Tips for handling the stress of the holidays

Written by Joyce Kyle Tuesday, 11 December 2012 14:32

The holidays are with us again and along with them come joys, challenges and stresses. My question for you is: How are you handling it?

There are financial issues, family issues, giving and receiving gifts and traveling. This can be positive or negative stress. How we handle stress can impact our health.

I would recommend that you try to simplify and take care of yourself during the season. That means filling your own emotional cup as you continue to fill everyone else’s emotional cup. Don’t let your cup drain dry.

Here are a few tips:

1. Get together with a friend. Social supports are important.

2. Work on developing your spiritual life. Attend a place of worship.

3. Meditate and pray.

4. Exercise

5. Get proper nutrition

6...

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Parkside’s Scott pursues creative menus for residents

Written by Laura Vasilion Tuesday, 11 December 2012 14:29

Rob Scott snaps fresh green beans with Parkside resident Ione Morford in a photo taken this past spring. Rob Scott leads the dining services department at Parkside Homes in Hills­boro.

In addition to overseeing all food production and service for 200 to 300 meals a day, Scott educates his staff about food safety and conducts resident surveys to prepare menus that are resident directed.

He also supervises the facility’s in-house catering events and much more.

“I am very fortunate that I get to work for a company that allows me the opportunity to be creative with both the appearance and taste of the menus we serve,” Scott said. “We have our budget, but I do have the opportunity to run my department the way I see fit.”

Creativity, for Scott, took an interesting turn one day when the facility’s director presented him with an...

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Steps you can take to reduce injury-causing falls

Written by Fred Cicetti Tuesday, 09 October 2012 14:28

Q I had an aging aunt who fell and broke her hip. She was never the same after that. Now that I’m old, myself, I’m worried about falling. What should I do about this?

Well, first of all, you can’t go around worrying about falling or you won’t be relaxed; that can lead to a fall. So, you should concentrate on employing techniques to avoid falls and then don’t let the fear take over you mind.

But a respect for the dangers of falling is justified by the statistics.

Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. Of all fall-related fractures, hip breaks cause the greatest number of deaths and lead to the most severe health...

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Cases of hand, foot, mouth disease reported in county

Written by Aleen Ratzlaff Tuesday, 10 July 2012 14:03

Shannon and brother Quenton pose with mother Jenille Taylor in their Marion living room. Earlier this summer, both children experienced a bout of hand, foot and mouth disease. Although Taylor said she is aware of HFMD because of her training in early child­hood, this was the first time she had encountered it. Over Memorial Day weekend, Jenille Taylor of Marion arrived at her parents’ in Cedar Point to help shear their alpacas.

Taylor said her mother reported 7-year-old daughter Shannon, who had spent the night there, had complained of a bad headache across the crown of her head. Giving her Tylenol had helped.

Taylor’s mother said she had also noticed some spots on Shannon’s hands.

“With Shannon being down there—my mom has chickens, goats, alpacas—I just figured that she got into something that had a reaction on her hands because it was just on her hands,” Taylor said, adding that Shannon acted fine while they worked with the alpacas.

But later that day while attending a family gathering, Taylor said, Shannon was tired and...

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4-H sewing project needs senior help

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 08 May 2012 15:17

The Happy Hustlers 4-H Club Sewing Project is hosting a countywide event May 12 to help children in Africa through sewing at Eastmoor United Methodist Church, said Cathy Martin, one of the organizers.

“This is a great opportunity for intergenerational interaction with young and old sewing together,” she said. “Sewing is fast becoming a lost art for our young people and it is exciting that we have groups of youth that want to sew and help others.”

Everyone is encouraged to bring scissors and sewing machines and join in the fun, she said. The project is making “Little Dresses and Britches” for Africa, she said, using a simple dress for girls made from a pillow case or one yard of material.

The britches for boys will be made...

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