IRVINE COTTAGES WISHES ALL OF OUR FAMILIES A

HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012 HOLIDAY LUNCHEON

Celebrations, hosted by Jacqueline Dupont were held at JSerra Catholic High

School in San Juan Capistrano. The entertainment included singing by Toni

Imus and Fernando, Dane Brimer Balloon Entertainer and the Fireside

Christmas Carolers. We would also like to send out a special thank you to all

of our volunteers: Marc Carlson, Michelle Nesbitt, Aileen Sherman, Linda

Abbit, Gina Marzan, Matt Dupont, Linda Scheck and all staff who attended for

their help with our residents. A special thank you to Jon McCoy as Santa.

Our residents loved the morning Coffee and Muffins, delicious Italian Food

and the Dessert table. Lucky Winners were also sent home with some great

gift baskets. Thank you to all of our residents, staff, special friends and family

members who attended. Special thank you to Jeff Long and his fiance who

beautifully serenaded his mother Kay Long.

EMPLOYEE CHRISTMAS BONUS FUND

Irvine Cottages staff send a huge thank you to all of the families who

donated to the 2012 Christmas Bonus Fund. All caregivers received a

family appreciation bonus! As always, we are so grateful to all of our

generous families who donated!

I rv i n e c o t ta g e s

S p r i n g n e w s l e t t e r

2 0 1 3

Want to see the Photos from the party? You can view/download them

here: http://irvinecottagesholidayparty.shutterfly.com/

Irvine Cottages hopes all of their

residents and families had a love filled &

Happy Valentines Day! Residents received a

special chocolate valentine treat and

enjoyed a delicious desser t!

IRVINE COTTAGES TRAINING

Training is on-going at the cottages and staff have had the following training:

Medication administration from Steven’s Pharmacy

Making Social Connections and Enhancing Meal Times from the

Alzheimer’s Association

Referrals…...The highest compliment our families can give us is the

referral of your friends and families.

Give us a referral that places and we will give you a

complimentary $500 discount on your next monthly statement.

Thank you for your trust.

OUTINGS UPDATE Residents love going on outings with Gina. Gina takes them on drives to

local parks and to visit residents in other homes. Residents enjoyed the

Christmas Party and participated in singing along with Toni Imus. They

enjoyed playing musical instruments, especially jingle bells and also

participated in some Hula Dancing. The residents enjoy going on errands

with Gina to CVS Pharmacy, Star Bucks and going out to eat Taco’s for lunch.

If you have any suggestions for fun outings, please let us know.

Congratulations….

COTTAGES 8 and 6

Best Decorated Houses in the 2012

Irvine Cottages Halloween

“Best Decorated Cottage” Contest

Thank you to all staff for

participating.

IRVINE COTTAGES BIRTHDAYS

Celebrating our residents birthdays is very important to us.

Every resident will receive a special gift, birthday cake, balloon and card.

Please call Gina Marzan (949) 633-1595 if you’d like to visit.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

January 5th Malvina Moldovan

January 18th Carl Kesler

January 25th Buck Ying Lee

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

February 5th Norma Frazer

February 7th Helen Mury

February 8th Frances Rowbotham

Ida Carter

February 13th Shirley Saunders

February 14th Renie Del Curto

February 24th Gordon Adgett

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

March 4th Lena Long

March 7th Fr. Patrick Donovan

March 13th Betty Ann Hansen

Carinithia Winters

March 18th Agnes Anderson

Janet Higa

March 29th Mary Troutt

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

April 4th Bellany Beaumont

April 5th Georgenne Bojak

April 6th Gary Brower

April 12th Phyllis Green

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

January 1st Elinore Lagman

January 27th Monina Dela Cruz

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

February 4th Gela Sibala

February 26th Alex Constantino

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

March 7th Betty Ludaes

March 12th Antonio Rendon

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

April 2nd Generosa Dela Cruz

April 11th Bernardo Mateo

Danfril Palileng

April 23rd Josephine Vegas

April 28th Aurora Magbiray

STAFF BIRTHDAYS

Happy Birthday to all of hard working staff who

have birthdays in January, February, March and

April. Did you know that all full time staff who

have worked for Irvine Cottages for over a year

receive a cash birthday bonus. Happy Birthday!

