Guidance for Visitors – 9/16/2021 Check out our new Visiting page for a new Visiting FAQ and to download our current Plan for Visitation. COVID Update – 9/16/2021 Dear Friends, I am pleased to update you that our skilled nursing and assisted living have both been COVID-free since January 2021!   As concerns about the Delta variant begin to rise, I wanted to reiterate our commitment to open and ongoing communication about COVID-19 and its impacts on our staff and residents.  Thankfully, the vast majority of our staff and residents have received the Pfizer vaccine at our several vaccination clinics. Our ratio of staff and residents who have received the vaccine…

There is a link between the activities you do during the day, the food you eat and the calming techniques you have, to the amount of sound sleep. Sierra View Homes‘ new “Get Moving Program” teaches the important aspect of good sleep. Sleep helps repair damage, clears the debris in the brain, and enhances healthy aging. Actions in the brain while we sleep is a process of taking out the trash and repairing damage that can lead to serious illness. Nearly all brain repair occurs during sleep. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need. Falling asleep is a frequent complaint. Studies show that we all should…

We all have regrets. The thoughts of what we “should have” done instead of what we did, often nibbling at the corners of our minds as we fall asleep at night or when we find ourselves in a reflective mood. Joan Chittister, in her book The Gift of Years, speaks of the two faces of regrets: the regret of our failures, and the regret of our life choices. Regretting our failures is a painful thing, but it also is a sign of growth. Whether it is injury we have caused to ourselves or to others, realizing this harm is a reminder that we have grown and matured. If the circumstances presented…

As this year wraps up not many of us are sad to see it go. It has been a year none of us anticipated a year ago when we excitedly watched the ball drop on New Years Eve. COVID has cast a shadow on almost every part of our lives this year, from our health, to our relationships, to our finances to our politics. Entering a new year we find ourselves unsure of how to feel. Glued to the news cycle we are continually warned that the worst is always still coming and that we are left to helplessly watch as the country and the economy circle the drain. On…

Our society’s transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas can be quite jarring. As soon as the dishes are done from the Thanksgiving meal we are hit by the blitz of advertising reminding us that there is no better time to buy Christmas gifts. Yard reindeer go up, retail stores cycle through their Christmas playlists, and every movie and commercial on TV seems to end with smiling families in matching sweaters around a Christmas tree. But are we getting ahead of ourselves a bit? In the Christian calendar, the end of our Thanksgiving holiday also marks the start of Advent. It is not a season marked with jubilant celebration (that will come),…

  Our culture has an unhealthy view of aging. We draw the trajectory like a pyramid. Everything is looking up until midlife, and then it is all downhill from there. It is no wonder we are conditioned to see life like this, considering our disproportionate value on sexuality and productivity. But scripture paints a different picture. The psalms talk of flourishing in old age. Not the kind of flourishing that comes with competitive athletics and managing a financial empire, but one that is steeped in the wisdom that can be nurtured through knowledge and life experience. Scripture abounds with stories of God calling people late in life. Much later than…

I have always loved how the Bible informs us of its heroes’ shortcomings right alongside their heroic feats without batting an eye. I was reminded of this again as we have worked our way through the story of Moses in our weekly Chats with the Chaplain. When Moses stumbles upon the burning bush he is watching over sheep for his father-in-law. Why? Because fourteen verses earlier he fled for his life after he had killed a man! Certainly, if anyone should ever be disqualified from leading God’s chosen people, it should be Moses. This is not an isolated incident. God works like this all the time. Jacob cheated his brother…

As the pandemic marches into its sixth month, with no end in sight, the forced isolation it brings has started to take its toll. While shelter-in-place orders result in some of us sheltering with family or roommates, others of us end up sheltering alone.  The psychological difficulty posed by isolation and loneliness is well-documented. Thus, while safeguarding our physical health and fighting the spread of COVID-19 in our community is critical, it is equally important to take active steps to safeguard our psychological health while isolating. Here are a few ideas for behaviors that can help you thrive during this time: Learn (or share) a skill.Learn a new language (try…

This article was written before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Check out our new article for 11 more tips on how to survive – and thrive – during periods of isolation! Loneliness and social isolation are a huge concern for older adults. As we age, it becomes harder to stay connected with family and friends, especially if you are living alone. Older adults face loss, loss of a good friend or spouse to illness or death. They have to face issues such as hearing and or vision loss, mobility challenges both physically or in loss of driving privileges. All these issues cause challenges in staying connected. The National Poll on Healthy…