Best Bets for Breakfast In and Around Springmoor

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and at Springmoor most residents opt for something easy to prepare in the comfort of their own homes.  On some mornings though, a bowl of cold cereal or piece of toast or two just doesn’t cut it.  On those days, plenty of tempting breakfast options are conveniently located right in the neighborhood.

Local Pharmacist Speaks with Seniors about Medicare at Springmoor-Sponsored Community Seminars

Brent Talley

As pharmacist manager of Hayes Barton Pharmacy in Raleigh, Brent Talley often fields questions from his older customers about Medicare—what’s covered and what’s not—and he’s always happy to help them navigate what can be a very confusing system.

Which is why Brent—whose pharmacy delivers prescriptions to Springmoor on a weekly basis—has been invited to speak with seniors at a community seminar hosted by Springmoor to help them understand their options, and what’s at stake.

In a seminar on Oct. 1, and two more on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, Brent walks seniors through Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, and the associated advantage plans available, with an emphasis on Part D, with which he is most involved.

Active Aging Week Brought Healthy Dishes, Massages, Wellness Examinations and More!

Kari Richie

By Kari Richie, Springmoor Health and Fitness Director

Active Aging Week began with our typical back-to-back Monday morning exercise classes. The day started in the pool with Aqua Fitness, followed by Total Body Fitness and then Seated Body Fitness. 

We offered delicious and nutritious strawberry, pineapple, blueberry and banana smoothies in between classes. Monday was the “Discover Your Community Scavenger Hunt” for both the residents and staff. About 50 people completed the indoor and outdoor scavenger hunts. Resident Aladine Rogers won a $50 Whole Foods gift card while three lucky employees won $20 gift cards.

Specials on trees and shrubs? Here's how to spot a plant enemy when you see one

Specials on trees and shrubs? Here's how to spot a plant enemy when you see one:

Whether they shade our homes, provide food, fragrance, beauty, or, in some cases, medicinal benefits, plants as a whole are very beneficial to us. You can go to any nursery and garden center, or order from catalogues and have access to thousands of different plants. The only problem is that some trees and shrubs can cause problems down the road for any property owner not aware of these plant time-bombs. If the plant label says it grows fast, and does well in any soil, run the other way! These types of plants are usually short lived, and weak wooded, which means they drop a lot of branches even if you sneeze on them. The ideal time to plant trees and shrubs is after the first frost (we'll talk more about that in next month's blog).

Active Aging Week Profile: Esther Wenzel Keeps Running through Retirement

Esther Wenzel poses with her daughters after they completed a recent "Race for the Cure" run to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness.

Esther Wenzel has always been on the go. She’s been a cartographer, computer analyst, mother, homemaker and bank teller; She’s lived in Colorado, California, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and she’s had one habit that has helped carry her through all of it: Running.

At 83 years old, Wenzel still makes running a top priority. She runs at least three times a week—pushing an hour each trip, walks ½ mile each day from her home at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community to visit her husband at the Health Center, and typically participates in two 5k charity runs a year. She has done the “Race for the Cure” for breast cancer awareness nearly every year to support friends and family who have suffered from the disease.

Springmoor to Celebrate Active Aging Week & Fall Prevention Awareness Day

By Kari Richie, Springmoor's Health and Fitness director 

Active Aging Week®, which is being held Sunday, September 22 through Saturday, September 28, 2013, is a national observance organized by the International Council on Active Aging® to highlight the diverse opportunities available to older adults. The 2013 theme is “Discover your community,” and encourages older adults and the organizations that serve them to focus on wellness.

At Springmoor Life CareRetirement Community, the Pathways Wellness Directors have planned an exciting week for the community. Some of the highlights include a  “Discover your community” scavenger hunt, free smoothies, an evening celebration dance, resident storytelling, Encore Program for Lifelong Enrichment at North Carolina State, tour of the Lego exhibit and an array of exercise classes!

Springmoor's Floral Focal Points: Rain--too much of a good thing?

By Thom Morgan, Springmoor landscape manager

In last month’s blog, I mentioned that Springmoor experienced a lot of rain in June and July. August continued to be wet, and we got a break from the summer heat. I also mentioned that lawns, landscape plants and vegetables only need 1.5 inches of rain a week in summer, and just one inch of rain a week during the cooler months.

When you get too much rain, the ground becomes saturated and plants that can’t tolerate too much water die. If you have a spot that stays constantly wet, there are trees and shrubs that can tolerate high moisture, and low oxygen in the soil.