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THE SENIOR TIMESTM
A publication of The Senior NetworkTM
April 2024
GOLDEN NUGGETS
The word April comes from the Latin word aperire, which means to open. This is in reference to the many flowers that bloom in the month. It is the time of year when flowers begin to display their beauty; birds are heard singing; and most animals look for a mate. There is an overall feeling of “openness” being lighthearted and free. People can’t wait to “open” up their doors to sunshine, walk outside in the “open” air, watch the” opening” pitch of the first game of baseball and “open” up to new relationships. The Bible states in Song of Solomon 2:12 “Flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” So enjoy April and “open” up to all the great beauty and wonder it holds.
Remember When:
Back in the mid-1900s when children saw Bob Keeshan on TV, they knew they were in for a fun ride lasting an hour on that weekday morning.
Captain Kangaroo gave the children the best childhood gift in the 30 long years that it reigned on television. The grandpa-like attitude that Keeshan always had, endeared the young and the old audiences to a show that became an integral part of their lives.
“SENIOR-FRIENDLY”TM HALL OF FAME
If you know an individual, a business, a group,
an organization, or a municipality that is “senior-friendly”TM, you may nominate them for the “Senior-Friendly” Hall of Fame. Submit their name, contact information and why you think they should be considered. Send to:
THE SENIOR NETWORK
3650 Rogers Road, Suite #323
Wake Forest, NC 27587
or
Humor Me….
On her 65th birthday, a wife looking into a mirror said to her husband, "I'd love to be ten again." So that Saturday, he surprised her with a kid-friendly day. First, they had a heaping stack of chocolate-chip pancakes, her favorite childhood breakfast. Then they hit the playground and a merry-go-round. They finished the day with a banana split.
"So how did you enjoy being a kid for a day?" the husband asked.
"Great," she said. "But when I said I wanted to be ten again, I meant my dress size."
Grandma’s Cooking Corner:
Jackie Kennedy’s Casserole Marie Blanche
First lady, Jackie Kennedy is reported to have served this easy, delicious Casserole Marie Blanche, during the time she lived in the White House. She even served it at a private dinner for her brother-in-law and sister, Prince and Princess Radziwill in 1961.
Ingredients:
egg noodles
sour cream
cottage cheese – 1 container
salt and white pepper or black pepper
butter
fresh chives – snipped
Optional items: add broccoli, asparagus or other green vegetable Also sautéd mushrooms can be used and added to the mixture.
Directions:
Boil egg noodles over medium heat according to the package directions. Drain.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
Mix it in the casserole that you will bake it in.
Dot top with small pieces of butter. Bake at 350°F until the top is golden brown and everything is bubbly! Serve immediately.
Who’d A Thunk…
The vegetable known as squash, with its many varieties is truly beneficial to our human bodies. It is a storehouse of nutrients. The addition of squash into your diet can be an excellent way of avoiding dangerous cell damage and helps build a strong immunity, which is a barrier that protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs and digestive system from fatal problems such as heart attack and cancer.
Many types of squash are a sound source of dietary fiber which helps regulate the sugar levels in the body, which helps in controlling diabetes. The anti-inflammatory effects of squash are very beneficial for all types of arthritis. Studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory components of squash specifically target duodenal and gastric ulcer. The benefits of squash are abundant for heart conditions and type-2 diabetes. The seeds in various types of squash are found to have antimicrobial and anti-parasitic properties that protect the body from infections and parasites such as ringworm and tapeworms. Squash is a potent source of vitamin A which has been observed to cause a significant reduction in emphysema, especially in people who are constantly exposed to smoke and carcinogens in cigarettes. Adding sautéed zucchini and other forms of squash to the diet can be extremely beneficial in negating neural tube defects. Eating squash can help protect the eye from forming cataracts, vision issues, and glaucoma. It can help the body maintain levels of hemoglobin and keep the count of red blood cells up. It is an excellent source of potassium and magnesium that promote bone density and is rich in dietary fiber which helps regulate smooth bowel movements and maintain a healthy digestive system.
Squash is overall an excellent way of getting a dose of antioxidants, carotenoids and anti-inflammatory agents.
Who knew Mom was so right when she said, “Eat your vegetables!”
Words of Wisdom:
"Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life."
BRAIN TEASERS
(Answers on last page)
A man was walking in the rain. He was in the middle of nowhere. He had nothing and nowhere to hide. He came home all wet, but not a single hair on his head was wet. Why is that?
Forrest left home running. He ran a ways and then turned left, ran the same distance and turned left again, ran the same distance and turned left again. When he got home, there were two masked men. Who were they?
Military Salute
We honor all those who fought so bravely at Okinawa. The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle of World War II, and one of the bloodiest. On April 1, 1945—Easter Sunday—the Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan. The invasion was part of Operation Iceberg, a complex plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa. Though it resulted in an Allied victory, kamikaze fighters, rainy weather and fierce fighting on land, sea and air led to a large death toll on both sides.
SENIOR OF THE MONTH
April 2024
JOEL TURNER
From the street corners of the Boogie Down Bronx, and the journey through the academic halls of New York colleges and universities, followed by the climb up the corporate ladders of IBM in Westchester County in New York and dealing with the challenges of the world of Internet Technology comes Joel Turner. Now retired and residing in the southern confines of Cary, North Carolina, all the while keeping an active participation in the sport of tennis for the last 50 years and can be found on many of the public tennis courts in the Triangle and additionally can be found dabbling in poetry writing, and performing in the vocal side of R&B music in various talent shows and karaoke venues around the Triangle.
This is the father, the son, the uncle, the nephew, the brother, the cousin, the friend, the player, the singer and ultimately, the man…… Joel Turner
(Come enjoy Joel’s performance on May 24th at the Third Annual Senior Talent Show at the Renaissance Centre in Wake Forest! Tickets available on our website: www.theseniornetwork.org.)
DID YOU KNOW?
School not only makes a person smarter, but it can also help them live longer, researchers report.
People with more education tend to age more slowly and live longer lives compared to the less educated, the study found.
THE SENIOR NETWORK’s #1 priority now is socialization of seniors. We create events and transport seniors to them wherever we can.
Our NonProfit of the Month:
Dementia Society of America is this month’s non profit. One of this organization’s largest efforts addresses the biggest need- tackling taboos, stigmas, fears of the unknown, and a general lack of knowledge about the basics of Dementia; all of which may hold back individuals, families, and our communities, from improving the lives of those living with Dementia. Their contact phone number is 1-800-DEMENTIA (1-800-336-3684)
"Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships. They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, and they may experience personality changes and behavioral problems, such as agitation, delusions, and hallucinations. While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. Doctors diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory and language skills -- are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness. Some of the diseases that can cause symptoms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Doctors have identified other conditions that can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms including reactions to medications, metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, infections, poisoning, brain tumors, anoxia, or hypoxia (conditions in which the brain’s oxygen supply is either reduced or cut off entirely), and heart and lung problems. Although it is common in very elderly individuals, dementia is na normal part of the aging process".
Moreover, recent studies have found that newer brain scans may point to other causes of Dementia in approximately one-third of presumed AD cases, thereby helping avoid an Alzheimer’s disease misdiagnosis, which may lead to better treatment and care. A fundamental concept to grasp is that the symptoms of Dementia often go beyond memory loss. They can include significant shifts in mood, more falls, disturbed gait (how we walk), and more. In addition, hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia are not uncommon.
The DSA specific mission is to enhance the quality of life for those living with Dementia, caregivers, and the community at large!
Answers to Brain Teasers
Answer: The man was bald.
Answer: The catcher and the umpire.
WELCOME BASEBALL SEASON!
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