The President’s Volunteer Service Award

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Points of Light

The President’s Volunteer Service Award was created to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. It is also the only presidential award that is available to the general public without having to be nominated or judged on criteria. It is an award that allows citizens to be honored and recognized for service that is important to them.
The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council is nonexistent) was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor service-minded Americans.
Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours served within 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
To date The President's Volunteer Service Award program has partnered with more than 80 Leadership Organizations and more than 28,000 Certifying Organizations to bestow more than 1.5 million awards to the nation's deserving volunteers.
The Award
Depending on which award package is ordered, award recipients can receive:

• An official President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin
• A personalized certificate of achievement
• A congratulatory letter from the President of the United States

Award Criteria
Any individual, family or group can receive presidential recognition for volunteer hours earned within a 12-month time period or over the course of a lifetime at home or abroad. The following are the eligibility requirements for each age group:

• Kids: Age 5-14
• Young Adults: Individual Age 15-25
• Adults: Individual Age 26 +

To apply and track your hours visit The President's Volunteer Service Awards official website.

Types of Bread

Types of Bread 

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More information to go along with the March article in Activity Director Today

Common Types of Bread

White
Wheat
Rye
Marble Rye
Pumpernickel
Tortilla
Pita
Matza
Mantou
Cornbread
Sourdough
Hardtack
Strucla
Naan
Baguette
Pain de Mie
Pan Dulce
Roti
Chapati
Puri
Paratha
Challah (my favorite bread ;p)
Rghifa
Plain Bread
Focaccia
Stottie Cake
Brioche
Lavash
Biscuit
Pretzel
Bagel
Papadum
Pain aux Noix
Tin Vienna
Dinkelbrot
Barley
Appam
Ciabatta
Damper
Phulka
Puran Poli
Boule
Chocolate Babka
Cinnamon Babka
Panettone

For a more extensive list go to check out the wikipedia on bread

Tea Sayings (part 2)

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Iced tea is too pure and natural a creation not to have been invented as soon as tea, ice, and hot weather crossed paths.  ~John Egerton

Our trouble is that we drink too much tea.  I see in this the slow revenge of the Orient, which has diverted the Yellow River down our throats.  ~J.B. Priestley

Tea...is a religion of the art of life.  ~Okakura


All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes.  ~George Orwell, "A Nice Cup of Tea"


Tea does our fancy aid,
Repress those vapours which the head invade
And keeps that palace of the soul serene.
~Edmund Waller, "Of Tea"


A Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards.  ~A.A. Milne


The first cup moistens my lips and throat.  The second cup breaks my loneliness.  The third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some thousand volumes of odd ideographs.  The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration - all the wrongs of life pass out through my pores.  At the fifth cup I am purified.  The sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals.  The seventh cup - ah, but I could take no more!  I only feel the breath of the cool wind that raises in my sleeves.  Where is Elysium?  Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither.  ~Lu Tung, "Tea-Drinking"


tea leaves
tea loves
loves tea
lives tea
leaves tea?
never.
~Uniek Swain


The best quality tea must have creases like the leathern boot of Tartar horsemen, curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock, unfold like a mist rising out of a ravine, gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr, and be wet and soft like a fine earth newly swept by rain.  ~Lu Yu


Top off the tea... it lubricates the grey matter.  ~Good Neighbors, quoted from stashtea.com


Stands the Church clock at ten to three?
And is there honey still for tea?
~Rupert Brooke, "The Old Vicarage, Grantchester," 1912
(Thanks, Helen)


As the centerpiece of a cherished ritual, it's a talisman against the chill of winter, a respite from the ho-hum routine of the day.  ~Sarah Engler, "Tea Up," Real Simple magazine, February 2006


The perfect temperature for tea is two degrees hotter than just right.  ~Terri Guillemets


