Laughter & Yoga at Delmanor Wynford

Residents of Delmanor Wynford, along with friends from the community met in the Wynford Center to combine two of the most beneficial activities one can take for overall health and well being; laughter and yoga.  Lynne Kropman, certified 'Laughter Yoga' teacher led the 60 minute Laughter Yoga session for the over 60 people that attended the session.

Laughter is healthy because it promotes good physical and mental health.  It is especially important for seniors since as we laugh, it induces physical changes in our bodies; including increasing the amount of oxygen we take in, stimulating our hearts, lungs and muscles.  Laughing also increases endorphins that promote mental well-being.  Laughing is good for our hearts and our minds and since it requires no physical movement, it can be done by everyone!

Yoga has been proven to combat stress, fatigue and pain.  Some yoga poses increase core strength and balance, which reduce the risk of fall related injuries.  Above all, yoga is a form of exercise that can help seniors feel younger through their retirement years.

Lynne asked the participants how they felt after the laughter and yoga seminar.  Some of the responses were "very good", "recharged", "happy", "invigorated", to name a few.  Everyone had a very positive experience during this seminar and see how important it is to incorporate a little laughter and yoga in to our everyday lives.

If you would like more information about retirement living at Delmanor Wynford or to arrange a tour of the residence, please contact Pam Palmer or Monique Kuhn, Marketing & Community Relations Managers at (416) 331-9797 or online at delmanor.com

Delmanor Wynford Celebrates Caribana!

Caribana is a festival that celebrates Caribbean culture and tradition that is held in Toronto each summer.  Caribana was introduced to Canada by immigrants from Trinadad & Tobago, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Antigua & Jamaica.  Millions of people attend the Caribana parade every year to enjoy the beautiful costumes, delicious food and the infectious Caribbean music, including steel pan, soca and calypso.

General Manager Michelle with residents Ron & Richard

 The spirit of the islands was felt at Delmanor Wynford as residents enjoyed a barbecue on the Rooftop Terrace, complete with Caribbean specialties such as jerk burgers and jerk chicken.  The refreshing mango salad and  mango ice cream were favourites among the residents.

Joyce & Nyasha celebrating Caribana

Staff members had a blast dressing up in beautiful costumes from Caribana and the Trinidad and Tobago carnivals.  Residents and staff danced the  night away to the soothing sounds of the steel pan.  Everyone that attended Caribana at Delmanor Wynford had a wonderful evening living the Caribbean culture for a day.  The music and dancing were so popular with the seniors that they have requested Caribbean dance lessons in the fall!

Wynford recreation department: Chelsea, Ashley & Nyasha

If you would like more information about retirement living at Delmanor Wynford or to arrange a tour of the residence, please contact Monique Kuhn or Pam Palmer, Marketing & Community Relations Managers at (416) 331-9797 or online at delmanor.com

Delmanor Northtown Goes Black Tie!

Who doesn't enjoy getting dressed up for a formal black tie event?  A black and white theme creates a sophisticated, sleek and elegant atmosphere.  Delmanor Northtown was dressed up for a formal gala themed  dinner and as usual, just got it right!

Often black and white affairs are reserved for very formal occasions.  Delmanor Northtown staff and residents thought that a black and white themed dinner for no apparent reason other than for fun was  a fantastic idea!

In keeping with the high standards set by Delmanor Northtown for all of their themed dinners, this event truly did not disappoint.  The seniors loved the opportunity to dress formally in black and white and take part in an elegant dinner with live entertainment.

Brian & Doreen

Anne, Betty & Helen

All of the Delmanor Northtown residents loved the chance to take out that special suit and wear that elegant black dress.  Looking great ladies and gents!

If you would like more information about retirement living at Delmanor Northtown, or to arrange a tour of the residence, please contact Laurie Fortin, Marketing & Community Relations Manager at (416) 225-9146 or online at delmanor.com

Steps to LivingWell

Your dermatologist is a perfect partner as you notice changes occurring with your skin as it ages.  It loses much of the underlying fat tissue that makes it soft and supple. Over time, collagen (“the glue” that holds elastin together) depletes from the dermis. Collagen depletion makes our skin thinner and less supple and causes skin to sag and lose its resiliency. In addition, as we age, decreased blood flow to our skin results in slower healing.

As you get older your skin becomes less able to protect itself from damage, and it heals more slowly from cuts or burns. The skin is the body’s largest organ and as you age it becomes more important to take care of your skin. 

A dermatologist will emphasize that healthy skin starts with the nutrients that reach it from the inside of the body and to follow some simple tips.

• Take a vitamin D supplement daily.
• Eat plenty of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Ideally they should come from natural sources such as ground flaxseed and fish such as salmon.
• Drink water all day long. Drinking tea or coffee does not count because it can deplete the overall fluid supply.
• Cut back on processed foods and sugars.
• Exercise regularly. Exercising Infuses skin with oxygen and nutrients needed for collagen production.
• Use sun block. UV rays are the main cause of skin cancer.

Skin can be thought of as the wrapping on a special gift and it protects us from the many things in the environment. The good news is that it’s never too late to respond to what you see!

Brought to you by your LivingWell Coaches.

Hands on Exotics Visits Delmanor Elgin Mills

Hands on Exotics, the highly accredited travelling zoo from downtown Toronto came to Delmanor Elgin Mills to share their very popular animal assisted therapy show with the residents.

From parrots to pythons, lemurs to lizards, kangaroos to coatis, Hands on Exotics offers hands-on animal interactions and programs to groups and schools all over Southern Ontario.

Hands on Exotics primarily works with rescued and adopted exotic animals and brings them into retirement residences and nursing homes for pet therapy; schools and day cares for education, and birthday parties, fairs and festivals for fun and positive experiences.

Whether they preferred smaller animals like the hedgehog and chinchilla or were brave enough to handle exotic animals like the boas, flamingos and owls, there was something for each of the seniors to pat and cuddle with the Hands on Exotics show.

Everyone had a great time interacting with the diverse and unique animals that came to the residence for this entertaining and therapeutic show.  All of the seniors and staff thoroughly enjoy when Hands on Exotics visits the residence and look forward to the next time they bring the amazing animals to visit.

If you would like to learn more about retirement living at Delmanor Elgin Mills or to arrange a tour of the residence, please contact Susan Applebaum, Marketing & Community Relations Manager at (905) 770-7963 or online at delmanor.com

Let's Play Bridge!

The game of bridge is exciting, challenging, frustrating, humbling, yet never boring.  There are more than 750 trillion possible hands in the game of bridge, so it is impossible to not see something new each time you play.

The seniors at Delmanor Wynford appreciate the many benefits of playing bridge.  Bridge is one of the best ways to maintain mental sharpness for a senior.  Regular bridge playing improves reasoning skills, along with long and short term memories.

The game of bridge is unique as it is one of the few games that stimulates both the left and right sides of the brain.  It improves such skills as communication, logic, math, memory, visualization and psychology.  A game of bridge has also been found to boost the immune system.  By stimulating the brain cortex, bridge playing activity produces higher numbers of white blood cells that fight disease.  Studies have shown a direct connection between playing bridge and reducing the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The tournament held at Delmanor Wynford consisted of 5 tables of residents and 1 guest. During the afternoon, a delicious strawberry shortcake was served to all of the bridge players along with a choice of iced tea, iced coffee, strawberry infused filtered water or refreshing lemonade.  The top four prize winning players in order of scores for the afternoon were; Bunty, Anne, Martha and Joyce.  Congratulations to the winners and everyone for taking part in this fun event.

The Strawberry Shortcake Dessert

The Delmanor residents appreciate playing bridge regularly.  They enjoy the social benefits of bridge, for playing it involves communication and co operation with a partner and interaction with opponents -along with a healthy dose of competitive fun!  There is a special camaraderie among bridge players that develops from the social setting and the emphasis on teamwork, ethics and sportsmanship that comes from playing the game.

Everyone had a wonderful time during this afternoon of bridge.  The residents of Delmanor Wynford will definitely continue regular bridge matches both in these more structured events as well as casually among friends.

If you would like more information about some of the fantastic events held at Delmanor Wynford, please contact Pam Palmer or Monique Kuhn, Marketing & Community Relations Managers at (416) 331-9797 or online at delmanor.com

Appreciating the Amazing Staff at Delmanor Glen Abbey!

The majestic Toronto waterfront is a captivating view at any time of year, yet nothing is more spectacular than its view from the water.

The management of Delmanor Glen Abbey wanted a special event idea to celebrate and appreciate their amazing staff and all of the hard work they do throughout the year for the Delmanor Glen Abbey residents.

Delmanor Staff, CEO Sheldon Gould and a beautiful summer sky

The staff boarded the ship for a relaxing cruise, dinner and dancing with the beautiful backdrop of Toronto harbour.  Mother Nature provided the hot summer weather that made the cool refreshing air aboard the ship even more enjoyable for all of the Glen Abbey staff.

Delmanor Staff and CEO Sheldon Gould

From the management and residents of Delmanor Glen Abbey, a heartfelt thank you to the fantastic Glen Abbey staff who are truly the best of the best!

If you would like to learn about employment opportunities at Delmanor Glen Abbey or if you are a senior that would like to learn more about retirement living at its finest, please contact Julie Shuster, Marketing & Community Relations Manager at (905) 469-3232 or online at delmanor.com