Eddy Retirement Living - Northeast Health

FALL 2006
INSIDE
You’v
ou’ve got a friend: deep,
loving relationships thrive
at Eddy Retirement Living .... 2-3
Our fifth community -
Hawthorne Ridge -
comes to life! ................... 4-5
Pumpkins on parade ............. 6
Eddy Retirement
Living
Call us at 1-877-748-3339 for
information on any of our communities.
Less is more: can your
house stand to lose
a few pounds (of clutter)? ..... 7

You’ve got a friend:
deep, loving relationships thrive
at Eddy Retirement Living
“Even rarer than love itself,” said a
French poet, “is friendship.” And if
you accept the findings in a number
of recent surveys, he’s right.
Genuine friendship, many Americans
complain, is getting harder
than ever to find. Despite all the
communications wonders of our
time – despite all the cell-phoning,
text-messaging, e-mailing and
seemingly constant chatter of our
digitally connected lives – more
and more people say they have
fewer and fewer trusted confidants.
Except here.
“
I’ve been around
a long time,” said Richard
Staffield, “and I’ve never
had more good friends
than right now, right here
at The Glen. ”
Deep, abiding, nourishing friendships
– the kind that poets write
about – are to be found in abundance
at our Eddy Retirement
Living communities. Ask anyone.
“Honestly … if I started to make
a list of all my friends here at
Beechwood,” said Martha (Marty)
Moore, “I’d never be able to finish it.”
“Maybe the dearest one of all is my
friend Alice Sunukjian, who lives
across the hall. Every morning she
lets me steal her newspaper and
read it,” Marty laughed.
“I never expected to have so many
close friends,” said Louise Marshall
of Beverwyck. “All the people here
are wonderful. If anyone ever has a
problem, everybody rallies around.
No one is alone.”
What’s the secret?
Why, in a world that many say is
getting lonelier each day, do we
find such an oasis of friendship,
camaraderie … even the hint of
new romance … in our Eddy
communities?
While our residents are gaining
friends, an important new study,
“Social Isolation in America,”
reports that average Americans
seem to be losing them. Over the
last 20 years, a typical person’s
number of “core confidants” has
fallen to only two.
And little more than half of all
respondents said a “non-kin”
person was part of their “inner
circle.” It’s a discouraging trend –
and the complete opposite of what
we experience here at The Eddy.
So … again … how can we explain it?
Maybe the secret is that our residents
don’t even bother to try. They
are simply themselves: comfortable
with their lives, their lifestyles and
their life decisions (including the
choice for Eddy Retirement Living).
“
Some say it’s the
worry-free environment
of our Eddy communities ...
or the fun-loving people ...
even the warm Eddy
staff (who clearly love
their jobs). ”
“Friendship is the norm here, not the
exception,” said another resident.
“I don’t know how they brought so
many fine people into one location,
but everyone here is first class,”
said Ed Delaporte of The Glen at
Hiland Meadows.
“Three years ago … on the day I
moved in … it wasn’t half an hour
before Al Quinn, from one of the
cottages, walked over and said ‘hey,
welcome to The Glen,” said Ed.
“Then, half an hour later, here
comes Steve Lewis from down the
street … saying ‘welcome to The
Glen.’ A few minutes later, I met
Harvey Dearstyne from next door.
It was like that all day. I met
Charlie Baker … so many others.”
2

All have become good friends.
They play cards together, dine
together (with their wives), shoot
pool … play golf. And as men
will do, they often tease each
other good naturedly.
“The thing I like so much about
Ed,” said his pal, Dick Staffield, “is
that if he ever beats me at cards or
pool, he always feels sorry for me.”
“
It’s funny. I didn’t think
I’d ever come here ...
but now I wonder what
took me so long,” said
Ruth Smith. ”
At our Beechwood community, Ruth
Smith said her “moving in” day (at
age 86) was “like a class reunion.”
“I discovered that I knew some of the
‘girls’ who were living here. Marjorie
Groom, Thelma Riggs, Ann Dorfner
… were all good friends back in high
school,” she recalled. “And since
then, I’ve made so many new friends
… more than I could count.”
Was that a real
“date” date?
At our Beverwyck community,
Louise Marshall recalls the day
her friend and fellow resident
Bob Patton called … and asked
her to a ballet at Saratoga.
She laughs, “I remember that for
the first two-thirds of the call,
I thought Bob was just trying to
give away an extra ticket he had.
But then I realized he was asking
me to go with him!”
The two had a wonderful time,
and have been friends ever since.
Among many other interests, they
share a passion for the arts and
frequently go to New York City
where Bob’s son is principal
timpanist for the Metropolitan
Opera orchestra.
“Louise is not at all like my wife
was,” said Bob, “and I don’t think
I’m very much like her late husband.
But we have so many similar
tastes,” he said, “ours is just a
natural, very special friendship.”
These days, you’ll find Bob
and Louise at Carnegie Hall or
Tanglewood or just enjoying a
quiet meal together at a local
restaurant. Like all of our friends,
they found something at The
Eddy that’s truly precious.
“I feel lucky,” said Louise. “Not just
lucky to have met Bob, but lucky to
be at The Eddy. This environment
is a catalyst for so many great
friendships like ours.”
3

Our fifth Eddy community –
Hawthorne Ridge –
comes to life!
You often hear that “small town”
America is disappearing, along
with old fashioned values, good
manners and friendly neighbors.
But take heart: a place with all
these qualities and much more
was just born in September.
We call it Hawthorne Ridge.
And like our four other Eddy
“small towns” in this region, it’s
a lovely, lively and life-affirming
community nestled on 14 acres in
East Greenbush. There’s delicious
dining … dedicated staff and services
… and a worry-free lifestyle
that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Here you’ll meet some of the best
neighbors you could ask for:
Ruth Kittell describes herself as a
“retired teacher … who hasn’ t
really retired.” At age 77, she still
teaches part-time and is an active
community volunteer.
“So my kids were shocked when
I told them I’d signed up to be a
charter resident of Hawthorne
Ridge,” she said, laughing. “They
said, ‘Mom, what are you doing!
You’re not ready for that.’”
“But once they came out
and saw everything this
place offers … that was all
it took,” Ruth said. “All
three of my children were
quickly converted.”
Ruth and her beloved English
setter “Autumn” have moved to
one of 50 spacious one- and twobedroom
independent living
apartments at Hawthorne Ridge –
almost all of which were reserved
in advance, like hers.
Besides the dining, amenities and
many services, Ruth says she’ll take
advantage of easy walking-distance
access to the East Greenbush Library
where she volunteers. It’s located on
the same campus with Hawthorne
Ridge. Also nearby is the YMCA,
where Ruth is a member.
And the community is only minutes
away from a diverse range of
shopping and restaurants.
Another enthusiastic charter
resident, Al Soria, first became
acquainted with Eddy Retirement
Living when he had dinner with
friends at our Beverwyck community
in Slingerlands.
“I saw the apartments … the grounds
… met the people … and I liked
everything at The Eddy so much,
I wanted to sign up for Beverwyck!”
said Al. “But when I heard they were
building Hawthorne Ridge right here
in East Greenbush (where he’s lived
since 1961), this was perfect.”
“
The decision was easy,”
said Al. ”
But there’s more. Independent
living is only one aspect of this
expansive, multi-faceted new
community and campus.
Hawthorne Ridge also includes:
“
This couldn’t be
more comfortable and
convenient,” Ruth said. ”
For Ruth Kittell, Al Soria and dozens
of other active, independent seniors,
Hawthorne Ridge is the comfortable,
convenient and surprisingly affordable
choice for relaxed and gracious
retirement living.
The Terrace at Hawthorne Ridge,
an assisted living residence with 12
apartments where seniors can remain
as independent as possible, yet still
receive the assistance they need.
And the Eddy Alzheimer’s Center
at Hawthorne Ridge, modeled after
The Eddy’s pioneering Marjorie
Doyle Rockwell Center in Cohoes.
Here we provide trusted residential
care for 54 individuals, with support
services and educational
programs for the community.
So in many ways, Hawthorne Ridge
represents all The Eddy stands for:
the finest in retirement living, as
well as the area’s most experienced
and dedicated care for seniors.
4