It is very strange, this domination of our intellect by our digestive organs.  We cannot work, we cannot think, unless our stomach wills so.  It dictates to us our emotions, our passions.  After eggs and bacon it says, "Work!"  After beefsteak and porter, it says, "Sleep!"  After a cup of tea (two spoonfuls for each cup, and don't let it stand for more than three minutes), it says to the brain, "Now rise, and show your strength.  Be eloquent, and deep, and tender; see, with a clear eye, into Nature, and into life:  spread your white wings of quivering thought, and soar, a god-like spirit, over the whirling world beneath you, up through long lanes of flaming stars to the gates of eternity!"  ~Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat


Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to its neck in hot water, yet it still sings!  ~Author Unknown


Tea, although an Oriental
Is a gentleman at least;
Cocoa is a cad and coward,
Cocoa is a vulgar beast.
~G.K. Chesterton, "The Song of Right and Wrong"


Tea is instant wisdom - just add water!  ~Astrid Alauda


When the news reporter said "Shopkeepers are opening their doors bringing out blankets and cups of tea" I just smiled.  It's like yes.  That's Britain for you.  Tea solves everything.  You're a bit cold?  Tea.  Your boyfriend has just left you?  Tea.  You've just been told you've got cancer?  Tea.  Coordinated terrorist attack on the transport network bringing the city to a grinding halt?  Tea dammit!  And if it's really serious, they may bring out the coffee.  The Americans have their alert raised to red, we break out the coffee.  That's for situations more serious than this of course.  Like another England penalty shoot-out.  ~Jslayeruk, as posted on Metaquotes Livejournal, in response to the July 2005 London subway bombings


The first sip of tea is the always the best... you cringe as it burns the back of your throat, knowing you just had the hottest carpe-diem portion.  ~Terri Guillemets


Harry found the [tea]... seemed to burn away a little of the fear fluttering in his chest.  ~J.K. Rowling


Tea! thou soft, thou sober, sage, and venerable liquid,... thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart-opening, wind-tippling cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moment of my life, let me fall prostrate.  ~Colley Cibber, Lady's Last Stake


Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on.  ~Billy Connolly


You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.  ~C.S. Lewis

Additional games and activities for Nursing Home Residents

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by Pamela Veselinovic
Additional games and activities for Nursing Home Residents:

Bingo!
Wheelchair bowling.
Simon Says.
Sing-a-longs.
Wheelchair races.
Manicure parties.
The “list anything” game. For instance, list all the animals you can think of, or birds, or cars, or states, or?
Memory game. For instance, “Who wants to tell a special birthday story?” Or, “A wedding story.” You can choose anything they might remember.

In Closing, please make sure you do not over exert the nursing home residents. This is for circulation and fun, not for losing calories! And having fun is what you are there for!

Chinese New Year 2015

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TravelChinaGuide

The sheep (or ram) is among the animals that people like most. It is gentle and calm. Since ancient times, people have learned to use its fleece to make writing brushes and skin to keep warm. As it is white, people describe delicate and precious white jade to be 'suet jade'. Thus it is close to the meaning of good things.

Strengths
People under the sign of the sheep are tender, polite, filial, clever, and kind-hearted. They have special sensitivity to art and beauty, faith in a certain religion and a special fondness for quiet living. They are wise, gentle and compassionate and can cope with business cautiously and circumspectly. In their daily life, they try to be economical. Women born in this year are willing to take good care of others, but they should avoid pessimism and hesitation. They are kind in heart and commonly have symmetrical figures and features.

Weaknesses
Sheep year people are often worriers who are shy, pessimistic, moody, indecisive, over-sensitive, weak-willed and puzzled about life. They are easily inclined to be deeply religious. They are timid in nature and like to be looked after by others. They like flattery, compliment and suggestions from friends. They do not dare to express their love openly and usually have interests in strange theories.

