Featured Employee
Carolyn Williams
Carolyn has been a driver with 5 Star since the very beginning. She is a wonderful and compassionate person. All our customers love her.
 April Birthdays 4/21 Latesha Williams
4/24 Monike Johnson
4/24 Narvada Airey
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April
Happenings
1 Scarf up and Wig-gle
Now through Mother's Day
2 Ches. Task Force on Aging
8:30 Georgian Manor
6 Waddell and Reed Financial
Education Series
6:00 - 7:00 pm
Meyera Oberndorf Central Library
RSVP J Alston 431-2929 x 131
8 Va Beach Task Force on
Aging
8:30 Our Lady of Perpetual Help
9 Ports Task Force on Aging
8:30 Golden Living
12 Western Tidewater Task Force on Aging 3:00
13-14 The Forever Fit Games (formerly the Senior Olympics)
Sponsored by the Virginia Beach Dept of Parks and Recreations
16 Norfolk Task Force on
Aging
8:30 Leigh Hall
22 Peninsula Task Force on Aging
The Chamberlain, Hampton
Send us your events for
addition to the monthly
Happenings!
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April is National Stress Awareness Month
This month we offer some tips on stress reduction. Reducing stress can improve your health as well as add years to your lifeScarf up and Wig-gle for the American Cancer Society's "Look Good Feel Better" Campaign.
Now through Mother's Day
Donate scarfs, hats and wigs!
Sponsored by Moving On! Services, LLC and the ACS. More information at www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org5 Star Medical Transport is an official collection site.Bring your items to 801 Butler Street Ste. 5 ChesapeakeCan't get to our office?
We'll come to you! Just call us at 558-4050
Let us know of your special event so we can add it to our Happenings calendar.
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For Boomers: 5 Tips for Decreasing the Cost of Caring for Elderly Parents
Over 30 million Baby Boomers provide countless hours of assistance to
elderly parents at no charge. It is estimated that, using average
hourly wages, the total amount of this uncompensated care is comparable
to the entire Medicare budget. For the estimated 7 million Boomers who
provide long distance care, actual out of pocket expenses amount to
almost $5,000 per month. For caregivers who have, or are considering
leaving the workforce to care for an ailing parent, the costs are even
greater, over $650,000 in forfeited salaries, benefits and pensions.
This stark economic reality shows only one dimension of the price caregivers pay for this act of love.
In fact, we have evidence that some caregivers pay for
their acts of care with their very lives.
You can decrease the personal and economic costs of caregiving. This
means proactive planning rather than reactive responding. Planning
also minimizes personal wear and tear and decreases stress (Read the article below on ways to decrease stress).
You will
feel much better when you know your options and develop back-up plans
before a crisis occurs.
5 Tips to Decrease the Cost of Caregiving:
1. Begin the conversation today. We have tremendous cultural
resistance to the recognition of aging, disability and death. Just as
the first few steps uphill are the hardest, so, too, you may meet the
greatest resistance simply starting the conversation about their
possible need for care. Ask for their input and ideas about how they envision their golden years.
2. Create a plan. Talk with your parents about their ideal plan
if they are no longer able to care for themselves. Then, start to work
toward that proactively. Investigate long-term care insurance. Draw up
the appropriate legal documents. Find out who would make medical
choices if they were not able to make them on their own, along with
some guiding principles for the choices.
3. Use personal and community resources. Make caregiving a
family job to which each member contributes. Even children can make
grandma's life special with drawings and phone calls. Identify
services that make your job as a caregiver easier. If you and your
parents live in the same community, check with local organizations to learn about services and resources that will
make your job easier. Many
senior centers have regular social events. How about transportation?
4. Gather cost-savings tips. This might mean something as simple
as ordering generic medication or regularly inquiring about senior
discounts. Some states will pay for phones for
hearing, visually or mobility limited seniors or fund home safety
improvements. Tap into the resources others have collected.
5. Take care of yourself. You will be able to provide the best
care as a caregiver when you are at your best. Get good nutrition,
enough sleep and regular exercise. Manage your stress and do a little
something every day to nurture your soul. Understand that you are at
increased risk for anxiety, depression, and weakening your immune
system. Talk to your doctor if you see worrisome signs such as problems
sleeping, changes in appetite or loss of interest in activities you
enjoy.
Despite the costs, most caregivers say that they received much more
than they gave. Most say they would do it again, and many do.
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Reduce Your Stress NOW
It's National Stress Awareness Month.
Don't let stress steal your joy. Use these
10 tips to reduce your stress and enjoy your life.
"If
you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would
have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn't
ask me, I'd still have to say it."
George Burns, American Comedian at 100 years old
· Keep a positive attitude
· Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
· Be assertive instead of aggressive. "Assert" your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming
angry, defensive,or passive.
· Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better
when it is fit.
recover from stressful events.· Don't rely on alcohol or drugs to reduce stress.· Seek out social support.· Learn to manage your time more effectively. Prioritize your life. Our lives are stressful because each day is jam-packed with things to do. The list of things to do never seems to end and only carries over to the next day. People tend to do the least important things on the list first and then feel as if they haven't accomplished enough in their day. |
Spring Mock Risotto
This recipe takes advantage of fresh springtime vegetables, like
asparagus and snap peas. Instant brown rice makes this Mock Risotto
extra easy and healthy.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups instant brown rice
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups vegetable or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1/2 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for passing, if desired
1/4 cup minced chives or scallion greens
Directions
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion
and salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and just beginning to
brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add rice and garlic and cook until the garlic is
fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil; cover,
reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove
cover and spread asparagus and bell pepper on top of the simmering
rice-do not stir into the rice mixture. Replace cover and continue
simmering, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the liquid is almost
absorbed and the asparagus is bright green but still crisp, about 5
minutes.
Add peas and cream cheese; stir
until the mixture is creamy and the cheese is incorporated. Return to a
simmer and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the
asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Asiago (or
Parmesan). Serve topped with chives (or scallions) and additional
grated cheese.
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