Chaplain Len Eberhart is at Beebe Tuesdays & Wednesdays and available by phone 641-990-3861. Len s ministry is primarily with the Beebe residents. Health Center Worship Service is Sundays at 10:00 a.m. in the Health Center Dining Room. ************************************************************************************** THANKSGIVING DINNER Thursday, November 23, at 12pm Buckley Dining Hall Please make reservations with Food Service by Monday, November 20. Cost is $10 per person. Menu includes: Turkey, Ham, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Dressing, Corn, Vegetable Medley, Dinner Roll, Cranberry Salad, Fruit Compote, & Pie. ******************************************* November Birthdays 1 st Sue Drake 5 th John Mutti 18 th John Sadler Wilma Vosburg 7 th Russ Schuchmann Jeananne Schild Debi Olson 9 th Paul Munyon 22 nd Delores Montgomery 2 nd Esther Adkins Dorothy Gersdorf 23 rd Betty Moffett 3 rd Greg Buntz 11 th Don Beach 24 th Kathleen Heffner Carmen Raffety 13 th Chris Hunter 25 th Elaine White John Graves 17 th Jack Gustafson Stanley Swaan 4 th Sue Chasins 30 th Emma Helmke
Mann Missive Famous Mayflower Residents. Two of our residents have their artistic creations on display in the Grinnell Arts Center. Netia Worley s and Merle Zirkle s works illuminate the firstfloor display area as Art for Light Places and Art for Dark Places. Merle s oil and other medium work tend to be light-colored scenes familiar to Grinnell and to surrounding rural areas. Netia s work, including many pieces in acrylics, uses reflective paints and other threedimensional pieces to pick-up surrounding light. Little known trivia: Why are Merle and Netia such good friends? In the old days, they were often standing at the back of the alphabetical line (Worley. Zirkle.) in the Grinnell College mess hall and started talking to pass the time! Busy Times Are A Comin. Between now and the first of the year, Mayflower will be hosting a large number of social gatherings and dining events. If you are thinking about doing a holiday party, get your reservations in early for the space (Deb Jack, receptionist) and/or for the food (Scott Gruhn, Food Services). Phone Scammers They Won t Stop. We have had a report from a resident about a cold call from a party wanting to know about her pain level. The phone number looked legit like it could be a local caller. The scammers have the ability to display the inbound number however they wish. Many of us get sales/scam calls from 641-990-xxxx numbers. The 990 is a local cell phone prefix. The best practice is, of course, to hang up as soon as you know you do not know the caller. For even better guidance, plan to attend a Elder Scams and How to Prevent Them presentation offered by Ame Krippner, daughter of Jim and Sue Ahrens on Monday, Nov 20 th ; 3:00pm, Carman Center. She is a fraud and data analytics professional. Loneliness You Can t Hide from It. A number of studies and scholarly articles have chronicled the increasing incidence of loneliness in our aging society. Why? Many older Americans are living alone, lacking contact, and suffering from social isolation. Others may be married but have left the workforce, have long-time friends who have moved or gotten sick, act as family caregiver, or have mobility or cognitive issues. In 2016, an AARP Foundation-funded research project found that nearly half of older adults aged 62-91 experienced occasional or relatively frequent loneliness. There is significant health impact. It can be a vicious cycle: loneliness can begat health problems; chronic health problems (arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer) can begat loneliness. In fact, research studies have shown that lacking social connections can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day and even more serious than obesity. Loneliness has been cited as a predictor of functional decline and death and it has been linked to a 64% greater risk for dementia. In other words, this loneliness thing is bad news. And, it won t get any better during the upcoming holiday seasons. So, what are the magic solutions? Oh, darn. I have run out of space. Stay tuned for my next column. (Hint: Living at Mayflower and taking part in activities is an elixir.) Bob Mann Executive Director (bmann@mayflowerhomes.com)
UPCOMING EVENTS MRA Movie Matinee Saturdays, at 2:00 p.m. in Kiesel Theatre November 11: Chariots of Fire; November 18: Sleepless in Seattle SE*ED Senior Education Program Mondays at 10 a.m. Drake Community Library November 13: Gratitude for Today, with Kirsten Klepfer, First Presbyterian Church Mayflower Bell Choir Mondays at 1:00 p.m. in the Health Center Conference Room. New members are always welcome! Women s Table Tennis Mondays at 4:00 p.m. in the Irene & Vic Center Younger Next Year Monday, November 13 & Wednesday, November 15 at 2 p.m. with Georgia Plumb at the Irene & Vic Table Tennis Center Chair Yoga Class Tuesday, November 14 & Thursday, November 16 from 11:00-11:45 a.m. with Kim Wemer in Montgomery Lounge The Forum Tuesdays, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Kiesel Theatre -- November 14: State of the State and Nation, A House Divided? November 28: Can Grinnell Become a Tourist Destination? More information under Mayflower Activities Music in the Carman Center Tuesday, November 14, 3:30 p.m., Dennis Perry, guitar and vocals; Thursday, November 16, 3:30 p.m., a Sing-A-Long to celebrate November birthdays. Bucket Courses Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the Drake Community Library November 15: Winston Churchill: Man of the 20 th Century with Jim Ahrens This will be the last Bucket Course of the semester and free to everyone. Game Nite Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Anchor Room free ice cream. Lyceum Thursdays at 7 p.m., Carman Center, November 16: Susan Ferguson s semester at sea; November 23: Thanksgiving NO PROGRAM; November 30: Music by Frank Heath s Basement Brass Book Club Friday, November 17, 1 p.m. Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Koffee & Konversation Fridays at 9:30 a.m. in Buckley Dining Room Elder Finance Scams & How to Avoid Them Monday, November 20, 3:00 p.m., Carman Center (more information under Mayflower Activities) Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum Trip Saturday, December 2, sign up by November 21 (more information under Mayflower Activities)
On display in Pearson Lobby MRA Movie Matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturdays November 11: Chariots of Fire 1981 Rated PG 2 hr 4 min Two very different runners hotshot Jewish Cambridge scholar Harold Abrahams and rigid Presbyterian missionary Eric Liddell compete for the British team in the 1924 Olympics, facing intense pressure and complex personal tests of faith. This Best Picture Oscar Winner is based on a true story. Cast: Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Ian Holm. November 18: Sleepless in Seattle 1993 Rated PG 1 hr 45 min Fate and a tenacious 8-year-old boy conspire to unite lovelorn widower Sam Baldwin and unhappily engaged journalist Annie Reed in this Oscar-nominated romantic comedy inspired by the 1957 classic An Affair to Remember. Cast: Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Rob Reiner. Frank Blazek s collection MAYFLOWER ACTIVITIES We need many helpers to decorate the Christmas trees in the Health Center, South Village and in Beebe. With many hands, we can make these areas look like the holidays and make Christmas special for the residents. Please choose an afternoon to come between 1:00-3:00 pm and help with decorating: Tuesday 11/28; Wednesday 11/29; and/or Thursday 11/30. Look for Sue Ahrens for tasks to do. Thanks so much for helping! Watch Live Basketball at Grinnell College! Lester will depart for Darby Gym from Beebe Circle 20 minutes before the start of each game and shuttle back between men s and women s games. Sign up in Pearson Lobby. The first game will be Wednesday, November 15: 5pm for Women s & 7pm for Men s. Future games are January 3, 12, 17, 24 & February 3. of beautiful Lladro figurines Thank you, Dottie, for sharing these with us!
MAYFLOWER ACTIVITIES Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum Trip The trip will take place later in the day than originally planned, but you can still visit the museum to see the annual Christmas tree exhibit, Tales of the Sea, and we will get to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a performance by a children s acting group called The Young Footliters. Lester leaves Beebe Circle at 3 p.m., Saturday, December 2nd. We ll make a dinner stop before the museum at Panera Bread near Iowa City.There is a $5 senior admission (62+), or $10 adult admission for the museum. The $15 transportation fee and your reservations are due Tuesday, November 21st. Please sign up at the Pearson activities desk. FINAL FALL FORUMS -- Tuesdays, 2:00 to 3:30 pm -- Kiesel Theater November 14: State of the State and Nation, A House Divided? Participants: Alice Breemer, Kent McClelland and Barbara Trish --Political Science, Grinnell College November 28: Can Grinnell Become a Tourist Destination? Rachel Kinnick, Director of the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce DOCUMENTARY/FILM DISCUSSION SERIES: The Matter of Black Lives 6:30 pm, Kiesel Theater -- Discussion Leader: Harley Henry Tuesday, December 5: The Displaced Person A Flannery O'Connor short story instructive on how prejudice in the South against African Americans and abysmal ignorance spilled over to Eastern Europeans as well Tuesday, January 16: A Lesson Before Dying Racial Injustice in the South Tuesday, February 5: Do The Right Thing On a block in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of New York City, a scorching 24-hour period changes the lives of residents forever Tuesday, March 6: 13 th Race & Mass Incarceration
