From the Desk of the CEO Rod Burkett

Checking in early in the new year on one of my goals concerning positive thinking and inner happiness, I’m grading it as a mixed bag - some good outcomes, some not so good. Most of us carry on an ongoing inner dialogue within our minds. Often, these thoughts are aimed internally, as we critique our appearance, judge ourselves on

something that didn’t go quite right at work or second guess ourselves regarding a decision we made on one of life’s challenges that recently cropped up. If we were to track all of this self-talk and categorize it, many of us would find that very little of it is positive in nature or supportive. We often serve as our own worst critics, which dilutes self-confidence.

Determination to change our inner thoughts is our first step to creating greater peace and happiness. We are under no one’s control other than our own thoughts, and if we have chosen negative thinking, we must realize we have the power to switch such thinking. Experience and time illustrate to us that the payoff from positive thinking is far better! We project to become the person that our thoughts prepare us to be. If you find your inner conversations trending along negative lines, you have the power to change the direction, to think along different lines. We should all celebrate the personal power of our mind’s thoughts and commit to use such to bolster our own well being.

4882 N. Convent Street Bourbonnais, IL 60914

815-935-1992 www.gardant.com

At A Glance

Managed by

FEBRUARY 2020

Message From the President JoEllen Bleavins

Our company was built on our foundational values of love, compassion and dignity.

Throughout the year, and especially during February—a month dedicated to love—our emphasis on LOVE shines through in all that we do.

Love is shown in the care and compassion our staff gives to the men and women who call our communities home. Residents show that same love to our employees, many of whom become like family to them.

What an honor it is for us to build these relationships and live out our mission in a way that touches so many lives. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE.

Prevent the Spread of Germs

Love, Compassion & Dignity

202 N. Show Place Drive, Rockford , IL 61114

815-332-3700 | www.hw-rockford-slf.com

NEWS FROM THE WOODS

IN THE NEWS

Your Heart Matters Rick Banas

February is National Heart Month. Your heart is the hardest working muscle in your body. It is also a universal

symbol of love. Did you know that . . .

The average size of the human heart is about the size of an adult’s fist. A man’s heart, on average, weighs two

ounces more than a woman’s heart, while a woman’s heart beats slightly faster than a man’s heart.

If you were to stretch out your blood vessel system, it would extend more than 60,000 miles, which is nearly

2.5 times the circumference of planet earth.

The first open heart surgery reportedly occurred in 1893. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, who was one of the few

black cardiologists in the United States at that time, performed the surgery. The patient lived for another 50

years.

The frequency of heart attacks is highest on Mondays.

Controlling your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure; quitting smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke;

eating healthy; staying active; exercising on a regular basis; and drinking alcohol in moderation, if you drink,

are among the things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Also, if you want a healthy heart, laugh more, says the Cleveland Clinic. The benefits of laughter appear to be

similar to aerobic exercise or the use of cholesterol-lowering medications.

As for how the heart became a symbol of love and affection, nobody knows for certain, but some theories date

back many centuries.

For Gardant, love has a special place in our approach to serving residents. Our focus is on providing residents

with the Love, Compassion and Dignity residents deserve as well as the help and assistance they need.

Message From the President (CONTINUED)

It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing. – Mother Teresa

Too often, we underestimate the power of - a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring - all of which have the potential to turn a life around. – Leo Buscaglia, author

Please take an opportunity each day to find ways to make kind gestures – and know how important you are to those surrounding you.

PAGE 2

WELLNESS Recipe Corner

Easy Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds lettuce, any kind

1 cup croutons

8 bacon strips

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2/3 slivered almonds, toasted

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 cup swiss cheese

Salt, pepper

Directions:

In a jar, add the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and shake.

In a large bowl, place your cleaned salad mix.

Top with tomatoes, cheese, bacon, almonds and the dressing. Mix.

Stop the Spread of Germs

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season.

1The tips and resources below will help you learn about steps you can take to protect yourself and others from the flu and help stop the spread of germs.

1. Avoid close contact.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

2. Stay home when you are sick.

If possible, stay home, and avoid visiting when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.

3. Cover your mouth and nose.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.

4. Clean your hands.

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

6. Practice other good health habits.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

PAGE 3

LIFESTYLE

Valentine’s Bingo

Monday, February 10th at 2pm in the dining room.

Join us for some bingo fun and make a few new friends!

Event You Don’t Want To Miss!!

The Newly Wed Game Friday, February 14th at 2pm in the dining room We will be putting a twist on the Newly Wed Game! We will have a few long time married couples as our contestants! The Couple that wins the game will become our Newly Wed winners and will be crowned the King and Queen of Heritage Woods! Prizes will be awarded too! If you are a married couple living at Heritage Woods and would like to be a contestant, call Shannon (815) 332-3708, right away! If your not married, we’d love to have you as a guest of our audience! (no need to call to be a guest)

February Bus Outings

Thursday, February 6th - Walmart at 1:30pm Thursday, February, 13th - Dollar Tree at 1:30pm Thursday, February 20th -Lunch at The Hoffman House at 10:45am Thursday, February 20th - Walmart Thursday, February 27th - Walgreens Please come and sign up for outings on February, 5th at 2:15pm in the Third Floor Multi-Purpose Room

Birthdays/Anniversaries

Resident Birthdays:

Mignon B. - February 9th

Peggy A. - February 14th

Sandra O. - February 20th

Kay T. - February 26th

Larry T. - February 28th

Staff Work Anniversaries:

Eva Ramirez - 2 years

Brittney Kelley - 2 Years

Jaclyn O’Keefe - 4 Years

Welcome New Residents Please take a moment or two and give a warm welcome to your newest neighbors Mignon B., Ingabor C., Midge A., Carol K., and Jerry L.

PAGE 4

Birthday Party with Steve Askins

Friday, February, 28th at 2pm in the dining room. Join us for cake

and ice-cream and some great entertainment from Steve, as we

celebrate those with a February birthday! Smart Bucks

Earn a smart buck each time you

attend an Wellness Discovery Se-

ries, play the Dakim Machine or

attend exercise class. You will be

able to use these as an entry form to

win great prizes! (These bucks have

no cash value and can be only used

as prize entry form and can not be

used in the store, residents only)

Horoscope

Aquarius (1/20-2/18) Toxic attitudes are contagious. Be careful not to get sucked in to the negativity Pisces (2/19-3/20) Find comfort in renewed stability Aries (3/21-4/19) Friends will be a blessing in disguise Taurus (4/20-5/20) It may be a rough winter, but approach it with renewed energy Gemini (5/21-6/20) Seize opportunities. Be ready to make some changes. Cancer (6/21-7/22) Your competitive spirit is stimulated Leo (7/23-8/22) Take time for yourself to determine your goals and ambitions Virgo (8/23-9/22) Your service to others is the clue to achieving success in your own life. Set goals and follow through. Libra (9/23-10/21) Take time for you. Explore your optimism and creativity. Scorpio (10/22-11/21) Let go of inhibitions and seek the pleasure you had as a child Sagittarius (11/22-12/21) Be careful not to overreact. Take a breath before communicating. Capricorn (12/22-1/19) Don’t push yourself or others too hard. To satisfy goals, encourage others. See yourself as a leader.

PAGE 5

HW FUN!!Chinese New Year

Shannon Webster

Chinese New Year was January 25th and we never miss an

opportunity to have a celebration! Residents indulged in a Chinese

lunch, had special word searches and puzzles for the day and had

their photos taken! Thank-you to all our guest who came in and

celebrated with us!

SUKOKU PUZZLE

PAGE 6

SUDOKU ANSWERS

PAGE 7