Posts Tagged ‘Oak Park Arms’

Roz Byrne, of RE/MAX InThe Village, will present a seminar titled “The Upside of Downsizing” at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 11, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Byrne’s popular seminar will present a simplified, step-by-step process that helps older adults make decisions involved in downsizing and moving.  She will offer and explain tips such as why selling a home “as-is” is often better than making a number of repairs and improvements.

In addition, seminar participants will receive a free booklet titled “Moving for Seniors” as well as Byrne’s referral directory of services to help in organizing and giving away items in preparation for a present or future move. Even if a move is in the distant future, organizing now can make a big difference.

Byrne is a senior real estate specialist who is dedicated to seniors faced with moving in the current real estate market. In 2012 she sold more than 35 homes, and more than half of them were the homes of seniors.

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

Jim Flanagan of Bentron Financial will present a seminar titled “Famously Bad Estate Planning” at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 17, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Flanagan will share humorous, bizarre and unfortunate stories of missing wills, poor documentation and disorder from celebrities including Sonny Bono, Princess Diana, Florence “Flo Jo” Griffith Joyner, Leona Helmsley, Davey Jones and Doris Duke.

In addition, the basics of a last will and testament, differences between a will and a trust, power of attorney, proper planning and ownership will be discussed and explained.

Building on his 15 years in the financial services field, Flanagan formed Bentron Financial Group, LLC in 2001. It specializes in comprehensive, fee-based planning for corporate executives, business owners and retirees.

Flanagan founded the Celebrating Seniors Coalition in 2010, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving older adults in Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest.

“I have honed my knowledge of risk management, financial planning and succession planning,” he said, “and I’m dedicated to serving people at or near retirement.”

In 2007, Flanagan received a master’s degree in business administration from Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business with a concentration in finance.

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.

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

Erin K. Hill, Psy.D., ABPP-CN, will lead a discussion on healthy brain aging at “Breakfast with the Docs” at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

It is inevitable that brains age along with the rest of the body. Studies show that as people enter their 30s, the brain’s weight, network of nerves and its blood flow begin to decrease. Brain cells, called neurons, lose the tree-branch-like connections between them, which are essential to thought. The brain can adapt, however, and grow new patterns of nerve endings.

Surprisingly, the notion that education and thriving careers impact brain health is a misconception. While careers have been proven to help brain health, those effects are not sustained after retirement. Instead, those who are socially, mentally and physically stimulated show greater cognitive performance with a brain that appears younger than its years.

While more research is being done on how to keep the brain resilient and decrease cognitive decline, the tools necessary to keep brains healthy later in life might already be right under people’s noses.

Things people can do to keep the brain young include:
•    aerobic exercise
•    maintain a healthy diet
•    perform activities that speed up brain activity (puzzles, ping pong, etc)
•    reduce and manage stress
•    get enough and proper sleep

Other lifestyle choices such as smoking and consumption of alcohol also affect the total health of the brain, and body.

Two nutrient patterns – one found in fruits and vegetables and the other an omega-3 pattern high in fatty acids found in fish -  have been found by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University to promote brain health.

Research on vitamins and nutrient patterns have shown to slow the aging process of the brain, and that there might be a link between the ability to learn new information, brain mass and vitamins.

Games which stimulate short term and long term memory, decision making and strategizing all strengthen different areas of the brain.

Dr. Hill is a clinical neuropsychologist, board certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University. She completed her internship training in neuropsychology at Henry Ford Health Center and her clinical neuropsychology fellowship training at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

Prior to joining Sage Neuropsychology Consultants, Dr. Hill managed a private neuropsychology practice in Brookline, MA. In addition, she served on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Neuropsychology Society.

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.

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

Nancy Flowers, LCSW, manager of social service from Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care will present a program titled “Communicating Compassion” at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Even though illness, death and dying are universal experiences, the ways people understand and respond to them are shaped by the attitudes and beliefs of their personal history, culture and experiences. A person’s background provides a road map of perception through which the world is understood and interpreted.

While every individual’s response to death and dying is different and should be respected, there are common stages many people experience.

These five stages of grief are:
•    Denial
•    Anger
•    Bargaining
•    Depression
•    Acceptance

While most people experience all of these stages, they do not necessarily happen in order, and can be experienced more than once. For example, a person may have accepted the death of a loved one but can slip back into a depressive state if reminded of something specific about that person.

Flowers will explore ways to communicate with others at an intensively meaningful time. Ways of responding to questions about the end of life, death and dying will be addressed. In addition, ways of how to “be present” with a person who is experiencing the dying process will be discussed.

Flowers received a master’s degree in social work from Indiana University. She has more than 30 years of clinical and management experience working with older adults in hospital, home health care, hospice, assisted living, long-term care and municipal settings.
She was a member of the Illinois Department on Aging’s Elder Self-Neglect Steering Committee and the former chair of the Illinois Department on Aging’s Long Term Care Council. She is the past president of the Illinois Association of Long-Term Care Ombudsmen, and she served as one of the governor’s delegates to the White House Conference on Aging in 2005.