E m p l oye e O f T h e M o n t h - Nove mb e r 2 0 1 2

A n to n i o T i z o n ~ I r v i ne C o t t a g e 6

Anthony “Anthony” Tizon works at cottage 6 and is married to Irvine Cottages General

Manager Gina, together they have a son Marc. Anthony was born in and grew up in the

Philippines, his mother was a housewife and his father was a civil engineer.

He has 2 sisters and 3 brothers.

He enjoys drama movies and likes to listen to soft music; two of his favorites are Elvis

Presley and The Beatles. His favorite kinds of restaurants are Chinese and he enjoys eating

fish and vegetables. When he has the time, he likes to read and lists going to church as one

of his favorite places to go. He would like to travel with his family and would be happy to

travel anywhere as long as his family were travelling with him.

Anthony likes to sing karaoke with the residents at Cottage 6, is hardworking, loyal and

happy so long as he isn't separated from his family. Anthony says that one of his goals in

life is to ensure that his son gets a good education here in the United States.

Thank you Anthony for your continuous hard work and outstanding care to our residents!

E m p l oye e O f T h e M o n t h - D e c e mb e r 2 0 1 2

Ro b e r to D e L a C r uz ~ I r v i ne C o t t a g e 9

Roberto “Bob” Dela Cruz works at Irvine Cottage 9 in Newport Beach. He was born in and

grew up in the Philippines with his parents Marcelino and Lucia. He has 5 brothers and 4

sisters. He is married to Monina and together they have three children Jorriz, Anne

Kristel and Arellano Aimee. He enjoys Action and war movies and likes to listen to Kenny

Rogers and Barry Manilow. He likes to eat at all good restaurants, and likes to eat

Philippino foods. He likes to read and his favorite places to visit include Yosemite,

Yellowstone, Lake Tahoe and the Grand Canyon. Fulfilling his dreams and giving his

children a good education makes him happy. He is grateful for God’s Blessing and the good

health he has given them and also for his children and grandchildren.

Bob says that he is hard working, kind hearted and friendly. He would describe himself as

being humble, simple, trustworthy and responsible. He would like to make sure his

grandchildren finish their education and be good citizens. Bob says people would be

surprised to know that he became an American citizen through his grandfather. He was a

German national who migrated to the US and later joined the US Army and was in the

Spanish American War. At the age of 17, Bob was employed in a Copper Mining Company,

in joined the Armed Forces in 1973 and was honorably discharged with the rank

of Duty Sergeant.

Thank you Bob for your continuous hard work and outstanding care to our residents!

E m p l oye e O f T h e M o n t h - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 3

N e s to r D aya o ~ I r v i ne C o t t a g e 3

Nestor Dayao works at Irvine Cottage 3 and is married to Amelita, together they have two

children: Victor Michael and Vivienne Mariel. He was born in and grew up in the

Philippines with his father who was a school principal and his mother who was a housewife.

He has 2 sisters and 5 brothers.

He enjoys watching James Bond movies, some of his favorites are Live and Let Die,

Goldfinger and Skyfall. He likes to listen to love songs, country music and enjoys

The Beatles and Eric Clapton. Some of his favorite foods include Asian, Persian and

American food. In his free time he likes to read books by his favorite author Ian Fleming.

He enjoys visiting Flushing, New York to watch the US Open and would love to travel to

Italy, especially Rome and Vatican City to see the Pope. Being with his family and peace in

the world makes him happy. Nestor is honest, friendly, understanding, helpful,

compassionate and has a good sense of humor. He is grateful for his family, good health

and his good job. Nestor also adds that people would be surprised to know he is a good

tennis player and that when he retires; he would like to move back to the Philippines to live

a simple and peaceful life farming.

