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Touchmark at All Saints - August 2014 Newsletter
1. THE{FULL}LIFE
TOUCHMARK AT ALL SAINTS
August 2014
Residents, staff, friends, and family celebrated
the summer solstice (June 21), which is the
longest day of the year, to honor the strength of
individuals—and their families—living with a
dementia diagnosis.
The day started at 5 am watching the sunrise at
Arrowhead Park and concluded at Family Park
watching the sunset at 9:03 pm. In between,
people participated in activities each hour, like
playing miniature golf at Thunder Road, bowling,
painting, singing, strolling along Sioux Falls’
SculptureWalk, and more.
“We’re thankful for those who participated and
volunteered, making this a successful day,”
says Life Enrichment/Wellness Director Randy
Austin, who wrote the following poem in honor of
the event.
The Day
The sun sets down in the west
Knowing that we did our best
To honor those we love so dear
And hope to keep them ever near
For the mind can play such horrible tricks
And change the past with a flip of a switch
For the longest day has come and gone
But our passion will be forever strong
To care for those with patience and grace
And stand by them to win this race
Residents Clair Nusser, Charline Smith, Doris Haber and Jean Lowary started their day at sunrise (5:24
am) and ended with sunset (9:03 pm).
From sunrise to sunset, honoring those facing
Alzheimer’s disease with Longest Day activities
3. Residents and staff played various games and
activities—including voting for a manager to get a pie in
the face! Above left: Resident Caroline Deinema pushes
a pie into the face of Life Enrichment/Wellness Director
Randy Austin. Above right: Nancy McCahren “shares”
pies with Building Services Manager Rick VanOverbeke.
Clair Nusser tries his luck at knocking down the
bottles.
Doris Haber throws darts at a board full of balloons
in attempt to win a prize.
Brian Pryor
Executive Vice President
Our environment, and how we feel about it, can
have a huge impact on the way we feel. For many,
the first areas that come to mind when we think of
environmental wellness are things like reducing
and conserving energy or reusing and recycling
practices. These areas should be important to all
of us, and they are areas of focus for Touchmark
communities.
Another area to consider is the impact and benefits that house plants have on the environment and our
wellness. Research at Kansas State University (2006, Park, Seong-Hyun) on indoor plants identified
several therapeutic benefits, including reduced stress, lower heart rates and blood pressure, decreased pain
medication, and less fatigue and anxiety. Indoor plants also add color and brighten mood, moisturize and
purify the air, and sharpen focus and attention.
Some Touchmark communities have outdoor gardens, which are also beneficial for your body and soul.
Gardening is considered a moderate to intense form of exercise and uses all three types of recommended
activities—endurance, flexibility, and strength. Gardening also provides people with a sense of personal well-
being through stress relief, education, and the creation of friendships.
Indoors and outdoors, plants offer many benefits. Do you have a green thumb? Would you consider teaching
others how to have a green thumb? Share your thoughts and ideas with your community’s Life Enrichment/
Wellness team. Help us enhance environmental wellness; consider adding indoor plants to your home
environment. If you are interested in a list of safe plants, send me an email at FullLife@Touchmark.com.
RESOURCE{FULL} – The benefits of growing green
Thursday night birthday fun raises over $300 for Alzheimer’s Association
