NOVEMBER 2019

In The Spotlight

Blaire House of Tewksbury Assisted Living10B Erlin Terrace, Tewksbury, MA 01876

Tel: 978.851.3121 • Fax: 978.640.8686 • www.elderservices.comDIRECTORY EXTENSIONExecutive Director: Kellie McHugh 3210Resident Care Director: Jennifer Thomas, LPN 3611Director of Sales & Marketing: Terri Sullivan 8674Activities Director: Jean Payne 3209Wellness Nurse: Paul Wangui, LPN 8674Administrative Assistant: Kara Cooledge 3207Plant Maintenance: Rafael Torres 3203Food Service Director: Harold Crowell 3202Blaire House of Tewksbury Assisted Living Residence is family owned and operated within an integrated care community, including adult day health, short-stay rehabilitation, 24-hour nursing care services, and senior transportation. As your needs change over time, we can provide the service necessary.

Marjory MoulaisonCongratulations to Marjory Moulaison, November Resident of the Month.Marjory was born on January 26th to Walter and Olive Todd of Malden, Massachusetts. She has two siblings, Geraldine and

James. Marge graduated from Malden High School, and went on to work for Liberty Mutual.Marge met her husband Paul in 1952 while he was in the service and they married in 1956. Marge and Paul have six children: Paul, Karen, Kenneth, John, Frances and Jackie. They also have 11 grand children and five great-grandchildren.Marjory and her family liked to travel and have visited Indiana, Florida, Mississippi, and would spend summers in Waterboro, Maine. While Marge was raising her children, she was a Camp Fire leader for 25 years.Marge does her best to keep herself busy with arts and crafts, sewing, knitting, quilting, card games and many other activities. Marge also goes out to the Senior Center on Tuesdays to play Bingo.Congratulations to Marjory. We wish you continued good health and happiness.

A Message from the Resident Care Director(According to Seniorliving.org)The month of November is known as Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. President Ronald Reagan made that designation in 1983 and it is something that is still recognized today. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, at that time there were less than two million people with the disease. Through the years that number has grown to more than five million.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that leads to memory, thinking, and behavior problems. It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of all cases. It is also the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer’s disease gets worse over time and eventually comes to a point where a person can no longer accomplish daily tasks. In the beginning, memory problems are mild, but as the disease progresses, patients become unaware of their environment and may no longer be able to carry on a conversation. Once their symptoms become noticeable, Alzheimer’s patients typically live an average of eight years, but can survive for as many as 20 years depending on other health factors.

“Autumn: the year's last, loveliest smile.”— William Cullen Bryant

(Cont. on inside)

This November, there are a variety of holidays that encourage the gathering of families and friends: Día de Los Muertos in Mexico, Diwali in India, Thanksgiving in the United States, Saint Andrew’s Day in Scotland, and many others. These holidays offer the perfect opportunity to “break bread” with loved ones. While many will literally be breaking bread at their feast tables, the expression “break bread together” denotes sharing more than just food, but also feelings of love, trust and togetherness.Many believe that the phrase “breaking bread” originated in the New Testament of the Bible, where Jesus broke bread and shared it with his apostles during the Last Supper. It was this Scriptural sharing of bread that provides the basis for the Eucharist, or “Holy Communion.” However, the ritual breaking of bread dates back to before the Last Supper and has a long Jewish history, a history with which Jesus, as a Jew, was familiar. The Jewish ritual of Shabbat involves breaking bread. Indeed, according to laws given to Moses by God, 12 breads were supposed to be placed in the Tabernacle each Sabbath. It is from these Jewish traditions that we get the expression “breaking bread.”

As luck would have it, Homemade Bread Day falls on November 17, offering a chance for novice and expert bakers alike to try baking their own bread. When we think of bread, we mostly think of yeast breads, which must be allowed to rise and rest before baking. Quick breads, on the other hand, rise with the help of leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda, so there is no need to wait for the yeast to work. Regardless of your leaven, baking homemade bread fills the house with wonderful smells that are bound to attract a crowd. Challah is the traditional Jewish Sabbath loaf, a portion of which was separated as a gift for the kohanim, or priests. A yeast bread with honey-sweetened and egg-enriched dough, challah makes a light, tender loaf that is golden brown. The braided loaf looks like intertwined arms, symbolizing love or the interlocked principles of peace, truth, and justice. Its 12 humps recall the 12 ritual breads meant for the Tabernacle and the 12 tribes of Israel.With such a storied history, it is easy to see how sharing bread has come to symbolize a nourishing meal for both the body and the spirit.

Bread