MAYFLOWER WELLNESS Elder Finance Scams & How To Avoid Them Did you know that 1 in 20 older persons indicate recent financial mistreatment? Or that an estimated $13 billion a year is lost to elder financial scams? Monday, November 20, at 3:00 pm, in the Carman Center please join us for an informative 1 hour session about what elder fraud / exploitation is and how you can prevent it from happening to you. Learn about the different types of fraud, see actual examples of what this looks like and learn how to spot these frauds yourself. Presenter: Ame Krippner, daughter of Jim & Sue Ahrens and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) A Matter of Balance Many older adults experience a fear of falling. People who develop this fear often limit their activities, which can result in physical weakness, making the risk of falling even greater. A Matter of Balance is a program designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults. It includes 8 two-hour sessions for a small group of 8-12 participants led by trained facilitators (coaches), Gerald Adams and Anne Sunday. This course is set for Mondays and Fridays, 8:30-10:30am, January 5-26, 2018. If you have taken this class already, please pick up a flyer in Pearson or Buckley 2 lobbies and share it with a friend from the Grinnell area. Anyone is welcome to sign up. You must register by December 15 (cost $15) by contacting Anne Sunday at 319-290-9171 or annesunday624@gmail.com Dean Kayser (Audiologist): Independent residents make an appt. by calling 236-6676. Dr. Newman (Podiatrist): Call Myrt at the Health Center (ext. 210) to schedule an appt. Dr. McKnight (Podiatrist): To make an appointment call Connie 236-6151 ext. 219. Attention: Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, the next edition of the Informer will be on Wednesday, November 22. Please send in your information and articles by end of day on Saturday, November 18: ehaas@mayflowerhomes.com --Elizabeth Haas Lost & Found: A cotton, coral-colored, Christopher & Banks jacket, size medium, is hanging on the rack at the south end of Buckley Dining Room. It has been unclaimed for a month or more. I will take it to Phase 2 if it is not claimed soon. --Alicemary Borthwick
BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS If you are a Jane Austen fan or a Downton Abbey fan, you will love the British novel Longbourn by Jo Baker. Readers of Pride and Prejudice will know that Longbourn is home to the Bennet family. This book is the below-stairs answer to Pride and Prejudice. It is the same story seen through the eyes of those scrubbing the floors, cooking the meals, and emptying the chamber pots in the Bennet family s household. The heroine is Sarah, the housemaid, who is loyal and hardworking, but beginning to chafe against the boundaries of her class. When a new footman arrives under mysterious circumstances, life below stairs begins to take on a drama and intrigue that will change Sarah s life forever. Crime Scene by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman. Clay Edison, once a star athlete, is now a coroner's investigator. Responding to a call at an East Bay mansion, Clay finds the body of Dr. Walter Rennert, a controversial Berkeley psychology professor. There are no wounds and no signs of struggle. It appears to be death by natural causes. But ten years ago, Dr. Rennert's partner was found dead, and the crime remains unsolved. Dr. Rennert's daughter Tatiana is certain her father was murdered. Enthralled by Tatiana, Clay is driven to investigate a long-buried scandal in which one of Rennert's students was murdered horrifically. Before long, Clay will have to question where his loyalties lie. In her book What She Ate, noted food writer Laura Shapiro takes the old adage You are what you eat seriously. She examines the lives of six women Dorothy Wordsworth, British chef Rosa Lewis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Hitler s mistress Eva Braun, author Barbara Pym, and Helen Gurley Brown through the lens of their attitude toward food. We learn, for example, about some of the unappetizing dishes served in the Roosevelt Whitehouse (stuffed prune salad and a dish featuring canned pears, cream cheese and mayonnaise) and about Brown s obsessive dieting (sugar-free Jell-O was a staple). Would that more history could be taught this way! New Library Acquisitions: The Bartender s Tale by Ivan Doig The Duchess by Danielle Steel LP Notice from the MRA Librarian: Does anyone have the copy of the book Alexander Hamilton by Chernow that belongs to The Mayflower Browsing Library? If you have it, continue reading it but please give me a call: 236-3428. Just trying to locate it. Thank You. -- Robin Estes
Neighborhood Groupings - Mondays at 12:00 p.m. in Buckley Dining Room November 13 Harwich Terrace Southeast, Watertower 1, Buckley 3 November 20 Harwich Terrace East, Pearson, Montgomery, Buckley 2 November 27 Altemeier, Edwards, Harwich Terrace North December 4 Buckley 1st, Watertower 2 & 3, Harwich Terrace South A special thank you I would like to thank those who sent cards, phone calls, personal messages, hugs, in the loss of my brother, George Christinson. Mayflower is truly a place to call home. Love you all, Dorothy Christinson In Memory of Mary Lou Clotfelter Quietly, the people gathered: Christian, Jew, Non-believer each in her or his own way To remember, shed a tear, smile, show respect For a life taken suddenly. Death s meaning? On this I must reflect. Twas a loving soul: a wife, mother, friend, counselor. Opinions strongly held and shared. No guessing. Was her passing a natural event? A deed to contemplate. Does it not seem the timing was too early? The why, we could debate. Though saddened because we do not see nor speak To her, we are aware among us her soul abides. Thankful for her life, that we knew her when She gave much to all whose path she walked. In prayer we bow Amen. Amen. Amen. --Beryl Wellborn, October 23, 2017 Virgil Redding who passed away on Thursday, November 2 at the age of 98.