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If you’re an aspiring novelist looking for a challenge, this is your month! National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) began November 1 and offers the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself to complete a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. By taking part, you can gain valuable skills and join a thriving community of creatives. At Westminster Communities of Florida, we believe that lifelong learning and experimenting with new creative endeavors and skills is an invaluable part of a well-rounded lifestyle. Read on to learn more about how National Novel Writing Month came to be, its benefits and tips for getting started.

HOW IT STARTED

NaNoWriMo began in 1999 with 21 participants who completed their novels and created a new tradition. Since then, the event has grown exponentially, bringing together over 400,000 people internationally who collectively write their novels.
For many aspiring authors, the event provides an opportunity to test their creative skills, build confidence and contribute to a community of writers sharing experiences and providing support to others during the month-long process.

THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING

NaNoWriMo gives you the chance to challenge yourself in ways that may not have been possible before. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone by trying new ideas, techniques, or genres as part of the project. If you set achievable goals, you’ll get the satisfaction of seeing what you’ve accomplished quickly – something that isn’t always easy when working on longer projects.
Additionally, many local communities host write-ins throughout the month where writers come together to encourage each other’s progress and share advice about their own writing process. If you’re looking for an exciting way to challenge yourself creatively this November – consider participating in NaNoWriMo!

TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED

Writing a novel in 30 days is an ambitious goal, but with the right preparation and tools it can be a manageable feat. Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Set a Goal: Before you begin, decide how many words you would like to write each day and stick to it. Be realistic about what you think you can achieve which will help keep you motivated and on track.
• Create a Comfortable Writing Space: Find somewhere you can focus and have your materials easily accessible. This may be at home or in a public space. Make sure that your environment has minimal distractions allowing you to make the most of your time.
• Utilize Online Tools: There are plenty of resources available to help keep track of word count goals, organize ideas, take notes, brainstorm plots, research topics, stay focused and more! Utilizing these resources can greatly improve efficiency all month long.
• Connect With an Online Community: Connect with other NaNoWriMo participants. Join online forums and discussion boards to ask questions about any challenges you experience along the way, share successes and inspire others to keep going!
• Take Regular Breaks: Taking breaks from writing helps clear your mind so that when you return to work on your novel again, fresh ideas will come more easily.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a complete novice, National Novel Writing Month is a great opportunity to test your creative skills, build confidence and connect with a community of like-minded individuals. So what are you waiting for? Sign up today and start writing your novel!

If you’re spending this Halloween with family, especially the youngest members of your family, why not spend quality time together making special holiday themed snacks? Try one of these adorably spooky snacks below with your family this year!

Skeleton Gingerbread Men

Find the recipe for these little guys on olivemagazine.com

Dark Chocolate Orange and Black Cookies

You can get the recipe for these black and orange cookies on simplyhappyfoodie.com

White Chocolate Covered Ghost Strawberries

This fun twist on a classic can be found on madeitateitlovedit.com

Brain Rice Krispy Treats

A little spooky, a lot of fun, find out how to make these on bakewithamy.com

Chocolate Pretzel Spiderwebs

No spiders required for these webs! Learn how to make them on whitegunpowder.com

If you are experiencing hearing loss, you may be wondering if over-the-counter hearing aids are a good option for you. Until recently, the only way to get a hearing aid was to go to a hearing health professional and get a prescription. Now, adults 18 and older with mild-to-moderate hearing problems can find a more cost-effective solution with over-the-counter hearing aids.

If you are experiencing hearing loss, it’s important to see a professional audiologist to get the help you need. A qualified provider can complete a diagnostic hearing test to determine the best way to improve your hearing. This will help rule out any complex ear conditions that can sometimes cause hearing loss including infections, earwax buildup or injuries, all of which can’t be fixed by hearing aids.

With complex conditions ruled out, consumers can buy these devices directly. Here is a brief overview of what you need to know about over-the-counter hearing aids, including who they are right for, what types are available, how much they cost, and where you can get them.

1 – What’s the difference between a prescription hearing aid and an over-the-counter device?

Over-the-counter hearing aids are available without a medical exam, prescription, or professional fitting. These “one-size-fits-most” devices provide a basic level of hearing correction and may be sufficient for some people. While prescription hearing aids are more expensive, they will be able to treat the nuances of different types of hearing loss better with more sophisticated technology. They may also be a good choice for someone who has tried an over-the-counter option without success.

2 – What types of over-the-counter hearing aids are there?

There are two types available: self-fitting and non-self-fitting. Self-fitting devices come with adjustable settings that allow users to customize the device’s sound output according to their own individual needs and preferences. Non-self-fitting devices come preloaded with a few predetermined sound settings and volume control. Overall, both types have their advantages and disadvantages, so it is important for consumers to understand each option before making a decision to get the most out of their device.

3 – Will over-the-counter hearing aids be the same quality as prescription hearing aids?

When it comes to hearing aids, the quality of the device is of utmost importance. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates all types of hearing aids and has set minimum standards for safety and effectiveness that must be met by both over-the-counter and prescription devices. This means that when you purchase an over-the-counter device, you can be sure that it meets strict safety regulations and provides a certain level of sound amplification. However, there will likely be differences in appearance, style, features, and sound quality between over-the-counter devices and those prescribed by a professional audiologist or other qualified provider. Be sure to do your research and read user reviews for information about battery life, warranties and return policies offered.

4 – How do costs compare for over-the-counter hearing aids?

Over-the-counter hearing aids are typically much less expensive than traditional prescription hearing aids, with some models costing as little as a few hundred dollars. The cost of prescription hearing aids varies widely but can run anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000. Compare prices of the over-the-counter options as well as the features among different models to find the best value for your money.

5 – Where can I get an over-the-counter hearing aid?

Over-the-counter hearing aids are available in pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens, some big box stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy, as well as online.
Acclimating to wearing hearing aids takes time and practice. You should wear your hearing aids frequently to become accustomed to their features and how to adjust the program settings to suit different listening environments. If you find that you are not getting the benefits you expected from your over-the-counter hearing aids, consider consulting with a hearing health care professional, such as an audiologist, otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor), or hearing aid specialist.

Each week, anywhere from 12-20 residents at Westminster Woods on Julington Creek, our Life Plan Community in Jacksonville, meet to exercise their minds as well as their bodies. Fitness Coordinator Jeri Jo Fox leads residents in stimulating exercises aiming to maintain their mental agility. Staying mentally sharp is a key component of leading a healthy life, and it’s never too late to start.

“Just because I’m the fitness coordinator, it’s not all about me teaching physical fitness,” Jeri Jo said. “Brain fitness is just as important.”

Westminster Woods on Julington Creek isn’t the only Westminster community mixing brain health exercises into their daily activities. Brain health programming can be found at each of our Life Plan Communities throughout the state emphasizing the need to exert different areas of the brain and maximize its potential as we age.

For years, Jeri Jo has been incorporating brain fitness exercises into her physical fitness classes. She completed hours of research, connected with experts, and created her own curriculum full of exercises involving finger manipulation, coordination and a combination of physical exercise and brain stimulation. Today she leads residents through a 12-week program called Total Brain Health. Through puzzles, games, creative endeavors, and even physical activities, residents are challenged both mentally and physically in order to stay sharp. The science-based, expert-designed curriculum offers simple exercises for cognitive wellness and details why these exercises are beneficial for brain health.

“There are so many things that are related to brain health for a successful quality of life,” Jeri Jo said. “I’ve seen after COVID the people who did not socialize or exercise, part of them just shut down. There’s so much that you can control, so why not incorporate it?”

During class residents are given worksheets and handouts to coincide with the brain games and workouts to highlight which area of the brain they’re working and to further develop social skills, but the lessons are varied.

“Every week is a different lesson so residents aren’t going to fall behind if they miss one or two or three,” Jeri Jo said. “You start off with a physical warmup with your hands and your feet, and everything you do you’re counting backwards or forwards or saying the alphabet, so you’re warming up your brain.”

Jeri Jo noted that she has some very healthy and very independent residents attending the Total Brain Health class, but that the program extends beyond just independent living residents.

“This is the one class some of my more physically challenged independent residents can attend. They might not come to balance class, but they really look forward to this,” Jeri Jo said. “I took that same exercise to the health center because they can do it! Even if they are sitting in a wheelchair, they can still participate in a brain game.”

Residents tell Jeri Jo they notice the effects and feel better. “They look forward to this and they like the challenge,” she said noting she’s seeing benefits herself leading the class through these exercises. “I feel like my mind is clearer and sharper because I do this stuff.”

IMPROVING BRAIN HEALTH AT HOME

By exercising your brain either at home or at a Westminster community, you strengthen the neural pathways in your brain, which can help to improve your memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and if you can’t be there to participate in Jeri Jo’s Total Brain Health class in person, she offered some ways you can get a brain workout at home to improve your brain health and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders.

1. 1. Read out loud for 15 minutes each day.
2. 2. Write. If your hands don’t work well use your computer and type or write for 15 minutes each day. Write a letter, or write a story, write a summary of your day, write what you’re grateful for – just write!
3. 3. Socialize. Connect with others. In order to have a conversation with somebody, you have to remember what they said, you have to pull from your memory and find the vocabulary.
4. 4. Challenge your brain through a mentally stimulating exercise or by doing a game against the clock. Something that is new and novel is desirable to your brain.
5. 5. Eat well, stay hydrated, sleep and exercise.

When you choose to live at a Westminster community, you’ll have access to a plethora of well-being opportunities to exercise your mind and body. Learn more about the lifestyle you can enjoy and find the community near you today!

This fall, more than 1 million students will attend Florida’s colleges and universities, with the many associated costs. The average student will borrow more than $7,200 each year to attend college. For Westminster Communities of Florida team members and their family members, however, a few minimum requirements and an application are all that stand between them and access to educational aid to pursue their educational goals.

Each year, Westminster’s Team Member Scholarship Fund provides more than 75 scholarships to team members throughout the state and raises more than $150,000 to support team members now and in the future.

“We have money! We have over $100,000 to distribute and we want to get rid of it,” said Ray Petty, chair of the Team Member Scholarship Fund Committee at Westminster Suncoast, our Life Plan Community in St. Petersburg.

The committee has approved nine scholarships in the last 12 months at Westminster Suncoast, just one of Westminster’s 10 Life Plan Communities. Other communities have many participants too: In 2023 alone, the Team Member Scholarship Fund distributed almost 60 scholarships and just shy of $110,000 of educational aid state-wide. In Orlando, a Certified Nursing Assistant at Westminster Towers is attending the registered nurse program at City College Orlando; Westminster St. Augustine’s Social Services and Admissions Director is taking on a Ph.D. program at Keiser University; and a Dining Server at Westminster Shores is pursuing a degree in psychology at St. Petersburg College, all with the help of the Team Member Scholarship Funds.

These funds are generous tax-deductible gifts made by residents wishing to express their appreciation for team members. Their donations provide financial aid for qualified team members to engage in post-high school educational studies at local universities, colleges and professional training centers. The scholarship also extends to family members who are financially dependent on the team member.

Registered Nurse Gabina Jean was introduced to the Team Member Scholarship Fund when her daughter Gabriella started college. Gabina has been caring for patients in the Rapid Recovery Unit at Westminster Woods on Julington Creek, our Life Plan Community in Jacksonville, since 2012, and after utilizing the fund to assist with her daughter’s college education, Gabina was encouraged to apply for the scholarship herself by one of her co-workers.

Today, both mother and daughter are pursuing advanced degrees with assistance of the Team Member Scholarship Fund. For Gabina, a Master of Science in nursing with a specialization in psychiatric mental health nursing from the University of St. Augustine, and for her daughter Gabriella, a degree in health sciences from the University of North Florida, with plans to graduate this fall. Combined they have received more than $20,000 to further their education from the community’s Team Member Scholarship Fund.

Gabina said the support of her fellow team members, supervisors, scholarship fund committee members and residents has been incredible. “The people at the community that donate the money, they come to me and say, ‘I’m so glad to see that the money I gave is helping you!‘” Gabina said.

The funds are unique in that the scholarships are not required to be used for the benefit of the organization; instead, the money is allocated to meet the educational interests of the team member.

“We approve something that the team member wants, not something that Westminster Suncoast wants,” Mr. Petty said. “In other words, what they’d like to study is what we provide the scholarship for. For example, we had a lady that did nail science and she’s having a ball with it!”

For many, receiving the Team Member Scholarship is a jumping off point for them to pursue their personal passions.

“One of the team members who works in the kitchen is getting his degree in physical therapy,” Mr. Petty said. “We also had a young lady who is a CNA (Certified Nursing Aide) who wanted to become a phlebotomist. She had to go to a special school here in Pinellas County which prepares them for the phlebotomy exam, and we paid for that. There are only 15 people admitted to the program and there were 50 applicants and she got in.”

“I feel like it’s an easy process,” college senior Gabriella said about her time applying and reapplying for the scholarship over the last three years. “There’s two short essays, three prompts, you fill out your information — it is easy to apply.”

What stands between team members and the scholarship is the application process, and having been through it multiple times, team member Gabina encouraged her coworkers to take the plunge and apply.

“I keep telling people about the scholarship, my coworkers and everybody, and most of them are afraid of the process,” she said. “Don’t overthink it. Just go and do it! Start the process and ask questions. There’s always somebody that is going to help you.”

The support for team members extends beyond financial support for recipients of the scholarship. At Westminster Suncoast, they try to pair recipients with team members or residents who have experience in the area they’re studying.

