Inside This Issue• Lifelong Learning• Aging with “Grace”• Friendships and Purpose• The Horticulture Club• BHRS website

CANTATA BEST LIFE

8700 West 31st Street Brookfield, IL 60513 708-485-1155 • cantata.org

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We are heading towards that the time of year marked by shortened hours of daylight, falling leaves, and a veritable whirlwind of activity

from all things Medicare. But there are good reasons for all this Medicare hub bub. Important things happen at the end of the year. For example, are you currently on a Medi-care Advantage Plan or Part D Prescription Drug Plan? Should you be on one of them? How can you determine what is best for your current circumstances? What are the rules and deadlines you need to be paying attention to? If you have any of these questions, understand that you are not alone! See inside for a jumpstart on infor-mation gathering tips, important Medicare dates, and a quick reference guide to better prepare you for—drum roll, please—Medicare 2019.

Medicare? Medicare Advantage?

?

Manage Your Medicare!continued from cover

In 1966, Americans over 65 became covered by Medicare. Enrollment in Part A was free; many signed up for Part B coverage and paid a premium. Today, many Medicare beneficiaries supplement original Medicare Parts A and B, with standard plans offered by insurance companies and subject to federal oversight. Since the 1970’s, Medi-care beneficiaries could get their care through managed plans. These are now called Medicare Advantage Plans. The majority of Medicare participants also have a Pre-scription Drug Plan (Part D).

Medicare requires all Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D Prescription Drug Plans to mail a statement to their clients with changes by September 30, 2018. These state-ments will include the changes in cost or coverage that will go into effect on January 1, 2019.

If you are a client in one of these plans, when the state-ment arrives in your mailbox you will want to study it carefully. How will these changes affect your health care, your convenience, and your pocketbook? One of your prescriptions may have changed so that now you are tak-ing a generic. Or maybe your health status has changed and a couple of new prescription drugs have been added. So what now?

If you are unsure of what your next step should be, the key thing to do is to ask questions and keep asking them until you understand what you are paying for.

There are some online tools at Medicare.gov that will help you compare Medicare Advantage Plans and Prescription Drug Plans. If you don’t have a computer or if you need help with searching, go to your local library. You can also call SHIP (Senior Health Insurance Program) at 800-252-8966. The program is run by the Illinois Department on Aging. Sometimes, however, you may still need an expert to ensure you are on the right path. If you would like to receive individual, personal attention, you can consult an independent insurance broker.

To get the ball rolling, Cantata will present a program entitled Medicare Check-up, Understanding Medicare from the Inside Out at our September Best Life Breakfast Club. We have done this for the past three years and the response has been tremendous.

Once again, the Breakfast Club will feature Angela Gam-bino, President of Brokerage Resources, as guest speaker. Three separate breakfasts will be held the mornings of Tuesday 9/25, Wednesday 9/26, and Thursday 9/27. Ange-la will cover Medicare basics, review any changes from the previous year and answer any questions the group may ask on the subject. This is a fantastic way to get you thinking about what plan may be best for you! Keep in mind that all of our Best Life Breakfast Clubs start at 9 AM. Seating is limited so if interested in attending call 708-485-1155 to register.

Lastly, we are taking our show on the road! If your senior or church group, poker, bridge or book club, dream anal-ysis or skydiving gaggle would like an interactive review session on Medicare or any of our other Breakfast Club topics, call Nancy at 708 485 1155 to make arrangements.

2019 MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT DATES

Dates and deadlines you need to know

OCT. 15, 2018 JAN. 1, 2019OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS

This is the first day you can enroll for 2019

health coverage.

OPEN ENROLLMENT ENDS

This is the last day you can enroll for 2019

health coverage.

FIRST DATE COVERAGE CAN START

Even if you enroll in December 2018, your new Medicare plan

won’t go into effect until Jan. 1, 2019.

DEC. 7, 2018

It’s no surprise that the United States, the world, and the entire population are aging. In fact, there are cur-rently around 46 million seniors in the United States

alone; their total population expected to nearly double by 2060! As our awareness of longevity increases, so does our proactive desire to take more responsibility for our health and well-being. The choices we make today can affect what happens to us tomorrow.

Some basic (and important) things we can all do to stay on the right track include exercising, eating right, engaging in routine preventative health checkups, staying socially active, and having a sense of purpose. Many of our Canta-ta Best Life Breakfast Club regulars and several of our campus residents say that having social connections is one of their top priorities, and science couldn’t agree more!

