Posts Tagged ‘free’

A wine and cheese reception will take place for the opening of a new art installation from 2– 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, in the Narrow Gallery, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Photos from members of the Oak Park Photography Club (OPPC) will be debuted and displayed. In addition, a one-day sale will allow guests the unusual shopping opportunity to purchase photographers’ pieces.

The OPPC is a diverse group which spans three generations and all skill levels. But all members share a passion for photography. Together, they sharpen their skills and share their knowledge and experience.

In monthly meetings the club hosts guest photographer presentations and uses other mediums, such as group discussions, to allow members to learn from one another through an informal setting for critique.

The gallery can be viewed daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through Friday, Feb. 1st.

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 reception is free and open to the public. The works will be on display until Friday, Feb. 1. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Melanie Siedlinski, RN, MSN, a certified diabetic educator, will present a program on diabetes at “Breakfast with the Docs,” at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) disease in which there are high levels of sugar in the blood. Two common types of diabetes are: Type 1–an auto-immune disease where the body destroys insulin and Type 2—a disease characterized by insulin resistance.

Over 20 million Americans are affected with diabetes with over half of those cases occurring in people 55 or older. In fact, one in four people over the age of 60 have diabetes.

As people age, management of diabetes changes. Treatment involving a combination of medicine, diet and exercise helps control blood sugar and prevents symptoms and problems.

If left untreated, complications may include:

•    Trouble seeing, light sensitivity or blindness
•    Sores and infections on skin and feet that could result in amputation
•    Nerve damage in the body
•    Kidney disease
•    Higher blood pressure and cholesterol
•    Heart disease and stroke

Siedlinski, a certified diabetes nurse educator at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital, will present the latest information on the impact of nutrition on diabetes and demonstrate how patients can take control of their diabetes through diet and proper nutrition.

With over 32 years of experience in diabetes management, Siedlinski leads and oversees the Corporate Hyperglycemia Collaborative, which provides outpatient diabetes management classes, individualized patient follow-up and extensive outreach in the communities within the organization’s service area. Her outpatient services focus on older and lower-income clients.

She has coordinated a grant from the Glendale Heights Chamber of Commerce targeted toward diabetes screening for 200 students within community elementary schools and she provides semi-annual screening and education to hospital employees.

Siedlinski also provides quarterly lectures to seniors in the community, and has coordinated diabetes screening at numerous local events.

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. And it’s not called “Breakfast with the Docs” for nothing. Participants who attend will also be served a healthy breakfast. Reservations are requested by Friday, Nov. 30.

For more information, or to reserve a seat, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Roberta Kulik will teach a World Folk Dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

In this genre of dance, folk dances from different ethnic groups are performed by the same dancers. Kulik will teach basic dance steps of folk dances and give participants the opportunity to test out the steps in “user-friendly” choreography.

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.

Mary Maryland, PhD, RN, will present a talk titled, “Cancer Awareness” at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. Dr. Mary, as she’s known, will present important information about cancer awareness.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S., exceeded only by heart disease. Half of all men and one-third of all women will develop cancer in their lifetime.

Anyone can develop cancer. About 1,500,000 new cancer cases were diagnosed in 2011. Since the risk of being diagnosed with cancer increases as individuals age, most cases occur in adults who are middle-aged or older. In fact, about 77 percent of all cancers are diagnosed in people 55 years and older.

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. Mutations in the genetic blueprint of cells—the DNA—cause them to become abnormal. About 5% of all cancers are strongly hereditary, in that an inherited genetic alteration confers a very high risk of developing one or more specific types of cancer. However, most cancers do not result from inherited genes, but from damage to genes occurring during one’s lifetime.

Genetic damage may result from either internal or external factors. Internal factors include hormones, inherited mutations, immune conditions or mutations that occur from metabolism of nutrients within cells.  External factors such as tobacco, infectious organisms, chemicals, sunlight and radiation can also damage cells.

Cancer is caused by both internal and external factors. These causal factors may act together or in sequence to initiate or promote carcinogenesis. If the spread of these cells is not controlled, it can result in death.

Years ago, people diagnosed with cancer didn’t have very long to live. Today over 13 million people in the U.S. are either cancer survivors or currently battling the disease.

Cancer is treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biological therapy, and targeted therapy.

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.

Oak Park Arms presents its popular series “You Be the Critic” at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The 2003 British Romantic Comedy film “Love Actually” will be viewed and reviewed with radio announcer Dan Kane.

With over a dozen main characters, the movie follows eight couples that are all at different stages of relationships and dealing with different relationship issues. Some couples are right for each other, some are not. The audience is taken along for the ride as each couple navigates a unique set of challenging waters.

Filmed in London during Christmastime, the characters are all linked in one way or another. The plot depicts the sometimes tricky situations of life and love.