Thank you Nestor for your continuous hard work and outstanding care to our residents!

E m p l oye e O f T h e M o n t h - Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 3

Ad o n i s Ad a c i ~ I r v i ne C o t t a g e 1

Adonis Adaci works alongside his wife Ellen at Irvine Cottage 1 in Irvine. He was born in

Baguio and grew up in Banguio City in the Philippines with his parents Mary and Celestino,

who were teachers and farmers . He has 5 sisters and together with his wife Ellen has two

children, a son named Romnick and a daughter named Wenalenden.

He likes to watch History movies and listen to Country music. Two of his favorite singers are

Don Williams and Brad Paisley. He enjoys eating out at Asian buffet restaurants and says

Asian food is his favorite. He also enjoys going to the Theater and to the Casinos. Adonis

says that if he could visit anywhere, he would like to travel to Europe.

Having a happy family makes him happy and he is grateful that he is able to give his family

a bright future. Adonis is Patient, trustworthy, loyal, hardworking and honest. A goal he has

for his future would be to have a successful business in the Philippines before he turns the

age of 60. Adonis says that people would be surprised to know that is the second sibling

out of 6 and also the only boy.

Thank you Adonis for your continuous hard work and outstanding care to our residents!

THURSDAY, April 12, 2012 — Having a bad day? We can fix that.

There’s a new video making the rounds right now, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to make you feel better about being alive. We don’t want to oversell it, but if you have a heart, this will warm it. The six-minute video — which is actually a clip from a new documentary, Alive Inside, about the power of music to “awaken” the minds of people with Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases — revolves around an elderly man named Henry, who has been in a nursing home for over a decade with seizures and memory loss.

At first when we see Henry, he is inert and unresponsive, his head down, his hands clasped limply in front of him on a desk. He can barely answer a simple “yes or no” question, let alone carry on a conversation, and when his adult daughter visits and asks him to identify her, his answer is a heartbreaking and barely audible, “I don’t know. Wait a minute…I don’t know.”

Minutes later, however, a nurse gives him an iPod that has been pre-loaded with music from his past — and Henry comes alive. The change is dramatic: Almost immediately, his face lights up with recognition and delight, and he begins to hum loudly while rocking his body in time with the beat. He’s not his old self, exactly, but he is alert and coherent, which is a definite improvement over his usual state. He’s even able to respond to questions about his love of music, and at one point, after the interviewer asks about his favorite song, he breaks into a vibrant, lovely version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

“It gives me the feeling of love, romance,” he effuses excitedly. “I figure right now the world needs to come into music...The Lord came to me, made me holy — I’m a holy man. So, he gave me these sounds.”

The Magic of Music

In fact, music has been shown to be a powerful catalyst for healing and unlocking memories in patients previously thought lost to dementia. One study out of France found that it reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with Alzheimer’s, and other research suggests that it facilitates cognitive function and triggers associations with events or emotions from the past.

“There’s something about music that cuts through right up until the very end of the disease,” Geri Hall, a clinical nurse specialist at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, told ABC News. “It calms them, it increases socialization, and it decreases the need for mood-controlling medications.”

IPODS AND IPADS IN THE COTTAGES We are very excited to start introducing the use of IPODS and IPADs in our cottages.

During the upcoming months, we will gradually implement them in all 11 of our cottages. We

will include different era’s of music, including Big Band Era and Frank Sinatra to name a few.

We hope to see some of the same positive results with our residents - awakening their minds

with the use of music as mentioned in the article below.

In Henry’s case, adds renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks, MD, author of Musicophilia, it even restores some of the man’s sense of self. “The philosopher Kant once called music ‘the quickening art,’” Sacks explains in the video, “and Henry is being quickened, he is being brought to life.”

Sacks got involved with Alive Inside after being approached by social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the non-profit organization Music & Memory, which delivers iPods with personalized playlists to nursing homes and other care facilities. Cohen is the reason the documentary exists in the first place: It’s about his quest to give the gift of music to people who need it most — people like Henry.

“When I end up in a nursing home, I'll want to have my music with me,” Cohen told ABC. “There aren't many things in nursing homes that are personally meaningful activities. Here’s the one easy thing that has a significant impact.”

“There are a million and a half people in nursing homes in this country,” added Alive Inside director Michael Rossato-Bennett. “When I saw what happened to Henry, whenever you see a human being awaken like that, it touches something deep inside you.”

In Memorium Please pray for our residents who are ill, and/or on hospice.

Also for the following residents who have passed away over the last few months and their families.

Thank you to their caregivers and families for giving them loving and dignified care.

Darlene Horne - December 7th, 2012 Joan Knight - December 7th, 2012

Wallace Arnold - December 17th, 2012 Grace Guss - December 27th, 2013

Sadie Vick - November 22nd, 2012 John Cote - November 19th

John Cote - November 30th Pearl Marion - January 2nd, 2013

Shirley Jean Soll - January 4th, 2013 Mabel Owens - January 6th, 2013

Susan Giese - January 10th, 2013 Donald Perry - January 17th, 2013

Ida Francis Wyatt - January 21st, 2013 Louise Zager - January 27th, 2013

Frank Hansen - February 3rd, 2013

A Little Exercise Might Lengthen Life

California Community Care News

January 2013

A little physical activity can go a long way toward extending your life, regardless of

your weight, a new study found. People who walked briskly or did other activity at only half

the recommended amount gained nearly 2 years in life expectantly compared to inactive

people. Those who exercised even more gained up to 4.5 years of life.

Researchers have long known that physical activity can enhance health exercise can

help with weight control; strengthen bones, muscles and joints; reduce the risk for heart

disease and other disorders. Despite these known benefits, most Americans are sitting or

inactive for more than half of each day, and about one-third of U.S adults are obese.

Earlier studies identified a relationship between longevity and both physical activity

and body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height). But it was unclear of how different

levels of activity and BMI might affect life expectancy.

To take a closer look, an international team of scientists led by Dr. Steven C Moore at

NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) analyzed data on more than 650,000 adults who were

followed for about 10 years. These people, mostly age 40 and older, were drawn from 6

studies originally designed to assess cancer risk. The studies relied on self-reported activity

levels and BMI’s. The work was funded in part by NCI, along with NIH’s National Institute on

Aging (NIA) and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

As reported in the November 2012 issue of PLos Medicine, the researchers found that

people who said they exercised at recommended levels gained 3.4 years of life compared to

those who were inactive. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends

that adults engage in physical activity for 2.5 hours at moderate intensity –or 75 minutes at

vigorous intensity – each week.

Participants who were physically active at twice the recommended level gained 4.2

years in life expectancy those who said they got half the recommended amount of physical

activity added 1.8 years to their lives.

The researchers also found that obesity was linked to a shorter lifespan. However,

physical activity across all BMI levels helped to lengthen life. People who were active and

moderately obese gained about 3 years of life expectancy compared to those who were

normal height and inactive.

The combination of obesity and inactivity led to the worst outcomes people who

were obese and inactive had a life expectancy that was between 5 and 7 years shorter than

those who were normal weight and moderately active.

“In this study we saw that if you don’t do any activity, doing some will give you a

benefit in terms of life expectancy. And if you currently do some activity, doing more will

probably give you even greater benefits” Says Moore. “Regular exercise extended the lives

in every group that we examined in our study – normal weight, overweight, or obese.”

100% SURVEY

Congratulations to Irvine Cottages 8, 9

and 10 for receiving 100% on their

California State Licensing State Survey.