As we age, our mobility or health issues can make meeting up for those weekly coffee get-togeth-ers more challenging. People retire, family members move out of the area, friends and spouses are lost to death and illness—all of which can reduce one’s daily inter-actions, directly impacting mental and physical health. According to an AARP researcher, loneliness is the

“new smoking”—equally as bad for you as inhaling fifteen cigarettes! In fact, loneliness has a huge impact on your quality of life and studies have shown it can shave nearly 8 years off! A whopping 43% of seniors living alone have expressed feelings of severe isolation.

However, there are many things you can do to engage socially with those around you and to combat the harsh signs of loneliness. A good place to start is by maintain-ing your current social network. Keep up those monthly lunches with your girlfriends, schedule phone conver-sations with your loved ones, attend your church group regularly – the list is endless! Volunteering is another great way to stay engaged and to give back to your local community. Many of our Cantata volunteers are older adults looking to make a difference and to achieve their sense of purpose. Social media is another great tool to stay in touch – and I’m sure your grandkids would love to set that up!

At Wye Valley, there is never a shortage of new people to meet or friends to hang out with – whether it’s in the dining room over a tasty treat or during one of our many exciting outings. Science proves that people with close friends are prone to getting better sleep, eating healthier,

Aging with Friendships and Purposeexperiencing less stress; and those social connections can improve personal habits, engage brain activity, and even slow or prevent the onset of dementia.

Lottie, one of our campus residents talked about her Wye Valley experience saying, “I enjoy campus living because there are always fun activities to participate in and there’s always someone to talk to.” We have events and activities 365 days a year so there’s something for everyone! Regularly interacting with people on campus or off campus can combat any negative physical and emo-tional impacts that isolation may cause.

Even though staying socially active like Lottie is a key fac-tor for aging successfully, having (and keeping)

a sense of purpose is just as important. In fact, a sense of purpose gives many peo-

ple the motivation needed towards living a more satisfying life. In

its most simplified meaning, a sense of purpose is knowing what you’re going to do when you wake up in the morning, why you’re doing it, and if it motivates you toward a more satisfying future. By finding a meaning to the things we do, we allow our-selves to feel more fulfilled

and even healthier.

Friends, family, religion, jobs—just some examples of what

others find purposeful in their lives. Purposeful living is linked to

key aspects of well-being like a lon-ger life, lower risk of disease, enhanced

self-esteem, and it also engages your mind. Without having a sense of purpose, we tend to be

more susceptible to boredom, anxiety, and depression. By having an external source of activity – like spending time with grandchildren or joining a club – we spend less time immersed in negative thoughts and feelings. You know that saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, that simply isn’t true. Many older adults learn new skills later in life and even rediscover old hobbies that they once loved.

Everyone’s sense of purpose is unique and special to them. Several of our Wye Valley residents continue making their favorite recipes, reading their favorite books, and shar-ing interests with their neighbors. There was an article in our last newsletter that focused on some of our resi-dents being extras in a movie scene filmed on our campus. These ladies looked forward to the big event and this sense of purpose gave them a new experience that they will forever cherish. Whether you’re trying to figure out your sense of purpose or know exactly what it is, make sure it’s something that brings you happiness and joy.

Growing With the Horticulture Club

Every Monday afternoon, you’ll find a group of extremely excited Woodlands and rehab residents gathered together unleashing their inner Horti-

culturist. Their enthusiasm for watching their various masterpieces flourish is off the charts. Heading this group is none other than our dedicated volunteers, Sarah and Marilyn. I was able to sit down with Sarah to learn more about what our Horticulture group does—and trust me, they do a lot of really cool things!

Sarah has been a Cantata volunteer since 2013 and origi-nally worked alongside our very own Horticulturist staff member. During that time, students from the University of Illinois were conducting an irrigation planting exper-iment and actually created our master garden by the Circle Drive where many of our vegetables grow. When the experiment concluded, the master garden remained and Sarah and Marilyn took over a Horticulture Club on campus. Together, they schedule all of the weekly activi-ties, gather the necessary tools, and create the wonderful ideas that keep our residents so engaged.

Depending on the time of year, the group grows herbs, flowers, decorates pots for the holidays, paints pinecones in the winter months, and so much more. Their biggest activity is planting an extraordinary amount of vegetables that get donated to the St. Barbara food pantry. In fact, 600 pounds of tomatoes, peppers, onions, green beans, and radishes (to name a few) got donated by Cantata each of the past two years!

According to Sarah, “residents really enjoy getting into the soil. It brings back memories from their gardening

days and each person has their own special story. Some grew up on farms; others learned the ways from their mothers. I love watching them in their element.” Sarah is also a fan of their “Growing Food for Food” activity where they’ll cut the base of celery or carrots and replant them for even more food.

