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Tap Dance class with Roberta Kulik

Tap dance class is taught by Roberta Kulik at the Oak Park Arms retirement community.Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Kulik will teach 15 minutes of basic tap moves that can be done either sitting or standing. Tap shoes are welcome but not required. This type of dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Heather Lindstrom at 708-386-4040.

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Hula Hoop Dance Workshop

Roberta Kulik will teach a hula hoop dance workshop at the Oak Park Arms retirement community. Roberta Kulik will teach a Hula Hoop dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

A hula hoop is a ring made of metal, wood or plastic that can be rotated on any part of the body including hips, chest, neck, shoulders, thighs, knees, arms, hands, thumbs, feet and toes. It is often filled with rocks or other materials to serve as weights and carry the hoop around the body. In addition, it can be rotated off the body as well.

The modern hula hoop was invented by Arthur K. Melin and Richard Knerr in 1958. Today the hula hoop is gaining popularity among adults and is generally referred to either as “hoopdance” or “hooping.”

Hooping is an artistic movement using a hoop either as a prop or dance partner. The hoops are used to combine technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing and are typically accompanied by music. This type of dance is inspired by forms such as rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, fire dance and poi, among many others.

Kulik will teach user friendly steps and choreography for dancing with the hula hoop.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Heather Lindstrom at 708-386-4040.

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Garden Therapy: Create Beautiful Arrangements

In garden therapy, participants will create beautiful floral arrangements at the Oak Park Arms retirement community.The Oak Park River Forest Garden Club of America presents “Garden Therapy,” at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Club members will guide and assist participants in making beautiful floral arrangements with seasonal flowers and greens. The arrangements can be taken home.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. For more information call Heather Lindstrom at 708-386-4040.

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Fleurs de Chanson Recorder Trio

The Fleurs de Chanson recorder trio performs at the Oak Park Arms retirement communityThe Monday Night Concert Series continues with The Fleurs de Chanson Recorder Trio at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Rose Mattax of Forest Park, Alice Muciek of Oak Park, and Ann Masur of Oak Park are three women who together make The Fleurs de Chanson Recorder Trio.

The recorder is a member of the flute family. Its melodic tunes have fluttered as far back as the 14th century. The recorder is recognized by its simple but proficient framework. It is composed of a whistle mouthpiece, seven finger holes on the front of the instrument, and a thumbhole on the back side. Although often made of plastic (for children), the instrument is typically made of wood and even, in medieval days, ivory.

Mattax fell in love with the recorder after her husband had given her a gift certificate for lessons nearly a decade ago. Then nine years later she teamed up with Muciek and Masur to form the trio.

This performance for The Fleurs de Chanson Recorder Trio has personal sentiments. Rose’s mother, Roberta Pullman, is a resident at Oak Park Arms retirement community.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information call Heather Lindstrom at 708-386-4040.

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You be the Critic: “Backdraft”

The film Backdraft will be featured in You be the Critic at the Oak Park Arms retirement community. Oak Park Arms presents its popular series “You Be the Critic” at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The 1991 film “Backdraft” will be viewed and reviewed with radio announcer Dan Kane.

Written by Gregory Widen and directed by Ron Howard, this action thriller stars Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Donald Sutherland, Robert De Niro and J.T. Walsh.

Chicago firefighters cope with a serial arsonist who uses a fictional chemical substance (trychtichlorate) to set fires across the region. Rookie firefighter Brian McCaffrey (Baldwin) tries to earn the respect of his older brother, firefighter Stephen “Bull” (Russell), but Stephen is convinced his brother is not cut out for his line of work.

When Brian is transferred to a “safe” assignment, he helps an arson investigator, Donald Rimgale (De Niro), make sense of a series of fires involving an oxygen-induced ball of fire called a backdraft. The investigation reveals a link between corrupt Alderman Marty Swayzak (Walsh) and imprisoned pyromaniac Ronald Bartel (Sutherland). As more evidence is collected, Brian beings to suspect that his brother – a much-decorated hero – may be the “inside” man setting up the arsons.

Domestically the film grossed more than $77 million and more than $74 million from foreign markets making it the highest grossing film ever made about firefighters. The film received three Academy Awards nominations and grossed a total of more than $152 million worldwide.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Heather Lindstrom at 708-386-4040.

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Bereavement Workshop with Rainbow Hospice

Rainbow Hospice will host a bereavement workshop at the Oak Park Arms retirement community.A representative from Rainbow Hospice will present a bereavement workshop at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Coping with the loss of a loved one is difficult, and everyone deals with it in his or her own way. While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are some common misconceptions about how to deal with grief. For example, ignoring the pain of a loss does not make it go away faster, and one should not feel the need to “be strong.” In turn, if someone does not cry that does not mean that individual is not in pain or does not feel sorry for the loss.

Most people do, however, experience these five stages of grief:
•    denial
•    anger
•    bargaining
•    depression
•    acceptance

Regardless of one’s grieving style, it is important to get support and make taking care of one’s health a priority after a loss. It is common for people to experience shock and disbelief, extreme sadness and guilt or anger. The loss of a loved one often also brings about fear – of one’s own mortality, of the future or of new responsibilities. In addition, physical symptoms such as insomnia, aches and pains, weight gain or weight loss and nausea can also manifest.

There is no timetable for grief, but often people hold on to their grief because they feel guilty for moving on. Death is a natural part of life, and moving forward does not erase that person’s memory nor will it take away from how much they are missed.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information call 708-386-4040.

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‘Blood Pressure’ seminar with Interim

Interim Healthcare will present a 'Blood Pressure' seminar at the Oak Park Arms retirement community. A representative from Interim HealthCare will present a talk titled “Blood Pressure” at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The seminar is part of the ongoing “Here’s To Your Health” monthly series.

Blood pressure is considered a barometer of overall circulatory health and is one of the vital signs; it’s a measure taken by medical professionals to assess the body’s most basic functions. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in the arteries. The more blood pumped and the narrower the arteries, the higher the blood pressure.

When blood pressure is too high (also known as hypertension) and left untreated, serious health problems such as heart disease or stroke may occur. High blood pressure is a common condition in people which typically develops over many years and eventually affects nearly everyone. In fact, people can have high blood pressure for years without any symptoms.More than half of seniors have high blood pressure.

This condition is easily detected and managed, but the only way for a person to find out is to have blood pressure measured by a doctor or nurse. A diagnosis of high blood pressure is given if repeated readings are 140/90mmHg or higher.

Reducing high blood pressure is as simple as exercise and a healthy diet. A low-salt, low-fat diet focused on fruits, vegetables and grains has been proven to help reduce hypertension. In addition, 30 minutes of exercise a day is recommended.  For seniors this can translate into simply walking more often or engaging in household chores.

Medication is also an option for those who struggle with implementing a lasting lifestyle change.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

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Brain Gym with Aimee Edwards

Brain Gym class is taught by Aimee Edwards at the Oak Park Arms retirement community.The public is invited to an afternoon of movement-based learning with Brain Gym® with Aimee Edwards at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Brain Gym movements, exercises or activities refer to the original 26 Brain Gym movements, sometimes abbreviated as “The 26.” These activities recall the movements naturally done during the first years of life when one is learning to coordinate the eyes, ears, hands and whole body. There are four categories: midline, energy, deepening attitudes and lengthening.

The 26, along with a program for learning through movement, were developed by educator and reading specialist Paul E. Dennison and his wife and colleague, Gail E. Dennison.

For more than two decades, clients, teachers and students have reported the effectiveness of these simple activities. Although it’s not yet clear why these movements work so well, they often bring about dramatic improvements in areas such as:

•    concentration and focus
•    memory
•    academics: reading, writing, math, test taking
•    physical coordination
•    relationships
•    self-responsibility
•    organization skills
•    attitude

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

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Tap Dance Class with Roberta Kulik

Tap dance class is taught by Roberta Kulik at the Oak Park Arms retirement community.Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Kulik will teach 15 minutes of basic tap moves that can be done either sitting or standing. Tap shoes are welcome but not required. This type of dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

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Poms-Pons Dance Workshop

A pom-pons dance workshop will be taught by Roberta Kulik at the Oak Park Arms retirement community. Roberta Kulik will teach a Pom-Pons dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

A pom-pon (French word referring to a small decorative ball made of fabric or feathers) is a loose, fluffy tuft of fibrous materials typically recognized for being shaken by cheerleaders and sports fans during athletic games. They come in a wide array of materials including wool, cotton, paper and plastic.

A man named Jim Hazlewood holds the copyright for the modern pom-pon, although the origins of the American pom-pon date back to the 1930s. Lawrence Herkimer first created the design that became the predecessor to Hazlewood’s version.

During that time high schools and universities began incorporating the poms into their routines to entertain the crowd and distract their opponents during games.

Today school and university dance teams utilize pom-pons to add color and showmanship to their performances. In addition, it is an added element to strengthen the idea of belonging to the team.

Kulik will teach user friendly steps and choreography for dancing with pom-pons.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

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