Memory Care at Springmoor with Gail Ramsay, R.N.

Gail Ramsay

It’s no secret that Springmoor residents actively enjoy walking our peaceful grounds, dancing at our fun events and swimming at our brand new Pathways Wellness Center, but if you ask residents what else they like about our Northwest Raleigh community and they will tell you that it’s peace of mind, knowing that supportive services are there for them when they need them. 

This month we’ll feature the community’s memory care services, the Seay Wing within our Stewart Health Center.

January Landscape Blog: Planting Seeds for 2015

By: Thom Morgan, Springmoor Landscape Manager 

Thom Morgan

  

Each year the big nurseries offer up new plants that they think will be the next big thing in the landscaping industry, and each year I get excited to try all of their new specimens.

For 2015, those that are considered “new” have actually been around for a few years as trial plants in places like North Carolina State University’s JC Raulston Arboretum. There, staffers graded the trial plants on whether they performed as promised, and if the plants were marketable. If a plant made the grade, it became available to you and me.

This year, we have a group of more compact and disease-resistant forms of our old favorites.

Here is a list of the various growers that contributed and their new specimens:

SMART New Year’s Resolutions

By Kari Richie, Springmoor Health and Fitness Director

Kari Richie

New Year’s resolutions are a fabulous concept. A New Year gives us the chance to “start over” with a fresh outlook on life. Many people set the goal to be healthy, lose weight or eat better. Those goals come with good intentions, but are rarely accomplished. The problem? Most resolutions involve inspiration but no preparation. No matter how big or small your goal—whether it’s losing five or 50 pounds, walking a mile or running your first marathon—creating change requires planning and S.M.A.RT goal setting.

Follow these guidelines to set a SMART goal for 2015:

Christmas at Springmoor

It’s that time of the year again! Here at Springmoor, we are ready for the holidays and all of the festivities that come with them. Both the residents and staff go all out in decorating our campus with trees, wreaths, lights and more.

The Monday following Thanksgiving, we make a huge effort to get all the Christmas decorating underway. The staff works on decorating common areas and offices, while residents decorate their apartments, doors, and other areas. It’s a joint effort that creates a beautiful scene for the season.

Why Springmoor? The Neighborhood Feel

Find yourself walking along the many paths that weave between the tidy homes and beneath the towering evergreens on Springmoor’s 42-acre campus in Northwest Raleigh, North Carolina, and you’d have trouble convincing yourself that you’re at the center of a continuing care retirement community. With friendly neighbors, gorgeous grounds and helpful staff, it’s no wonder Springmoor residents have no trouble calling our inviting community home.

Neighborly Welcoming

Like moving to any new neighborhood, those who move to Springmoor often worry about meeting new people and making new friends, but their fears are immediately quashed when they discover Springmoor’s Southern hospitality. Residents are very welcoming to newcomers, going out of their way to meet their new neighbors and include them in their lives. They enjoy going to dinner regularly with large groups and out to nearby events and their favorite restaurants. Around the holidays, residents come together to help decorate trees and get everyone in the holiday spirit.

December Landscape Department Blog: Holiday Plants

By Thom Morgan, Springmoor landscape manager

Thom Morgan

Are you scratching your head, trying to figure out what gifts to give your friends and family for the holidays? You want to give them something that will brighten their spirits, and that might brighten their home—right? Carefully-selected plants can do wonders for the spirit and the landscape (inside and out). Consider shopping at your local nursery this holiday season. You just might end up walking out with a few festive treasures for yourself.

Before you get started, here’s the rundown on the most popular holiday selections:

Springmoor Wellness Blog: Thanksgiving Tips

Stuffed: Fill Your Holidays with Activity to Curb Unwanted Weight Gain

By Kari Richie, Springmoor Health and Fitness Director

Kari Richie

The holiday season can be a time of celebration with family and friends, but it can also be a time of stress and weight gain. Avoid the anxiety and pounds this year by focusing on a healthy balance of food, activity and fun. By implementing a few simple mantras and trying a few simple moves, you can make sure you’re prepared to start off 2015 the right way:

1. Be realistic. Don’t try to lose weight during the holidays; try to maintain your weight instead.
2. Put exercise on your calendar. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating. Make exercise fun by including family and friends. Grab a relative after the holiday dinner and take a brisk 10- to 15-minute walk together, or start a new tradition by holding a competition to see who can do the most jumping jacks in one minute. Going shopping on Black Friday? Park farther away from the mall and take the stairs instead of the escalator. Is watching football part of your tradition? Do squats on commercial breaks, or, better yet, toss around the ball with family outside.
3. Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack to curb your appetite like a few raw vegetables or a piece of fruit. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.
4. Look at all the buffet options before filling your plate. Though the temptation is there, you don’t have to eat every item you see. Stick with your favorites and skip the rest. Try to include some fruit and vegetables for a balanced plate.
5. Don’t eat until you are stuffed. It’s not a holiday requirement. You can still savor your favorite holiday treats in small portions. Instead of immediately taking your plate back to the buffet for seconds, talk with your family and friends first; this gives you time to digest your first serving and determine whether or not you are actually full.
6. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol reduces inhibitions, but can induce overeating; both alcoholic and non-alcoholic holiday beverages are typically full of calories and sugar.
7. Don’t let one “bad” or “heavy” meal ruin all of your holiday eating. It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your normal consumption to gain one pound. It is impossible to gain weight from one piece of pie!
8. Take your focus off of food. This may seem harder than it sounds. Instead of focusing on what’s for dinner (and dessert), spend time with family and friends by playing games, making a holiday wreath, or volunteering in the community. 

We can all enjoy the holidays without ruining our waistlines by planning for activity and incorporating healthy recipes into our holiday meals. Don't restrict your favorite holiday foods; just restrict the portion size. In the long run, your mind and body will thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving!