Saying Goodbye To Summer!

August brought us the last full month of summer and a whole lot of fun! We love that we got to do so much with our friends here at Arbor Springs and that so many of our wonderful community members were able to join in. We had some BIG events this month, including the Gratitude Carnival and the Rehab Olympics.

For the Gratitude Carnival, we showed our thanks with a variety of delightful booths, including the Duck Pond and Fish Cup, as well as our tattoo booth and shooting range…Oh, Shoot! We had a blast, all while expressing our gratitude!!

At the Rehab Olympics, we had plenty of competitors take home some hardware. Our medal winners scored big in bean bag toss, bowling, and many other fun events! Great job to everyone who participated!!

As we reach the end of summer this month, we also celebrate Labor Day. Check out below how you can celebrate this year’s Labor Day and continue to express your gratitude!

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

– Albert Camus

Adopt A New Friend

We foster cats through the Hope Animal Rescue.

Please visit the Hope Animal Rescue website for more info.

Say Thank You for Labor Day

Labor Day is an important day in our country, embracing the American worker and championing all those who have fought for fairness that allows our entire country to thrive!

Since early 2020, we have also made an extra special effort to honor those whose job it is to keep us safe. Labor Day often celebrates the labor movement, unions, and things like that, but we thought this would be another opportunity to pay tribute to these wonderful people that keep us safe and take care of those we love! So on Labor Day, take a moment to appreciate all the workers at Arbor Springs –

  • Show Us a Smile – We see our lovely caregivers and staff members every day – sometimes a simple smile is a great way to express your gratitude.
  • Make a Card or Craft – We do a lot of crafts here at Arbor Springs; maybe dedicate one of these wonderful creations to your favorite Arbor team members!
  • Just Say Thank You – Often, the best way to say thank you…is just to say “thank you”. Those two small words can make a big difference.

What We’re Doing

We keep chugging along here, getting pretty comfortable with our new normal. So while our country continues to deal with COVID-19, we believe that keeping you safe and sound is the most important thing we can do. In fact, we know it is! So keep staying safe and tuned in to see just what activities we have in store for the coming month.

Some Ways We Stay Active and Engaged:

  • Flower Gardening: Hanging baskets with annuals, we dead-head and water.
  • 1:1 Activities
  • Gardening
  • Singing & Dancing
  • Reading
  • Music
  • Margaritas on the patio
  • Restorative Therapy
  • Baking
  • Reading & Writing Letters
  • Manicures, Makeovers, & Hairstyling: The Barber / Beauty Shop is open again!
  • Baking Club
  • Residents Taking Care of the Babies in Evergreen & Birch

And as always, we are having great conversations together!

Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy are also still taking place. Please ask a staff member if you have any questions regarding this.

What’s Going On This Month

As we bring our festive summer to a close, there is still much in store. So take a look at some of the great celebrations coming up. For those in our community who are Jewish, this is a very special month. So remember to keep your loved ones who are Jewish in mind. We also can’t forget Grandparents’ Day! We’ve got some great advice on how to celebrate that wonderful day. Read on and get ready for Fall!

Labor Day – September 6th
This major American holiday celebrates the American Labor Movement and honors those workers who mobilized, organized and made our country what it is today. Now, we use this day to celebrate those who work to continue to make our workforce strong and provide the necessary goods and services to you and your loved ones.

Rosh Hashanah – September 6th – 8th
Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year! It is a very special time and holds great significance for those of the Jewish faith. While Rosh Hashanah has many traditions, including ceremonial greetings, Tashlich, and eating apples dipped in honey, one of the most important traditions of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing and hearing of the shofar (the ram’s horn). We look forward to celebrating this holiday with our Jewish community members!!

Grandparents’ Day – September 12th
We know how important grandparents are here at Arbor Springs. So we definitely know how important Grandparents’ Day is as well. Make sure you tell your grandparents how much you love them today and find your own special way to celebrate this wonderful day. Keep reading to see how you can make the most of this commemoration.

Yom Kippur – September 15th – 16th
September holds many important Jewish holidays this year. Today is Yom Kippur, a Day of Atonement. It is one of the most important days and celebrations of the year for Jewish people. It begins at sundown and is often spent fasting and praying.

First Day Of Fall – September 22nd
Goodbye, summer…hello fall! Today brings us the first day of the autumn season. And while we will miss the summer, we are more than ready for the fall. I’m sure it will be full of new activities, exciting events, and some pretty great holidays. So keep an eye on this section in the next few months. It should be a lot of fun!!

Support For Families

While we strive every day to support our community, we know that the best thing at the moment is for everyone to be as safe and as cautious as possible. During this time, we encourage you to seek out and contribute to an active support group. Often it’s best to just give it a try, and see how it goes. Folks are often surprised by how much their ideas and their presence are beneficial to others. Helping others can be a wonderful remedy for the helplessness and loneliness we ourselves may feel.

Below is some information about how you can find the help and community you need while respecting the COVID-19 safety concerns.

Hopefully, these tips can help your loved one and you succeed in maintaining your resolutions.

Happy Grandparents’ Day!!

Grandparents’ Day is an excellent day to celebrate those special folks we love most…our grandparents!! So whether you’re a grandparent or not, either way, take this month to spread some love. Especially with all that we’ve been through, now is the perfect time to do something special for all the grandparents and anyone else at Arbor Springs!

While we always like to show our gratitude for our community members, Grandparents’ Day is a particularly special occasion. So we’d liked to share some quick and simple tips on how to show your appreciation in a small way for all the wonderful things our grandparents do for us.

  • Record a message – We love to hear from you here at Arbor Springs. Using a phone or anything else that records a voice, send a lovely message from you and the grandkids to your loved one. Maybe even sing a song or something…
  • Send a card – Nothing says thank you, and I love you, like a good ole fashion greeting card. Get a nice one and have the whole family sign it with a sentimental message.
  • Get them a book – We have had quite a fun time reading in recent weeks. Think of something your loved one would enjoy and send them a good book to curl up with. If you don’t know what type of book to get them, we can probably help you out with some suggestions.
  • Just give them a call – We know life has been busy, and things are very different than they have been. So sometimes just a call can be an excellent gift for the Grandparent that you love.

What We’ve Been Up To!

The Arbor Bulletin Board

COVID – 19: REMEMBER TO STAY SAFE

We know this time is difficult.

We are all in this together…and we are here for you!

Please call the facility directly at 515-223-1135 with questions or concerns.

WASH YOUR HANDS AND LIMIT CONTACT PLEASE!

Happy Birthday! Let’s Celebrate Together!

  • George S. – September 6th

  • Thomas W. – September 8th

  • Scott K. – September 11th

  • Glenda M. – September 21st

  • Lucille K. – September 23rd

  • Eldon M. – September 30th

As the summer season comes to a close, there is still one very important thing to remember…

Stay Cool!

And we don’t just mean the temperature!!!

The guidelines on this page and in this newsletter are in no way all-encompassing and should not be adhered to if medical professionals or staff members inform you otherwise. We are learning more about COVID-19 every day, so be sure to stay informed at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus