MessengerPatriot ridge A Monthly Newsletter of Patriot Ridge Community

(937) 878-0262 • Fax (937)878-8407

MessengerJanuary 2013

789 Stonybrook Trail, Fairborn, OH(937) 878-0262 • Fax (937)878-8407

www.patriotridgecommunity.orgA United Church Homes Community

Patriot Ridge Community does not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, handicap,

familial status or national origin. take a shot at keePing your new year’s resolutionsOnce again the new year and the inevitable resolutions are upon us. Lose weight. Exercise more. Be more responsive to the family.

Those are the typical goals that people make and break in January. Sometimes it seems that the only new years resolution that works is resolving not to make one.

Still, these are good commitments. If you want a better chance of making them stick, you might heed the advice of Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierny, authors of “Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength.”

First, remember that every exercise in mental self-control takes a physical toll.

The authors give an example of an experiment in which hungry students were immersed in the yummy smells of baking chocolate cookies. Some of the lucky hungry kids were put in rooms by themselves and told to eat the warm cookies if they wanted to. Other unlucky students were left alone in a room and told they could not eat the cookies but they could eat radishes. The radish eaters used their willpower to not eat the cookies. Later, the radish eaters, having exhausted themselves by not eating cookies, were much less able to spend time on other tasks.

Willpower, the author says, is diminished with use. Resisting temptation costs willpower and so does controlling strong emotions or focusing on a mental task. So if you are tired, overworked and overwrought, you are in danger of breaking resolutions because you don’t have any willpower left to keep them.

Luckily, willpower is also replenished by rest. So if you want better family relationships, come home early or give yourself time to rest after work. If you want to exercise more, make sure you aren’t mentally exhausted before you get on the treadmill.

You can help yourself by doing certain things too. If you are on a diet, you can plan ahead as to what you will do when confronted with a buffet (I’ll eat the grilled chicken but not the cake). You can promise yourself cake later (I’ll have a piece but not today).

the 20th aMendMent ot the constitution states,“The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of their successors shall then begin.” The quadrennial event is a holiday in the District of Columbia. Because January 20 falls on a Sunday in 2013, the public ceremony, address, parade and other festivities will take place on Monday.

The 20th is also the federal holiday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday in 2013. Because it is a Sunday, the observance will be held on January 21.

Public Law 98-144 designates the third Monday in January as an annual public holiday observing the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was first observed in 1986.

Americans have two events to celebrate on January 21.

Page 1 Page 6

winter safety tiPs froM Penske truck leasing:

Remember the 3 P’s: Prepare, Protect, Prevent

Each year, Penske Truck Leasing offers winter driving tips to help drivers prepare for wintry weather.

If you are traveling during winter weather, Penske recommends the three Ps:

PREPARE your vehicle: Do a proper pre-trip inspection to make sure all systems are working properly. Clear snow and ice from all windows, hood and roof. Don’t forget the trailer.

Make sure all lights on the vehicle, inside and out, are working properly. Road salt and winter sludge tend to cover lights, reducing visibility. Clean headlights and tail lights frequently when it’s snowing.

PROTECT yourself: Use extra caution when traveling across bridges and overpasses. Listen to weather reports and allow extra time to reach your destination.

Stock your vehicle with basic supplies like warm clothing, blankets, flashlights, extra food, bottled water, road flares and a first aid kit.

Be aware of wind conditions and their effect on load weight.

Keep your tank full. A half-full tank can lead to water condensation in the fuel line.

PREVENT crashes: Avoid fatigue. Get plenty of rest before a trip and take breaks.

Increase your distance between other vehicles on the road and leave plenty of room for stopping. Slow down and reduce speed by 50 percent on slick surfaces.

Management teamStacie Ward Administrator

Kathie Schlereth RN Director of Nursing

Alma Brewer Business Office Manager

Teresa Chesney Director of Dietary Services

Chris Shelley Director of Activities

& Director of Housekeeping/Laundry

Bil Farrar Social Services Director

Beth Craig Human Resource Manager

Greg Stukenborg Maintenance Director

Lori Bocook Resident Intake Director

Nikki Vawter Marketing Coordinator

10 Most tax-friendly states for retiress

Here are 10 states that impose some of the lowest taxes on retirees in the United States, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance analysis of state tax rules.

In each of these states, social security benefits are exempted from taxation (and some impose no state income tax at all). Even military and private pensions may be exempted in these states.

A few offer exclusions on part of distributed income from IRAs or 401Ks.Review all of your sources of income before you decide which state may be the best fit for your retirement home.

The most tax-friendly states are:

1. Alaska 6. Alabama

2. Nevada 7. South Carolina

3. Wyoming 8. Louisiana

4. Mississippi 9. Delaware

5. Georgia 10. Pennsylvania The least tax-friendly states are Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, California, New Jersey and New York.