The same support resonates at our Life Plan Community 217 miles away at Westminster Woods on Julington Creek. Gabina recounted how Elaine Goleski, chair of their Team Member Scholarship Fund committee, stays in contact and routinely reaches out to offer encouragement. “She’s very involved,” Gabina said. “Residents and team members, everybody follows up! For me they are very supportive.”

At Westminster Communities of Florida, we recognize and encourage our team members’ pursuit of personal passions. With the Team Member Scholarship Fund, the 2,700 team members throughout the state and their families have the opportunity to pursue their educational goals and further their careers without the financial burden.

To join the team at Westminster Communities of Florida, serve seniors throughout the state and pursue your personal passion, find the opportunity that suits you today at https://www.WestminsterCommunitiesFL.org/careers!

Living in a community brings many benefits to our lives, from fostering meaningful connections to providing a sense of purpose and belonging. It is also important to consider how our lifestyle and choices impact our community, both environmentally and socially.

This week, we’re exploring the community dimension of well-being and showing how you can thrive in your community this summer. At Westminster Communities of Florida, we strive to provide our residents with opportunities to make their community a part of their well-being. From understanding and valuing how your personal lifestyle and choices impact our community to introducing ways to embrace community every day, we’re diving into how to make your community a part of your overall well-being.

Be dedicated to making the community your home.

Being part of a community is a fundamental part of well-being. Creating meaningful connections with others and feeling like you belong somewhere helps to foster personal growth and improve your overall well-being. That’s why we believe it’s so important to dedicate yourself to making the community your home. Investing in your local area by getting involved in local activities, volunteering, or joining community groups can all help to create lasting relationships with those around you and fill your life with purpose.

It doesn’t stop there either; getting involved in community activities provides an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate common goals, values, and beliefs. Studies show that participating in communal activities results in increased feelings of satisfaction and contentment—so it’s no surprise that dedicating yourself to making your community your home has such positive effects on mental health.

Understand how your personal lifestyle and choices impact our community.

It is important to recognize that the choices we make as individuals have an impact on our community, both environmentally and socially. We must be mindful of how our lifestyle and choices can affect the well-being of others in our community and take steps to ensure that we are creating a safe, healthy environment for everyone.

On the environmental side, small changes in lifestyle can have a big impact. Simple things like buying local produce or using reusable containers instead of disposable plastics can help reduce pollution and waste in our community. We can also choose to use public transportation or carpooling when possible or walk or bike instead of driving for short distances. These small changes add up to create a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone in our community.

Socially responsible actions are equally important when it comes to community well-being. Participating in local events such as clean-up days or fundraisers helps build social cohesion within the neighborhood and strengthens connections between members of the community. Additionally, supporting local businesses helps foster economic growth and development within the area which benefits everyone in some way.

At Westminster Communities of Florida, we provide scheduled transportation, reducing the number of cars on the roads. Our dining teams source local farmers markets for ingredients used in our dishes, and even use fresh herbs and vegetables grown in our resident-cultivated gardens. Residents have plenty of chances for social interaction from volunteering and putting together backpacks filled with school supplies to donate to local students in need, to holding events featuring goods from local businesses, our communities are a great place to support the local community.

Ways to embrace community every day

We all have the power to make a positive impact on our community every day. It’s as simple as choosing to be conscious of how we interact with those around us and to take an active role in bettering our neighborhood and city. Here are some practical tips to embrace community every day:

1. Get involved: Participate in local events or join a club or organization that works towards making your community better. This could include volunteering at a food bank, cleaning up your local park, or helping out with an animal rescue organization. Not only is this beneficial for the people around you, but it also gives you an opportunity to meet new people and explore new interests.
   
2. Shop locally: Choose local stores over big chains whenever possible to support small businesses and keep money circulating within the community. Buying locally-made products also helps reduce environmental costs associated with large-scale production and transport of goods from other places.
   
3. Give back: Donating time or money to causes that are important to you is a great way to make a difference in your community without even leaving home! Whether it’s donating items that can be reused or recycled, giving money directly to charities, or providing mentorship through volunteering opportunities—everyone can make an impact no matter their financial means or availability of time.
   

Strive to make an impact in your community

Taking steps to embrace your community every day can have a positive effect on your well-being. At Westminster Communities of Florida, we recognize the importance and provide our residents with opportunities to get involved, frequent local businesses, and give back.

When you choose to live at a Westminster community, you’ll have access to opportunities and programming with all eight of our dimensions of well-being in mind, including supporting our local community. Learn more about the lifestyle you can enjoy and find the community near you today!