A unique aspect of our campus is the beautiful grounds that surround us. The beauty of the English Garden and the Master Garden are two examples of this beauty and we truly have the Horticulture Club to thank for this. All residents are welcome to join! If anyone is interested in becoming a Cantata volunteer or would like to learn more about our volunteer opportunities, please visit cantataseniorliving.org/join-our-team or contact Cheryle Hurtado at 708-485-3928.

Campus or Community?Have you or a loved one ever thought about the benefits of living in your current home compared to living in a senior living community? Think about current costs, home maintenance, socializing, and staying active.

If you answered yes or even paused to think, then join us and learn more at one of our many on-campus presentations. Call Nancy at 708-485-1155

BHRS Gets a New Website!

Good things definitely come in threes—the road to our British Home Rehabilitation Services website is complete and marks our third launch in a series

of four new and redesigned web pages! Before I get too ahead of myself, make sure to visit us at rehab.cantata.org. Well, what are you waiting for?

With the click of a button, you can request a tour of our top-rated skilled nursing and rehab center - fancy right? It doesn’t stop there! The BHRS website gives you and your loved ones your need-to-know information on our residential and outpatient care plans for those who may be in need of some recovery or rehab after a hospital stay, surgery, or even to gain some pre-surgical conditioning.

You’ll learn all about our Quick Start Recovery Program, take a stroll through therapy, and dive right in to what your stay involves. But wait, there’s more! Discover more about our various clinical experts both on our site and off; ranging from our dining and dietician staff, to our med-ical experts, to our life enrichment team – all of whom work with each other to compose a customized program to meet your unique needs. Some of our specialized areas include: physical therapy, fall management, and wound care – to name a few.

As a nonprofit organization, The British Home is proud to have served our community since 1920. Our mission has always been to help individuals, families, and the com-munities age successfully, both on our campus and out in their communities. Our primary commitment is to give you or your loved one a smooth recovery with the care needed to continue to age optimally.

Transitioning from the hospital through various post-acute care experiences requires a holistic vision for patient care and seamless transitions to ensure success from hospital to home. The British Home is committed to advancing in-patient progress by maximizing out-comes through rehabilitative therapy, skilled nursing, and designing individualized plans for success to transition back into the community

We’re just a click or a call away. For more information about British Home Rehabilitation Services, please call us at 708-485-3059, email us at rehab@cantata.org, or vis-it us at www.rehab.cantata.org. Remember, our goal is to get you back on your feet as quickly and safely as possible.

Bacon, Eggs, and Medicare!Is your organization seeking some refreshing, new meeting topics and interactive presentations? Well, look no further than our very own Bacon, Eggs, and Medicare sessions! Dates are set to best fit your or your organization’s schedule. To make arrangements or learn more, call Nancy Vlasak at 708-485-1155

Dear Readers: I am so pleased to have heard from Gina Millette, Director of the Act II Seniors Group at AMITA LaGrange. She prepared a very

articulate and thorough response to the problems aging parents seem to cause for their adult children. I am in-cluding Gina’s response in its entirety.

Regarding the intergenerational dialogue in the Cantata Summer 2018 issue of Best Life Newsletter, I would like to respond to the writer who submitted her problem to Ann Landers August 4, 2001:

Dear Buffalo: I hope at this point in your life, 17 years later and now 63 years old, that you have come to real-ize that the stress in your life at that point was coming from several directions -possibly your job, keeping up the house, maintaining relationships with your adult children (which may also include daughters/sons in-law and possi-bly grandchildren), and helping elderly parents as needed. 17 years ago, it seemed that all of your anger was directed toward the elderly parents and the time they took away from you.

Directing elderly parents “to take charge of their own lives and allow their adult children to have lives of their own” seems to me to be pretty insensitive. Most of the se-niors I know take charge of their own lives to the greatest extent that they can and do not relish needing help from their children.

“Elderly parents are urged to quit driving when told” comes off to me as quite bossy and demanding. I hope you have toned it down a bit for yourself as you have aged. We all want to drive as long as we can, but know that at some point we will have to stop, which means giving up a certain amount of independence. One friend of mine looked into all the alternatives in advance so when the time came (for her at age 80) she chose to quit driving. Others have need-ed to be told. But if we need to be told, we would prefer that it is done gently, with all alternatives made known to us, so we don’t become isolated and depressed.

Directing elderly parents to “get inheritance matters set-tled,” even though it might be quite practical, sounds to me like, “What am I gonna get?”. Hopefully, you have taken care of this, for your own sake, not just to ease the minds of your children.

Other comments, such as not wanting to listen to elderly parents complain about their failing health or say things to make them feel guilty, and being asked to “keep up ap-pearances for as long as possible, to dress well and carry themselves with dignity.” All I can say, is I’m glad you are not one of my children, because you would be hearing back from me. Again, even though the writer was suppos-edly writing a letter to her/himself to follow in their later years, it is evident that the writer was very angry at his or her parents, and came off as totally mean, impatient, con-descending and unloving. I hope God helped those par-ents to deal with this adult child through their final years.

Thank you. Gina Millette

My readers and I thank you for speaking out. I and oth-er members of my generation have often been much too quiet. I guess that is why we are referred to as the Silent Generation.

Gentle Readers – here is your opportunity to speak out. Let me know what have been your biggest challenges and inspirational moments in dealing with the younger gen-erations.

I’ll start by saying that I am amazed at the number of truly wonderful young people that I know. Good parent-ing and manners is alive and well. I am also dismayed by the growing lack of civility. Thank you notes are destined for a display case in the museum of cultural artifacts. In-spiring words, witty phrases, and colorful adjectives have been replaced by an excess of foul language.

Hi! I’m Grace, your new best friend and confidante! Feel free to ask me anything and everything. Like you, I’ve got plenty of experience and I love to help.

AGING WITH GRACE

Send questions and comments to: Grace c/o Cantata Adult Life Services 8700 W 31st Street, Brookfield IL 60513 or email: info@cantata.org

Rooted Yoga for Better BalanceStand or plant yourself in one of our sturdy chairs and enjoy a combination of gentle yoga, pilates, and balance exercises designed to improve posture, core strength, flex-ibility, balance, and concentration. This fun class is for persons of all fitness levels and abilities.

Date/Time: Ten Thursdays from 9-10 a.m. starting September 13, 2018

Cost: $70Location: Cantata Campus, Living RoomRegister by: Monday, September 10, 2018

Zumba® GoldZumba Gold is a specialty dance-fitness class set to inter-national rhythms and designed for beginners and people seeking low impact exercise.

Have fun as you improve your balance, coordination, and endurance!

Date/Time: Ten Saturdays from 9-10 a.m. starting September 15, 2018

Cost: $70Location: Cantata Campus, Wye Valley, Dining RoomRegister by: Monday, September 10, 2018

Fit and StrongFit and Strong is designed for those with painful joints. Studies show this class can improve aerobic capacity, strength, and function while minimizing pain, stiffness, anxiety, and depression.

Date/Time: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 9 to 10:30 a.m. for eight weeks starting September 10, 2018

Cost: $100Location: Cantata Campus, Wye Valley, Dining RoomRegister by: Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Take Charge of Your DiabetesThis evidence-based health program includes six week-ly sessions that focus on various helpful diabetes topics including how to monitor diabetes and blood sugar, prac-ticing good nutrition, and how to communicate with your family, friends, and health professionals.

Date/Time: Six Thursdays from 2-4:30pm starting October 4thCost: Free (registration still required)Location: Cantata Campus, Wye Valley Dining RoomRegister by: Friday, September 28, 2018

FALL QUARTER 2018

Cantata’s Lifelong Learning program facilitates active living and healthy relationships as the basis of a full, harmonious, and naturally fulfilling life. Come join us! Call 708-485-1155 to register.

Learn how to THRIVE—not just survive!

We invite you to participate in this

exciting, interactive program!

Get support and encouragement

from others living with ongoing health

conditions just like you! 

This brochure is funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Healthy HotSpot Initiative led by the Cook

County Dept. of Public Health.

Sign up or refer a friend, family

member, or neighbor to a workshop in your area today!

For more information: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(800)699-9043or visit

www.ilpathwaystohealth.org

Powered By Your Program Here

Powered By Your Program Here

Tell us what you’d like to learn!Are there any other classes or interest groups that you would like to see offered at Cantata? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Simply give us a call at 708-485-1155 or email us at info@cantata.org to share your ideas. Maybe you’ll see your interest pop up in the next newsletter!

British Home Life Services Corporation8700 West 31st StreetBrookfield, IL 60513-1097708-485-1155 • cantata.org

Best Life Newsletter

FALL 2018

Best Life Newsletter

FALL 2018

Cantata is a nonprofit organization committed to helping individuals, families, and communities age successfully since 1920.

Fall quarter classes inside!

Fall quarter classes inside!