Staff at these homes received a certificate

and a cash bonus. Keep up the great work!

Happy Easter

Residents and staff will enjoy

an Easter/Passover Luncheon Celebration

At their Cottage

On Easter Sunday, March 31st

12 noon

Irvine Cottages wishes all of their

residents and families

A Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Saturday March 17th

Residents will enjoy Corned

Beef and Cabbage and Dessert!

AIN’T WE GOT FUN… MUSIC/ACTIVITIES WITH MARK

Mark's music a.k.a. "ain't we got fun" will

present the music of the 40's 50's and 60's.

New songs will be presented this spring

with emphasis on happy songs of the 50's

and 60's. There will be a Vegas Day where a

portable electronic slot machine will be

passed around to residents during music

presentation. There will be prizes for

jackpot winners.

Music for Vegas day will be songs of the

great Vegas performers e.g. Elvis and

Wayne Newton.

Mark Neria

JSERRA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PROGRAM

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY 2012

The Girls Basketball team visited

Irvine Cottage10 in December

2012. As in previous visits, the

girls continue to touch the hearts

of our residents, singing

Christmas Carols, reading books,

making crafts, playing games

and just talking to them.

Thank you to all of these special

girls, our residents were happy,

smiling and loving life.

Thank you to Harmony for

sending some original art work

painted by some of our

talented residents.

MEMORIES IN THE MAKING ART

Welcome back Marla Harms.

Marla will be coming back part time to teach Memories in

the Making Art with the residents..

We are sad to lose our dear friend Jane. Jane was a large supporter of Irvine Cottages and a close friend of mine. We served on the Womansage Board of Directors together. She placed Irvine Cottages on the front page of the Orange County Register for our Camera Advocacy - she encouraged us to keep fighting. She also wrote a couple of articles featuring myself and Irvine Cottages in Orange Coast Magazine. We will miss her dearly. Jacqueline Dupont

Columnist, aging-issues activist

Jane Glenn Haas dies at 75 An iconic columnist and reporter with the Orange County Register wrote

with gusto and wit, and cared deeply about the dignity of women.

By PAUL HODGINS

Jane Glenn Haas, an iconic columnist and reporter for the Orange County Register, wore many hats during

her career: journalist, feminist, author, TV host, theater lover, inspiring public speaker and founder of

WomanSage, an organization promoting the potential of women in midlife and beyond. But she will be

remembered above all as a superachiever who never ran out of ideas or the enthusiasm to bring them to life.

Haas died at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday from complications after a stroke. She was 75.

Haas enjoyed a multifaceted career in Orange County that included a 20-plus year run as a reporter and

columnist with the Register, as well as a stint as a publicist for the Irvine Co. Following her 2006 retirement

from the Register, Haas' career found a new gear, as she continued writing as many as two columns a week

that ran in the Register and were distributed to more than 300 other newspapers nationally. She also

regularly reviewed books for Orange Coast magazine.

But even as she continued to write, often about aging and health issues, Haas maintained a lifelong passion

for working to help women feel dignity and power throughout their lives. "Jane created something

wonderful when she started WomanSage. She helped women who are really struggling," said the organiza-

tion's president, Marilyn Ditty. "(WomanSage) provides friendship, but also a network to help women get

back on their feet."

Among Haas' many awards and honors are the American Society on Aging's Media Award, the American

Medical Writers Association's Rose Kushner Award, the American Heart Association's C. Everett Koop

Award and the Alzheimer's Association's Rosemary Award. She was twice nominated by the Register for

Pulitzer Prize consideration. An Irvine resident, Haas was nationally recognized as an expert on women's

mid- and later-life issues, which earned her attention in Time magazine, The New York Times, The

Chicago Tribune and other publications. She was asked to be a featured writer in a special Time report on

women at midlife.

"Jane was in charge of the Department of Aging for our paper. And she was a master at it. We learned so

much as she charged headlong through her own productive life," said Ken Brusic, editor and senior vice

president of the Register.