Another Eddy first: a major milestone
in assisted living and Alzheimer’s care
And there’s still more at Hawthorne
Ridge … perhaps the most important
development of all.
With the opening of Hawthorne
Ridge this fall, we are also introducing
an exciting new remote care
technology which we believe will
revolutionize all assisted living
and Alzheimer’s services across
the country in the years to come.
Residents, family members and
staff at our partner community
near Portland, Oregon, say it’s
an answer to their prayers.
The Eddy is the first senior services
organization in New England –
perhaps in the entire eastern
United States – to offer this pioneering
program called Elite Care
Technologies. In recent months, it
has been featured in USA Today,
on National Public Radio and
NBC News.
What is this remarkable technology?
Well, if you’ve heard of global
positioning satellites, this is similar
in concept but more down to earth
and personally liberating.
As any loved one or caregiver
knows, one of the most heartbreaking
difficulties of caring for someone
with special needs or Alzheimer’s
disease, is the constant risk that he
or she – in one unguarded second –
will stray into trouble or danger.
Or, in a moment alone, fall and
need urgent medical help.
Elite Care is a system of small
infrared sensors and transmitters
discreetly located throughout the
community and within a resident’s
apartment. These sensors “communicate”
with a badge which the
resident chooses to wear.
Vigilant staff specialists, using
online monitors, can always know
the precise whereabouts of residents,
anytime and anywhere they
go in the community, whether it’s
out to water the garden, take a stroll
to the dining room, visit with a
neighbor … or just relax alone
and watch TV.
“
This technology
provides immeasurable
enhancements in safety and
personal freedom for our
special-needs residents,”
said Nancy Cummings,
Executive Director at
Hawthorne Ridge. ”
What’s more, with the Elite Care
system, family members anywhere
in the country – anytime they wish
– can log in to a password-protected
website and “ look in” on their
loved one. They’ll know if he or
she is sleeping well, staying active,
having dinner with friends …
“This is the future of senior care …
except that we have it right now,”
said The Eddy’s Nancy Cummings.
“Especially for family members, the
peace of mind is so reassuring …
and lifts an incredible burden
of anxiety.”
“It’s an easy way to always keep an
eye on Mom or Dad without intruding
on his or her privacy … without
having to feel like you are ‘care
police’ … or even having to be
here.” she said.
“And it gives our residents so much
more freedom and confidence.”
Congratulations to all the fine
workers, specialists and Eddy
staff – and most of all, to our
wonderful new residents – for
bringing Hawthorne Ridge to life.
Welcome to The Eddy family!
5

Pumpkins on parade: Two terrific recipes
for fall … from Eddy residents.
No one is sure whether turkey
was served at the first Thanksgiving,
but there’s no doubt pumpkin
dominated the menu: bland pumpkin
bread … a kind of pumpkin
custard … even carved and baked
pumpkin, as a main course.
Pumpkin in every conceivably edible
(and usually boring) form was the
Pilgrim staple. Unfortunately, they
had no Cool Whip on hand.
Columbus had no taste for this
hearty fruit. His crews fed it to their
pigs. But the early colonists depended
so much on pumpkin that
they sang its praises in poems and
songs. Wrote one Pilgrim:
“We have pumpkins at morning
and pumpkins at noon,
If not for pumpkins, we should
all be undoon.”
Pumpkin has long since disappeared
as an entrée (perhaps thankfully),
but this lovable food has
found its enduring niche in pies,
appetizers and side dishes.
Here are two more favorite recipes
from our ever-creative Eddy residents:
From The Glen
at Hiland Meadows ...
Alberta Catlin’s Pumpkin Dip for Ginger Snaps
(from her 1996 cookbook, “Gram’s Best,” dedicated to
her granddaughters)
2 cups – confectioner’s sugar
8-oz package cream cheese, softened
15-oz can pumpkin pie filling
1 teaspoon – cinnamon
½ teaspoon – ginger
Combine sugar and cream cheese. Beat until wellblended.
Add remainder of ingredients. Use ginger
snaps to either dip or spread with the mix.
“Very different and good!”
From Beechwood ...
Julia Cannon’s “Fluffy” Pumpkin Pie
2 cups (16 oz can) – pumpkin
12 oz – Cool Whip
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon – pumpkin pie spice
(can substitute 1 tsp cinnamon & ½ tsp ginger)
1 baked pie crust or graham cracker crust
Whip pumpkin, ½ of the Cool Whip, pudding mix and
spices until smooth. Pour mixture into pie crust.
Top with remaining Cool Whip. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Serve.
6

