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You develop a solid grounding in Asian Studies through a multidisciplinary approach that draws on modules in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The programme is designed to develop your critical awareness of the interpretive, cultural and political challenges to understanding Asian cultures and civilisations, both historically and today. You have the opportunity to gain both written and spoken competency in an Asian language. Optionally, you can study in an Asian country of relevance to your studies, either for a significant period of time or a full year. Our modules in Comparative Literature cover literature from the classics to the modern age. We investigate literary movements, genres and themes. We offer modules on Classical Literature, Romanticism, Realism, Modernism and Postmodernism. Genres studied include the novel, the short story, science fiction, tragedy and the epic, with a particular emphasis on how literary forms have evolved in different cultures and linguistic traditions. For example, what makes a tragedy by Sophocles so different from one written by Shakespeare? How has the genre of science fiction developed across Europe? What are the similarities and differences between a novel by Charlotte Brontë and one by Gustave Flaubert? Studying these two subjects in combination provides you with a truly global perspective, allowing you to gain insights across cultures and continents.	https://studylink.com/institutions/university-of-kent/courses/cid-si-163054
This book provides a multidisciplinary approach to understanding human behavior and uses it to analyze the forces shaping the life cycle of violent political movements. This new edition has been revised and updated, with three new chapters added. The second edition takes us deeper inside human motivations, which cause otherwise rational people to join dissident groups, willing to kill and be killed. In doing so, the book draws upon research on brain science, evolutionary biology, and social psychology to help explain pathological collective behavior. From the motivations of individual participants, the book turns to the evolution of terrorist groups by venturing into theories of organizational development. Together, these theories explain the life cycle – the birth, growth, transformation from an ideological group to a criminal syndicate, and demise – of a dissident organization. These hypotheses are supported with detailed case studies of three disparate terrorist movements: the nationalists of the IRA, the communist Naxalites of India, and the religious fundamentalists of al-Qaeda and ISIS. The book’s theory leads to an explanation of the current global trend of rising tribalism and authoritarianism. The author warns that this latest wave of xenophobia and authoritarianism is likely to be exacerbated by climate change and the consequent rise in sea levels, which could displace millions from the areas least able to mitigate the effects of global warming to the countries that can. This book will be essential reading for students of terrorism studies, and of great interest to students of social psychology, political science, and sociology. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Into the Mind of An Un-rational Being 3. Path Toward Pathology: An Individual’s Perspective 4. Terrorism and Political Violence: An Organizational Perspective 5. The Dynamics of Dissent 6. Faith, Nationalism, and Class Warfare: Birth of A Movement 7. Growth and Longevity 8. A Marriage Made in Hell? Terrorism and Organized Crime 9. Demise of dissent 10. Lands of the Fearful: Tribalism and Authoritarianism, The Fifth Wave 11. Terrorism’s Trap View More Author(s) Biography Dipak K. Gupta is Professor Emeritus at the Department of Political Science, San Diego State University, USA, and a Visiting Professor at the University of San Diego, USA. Reviews 'This invaluable second edition of Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence builds on the seminal 2008 first edition of the text by rewriting chapters and updating material to reflect changes in the field over the last decade. In these pages readers will find vital background data and current case studies that illustrate the range of political, social, psychological and organizational aspects of contemporary terrorism. The book is ideal for classroom use at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as being a valuable resource for scholars.'--Jeffrey Kaplan, Habib University, Karachi, Pakistan 'Armed with the perspective of not one but multiple academic disciplines, Dipak Gupta takes us on an extraordinary journey. This second edition of his groundbreaking book, Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence, is completely updated and proves even more essential for grappling with the complex chaos that is terrorism today.'--John Horgan, Georgia State University, USA 'This is an excellent account by a leading expert on terrorism that applies a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the role of human behavior and individual motivations in shaping the life cycle of violent political movements... insights about the wider context that is accompanying the evolution of contemporary terrorism make this book an important contribution to the literature on the multiplicity of systematic crises that are shaping the current global order'--Joshua Sinai, Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 14, Issue 5 Praise for the first edition:	https://www.routledge.com/Understanding-Terrorism-and-Political-Violence-The-Life-Cycle-of-Birth/Gupta/p/book/9780367277123
Walk in the footsteps of America’s greatest literary figures. Highlight some of the country’s most famous writers and influential movements. Learn how authors used their craft to explore their culture, history and political identities. Enrolments for this year have closed. Keep exploring subjects. Duration 13 weeks Study method 100% online Available loans - FEE-HELP - HECS-HELP Assessments 100% online Prior study Required Study terms - 02 Mar 2020 With a network of campuses across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from more than 122 countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA. QS RANKING 2020 19 Times Higher Education Ranking 2020 12 Subject details At the completion of this subject you will: - be familiar with some key writers and movements in American literature from the late nineteenth century - be able to make connections between American literary production and important trends in American culture and history - be aware of comparative perspectives in literature - have developed and refined their skills in literary and cultural analysis - have refined their ability to write about literature and cultural history in an academic context. - - Expatriates: Americans in Europe - Regionalism: the southwest - The city - Study resources - Instructional methods - Discussion forum/Discussion Board - Online assignment submission - Online materials - Printable format materials - Resources and Links - You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject: GRF-LCS22-Understanding Narrative Fiction ; Special requirements No special requirements Explore American literature and its connections with the formation of cultural and political identities, institutions and histories through three case studies: expatriatism, regionalism and the representation of the city. This subject surveys some key writers and movements in American literature since the late nineteenth century, and draws links to important trends in American culture and history. It also develops your awareness of comparative perspectives, drawing out similarities and contrasts in the concern and themes of this literature with European modernism and Australian literary nationalism.	https://www.open.edu.au/subjects/griffith-university-american-literature-grf-lcs33
Over the last few years we have seen more conversations about the inclusion of different genders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and their unique experiences and challenges in the male-dominated field. However, those conversations have not spilled into other male-dominated fields yet, such as political science. The study of political science claims it offers a broad understanding of matters related to the administration of government, yet I find the field is unchallenged in its imbalance. As a woman studying political science I find it ironic considering how my experience is mostly based upon the interpretation of the male perspective. Consequently, my understanding is founded on the sharp differences between the ‘de jure’ and ‘de facto’ of the female experience within the field of political science. The “theory” aspect of political science looks at understanding the various relationships, systems of governance and political behaviours through analysis and case studies. Over the course of a few semesters, I have noticed that the grand majority of the academic literature I was reading was written by men, the majority of my professors were also men and the underlying understanding of political science seemed to be catered to men. When I first started my studies in political science I had never deliberated or even given thought to the possibility that I was studying in a man’s world. It led me to questioning what that meant for me as a young woman in a world of pale and stale white male academics. What does it mean to be a woman in this field? More specifically, how does my gender shape my education and does this bring forward questions that just aren’t answered in traditional literature? I have noticed that academic articles mostly talk about matters related to power and competition, however politics affect all aspects of life. Consequently, I feel like the male perspective disregards the social aspect of the study of politics. The study of political science claims it offers a broad understanding of matters related to the administration of government, yet I find the field is unchallenged in its imbalance. On the other hand, the “practice” facet of political science highlights the presence of none males in politics and positions of power, and I do consider this a step forward. However, the practice of women joining and participating in politics is not adequately represented in the study of political science. When discussing the topic of international relations in political science the main trains of thought are those attributed to hegemonic power, balancing and mitigating power dynamics as seen through realist and liberal theories found within the study of international relations. Some theories—though they are less common—refer to norms, ideas and beliefs which advocate on how things should be or how we should look at certain topics. This can be seen through constructivist and feminist theories. Yes, there is a theory of international relations referring to gender balancing, yet is that all the female perspective has to offer? I seriously doubt that. I find it unfortunate that when it comes to discussing women in certain fields, their outlook is often discussed for one class or chapter rather than being part of regular content. People, no matter their gender, have similarities in their nature, however the way they experience the world is different. Therefore, it is safe to say that we each see and identify with politics differently. Should that not be represented in the literature we read and the way we analyse politics? There are women's perspectives within the field of political science, yet I feel like they are pushed aside because they are not necessarily associated with ideas related to competition. Yes, competition drives politics and is an important approach to the study of politics, regardless it is not the only thing we must study. Political science is dedicated to the analysis of society related to matters of the state, therefore it should consider various outlooks and perspectives that behave and influence politics. I sometimes find it discouraging, nonetheless it forces me to bring these topics of discussions to the table. This is not to say that we should disregard a more male-dominant or male-centric understanding of politics and political culture, however, the lack of focus on other perspectives is quite frankly bad scholarship. While the female perspective may be more rare that doesn't mean it is less important. In politics we often talk about representation—the representation of people who are historically overlooked or disregarded. If we can exemplify the interest of the people within government, then we should be able to do it within academia. This piece is dedicated to the resilient ladies studying political science—while our field is a man’s world for now let’s continue writing so our voices are located in more that one chapter in our textbooks.	https://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/this-is-a-mans-world-for-now
Increasing pressures for companies to contribute to the solution of contemporary societal problems have prompted new debates around companies’ roles and responsibilities in society. Exploring such debates and dynamics around sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR), this course focuses on how companies confront and address the involved organizational and communicative challenges. The course adopts a managerial perspective to understand the interactions and negotiations between corporations, their stakeholders, and the media (incl. social media) in national and global contexts. The course introduces main theoretical perspectives on CSR that address the business case for CSR and Creating Shared Value, the political role of corporations, institutional entrepreneurship and innovation, critical perspectives on management, and the transformative role of communication. Drawing on these theoretical perspectives, the course aims to provide students with new insights in various practical areas of corporate responsibility, such as, international standards for sustainability, global value chains, internal and external stakeholder engagement, as well as how to deal with eruptive crises and scandals in social media. A special emphasis lies on how national and international contexts shape the ways of how firms can conduct their business. Overall, this course represents a unique offering that closely combines research from the fields of international business and management studies with insights from the neighboring field of corporate communication studies and applies them to issue areas of CSR and sustainability. Connecting to practice, the course features case-based workshops with expert practitioners from the field of corporate responsibility, organization, and communication. These case studies provide students with the opportunity to engage in teamwork, presentations, and in direct interactions with expert practitioners. Students will develop a seminar thesis over the course of the semester that follows the format of an academic paper and hence serves as hands-on training and preparation for their master thesis. In the seminar thesis, students will identify and tackle a relevant gap or puzzle in the given literature on corporate responsibility, organization, and communication. As part of the supervision process, the course will feature workshops that help develop seminar thesis ideas and discuss work-in-progress theses.	https://kursuskatalog.cbs.dk/2020-2021/KAN-CKOMO3014U.aspx
The one-year Master of Arts in International Relations, specialisation Global Political Economy offered by the Faculty of Humanities of Leiden University, provides you with a cutting-edge understanding of the world economy and its political and social foundations. You will graduate with a rigorous understanding of the global political economy and different approaches to its study as well as ideas and tools for the analysis of critical global issues. You will also gain insights into experiences of interests and actors that shape the global political economy across a variety of world contexts. The programme (60 EC total – 30 EC per semester) consists of a Core Course Global Political Economy and two general core courses (Ideas in World Politics and Regionalism in World Politics) as well as a combined thesis seminar and methods course and a thesis. The remaining 20 EC (10 EC per semester) can be acquired by choosing two electives (max.20 students per elective): one elective has to be chosen from the field of Global Political Economy, the other elective can be picked from the complete list of electives that are offered for the MA International Relations. Please note that there may be additional entry requirements for electives that are offered by other departments, and that the number of places available for Global Political Economy students might be limited. Also make sure you read the details under ‘more info’ for more detailed information about the curriculum and your options. All students have to apply for admission, see mastersinleiden. All students of the February 2018, September 2018, and February 2019 intakes please refer to the more info tab for a full overview of the curriculum. During the complete programme, students take 20 EC worth of electives. Of these, students have to choose at least 10 EC within their specialisation. The remaining 10 EC can either be chosen within the specialisation or from the full list. Students wishing to replace one elective (10 EC) with an external course or internship, please contact the Co-ordinator of Studies to discuss your options. Other courses can't be replaced. If you wish to receive an exemption for one or more courses based on similar previously completed courses on Master level, please contact the Co-ordinator of Studies. Elective (10 EC) - students must choose one elective within their specialisation and can choose one elective from the complete list of electives on offer for the MA International Relations. A thesis is an academic essay, written by the student in consultation with a supervisor. The thesis must show that the student is capable of analyzing existing literature in a critical manner, and of conducting independent research. Moreover, this process must be recorded in an academically sound report. Generally speaking, students are encouraged to select the topic of their thesis themselves, based on a Master’s course that they followed. In most cases, the first supervisor of the thesis will be the lecturer responsible for the Master’s course which inspired the thesis. In case of doubt, students can always consult other supervisors within the Humanities Faculty. During the first semester, students will complete the 5 EC course Thesis Seminar and Methods in International Relations Research in which they will choose a topic for their thesis, formulate a research question, and submit a research proposal and literature review. Students who have not fulfilled the requirements of this course or have not received the approval of the Examinations Committee will not have their MA thesis supervised. The thesis for the MA International Relations is a maximum of 15.000 words including notes, bibliography and appendices. The thesis is supervised by a lecturer in the Humanities Faculty, who possesses expertise in the relevant field. The thesis is judged by two lecturers involved in the program. b. and the main areas and issues of current global and regional politics and international relations. knowledge of the main academic terminology, theories and paradigms pertaining to the past, present and future of current global issues and politics, with a special focus on ideas and approaches related to the humanities. f. the ability to apply and evaluate qualitative and, if applicable, quantitative methods to the relevant contexts. c. the ability to recognise, reflect upon and judge between different academic opinions and arguments on the complexity and interrelationship of contemporary politics, cultures and economics. b. the ability to present research in the relevant areas and issues. a. the learning abilities required to be able to follow post-master’s professional training or a PhD training of a largely self-determined or autonomous nature. c. The ability to evaluate the assumptions, interests, ideologies, and differential capacities of a diverse array of actors impinging on the development of the world economy and its regional, national, and local effects, including states, firms, international organizations, and civil society actors, among others. Global Political Economy is one of the specialisations of the Master International Relations. For more information, please contact the Co-ordinator of Studies.	https://studiegids.universiteitleiden.nl/en/studies/6423/international-relations-global-political-economy
A vivid and more or less stable partnership between European and American countries is generally regarded as a key issue and particularly serious challenge in terms of cultural, economic, historical, political, and social developments and changes on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This volume aims at bringing together various approaches, concepts, and analyses that are currently on the agenda in academic discussions in transatlantic and international relations studies. With a collection of essays from young scholars who have pursued their research in a wide-ranging field of interdisciplinary research, this volume not only contributes to intensifying important aspects of the study and analysis of transatlantic relations, but also reflects upon recent developments in different European regions that can only be understood in a global dimension such as anti-Americanism, popular culture and media, contemporary regionalist movements, and secularization in modern societies. In all cases, the contributors’ findings and research perspectives shape not only the content of this book, but in many respects develop an innovative understanding of transatlantic and international relations, helping us to gain important new insights into this specific relationship.	http://e-libera.pl/artykul/Europe-and-America-in-the-mirror,D82F465CEB
Enroll in a major or minor in Latino-Latin American Studies to examine the culture, development, resources, history and societies of the region and the Latino/a peoples dispersed around the globe. Native American and Indigenous Studies Study the religious, historical, political and aesthetic dimensions of the Americas’ Indigenous peoples with a minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies. Undergradate Course Examples Anthropology, political science, geography and history Afro-Hispanic Topics in Caribbean Literature Caribbean African-Hispanic literature (poetry and short stories) with different areas of social and political interest. Emphasis on different Caribbean religions. Effects of Globalization in Latin America A grassroots view of major transformations in Latin America due to globalization/global change, including adaptations to global warming, effects of and reactions to neo-liberal policies, internal and international migration, ethnic movements and social revolutions. Representations of Indigenous Peoples in Popular Culture Contested images used by colonizers and other non-Indigenous people to represent Native Americans and other Indigenous peoples. How Indigenous people represent themselves in a variety of media. Additional work required of graduate students. Summer Research Grant Recipient The Summer Research Grant Program awards Syracuse University graduate students up to $1,500 to support research concerning Latin America and the Caribbean. Award recipient Steven Harris will use the funds to support his research in Bridgetown, Barbados, where he hopes to gain a better understanding of how both free and enslaved communities would have navigated their social landscapes more than 200 years ago. Steven Grant ’16 B.S. / Ph.D. Student Anthropology, Earth Sciences / Anthropology Graduate Studies Certificate of Advanced Study Syracuse University graduate students may supplement their degree to learn about the cultures, politics, history, arts and current events of Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin America Career Track Maxwell‘s international relations graduate degree program is one of the top professional international affairs programs in the world. Students choose one of the five career tracks offered, one of which is Latin America. Graduate Course Examples Anthropology, political science, geography and history The Caribbean: Sex Workers, Transnational Capital, and Tourism A political economy approach to educating students about the human and capital costs of tourism to the Caribbean. The integral relationship between sex work and Caribbean tourism exposes the region’s development that has resulted in its current configuration. Current Issues in U.S.-Latin American Relations Real-world policy issues currently affecting Latin America and the U.S. The one-week seminar in Washington, D.C., will include presentations and panel discussions by practitioners in the field. Brazil: Anthropological Perspectives History and culture of Brazil; Indigenous populations; Afro-Brazilians; race and ethnic relations; development; kinship; gender; religion; urbanization; politics; nationalism; globalization. Additional work required of graduate students. John and Mabel de Sardon and Joan de Sardon-Glass Assistantships This award supports nationals of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and other Andean-region countries who wish to pursue professional degrees at the Maxwell School and then return to public service in their home countries. The de Sardon-Glass program typically provides academic tuition or a stipend to cover living expenses while in Syracuse. As part of their award responsibilities, award recipients are required to participate in one or more of the Moynihan Institute’s research programs. Santiago, Chile From the top of the Andes to the Southern Cone, this two-site semester program is your gateway to the diversities of South America. Brazil: Social Justice and Inequality Study social movements within Brazil, take Portuguese classes to better engage with the community, live with Brazilian roommates that give you an access point into local life and even travel to Salvador da Bahia to take on learning by experiencing.	https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/moynihan-institute-of-global-affairs/regional-centers/program-on-latin-america-the-caribbean
A one-unit course at Pitzer College is considered the equivalent of 4 semester hours or 6 quarter hours. Each course typically meets for 150 minutes per week, in addition to other course-related activities which may include, but not be limited to, laboratories, film screenings and discussions. The number of actual hours spent in class or in related activity, such as a laboratory, may vary with the subject matter and the level of the course. Generally, students are expected to spend a minimum of two to three hours in out-of-class learning/studying for every hour spent in class, though this may vary due to the subject matter and preparation for the course. Pitzer College does not give academic credit or accept transfer credit for courses in physical education or in military science. As a liberal arts college with a strong interdisciplinary curriculum in the social and behavioral sciences, Pitzer presents a unique opportunity for self-exploration and for exploration of the world. The College expects students to take an active part in planning their course of study, to bring a spirit of inquiry and adventure to planning that course of study, and to work hard to meet the intellectual goals of a Pitzer education. To guide students and their advisers, the College has six educational objectives. Social Justice, Social Responsibility and the Ethical Implications of Knowledge and Action Educational Objective In order to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree, students are expected to fulfill the educational objectives of Pitzer College by designing, in cooperation with their advisers, an individualized program of study which responds to the students’ own intellectual needs and interests, while at the same time meeting these general objectives in the following five ways: In order to meet the student learning outcomes (SLOs) for Intercultural Understanding and provide students with a well-rounded perspective on this educational objective, it is important that students demonstrate these SLOs regarding both global and local contexts. Students, working closely with their advisers, will select a set of courses and/or programs to demonstrate intercultural understanding from a global or international perspective and from a domestic (US) or local perspective. A. Demonstration of an understanding of the intercultural from a global or international perspective B. Demonstration of an understanding of the intercultural from a domestic (US) or local perspective COURSE CRITERIA for meeting the intercultural understanding guideline in a course that discusses or addresses a culture (or cultures) outside of the U.S. “Global/International” courses are not just courses that focus on the international or on other countries. For the intercultural understanding graduation guideline there must be significant focus on non-US “cultures.” The course will: Examine a culture or cultures outside of the U.S. (to include historical cultures and civilizations) OR Provide a comparative perspective between the U.S. and other culture(s), with at least half of the course focused on non-US cases COURSE CRITERIA for meeting the Intercultural Understanding guideline in a course that addresses different cultures in the U.S. Courses that meet the Intercultural Understanding guideline for different cultures in the U.S. should normally meet at least 4-5 of the following criteria (with the understanding that, depending on one’s field, there could be some overlap between some criteria). IU-L courses should: Examine diverse cultural perspectives in the United States, whether at present or in the past, by analyzing the production of art, literature, or philosophy or other activities in the humanities or through frameworks in the social sciences. Expose students to marginalized communities (via art work, literature, other readings, films, and/or internship/social responsibility sites) and ask students to reflect their upon understandings of specific issues via assignments, such as journal entries and/or reflective essays. Directly discuss the role of individual privilege and unequal power relations as it relates to the denied privileges of socially disadvantaged groups (e.g. role of social and cultural capital), whether at present or in U.S. history. Investigate the impact of and counter the ideas of ethnocentrism and Eurocentrism as these terms relate to how marginalized populations are characterized and caricatured. Encourage the development of cultural empathy, respect, and understanding for host/community/local perspectives within class discussion and oral/written assignments about social stratification, socio-structural barriers, and social inequality as systems of oppression. Ask students to investigate the intersections between racialized, gendered, and classed identities as they relate to how intersecting axes of oppression, heterosexism, racism, classism, and/or ableism, affect marginalized communities in the U.S. and abroad. Push students to recognize how historical structures, individual agency, and the relations between the two are exhibited within the social circumstances of marginalized communities in the U.S. Teach students how to use social theory to analyze and describe why social hierarchy persists and the ways in which it impacts the life chances of marginalized populations. Students satisfy this objective by completing two courses: one full credit course in Social Justice Theory and one full-credit* course in Social Responsibility Praxis. 1. Social Justice Theory (SJT) The social justice theory course will emphasize diverse theoretical frameworks, movements and histories of social justice. 2. Social Responsibility Praxis (SRP): The social responsibility praxis course emphasizes the manifestation of social responsibility through community engagement, theoretical analysis, and critical reflection, or “praxis.” All of the following criteria must be met in order for courses to fulfill the guideline. Consider the criteria as they relate to your discipline or your field of study. Courses should have assignments that can be used to assess the provided Social Justice Theory student learning outcomes. Course topics should be about the theory, history, current events, and/or social movements surrounding social (in)justice issues pertinent to at least one of the following: race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, nationality, ability status, environmental justice, religion and/or social stratification. For example, the course might explore the history and current status of social justice movements, such as Civil Rights, Women’s Movements, Immigration Reform, Sexuality and Labor. Course topics should enable students to acquire knowledge and sensitivity to the ethical and political implications of at least one of the following: social problems, oppressive systems, interpersonal and structural discrimination, unequal distribution and access to power and resources (including natural resources), and the interdependence and intersection of systems of oppression. Course readings and discussions should challenge hegemonic structures and practices that further social injustice and oppression, and promote strategies to redress systemic barriers to equality and inclusiveness. (Criteria 1-4 must be met for a course to become a Social Responsibility Praxis Course) Community engagement may come in the form of service, research, community-based education, or another form of collaboration, conducted by faculty members in a way that is appropriate to their pedagogy, methodology and personal approach, and operating from a framework that honors reciprocal, respectful, ethical partnership with the community members, agencies or institutions with whom the faculty member and students are collaborating. Community engagement fieldwork normally includes at least 40 hours in a single semester, and is complemented by classroom discussions, lectures, and assignments (which correlate with stated Social Responsibility Praxis student learning outcomes) to engage critical reflections and rigorous analysis that address the theories of social justice that are specific to the disciplinary and community context. The agenda for the community engagement is made in collaboration between college partners (students, faculty, and/or staff) and the primary community partner contacts, attempting always to recognize and build on existing assets of the community. Community engagement actions address the structural, political, social, economic, and/or environmental conditions (and any other root causes) that have resulted in the need for community engagement, and explore the benefits and potential pitfalls of community-campus partnerships. (As applicable/ If applicable) Community engagement courses that involve research must follow appropriate ethical standards, such as: informed consent, mutual benefits, equal partnership in designing and conducting research, and sharing of end products. Students may not count the same course toward meeting more than one breadth of knowledge area. Half-credit courses may not be used to fulfill any of the breadth of knowledge areas. 1. A total of 2.0 course credits in humanities and fine arts. Normally, courses in the performing arts, fine arts, foreign language, literature, history, and philosophy meet this objective. Such courses are offered by disciplinary and interdisciplinary field groups including Art; Asian Studies; Asian-American Studies; Africana Studies; Chicano Studies; Classics; English and World Literature; Environmental Studies; Media Studies; History; History of Ideas; Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures; Music; Philosophy; Theatre; Dance; and Gender & Feminist Studies. In cases of uncertainty about the suitability of courses meeting this objective, the advisers will consult with the instructor of the course. A course which meets both the humanities and fine arts objective and the social and behavioral science objective can be counted toward meeting only one of these objectives. 2. A total of 2.0 course credits in the social and behavioral sciences. Normally, courses in anthropology, economics, linguistics, political studies, psychology, and sociology will meet this objective, as well as courses taught from a social science perspective in interdisciplinary programs such as Asian Studies; Asian-American Studies; Africana Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Organizational Studies; Science, Technology and Society; and Gender & Feminist Studies. In cases of uncertainty, the advisers will consult with the instructor of the course. A course which meets both the humanities and fine arts objective and the social and behavioral science objective can be counted toward meeting only one of these objectives. 3. A total of 1.0 course credits in the natural sciences, with or without a laboratory component. Course options available to students include all courses offered through the Keck Science Department, including science courses designed especially for non-science majors, as well as most courses in chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and geology offered at the other Claremont Colleges. In addition, PSYC 101 PZ -Brain and Behavior , as currently taught with a significant emphasis in biology, is considered appropriate to this objective. Should students seek to fulfill this objective by completing courses not identified above or through a program of independent study, their advisers must get approval from the faculty member directing the independent study or teaching the course and from a faculty member in the Keck Science Department in the apposite discipline. Students may not count the same course toward meeting both this and the mathematics/formal reasoning objective. 4. A total of 1.0 course credits in quantitative reasoning. Students will satisfy this objective by taking any mathematics, statistics, quantitative/survey research methods, or formal logic course offered at The Claremont Colleges or accepted for transfer credit, with the exception of mathematics courses whose sole purpose is to prepare students to take calculus. Should students seek to fulfill this objective by completing courses not identified above or through a program of independent study, their advisers will get approval from the faculty member teaching the course or directing the independent study and from a faculty member in the Mathematics field group. Students may not count the same course toward meeting both this and the natural sciences objective. In order to be eligible for graduation, students are expected to demonstrate the ability to write competently by completing one full-credit* writing-intensive course. It is assumed that most students meet the objective by successfully completing a First-Year Seminar course. These seminars have been designed as writing-intensive courses and are required of all first-year students. Transfer students who have not already taken a writing course will meet the writing objective by completing a writing-intensive course. Writing-Intensive Courses: Instructors may designate a course Writing Intensive if: (1) at least 25 pages of written work are included among class assignments, (2) they comment extensively on the writing quality of at least 10 of those pages and (3) they allow students the opportunity to re-write those pages in light of instructors’ remarks (the remaining 15 pages may be journal entries, essay exams, or non-graded exercises, such as in-class free-writing). *For transferred courses, a minimum of .67 Pitzer course credits may be eligible to satisfy the requirement. For any questions, please consult with the Registrar’s Office. Students should engage in an in-depth investigation and thereby sharpen their ability for critical analysis. To aid in meeting these objectives, students will, by the time of graduation, complete the requirements of a major, which are listed by field in the catalog. Prior to midterm of the second semester of the sophomore year, students will choose a major adviser and begin discussions regarding the major. Advisers must be full-time faculty and have an appointment in the field. Students must complete a Major Declaration form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office no later than midterm of the first semester of the junior year. Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for specific deadline dates. Prior to midterm of the first semester of the junior year, students will complete, in cooperation with their advisers, the Major Declaration form identifying the courses or other work through which students have met or intend to meet each of the guidelines stated above. Students should begin discussion of the Educational Objectives in their first year at Pitzer as they plan their course schedules. Copies of the completed Major Declaration form will be kept by the Registrar’s Office, the students and the advisers. The list of courses or work may be revised upon discussion and with the agreement of the advisers at any time. It is hoped that the formulation and later revisions of the statement will provide contexts for mutual, creative interaction between students and advisers in shaping a program that meets the Educational Objectives of the College and of the individual student. Students and advisers will review the Major Declaration form at the beginning of the first semester of the senior year to assure that students have satisfied and/or are making satisfactory progress toward completion of the guidelines stated above. At the beginning of the students’ final semester, the advisers will verify with the Registrar that the students will have met all the guidelines by the end of the semester (when the academic program is completed as proposed). Students will have to satisfy each of the guidelines in order to graduate. In the case of disputes between students and advisers, appeals can be made to the Academic Standards Committee. The College acknowledges the wide diversity of student interests, abilities, needs, beliefs, styles, backgrounds, and life-experiences. We expect that each student, together with a faculty adviser, will create a coherent program of study in accordance with the College’s Educational Objectives. Advising is an integral function of the teaching role of faculty members. Each student entering Pitzer College is assigned a faculty adviser. Students are encouraged to consult frequently with their advisers concerning the formulation and development of their academic programs. Beyond officially designated academic advisers, students are encouraged to consult with other faculty members as well. Faculty members represents a wide range of expertise and members of the faculty will be glad to talk with students about their fields of interest or anything related to their academic pursuits. In conjunction with the Center for Career and Community Services, one faculty member of each field group is designated as the graduate school adviser. Additional majors are available by arrangement with the other Claremont Colleges. Students with off-campus majors and advisers must also have a Pitzer faculty member as an adviser to oversee completion of the Pitzer Educational Objectives. The unique consortium offers an education that focuses on broad-based knowledge, development of critical and analytical thinking, and effective communication at the undergraduate and graduate level in the liberal arts and sciences. The curriculum includes natural and applied sciences, social and behavioral sciences, the humanities, business, mathematics, engineering, and the arts. Combined majors meld two or more existing fields, with some modification of the normal requirements in each. Combined majors must be approved by a faculty member representing each field involved, following the principles established by each field group. Such approval normally must be obtained no later than midterm of the first semester of the junior year. Double majors require completion of all requirements for two fields. If the requirements for the two fields overlap, some field groups may place restrictions on the number of courses that can be counted in both fields. Students must have the approval of faculty advisers in both fields and should submit two separate Major/ Educational Objectives forms no later than midterm of the first semester of the junior year. Majoring in three fields is possible but unadvisable, will be subject to the same requirements as those listed above for double majors and will require approval of the Curriculum Committee. Honors in a field of major may be awarded to an outstanding student in recognition of academic excellence. Not all field groups offer honors, and each field group for regular or combined majors (or both academic advisers in the case of special majors) may decide whether to award honors and establish specific criteria for honors. Honors in combined majors may be awarded for the combined major itself, but not for any one of the majors that the combined major comprises. All students who are awarded honors must have attained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 while registered at Pitzer College. GPA may not be rounded. In addition, students must have completed a thesis, seminar, independent study, or some other special capstone program, which has been designated in advance as a possible basis for honors. During the fall semester of each academic year, field groups (or both academic advisers in the case of special majors) will send to their senior majors and to the Academic Standards Committee a formal statement of their requisites for honors. Final honors recommendations will be submitted to the Academic Standards Committee during the senior grading period. The approved list of honors candidates will be submitted to the full faculty for final approval. Pitzer does not rank students or award Latin honors. Students may wish to pursue a major that is not an established major. A special major proposal should be developed with and must be approved by a minimum of two faculty advisors in relevant fields. When particular fields are highly represented in the special major, the advisor(s) must come from those fields. Students may, of course, have additional advisors that do not come from these fields. Students must have at least one Pitzer advisor, so if both special major advisors are from off-campus, the student must have a third Pitzer advisor. Students must attend the information meeting on Special Majors before they are allowed to submit a Special Major proposal. Proposals should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office to be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for their review, comment and approval. The criteria detailed below will be used by the Curriculum Committee in evaluating proposals. The Curriculum Committee will not accept Special Major proposals during the senior year, unless the special major proposal could be accepted without revision. We thus leave open the possibility that students will return from study abroad (or other) experiences their senior year that have served to synthesize and clarify their academic trajectories. Students will be notified of Curriculum Committee decisions via Pitzer e-mail. Special Major forms are available in the Registrar’s Office and contain two components: Title: The title must correspond with the course list and rationale for the major. Purpose: Proposals must state the goals to be achieved through the implementation of the desired major and explain why these goals cannot be met with existing majors. Student Learning Outcomes: Proposals must clearly state the expected knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies, and habits of mind that student will acquire through the completion of the Special Major. These should be demonstrated by the capstone experience. Coherence: The proposed courses must demonstrate a cohesive, feasible and organized program of study and explain how the courses work together to achieve the desired goals. There will be no more than four introductory courses, and at least 6 upper level courses in a Special Major. Mastery: The proposed major must exhibit sufficient depth and rigor, including a substantial number of advanced courses. There must be some theory and/or research methods courses in the Special Major. Capstone: The proposal must discuss plans for a synthesizing paper, project, seminar or thesis. The course list should include one full-credit independent study devoted to completion of this thesis or project, or explain how an existing advanced seminar would serve this purpose. The capstone experience should integrate the knowledge gained through the special major. A completed Major Declaration form must be included, listing both educational objectives and a course list, including a minimum of 10 courses for the proposed special major. The course list should match the explanation for the Special Major and should be consistent with curricular capabilities of The Claremont Colleges. When faculty members sign the Special Major declaration form, they agree to be an advisor for the Special Major. They agree to advise the entire Special Major, not just a part of the Special Major. They confirm that they are in the field(s) represented by the Special Major. When the advisors go on sabbatical or leave, they agree to continue advising their Special Major advisees or to find an appropriate faculty member to do the advising for them. The advisors will also write a supporting letter to accompany the proposal, a letter in which they defend the quality and integrity of the Special Major to the Curriculum Committee. Academic Minors will be available only in existing majors and only when the relevant field group chooses to offer one. In addition, students may choose existing minors at the other Claremont Colleges provided that the fields are not offered as majors at Pitzer. The availability of this alternative is contingent on the willingness of a professor at the other college in the relevant field to serve as a minor adviser. (For example, a student could minor in geology because it is formally available at Pomona and is not a major at Pitzer. On the other hand, if economics at Pitzer chooses not to offer a minor, a student cannot minor in economics just because Pomona has a minor in economics available.) The specific requirements for a minor are designed by the relevant field group, approved by Curriculum Committee and approved by College Council. The requirements for a minor should include at least six letter-graded courses. Students cannot design special minors. Students cannot select more than one minor. There should be no overlap between courses comprising a student’s major and his/her minor. An exception could be made in the case where a specific course is required for both the major and the minor, if the field group offering the minor approves. Pitzer students may not declare a CMC sequence. Students will have a minor adviser (a professor in the relevant field group offering the minor). The minor adviser’s signature is needed on two forms: one declaring the minor and listing proposed courses and one certifying the minor prior to graduation. As with majors, minors should be declared by the middle of the junior year. The minor adviser will not need to sign off on courses each semester; the adviser’s role is to give advice on the minor itself such as choice of courses. Courses are numbered according to the level of preparation expected of the student. Courses numbered 1 to 199 are undergraduate courses. Generally speaking, those numbered below 100 are introductory courses designed for first- years and sophomores or students with little or no preparation in the field. Certain field groups may choose to differentiate further their offerings by designating certain series as general education courses for students who are not necessarily majoring in the field. Courses numbered 100 or above are more advanced courses, generally designed for juniors and seniors or for those with sufficient preparation in the field. Please note that some field groups may make no distinction among courses by level of preparation necessary and, thus, may designate courses by a simple consecutive numbering system. Students should consult the introductions which precede each field group’s course offerings. A semester course, or one semester of a year sequence, is credited as a full course unless it is designated as a half-course. A semester course is indicated by a single number. Two-semester courses may be indicated either by consecutive hyphenated numbers (for example, 37-38) when credit for the course is granted only upon completion of both semesters or by the letters “a, b” when credit for the course is granted for either semester. The letter “G” after a course number indicates an undergraduate course that is taught by a member of Claremont Graduate University faculty and is open to all students in The Claremont Colleges. Students should check the course listings each semester for additional “G” courses. Students should also consult the relevant field group to determine the level of preparation necessary for any individual course. The letters “AA” after a course number indicate an intercollegiate course taught by the Intercollegiate Department of Asian American Studies; “CH” indicates a course taught by the Intercollegiate Department of Chicano/a Studies; or “AF” by the Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies. These courses are open to all students of The Claremont Colleges. Any restrictions on enrollment other than the level of preparation required are stated in the course description. Some courses may be designated parenthetically with an additional course number, for example, “(Formerly 22).” This refers to a former course numbering system and is provided for informational purposes only. Pitzer students may register for courses offered at the other Claremont Colleges with the approval of their advisers and subject to intercollegiate regulations. Please consult The Claremont College Course Schedule online for a complete listing of courses offered during the academic year. The courses described in this catalog are not always taught every semester. Unless otherwise indicated, classes meet at the times listed below. Some courses including art classes, music classes, some language courses and laboratory sessions deviate from these times.	https://catalog.pitzer.edu/content.php?catoid=17&navoid=1365
Sociology assignments help you with an overview of the specific field of study as you will be required to take a particular topic along with you.You just have to read your assignment and see why it’s so important. Here, we have you covered of the study of life and culture in general.However, what do we need to do in order to understand how it makes sense to choose this particular field? In all honesty, there are no simple answers as the only thing we can come up with is some general idea. What do we do if we are going to study the following:Culture or political economy? How has education changed?Whatever you want to call it, the truth is that studying social science and social psychology within the social sciences alone are not enough if you want to gain insights into the lives and thoughts of our society.So, if you are looking for information about the specific field of study you need to do, then we have a very good guide in our cover page where you can see how to get started!Introduction to Sociology.Sociology is an academic discipline that has undergone a massive shift over the years and is a huge part of the academic world in recent years for that reason. Sociology has become such an important academic discipline that it has also become regarded as one of the most important to study.There are now some serious challenges to take on sociology research and sociology, especially in the field of social work. But sociology is the one that has been getting a lot of attention from the world over the last few years because of its great power in studying how society functions.Social and political issues, and a wide range of issues about which sociolinguistic research is a part, also have been seen as important issues in sociology research when sociological literature was being written in the United States and Europe.The major debates related to social and political issues are also becoming more prominent and more important in sociology research.An investigation into the relationship between two or more social and economic factors to the economic condition of the people.	https://essay-service.xyz/8-id-sociology-assignments.php
The Role of Public Participation in Energy Transitions provides a conceptual and empirical approach to stakeholder and citizen involvement in the ongoing energy transition conversation, focusing on projects surrounding energy conversion and efficiency, reducing energy demand, and using new forms of renewable energy sources. Sections review and contrast different approaches to citizen involvement, discuss the challenges of inclusive participation in complex energy policymaking, and provide conceptual foundations for the empirical case studies that constitute the second part of the book. The book is a valuable resource for academics in the field of energy planning and policymaking, as well as practitioners in energy governance, energy and urban planners and participation specialists. Between Public Participation and Energy Transition The Case of Wind Farms by Sanne Akerboom - Publisher : Unknown Publisher - Release : 2018 - Pages : 212 - ISBN : 9876543210XXX - Language : En, Es, Fr & De This thesis researches the role of the public in governmental wind farm decision-making procedures in the Netherlands. Wind farms are an essential part of the Dutch energy transition towards to a CO2 neutral society. For a successful realisation of wind farms it is important that the Dutch society supports this realisation. Unfortunately, many wind farm plans so far have been met with substantial societal resistance. For a long time this phenomenon was explained by the self-interest based Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) theory. However, recent studies suggest a strong link to the decision-making processes leading to the realisation of wind farms. Therefore, this thesis studies the relation between government and the public during the governmental decision-making process of a wind farm. This concerns an interdisciplinary study into the concept of public participation on the basis of fundamental legal and political science theories. Both disciplines have studied the concept of public participation in detail and both lead to different analysis and conclusions. This theoretical framework results in an evaluative norm, namely the deliberative ideal, in which processes focus on the common good and dialogue rather than individual interests. This thesis secondly analyses how the concept of public participation is implemented in the wind farm relevant legal frameworks: Dutch administrative, environmental and spatial planning law. On the basis of this analysis and a case study we arrive at the conclusion that the legal implementation does not meet the deliberative ideal and make some suggestions to improve these decision-making procedures. Pilot Society and the Energy Transition The Co-shaping of Innovation, Participation and Politics by Marianne Ryghaug,Tomas Moe Skjølsvold - Publisher : Springer Nature - Release : 2021 - Pages : 130 - ISBN : 3030611841 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De "This important book interrogates scholarship on sustainability transitions with insights from Science and Technology studies (STS) by focusing on pilot projects. The book urges us to look beyond technological solutionism, to examine how the energy transition also requires experimentation and even transformation in social domains. This is a valuable contribution to discussions about how to make energy transitions just, fair and more humane, and it will be an important resource for students and scholars alike. Highly recommended!"--Benjamin K. Sovacool, University of Sussex, UK and Aarhus University Denmark This open access book examines the role of pilot and demonstration projects as crucial devices for conducting innovation in the context of the energy transition. Bridging literature from sustainability transitions and Science and Technology Studies (STS), it argues that such projects play a crucial role, not only in shaping future energy and mobility systems, but in transforming societies more broadly. Pilot projects constitute socio-technical configurations where imagined future realities are materialized. With this as a backdrop, the book explores pilot projects as political entities, focusing on questions of how they gain their legitimacy, which resources are mobilized in their production, and how they can serve as sites of public participation and the production of energy citizenship. The book argues that such projects too often have a narrow technology focus, and that this is a missed opportunity. The book concludes by critically discussing the potential roles of research and innovation policy in transforming how such projects are configured and conducted. Marianne Ryghaug is a professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology where she leads the research group on Energy, Climate and Environment. Over the last twenty years, her work has focused on the linkages between energy and climate policy, technological development and innovation, and public participation. Tomas Moe Skjølsvold is a professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He is the deputy director of the Norwegian Centre for Energy Transition Strategies (NTRANS) and has published extensively on socio-technical aspects of energy transitions, as well as scientific processes within climate and sustainability science over the last years Power Shift The Global Political Economy of Energy Transitions by Peter Newell - Publisher : Cambridge University Press - Release : 2021-04-30 - Pages : 350 - ISBN : 1108832857 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De A novel, interdisciplinary account of the global politics of producing, financing, governing and mobilising energy system transformation. Integrated Science Science Without Borders by Nima Rezaei - Publisher : Springer Nature - Release : 2021 - Pages : 129 - ISBN : 3030652734 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De Routledge Handbook of Energy Democracy A Book by Andrea M. Feldpausch-Parker,Danielle Endres,Tarla Rai Peterson,Stephanie L. Gomez - Publisher : Routledge - Release : 2021-11-18 - Pages : 480 - ISBN : 0429688563 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De This handbook offers a comprehensive transdisciplinary examination of the research and practices that constitute the emerging research agenda in energy democracy. With protests over fossil fuels and controversies over nuclear and renewable energy technologies, democratic ideals have contributed to an emerging social movement. Energy democracy captures this movement and addresses the issues of energy access, ownership, and participation at a time when there are expanding social, political, environmental, and economic demands on energy systems. This volume defines energy democracy as both a social movement and an academic area of study and examines it through a social science and humanities lens, explaining key concepts and reflecting state-of-the-art research. The collection is comprised of six parts: 1 Scalar Dimensions of Power and Governance in Energy Democracy 2 Discourses of Energy Democracy 3 Grassroots and Critical Modes of Action 4 Democratic and Participatory Principles 5 Energy Resource Tensions 6 Energy Democracies in Practice The vision of this handbook is explicitly transdisciplinary and global, including contributions from interdisciplinary international scholars and practitioners. The Routledge Handbook of Energy Democracy will be the premier source for all students and researchers interested in the field of energy, including policy, politics, transitions, access, justice, and public participation. Public Goods, Sustainable Development and the Contribution of Business A Book by Roland Bardy,Arthur Rubens,Raymond Saner,Lichia Yiu - Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing - Release : 2021-02-18 - Pages : 332 - ISBN : 1527566250 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De This book provides an expansive review of the public goods theme and highlights the inherent linkage between sustainable development and corporate responsibility for improving the current and future welfare of communities both at home and abroad. The main proposition here is that sustainable development is focused on preserving and maintaining public goods. Consequently, whoever uses public goods is liable for their preservation, their maintenance, and, where they are underdeveloped, for their expansion. Successful delivery, both now and in the future, depends on a positive relationship of the public sector with the private sector. This book will serve to stimulate discussions of scholars and policy makers in the field of sustainable development with business leaders, and will close the gap between the public and the private sectors by building a common understanding and common methodologies for implementing and measuring sustainable development in the macro- and the micro-spheres. Local Governments, Communities and Wind Farm Proposals Insiders’ Perspectives on Italy and New Zealand by Claudia Gonnelli - Publisher : Unknown Publisher - Release : 2020 - Pages : 282 - ISBN : 9876543210XXX - Language : En, Es, Fr & De As innovation and economies of scale facilitate the rapid adoption of renewable energy technologies, growing socio-political factors remain a key challenge to the achievement of energy transition. The study of large-scale wind farms offers a clear example of the growing impacts of socio-political barriers on implementation rates for renewables. Rapidly decreasing technological costs are being matched by increasingly heated public opposition to wind farm proposals, which, in turn, have put the spotlight on public participation as a key tool to increase social acceptance. Most of the literature on public participation in the wind energy sector has focused on creating a compelling case for a shift from technocratic decision-making to a more participatory approach. The role of local authorities in implementing this shift has attracted considerably less attention, despite being recognised as significant. To address this gap, this thesis critically explored the role of local governments in New Zealand and Italy in the co-construction of three key elements of public participation: the issue, the public, and the practices. Interviews with key informants were conducted in New Zealand and Italy, alongside a comprehensive document and policy analysis. This cross-country comparison revealed significant differences in legislated participatory requirements, but also substantial similarities in the local discourse around participation. First, in both countries, there was an underlying tension between government commitment to public participation and to renewable energy development. These competing priorities risked reducing participatory practices to a teaching exercise used to convince the public, rather than an opportunity to elicit debate. Secondly, in both countries, local authorities characterised the imagined public as NIMBY and used this imaginary to legitimise the decision-making process and its outcomes. Finally, the participatory practices implemented in the two countries highlighted the potential links between lack of opportunities for direct communication between the public and decision-makers and alternative channels of expression. The knowledge generated from the present research contributes significantly to an understanding of public participation from both a theoretical and practical perspective and expands the discourse beyond the classical normative divide between technocratic and participatory decision-making processes. Energy Democracy: A Research Agenda A Book by Andrea M. Feldpausch-Parker,Leah Sprain,Danielle Endres,Tarla Rai Peterson - Publisher : Frontiers Media SA - Release : 2019-10-31 - Pages : 108 - ISBN : 2889631974 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De Strategies for Sustainability of the Earth System A Book by Peter A. Wilderer - Publisher : Springer Nature - Release : 2021 - Pages : 129 - ISBN : 3030744582 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De Energy Transitions and Social Psychology A Sociotechnical Perspective by Paul Upham,Paula Bögel,Katinka Johansen - Publisher : Routledge - Release : 2019-02-01 - Pages : 194 - ISBN : 042985837X - Language : En, Es, Fr & De This book explains how social psychological concepts can be closely integrated with sociotechnical perspectives of energy transitions. It shows the value of actor-centred analysis that acknowledges the role of individual-level processes within their wider contexts of energy supply and use. In this way, the book connects social psychological and sociological frames of analysis, preserving the value of both, to provide multi-level, analytically extended accounts of energy transitions processes. Sociotechnical thinking is about the interactions of people and technology, including the rules, regulations and institutions involved. Such perspectives help to identify the many forms of path dependency that can make change difficult. Human behaviour plays a strong role in maintaining these path dependencies, but it can also introduce change. This book advocates a deliberately interdisciplinary research agenda that recognises the value of social psychological perspectives when seeking to create new pathways for energy supply and use. At the same time, it also demonstrates the value of sociotechnical perspectives for energy-related social psychology. Energy Transitions and Social Psychology will be of great interest to students and scholars of energy transitions, environmental and energy psychology, sustainable development and innovation studies, as well as students and scholars of environment and energy more generally. Enabling Sustainable Energy Transitions Practices of Legitimation and Accountable Governance by Siddharth Sareen - Publisher : Springer Nature - Release : 2019-01-01 - Pages : 168 - ISBN : 3030268918 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De "This compact book argues that ideas about accountability and legitimation - drawn from work on environmental governance - can open up new analytical perspectives on what is holding back effective energy system transformation. With bite-size chapters and illustrative cases that draw on the work of five expert witnesses, this is a novel intervention into debates over the politics of energy transition." -Professor Gavin Bridge, Durham University, UK "The book theorizes and advances the research frontier on legitimation practices and accountability with a carefully crafted analysis bridging scholarly fields of environmental governance, political economy, energy research and democratic theory. It is a must-read for all students and scholars interested in shaping more legitimate, democratic and accountable energy transition from the local to global context." -Professor Karin Bäckstrand, Stockholm University, Sweden This open access book reframes sustainable energy transitions as being a matter of resolving accountability crises. It demonstrates how the empirical study of several practices of legitimation can analytically deconstruct energy transitions, and presents a typology of these practices to help determine whether energy transitions contribute to sustainability. The real-world challenge of climate change requires sustainable energy transitions. This presents a crisis of accountability legitimated through situated practices in a wide range of cases including: solar energy transitions in Portugal, urban energy transitions in Germany, forestland conflicts in Indonesia, urban carbon emission targets in Norway, transport electrification in the Nordic region, and biodiversity conservation and energy extraction in the USA. By synthesising these cases, chapters identify various dimensions wherein practices of legitimation construct specific accountability relations. This book deftly illustrates the value of an analytical approach focused on accountable governance to enable sustainable energy transitions. It will be of great use to both academics and practitioners working in the field of energy transitions. Siddharth Sareen is a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation at the University of Bergen, Norway.-- The European Dimension of Germany’s Energy Transition Opportunities and Conflicts by Erik Gawel,Sebastian Strunz,Paul Lehmann,Alexandra Purkus - Publisher : Springer - Release : 2019-02-07 - Pages : 559 - ISBN : 3030033740 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De This book addresses the interactions between Germany’s energy transition and the EU’s energy policy framework. It seeks to analyze the manifold connections between the prospects of the proclaimed “Energy Union” and the future of Germany’s energy transition, and identifies relevant lessons for the transformation at the EU level that can be learned from the case of Germany, as a first-mover of transforming energy systems towards renewables. The various repercussions (political, economic and systemic) from the national transition are explored within the EU context as it responds to the German transition, taking into account both existing frictions and potential synergies between predominantly national sustainability policies and the EU’s push towards harmonized policies within a common market. The book’s overall aim is to identify the most critical issues, in order to avoid pitfalls and capitalize on opportunities. The Regulation and Policy of Latin American Energy Transitions A Book by Lucas Guimaraes - Publisher : Elsevier Science - Release : 2020-03 - Pages : 396 - ISBN : 0128195215 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De The Regulation and Policy of Latin American Energy Transitions examines the ongoing revolution within the energy landscape of Latin America. This book includes real-world examples from across the continent to demonstrate the current landscape of energy policy in Latin America. It focuses on distributed energy resources, including distributed generation, energy efficiency and microgrids, but also addresses the role of less common energy sources, such as geothermal and biogas, as well as discusses the changing role of energy actors, where consumers become prosumers or prosumagers, and utilities become service providers. The legal frameworks that are still hampering the transformation of the energy landscape are explored, together with an analysis of the economic, planning-related and social aspects of energy transitions, which can help address the issue of how inequalities are affecting and being affected by energy transitions. The book is suitable for policy makers, lawyers, economists and social science professionals working with energy policy, as well as researchers and industry professionals in the field. It is an ideal source for anyone involved in energy policy and regulation across Latin America. Reviews key legal and policy features defining success and failure within the diverse Latin American energy transitions Provides clear descriptions and comparisons of current and potential future policy frameworks in Latin America across differing social, economic, geo-political and policy contexts Analyzes the potential role of new technologies and practices in developing the region's energy economy Poses key regulatory challenges and possible means to finance the envisioned transitions Sustainability in Transition Principles for Developing Solutions by Travis Gliedt,Kelli Larson - Publisher : Routledge - Release : 2018-07-04 - Pages : 308 - ISBN : 1134989962 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De Sustainability in Transition: Principles for Developing Solutions offers the first in-depth education-focused treatment of how to address sustainability in a comprehensive manner. The textbook is structured as a learning-centered approach to walk students through the process of linking sustainable behavior and decision-making to green innovation systems and triple-bottom-line economic development practices, in order to achieve sustainable change in incremental to transformational ways. All chapters combine theory and practice with the help of global case study and research study examples to illustrate barriers and best practices. Each chapter begins with learning objectives and ends with a 'check on learning' section that ties the main points back to the core themes of the book. Chapters include a section focused on measuring progress and a box comparing international research or case studies to the North American focus of the chapter. A list of additional academic sources for students that complement each chapter is included. Building sustainability tools, techniques, and competencies cumulatively with the help of problem- and project-based learning modules, Sustainability in Transition: Principles for Developing Solutions is a comprehensive resource for learning sustainability theory and doing sustainability practice. It will be essential reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate level students who have already completed introductory sustainability classes. Social Movements against Wind Power in Canada and Germany Energy Policy and Contention by Andrea Bues - Publisher : Routledge - Release : 2020-07-14 - Pages : 212 - ISBN : 1000078787 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De Taking a comparative case study approach between Canada and Germany, this book investigates the contrasting response of governments to anti-wind movements. Environmental social movements have been critical players for encouraging the shift towards increased use of renewable energy. However, social movements mobilizing against the installation of wind turbines have now become a major obstacle to their increased deployment. Andrea Bues draws on a cross-Atlantic comparative analysis to investigate the different contexts of contentious energy policy. Focusing on two sub-national forerunner regions in installed wind power capacity – Brandenburg and Ontario – Bues draws on social movement theory to explore the concept of discursive energy space and propose explanations as to why governments respond differently to social movements. Overall, Social Movements against Wind Power in Canada and Germany offers a novel conceptualization of discursive-institutional contexts of contentious energy politics and helps better understand protest against renewable energy policy. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of renewable energy policy, sustainability and climate change politics, social movement studies and environmental sociology. Sustainable Energy Transitions Socio-Ecological Dimensions of Decarbonization by Dustin Mulvaney - Publisher : Springer Nature - Release : 2021 - Pages : 129 - ISBN : 3030489124 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De The Political Economy of Clean Energy Transitions A Book by Douglas Jay Arent,Channing Arndt,Mackay Miller,Finn Tarp,Owen Zinaman - Publisher : Oxford University Press - Release : 2017 - Pages : 594 - ISBN : 0198802242 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De A volume on the political economy of clean energy transition in developed and developing regions, with a focus on the issues that different countries face as they transition from fossil fuels to lower carbon technologies. Sustainable Energy Democracy and the Law A Book by Ruven Fleming,Kaisa Huhta,Leonie Reins - Publisher : BRILL - Release : 2021-07-05 - Pages : 388 - ISBN : 9004465448 - Language : En, Es, Fr & De Sustainable Energy Democracy and the Law offers a legal account of the concept of sustainable energy democracy. The book explains what the concept means in a legal context and how it can be translated into concrete legal instruments.	https://www.seecoalharbour.com/the-role-of-public-participation-in-energy-transitions/
Home Uncategorized What is good science? Scientific knowledge is important in today’s knowledge society. Research is the guarantor of the quality of knowledge, though it is often not clear how scientific research guarantees the reliability of knowledge. How different can scientific ideals be, and how alike are they despite everything? In her dissertation, the historian of ideas Rangnar Nilsson, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, examines what fits within the frames of the domains of authorised scientific knowledge. The author of the dissertation has compared the way researchers in three different disciplines describe and assess quality within their own disciplines. The disciplines studied are political science, literature studies and physics. The aim is to investigate how the internal view on the quality and legitimacy of research and science varies within the research communities and how it can be linked to different conditions of the scientific activity. The study is based on judgements of what constitutes good and bad science and research in statements of opinions written by subject experts on the work submitted as qualifications by candidates for academic positions. It covers two periods between 1950 and 1995. This allows similarities and differences between the subjects as well as changes and constant features over time to be analysed. In the study, the variation in researchers’ conceptions and descriptions of their own science is linked to some internal conditions such as which research objects are studied and the conditions they place on the work. Rangnar Nilsson establishes that the nature of the objects seems to be able to influence the aim towards internationalisation or to reaching out to the public with their work and results. The physicists consider internationally presented research to be better and more credible, while the literature researchers are much more interested in the researchers’ efforts to disseminate their research to the general public in different ways. This difference may be linked to the conditions of the two research areas. The physicians’ research objects are equally accessible to researchers around the world, and in time equally inaccessible to the public around the world. This may have contributed to the greater internationalisation of physics (and possibly other areas of natural science). The literature researchers’ objects, however, are easier to share with the Swedish general public, as the subject has traditionally devoted itself more to Swedish than foreign literature. Political science shows a clear shift towards greater interest, over time, in internationalised research. In internal quality evaluations, however, there is little interest in the candidates’ contacts with the surrounding community. This is despite the fact that political scientists so often seem to appear in media in different contexts, and that their research has come to deal with topical political processes and events to a high degree. In their intra-disciplinary evaluations, political scientists are seen as focusing much more closely on their own research community than any of the other disciplines. Maybe this is because the social sciences are relatively young disciplines in which clearly professionalised researchers have set the agenda from the start. This makes it clear in the dissertation that different factors influence the researchers’ own view on the scientific activity and their own work.	https://scienceblog.com/19015/what-is-good-science/
The effectiveness and legitimacy of modern states is largely determined by the complex interaction of politics, law, and business and economics. Lately, in particular, these interactions have been affected by dynamic transformation processes resulting from globalization and internationalization trends. This has led to the formation of modified statehood forms and new patterns of relationships between state, society and the economy. The Masters degree in Public Economics, Law and Politics applies a theoretical and methodological, as well as problem-oriented and integrated, political analysis of these dynamic interactions. A Student's Report Public Economics, Law and Politics - The Programme Public Economics, Law and Politics - The Programme Content and Idea Studies in political science at Leuphana Graduate School combine disciplines, which traditionally deal with the relationship of state, society, and business and economics. Questions, issues and approaches to solutions resulting from these intricately interwoven relationships are analyzed and treated from the joined perspectives of political science, economics and law. The focus is placed on the causes, background, as well as social and economic effects and consequences, of government action. Thus, the course aims at achieving a comprehensive reflection on the relationship between politics, law and economics by applying the tools provided by political science as a discipline, reinforced by interdisciplinary observations. Programme Structure The discipline-oriented electives aim at training academics to develop in-depth competencies in the individual disciplines of political science, public law and economics. Cooperation with the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg makes it possible to focus on the field of education development theory and policy. This is achieved thanks to a selection of more specialized course offerings. Six individually selectable and freely combinable modules largely convey theories, approaches and methods for analyzing the state of academic questions and issues from a disciplinary perspective. In the first semester, two individually allocated bridge modules convey basic knowledge in political science in the disciplines, which students have not yet or not sufficiently studied in their previous courses. The second and third semesters see the integration range extending subject offers by an interdisciplinary perspective: In two modules, selected topics and issues from the perspective of each of two disciplines are investigated together. The course offerings are complemented not only by the cross-complementary studies over-arching the master degrees on the basis of a broad academic and reflection-oriented science, but also by the Masters Forum & Research Perspectives. It teaches the methodological and organizational skills, which are necessary for the design and implementation of practitioners' own analyzes based on political science, as well as research projects. Building on this intensive preparation, the Mastes dissertation completed in the fourth semester concludes the Masters Programme. Subject-Specific Schedule Programme Director - Prof. Dr. Tim W. Dornis, J.S.M. (Stanford) Requirements This Masters degree programme is aimed at German and international graduates (bachelor or equivalent) of a course featuring an academic orientation in politics, law, business and economics, constitutional and administrative sciences, who wish to acquire research and practical skills in the interdisciplinary field of political science. For the Masters Degree in Public Economics, Law and Politics, you must bring a proven minimum of 60 CP from relevant modules from the following subjects: law, politics or economics or from an interdisciplinary combination of these three disciplines. Prospects The Masters Degree in Public Economics, Law and Politics provides a science-based, interdisciplinary and problem-oriented academic training in the field of political science. The aim is to familiarize students with theories, approaches and methods, as well as central empirical findings on the current state of scientific research. Thus, it imparts the ability to design, implement, and reflect on independent research projects. Students are also trained to handle complex practical issues and problems at the interface between politics, business and law from an academic point of view. As well as providing policy advice, this prepares them for managerial positions in administrative, national and international organizations. In addition to entering into active employment, the possibility also exists of further development the direction, for example, of a PhD. The professorial chairs involved in the course of study carry out numerous projects in that vein. Qualified students have the opportunity, thanks to the “Doctoral Track”, to attend modules of the doctoral programme in the third semester already. At a glance Degree awarded: Master of Arts (M.A.) Application period: April 1 - June 1 Type of programme: Thematic relevance Study places: 40 Start date: October 1 Extent: 120 CP according to ECTS Duration: 4 semesters Language: English Semester contribution: approx. EUR 360 Contact First contact point Consult the Information Office in order to gain further information - on the procedure of application - on the study programmes at the Leuphana University - or to make an appointment of student counselling in the Graduate School aside the open consultation hours Di 14 - 16 and Do 16 - 18 Information Office Building 8, Ground Level Fon +49.413.677-2277 [email protected] Opening Hours Mo-Do 9am - 16pm Fr 9am - 12 midday Student Counselling Graduate School Tuesday, 2.00 – 4.00 pm Thursday, 4.00 – 6.00 pm Building 14, Room 026 Due to the measures against the spread of the corona virus, we can only answer your questions by phone. Please contact the Infoportal by phone or e-mail.	https://www.leuphana.de/en/graduate-school/master/course-offerings/public-economics-law-politics.html
We would be unfaithful to the tradition of Western Civilization if we shied away from exploring what man can accomplish, if we failed to increase man's control over nature. Edward Teller, quoted in Beginning Again: People and Nature in the New Millennium We see in nature the appearance of spontaneous processes which we cannot control. Ilya Prigogine, Science in a World of Limited Predictability We are what nature has always been trying to be . . . To serve God is to increase the scope, power, beauty, and depth of technology. Frederick Turner, The Invented Landscape Taking dominion over nature, finally, means that we will have nothing left but our species-centered self-idolatry to be inspired by and to worship. Robert Pack, Poems for a Small Planet The greatest respect we can pay to nature is not to trap it, but to acknowledge that it eludes us and that our own nature is also fluid, open, and conditional. Gary Snyder, No Nature It seems unlikely that we can hope to `save nature' without first ascertaining just what it is we are attempting to save. Neil Evernden, The Social Creation of Nature ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION THE CONCEPT OF NATURALNESS IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The epigraphic quotations preceding this introduction point to the diversity of opinion which exists regarding both concepts of nature and naturalness, and concepts of the relationship between humans and the natural world. It is worth noting that Teller and Prigogine are both physicists, while Turner and Pack are both essayists and poets; thus, their respective statements indicate that the divisions which mark these concepts are not only sharply divergent, but seem to cut across the influences of discipline or training as well. "Nature" has been described as "the most complex word in the language" (Williams 1980), and the word "natural" has similarly been called "the ultimate essentially contested concept" (Meisner 1994). Some have even suggested that each person has their own individual idea of what these terms mean; in the words of one author: "Nature might well be thought of as the original Rorschach. Like the suggestive inkblots psychologists use to tap our innermost fears and longings, nature presents an open invitation to see what we want or need to see" (Dizard 1994). In fact, conceptualization of what constitutes "nature" or "natural" things has been the subject of unresolved philosophical and ideological debates throughout history (Collingwood 1945; Merchant 1989; Soper 1995). Nevertheless, concepts of nature and naturalness can be seen to fundamentally underlie both culture (Merchant 1989; Worster 1993) and science (Evernden 1992; Pickett, Kolasa, and Jones 1994), and in this context the conceptualization of naturalness can also be seen as a fundamentally underlying aspect of natural resource management as well. page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While the concepts of nature and naturalness may be regarded as problematic in their definition, they are also seen as central to environmental discourse (Meisner 1994) and scientific study (Heisenberg 1958). It has even been suggested that the inherent ambiguity of these terms represents in itself one of the most significant problems facing ecology (Soper 1995). It has been argued that the inherent ambiguity in concepts of nature and naturalness are such that these are terms which have no place in scientific discourse (Pollowy 1994). And yet, a similar level of ambiguity exists in many terms used by science, especially in the case of ecologists and resource managers. For example, ecological concepts such as those of "species" (Kiester 1980), "communities" (National Research Council 1986), and "ecosystems" (Pomeroy, Hargrove, and Alberts 1988) are all somewhat ambiguously defined and controversial, as are more management-related ecological concepts such as ecological "health" (Ehrenfeld 1993; Wright 1992), "sustainability" (Daly 1993a; Worster 1995), and "integrity" (King 1993). Likewise, while it seems unlikely that anyone would suggest we abandon the use of terms such as "efficient" or "good" in relation to resource management practices, they carry a similar ambiguity, and are equally open to interpretation and debate (Daly 1993b; Williams 1996). Perhaps most importantly, despite the ambiguity met in trying to define naturalness, the literature of ecological and environmental science is inarguably rife with references to naturalness, in numerous contexts. Examples include reference to: natural resources (Morrison 1994), natural objects (Sankovskii 1992), natural features (Apfelbaum and Aranow 1995), natural ecosystems (Barrett and Rosenburg 1981), natural environments (Johnson and Carothers 1987), natural areas (Cain 1966), natural diversity (Fosberg 1966), natural vegetation (Sprugel 1991), natural disturbance (Pickett and McDonnell 1993), and a natural range of ecological variability (Swanson et al. 1994). Likewise, maintenance of natural ecological conditions (Sessions 1993), the overall dynamics of natural systems, (Bonnicksen and Stone 1985), the effects of specific natural processes (Hessburg and Everett 1994), or at least the appearance or page 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- experience of naturalness (Watson and Niccolucci 1995) may all at times be identified as resource management goals. However, even in areas managed to preserve natural conditions, manipulative actions may be viewed as necessary due to unavoidable human impacts or concerns with management of adjacent lands (Cole 1996). Moreover, even when their long-term effects are deemed compatible with management goals, natural processes may be considered "ineffective" (Barrett 1995), or "inefficient" (Everett 1995) in achieving commodity production goals, thus requiring intervention to augment or enhance their effects. And as often as not, natural processes or conditions may quite simply be in conflict with management goals (Agee 1993), in that "management," as such, implies their exploitation, suppression, or mitigation (Johns 1994). Regardless, however, of whether natural conditions and processes are seen as management goals, means, or impediments, the way in which naturalness is defined will obviously affect the course of management itself. And opinions regarding this concept are diverse and often contradictory. On the one hand, it is often argued that "nature," by definition, includes everything, including all artifacts of human activity; following this vein of thought, the management of natural systems is itself natural, although in a uniquely humanly creative way (Higgs 1993; Turner 1994). On the other hand, most human cultural activities can be argued as unnatural, with natural systems viewed as self-organizing and independent of human control (Katz 1991; Zuckerman 1990). In this second vein of thought, human management of truly natural systems is by definition a technical impossibility (Ehrlich and Mooney 1983). And somewhere between these two perspectives rests a plethora of others, seeing naturalness as a distinctive characteristic, but one which cannot be seen as entirely separating humanity from the rest of nature. Given the deep-rooted ambiguity which resides in the very terms "nature" and "natural," it must be recognized that this issue is as much subjective and philosophical as it is objective and technical in character. Contemporary concepts of nature and naturalness cannot be separated from our long history of philosophical, political, and scientific thought (Merchant 1989; page 3 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Worster 1993), nor from a multitude of ideological perspectives variously held and promoted in contemporary culture (McLaughlin 1993; Soper 1995). And it must be further recognized that, just as our concepts of nature and naturalness drive the ways in which we respond to and manage our natural environment, so too are our scientific and cultural institutions influenced by the natural environments which form their context (Merchant 1989). As Wallace Stegner put it: "even as we bend features of the landscape with our technology, still it is the non-human landscape which in turn directs our tinkering" (Stegner 1992). It must be recognized that perspectives regarding naturalness are varied and complex, and that, practically speaking, there can be no one "right" answer to the question of what we mean when we describe some thing as natural. And yet, the values, policies, and practices engendered by our concepts of naturalness may be at the root of how we define resources and their management, and hence may be at the root of much of the conflict which occurs as we wrestle with issues of resource allocation and the prescription of management actions. Environmentalists often call for the preservation, or restoration, of wild natural ecosystems as a primary goal of resource management (Wuerthner 1994). In contrast, resource management professionals often invoke a philosophy toward nature echoing the attitudes of "Manifest Destiny" (Foreman 1996). As an example, a recent U.S. Forest Service document (an internally published workshop proceedings) suggested that resource managers post the statement "Nature is Dead" near their desk, considering that phrase a key concept for developing a proper attitude of land stewardship (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service 1996). Such divergent perspectives serve to emphasize a critical point: because the concept of naturalness lacks a single, clear, explicit meaning, individuals employ and rely upon diverse interpretations, which are often only implicitly defined. And despite diverse and conflicting interpretations of what "naturalness" means, it is nonetheless a concept of common usage. If this is the case, then only by seeking to understand these diverse interpretations, and seeking to identify areas of convergence and divergence among them, page 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ can we hope to effectively develop goals and strategies for the management of "natural" resources, or understand the underlying assumptions upon which policy and practice are based. ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT: AN APPROACH TO MANAGING NATURAL RESOURCES The main focus of this study is an investigation into the concept of naturalness; the attitudes and beliefs that shape our understanding of the concept, the ways in which the concept is relevant to natural resource management, and the ways in which those specifically working in the realm of resource management define and employ the concept. More specifically, the issue of naturalness seems especially crucial to resource management in regard to the management of ecological resources; with this in mind, the management framework of "Ecosystem Management," and the ways is which naturalness underlies several aspects of this management approach, are especially relevant as a focal point of discussion. Ecosystem Management is actually a broadly defined approach to natural resource management which emphasizes an inter-disciplinary approach, is inclusive of a variety of resources and resource-uses, and encompasses a substantial body of current thought regarding ecosystem ecology, landscape ecology, and resource planning (Grumbine 1994; Kaufmann et al. 1994); as such, it deals with the concept of naturalness on many levels. Ecosystem Management also includes a substantial effort at addressing the relationship between humans and their own environment (Bormann et al. 1994; Daniels et al. 1994; McConnell et al. 1994), and in this respect represents a significant effort at defining a relationship between the management actions which humans impose upon their environment and the concept of that environment as having characteristics of naturalness. For these reasons, both the literature review and case study portions of this project have focused to some extent on the framework of Ecosystem Management; however, it should be recognized that, for the most part, the central problem of examining the concept of naturalness was approached in the less narrow context of resource management in general. page 5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROJECT OVERVIEW Study Goals and Objectives The goal of this study was to clarify the concept of naturalness as applied ecologically within the context of natural resource management, specifically as related to the idea of Ecosystem Management. Following from this goal, four study objectives emerged: (1) To conduct a literature review summarizing: (a) Historical, cultural, and ideological aspects of the concept of naturalness pertinent to the concept's use in resource management. (b) Aspects of resource management and ecosystem management which explicitly relate to the use and definition of concepts of naturalness. (2) To investigate implicitly held concepts of naturalness among people involved in natural resource management, by consulting with a wide range of specialists in various related fields, and by synthesizing their collective expert opinions regarding the concept of naturalness. (3) To investigate the differing perspectives regarding naturalness which might exist among resource management experts, as potential causes of inter-disciplinary barriers to understanding. (4) To identify key concepts and possible areas of general agreement for more explicitly defining naturalness as an ecological term. Selection of Study Methods Approaches to the Literature Review As stated above, a literature review seemed the logical first step in attempting an understanding of the concept of naturalness and the ways in which it is employed in a resource management context. Recognizing the ambiguous and elusive character of the concept of naturalness, the literature review focused on a series of sub-topics: (1) An examination of basic philosophical approaches to the meaning of nature and naturalness. page 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) An overview of the historical trends and movements which have been particularly influential in shaping contemporary attitudes toward nature and naturalness. (3) An examination of the ideological, normative, and paradigmatic approaches to nature and naturalness which seem to represent the range of contemporary opinion, and which relate the concept of naturalness to planning frameworks used in resource management. (4) An examination of the Ecosystem Management framework, its origins, principles, and its use of ecological concepts of naturalness. Although the literature review attempted to focus on concepts of naturalness as directly relevant to resource management issues, the character of the concept itself required a relatively broad-based approach in this regard, and thus touches upon several more general philosophical and historical aspects of the concept as well. Approach to the Case Study Project A difficulty in studying ways in which the concept of naturalness is defined and employed within the field of natural resource management lies in the fact that standard, formal definitions simply do not exist; for the most part, concepts of naturalness are used while remaining only implicitly defined. Because of this, a literature review was helpful in understanding the underlying philosophical, cultural, and ideological principles which shape individual perceptions of naturalness, but it could not by itself clearly demonstrate the range of opinions which exist, nor identify any key areas of agreement or disagreement among these varied opinions. In considering these aspects of resource management, Neil Evernden has suggested that "what ecology is may be less important than what it is believed to be" (Evernden 1992). The problem thus became one of determining the essence of a variety of individual opinions; and this is a task to which the Delphi method seemed particularly well-suited. The Delphi method is a form of nominal group process, usually conducted through a series of iterative questionnaires (Delbecq, Van de Ven, and Gustafson 1986; Linstone and Turoff 1975), and has been described as "a method of using informed judgment in a structured manner . . . on questions to which there is no accurate answer" (Bradley 1977). Delphi was specifically page 7 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- developed as a means of assessing and synthesizing expert group opinion (Linstone and Turoff 1975), and has been particularly promoted as a technique for assessing opinion based in personal values or value judgments (Dalkey et al. 1972). The Delphi method has also been described as being a primarily phenomenological research approach (Scheele 1975), in that what is sought are both implicitly and explicitly understood meanings (Bruzina 1970), or an understanding of a priori convictions, based in personal experience, which serve as the "grounding for objective knowledge" (Hammond, Howarth, and Keat 1991). In attempting to clarify an ambiguously defined concept underlying scientific thought, this certainly reflects the needs of the current study. As phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty wrote, phenomenological methods are needed when "we want to subject science itself to rigorous scrutiny and arrive at a precise assessment of its meaning and scope" (Hammond, Howarth, and Keat 1991). Given the complex and varied meanings assigned to the concept of naturalness, and the fact that the concept, although widely referenced, most often remains defined only in an implicit manner, Delphi seemed a logical methodology for the task at hand. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY A complete understanding of what the concepts of "nature" and "naturalness" encompass appears to have eluded philosophers and scientists from the time of Plato and Aristotle to the present; it seems obvious, therefore, that this study could not aim to elicit some universally acceptable definition or delineation of naturalness. Instead, the study was limited to attempting an understanding of the major issues associated with the concept and attempting to examine the range of opinions regarding this concept held by those persons involved professionally in various aspects of resource management. page 8 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Delphi method has most frequently been used in policy development and futures forecasting, applications which strive to forge some sort of group consensus based in collective opinion. However, in this application, consensus as such was not a goal; rather, it was hoped to examine areas of both agreement and disagreement, and to examine the full range of participant behavior. In this respect, although the study employed a group process and focused much of its analysis on collective group opinion, it should not be construed as having derived some sort of group consensus. Finally, it must be acknowledged that, although a strong attempt was made to assemble a group of Delphi participants who represented a full range of disciplines and areas of expertise relevant to resource management, the number of participants and the complex, often conflict ridden character of the subject matter prescribe caution in extrapolating or generalizing the case study results to the field as a whole. Delphi in any application is not meant to represent a statistically valid polling or survey process; rather, it is meant to serve as an exploratory, interactive problem solving exercise. In this context, the present case study represents a structured attempt at studying a complex and controversial aspect of resource management, not to seek some definitive solution, but rather to better delineate the issues and problems at hand. Study results should be understood and applied from this perspective.	http://haydon4.tripod.com/id19.htm
An ongoing challenge to liberal democracy is a falling participation by the mass of the electorate in the formal structures of parliamentary democracy. These are trends evident in declining voter turnout in the UK but also a decline in party activism and membership across the political spectrum throughout Europe. This is while rising social and economic challenges caused by global financial crisis and recession provoke a myriad of political issues for communities to mobilise around. Contemporary events in North America, Greece, Spain, Italy, Egypt and now Turkey, where thousands have felt motivated to take to the streets to express their grievances and even experiment with alternative models of political engagement, appears to demonstrate that the source of the malady of withdrawal from formal politics is not necessarily, as is commonly held, in a culture of disinterest and apathy. Such trends provide an opportune moment to review the ideas and criticisms offered up by anti-statist alternatives. The degree to which this collection can be a “praxis” orientated work is somewhat constrained by the choice of publishing house which puts the retail price beyond what a more general audience would expect to pay. The collection, however, does succeed in bringing together a sweeping range of contributions on the subject of Marxist and anarchist convergence establishing a broad historical scope from the ideas of William Morris, writing at the close of the Industrial Revolution, to the “post-modern” ideas of Negri and Hardt. The unfortunate absence of feminist and LGBTQ perspectives within the volume are conceded by the editors as are its geographical limits, a factor which doesn’t do justice to the diversity of the movements through which these ideas have arisen. The editors may be correct that the book, “provides rich enough material to introduce the broad contours of the red and black divide”, but one can only wonder what additional insight the above dimensions would have brought. A review of the experience of the First International is also curiously absent. This may have been a conscious choice by the editors given the singular fixation on this period in the wider literature, nonetheless as the largest and longest surviving unitary organisation it warrants some scrutiny. The book is well placed in term of its place in relation to much of the other academic literature, which tends to treat these two traditions independently or where a common heritage is acknowledged it is mainly in terms of establishing a context for the bitter rivalries that followed. The propensity for the Left to fracture on the basis of petty sectarianism is well known. In fact the “black” and “red” split (that between the anarchist black and the Marxist red) with which this collection is concerned is frequently defined, rightly or wrongly, in terms of a personality clash between the two key proponents - Marx and Bakunin. Such attitudes are, unfortunately, not entirely limited to the world of political practice and likewise have their adherents within academia. The fact that this collection aims for a dialogue beyond the conventional canons of socialist thought is a welcome remedy to a status quo of sectarianism and non-engagement. The contributions throughout this book largely succeed in meeting these praiseworthy goals outlining points of commonality, historical encounter or possible avenues for future dialogue between these two traditions. This is with the curious exception of Blackledge’s article on ‘Freedom and Democracy’. This is not altogether without merit as in many ways Blackledge’s writing is characteristic of the kind of unconstructive dialogue the editors’ state they hope to dismantle. Yet even its potential benefits as a point of contrast are weak compensation for a poorly evidenced and largely polemical article. The analysis hinges on the rather spurious claim of an essentially liberal core to anarchism (based on some rather superficial similarities between Bakunin’s and liberal attitudes towards power), its inability to offer a “positive project of building a democratic alternative to capitalism”(21) and the comparably better framework offered by a Hegelian Marxism. It is unclear, what, if anything is being reconciled here. Likewise even a cursory study of Bakunin’s writings would reveal a host of organisational propositions for building a “democratic alternative to capitalism” in the form of the commune and the federal associations of the workers1. There are also the propositions for libertarian social, political and economic organisation that Kropotkin carefully outlines in ‘The Conquest of Bread’ (1892), to cite just one particularly influential text. Anarchism’s own critical engagement with Hegelianism is likewise not acknowledged and generally undercuts the basis of Blackledge’s claim (see, for example, Bakunin, 1842; McLaughlin, 2002). Finally if we are to take Blackledge’s claims that on the basis of a careful reconstruction of Marx’s writings there is a credible libertarian Marx worthy of engagement this still needs to be reconciled in some way to the actual political activity of both Marx and Engels throughout their lifetimes which was overwhelmingly reformist, statist and authoritarian. I am not making the claim that such reconciliation is not possible, but Blackledge does not make these efforts feeling a few scattered citations to be a sufficient case. Blackledge’s article does very much stand in isolation within the collection. In fact when looking at the application of the broader themes throughout the book there is a more of a sense, the above case excepted, that some of the contributors actually went a little too far in their desire for a neat rapprochement between these traditions by collapsing some of the more complex and nuanced distinctions a little too readily. Softening ideological divides without due interrogation can only produce further confusion and is largely counter-productive in terms of the underlying goal of broadening an existing consensus. Labels alone, particularly self-elected ones, may act as poor guides for the characterisation of ideas and obscure the true content of political principles. Tolstoy, Proudhon and Stirner, for example, are discussed largely as uncontroversial figures within the anarchist camp. However doing so is unrepresentative of the popular definition of anarchism as a sharply delineated body of thought and practice emerging from the experience of the socialist activity of the late Nineteenth century (see, for example, Schmidt and Van Der Walt, 2009), of which the above three can hardly be characterised as clear-cut adherents. That is not to say that there have not been attempts by sympathisers to answer these particular controversies (on Proudhon see for example, McKay, 2011), but it is still necessary to acknowledge the essentially contested nature of this ground nonetheless. Similar issues arise from the presentation of the “red” side of the red and black divide. Lenin and Leninism, most notably, are referenced throughout the collection. However Lenin’s place within revolutionary Marxism is often challenged and certainly his credentials as a libertarian, at least in terms of how he chose to characterise his own ideas and practice during his lifetime, are far from clear. It is undoubtedly possible to make a case for a libertarian Lenin on the basis of an exclusive interpretation on some of the ideas contained in his famous text ‘State and Revolution’, as some of the Marxists of the Johnson-Forest Tendency and the Italian Operaismo occasionally did. But even leaving aside the problems arising from such a view it is impossible to deny the also decidedly un-libertarian political commitments – authoritarian, hierarchical and statist visions of social change - of even these adherents. This is a point which is made quite well, and represents a noteworthy exception within the volume to the above criticism, by both Høgsberg and Levy in terms of their analysis of the ideas of C.L.R. James and Gramsci (respectively). In both cases the authors carefully tease out the points of influence and areas of political cross-pollination that left a distinct libertarian imprint on ideas while still maintaining the essential integrity of the subjects’ core positions. More direct contributions or at least some further guidance on these deeper issues would have brought the awkward nature of some of these encounters to the forefront and speak more strongly to those concerned with the undoubtedly messy process of ideological delineation. A standout contribution is that of Berry on the ideas of Daniel Guérin. This opens up much more fertile theoretical ground for dialogue than the principally historical encounters contained in many of the other texts. Guérin stands as a figure of central importance as one of the few thinkers to attempt a direct synthesis, as opposed to simply being influenced or sharing similarities, of Marxist and anarchist ideas. It is unfortunate that Guérin is somewhat of an unknown figure in the English-speaking world. His theoretical works are of a rich and varied source incorporating the influences of heterodox figures such as Stirner and Proudhon as well as tackling neglected issues such as sexuality (which he wrote about while operating under the latent homophobia within the labour movement of his time). In fact Guérin’s approach highlights both similarities and dissimilarities with the collection as a whole. Like many of the contributors he saw the value in re-evaluating the common history of the Left and mining this for common, unitary commitments. However, in a commitment that highlights the deficiency of much contemporary social criticism he saw this as primarily framed by the challenges arising from contemporary socialist practice. His words (quoted in the article), that libertarian socialism must not be, “an endless raking over of the past but must be a rallying point for the future” (201) are potent in this respect. While such criticism may be unfair in terms of the aims established by the editors to establish historical points of convergence, they do at least point to a failure to frame the debates contained in this collection by contemporary concerns. The source of the decline of the organised Left, and particularly the far-Left, is not necessarily resolved by questions of unity but, in a curious mirror of the institutional political world, in deeper questions of constituency and the traction of commitments to equality, social justice and common ownership within communities. The fact that austerity and economic crisis has re-politicised issues of class division and social welfare does not remove from the fact that a lot of the natural political ground of the Left has for the past twenty years been so effectively undercut by social partnership and shifts in class composition. Phenomenon like Occupy and the square protest movements are an awkward fit within this tradition in that, aside from often identifying themselves as “post-ideological”, it is actually political constituencies that are considered the outcome, and not the prerequisite, of political action. It is unclear how and what sense the “libertarian socialism” arising from this volume answers these critical concerns. Bakunin, M. (1973) Bakunin: Selected Writings. Lehning, A. (ed). Jonathan Cape: London. McKay, I. (2011) Property is Theft!: A Pierre-Joseph Proudhon Reader. AK Press. McLaughlin, P. (2002) Mikhail Bakunin: The Philosophical Basis of His Anarchism. Algora Publishing. a lot of the natural political ground of the Left has for the past twenty years been so effectively undercut by social partnership and shifts in class composition.	http://libcom.org/library/book-review-libertarian-socialism-politics-black-red
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://dx.doi.org/10.25819/ubsi/2718 Files in This Item: \|File\|\|Description\|\|Size\|\|Format\| \|Some_thoughts_on_digitalization_research_in_times_of_Corona.pdf\|\|192,83 kB\|\|Adobe PDF\| View/Open \|Dokument Type:\|\|InProceedings\|\|Title:\|\|Some thoughts on digitalization research in times of Corona\|\|Title addition:\|\|a call for universalization in inter- and transdisciplinary research\|\|Authors:\|\|Radke, Jörg\|\|Institute:\|\|Forschungskolleg “Institute for Advanced Study” (FoKos)\|\|Free keywords:\|\|Digitalization, COVID-19 Pandemic, Online Communication, Inter- and Transdisciplinarity, Scientific Collaboration, COVID-19 Pandemie, Online-Kommunikation, Inter- und Transdisziplinarität, Wissenschaftliche Zusammenarbeit\|\|Dewey Decimal Classification:\|\|004 Informatik\|\|GHBS-Clases:\|\|QGTU \| QGTX \|Issue Date:\|\|2020\|\|Publish Date:\|\|2021\|\|Source:\|\|Radtke, Jörg (Hrsg.) ; Klesel, Michael (Hrsg.) ; Niehaves, Björn (Hrsg.): New perspectives on digitalization: Local issues and global impact. Siegen: Universitätsbibliothek Siegen, 2020. - DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.25819/ubsi/1894, S. 5 - 13\|\|Abstract:\|\| \| This volume gathers contributions to Siegen University’s early-career scholars-conference on digitalization research, which fittingly was held online on April 21st, 2020. In the following, I will elaborate on whether – and how – digitalization can be both the subject of and a challenge to inter- and transdisciplinary research. I first came up with the idea of said conference topic due to everyday experiences. When talking to colleagues about the subject, I quickly realized how popular research on digitalization is at our university – in fact, one might consider it a focus. Some research domains appear particularly likely to deal with digitalization, e.g. computer science, digital health and digital humanities, computational social science, research on sensors, robots and autonomous systems as well as studies on digital media. Certainly, today, digitalization research plays a crucial role in further fields of inquiry, for instance regarding virtual learning, architecture and spatial planning, art, philosophy, linguistics, literature studies or cognition science. Evidently, research on digitalization provides a common basis, which might enhance interdisciplinary understanding. However, this requires a shared language. To this end, which links can be made fruitful? As any other line of research, digitalization research may place emphasis on content. The content, however, possibly consists of topics that constitute well-known subjects of study in the respective discipline. For example, I, as a political scientist, could examine the digitalization of a parliament (which is a common subject of analysis in political science). Perhaps, I would focus on modes of virtual communication (while ideally bearing in mind that communication research, again, represents an established academic field, whose rich foundations, next to other disciplines’ bodies of research, may nowadays be complemented by insights from digitalization research) or on how the parliament is administered digitally. Likewise, insights from studies on social media appear relevant to political communication research, as social media gain importance for political communication. As the examples show, shared research subjects, structures and patterns emerge, which are of interest to multiple disciplines. Against this backdrop, future disciplinary analyses on digitalization may merely be specific variations, based on shared insight from various research domains. At Siegen University, such broad integration of academic disciplines is mirrored by the sheer existence as well as the work of the Special Collaborative Research Center on media and cooperation.	https://dspace.ub.uni-siegen.de/handle/ubsi/1627
Cumbria-raised and London-based, the thoroughly wonderful Bryony Jarman-Pinto is set to release her debut record Cage and Aviary on 26th July. Rich with husky, jazz-infused melodies and luscious harmonies, Jarman-Pinto‘s compositional style is intriguing and hugely refreshing. Expect to see a lot more of this exciting new artist in 2019 – indieBerlin caught up with the songwriter and vocalist to discuss future projects, her creative process, and the influence of her musical heritage on her current work. indieBerlin: For those who aren’t familiar with your work, could you tell us a little about yourself? Bryony Jarman-Pinto: Well, I’m based in London at the minute, though I have spent most of my life living in the north of England and Scotland. I grew up surrounded by music, listening to my mum’s performances and singing workshops, as well as hunting around her collection of tapes and CDs, a real mix of sounds. I studied Art in Glasgow and found myself gradually moving away from song writing, until I started collaborating with Tom Leah (Werkha). iB: How long has your upcoming album Cage and Aviary been in the works? BJP: I stated writing it in 2015 and it feels like it’s been a long process. Lots of self exploration and doubt, but also a real adventure learning the process that comes with creating an album. iB: Could you talk us through your creative process – do you prefer to focus on lyrics or melody, or neither in particular? Which comes first when writing new music? BJP: It’s a bit of both. Sometimes I’ll write a poem and later create a melody around it. Though usually I’ll improvise a melody to a few chords and just see what words come out. I won’t start writing with a strong idea of what the song will be about, I prefer it to be a fluid conception. iB: Why did you choose to release an a cappella version of your latest single As I’ve Heard alongside the original and instrumental tracks? BJP: It’s exciting to highlight and give the different elements of the track space to emerge. The listener can get a deeper understanding of the song and its composition too. iB: Lyrically, this seems to be quite a raw and personal composition. Do you try to avoid being too autobiographical and err more on the poetic side, or do you prefer to fully embrace the storytelling element? BJP: I always feel like my lyrics are quite cryptic. It’s not on purpose, but the poetic nature of my writing style often means my lyrics are littered with metaphors and underlying narratives. My emotional state is what fuels my creativity so everything I write is personal to me, with a twist of fantasy and poetic embellishment. iB: As I’ve Heard is, in parts, quite reminiscent of old-school 90s R&B, although it’s very jazzy and smooth in other sections – would you say this is accurate? If you had to, how would you define your sound? BJP: The album was produced in collaboration with Tom Leah (Werkha). He wrote the instrumentation for As I’ve heard with an idea to create a soulful, jazz infused track. I’ve never been good at music genres and decided a while ago not to try and label my own music, especially in this album as the style varies so much. Different elements pop up in the songs – folk, electronic, neo soul – it’s hard to combine all that into one definition. I won’t start writing with a strong idea of what the song will be about, I prefer it to be a fluid conception. iB: Both of your parents are musicians – how would you say your musical heritage influences your own compositions? BJP: Jazz was big during my upbringing, so that has obviously become a part of how I write and my voice. Improvisation is really important to me and dominates my live shows. This definitely comes from my mum – I grew up with her own compositions. iB: Are there any artists with whom you would particularly like to collaborate? BJP: Yeah, quite a few! I’ve been chatting to Neue Grafik and Wonky Logic about collaborations and I’d love to work with Sampha and Takuya Kuroda. That would be fun. iB: Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to share with us? BJP: Currently I’m working on my live set. Performing with Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic), Alley Lloyd and Vanessa Rani Chutturghoon. We are rearranging the album to fit a live set up with congas, bass and keys. The feel is quite different from the album and I am excited to record a live studio session of it. iB: What does the future look like for you? Is there anything in particular you’re looking forward to? BJP: At the minute I’m trying to balance the day job with the music career, but there are a lot of gigs popping up that I’m excited about. I am really looking forward to writing more music and working on the second album. Cage and Aviary is set to be released on 26th July through Tru Thoughts Recordings.	https://indierepublik.com/interview/in-conversation-with-bryony-jarman-pinto/
The Brilliance Series invites you to take a closer look at each of the seven Emergenetics® Attributes. Whether you are craving more information about your own Profile or interested in better understanding the preferences of others, the series will offer insights to shine a light on the gifts of each Attribute. This week, we’re exploring Flexibility. An Overview At Emergenetics, we define Flexibility as a person’s willingness to accommodate the thoughts and actions of others. It is important to note that this Behavior focuses on the impact of imposed change. After all, people are generally happy to adjust when it’s their own idea to do so! In today’s environment there is a great deal of discussion around the value of adaptability. As the world rapidly evolves, it is vital that individuals have the capacity to navigate transformation. While some may think that being third-third Flexible is innately equated with resiliency, the truth is that we are all flexible. No matter where we find ourselves on the continuum, every individual has the capacity for change. People in the first-third of Flexibility typically want a compelling reason to shift course and may need some extra time to process modifications once they have occurred. When a first-third team member does get on board with transition, they will often be excited to drive the initiative forward as they get energized when they have an opportunity to see things to fruition. Those in the third-third are usually quick to embrace change as they are excited to explore and integrate different options and tend to see decisions as “rough drafts.” While they appreciate the reasoning for a new path, they are frequently willing to take the explanation at face value and shift gears with one quick breath. Individuals who are in the second-third of Flexibility may adopt either style based on the situation. For example, if they are particularly passionate about a direction or nearing completion on a project and are then asked to transition, they might implement a first-third approach. If they are neutral about a decision or timeline, they could be inclined to apply a third-third style. The first-third of Flexibility is commonly described as firm and focused, and the third-third is often seen as amendable and accommodating. The Inner Monologue To describe how this Attribute comes to life, my colleague, Bill Zubek, and I put together a short video. I invite you to view it now! The Brilliances Every part of the Flexibility Attribute has its own natural gifts. The first-third of this Behavior is associated with brilliances in: - Making decisions easily - Staying on track and keeping forward momentum - Encouraging thought around the reasoning and necessity of change - Seeing a project through to completion The third-third is typically known for its gifts in: - Multitasking - Embracing ambiguity - Being open to alternatives at any time - Acquiescing to new ideas and adjustments Those in the second-third are often able to borrow from both sides of the spectrum as they navigate their work and life, allowing them to incorporate evolutions with ease or persuade to hold course as well as welcoming uncertainty or encouraging the group to land on a direction. Motivation As we consider engagement through the lens of this Behavior, I encourage you to pay attention to the tips that resonate most with you to spark your own enthusiasm. If you are trying to energize someone in a different third, jot down a few notes that feel scratchy (or uncomfortable) to you as those are likely to connect with people who favor a different approach. In the first-third, remember to: - Discuss options up front – Please note: People with this preference like to have choices. They simply want to know what they are before a decision is made. - Promote prioritization to narrow possibilities - Build in recovery time after change - Focus on one project at a time - Find a quiet environment that supports concentration For the third-third, be mindful to: - Consider options throughout the process - Accommodate the desire to delay decisions - Identify elements that can continue to be tinkered with after a direction is chosen - Embrace multitasking - Engage in an open-concept space where unexpected interruptions can occur Individuals in the second-third may find motivation in any of the recommendations above. If you have this preference, check in with yourself throughout your day or as you are engaging in different aspects of your work or home life to assess whether a first- or third-third style will better suit your interests. Flexing in Flexibility In connecting with others – whether those are colleagues, direct reports, friends or family – you are likely to find that their Flexibility percentiles vary. To support them, I encourage you to reflect on the advice below so you can adapt your style to their needs and allow them to shine through their brilliances. If you are connecting with someone in the first-third, do your best to: - Stick to what has been agreed upon - Suggest fewer alternatives - Provide advanced notice of change - Communicate a compelling reason for any adjustments - Acknowledge when decisions are pending For those in the third-third, try to: - Make space for further exploration after a conclusion is reached - Allow for revisions and fluid timelines - Give individuals space to deliberate - Practice being patient and open when alternatives arise - Clarify when additional options can be considered, or outcomes are final If your counterpart has a preference in second-third Flexibility, I recommend coming prepared with a good reason why you need to introduce a change if you are going to shift course. Regardless of where they fall on the spectrum, your efforts will be appreciated. Then, lean on them to guide the conversation and adopt the appropriate strategies based on how they are feeling that day. As I conclude this post, I would like to thank you for joining our Brilliance Series on behalf of all our authors and video contributors from our Learning & Development team! By taking the time to understand each Attribute and creating the space for all seven to feel respected and included, you will promote a more positive, empathetic and productive environment in every sphere of your life. Explore the other entries in our series: Analytical, Structural, Social, Conceptual, Expressiveness and Assertiveness.	https://es.emergenetics.com/blog/the-brilliance-series-flexibility/
"Currently, my work is centered around landscapes. I find the vastness of the horizon between sky and water inspiring. Living on the east coast, there are limited vistas of open horizon. Instead, the daily view is contained to trees in the peripheral. There is something that makes my heart skip a beat when I walk over the dunes and see the horizon. It stretches as far as I can see and that is the feeling I am working toward conveying in these works. Exploring this subject matter is leading me into playing with abstraction with color and form. Sometimes, a large brushstroke is all that indicates the water or clouds while other times linear details make the waves or sky more representational. I like pursuing this push and pull between the two approaches and I am eager to see how the two work together. Regardless of the series, I feel that my color palette unifies my work."Shana Grugan is known for paintings that focus on color and continuity of movement. Her most recent work blends abstraction with indications of the physical world. Working in acrylics, she explores the theme of spirituality on both canvas and paper. This theme has been present in her work since college, though changing in style. Born in Greenville, SC, Shana spent most of her childhood in Morrow, GA. She received a BFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Georgia. Graduate school took her back to her home state where she received an MAT in Art Education from the University of South Carolina. She spent several years teaching art in grades K-12, in both North and South Carolina public schools, as well as instructing students through a private studio. Her career in Art Education meant taking a break from painting, while creatively engaging in teaching studio art and concepts to mainly low-income students in schools in the Carolinas. Currently, Shana paints in a studio full time and is grateful for the opportunity to get back to her passion of painting. She lives with her husband, daughter, and son in Pawleys Island, SC. STA: How would you describe your distinct artistic style? SG: I love to use organic shapes in my pieces. As I play with shapes in a composition, I begin to see continuity in the design through lines that are created. In creating this way, negative spaces can be formed and pulled forward to be highlighted in the composition. Though it can be challenging at times, it’s fun to see the piece take shape this way because it’s so unexpected. I use organic shapes to create movement in my paintings, too. This is true of my style whether it’s an abstract or a representational piece. STA: How has your style changed over time? SG: Over time my style has evolved to become more spirited. This is evident through my use of color. Years ago, I would limit my palette with the objective of containing color. I concentrated on using subtle color contrasted next to variations of neutral greys. Now, I do not restrain my use of color, and the pieces are more playful compared with prior series of works. Another notable change is that I have not used collage on my canvas/paper. I still love texture and layering but I have enjoyed simplifying my surfaces lately. STA: How did you come to create Field Notes: A Journey of the Heart? SG: I increasingly find the challenge of interpreting abstract thoughts into visual representations fascinating. Sometimes, I find that the concepts I wish to express are already present in the environment around me. Still, I often find the need to create and simplify these ideas using the basic elements of art. For example, treating shape as a language allows me to create narratives of complex emotions. My current series, Field Notes: A Journey of Heart, is created from the perspective of Heart. Heart longs to make more room for its Maker to enter and reside. Each composition is a result of how the relationship between God and Heart changes with every interaction, be it push/pull, open/close, surrender/hold, etc...Line, shape, and color are the focal point of the compositions. Often, Heart is represented as a flat stone shape and Maker as fluid movement. STA: How long does the average piece take you to create? SG: I plan and prepare for a composition in my sketchbook before I begin any painting. This reduces the amount of time I spend painting, most of the time. If the composition is small, it may take 5-6 hours. A larger piece would take a few days or weeks to complete, depending on the elements. STA: What inspired you to become an artist? SG: The desire to be an artist (or to create) has been with me as long as I can remember. I have always felt the need to put something in the world that communicated what I either was unable to find in the world or unable to say in words. My favorite toy in my room was a Crayola Caddy that spun around on my desk. It held a variety of “media” for making whatever I could conceive. STA: What was it like teaching art to K-12 grade kids? SG: I found each grade level to have its rewards and challenges. Not every student wants to be in art class, so I was always coming up with ways to try to at least get every student to learn to appreciate art by the time they left my class. It was a challenging job, depending on the school and the resources available, but I found it to be energizing. I loved getting to use my creativity in planning units of study. Plus, there was nothing like putting on an end of the year art show and getting to see the students’ faces as they took their families around to see their work matted and hung ‘professionally’ with tags. STA: What is your creative process for your more abstract pieces? SG: Of course, there is planning of the concept and composition at the start. Some of that would include journaling or reading, as well as sketching and planning visually. I am mostly inspired by thoughts and experiences, which are internal happenings, so I translate those things into shapes, lines, and color. Sometimes the plan changes as I work it out on the canvas or paper. This is true for color, especially. STA: How do you choose your color palettes? SG: I certainly have an emotional tie to color, and that is true for how I approach it in my art. I find all kinds of things can affect my use of color, from the environment I am in, the year’s season, or even the theme of the composition. I like to amplify color, too. STA: What inspires the titles for your pieces? SG: The titles of my work are often decided upon in the early planning stages of the compositions. They are based on something I have encountered within my relationships, both spiritual and physical. STA: What is your favorite medium? SG: I worked in oil during college and just after, but as I began to incorporate layering in my pieces I started to use acrylic. Now, I embrace acrylics. I love layering transparent color to build up intensity and acrylic mediums are perfect for that. They are both forgiving and fast-drying. STA: Do you create other kind of art besides paintings? SG: I envy people who can visualize three-dimensionally. It is not my strength but I have enjoyed handbuilding with clay in the past. I admire the work of photographers as well, but I do not have a photographer’s eye. So, I create on canvas and paper, both drawing and painting. However, my creative inclination spills over into other aspects of my life. For example, our house is the ultimate work in progress. We bought it almost 10 years ago and we have renovated it completely, both the exterior and interior, with the exception of one bathroom which is last on the list. I had a vision for the house when I saw it and we have chipped away at making it happen a little at a time. Be sure to see all of Shana's abstract artwork in her Collection.	https://straighttoart.com/blogs/news/field-notes-a-journey-of-the-heart-with-shana-grugan
Abandoning purism in the last few years of the 1920s, Le Corbusier’s art began to incorporate rounder, organic forms and, increasingly, the human figure. In the early 1930s this focus would shift almost exclusively to the female form; substituting bottles and glasses for the human figure, Le Corbusier is no less involved in exploring the relationship of elements within the composition, both to each other and to the composition as a whole. Although the architectural principles which so powerfully informed his work of the 1920s have given way to a softer, more decorative aesthetic, Le Corbusier’s underlying preoccupations of spatial relationship still play themselves out in his work of the 1930s. Thus in Les deux soeurs the two figures of the title fit together in a lyrical conjunction of body parts and an exploration of movement and form. The two figures flow into one another in places, overlap in others and become indistinguishable in parts, complementing and contrasting in equal measure and with visually stunning results. Le Corbusier’s figures in the present work are, typically, set against a landscape of semi-abstracted elements. Here, behind the embracing forms one can see a layered horizon of colour and a conch shell in the left foreground. Such ‘objets à réaction poètique’ as the artist called them, formed a collection of objects from nature which Le Corbusier drew upon to formulate ideas on structure. The artist was fascinated by the organisational harmony in nature, which he would in turn allow to influence his compositions both in painting and architecture. Furthermore the inclusion of the shell adds a dynamism and movement to the composition, enhancing the mystical and lyrical monumentality of the vibrantly rendered subject.	https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5971819
Observations are swallowed up into an intricate web of connected thought forms, allowing the perception of probabilities within hidden gestures and intended movement. This incubation of probabilities that merges in stillness and motion is a progressive process that directs and contains thought motions and gestures in an abstract configuration of geometrical shapes. In doing so, this will lift mental processes, to include emotional intelligence, into an alchemy of sacred geometry. Motion and movement are slaves to thoughts, which in turn, are enslaved by perception. This fundamental linkage runs through and within all physical and nonphysical multifaceted mathematical equations of motion. Aspects that are combined into this process are movements, expressionism, distance, speed, time, position, height, angles, and length. All are related as essential calculation tools of this formula. While applying reason to an unpredictable situation and unreasonable actions, our thoughts unify the purposes of energetic synergies for the particular effect of a decisive factor. Mental conceptions and representations of the perceived stimulus are achieved by careful calculations and observations which dominate the realm of creative possible responses. The probabilities of occurrences and values associated with each action create a thought pattern which gives birth to action/movement, stimulus and response. This state of mental and physical adaptability merges movement and thoughts with actions to produce mental imagery in the physical. While staring into a void of infinite possibilities that unite, split, and divide unconquered thoughts which are lying in wait for the thinker who thinks unthinkable thoughts, sensitivity allows seeing binding energy as the true sum of the nucleus. This expands calculations of the quotient that’s expressed in degrees of motion and movement. The top becomes the bottom, and bottom becomes top, yet the center holds true to fluid dynamic forces of separation and integration, the undivided elements that are synonymous with opposing sameness This symbiotic relationship of integration between motion and movement can produce displacement upon sensory processes, consciousness, and all related aesthetics of the psyche. Within this state of mind, action and movement coexist in this ideology. Understand that every movement has a success which communicates itself in a language of elements, making the resulting expression a quantified prediction based upon preceding habitual thinking. The unpredictability of expansiveness reflects the ratio of actual 0ccurances to the number of possible occurrences, not only within movement and motion but also in shape and size. Thoughts on the containment of possibilities that are not yet realized, the perceiving of physical interactions though sense perception, while giving birth to emotions of thoughts, stimulates the creative processes and elevates mind expansion out of elementary functions. True perspective reduces instinctual finite equations that are subject to limitations of a narrow gauge. Motion and movement imply calculated risk of imagined probabilities. Perception leads us to absorb, and to absorb fosters calculating, calculation leads to action or movement, and to move is to reveal intentions. Within this thought exchange its necessary to exist in a state of transfiguration that wakes up senses, making enemies of conformity, while subduing “cause and effect” reasoning of complex variables that percolate in thought substance. The instinctual and habitual battle for expression of relative worth with reason is found in this fusion of the invisible/visible. In this realm of thought plasticity, the subjective and objective, the cause and effect, must yield to the spiritual forces of doing/ not doing, gently yielding action to the harmony of concentrated thought.	https://www.hasayfu.com/blog/
For much of Hacks season one, we’ve watched Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) fight her way out of limbo (and, depending on how you feel about the Las Vegas heat, hell). A joke about the hypocrisy of a closeted senator sending his gay son to conversion therapy made Ava persona non grata in Los Angeles, though her reputation as a comedy writer was hardly sterling before that Twitter debacle. When her agent Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) gets her a gig writing for one of his other clients, stand-up legend Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, who just owns the small screen these days), she reluctantly accepts the offer. Then she promptly botches her first meeting with Deborah, though that’s not entirely her fault. Deborah is every bit as prickly as Ava—she resents the idea that she has to revitalize her act, an act that’s gotten her through more than 2,400 shows at the Palmetto casino. Even once they agree to work with each other, Deborah and Ava struggle to find common ground. Deborah’s a Boomer who’s fought and scraped for every measure of success she has, while Ava is already a (town)homeowner in Los Angeles at the age of 25. They’re both quick to dismiss each other over generational differences, but from the beginning, there’s a glimmer of shared recognition of each other’s talent. They see, almost grudgingly, how they can help one another—which is also how they help themselves. Series creators and writers Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs derive suspense from one of TV’s more unconventional will-they/won’t-they pairings. The weekly release schedule has also lent itself well to Deborah and Ava’s unpredictable partnership, with viewers wondering from week to week—even episode to episode—if they’ll start taking digs at each other again, or if the latest truce will stick. Thanks to some top-tier work from Smart and Einbinder, there’s been as great a thrill in watching Deborah and Ava let down their guards around each other as in any mystery show. But over the last eight episodes, a genuine affection has grown between the two women, a feeling they’ve both had trouble identifying. We’re rooting for them as individuals and as a team. Now that Deborah has finally embraced taking her comedy in a new direction, one that will leave her more vulnerable than she’s ever been, we can really see what she’s capable of on stage. As her 2,500th show—and the curtain call on her record-breaking Palmetto residency—looms, it also becomes clear what she stands to lose. No matter how close they’ve gotten, Deborah believes she’s the only one out on a limb. In episode eight, “1.69 Million,” Marty revealed (post-coital) that he was buying out her contract, blackmail be damned. She snapped right into action with Ava, working on a new, far more confessional act. She hasn’t quite shaken her misgivings about change, but what Deborah doesn’t acknowledge is something the audience can plainly see: She thrives in that place, that moment of “do I dare disturb the universe?” She’s been shaking things up for much of her career; it’s only in recent years that she’s gotten comfortable, dare I say, complacent. But, to show Deborah the same empathy the series demonstrates, I’ll acknowledge that is a gamble to wrap a historic run with an entirely new set in the hopes that Steve Wynn or some other Vegas impresario will want to scoop her up. Which is why my heart sank a bit when, in the opening moments of penultimate episode “Interview,” Ava got an alert for her flight to Los Angeles. She’s young, talented, and ambitious, and should absolutely be thinking about her career. And yet, Deborah would probably burn her to the ground if she bailed right now. Here’s one of the many, many times we can credit the work of the Hacks writers, including Samantha Riley, Ariel Karlin, and Jen Statsky, who penned the final two episodes. Their warts-and-all approach to these dynamic and difficult women has exposed as many strengths as flaws. The conflict I’m feeling over wanting good things for both Ava and Deborah, even knowing they might not be the same good things for both, is all by design. I am so invested in this relationship that waiting to learn whether Deborah finds out about Ava’s interview with the creators of The Bitter End had me on the edge of my seat. You know you’ve created a great character study when there’s so much anticipation about personal decisions that wouldn’t seem to carry the weight of the world in any other context. The final two episodes, “Interview” and “I Think She Will,” follow the trajectory of the rest of the season: up and down, then further down, then a little bit up, and… you get the point. Deborah feels confident, and even urges Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) to enjoy some free time. Marcus has hitched his wagon to Deborah’s star, though, so he can’t really relax while she’s working, especially since she’s doing the opposite of what he’d like. He’s given up so much, dedicated himself so thoroughly to Deborah, that you can’t blame Marcus for wanting more. The problem is that they all have vastly different ideas of what “more” is. Again, you don’t have to like everyone on Hacks (you probably won’t), but you are invested in what happens to these characters. Much of the tension of this final combined hour of the season comes from recognizing that some things aren’t meant to last—not marriages, creative partnerships, relationships with hot girlfriends (Lorenza Izzo as Ruby), and certainly not careers in comedy. (Though, thankfully, we know the show will continue for at least one more season. Ava and Deborah’s relationship has always been somewhat tenuous (okay, in the beginning, it was very tenuous.) Ava’s never seen Vegas or stand-up comedy as anything but a detour. So naturally, she jumps at the chance to meet with the very British creators (played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Chris Geere) of some brilliant show. This opportunity isn’t what it appears to be, as Ava quickly learns. The very British duo seem charmed by Ava, but they’re more interested in her time with Deborah than her own talents. Their new show is about a tyrannical female prime minister, whom they want to model after Deborah Vance. They don’t view the premise as misogynistic, either: “We believe that true feminism is being able to say that some women are cunt-y monsters.” A disillusioned Ava responds, “It’s a show about a shitty woman?,” because recognizing that women can be shitty isn’t nearly as revolutionary as Very British Duo seem to think. This exchange is filled with exquisite discomfort and disgust, but Ava’s question is one people have probably wondered about Hacks (and even recent movies like Cruella). The show quickly answered that question, showing itself to be part generation-clash comedy, part meditation on the nature of fame and artistry. Hacks has delved deep into the creative process, ruefully observing that the industry allows for hacks to make it while shutting out new voices. Like Deborah and Ava, the show refused to simply accept that. It challenged itself to envision a way for these two women to create, to innovate, even in that toxic environment. For a moment, we think Ava’s blown her chance—with Deborah, that is. She turns down Very British Duo, and promptly falls on her face, possibly earning a little karmic retribution for skipping out in the first place (or not, because again, she wants to be a TV writer). Deborah finds out about the meeting, thanks to Marcus, and she reliably lashes out at her mentee, who’s just learned her father’s had another stroke. Their growing intimacy is a double-edged sword: Deborah knows how much it will hurt Ava to know she’s abandoning their new work. Deborah’s never been afraid to be cruel, but this is another one of the rare occasions in which she’s acting out of fear. She punishes Ava so viciously because she still thinks she’s the only one risking anything, and she’s terrified. Turns out, they’ve both been in limbo, though Deborah’s exile is arguably more self-imposed. There’s no shame in a Vegas residency, but someone like Deborah, who still has so much inspiration in her, is hiding out. (Feel free to tell me I’m wrong in the comments, though!) The Hacks finale, “I Think She Will,” is an emotional rollercoaster which doesn’t let up even in the final moments. As Deborah and Ava reconcile and prepare to head back out on the road to hone the new act, I can’t help but wonder what Marcus, the new CEO, thinks about the change in gear. He effectively chose Deborah over Wilson (Johnny Sibilly), their work over his relationship. The questions of how he’ll respond and whether Deborah and Ava can continue to make it work are enough to chew on, but Hacks then drops another bombshell. It turns out, in typical Ava fashion, she emailed Very British Duo after Deborah smacked her. Whatever she sent was compromising, judging by Jimmy’s frantic call. I literally went “GULP” as Ava hung up the phone and took her seat next to her boss and mentor. Season two can’t come soon enough. And now, just a few words on this surprisingly suspenseful season. Fraught and funny, Hacks is the kind of show that understands how rich women’s lives are at any age. Deborah Vance is the role of a lifetime, and yet Jean Smart makes this feel like it’s just the beginning. It can’t be easy to square off against such a consummate pro, but Hannah Einbinder holds her own. Hacks tests Deborah and Ava’s ability to “hack it”—to endure, to roll with the punches—in a culture where few people, let alone women, thrive. But instead of merely being an exploration of survival, the show helps them find a way to rise above. Stray observations - I could just list a bunch of jokes here, but this is already kind of long. Thanks for your patience! We’ll have a post-mortem interview with the creators on the site overnight.	https://www.avclub.com/ava-may-be-in-limbo-again-but-the-hacks-season-finale-1847068089
Implications for teachers' professional learning. If teaching was only complicated, and if pedagogy, curriculum and student management processes could be communicated as a complicated but linear process, teacher professional learning would be simple. For example, leaders or teacher educators could teach the elements of the 'formula' for the new pedagogy and expect that, after some practice, teachers would implement the recipe in their classroom. In practice, a great deal of teachers’ professional learning assumes that this is all that is required. No wonder that in-service education frequently fails to change classroom practice15 or that many curriculum innovations flounder over time16. The reality is that classrooms are fluid, dynamic systems and that the implementation of new ideas and practices in the classroom requires a level of conceptual understanding by the teacher that goes far beyond learning the new recipe. Ann Burns17 refers to what happens in a classroom as a "kaleidoscopic process that must be viewed holistically rather than in parts." Her attempts to depict this in a diagram give some sense of the real complexities involved. Clearly this is not a context in which a teacher can impose a recipe! For teachers to succeed in bring their own new learning into the classroom requires them to have a high level of conceptual understanding and sufficient grasp of the rationale to be creative with their new practices. Their creativity, adaptability and flexibility - the hallmarks of a 'knowledge worker' operating within a complex system – must come to the fore. Because classrooms are places of such complexity, and because teachers must be endlessly adaptive to be successful in these contexts, adding to a teacher's repertoire of practice requires some fundamental elements: - A deep understanding of the rationale; - An opportunity to explore the thinking embedded in the practice; - Opportunities to discuss and experiment; - Conviction that the effort of adding this new piece to my repertoire will optimise performance. When leaders try to do the thinking for teachers, there is no possibility that what emerges from the superficial learning that results can survive in the complex adaptive system that is the classroom. When we hear teachers say, with a sigh, "Just tell me what to do," the alarm bells are ringing with the sound of disengagement.	https://www.futureshape.com.au/leadership/news/NewsArticle.jsp?News_ID=9
Do you find yourself breaking down songs to their intricate parts and many nuances? Are you filled with creative ideas on how to make music that everyone will love? You may be interested in becoming an audio producer. One of the most important elements of audio production is creativity. Without creativity, there is no productivity, especially in the realm of music. Audio production requires constant and consistent creativity to survive. But what is creativity? Music is not merely mimicry, nor is it pure originality. As composers and audio producers have been showing us for centuries, music allows us to study and manipulate the past to create something new and exciting. In other words, creativity, especially in the world of music, is based not on invention but innovation. For example, Beethoven revolutionized the sonata form by tweaking its standard components just enough to make them new. Even modern pop stars and artists draw from the counterpoint of Bach’s time to create pleasing progressions (for example, if you’re familiar with the 2-5-1 progression, this dates back to the tonal period that standardized the predominant-dominant-tonic resolution). So, what exactly is creativity? And why is it so important for audio producers today? More importantly, how is it involved in the day-to-day life of an audio producer? There are a few crucial components of creativity for a career in audio production, including risk-taking, flexibility, curiosity, motivation, imagination, goal setting, and innovation. Creative Risk-Taking In real life, things are complicated, and a well-formulated Plan B often gets ditched for an impromptu Plan C. Risk-taking is a fundamental element of creativity. After all, creativity is not creative without a degree of uncertainty. Risk-taking is a crucial part of audio production, from the small and mundane to the sweeping and spectacular. For example, there is an element of risk both in trademarking the record label name (will it gain recognition or get lost in the vast amount of existing content?) and making the final decision on the harmonic progression for a bridge (is this charmingly outlandish or should I stick to the basics?). We make decisions every day that require risk-taking, and any given day-in-the-life of an audio producer is especially full of them. While the level of responsibility and authority varies based on the position, each contributor must sift through a variety of options, and oftentimes, take the plunge. There is no directional guide for creativity; there is only you and your intuition. Creative Flexibility We can’t talk about creativity without talking about flexibility; in many cases, they are inseparable. On a Venn diagram, flexibility also shares some space with risk-taking. The creative process requires that we not only consider foreign ideas or courses of action, but that we also adopt them, often to our own discomfort. Imagine that you are working on a soundtrack with some colleagues. You are in the process of merging the parts you each had worked on separately, and just a few minutes in, you encounter a problem: you wrote your part in C Major, somehow missing the cue that the entire track was supposed to be written in F Minor. At this point, you have two options: you could form a coalition and demand that the others transpose their parts to C Major, or you could stick with the original plan, own up to your mistake, and rewrite. As you can see, flexibility is important not only for creating a coherent soundtrack but for keeping interpersonal peace. The rewrite process is not easy (especially if you have to alter additional components such as melody and texture), but it is worth it, and it will allow you to maximize your creativity. Creativity relies on flexibility to make the foreign familiar. Creative Curiosity Curiosity is another core component of creativity. It helps us open our minds to new ideas or rediscover old ones, integrate new approaches or strategies, and ultimately bring our creative output to a whole new level. Curiosity keeps us from remaining stagnant in our own subconscious restrictions. For the audio producer, curiosity is a key that unlocks new ways of understanding, processing and producing music and sound. Curiosity, as we can see, is related to both risk-taking and flexibility, and it is indelibly tied to creativity. It is a method of experimentation that studies the past to create a new future. Motivation to Be Creative Without motivation, creativity is nonexistent. Purposeless work is a surefire way to extinguish the flame of productivity. As humans, we need significant and substantial reasons to do what we do. This is especially true for audio producers. Motivation is not one-size-fits-all; rather, it is a personal conviction that shapes your passions and goals. It is a form of the word “motive,” which means reason or rationale. What is your motive as an audio producer? For example, your motive could be to spread joy and positivity through your musical creations, to inspire and educate others, or to support other artists in the collective pursuit of a larger mission. Motivation, ultimately, is the catalyst of creativity. Creative Imagination Creativity forces us to picture and manifest the imaginary. Once again, this has a lot to do with risk-taking. For example, we don’t know whether what we imagine can be real unless we test what has never been tried. However, for imagination to work, we must combine what we know with what we don’t. Experimentation without knowledge is futile. We must inform ourselves as sufficiently as possible. Thus, when it comes time to take the plunge, we have at least a fighting chance of survival and success. Furthermore, imagination itself stems from knowledge. Without tonal theory, for example, there is no such thing as ‘atonal’ theory. The artists who imagined, and ultimately constructed and conventionalized systems of musical analysis could rigorously study and dissect Bach’s fugues as well as Rachmaninoff’s symphonies. Imagination is a way of looking at what is to create what is not. Goal Setting Now, it’s time to take a step back, and realize that all the ambition and imagination in the world won’t guarantee a smashing blockbuster success. Aspiration must be coupled with practicality for our dreams to be fully realized. Audio producers, who possess the imaginative (and often disorganized) brain of an artist, are especially prone to emphasizing idealization at the expense of realization. The goal or ambition is so vast and surreal that it frightens the very wits out of the undertaker, leading to a brilliant, blinding vision in the sky that will never land on Planet Earth. For a goal to be successful, it must be broken down into small, manageable steps. By reducing a dream into practical steps, stress disappears, and success is put on a schedule. Creativity without smart and manageable goal setting is nothing but a catalog of ideas. With a well-devised blueprint, creativity can be tamed into a powerful beast of productivity. Creative Innovation As we have discovered, creativity, especially for the audio producer, is based on innovation. Innovation is a process of taking existing frameworks or inventions and making them new. Furthermore, it requires all of the previous principles: risk-taking, flexibility, curiosity, motivation, goal setting, and imagination. Innovation involves taking educated risks to make real progress, developing flexibility to adapt to new strategies and practices, remaining curious enough to discover new things, establishing motivation to carry out the necessary legwork, setting manageable goals to create a blueprint of success, and using imagination to actualize our vision. Final Thoughts Creativity is paramount for careers in audio production, regardless of genre, position, or experience. It is involved in every step of the production process, from devising the plan to the final mix. With these elements of creativity, you can make tracks that you can be proud of, while enjoying the journey along the way. Audio Production Program The Audio Production and Engineering Program at the Institute of Production and Recording is an occupational degree program designed to train producer engineers who are entrepreneurs, musically and technically creative, and proficient in modern recording technology and technique. Throughout the program, students are involved in hands-on exercises and real-world studio projects that enable them to apply their knowledge and refine their skills. At the end of the Audio Production and Engineering program, each student presents a portfolio — a selection of his or her best work to date. This serves as a demo reel for potential employers and clients — an audio resume with professional content that highlights the graduate’s talent and skill. Contact us today to learn more about the audio production programs and starting a rewarding career.	https://www.ipr.edu/blogs/audio-production/the-importance-of-creativity-in-audio-production/
Ever since she can remember, 10-year-old Melody has always wanted to fly. When she leaps off a swing in the park one day and lands in the mystical realm of Chimeroan, her dream finally comes true: she is given a pair of wings with which to fly. Melody is exultant; life could not be any better. Dreams, however, do come with a price. Even with wings, Melody realizes she cannot out-fly the memories of her past. The car accident that has left her father paralyzed, and her unhurt, still plagues her with guilt--she believes it was entirely her fault. In Chimeroan, Melody is forced to come to terms with her part in her father's accident. She must choose between the two things that have become the world to her: keeping her wings or healing her father. Interspersed with beautiful illustrations, this touching novel deals with themes of grief and healing in an imaginative way.	https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Ann-Marie-Meyers/Up-in-the-Air/15117409
The Bard Dance Program sees the pursuit of artistry and intellect as a single endeavor and the study of the body as a cognitive act, demanding both physical practice and exploration of the broader academic contexts in which the art form exists. The program fosters the discovery of a dance vocabulary that is meaningful to the dancer/choreographer and essential to his or her creative ambitions. This discovery leads students to cultivate original choices that are informed by a full exploration of their surroundings and to find expression in new and dynamic ways. Through intensive technique and composition courses, onstage performance, and production experience, dance students are prepared to understand and practice the art of choreography and performance. In fall 2020, the Dance Program begins a multiyear partnership with the Gibney Company. The partnership brings cutting-edge and diverse dance artists to Bard through undergraduate courses, artist residencies, interdisciplinary collaborations, campus-wide events, and public performances. Areas of Study The Dance Program offers technique courses in ballet, modern dance, and West African dance as well as courses in composition, dance history, dance science, performance and production, and dance repertory. Requirements Prior to Moderation, students must take a minimum of 4 credits in technique and 6 credits in composition. All moderating students must submit choreography for consideration in one of the year’s two Moderation dance concerts. Each moderating student must present performance work for acceptance into the major. Once accepted, students may choose to concentrate in creative work, performance, or both. Once a student moderates, requirements for the major include two courses in movement practices per semester, including three ballet courses; at least one course in a dance form or practice of the African diaspora; Dance 317, Dance Composition III (unless concentrating in performance); Dance 355, Materials of Movement; Dance 360, Dance History; one course in a practicing arts discipline outside of dance; a writing and/or criticism course (e.g., Philosophy and the Arts); a full year of technique under the Dance Program professional partnership; and the Junior/Senior Seminar. Additionally, attendance at Dance Workshop is required of all majors. Held each semester, the workshop helps students prepare for any one of four annual productions. For the Senior Project, students prepare choreography, a performance, or other material of appropriate scope for public presentation. All Senior Projects include a 20- to 30-page paper that synthesizes interests in areas outside of dance where appropriate and relates these processes to the development of the specific work presented. Recent Senior Projects in Dance - “Black w(H)ole Theories” - “Enforced Sitting and Authoritarianism in Schools: The Myth of the Body-Mind Divide” - “In Fullness and Most Time,” two dances and a year of writing - “The Lying Archive: A Work in Three Parts” The Dance Program is located in the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, where facilities include two studios and a fully equipped, 200-seat theater. Courses The Dance Program offers 100-level studio classes for first-year students and other beginning dancers; 200-level classes, which are open to all students at the intermediate level of technique; and 300-level classes, open to all students with the experience appropriate for an advanced-level course. All dance studio classes have live musical accompaniment. Tutorials arise out of a student’s interest in delving deeply into a subject that is not generally covered in the curriculum. Topics have included dance pedagogy, partnering technique, pointe work, and specific elements of dance history and dance science.	https://www.bard.edu/academics/programs/details/?id=896802&pid=756
When one thinks of pedal steel guitar, the next thought is usually country music or possibly Hawaiian music, and although the former is where Alcorn started many years ago after first taking up the instrument, she has since expanded her musical universe well beyond where most would expect to find the sound of the steel guitar. She credits the influence of Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, John and Alice Coltrane, and Pauline Oliveiros among many others of having propelled her on her expansive musical trajectory over the last 25 years or so. Alcorn has been a member of the Mary Halvorson Octet, playing on their 2016 release Away with You, so when it came time to choose musicians for her own quintet to record her compositions on Pedernal, Halvorson was a logical choice. Also featured are double bassist Michael Formanek, drummer Ryan Sawyer, and violinist Mark Feldman. While most of the musicians involved would suggest this would be a jazz ensemble, Alcorn’s varied compositions are not that easily pigeonholed, with equal amounts of Classical and open improvisation to be important elements of her composition style. Pedernal contains only five numbers, each very different from the others, with plenty of surprises throughout. “Circular Ruins” is a very explorative piece, morphing all the time as it goes forward, some parts jazz, some other parts improv, and yet other parts that are truly genre defying, such that by its near-ten minute conclusion the listener will have been on some kind of mystical journey that can’t quite be quantified. Opening the proceedings is the title track, with a gentle dreamy disposition and some folk and classical influences. Likewise, the folky flavored “Northeast Rising Sun” is perhaps the strongest melody here, blended nicely with jazz and improvisational elements to make for a true enigmatic invention. The thirteen minute “Night in Gdansk” begins in a moody introspective way with what is essentially a pedal steel solo, the others soon join in as the composition slowly takes shape and the exploration begins in earnest, with about six or seven distinct sections to the piece. The playful “R.U.R.” offers some strictly musical humor across its six minute duration, reminding the listener that these musicians were probably having a great time while the album was shaping up. Throughout, Pedernal offers the listener some interesting twists and unusual references amid its stunning beauty.	http://expose.org/index.php/articles/display/susan-alcorn-quintet-pedernal-3.html
4D @ the University of Wisconsin-Madison We are a 3 year MFA program situated in one of the Nation’s top research universities, in the vibrant city of Madison, Wisconsin. We aim to create a community of artists and scholars that collaborates in a spirit of exploration and discovery regardless of disciplinary boundaries. This area explores the potential of research that may exist in the space between disciplines and medium specific practices. The area of research coalesces around ideas and concepts that are flexible, responsive, fluid and open which may include either singularly or in combination elements of the following: Collaborative practices, digital fabrication, generative art/code, hybrid and interdisciplinary approaches, digital media, 2d and 3d digital animation, digital imaging, installation, “newer” genres, “newer” media, performance, physical computing, social practice, time based art, video art, and video essay. Graduate Funding We are a 3 year, fully funded program. Prospective applicants can consult the departmental website for more information on applying to the MFA program. Teaching assistantships and Research Assistantships are available. Art Department Mission Statement The Department of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is committed to teaching art in the context of a major research university and a vibrant intellectual community. Its mission is based on the premise that art is the nexus of all the humanities and that creative expression in the visual arts has provided some of the most enduring contributions to society and culture. The art department strives to provide both a fertile and challenging environment for aesthetic and critical engagement, and the technical skills necessary for the practice of art in the changing landscape of the twenty-first century. It encourages innovation and cross-disciplinary activity, and believes that students should utilize the vast academic resources of the university to inform and deepen their artistic vision. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, education in the visual arts is provided by an outstanding faculty of accomplished practicing visual artists supplemented by an ongoing and active visiting artist series that presents both emerging and established artists. Disciplines are taught in well-equipped studio facilities that include the areas of painting, printmaking, graphic design, sculpture, ceramics, metalsmithing, glass, furniture-making, papermaking, photography, digital media, video, and performance. Both students and faculty cross these disciplinary boundaries easily and without hesitation, and students are encouraged to find their creative voice either within or outside of these boundaries. Artistic practice is defined by attitude, modes of inquiry, and processes of conceptualization—material and media are seen as a means to this end. Expanding the parameters of art-making in a continued effort to remain current and relevant is part of the department’s mission. However, the department is equally committed to maintaining the more traditional art forms that have proven their ability to remain relevant throughout centuries of change. The department has a distinguished history of providing exceptional education in the visual arts in a stimulating, nurturing and diverse community. We, as a department, believe that the arts can make a difference on the local, national, and international level, and that the arts play a vital role in the future of the global community.	https://4d.art.wisc.edu/?page_id=6
Curatorial Note: Explorative narratives. Exploration of anxiety using environments and gestures. “I was guided by the exploration of narratives created with and without figures. The placement of objects can imply a story or say something about a character. I was later interested in exploring how narrative is created using environments and gestures, which can be done allegorically and literally.” Student statement Student statement My exploration of 3-dimensional media emphasizes the value of narrative. While aesthetics and craftsmanship are certainly crucial elements of any artwork, the content of the piece is what can make it truly meaningful and thought-provoking. With this sculpture, in particular, I wanted to expand on symbolism that I had explored in past works and use it to compliment the central figure. Here, a young woman reaches for a dove, a physical representation of the idea of peace, but can just barely take hold. Although I believe that art belongs to its viewer, meaning each viewer’s interpretation is the correct one, the intention behind this sculpture was to reflect on my observations of the world’s relationship with peace, as well as my own. It seems like no matter how much we work toward complete stability, it is never a possibility. Conflict and chaos will always claim their presence. But, that’s okay. The world would have to take a complete rest to escape these forces, which it refuses to do, and we refuse to do ourselves. Conflict and problems create progress as we try to escape them. So, while the figure is longing for peace, she is reaching up to the dove who navigates her upward, away from her current position and onto the next one—progress. Vivian Orta Teacher Statement Teacher Statement Joe Cypressi Vivian’s work is inspiring in both its concepts and execution. She made most of the work in her portfolio during her junior year. She will be a senior this year. Junior-level students in our sculpture classes submit maquettes of a proposed work along with a short selection of images of their past work and any artists or other visual information they used in their creative process. They present the idea to the class and the instructor in as much detail as possible. The class and the instructor ask questions and give feedback on concepts, aesthetics, logistics, and construction techniques. A scale or scope is agreed upon, and the student executes the work. All students bring the work in for a group critique. These maquettes are entirely student generated based on their preferences for skills and ideas developed and explored earlier in the course and in earlier courses. These ideas and skills are explored via artist research, instructor lead exercises designed to develop rendering, compositional, constructive, or conceptual skills. Vivian’s presentations are always sensitive, insightful, and visually exciting. She is fearless in trying new materials and processes to which she applies her skills. She is an amazingly talented and hardworking young lady who is a leader in the class. The sculptural classes explore form and meaning from two directions, representation and non-representational. Representation is taught with clay through direct observation. These observational processes come from our drawing practices. The non-representational explorations are based on Stebbing’s Universal Grammar for Visual Composition and material analysis. All students are strongly encouraged to revise their work after the group critique based on the feedback. So that’s 2 feedback loops per piece. Each new work is also conceptually explained relative to the last piece, so the continuity of the inquiry is maintained. Students write notes for their maquette presentations and build those notes with the feedback received from the group. This is the foundation of their writing for the portfolio. Our administration is supportive of our efforts and pedagogical process. Again Vivian’s point of view, work ethic, and intellect are inspiring and a joy to work with and the backbone of her success. “Show them great art, and they will make great art,” Charlie Schwartz, photography teacher and my mentor.	https://apartanddesign.collegeboard.org/vivian-orta
