Annual meeting June 15
Sue White
The annual meeting of Kare-ing Neighbors, Inc., d.b.a. Kare Bears, will be held on Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Written yearly reports of the Board of Directors will be available. The election of directors will follow for open positions.
All residents of PebbleCreek are cordially invited to attend. This meeting will provide information about the organization and what this group of committed volunteers makes available for our community each year.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!
Calendar of events
Sue White
Tour Estrella Estates May 12, 11:30 a.m.
Monthly Meeting May 18 at 11:00 a.m.; Eagle’s Nest Ballroom
Tour Abrazo Hospital May 19 at 10:00 a.m.
AARP Safe Driving Class May 24 at 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Milan Room
UBS Blood Drive June 14 at 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; Palm Room
Abrazo Hospital June 16 at 10:00 a.m.
House hours change
Sue White
On Monday, May 2 the Kare Bears House hours will change to morning hours only. The house will be open from 9:00 a.m. until noon on Mondays through Saturdays.
This change will be in effect until November 1.
If you have questions, please contact the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.
Assisted Living tours
Sue White
Kare Bears is arranging the following Assisted Living Tours in the next two months.
On Thursday, May 12 we will tour and lunch at Estrella Estates. They are located at 14930 West Wigwam Boulevard. They offer independent living with assistance when needed. In addition, they serve three meals daily, offer weekly housekeeping and have laundry facilities.
This community offers all utilities (except phone), 24 hour staff on duty, housekeeping, dining, a full activities program and scheduled transportation.
Join us on the tours to see the complete list of amenities for this community.
Please don’t wait until you need to find somewhere to get assistance—be prepared!
Space is limited – don’t delay!
You can sign up by calling the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.
AARP Safe Driving class May 24
Sue White
As part of the Kare Bears Health and Wellness programs, an AARP Safe Driving Class will be held on Tuesday, May 24 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the Milan Room at Tuscany Falls for all PebbleCreek residents. Cost for AARP members is $15 and for non-members the cost is $20. Checks for the class should be made payable to AARP.
Safety techniques and driving principles will be explained in the class. Some auto insurers do give a discount upon completion of the class, so please check with your insurance carrier. It is well worth the time and cost. A certificate of completion will be distributed at the end of the class.
A signup sheet is in the Kare Bears folder at the Community Information Mailbox across from the Eagle’s Nest Pro Shop.
Any questions, please call the Kare Bears house at 536-1200.
Resource Guide contest winners
Sue White
Thanks to all who participated in the Kare Bears Resource Guide contest. Now that you are familiar with it, we hope you will use the Guide when you are looking for a resource. It is best to view it on the website at www.karebears.org. You can click on link that takes you directly to the resource.
Hard copies of the guide will remain at both libraries and at the Kare Bears House. It is located at the Tuscany Falls Clubhouse Library on the center table where the lamps are located and at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse Library; it is just to the right as you enter the library. It is located with other binders but stands out because it is red. The additional copy is at the Eagle’s Nest Guest Services desk.
In addition, at the Kare Bears House library there are brochures, flyers and business cards. They pertain to medical care, housing, medical alert information, etc. There are also many books that are helpful for support and understanding of a variety of diseases.
We would like to congratulate the following winners of the Resource Guide contest!
Sandy Donovan $50
Dick Dobrin $50
Cheryl Skummer $20 gift card
Toni Brazil $20 gift card
Lorna Anderson $20 gift card
Memory training class
Kare Bears would like to invite you to participate in a Memory Training Class presented by Laurie Fox on Wednesday, May 18 at 11:00 a.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Have you been experiencing senior moments and been concerned? Walked into a room and can’t remember why or see someone you know but can’t remember their name? What if I told you that some of this is just part of normal aging, our brains slow down!
Memory is one of the most basic and important functions of the human brain. Most people think of memory as how we recall past events, but it is also the building blocks for almost everything we do in the present and the future. Communication, problem solving and relationships all rely to some extent on our memory.
But we can’t remember everything! We didn’t when we were 20, so why should we think that we should now. Older and wiser yes, but our brains simply can’t hold everything.
There are dozens of variables that affect how much we remember, how long we retain it and whether we can recall it. Fortunately, we can learn ways to improve how much we remember and enhance how long we remember it.
The Memory Training Class is a fun interactive one-hour class for people who want to enhance and keep their memory strong. There will be tips and tricks given for improving memory as well as a hand-out for notes to take away for continued practice at home. If you want to improve your memory this is the class for you.
Laurie Fox has been in the non-medical field since 1999 in Maricopa County. She is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA); trained as a memory care trainer for Banner Alzheimer’s Institute as well as a facilitator for an Alzheimer’s/dementia support group at Grace Bible Church. She also serves on the management team of the West Valley Professionals’ Roundtable and a large women-only networking group in Sun City.
Laurie enjoys working at Homewatch Caregivers assessing cases and helping families find solutions for their loved ones. She always says, “It’s personal,” as she was the POA for over seven years for her mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. Laurie resides in Peoria, Arizona.
All PebbleCreek residents are invited to this free event!
Soft refreshments will be served!
We hope to see you May 18; don’t forget; put that date on your calendar now!
Abrazo Hospital tours
Sue White
Kare Bears has scheduled a tour of Abrazo Hospital, formerly West Valley Hospital, on Thursday, May 19. We are offering a tour and lunch to the first 16 people to sign up.
Please call the Kare Bear House at 623-536-1200 to make a reservation. Your name must be on the list to attend the tour.
If May is full, you may sign up for the next two scheduled tours on Thursday, June 16.
We know you’ll enjoy this tour and appreciate all the must needed information. The hospital has undergone tremendous new construction which we feel everyone will be pleased to see.
This is the nearest hospital to PebbleCreek offering a Level 1 Trauma center, accredited chest pain center, cardiac arrest center, joint commission certified, primary stroke center and board certified physicians.
Abrazo Hospital has the Robotic Surgical Services using the de Vinci Surgical Platform, Outpatient Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine. They do offer free wellness events on Living with Knee or Hip Pain.
Abrazo Hospital is located at 13677 W. McDowell Road. We will meet at the hospital’s main entrance for the tour just before 10:00 a.m!
March donations
Sue White
The Kare Bears Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge the following donations received in March.
Non-campaign donations were received from: Michelle Hickert; James and Arlene Martin; Hope and Donald Neergaard; Mike McEvilly; PC Senior Softball 50-50 Raffle Sales; Jim McDermott, 50-50 raffle prize returned; Linda and Gary Atkinson; Michael and Carmela Delleo and the PebbleCreek Pickleball Club.
Memorial Donations were received from: Paulette and Denny Boyce and Jim and Judy Quattrone in memory of Stan Wisnes; and Stephen Nathan and David Kiesling in memory of Dan Bacon.
A Transportation Use Donation was received from Anna Marie Petrie.
The generosity and thoughtfulness of these residents and groups will enable Kare Bears to continue to serve the needs of our PebbleCreek residents.