"We weighed the plusses and minuses of her middle-age facelift. We suffered through the painful, but

rejuvenating, replacement of various worn-out body parts. She allowed us to see the joy of a grandchild's

birth and the pain and loss of a son, husband and beloved aunt," Brusic added.

"It was a long, wonderful, joyful journey."

Haas was a respected author ("Time of Your Life: Why Almost Everything Gets Better After Fifty") and a

familiar face at the national level. She appeared on NBC's "Today" and was a featured speaker at the Texas

Governor's Conference for Women, the Massachusetts Governor's Conference for Women and the Xerox

Women's Alliance.

We want to say thank you to all of our house managers for all of their hard work on the care

plans. If you are not receiving your loved ones care plan, please let us know.

Leave Michelle a voicemail or text message at (949) 463-5075 or send her an email at

michelle.nesbitt@irvinecottages.com

Jane Glen Haas cont...

Los Angeles CBS-TV commentator Stacey Butler featured Haas and WomanSage in a two-part series. For

seven years, Haas hosted a call-in TV program on aging issues on the Register's former news channel,

OCN. She appeared regularly on PBS stations KCET and KOCE.

Haas was born on May 16, 1937 in Buffalo, New York. She considered Buffalo, New York City and

Chicago her hometowns. She appreciated the TV series "Mad Men" because that was how she remembered

Manhattan when she worked there as a young woman: a man's world. She waged war on sexism and age-

ism her entire life.

"She was very proud of her work at the forefront of the women's movement," said her daughter, Joanne

Lucas. Haas began her journalism career at the Courier News in Elgin, Ill. "I was only 2 when she went to

work," said Lucas. "She made $75 a week. Her editor said he'd pay her more, but she was a woman. Well,

within a year she got her first raise."

Haas' last column in the Register was about breaking her arm. She fell in her home on Christmas Day and

remained on the floor for 10 hours until a friend found her. In typical Haas fashion, she wrote about the

incident with humor and candor, explaining what she could have done to prevent it. She warned that falls

are a leading cause of injury and death for older Americans.

"As we all live longer, we all play Ring Around the Rosie, whether we want to or not," Haas wrote.

"Jane got very excited and passionate about whatever story she was working on. She always had a large

network of sources in the industry," said Dennis Foley, a Register editor who worked with Haas when she

was a business reporter in the late 1980s. Although Haas was older than many reporters, "I never thought

about her age," Foley added. "She was always full of enthusiasm and energy." Haas' daughter, Lucas, said

her mother was interested in leaving a legacy.

"She thought that was very important. She saw WomanSage as something that reached a broad audience."

As a journalist, Lucas said, her mother was "a very strong person, very direct in her manner. She was will-

ing to ask tough questions and write about tough issues."

Lucas fondly remembers the big parties her mother would throw when the family lived in Elgin. And Haas'

longtime friend, Carolyn Charkey, said Haas' life should be commemorated in similar fashion. "How would

she like to be remembered? With great gusto and a big photo. She was used to being the center of attention

and she loved it," said Charkey, who started at the Register the same week as Haas in 1982. Haas lived

alone in Irvine, but kept company with Winston Eaton, her beloved Boston terrier. In addition to her

daughter, Joanne Lucas, of Long Beach, Haas is survived by a son, Andrew Haas, of Keene, N.H.; and

seven grandchildren. She was predeceased by her second husband, Bob Eaton, a retired Register copy

editor, and her son, Thomas Haas.

Haas' remains will be cremated and her ashes interred at her parent's grave site in Hastings-on-Hudson,

NY. A private celebration of her life will be held later. Her family has requested that in lieu of flowers,

contributions should be sent to WomanSage, 5319 University Drive, Suite 136, Irvine 92612. Messages to

her family should be sent to 52 Seton Road, Irvine 92612.

DAILY EXERCISE Caregivers are encouraged to exercise their residents daily between 10 and

11 am. They are to engage all residents who are able, in some stretching, range of motion

exercises and ball toss. Even hospice patients are required to have one-on-one exercise every day.

GAMES, GAMES….GAMES

All staff are encouraged required to play Games and sing Karaoke every day! We also hope

that all staff will get 100% participation of all the residents in their cottage.

Each home has Magnetic Lap Bingo games and these are a huge favorite and residents like

to play for candy prizes. Some cottages have Nintendo Wii consoles and Josh Valle (son of

Executive Director Alex) will be going to all homes and teaching residents how to play.

Exercise and Fun for all!

MUSIC WITH TONI IMUS

During November and December, the residents and I had a great time at Christmas and

Hanukah! We sang Holiday songs from the Holiday Songbook, as well as Holiday songs that

are not in the Songbook. We played jingle bells and jingle balls

(colorful, plastic tree ornaments with rocks inside, handmade by myself).

During January, we are focusing on more therapeutic skills with popular music. With some

new, smaller, colorful hand-held tambourines, we are practicing playing to the beat of the

songs in tempo. We are also expanding to playing more creatively with the percussion

instruments by playing fills (beats that are filling in between the lyrics) and also utilizing

different tambourine techniques. This way each resident can be more creative! It is exciting

to see everyone having so much fun and being creative! Music therapy is good for

concentration, exercise (moving your body), increasing the feel-good chemicals in your

body, being creative (expression), and just plain having fun and enjoying the music!

During February, we will be enjoying jazz, big band, standards, and nostalgic music. Since it

is Valentine's month, we will also be singing love songs! In March, we will be singing a lot of

Irish songs since it is St. Patrick's month, wearing of the green! And in April, we will be

singing some Easter songs along with traditional Easter hymns.

During these months of February, March, and April, we will also be using our instruments to

be creative and have fun! The residents are so fortunate to have so much music in their

lives, how fulfilling! I just want to take this time to say "Thank You" as it is very fulfilling for

me also to be able to do what I do, and to help others.

Toni Imus

Exposure to Light Could Help Alzheimer's Patients Sleep Better

New Study From the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer is the First To Collect Circadian Light

Exposure and Activity Data in Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease

Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) often sleep during the day and

are awake at night. The situation can turn life-threatening if they leave their homes and wander

around outside. This irregular sleep schedule and night wandering, and the consequent burden on

their caretakers, is a primary reason individuals with ADRD are placed in more controlled

environments such as nursing homes. A new study from the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute lays the foundation for the importance of tailored light exposures as

a viable treatment option for the reduction of sleep disturbances in older adults and those with

ADRD.

Funded by a R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the study is the first to collect

circadian light exposures in individuals with ADRD. Results of the quantitative study show that

individuals with ADRD experienced lower light levels, exhibited lower activity levels, and had

greater disruption to their natural circadian rhythms than healthy older adults. The findings also show

that people with ADRD experience lower levels of light exposure and greater levels of circadian

disruption during the winter.

“We used light/dark and activity/rest patterns to assess circadian disruption and our results are

consistent with previous studies. However, this is the first field study to examine the synchrony

between the circadian light pattern and the activity response pattern to assess circadian disruption,”

said Mariana Figueiro, associate professor at Rensselaer and director of the Light and Health

Program at the LRC, who led the study. “Measurements revealed that those with ADRD experienced

more circadian disruption than healthy older adults.”

Results of the study, titled “Field Measurements of Light Exposures and Circadian Disruption in

Two Populations of Older Adults,” will appear in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Figueiro

presented the research team’s findings at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in

Vancouver on July 17.

Along with Figueiro, co-authors of the study are LRC Director and Professor Mark S. Rea, LRC

Research Specialist Robert Hamner, Patricia Higgins, professor at Case Western Reserve University,

and Dr. Thomas Hornick, Associate Director of the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center

at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center and professor at Case Western Reserve University.

