Blog

I try to start each day reading, even on the weekends, a daily devotional that my wife gave me for my 50 th birthday or listening to a quick 10-minute meditation session.  For me, it helps to realign my perspective and attitude to life’s many challenges.  A recent session was discussing the concept of forgiveness.  The narrator spoke softly and began by stating the simple fact that we have all felt the sting of hurtful words or harmful actions and whether the person meant to hurt us or not, the resulting pain is real.  If we are lucky, a sincere apology follows, and that is enough to help us move forward.  But when sorry never comes, we are left reliving the situation again and again in our mind, with mounting resentment.   The message then focused on the realization that if we don’t practice forgiveness, we are the one left with the burden of anger and bitterness.  Forgiveness isn’t meant to erase what has happened instead; it is a decision to let go of the resentment we are holding on to.  In other words, choosing to forgive doesn’t deny the other person’s role in hurting us and it doesn’t minimize or excuse the wrongdoing but what it does do is create the opportunity for us to find peace.  When the meditation session ended, I recalled a small verse I recently came across which covered the topic of forgiveness and encouraged us to recite the following, “Today, I decided to forgive you, not because you apologized or because you acknowledged the pain that you caused me but because my soul deserves peace.”  So, when you find yourself on the receiving end of hurt, even though it is not easy, make forgiveness an intention; for as you forgive, you will set yourself free. Jim

The residents had a blast watching Donna make fun balloon animals and hats! Donna showed the residents how to twist and turn the balloons to create all different shapes! With fun light up inserts and headbands, the residents loved receiving their special gifts! Only a few balloons were popped in the process!

This month we would like to honor our Cottage Star, Christian Soliz! Christian has been with Columbia Cottage for 11 years! His coworkers have described him as fun to be around and always calm and relaxed! In his free time, Christian loves to be in nature. He enjoys hiking on local trails with his dog and exploring new sceneries. He enjoys trying out new restaurants with his family and exploring different foods. Christian says that he loves working at the cottage because of the residents. He “feels like they are his friends” and that he can be himself and let his personality shine! Christian is currently pursuing his nursing degree from RACC. We are so proud to have Christian as a part of our family!

Patricia Lin was born and raised in New York City. She was born in a house near the Manhattan Bridge but later moved to Chinatown with her family. Pat grew up near her grandparents and shared a laundry line between their houses! She then moved to upstate New York when she began her higher education at Russell Sage College studying to be a lab technician.  After graduating, she began her career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her and her husband happily welcomed one daughter and three sons. During the pandemic, Pat moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to her daughter who resides in Berks County. During her free time, Pat enjoys reading, cooking, and watching her son and daughter participate in the Disney Marathon!

Thursday mornings are a great time to be pampered! Our beautician, Karen Marberger, is currently available on Thursday mornings if you would like a haircut. You can talk with Karen or any of our staff members to schedule an appointment. Karen will send an invoice so no need to have cash on hand. Additional appointment times will be made available as needed.

“Everybunny needs somebunny sometimes!” We would like to thank, Molly, for bringing her eight-week-old bunnies (Oreo & Cookie Dough) to visit us! Molly is nine years old and loves sharing her bunnies with new friends.

We celebrated Fathers with a Dads & Donuts event! Many of the “Dad” jokes that were shared were greeted with more groans than laughter, but a few did manage to make us chuckle. “Dad, are bugs good to eat?” asked the boy. “Let’s not talk about such things at the dinner table, son,” his father replied. After dinner the father inquired, “Now, son, what did you want to ask me?” “Oh, nothing,” the boy said. “There was a bug in your soup, but now it’s gone.” ~ Mark Y.

Flag Day & US Army 247 th Birthday Celebration!!!!! This cake was a Kitchen Team labor of LOVE, and we are so thrilled that it received many “ooohs and aaahs”.

In April 2022, new research published in the Alzheimer’s Association journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia revealed that increasing HDL or “good cholesterol” levels can help lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The research linked small HDL particles in the brain to better cognitive function. HDL Cholesterol and Amyloid Plaques Dr. Hussein Yassine and his research team found that participants with high levels of HDL had improved scores on cognitive tests. Yassine and the team believe that HDL may help “escort” amyloid plaques out of the brain. (Amyloid plaques are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.) These plaques are formed when peptides fold incorrectly and adhere to brain cells. This causes inflammation and disrupts normal brain cell functioning. What can you do to increase good cholesterol? Move your body. Get up and walk around as much as you can. Instead of sitting and drinking coffee, grab a coffee and stroll around your neighborhood. At work, schedule walking meetings or move around on your breaks. Take your phone calls outdoors or on an exercise bike or treadmill. Feed your body. For a few decades, we were taught that all fat was bad. It is time to unlearn that. Many foods are filled with healthy unsaturated fats. Indulging in yummy foods such as avocados, salmon, trout, nuts, berries, cremini mushrooms, and olive oil will boost HDL, while oatmeal reduces LDL (“bad cholesterol”). Check food labels: soybean oil, often used in pre-packaged food, decreases HDL and increases LDL. Fiber is your friend. Soluble fiber has been shown to reduce cholesterol absorption into your bloodstream, so fill up on fiber—around 25 grams per day. Beans, legumes, vegetables, many fruits, whole grains, berries, and even popcorn can help reduce cholesterol by trapping fats so they cannot be absorbed. Shed extra weight. It is easier said than done, but losing just five pounds can help lower LDL. Some people have had luck following a low-carb diet, which can help you lose weight by keeping you feeling satiated with fewer overall calories. Without as many carbs, your blood sugar will spike less, getting you off the cycle of needing to eat to fend off a sugar crash.

Arranging fresh flowers for the dining room and canvas painting are just a couple of the ways we are keeping busy at the Cottage this summer!

Guy Brown is being honored by Homeland Hospice for his military service.  We all salute Guy and thank him for his service.

Our residents enjoying playing the mini golf game. This is one of their favorite activities that we play.  As you can see, we have so good golfers. Who knows maybe we have the next U.S. Open Championship player among us.