Sylmar 122025 - Flipbook - Page 16
Heroes of Sylmar Health and Rehabilitation Center
Page 16
Unplugging during the holidays gives you more time to spend with your family and relax.
Unplugging for the Holidays
Constant connection to technology and personal mobile devices can be fun and helpful Ñ think text messages and GPS Ñ but being tethered to your smart
phone, laptop or table tablet can also increase stress, lead to reduce physical activity and decrease your ability to focus on the people around you. Less stress
and more time to have fun with your family are a few of the beneÞts of unplugging. Here are a few tips to help you unplug for the holidays (or at least reduce
your screen time):
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Leave your cell phone and laptop in another room, or at least turn off notiÞcations and temporary delete social media apps to reduce temptation.
Tell your family and friends that you're unplugging for the holidays; they might even join you for a technology-free vacation.
Set a speciÞc, limited amount of time when you can access your work email, if you absolutely must check in.
Plan technology-free activities Ñ try playing board games, going sledding or bike riding, baking cookies, reading a book or reviving an old hobby.
A Senior Christmas Poem, Author Unknown
TÕwas the night before Christmas at Rock Away Rest, and all of us seniors were looking our best. Our glasses, how sparkly, our
smiles, oh how merry; our punch bowl held prune juice, plus three drops of sherry.
Support hose were taped to our walkers in hope, that Santa would bring us soft candies and soap. We surely were lucky to be there
with friends, secure in our residence and our Depends.
Some of our grandkids sent Christmassy crafts, like angels in snowsuits or penguins on rafts. The dental assistant here borrowed
our teeth. From them she crafted our holiday wreath.
The bed pans, so shiny, all stood in a row, reßecting our candles in a magniÞcent glow. Our supper was festive, the joy wouldn't stop,
with creamy warm oatmeal with sprinkles on top.
Fruit salad with Jello, all jiggly and great, and puree of fruitcake was spooned on each plate. The social director then let us play games, like ÒWhere do You Live?Ó
and ÒWhat Are Your Names?Ó
Old Mr. Looper was feeling his oats, proclaiming that reindeer were just fancy goats. Our resident wanderer was tied to her chair, with hopes that at bedtime she
still would be there.
Security lights on the new fallen snow made night look like day to us old folks below. Then out on the porch there arose quiet a clatter (But weÕre all so deaf that it
just didnÕt matter).
A strange little fellow then ßew through the door. He tripped on the sill and fell ßat on the ßoor. TÕwas just the director, all togged out in red, who giggled and
chuckled and patted each head.
We knew from the way that he strutted and jived that our social security checks had arrived. We sang and we hummed in our monotone croak, till Þnally the clock
chimed its 8 p.m. stroke.
And soon we were snuggled again in our beds, while the nurses distributed our nocturnal meds. And so ends our Christmas at Rock-A-Way Rest. Ôfore long youÕll
be with usÉ we wish you the best!
Kwanzaa
What is Kwanzaa? Kwanzaa is a week-long holiday held annually from December 26 to January 1. Fundamentally, it celebrates family, culture, community, and the
harvest. The word ÒKwanzaaÓ itself comes from the Kiswahili phrase matilda ya kwanza, meaning ÒÞrst fruitsÓ [of the harvest].
Kwanzaa focuses on seven essential principles, known as the Nguzo Saba, which are each represented by one day of the seven-day celebration. The principles are
unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and Faith.
Despite the fact that it is often thought of as a substitute for Christmas or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, and families who celebrate Kwanzaa often
celebrate it in addition to Christmas, Hanukkah, or another religious holiday.
You may be surprised to learn the modern holiday Kwanzaa is relatively new creation, so it has its roots in traditions that goes back generations, or celebrate and
1966, Kwanzaa is the brain child of Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African-American author, professor, and activist. It was created with the community and cultural spirit of
traditional African harvest festivals in mind, but Kwanzaa itself is uniquely North American, being celebrated mainly in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean
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