A teenager’s bedroom should be a place where they can relax, unwind and express themselves. With that in mind, it’s important to consider their needs when deciding what to include in their bedroom. At a minimum, a teenager’s bedroom needs to be comfortable, spacious and private, meaning the door should close securely, and sound and light should be kept to a minimum. Additionally, teenagers need furniture and accessories that are appropriate for their age and interests. This can include, but is certainly not limited to, a bed, nightstand, dresser, desk, and chair, along with a rug, curtains, and other decorative items. Beyond these essentials, as a parent, you may want to consider giving your teenager some special items to make their bedroom unique. This might include a bean bag chair, a mini-fridge, a sound system, and extra storage like shelves or chests of drawers. Additionally, if possible, let the teenager choose items like bedding, artwork, and posters to make the space their own. Foster your teenager’s passions as well when thinking about decorating; if they love art or music, allow them to display artwork they’ve made or plaques of their favorite bands. This will make the bedroom a place to encourage creativity and making memories. Contents - How should a teenage girl organize their room? - What should every teenage girl have? - How should I decorate my teenage bedroom? - Is it normal for a teenager to stay in her room? - How can I make my teen room cozy? - What do teenagers like? - How do you make a girl room pretty? - How can I decorate my room as a lady? - What is an aesthetic room? - How can I make my room aesthetic without buying anything? - How can I make my room grunge aesthetic? How should a teenage girl organize their room? Organizing your room as a teenage girl can be tricky – especially if you’re limited on space. But with a few simple tips and some creative ideas, you can easily transform your room into an inviting and stylish haven. Start by removing clutter and ‘stuff’ which you don’t really need. Donate or throw away anything you’re not using. This will give you a good idea of your room’s size and will help you determine what pieces of furniture should go where. Organizing a bedroom can be divided into two sections—vertical and horizontal. Vertical storage solutions such as wall shelves, vertical units, and closets will help you maximize your space. These will all make use of the hard-to-reach vertical areas. Utilizing these areas will save tons of space and give a modern & stylish look to your room. Horizontal solutions such as tables, cabinets, drawers, baskets and bed frames will help organize items including clothes, books, and other items. Try to choose items that are both practical and stylish like pieces of wooden or woven furniture. And make sure there’s enough empty space between items – it’ll make the room look and feel bigger. To keep your room tidy, designate a ‘catch-all’ space that can collect things like your backpack, dirty clothes, school supplies, and books. It’s important to have a designated spot for all the odds and ends that align with your hectic lifestyle. More importantly, make sure you like your room. Choose items you love, from bedding to wall art. Photos, decorations and art pieces should reflect your personality. Life is already hectic and chaotic, so the space you spend most of your time in should have a positive energy. What should every teenage girl have? Every teenage girl should have a support system of loving, encouraging people who will strive to understand and accept her for who she is. She should have an activity or hobby that she is passionate about – something that will bring her joy. She should have appropriate steps and goals in place to help her work towards achieving her dreams. She should have basic tools at her disposal to promote healthy living, such as good nutrition, restful sleep, and regular exercise. Above all, she should have access to reliable information about health and safety, so she can make informed decisions for herself and practice self-care. Additionally, she should have self-confidence – knowing her own worth and having the courage to go through the struggles of teenage years with self-love, passion, and joy. How should I decorate my teenage bedroom? When decorating a teenage bedroom, it’s important to create a space that expresses your style and interests. One way to do that is to use color to help create a vibrant and lively look. Choose a bold and daring palette that stands out and expresses your personality. You can add depth and dimension to your bedroom by adding a variety of color hues, such as a dark grey, mustard yellow, or navy blue to name a few. Another great way to decorate your bedroom is to incorporate a mix of textures. Choose fabrics like velvet or faux fur to bring the room to life. Layer pillows and throws to add visual interest and get creative with pattern mixing. Accessories like wall art, funky lamps, and plants are also great additions. Lastly, furniture pieces like a bed, chair, and storage pieces should be taken into consideration. Choose furniture that provides both style and comfort. Bring in vintage finds and unique pieces to give your bedroom an eclectic and one-of-a-kind look. Is it normal for a teenager to stay in her room? Yes, it is normal for teenagers to stay in their bedroom. Teenagers are at a stage of life when they are trying to figure out who they are and what they believe. It is a period of significant changes and development, which means teens often need a safe place to sort through their feelings, thoughts, and worries without judgement. A bedroom provides a private sanctuary for a teen to explore their own ideas and interests, create and store memories, and relax without interference. Staying in their room can be especially beneficial for teens who have problems in social situations, as it helps them to feel more secure and in control. Moreover, it helps teens avoid distractions and learn how to self-regulate, as it allows them to set boundaries on their own time and activities. How can I make my teen room cozy? Making a teen room cozy can be a great way to make it a place that your teen loves to come home to. First and foremost, bringing in items that make the room personalized to them is important. Pick out items that your teen loves, such as posters, pillows, artwork, or a specific type of style. You can also bring in items that make the room comfy, such as blankets, plush chairs, and plants. Adding in some ambient lighting can be a great way to make it even cozier. Incorporating warm colors and patterns can also help create a space that your teen loves to spend time in. Lastly, decluttering and giving the room a little makeover with a fresh coat of paint or a new rug can go a long way in creating a warm, cozy ambiance. What do teenagers like? It’s impossible to speak for all teenagers, as everyone’s interests and likes are different. Generally though, there are some interests and activities that are popular amongst teenagers. Many teenagers enjoy spending time with their friends. This may involve meeting up and hanging out with friends in person, or via online video calling platforms like Zoom or FaceTime. Many teenagers enjoy expressing themselves through fashion and accessorising with items like jewellery, fun hairstyles, and clothing. Music is a popular choice for teenagers, and many teens enjoy listening to their favourite artists, as well as playing instruments and attending live music performances. Teenagers also often enjoy playing videogames, both on their own and with friends. Other popular activities amongst teens include playing sports, photography, and creative writing. It’s important to note that while some activities, such as going shopping, are popular with teenagers, the way in which they participate may be different to how adults approach shopping. For example, teens may often be interested in browsing and window-shopping, rather than actually buying items. How do you make a girl room pretty? Making a girl’s room look pretty is all about creating an atmosphere that reflects her personality and style. To begin, decide on a color palette for the room. Have fun with the colors, perhaps adding in a few fun, whimsical shades to give the room a special touch. When it comes to picking furniture and decor, look for pieces that have a girly feel. Choose soft bedding and add a rug in coordinating colors for the room. Dress up the walls with wall art in cool pattern or designs. Add lighting that’s both functional and stylish, like string lights or sconces. Incorporate different textures like velvet or wicker for a cozy feel. Finally, don’t forget to add in special touches. Whether it’s a collection of stuffed animals, framed photos, favorite books, or a pretty jewelry box, these little decorations will make the room feel special and personal. How can I decorate my room as a lady? Decorating your room as a lady can be a fun and creative way to express yourself and make your space feel inviting. You can start by creating a décor theme that you love. Consider colors and patterns that resonate with you and make you feel inspired. Once you decide on a theme, you can select furniture and accessories that match. Be sure to bring in elements of comfort and style, such as a cozy chair or an elegant curtain. Adding pieces that reflect your passions and interests can also give the room an individualized touch. When it comes to selecting artwork, look for pieces that are meaningful or create a mood. Introducing lighting can also make a big difference in making a space feel personal and cozy. Whatever you choose, have fun with it and make sure your bedroom reflects your unique style. What is an aesthetic room? An aesthetic room is a room designed to bring peace, comfort and beauty to the user. Aesthetically designed rooms create an inviting and calming atmosphere, often featuring neutral color palettes, accent walls, soft lighting, and minimal clutter. Many people who desire a more calming living environment opt for aesthetic rooms that focus on natural elements such as real plants, wooden furniture, and textured fabrics. A place for relaxation and reflection, this type of room is often complete with cozy reading nooks, artwork, and textured accessories. To complete an aesthetic room, consider integrating an air freshener, soft lighting, and accessories to complement the natural elements. This can help to create a calming environment, perfect for ending a long day or to relax in after a stressful day. How can I make my room aesthetic without buying anything? One of the easiest ways to make your room more aesthetic without buying anything is to declutter. Tidy up any mess and get rid of items that you no longer need or use. This will give your room a cleaner and more organized look. Rearrange the furniture to create a refreshing new look, and you can also move pieces around to adjust your layout. You can also play with the paint on your walls. Try a different color on one wall to add a pop of color, or you can use wall decals or stickers for a unique look. Bring some plants into your room for a cozy and natural feel. They will also provide some natural air filtration in your space. Diffuse some essential oils to add a soothing scent to your space. Mirrors are a great way to make a room feel bigger and brighter. Hang a few in different sizes and shapes to add an interesting touch to your room. Add some fun textiles like fluffy rugs and colorful pillows to add warmth and texture. Finally, add some lighting to your room. Use lamps and string lights to add a cozy and inviting atmosphere. All of these simple tips can make your room feel more warm and inviting without having to buy anything. How can I make my room grunge aesthetic? Creating a grunge aesthetic in your bedroom can be a fun and rewarding project. Start by choosing a colour palette. Neutral or muted tones contrast nicely with bursts of colour, so choose a range of light and dark earthy tones like muted greens, greys, browns, and yellows. Opt for furniture that has a distressed, worn look to it, and add lots of accessories to the room such as posters and band t-shirts. Hang art in mismatched frames, drape thrifted scarves or blankets over bedposts and chairs, hang string lights, and add textiles like rugs and pillows that have an eclectic feel. Exposed bricks, distressed wood, and natural linen are other materials that could be used for a grunge aesthetic. Incorporate elements of vintage style too, such as trinkets and antiques. Finally, make sure to layer the whole look carefully to achieve a balance of comfort and style.	https://www.remodelormove.com/what-should-be-in-a-teenagers-bedroom/
Picasso included both calm and chaos in his paintings to create inimitable works of art. Einstein developed his theory of relativity by embracing the idea of an object being simultaneously in motion and at rest. Mozart worked with both concordance and discordance to compose inspired music. Geniuses like these have been found to be ‘multi-perceptive’: that is, they are able to see several different perspectives at once. They are also able to synthesise apparently opposing perspectives. Similarly, in business, the most original and innovative ideas come from being able to see multiple perspectives and embrace apparent contradictions. Being able to hold opposing ideas in creative tension is a critical key to building an innovative culture. This is a foundation for what has become known as the ‘paradox’ theory. Exploitation vs Exploration: Recognise the key innovation initiators The main paradox that has been explored in relation to innovation is the paradox of ‘exploitation’ vs ‘exploration’. While some organisations will focus on ‘exploiting’ the resources they have and maintaining systems and processes to ensure stability, it has been found, others will want to explore new options and push into new territory. In this paradox there is a focus on small incremental innovations, on the one hand (exploitation), or on breakthrough innovations on the other (exploration). The ability to cope with the pace of change through exploration, while simultaneously maintaining business viability in the innovation process through exploitation and preservation, has been referred to as organisational ambidexterity. The yin and yang of business: Balance paradoxes for better performance and faster growth There are plenty of examples of how balancing paradoxes like these in the organization can lead to superior creative outcomes. The yin/yang idea of balancing dynamic opposing forces was actually introduced into management theory as far back as the 1920s. The symbol is drawn from Chinese Taoist philosophy and described in ancient texts such as the Tao Te Ching. Yin and yang might be literally translated as ‘shady side’ vs ‘sunny side’. The symbol represents how apparently opposing forces can coexist and achieve balance. Organisations that can recognise and work with these tensions are able to learn and grow the fastest, and to deal most effectively with complex problems. Being able to deal effectively with paradox in the organisational context can foster learning and creativity, build flexibility and resilience, and unleash human potential — all of which lead to higher energy and engagement and improved performance over the long term. It can also foster sustainability. A B2B technology firm found their operating income was boosted by 300 per cent when they implemented these principles. In another example, a federal government organisation that was targeted to be closed down embraced these values and became a model facility. Walking the tightrope: Navigate the challenges So what sorts of leaders will be needed to effectively manage these paradoxes and lead the ambidextrous organisation? The leaders of the future will of course need to be highly flexible, able to navigate their way carefully between extremes to find the best balance for any particular time and situation. The latest management research shows that the most successful leaders are integrative thinkers — that is, they can hold two opposing ideas in their heads at once and come up with a new idea that contains elements of each but is superior to both. This is the process of consideration and constantly adjusting synthesis (rather than superior strategy or faultless execution). These leaders consider multidimensional, non-linear relationships. They resolve the tension between opposing ideas and generate new alternatives. The challenge of balancing paradoxes has been compared to an acrobat on a high wire. To remain on the wire — that is, to remain stable — the acrobat must rapidly move from one position of stability to another. On a high wire the concept of stability is actually constantly changing. Will you, like the creative genius, be able to recognise and synthesise apparent contradictions to create an ambidextrous organization and lead it to success? Gaia and Andrew Grant, founders and Directors of Tirian International, are innovation culture consultants and facilitators, post-graduate researchers and top-ranking keynote speakers who work with a range of organisations (including Fortune 500 companies and NFPs). Together they have authored The Innovation Race: How to change a culture to change the game (Wiley).	https://www.aim.com.au/blog/why-leaders-and-organisations-need-become-ambidextrous
It’s always a delight to hear a new release from Thumbscrew, the “supertrio” comprised of guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. In this case, there are two additional reasons for celebration. First, it’s a double release for the group, with Ours presenting nine pieces of the band’s own material, while Theirs is an idiosyncratic collection of covers; and second, the release represents the return of Cuneiform Records, a vital label for creative music that went on a brief hiatus for the first half of 2018 to retool for the future. Thumbscrew – Ours (Cuneiform, 2018) ** Much of the value in hearing these three musicians as a trio is that it puts the emphasis squarely on their identities as musicians rather than as composers. Lately all three have been utilizing larger ensembles as a vehicle to showcase their compositions: Halvorson’s septet and octet releases (2013’s Illusionary Sea and 2016’s Away With You, respectively) have demonstrated the multihued complexity of her role as a writer, and this year’s Code Girl is no different, as even her quintet on that record sounds like a much bigger band, with diverse textures and harmonic intricacies galore. Meanwhile, Fujiwara’s Triple Double, one of 2017’s highlights, was a similar effort to try out a wider range of instrumental voices and compositional strategies; and the name of Formanek’s own Ensemble Kolossus speaks for itself when it comes to the large-scale impact of his own ambitious vision. It’s nice, then, to be reminded of what these three exceptional musicians can do with a somewhat smaller canvas. Ours gets off to a thrilling start with “Snarling Joys,” a trademark Halvorson composition built around an insinuating melody that both Formanek and Halvorson toy with throughout the piece, while Fujiwara’s crisp snare work drives the track irresistibly. Halvorson is in superb form here, with precise, fast-paced lines and her characteristically oblique refractions. Fujiwara’s “Saturn Way” relies a bit more on indirection, with a less immediately obvious melody and more room for space and indeterminacy to emerge, especially with Formanek’s arco in dialogue with Halvorson’s abstract musings. Then Formanek’s “Cruel Heartless Bastards” takes things down a rock-inflected path, with some hard-hitting chords and a churning beat that pivots between different meters. It’s quite a burst of creativity for the first three cuts, and yet while each piece has a dramatically different character, they all possess the commonality that makes these songs immediately recognizable as Thumbscrew; the collective identity of the trio is always firmly in place. The rest of the album provides similarly interesting moments, whether on “Smoketree,” a charming folk-like melody that takes an ominous turn, or “Words that Rhyme with Spangle,” a relentless, free-ranging piece that somehow stays together despite its rhythmic and thematic complexity. What makes each of the tracks so riveting is the sense of surprise that enlivens each of them: the trio can and will turn on a dime to head off in a completely different, yet logically plausible, direction. Nowhere is this more evident than on Halvorson’s “Thumbprint,” where a loping, seemingly innocuous figure eventually opens into a semi-martial cadence under Fujiwara’s guidance, and Formanek’s nimble interjections take the energy to another level altogether, eventually blazing a trail into the unknown with rapid-fire phrases that spool out in dizzying intensity. With nine pieces filled with intrigue and complexity, and the trio’s near-telepathic rapport, Ours is perfect in giving these three ambitious musicians a chance to scale things down. The intimacy allowed by the trio format showcases the close connection they have forged in years of working together. Thumbscrew – Theirs (Cuneiform, 2018) *½ Perhaps it isn’t fair to evaluate Theirs alongside its companion album, as Ours is so strong that it sets an unrealistically high bar to clear, particularly since this isn’t a trio that has specialized in playing covers. But even so, it’s a tantalizing glimpse at how the Thumbscrew logic can be applied to an interesting mix of other material. With songs ranging from jazz staples (Brooks Bowman’s “East of the Sun,” Wayne Shorter’s “Dance Cadaverous”) to more unusual choices (Evelyn Danzig’s “Scarlet Ribbons,” Julio De Caro’s “Buen Amigo”), the trio proves that nothing’s off-limits. From the first few notes of Benny Golson’s “Stablemates,” the album’s opener, Halvorson’s heavily-processed guitar lets the listener know right away that this won’t be a repertory endeavor. There’s substantial creativity here, whether through Halvorson’s swerves, Formanek’s careful balancing of swing and freedom, or Fujiwara’s restless inventiveness. Yet when the trio performs “Benzinho,” Brazilian songwriter Jacob do Bandolim’s infectious choro tune, the group stays perhaps too true to the original to allow its idiosyncrasies to come fully to the fore. Sure, Halvorson’s solo is engaging, with all those Halvorsonian bent notes—there’s no mistaking who’s playing here. But Formanek and Fujiwara play it relatively straight, leaving one to wonder how things might go if they opened the piece to the kind of creative detours found in such abundance on Ours. The same goes for “Scarlet Ribbons”: the reverence the group displays for the tune is laudable, but there’s not quite enough “there” there to justify many repeated listenings. The running length of the tunes on Theirs also tends to be briefer, suggesting that the trio wasn’t always sure they wanted to release the shackles and take more chances. Meatier fare like Shorter’s “Dance Cadaverous,” on the other hand, are much more in the group’s wheelhouse, as Shorter’s own oblique vision dovetails much more compatibly with the trio’s own disposition. Here the sense of open-ended mystery possessed by the original is articulated enticingly, and it’s a powerful display of improvisatory prowess. Perhaps more unexpectedly, the same goes for “East of the Sun,” which has all the off-kilter craftiness we associate with these three musicians, with only the barest hint of the melody emerging fleetingly amidst a creative maelstrom. But those are the exception to the rule, as otherwise even strong material like Herbie Nichols’s “House Party Starting” tends to be governed by a relatively staid sensibility. And while the trio never mails it in—these are always engaged and focused treatments, with fine musicianship—one can be forgiven, perhaps, for wanting to hear a bit more of the group’s unique “stamp” on them. It’s worth emphasizing that while most readers of this blog will find Ours the more valuable of the two releases, both are worth having. Even Theirs, although it feels more like a tentative path than an arrived-at destination, points the way toward possibilities the group may pursue even more convincingly down the road in investigating classic repertoire with its hallmark cleverness and intrepid spirit of adventure.	https://www.freejazzblog.org/2018/07/two-from-thumbscrew.html
Shersten Johnson, University of St. Thomas Short exercises in writing music and style modeling are staples of music theory coursework. Examples include harmonizing a melody, realizing a figured bass or roman numerals, and species counterpoint exercises. While these are helpful in developing facility in manipulating musical materials, in my experience, the biggest leaps in learning come when students begin composing pieces. Students respond with enthusiasm to writing for each other and to playing each other’s compositions. They appreciate the multiplicity of options and the opportunity to express creativity while showcasing learned skills. Of course, most learners can’t just jump into composition without some scaffolding. Somewhere between isolated voice-leading drills and fully realized compositions lie a number of intermediate activities, including recomposition. Recomposing can provide an opportunity for low-stakes skill-building and reflective analysis. Recomposing-as-analysis can demonstrate musical intuitions, answering questions like, “what did I expect to hear next? and why?” or, stylistic questions like, “what would Mozart have done with this motive?” More than just a reimagining of a passage for creative purposes, recomposing-as-analysis directs attention to the original passage, sparking new understanding of relationships within the piece. It can take the form of rewriting small bits of music and can then be extended to larger passages, variations, or arrangements. Theorists often use this technique to demonstrate analytical observations (see, for example Matt BaileyShea’s 2007 essay in Music Theory Online, “Filleted Mignon: A New Recipe for Analysis and Recomposition”); however, in my experience theory classes make use of the approach only infrequently. The first time I encountered it in my own training was in graduate school when a professor asked us to dismantle a Mahler song and then re-order the fragments. Another example is Alan Gosman’s 2005 paper given at the Society for Music Theory meeting entitled “Music Scrambles and Tonal Form,” which presents unordered fragments of music that students can reorder to demonstrate formal principles. Some undergraduate texts, such as Robert Gauldin’s Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music, model recomposing as a way to understand implications and expectations, but few workbooks offer exercises that allow students to experiment with this tool. Recomposition and structured reflection offer many benefits over standard part-writing and analytical approaches. They encourage students to understand the aesthetic of the piece and the value of the composer’s choices, as well as the typical goals of analysis, such as understanding the structural and stylistic characteristics. This active-learning technique downplays the notion of a composer as an untouchable “master,” and instead encourages learners to think of themselves as capable and creative individuals. They relish the opportunity to make their own choices and explore possibilities without the pressure of a “right” answer. Analysis via recomposition is generative in that students start with small amounts of music and elaborate them in contrast to the more common process of reducing an existing musical foreground. This engaging, hands-on approach can be posed as a problem-based activity to encourage exploration, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The remainder of this essay will consider a recomposition assignment that combines web-based notation software with electronic journals to support group reflection and to partially flip content delivery. I will walk through the steps of the project using an excerpt from Mozart’s musical joke, the divertimento “Ein Musikalischer Spass,” K.522 (score and audio), in which comically bad compositional choices provide the impetus for recomposition. I will be following the “Explore-Flip-Apply” model of learning cycles that Kris Shaffer discusses in his article on “Inquiry-based Learning” in the first volume of Engaging Students. Shaffer’s article draws on the work of Ramsey Musallam outlined in “A Pedagogy-First Approach to the Flipped Classroom” and Donald Finkel in Teaching with Your Mouth Shut, as well as that of other scholars. In the project described below, the exploration phase will take place in the presence of the instructor and peers during a class session. This in-class session will be followed by at-home flipped content consisting of short, targeted screencasts and study guides delivered through a course management system. After students review the information, they will apply what they’ve learned in low-stakes recompositions followed by reflections on their own work and on that of their peers. This project is tailored for second-semester undergraduate theory students who will, by the end of the semester, compose a high-stakes work to be performed by classmates. Within the first third of the semester, they will have been exposed to two-phrase period structures, hypermetric disruptions like elisions and expansions, and will have written as a class a few model antecedent–consequent periods and now they are ready to take on the recomposition project. We begin by listening to the first movement of Mozart’s Spass in class without identifying the piece. After hearing the first movement, we listen again to the beginning, focusing on the first seven measures. As has become a class routine, we make a mental “M.A.P.” of the excerpt, tracking M(usical), A(ffective), and P(erformance) elements. When focusing on affective elements, students often observe, “it’s boring,” and “it doesn’t go anywhere.” Some will respond by saying that it feels like it is supposed to be grand but merely sounds trite. Eventually they point to the elision in m. 4 and we discuss other structures in music and language that similarly employ elision (e.g. “This is the Song that Never Ends” or the snicker-inducing “Hello Operator”). The discussion leads to the question, “if these measures are somehow frustrated in their purpose, how could we make them more effective? How could the passage be recomposed to be less trite?” At this point, some examples of other “Mozartian Loops” (as described by James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy in Elements of Sonata Theory) can be played for comparison and discussion (e.g. K. 279 or K. 172). In preparation for students’ individual recompositions, the class brainstorms a list of general musical elements that could be changed (harmony, rhythm, melody, number of measures, etc.) and they think about what elements will have to be kept. This last consideration requires a bit of discussion, as knowing how much material to keep and how much to change can be tricky at first. A spectrum of possibilities exists ranging from keeping almost everything the same to changing many parameters at once. We sketch out some extreme examples, one of which changes as little as possible (perhaps just reiterating m. 4) and another of which makes enough changes so as to disguise the connection to the original. Agreeing that their recompositions will fall somewhere in between those extremes, they develop criteria for assessing whether or not their work will have accomplished the desired outcome. These high-order tasks of evaluation and preliminary analysis are thus done in class with peers, so that students can later apply them at home more confidently. At the end of class, students sketch some ideas on their own while the music is still ringing in their ears and ideas are fresh. The at-home, flipped portion of this assignment provides two important pieces of information: 1) The first contains the technical details they need to know to perform the recomposition. A link leads them to a digital version of the original seven measures of Mozart’s Spass in a web-based program like Noteflight that they can then revise. The instructions will provide a brief tutorial on the notation software, and also anticipate other questions about notation that might arise. They direct students to post their recompositions as a link in their electronic journals and to write an account of their decision-making process. The instructions let them know that after a certain target date I will make their journals public, so classmates can review each other’s recompositions and comment on them. 2) A study guide provides a short historical background of the piece with a couple of translations of the title. Students reflect in their journals on how this information affects their thoughts about the original movement we heard in class. Students apply what they’ve discovered in the exploration and content-delivery phases of the project by recomposing the excerpt. The instructions offer no further explicit constraints, however students are asked to explicate their compositional decisions in their journals. Low-stakes grades are given for the journal entries based on good-faith efforts, and the grading rubric is open to almost any answer in either the recomposition or journal entry. As for the students’ recompositions themselves, most normalize the phrase structure to eight measures by inserting a measure between the original third and fourth measures. Many students design a half cadence in the new fourth measure. Other strategies include melodic and rhythmic variations and harmonic changes such as adding a predominant. Some will adjust the final cadence to end on the downbeat, or even recast the harmony to modulate to the dominant. Students are encouraged to build in musical interest and not just stop at normalizing the structure. Peer comments on journals help pave the way to an informed discussion in the next class period that can extend to related topics: Of course, there are challenges to this assignment. Students do not always complete their recompositions in time to participate in peer review. Since receiving comments from classmates is an important step, keeping the conversation going with a second round of comments––perhaps addressing even more detailed questions––can often catch those who need a longer time to process the assignment. Another challenge for learners is lack of familiarity with genre conventions, which is revealed far more readily with this type of assignment than with generic part-writing assignments. Practice with several models in class helps identify stylistic subtleties, as do out-of-class listening assignments. In her essay “On Standards and Assessment” in Volume One of Engaging Students, Anna Gawboy advocates for authentic assessments that replicate the real-life problems faced by musicians. Recomposition projects like this one act as authentic assessments in that they can open the door to more advanced composition and arranging activities. They address NASM’s “synthesis” competency requirement, by combining “aural, verbal, and visual analysis; composition/improvisation; and history and repertory.” As previously mentioned, this technique also offers students a more generative approach to analysis and takes on aesthetic considerations not well handled by conventional analysis. In addition to gaining understanding of the specific piece and forms being studied, this assignment further familiarizes students with notation software and a means of sharing pieces electronically. Most importantly, it fosters notions of composition as a collaborative and exploratory activity that could be useful in future situations that musicians encounter. This work is ©2014 Shersten Johnson and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.	http://flipcamp.org/engagingstudents2/essays/johnson.html