The majority of the cast was comprised of British actors. Although the film was well received in Britain, it was given mixed reviews in the U.S. Regardless, it received several nominations, including Best Screenplay and Best Motion Picture and won an Empire Award for Best British Film.

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 Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

A professional from Interim Health Care will present a talk titled, “Alzheimer’s Awareness” at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is invited to this free program.

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and the only case in the top 10 list that cannot be prevented, cured, or even slowed down. There are currently 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain’s nerve cells resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills.
Though it is the most common cause of dementia (loss of intellectual function) among people aged 65 and older, Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging.
Typical warning signs include:
•    Memory loss, especially of recent events, names, placement of objects, and other new information
•    Confusion about time and place
•    Struggling to complete familiar actions, such as brushing teeth or getting dressed
•    Trouble finding the appropriate words, completing sentences, and following directions and conversations
•    Poor judgment when making decisions
•    Changes in mood and personality, such as increased suspicion, rapid and persistent mood swings, withdrawal, and disinterest in usual activities
•    Difficulty with complex mental assignments, such as balancing a checkbook or other tasks involving numbers

What causes the onset of Alzheimer’s is still a mystery, but research indicates that it may be triggered by factors including age, genetic makeup, damage to neurons from overproduction of toxic free radicals, serious head injuries, brain inflammation and environmental factors.
Age is the most important known risk factor of the disease. In fact, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease doubles every five years beyond the age of 65.
While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are several approved medications which may provide relief from some symptoms and slow the decline in mental function to some extent.
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.

Roberta Kulik, will present a special dance program titled “Christmas around the World” at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

The program will feature dances from many different countries. Background, dance history, a presentation of dances and some audience participation will be included. A reception is to follow.

Kulik teaches a monthly dance class at the Arms that focuses on a different form of dance each time. She also presents a monthly tap dance workshop.

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.

Visitors are welcome at the next meeting of the Mills Investment Club at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. New members are always welcome to join or visit.

For more than 30 years the investment club has come together to learn how to follow economic trends and use that information to expand its portfolio. With guidance from club President Pat Koko, club members jointly purchase stocks and make decisions as a group.

The club provides a fun and easy way to learn about investing by combining camaraderie, education, buying power and confidence.

“Our year-to-date is 9.7 percent right now, which puts us ahead of the Dow,” Koko said. “We’ve got a variety of stocks, and we’re doing really well.”

To make the best financial choices, a special presentation is given by a different group member each month. In addition, each member is in charge of following one stock throughout the month and presenting a report of the stock’s activity.

There are currently 15 members. To formally join, attendance to at least three meetings is required, and the final decision is voted on by the group. However, anyone can attend as often as they like without becoming a member.

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 Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Vivan Maier Photography

The public is invited to a special presentation of Vivian Maier’s photographs by Mike Bullis at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Oak Park Arms Retirement Community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Maier was born in New York City in 1926 and grew up in France. She returned to Chicago in the 1950s, where she was a nanny for 40 years.

Maier strolled the city streets taking photographs of everything and everyone she came across. Maier had an eye for capturing the essence of all walks of life, from
women in pearls and lace on Michigan Avenue to the city’s gritty Maxwell Street Market. She also took photos in Europe and New York City, some of which are part of the collection.

Although Maier created more than 100,000 negatives, she rarely showed her work to others. Her body of work remained largely unknown and stowed away for years in a storage unit. After Maier stopped making payment, the unit was sold at auction in 2007 to Chicago historian John Maloof. He was the first to discover the photographs, but he knew nothing about who took them.

Maier passed away in 2009 — just days before Maloof learned her name and started looking for her. She was a resident of Oak Park.

Since then Chicago art collector Jeffrey Goldstein also has acquired a portion of the Maier collection.  Champions of Maier’s photography have been managing her archives and organizing exhibitions across the country and around the world.

She is now recognized as an amateur American street photographer and her work has gained critical acclaim.

Bullis is a digital artist and freelance designer. His specialties include photography, short film production and website. A graduate of the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa, FL., Bullis studied under digital and film masters Win Wollof, Joseph Gamble and Chris Collins. He is currently a member of Goldstein’s team, responsible for the construction and ongoing development of the Vivian Maier Prints Inc. website www.vivianmaierphotography.com.

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

The public is invited to a performance of “Hymn of Praise” at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Formally titled “The Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, op. 52,” called the “Lobgesang,” and known as the “Hymn of Praise,” this piece was created in 1840 by composer Felix Mendelssohn.

Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor. Recognized early as a musical prodigy, he is remembered as one of the most popular composers of the Romantic Era.

His best-known pieces include incidental music for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The Italian Symphony” and the “Scottish Symphony.”

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 Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.