May 2015 Assisted & Independent Living Activity Calendar

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104 Years Old!

Happy Birthday. Erma!

Medicare 101

We will be hosting a workshop designed to help participants understand everything they need to know about different Medicare plans.  The talk will be led by Michael Spignor of United Healthcare and will include discussion of Medicare plans A, B. and C.

This program will be held on May 6^th at 10:00 AM and is free and open to the public.

Sun Valley Lodge's Committment to Parkinson's Care

In an effort to provide the very best care to those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease, Sun Valley Lodge has made a commitment to provide a trained staff and dedicated special services to those living with the disease.  Earlier this year we partnered with the Muhammed Ali Parkinson’s Institute to train key members of our staff in a comprehensive education and certification program for Parkinson’s care. Employees serving our independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing residents all received specialized training.  Nurses, nursing assistants, caregivers, dietary personnel, and even administrative staff underwent a comprehensive five week training program with the Ali Institute in order to understand and be able to best serve those in need of Parkinson’s care.

In addition to a trained staff, the Lodge is also dedicating six rooms in our Health Care Center to Parkinson’s patients.  Residents staying in these rooms will have access to a trained staff sensitive to their needs, specialized therapy, and a dedicated workout area specially designed for those with Parkinson’s.  Follow our progress as we continue to develop innovative ways to take care of our residents.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that results from degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain that controls movement. Parkinson's disease (PD) belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders, which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.

 

The primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease are:

• Tremors or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face
• Rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
• Bradykinesia, or slowness of movement
• Inability to move (akinesia)
• Postural instability
• Impaired balance and coordination
• Slow movement (bradykinesia)
• A shuffling gait
• Stooped posture
• Foot pain and toe curling
• Difficulty swallowing or chewing

As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. Parkinson’s disease usually affects people over the age of 50. Early symptoms of PD are subtle and occur gradually. In some people the disease progresses more quickly than in others.

As the disease progresses, the shaking, or tremor, which affects the majority of people with Parkinson’s may begin to interfere with daily activities. Other problems associated with Parkinson’s include:

• Depression and other emotional changes
• Difficulty in swallowing, chewing, and speaking
• Urinary problems or constipation
• Skin problems
• Sleep disruptions

There are currently no blood or laboratory tests that have been proven to help in diagnosing sporadic PD. Therefore the diagnosis is based on medical history and a neurological examination. The disease can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Doctors may sometimes request brain scans or laboratory tests in order to rule out other diseases.

Exploring the Depths: A 3D 1940 Hike into the Grand Canyon

In 1940, photographer Clyde A. McCoy hiked down the South Kaibab trail at Grand Canyon National Park making color, stereo photographs as part of a nationwide project. Two years later he was murdered in a Detroit robbery. In

1996, Dr. Amundson purchased McCoy’s photograph collection and has been researching McCoy’s story ever since. This presentation includes a brief biography of McCoy, an overview of Amundson’s detective-like historical research, and a visual recreation (in glorious 3D!) of McCoy’s hike using scanned images of digitally restored slides from the collection.

 

 

Michael Amundson is a professor of history at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. A specialist on the history of the American West, Amundson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on Arizona and the Southwest, the American West, U.S. History, American sports history, and the history of photography.

His publications include two books on nuclear history and three books focusing on rephotography in Wyoming. He is currently working on a book about early Edison recordings featuring the American West. He and his wife, Lauren, live in Flagstaff with their border collie, Tessa.

 

Join us for this free presentation on Thursday, March 19th at 10:30 AM.  Sun Valley Lodge is located at 12415 N. 103rd Avenue in Sun City.  For more details call 623-933-0137.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telling It Like It Was: Interviews with Arizona Pioneer Women

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:

Michael Kloberdanz

Sun Valley Lodge

Phone (623) 933-0137

Fax (623) 933-5846

mike@sunvalleylodge.org

www.sunvalleylodge.org

Discover Arizona Returns to Sun Valley Lodge

 Sun City, Arizona – Wednesday, February 18, 2015 – Sun Valley Lodge will present the first in its four-part Discover Arizona series on Thursday, March 5^th at 10:30 AM.  The first program is entitled “Telling It Like It Was: Interviews with Arizona Pioneer Women” and will be presented by guest speaker Dr. Barbara Marriott, Ph.D.

During the Depression, the Federal Writers Project conducted interviews with over 144 women who arrived in the Arizona Territory between 1850 and 1890.  The women spoke of their long and dangerous journeys and with their words painted pictures of the hardships and life-threatening situations of their frontier existence.  Through hard work, dedication, tenacity, and humor, they conquered and helped make a state. In their own words, hear Arizona’s original pioneer women’s stories, including those of the Udalls, Flakes, Kartchners, and Romeros.

From fashion copywriter to management consultant, from newspaper editor to university professor, Barbara Marriott’s insatiable curiosity has taken her down many paths. Now her hunt for Western history has added another twist of excitement to her life. Marriott uses her Ph.D. in cultural anthropology as a tool for understanding the Old West and its fascinating characters. After nine books about the Southwest’s pioneers and legends (with many of the books award winning), she is on the trail searching for the next bit of unknown and unique history.

The Discover Arizona series consists of four programs that each feature a different aspect of Arizona history presented by an accomplished speaker.  Programs are scheduled for every Thursday in March at 10:30 AM.  The series is made possible through a grant from the Arizona Humanities Council. 

All of the programs are free and open to the public.  Sun Valley Lodge is located at 12415 N. 103^rd Avenue in Sun City.  For more details please call 623-933-0137.

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Sun Valley Lodge is a nonprofit organization and has been providing independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care in Sun City, Arizona for 50 years.