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

A Repair Café will take place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, May 18, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. Members of the community are invited to bring any broken items they wish to have fixed to the Lifelong Learning Center at the Oak Park Arms.

Co-founders Mac Robinet and Nancy Bauer began the Repair Café at the Oak Park Arms in January, 2013.

The Repair Café is a monthly event where local residents – fix-it types like Robinet – volunteer their time and expertise and bring in their own tools. Although there are no guarantees that an item can be fixed, volunteer experts include electricians, seamstresses and general handy people.

This free service is offered as an alternative to hiring professionals.

The founders believe the café taps into important facets within the community including environmental, social and educational platforms. Repairing broken items reduces waste and saves money. In addition, through the concept of repair cafes, the community comes together, and individuals are provided with the opportunity to learn from one another while enjoying each other’s company.

“Repairs can save money and resources and help minimize CO2 emissions,” said Bauer. “But above all, the Repair Café is the place where participants see how much fun it is to repair things.”

Anyone is welcome to walk in with a broken item and attempt to restore it with help and guidance from the experts. Even those with no items in need of repair are welcome to stop by, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and help with others’ repair projects.

Clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, toys, bicycles can be repaired. The list is endless, and the learning process is ongoing.

A concept originally born in the Netherlands, repair cafes have begun to sprout all over the world. However, there are currently only two cafes in the United States, and the Repair Café housed in the Lifelong Learning Center at the Oak Park Arms is one of them.

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.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4025. For questions about the Lifelong Learning Center call Nancy Grayson at 708-848-5251.

A discussion on “Positive Aging” will be led by Luise Warren and Joan Jackson, members of the Geriatric Care Management team, Sanders & Warren, at 10 a.m. Monday, May 20, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Aging has undergone a facelift in the past few years. In a new paradigm called “Positive Aging,” people are learning they can build on a lifetime of experiences for a meaningful and wonderful life as they age. Aging has become a time of great ability, expression and deeper meanings.

Attributes of positive aging include the ability for:
•    productive, active participation in all aspects of economic, social and community life
•    self-reliance/self-determination
•    recognition as an actively contributing member of society
•    a positive outlook about self and future
•    good physical and mental health and ability to function
•    mutually supportive social relationships and contacts

Sanders & Warren has been offering care management in the Chicago suburbs for more than 25 years. Warren and Jackson will present some of the latest research on well being and how older people are particularly adapted to challenges and not as influenced by criticism.

Warren has 26 years of experience caring for seniors in a variety of settings including private homes, retirement community, assisted living, partial hospital and gerio-psychiatric inpatient units. She specializes in care management, complex problem solving, grief-loss counseling, and earning the trust of anxious and distrustful individuals.

Jackson has built an in-depth knowledge of care management through her previous social services experience in diverse settings such as hospitals, nursing homes and community agencies.

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

The Monday Night Concert Series continues with folk artist Henry Berry and group, The Lost Highway, at 7 p.m. Monday, May 13, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is invited to this free evening of American roots music.

The Lost Highway is a group comprised of Berry, Charlie Rossiter (on rhythm guitar, vocals and occasional harmonica) and Jack Rossiter-Munley (on lead guitar and vocals).

Berry’s repertoire includes country, bluegrass, and gospel. Backed by his well-honed slide guitar, Berry delivers country blues rooted in the Mississippi Delta with a raw edge seldom heard in today’s world of highly polished studio music.

Berry and his group perform together around the greater Chicago area at places like the Heartland Café in Chicago, Fitzgerald’s in Berwyn and the Unity Temple in Oak Park.

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.

Roberta Kulik will teach a Hawaiian and Tahitian dance workshop at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 9, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Developed in the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians, the Hula is a traditional dance of Hawaii accompanied by a chant (oli) or song (mele). The Hula has also been called a prayer, because the dance moves are meant to interpret the words of the oli or mele.

Tahitian dance has many different styles, often depending on the movement and the performers. Until the early 20th century, traditional dance was illegal in Tahiti. Momentum for its revival was gained in the 1950s, and today, it is a celebrated piece of Tahitian culture again.

There is little difference between Hula and Tahitian dancing, aside from the pace at which the dances are set. Both dances are meant to tell a story. Tahitian dances portray day-to-day life occupations. Hula dances share a story of the history of how the civilization came to be.

Both dances largely emphasize the hips, while some Tahitian dances require a much faster pace, sometimes referred to as “hip shaking.” Although Hula dances may go just as fast, they are considered more graceful and include the hands more in the storytelling aspect of the dance.

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.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, May 9, 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.

Visitors are welcome at the next meeting of the Mills Investment Club at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. New members are always welcome to join or visit. Guest speaker Heather Kenney will offer a special financial presentation.

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.

Kenney is a financial professional at UBS Financial Services Inc., a broker-dealer with over 11,700 registered representatives nationwide. She has held an industry securities registration for more than 11 years.

There are currently 15 club 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.