Horoscope and Numerology Elements
Earthly Branch of Birth Year: wei
Wu Xing (The Five Elements): tu (earth)
Yin Yang: yin
Auspicious Directions: east, southeast, south
Lucky Colors: green, red, purple; Avoid: golden, coffee
Lucky Numbers:3, 9, 4; Avoid: 7, 6, 8
Lucky Flowers: carnation, primrose, alice flower
Zodiac Sign Compatibility - Best match: rabbit, horse, pig; Avoid: ox, dog

Celebrities Born in the Year of the Sheep
Michelangelo, Mark Twain, Thomas Alva Edison, Muhammad Ali, Rudolph Valentino, Rachel Carson, Pierre Trudeau, Barbara Walters, Orville Wright, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Amy Lee, Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Claire Danes, Jamie Lynn Spears, Matt LeBlanc, Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty 618 – 907), Cao Cao (King of Wei in China’s Three Kingdoms Period 220 - 280), Yue Fei (a patriotic general in China’s South Song Dynasty 1127 - 1279), Empress Dowager Cixi

Fortune Foretelling in 2015
It is their order to encounter the Year of Birth (Benming Nian), a year to offend “Taisui’, the god in charge of people’s fortune. In 2015, their fortune in all aspects will fluctuate. In career, there won’t be a promotion or salary rise. Only if they stick with their current job and work hard, will they smoothly get through the year. In wealth, they should be very cautious about any investment, or there will be a loss. In relationships, they are suggested to be tolerant of their family, friends and colleagues to avoid any conflict.

Career: They may encounter some road blocks in career in 2015, especially in March, June, September and December. In these months, their emotions will be fluctuant, so it is likely that they will argue with colleagues. In comparison, their fortune in career gets better in February, July and August. As long as they persist in working hard, they will gain much in the coming year. At any rate, no promotion will fall upon them in 2015.

Wealth: The financial fortune of sheep people will be just so-so. They should reduce daily expenses, or it will be hard to make ends meet. It is not a good idea to lend money to others. The investment in stocks, bonds and real estate should be stopped. People who are living in a rental house should keep doing this. Don’t buy a new house or move. Setting a fish tank in the west or north of the house may increase their fortune in wealth.

Relationships: Sheep people can easily lose their temper in 2015. As a result, couples and lovers may argue. They should communicate with each other to solve the problem to avoid breaking up. Also this is not a good year to get married. Single males may get involved in a relationship, and females will still expect to get back their former love.

Health: They should keep away from sharp tools and weapons such as knifes, swords, saws and scissors, because they may easily get injured this year. In daily life, they should play sports and avoid eating too much greasy food. Sheep born in 1943 and 1979 need to be careful in driving and doing sports, especially in June and December.

Study: Sheep students will hardly be able to concentrate on study this year. They should adjust their emotions to focus on study. Some students’ study may be affected by family problems, so parents should pay attention to their behavior and try to be attentive to their children. Moreover, children may get infected some illness, which will influence their study.

Love songs for those with dementia

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

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Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two

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The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition] 

Love Songs

 

1.  Heart of My Heart
2.  Let Me Call You Sweetheart
3.  Moonlight Bay
4.  My Blue Heaven
5.  Oh you Beautiful Doll
6.  By the Light of the Silvery Moon
7.  I Love You Truly
8.  For Me and My Gal
9.  Bicycle Built for Two
10.Baby Face
11.I’ll Be Loving You Always
12.Tea For Two
13.In the Good Old Summertime
14.Has Anybody Seen My Gal
15.School Days
16.Ain’t She Sweet
17.The Band Played On
18.Side by Side
19.Sidewalks of New York
20.Don’t sit Under the Apple Tree with Anyone Else But Me
21.Could I Have This Dance
22.The Band Played On
23.You Are My Sunshine
24.Smile Awhile
25.When You Are Smiling
26.In My Merry Oldsmobile
27.By the Beautiful Sea
28.When You Wore A Tulip
29.If You Knew Susie
30.Yes Sir, That’s My Baby

Sensory ideas for those with dementia

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Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

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The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

A baby brings much comfort to those with dementia. All people are hard wired to love babies. It is almost instinctive.

 

Moving on from babies, what else can you offer a lower functioning late stage dementia person?

 

As I stated before taping into the senses of these dementia persons seem to work well. We talked about visually stimulating activities.

 

Actually a sensory activity should tap into all a person's senses. You should individualize the activity by focusing on a person's strongest sense. If you are doing this in a group, you will have to change the emphasis for each person. It is almost like doing one to one encounters within a group. This is fine. You can have certain parts of the group that touch everyone and tie everything together.

 

More ideas soon

 

By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.