Growing evidence indicates that circadian disruption by irregular light/dark patterns is associated

with reduced quality of life and increased risk of disease. Circadian rhythms are governed by the

human body’s master clock in what is known as the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which has an

intrinsic period slightly longer than 24 hours. On average, the SCN runs with a period of 24.2 hours.

Light/dark patterns on the retina, the photosensitive part of the eye, synchronizes the SCN to the

24-hour solar day, regulating biological rhythms such as when we are active and when we sleep.

Without exposure to a regular, daily pattern of light and dark, circadian rhythms can become

irregular.

“Biology is driven by circadian rhythms at every level, and light is the main stimulus for

synchronizing the circadian system to the solar day. By quantifying an individual’s light/dark

exposure pattern, we can prescribe ‘light treatments’ promoting circadian entrainment, thereby

improving health and well-being,” said Figueiro.

Exposure to light could help Alzheimer’s patients sleep better cont...

To collect data for the study, the research team used a Dimesimeter, a dime-sized device developed

by the LRC, to record how much photopic and circadian light an individual is exposed to and

whether they are active or resting. The data-logging device records these light and activity levels

continuously over many days, and can be easily attached to shirt collars, lapels, hats, wristbands, or

eyeglasses. The Dimesimeter enables researchers to examine light/dark and activity/rest patterns in

those experiencing circadian sleep disorders, such as Alzheimer’s patients. Data from the device can

be downloaded to a computer and processed to calculate a cross-correlation of the activity/rest and

light/dark exposure data, a measure of circadian entrainment/disruption.

“The Dimesimeter system allows researchers to accurately measure light/dark exposure and activity/

rest patterns to quantify circadian disruption. In this way, we can collect ecological data on

populations who suffer from circadian sleep disorders,” said Rea. “This new study using the

Dimesimeter is a major step toward the goal of better understanding the impact of circadian

disruption on human health.”

For the new NIA-funded study, the research team enlisted 16 healthy older adults and 21 adults with

ADRD to wear a Dimesimeter on their wrists for one week.The research team in Cleveland collected

data from those with ADRD and the research team in Troy collected the data from healthy older

adults. From the resulting data, the researchers calculated two metrics for each subject: relative

activity (RA) to measure activity, and phasor magnitude to measure both light exposure and activity.

The analysis revealed that during winter, those with ADRD exhibited more circadian disruption than

healthy adults as reflected by their significantly shorter phasor magnitudes and lower RA values.

Those with ADRD studied in winter also had significantly shorter phasor magnitudes than those

studied in summer. ADRD adults were less active during waking hours than healthy adults, and

ADRD adults studied in winter were exposed to less light than healthy adults in winter and ADRD

adults in summer. The research team is currently delivering a lighting intervention to those with

ADRD and their caretakers and measuring its impact on their sleep efficiency and circadian

disruption.

Looking forward, the Dimesimeter could one day allow physicians to predict the optimum timing of

the light therapy necessary to resynchronize the circadian phase with the solar day. Such treatments

could range from going outdoors for 15 minutes to sitting in front of a light box fitted with blue

LEDs for a prescribed amount of time, according to Figueiro.

COTTAGE MASSAGES

Thank you to Sheila Busch who visits all 11 cottages and

gives our residents massages. The resident’s really enjoy

her visits. If you would like your loved ones to receive

extra massages, please contact Sheila:

(949) 705-8419

MOVIE TIME AT THE COTTAGES

A couple of times a week

homes have Movie Time.

Popcorn and snacks are served

and a different movie is shown.

Residents love old movies. Let

us know if you have any

suggestions or old DVD movies

that you’d like to donate. Gina

will also be planning outings to

Cottage 9 to watch movies in

the home theatre room.

Did you know...We’re on the web

www.irvinecottages.com