Page 2

By Rosemary Murphy, Activity Assistant

sharon udine neffengerThis month’s spotlight is shining on Sharon Udine Neffenger. Sharon, who likes to be called Sherry, was born in Washington Courthouse, Ohio on September 26, 1935 to Donald and Marie Schmitt. Sherry was an only child until she was about five years old. Her mother and father divorced and both remarried. It wasn’t long before she had a half-sister, Sheryl, that she really adored and two half-brothers, Don and Tom that she really never got to see that much. Sherry was raised in Springfield, Ohio and remembers the trains that use to run right behind their house. She said she would always run to the window when she heard the train coming down the track and wave to the engineers. Sherry confesses that she was very spoiled when she was a child. Surprisingly, it was the boarders they had that spoiled her. She told me how her parents always had boarders and talked about how fun it was to see and get to know so many different people. She remembers a lady named Mary from Mechanicsburg that even wanted to take her home with her sometimes. Sherry went to school in Springfield, making honor roll all through school. After she graduated, Sherry married her first husband in 1954 and had a daughter named Shawn Marie. Sherry married again and had four more children; Janine, Deidra, Jim and Scott. Sherry’s last husband was a salesman allowing her to do a lot of traveling which she loved. Sherry was a seamstress and enjoys talking about the times she modeled in style shows for Wren’s Department Stores. If there’s music playing you’ll find Sherry tapping her feet and clapping her hands. If she really likes the music, you might see her doing a few dance moves. Sherry thinks that Patriot Ridge Community is a wonderful place and everyone is so nice. Most of all, she says she loves how she’s treated like family. We are glad Sherry is a part of our extended family and happy here at Patriot Ridge Community.

RESIDENTSpot LightThe staff and residents at Patriot Ridge Community would like to wish a very happy birthday to the following residents.

Donald Nolder January 3Rudy Weber January 10Maria Vasquez January 13Bruce Bailey January 17Joann Porter January 25Linda Kolb January 25

Patriot Ridge would like to say thank you to everyone who donated a decorated wreath for our annual wreath auction.

Patriot ridge to adoPt eden alternative“We are made for loving. If we don’t love, we will be like plants without water.” - -Desmond TutuPatriot Ridge Community staff and residents are working hard to embrace and adopt an Eden Alternative Way of Living. Eden Alternative is an approach to designing and altering the residents’ habitat to assist with fighting the ailments of loneliness, helplessness and boredom and providing a life worth living for our residents.

One of the methodologies of this approach includes adding foliage plants to the entire community. We are asking if you are willing and able to please donate some plants for us to keep in our community. The residents will be in charge of assisting in the care of the plants. Placement of the plants will be based on the type of plant. Our goal is to add plants to all common areas and many of the individual rooms.

If you are able to donate please drop off in the front office any time that is convenient to you. We appreciate your support with this project and all you do to help improve the quality of life of our residents.

I have included a list of possible plant ideas for our convenience. Thanks for your support!

Page 5

will you Pay inheritance tax on your own Money? A Pennsylvania couple in their late 80s added their daughter’s name to their bank accounts so she would have access in case of their sudden deaths. Unfortunately, the daughter died a few months later.

Then the couple received a Pennsylvania inheritance tax bill for thousands of dollars. It seems the state calculated that one-third of the money in the bank accounts was their daughter’s and the rest was taxed as an inheritance to them. They had to pay a tax on their own money. After they paid the tax, the bank told them it would have been better to give their daughter power of attorney, but no one mentioned that to them before.

Six other states also tax such inheritances. They are Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska and New Jersey. Four of them, however, exempt parents of decedents, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

Page 4

a new twist on traditional new year’s day Menu

If are expecting guests for Rose Bowl viewing or a New Year’s gathering, go easy on yourself with a ready-when-you-are buffet suitable for brunch, late lunch or early dinner.

Use shortcuts. Prepare some dishes a couple days ahead then heat and serve over time.

Set up a choice of desserts on your sideboard, including a coffee cake. Have a beverage table and have plenty of bottled water, and place appetizer assortments near the TV.

Showcase platters of spiral-sliced baked ham or thinly sliced beef tenderloin and a poached cold salmon on your dining room table. Provide an assortment of small rolls, pumpernickel or rye triangles and a variety of mustards and spreads. Include a green salad and a winter potato salad to serve at room temperature.

In many cultures, greens of any kind symbolize folding money; pork signifies prosperity and abundance.

You’ll feel like a winner serving another New Year’s tradition that ensures good luck.

texas caviar diP1 (14oz) can black-eyed peas, drained 1 (14oz) can black beans, drained 1 cup corn (thawed) 3 green onions, diced 1 small green pepper, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 medium (or larger) jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced 5 tablespoon Italian dressing 1 medium plum tomato, diced or 1 can petite diced tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix and ensure dressing coats well. Cover and marinate at least 2 hours in the refrigerator; best if left overnight.

Before serving, drain excess liquid. Serve this salsa-like dip with tortilla chips or Tostitos or Fritos Scoops. Double, triple or quadruple recipe, depending upon the number of guests.

fat cells need sleeP to Perk uP their MetabolisM

You know that getting too little sleep can leave you sluggish and irritable but did you know it can make you fat?

Too little sleep increases levels of hormones that make you hungry. If that isn’t bad enough, it also decreases hormones that make you full. According to new research, lack of sleep reduces your fat cells’ ability to respond properly to insulin, which is pivotal in regulating how your body uses and stores calories.

Quoted in USA Today, University of Chicago researcher Matthew Brady, said, “Our fat cells need sleep to function properly. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may feel groggy, and it turns out that your fat cells will be metabolically groggy too.”

The findings are from a laboratory study that included seven young volunteers whose diet and sleep were monitored in a sleep laboratory for four days on two separate occasions.

The results, reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, show that four nights of inadequate sleep reduce the body’s ability to respond to insulin by 16 percent.

Fat cells were even more sleepy, with their ability to use insulin dropping by 30 percent. Insulin helps in the release of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full. Without sleep, less leptin is released, telling your body it is hungry, increasing your appetite and, bingo, making you gain weight.

All because you pulled an all-nighter.

Page 3

i wake uP every day with the realization that this is it, that there’s only one shot at this life and i can either enJoy the ride and live it to its fullest and to My highest Potential or i can stay the way i aM.