Less is more: can your home stand to lose
a few pounds (of clutter)?
It starts innocently enough … and
happens in the best-kept of homes.
Slowly, over the years, possessions
accumulate. You pack away those
little Christmas candy dishes
someone gave you, and never bring
them out again. You buy a new
toaster … but keep the old one in
your pantry (just in case).
Magazines and papers pile up. Old
stereo LPs gather dust (even though
you don’t have a record player
anymore). Knick-knacks, gadgets,
dishes, clothes … all seem to
occupy more and more space.
Suddenly one morning, you awake
to find your home is suffering from
a chronic overweight condition
known as “clutter.”
Many of us, especially seniors,
would admit to having a lot of
“stuff” we don’t really need. Heirlooms
and family treasures are one
thing. But how much is too much?
One consultant answered the
question this way:
“Most people have a ‘junk drawer,’
she said. “Clutter is when you have
a junk room … and when friends
are visiting, you always keep the
door closed out of embarrassment.”
Of course, clutter isn’t a life-threatening
condition. Nobody was ever
admitted to an emergency room for
too many old sweaters in a spare
closet. But consultants say it can
slow you down, make you feel
more “aged” and have a life-diminishing
impact.
Tips on “setting free”
your home from clutter
Whether you call it spring cleaning
or reorganizing, experts say “putting
your home on a diet” can be a
tremendously liberating experience.
And this is especially true if
you’re planning to relocate in the
future (perhaps to an Eddy Retirement
Living community).
Clearing your clutter can seem
like an enormous task or a difficult
“sentimental journey.” So it’s
important to focus on your goal:
“creating a home with things you
love and use – and only those
things you love and use.”
“
If you expect to relocate,
be sure to “do the math.”
If your new apartment is
two-thirds the size of your
currect home, you need
to trim one-third of your
‘things’ (a.k.a. clutter). ”
Consultants suggest you relax, take
your time and take it room by
room. Using color tabs or tape, pack
and label boxes of what you intend
to save for the kids, give to a charity,
or simply toss.
And remember: “You are not the
perpetual curator of the family
museum. Call your children and
have them pick up their stuff!”
Does it stay or go?
Here are four criteria which
consultants say should
guide you:
• Do I love it?
• Is it important in my life?
• Have I used it in the past
two or three years?
• Does it fit into my “plan?”
7

✓ Yes,
I/We’d like
to receive
information on:
Beechwood Beverwyck Hawthorne Ridge
Troy Slingerlands East Greenbush
Glen Eddy The Glen at Hiland Meadows
Niskayuna Queensbury
Name(s) _________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________
City ____________________________ State _____________ Zip ______________
Phone ______________________ E-mail _______________________ Age _________
Please mail to: Beverwyck, 40 Autumn Drive, Slingerlands, NY 12159
Or call us at 1-877-748-3339 for information on any of our communities.
FALL2006

How to keep your home clutter-free
Once you’ve liberated yourself and declared your
home a “clutter-free zone,” how can you keep it
that way?
There are hundreds of different books, workshops
and web sites. But most experts offer the same
basic principles. For example:
Immediately throw out old newspapers and junk
mail. The average American receives 49,000 pieces
of mail in a lifetime (according to direct response
agencies), and one third of it is junk.
Use a personal planner notebook. Instead of
bringing home more paperwork (bulletins, flyers,
appointment cards, etc.), jot down the information
you need in a personal planner for easy reference.
Experts say 90 percent of the “important papers”
we keep are never looked at again. They just
gather dust. And don’t use refrigerator magnets as
your bulletin board. Post a large calendar in your
kitchen and write down reminder dates.
Keep your wardrobe (and closet space) simple.
Designers say we wear only 20 percent of our
clothes 80 percent of the time.
Apply the “30-Second Rule.” If you can’t find it
in half a minute, chances are you almost never
use it ... and don’t need it.
If in doubt, throw it out.

40 Autumn Drive
Slingerlands, NY 12159
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Albany, NY
Permit # 370
www.NortheastHealth.com/EddyRetirementLiving
Eddy Retirement Living is a publication
of The Eddy, a member of Northeast Health
A not-for-profit network
Beverwyck ... expanding for the future.
Since 1993, Beverwyck has set the
standard for premier retirement
living in the Capital Region, delighting
our residents with superior
services and amenities in distinctive
and gracious surroundings.
And, we have exciting plans for
the future! In February 2007, we’ll
open the door to our first of 14 new
deluxe cottages ... all with spacious
floor plans and offering à la carte
services. Nestled on our beautiful
Slingerlands campus, the new
cottages will feature two bedrooms,
two baths and a den, and, like all
our cottages and apartments, are
thoughtfully designed with the
special needs and desires of
seniors in mind.
One visit to Beverwyck will show
you that our attention to detail
is meticulous. All residences
feature fully equipped kitchens,
individually controlled heating
and air conditioning and on-site
storage. The well-appointed common
areas, including a beautiful
outdoor terrace, offer versatile
space for entertainment, concerts,
bridge games and other activities.
Our elegant Normanskill Dining
Room serves dinner daily, while
the Country Store and Cafe is
open for a casual lunch or a
light-fare dinner.
If the time comes when a little
help is needed, The Terrace at
Beverwyck offers the added reassurance
of
assisted living
right on the
same campus.
What’s more,
an exciting
expansion project will add 18 new
private apartments, specifically
designed for individuals with
Alzheimer’s disease. Also in the
development stages is a new
skilled nursing residence planned
to accommodate 20 residents.
Stop by and visit Beverwyck for
yourself! Be our guest for dinner.
Call Donna at (518) 451-2103,
to arrange a personal meeting.