Why is it that when I meet someone, and learn her name, within a few minutes I’ve forgotten it and have to ask her to please repeat it. And what’s worse, I don’t recall it the next time I see her! But names aren’t the only thing I keep forgetting—words I want to use while … Continue reading “Jalopy, saddle shoes and other words from our youth are now just memories”

Do you remember George Carlin? He was quite a humorist who spoke on many subjects, including aging. The one I liked best was his thoughts on how to stay young. (This is my edited version.) First he suggests we throw out all of the nonessential numbers, like age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry … Continue reading “George Carlin hit the nail on the head; advice to stay young”

The other day I talked with a new resident and learned where she was from, what she did before her retirement and her favorite activities. I helped her recall some of memories by asking a few questions, which she readily answered. As we got deeper into our conversation, I noticed that she kept repeating herself … Continue reading “Patience is a virtue, especially when speaking with a person with dementia”

We’ve had unusual seasons–a lot of rain, snow, cold and too little sun to suit me. I’ve spent many days in my apartment sorting out my files and organizing my closets. When I first moved here I merely threw things into the drawers with no thought about whether that was the best place for them. … Continue reading “Looking forward, not back”

Every April, Country Meadows observes Practice Random Acts of Kindness month in honor of its co-founder, Mary Jane Leader. As the wife of Governor George Leader, she enjoyed the duties as First Lady while living in the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg. Mrs. Leader was known as a kind and caring person, and received many honors … Continue reading “Practice kindness and be happy…you’ll like it”

Perhaps you’ve read the book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. In it he relates common sense knowledge that can apply to everyone in all walks of life. Such things as share everything, clean up your own mess, don’t take things that aren’t yours, say you’re sorry when … Continue reading “What I’ve learned since moving to Country Meadows”

In my last blog post I shared observations around my campus focusing on my sense of sight. It got me thinking about my other senses, so I took time to focus on what I hear and smell at Country Meadows. As I enter the atrium where many programs are held, I hear the happy voices … Continue reading “Paying attention to unexpected sounds and aromas at Country Meadows”

I don’t recall exactly when I learned about the five senses – sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch, but I often refer to them as I go through the day. Recently I became aware of the many beautiful sights connected to Country Meadows. As I approached the main building at the York South campus, I … Continue reading “Focusing on sense of sight opened my eyes to my campus…places and people”

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s tradition that when one year ends and we reflect on the “old” year, we see where we made mistakes. This gives us a chance to make resolutions for the upcoming year so we won’t make the same mistakes. I’m sharing my resolutions for 2019 with you. Feel free to use them! … Continue reading “New year’s resolutions focus on kindness, action and accountability”

Are you aware that December has three major happy holidays in our country? Namely, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Now you may wonder what they have in common, besides happening in December? The answer is that they all have glowing lights. Hanukkah is the first one of the month, and on the first night (December 2) … Continue reading “December holidays celebrate varied traditions, gathering families and friends in glowing light”

As we approach the holiday season, I feel like I’m on a merry-go-round, or at least caught up in a whirlwind! I’ve already written about Thanksgiving and what we’re thankful for, but now Thanksgiving is on top of me and all I can think about is the yummy food that will be presented on that … Continue reading “Holidays at Country Meadows are exciting, fun, beautiful and busy!”

When my son asked me to tell him about my childhood, I felt like someone had tossed me into a turbulent rolling tunnel where numerous images bombarded me. My mind went blank, but at the same time I had flashes of people, places and events, but nothing I could concentrate on and tell him about. … Continue reading “Find your hidden memories so your legacy lives on”

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is less than a month away – where does the time go? I remember when I was a child, the days didn’t pass fast enough, but now they whiz by. Thanksgiving was always a special holiday for me – the family sat down to a huge dinner of turkey, stuffing, … Continue reading “Thankful for many things, especially life at Country Meadows”

My 85th birthday has come and gone! The years roll by quickly, and my mind rolls back – slowly. I try to recall what it was like in 1933 – the year I was born. Of course I can’t remember anything, but thanks to articles and books, I can glimpse into my birth year. If … Continue reading “Looking back and remembering 85 years”

Do you remember these lyrics from a song – “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again”? It works! Almost 9 years ago, my husband passed away after 52 years of marriage. In May, he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and less than a year later, the cancer won the battle. … Continue reading “Starting over: The ups and downs of being widowed”

Resident shares her experience as a new resident, learns how to make new friends Once I was all moved in and could breathe again, I toured Country Meadows so I’d know where things were and how I could get from one place to another without getting lost. I tried in vain to figure out why … Continue reading “Finding my way around my new digs, and a new lifestyle”

The day I had long waited for finally arrived. It was a hot August day, and the movers arrived early in the morning before the real heat of the day came. I was amazed at how efficient the four men were as they traveled from room to room, carrying the furniture from the house. Not … Continue reading “The night the movers left me at Country Meadows I discovered good food, nice neighbors and tons of amenities”

There’s always something to do for everyone at Country Meadows. In a previous post I told you about the many activities at Country Meadows that residents can participate in. Now I want to take this one step further to make you aware of other types of “fun” things. Let’s face it —not everyone likes games, … Continue reading “Not into crafting or playing games? Try shopping, outings and happy hour, oh my!”

Several months ago, when I first considered coming to Country Meadows, several of my friends questioned my sanity. They said such things as “Why would you want to go to a place where old people live? You’ll probably be bored and not have anything to do except watch television and sleep all day.” Boy, have … Continue reading “There is so much more to do at Country Meadows than play Bingo. MUCH, much more!”

After a couple of years of living alone, cooking just for me, I became lonely and tired easily. I maintained my active lifestyle and enjoyed getting together with friends, but it wasn’t the same. The house became too big!