Art has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, as a wee one getting lost in the play of light, color, and shape as I roamed the fields and woods behind our home... and as I watched my mother find time, while raising eight children, to make art with us and cultivate her own creative process. She shared her love of art and gratitude for the beauty that surrounds, and wove it into the fabric of our upbringing. This connection with art and nature has been an integral part of my life, and continues to inspire me and make me grateful to be alive. Although I received formal training in art at Indiana University, I chose to get my degrees in Social Work. I was both delighted and challenged to discover a much broader world of art than I had yet experienced. It ignited my passion on a primal level to create, and that energy has continued to fuel me in the 32 years that have transpired since that time. I find my deepest learning stems from unending curiosity and a strong drive to continue experimenting and learning new techniques and art forms, and especially from connecting with the creative energy in others. I worked in the field of social work for 10 years, alongside children and the elderly, with a concentration in medical social work. Those last 5 years I had the privilege of being a hospice social worker, and witnessed time and time again the healing influence of nature and art. Working with people at such a tender and vulnerable time in their lives was a gift that taught me to slow down, be present, and truly appreciate each day. This thread of healing has been interwoven in my personal journey, as well, and has helped keep me connected to the goodness and beauty in life. No matter the darkness, I believe that art can soothe and heal. Much unfolding has transpired in the past 15 years, as I left social work to have our two boys and moved to the country to raise and homeschool them, sharing this love yet again. Being nestled between the hills and sky serves to ground me and makes me breathe more deeply, offering endless wonders to explore and express. In the past few years, as my boys have gained independence, I've been able to dedicate deeply yearned-for time dipping into the well of accumulated energy that has been waiting. Working with macro photography keeps me grounded in noticing the small details that can be overlooked when in the throes of daily life, and is a way of capturing fleeting moments of time, often rich with symbolism reflective of life's themes and cycles. My intention is that solace, hope, healing, and light are transmitted through these images to the viewer, awakening their own creative energy. Delving into encaustic art has been a thrilling exploration, full of discovery and innovation. “Encaustic” literally means to “burn in”, and refers to the process of heating the beeswax/ damar resin medium to the previous layer. Encaustic art has been made for over 4,000 years, dating back to the paintings on Egyptian mummies and the hulls of Viking ships, withstanding both the elements and the test of time. Working with this ancient challenging medium allows me to interact with natural elements on both a visual and tactile level. By meticulously building up multiple layers of beeswax, an inherent luminous quality is revealed. These layers provide the opportunity for additional color and surface relief to be carved into the strata, enriching and transforming the original photograph. These carefully constructed layers are akin to the many which protect our inner core. I believe at the center of each of us is a quality of basic goodness, and that this is as integral to us as it is to the encaustic piece, despite being covered by many layers which develop as we progress through life. It is this process of reimagining my photography by bringing out hidden imagery through layering of wax, cutting, carving, sculpting, coloring, and reconstructing that my work evolves into entirely new forms. This is much like the healing process, which is built out of laborious steps that require sustained patience, and whose end result becomes far stronger than my original preconception. Trusting the process in this way has become a good metaphor for practicing this concept in my life. I recently had a profound dream, whose words are now etched into my mind. They were uttered directly to me through a wise and gentle guide, and I listened intently as I barely held my body upright, exhausted from the effort of healing. He pointed to metal forms which contained clay that had been coiled in many intricate and deeply grooved patterns, as the foundation for print-making. The words were spoken slowly and with deliberation... These are the molds And the impressions are deep. But remember-- You can always take out the clay And being again And again And again... Transformation is possible in infinite ways! What validation that although our life experiences shape who we are, we are not bound by them-- we have the permission to change and become who we are meant and choose to be. This is a deep message that I hope is transmitted through the energy of my work, awakening and connecting to the healing and creative energy inside every human being...	http://www.michellehaydenfineart.com/about/
Earlier this week, we announced the Cisco Domain Ten framework 2.0, enhanced by great input from customers, partners, and Cisco’s well-earned experience of strategizing and executing IT transformation. The enhanced Cisco Domain Ten framework helps customers drive better strategic decisions, providing greater focus on business outcomes, providing deeper analysis of hybrid cloud implications, and extending the framework beyond data center and cloud to include all IT transformation initiatives. You may have read Stephen Speirs earlier blogs about Cisco Domain Ten for cloud transformation. Today, let’s look at key changes in the Cisco Domain Ten framework 2.0 from the original version. These changes have been adopted to enhance discussions on three themes: - Highlight importance of public clouds as part of IT transformation and solutions using IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS within the data center and across the entire business. - Addition of “Organization” in Domain 10 to bring together the business and technology focus for strategy discussions. - Name changes for some domains to facilitate ease of alignment and discussion on overall IT transformation across multiple architectures and technology solutions such as ITaaS, collaboration, mobility, video, etc. for both enterprise and provider perspectives. Let’s look at the changes side by side for each domain: \| \| Cisco Domain TenSM Framework \| \| Cisco Domain TenSM Framework v2 Domain 1: “Infrastructure and Environmentals” from original “Facilities and Infrastructure” - The three important elements in any infrastructure are the servers, the storage, and the network. Together these components come together to form the resource layer. - Part of transforming data centers includes planning for environmentals. Focus needs to be on sufficient facilities (space, cooling and power) for future growth as well as green data center environment for energy efficiencies. Domain 2: “Abstraction and Virtualization” – No changes from original version - On top of the resource layer is abstraction and virtualization. Virtualization allows us to share the resource pool. It allows logical abstraction of the physical resources to be shared among a number of applications that goes beyond servers to also include storage and network resources. IaaS – New– Not present in original version - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) highlights considerations related to acquiring IaaS clouds that can be provided by enterprise IT or 3rd party cloud providers. As one plans to acquire an on-premise or off-premise virtualized infrastructure (IaaS), one should consider appropriate impact to network, security, resiliency, processes, and more in the data center and across the entire business. Domain 3: “Automation and Orchestration” – No changes from original version - The automation and orchestration domain is based on management automation software that enables IT organizations to automate and orchestrate what goes on within the virtualization sitting on top of the standard infrastructure. Domain 4: “Customer Interface” from original “User Portal” - The customer interface is a web-based software interface that allows users to place requests for IT resources. Standardizing on an interface supports consistent ordering and delivery processes through automation and IT policy enforcement. It enables managed user empowerment because users can only order what their roles are authorized to order. Domain 5: “Service Catalog” from original “Service Catalog and Management” - The service catalog is a menu of services that users can order through the customer interface. The menu lets IT define and manage orderable IT services. IT can assign services to user roles so that the customer interface users only see the services they are authorized to see, and connect the services to the automated routines that must be orchestrated if that service is ordered. - From the provider perspective, one should also consider what should go to the menu of services. Such considerations require appropriate investigation on what is the market demand, what is offered by competitors, what is unique value offering, etc. Similarly, from the enterprise IT perspective, it’s important to consider inclusion of services from the private cloud as well as approved public cloud. Domain 6: “Financials” from original “Service Financial Management” - The next domain is financials. This software functionality allows IT to set up, track, and report usage-based billing. This tracking and billing capability is sometimes referred to as “charge back,” “show back,” or “billing and usage tracking.” - This financial reporting is important from both the enterprise IT and provider perspectives: when users can clearly see what they’re charged for, it’s easier for them to trust the provider, compare available options, understand service and value received, and appropriately plan for capital and operating expenses. Starting to Put a Private Cloud Together - The first six domains together provide the foundation for a true private cloud, and that is exactly what is being delivered—the infrastructure provided to an end user as a service, based on what that user ordered through the customer interface. - As an organization builds a private cloud and also acquires IaaS for purposes such as scaling of development and test, cloud burst, and using public clouds for disaster recovery of physical and virtual environments, it should be sure to consider an appropriate strategy and management of hybrid cloud workloads. Domain 7: Platform – No changes from original version - The platform domain highlights software elements such as the OS, middleware, or database on top of the cloud infrastructure. This domain covers cloud provisioning of those software elements through the customer interface such as “database as a service” offers from providers, as well as the provisioning of a database by enterprise DBA. It also includes platform considerations such as RISC to X86 migrations, as many provider-based cloud solutions run on X86 architecture. PaaS – New – Not present in original version - Platform as a Service (PaaS) highlights considerations related to acquiring PaaS clouds that can be provided by enterprise IT or 3rd party cloud providers. As one plans to acquire an on-premise or off-premise platform for developing and deploying applications, one should consider the available OS, suite of development tools, and application runtime requirements available in cloud. Domain 8: Applications – No changes from original version - The next domain – applications – is about running applications on the cloud. One should start with analysis of existing portfolio of applications such as applications running in Data Center and collaboration applications to identify applications that should run on cloud – private, hybrid or public. - Many existing applications were not developed to take advantage of cloud infrastructure, and as a result they will not run well in a cloud infrastructure without modification. This can lead to IT transformation goal of application portfolio consolidation as one standardizes on cloud-enabled applications. - Once applications are identified for cloud, one should also consider the impact of acquiring new cloud-enabled applications and migrating existing applications to cloud. That includes steps required for migrating data to new applications, migrating existing applications to cloud, development effort required for integrations with management systems and legacy platforms, and network performance necessary for an acceptable user experience. SaaS – New – Not present in original version - Software as a Service (SaaS) highlights considerations related to running applications from an off-premise and (usually) multi-tenant cloud provider. While SaaS provides ease of purchase, usage, and billing, it also presents challenges in IT governance and security. Instead of preventing SaaS applications from being used, IT needs to identify shadow IT applications (SaaS applications used outside of IT awareness and control), consolidate and control them for cost efficiencies and governance, and incorporate SaaS into their overall cloud strategy and security planning. Domain 9: Security and Compliance – No changes from original version - Security consistently tops CIO’s list of cloud concerns. The security domain highlights identification of security and compliance requirements, along with an assessment of current vulnerabilities and deviations from security best practices for multisite, multitenant physical and virtual environments for one’s IT transformation vision. - Security should be a major consideration in any IT transformation strategy. The architecture should be designed and developed with security for applications, network, mobile devices, data, and transactions across on-premise and off-premise solutions. Moreover, security considerations for people, process, tools, and compliance needs should be assessed by experts who understand how to incorporate security and compliance safeguards into complex IT transformation initiatives. Domain 10: “Organization, Governance and Process” from original “Process and Governance” - Organization, governance and process is a domain that affects all departments in the business beyond IT. It deals with how to strategize for transformation, understand any impact to existing processes, and make sure that IT and corporate governance adhere and enforce the way the cloud is used and managed. - Organizational design is critical to support IT transformation initiatives. Moreover, processes need to be fully automated to avoid lengthy manual steps, making it possible to realize the full time and cost savings potential. Finally, one needs to plan for new governance decisions, such as how much standardization is appropriate. Less standardization has a poorer business case but provides greater flexibility to the end user, while more standardization brings greater operational efficiency and lower cost per unit. So using the Cisco Domain Ten framework 2.0, we can establish the foundation of a true IT transformation and the factors you need to consider for success. Key is to identify, establish and track strategic, operational and technological outcomes for IT transformation initiates. Now remember, one IT transformation does not fit all. So, depending on what your needs are, you may be looking at IT transformation within data center building private IaaS, or going beyond data center using public SaaS, or just standardization of your application portfolio. Whatever your vision, the journey of getting there is important with a well-integrated environment. Now that you have a better sense of the Cisco Domain Ten framework 2.0 for accelerating IT transformation, stay tuned for my next blog on what questions one should consider to understand the impacts of IT transformation across all domains.	https://blogs.cisco.com/datacenter/whats-new-in-cisco-domain-ten-framework-2-0
Technology is often implemented as the answer to complex situations. It can centralize, standardize, and facilitate access to data, allowing us to derive insights that inform operational and strategic thinking. Unfortunately, all too often these implementations result in the replacement of one type of complexity with another. They just move challenges online or layer on automation without reducing complexity or providing additional insight. It is not necessary – nor is it a sustainable approach – to address complexity with more complexity. Instead, technology should simplify business complexity, increase understanding and make processes clear from start to finish for everyone involved. When the utmost visibility is required, such as with Public Sector solicitations, Procurement has an obligation to insist on simplicity and the information it confers. One sure-fire way to increase simplicity is by limiting the number of technologies that are implemented. This tips the advantage to platform technologies, especially those that balance the rapid deployment of best practices with the flexibility to enable additional scope or functionality over time. Having to choose between quick results and sustained results shouldn’t be the only option. Step 1: Deploy By the time a need is realized, conditions may demand a solution that can be qualified and rolled out quickly to address an immediate set of problems. If detailed configuration is required before any improvement can be achieved, the time and cost to implement a technology may serve as its own barrier to ROI. If, on the other hand, rules-driven governance and usage based on relevant past experience is available, quick value is still a possibility. The early benefits of a rapid deployment often come from achieving a unified data model. This allows organizations to obtain a line of sight into each step in their procurement value chain. By leveraging information from one source, regardless of what they are trying to accomplish, using data from multiple stove-piped sources prevents critical strategic insights gained from a more holistic view of the procurement process. Moreover, the operations and maintenance around disparate system upgrades can be quite costly. Step 2: Improve Once short-term needs have been addressed, bigger picture goals come within reach. It is entirely possible to pursue best in class performance before all spend is brought under management. Unfortunately, solutions are often based on a fixed set of requirements and lack the vision and adaptability to provide additional value for users and suppliers after the initial implementation. In this scenario, today’s solutions become tomorrow’s problems. Change has to be allowed to take place over time, organically and in waves, to address mandated requirements and organizational innovation goals. An all-or-nothing approach will not suffice. The ability to configure and re-configure a procurement platform allows the team to scale up and down as objectives and priorities change, as new regulations take effect and as previously unforeseen roadblocks emerge. Step 3: Expand Complexity-driven projects usually start with an internal-only focus, but there is significant value associated with incorporating external information. This is especially true (and easier to achieve) when a platform allows Procurement to serve as a one-stop shop or single source of truth for all matters involving spend, contracts and suppliers. Comprehensive reporting facilitates better decision making, which requires the seamless combination of internal and external data sources. Taking new inputs into account, however, often requires additional adjustments and flexibility in both workflow and data integration capability. If a platform is unable to accommodate these requirements, the opportunity for increased efficiency, cost reduction and innovation may pass by unrealized. The advancement of an organization’s Procurement capability is a multi-stage process. First the technology should facilitate growth from chaos to order, and then it must allow the organization to adapt as their scope and objectives expand. Today’s solutions can quickly become tomorrow’s roadblocks or problems if the technology in place does not have the desired flexibility and range. Deploying best practice rapid value producing functionality without being constricted by rigid workflow/business processes is paramount for entities who want to innovate and partner collaboratively with suppliers through best-in-class technology.	https://www.ivalua.com/blog/deploy-improve-expand-cutting-through-the-complexity-in-3-steps/
Calculating Average Employee Tenure in Excel In this article, we will calculate a common HR KPI – Average Employee Tenure, using simple formulas in Excel. Data Let’s assume the dataset has a list of employees with a Status column to indicate Active vs Inactive employees. The table is converted to an Excel Table with name T_EMP Definition Tenure is the time from Employee’s Start date to Today. Average Employee Tenure is the average of all active employees in a company. A longer average employee tenure indicates that employees are staying with the company for a long period of time which in turn means employees are happy and satisfied with the company. Video Demo Calculate tenure for each employee Let’s first calculate tenure for each employee. Since we want to do this calculation for each employee, we should store the today’s date value once and re-use, instead of calculating TODAY for each employee. Formula for calculating today’s date. Formula I am calling that calculated cell as TODAY (you can name it as you wish). We can now write a formula for a new column ‘TENURE (YRS)’ in the table. Formula There are three operations we do in this formula - We use a function DATEDIF (which does not actually appear in newer versions of Excel – however if you type the function name and parameters, it works) to calculate the number of months from Start date to TODAY. The parameter “m” tells Excel to calculate the number of months. - I am first calculating the number of months and then divide by 12 to arrive at number of years including fractional year. - I then round to 1 digit using ROUND function to show tenure like “7.6 years”. Now the table should look like below. Now, let’s calculate the average tenure for all active employees. Formula There are two parts to this formula. - We use the AVERAGEIF function to only average the Tenure (Yrs) column if the Status is Active. - Then we round to 1 digit decimal place using ROUND function. Bonus As a bonus, to make the display show number of months, we could add another formula Formula G3 here represents the Average tenure in Years we calculated earlier. In the above example, we can see that the second display shows 8 Years 8 Months. Functions used: DATEDIF, INT, ROUND, AVERAGEIF, TODAY Conclusion I hope this was useful. In your company, how do you calculate the average employee tenure? I would love to hear from you in the comments section.	https://indzara.com/2021/09/hr-kpi-avg-employee-tenure/
For today’s widget we will be using Vue.js, and for some specific animations we’ll use the TweenMax. For this component I’ll start by making a single card. It will be divided in two parts: the image and the footer with the text elements. Also for each element I’ll set a specific class so we can style it later. At this point we should only have a big image and some text below. Before doing anything else we need to make the card look like the reference in order to handle any needed animation. First I’ll match the body background color, then int the card-row I’ll make use of flex, the justify-content property and align-items to center the content, in this case the cards. Now let’s style the card. The position will be set to relative to be able to position the footer element and stick it to the bottom. Also we set the overflow property to hidden to be able to resize the background image without it getting outside the card. For the image I set the position to absoulte and the left and right properties to -9999px, that trick should center the image horizontally even when we animate it’s width. Last but not least, we need to style the footer and it’s contents. For that position: absolute and bottom:0 should keep the container at the bottom. The rest are just rules to make the elements look a little bit like the reference. For the next steps we will need more than a single card, so let’s declare the data for at least three cards. You might have noticed that I binded a couple of events @mouseover and mouseout. Both are triggering a method called hoverCard that we have not declared yet, so let’s do that. We will make use of that selectedCard property and also the isSelected method to set a class to the elements we are going to animate, but first let’s add some simple CSS transitions for the whole card. By adding the transition line in the .card we are indicating that the height and box-shadow should be animated, then when the card is hovered, its height will increase along with the shadow to make it look like it is getting closer to us. Now we’ll use the isSelected method to set the .selected card to the image. I’m not using :hover in this case, because the user can be hovering the text and we still want the image animation to run, not only when the image is hovered. The image will change it’s size when hovered and we only need to set the height because the width will automatically adjust to keep the aspect ratio. We are almost there, but there’s still something missing. In the reference, when the card is hovered the other cards move away from it, like a repelling effect. That effect can’t easily be done with just CSS, we will need to do the animation by calculating where each card should move and then animate it with TweenMax. I’ll create a new method called animateCards that will be triggered when the selectedCard changes. Then for each of the cards we need to know in which direction should they move. – First when no card is selected everything should stay the same direction = 0. – When a card is before the selected card it should move to the left direction = -1. – If the card is after the selected card it must move to the right direction = 1. – Finally if the card is the selected one, it should not move direction = 0. After calculating the direction, with the help of this.$refs we can select each card and make TweenMax change it’s position.	http://ederdiaz.com/blog/2018/06/19/cards-hover-animation-wotw/
It's easy at first, but it can get complicated If you have an Excel sheet with a lot of dates, chances are you will eventually need to calculate the differences between some of those dates. Maybe you want to see how many months it took you to pay off your debt or how many days it took you to lose a certain amount of weight? Calculating the difference between dates in Excel is easy, but can become complicated depending on how you want to calculate certain values. For example, if you wanted to know the number of months between 2/5/2016 and 1/15/2016, should the answer be 0 or 1? Some people might say 0 since it’s not a full month between the dates and others might say 1 because it’s a different month. In this article, I’ll show you how to calculate the differences between two dates to find the number of days, months and years with different formulas, depending on your preferences. Days Between Two Dates The simplest calculation we can do is to get the number of days between two dates. The good thing about calculating days is that there really is only one way to calculate the value, so you don’t have to worry about different formulas giving you different answers. In my example above, I have two dates stored in cells A2 and A3. At the right, you can see the difference between those two dates is 802 days. In Excel, there are always multiple ways to calculate the same value and that’s what I did here. Let’s take a look at the formulas: The first formula is just a simple subtraction of the two dates, A3 – A2. Excel knows it’s a date and simply calculates the number of days between those two dates. Easy and very straight-forward. In addition, you can also use the DAYS function. =DAYS(A3, A2) This function takes two arguments: the end date and the start date. If you switch the dates in the formula, you’ll just get a negative number. Lastly, you can use a function called DATEDIF, which is included in Excel from Lotus 1-2-3 days, but isn’t an officially supported formula in Excel. =DATEDIF(A2, A3, "D") When you type the formula, you’ll see that Excel does not give you any suggestions for the fields, etc. Luckily, you can see the syntax and all supported arguments for the DATEDIF function here. As an added bonus, what if you wanted to calculate the number of weekdays between two dates? That’s easy enough also because we have a built-in formula: =NETWORKDAYS(startDate,endDate) Calculating the number of days and weekdays is simple enough, so let’s talk about months now. Months Between Two Dates The trickiest calculation is the number of months because of how you can either round up or round down depending on whether it’s a complete month or a partial month. Now there is a MONTHS function in Excel, but it’s very limited because it will only look at the month when calculating the difference and not the year. This means it’s only useful for calculating the difference between two months in the same year. Since that is kind of pointless, let’s look at some formulas that will get us the correct answer. Microsoft has provided these here, but if you are too lazy to visit the link, I have provided them below also. Round Up - =(YEAR(LDate)-YEAR(EDate))12+MONTH(LDate)-MONTH(EDate) Round Down - =IF(DAY(LDate)>=DAY(EDate),0,-1)+(YEAR(LDate)-YEAR(EDate)) 12+MONTH(LDate)-MONTH(EDate) Now these are two fairly long and complicated formulas and you really don’t need to understand what’s going on. Here are the formulas in Excel: Note the you should edit the round down formula in the actual cell itself because for some odd reason the entire formula does not show up in the formula bar. In order to see the formula in the cell itself, click on the Formulas tab and then click Show Formulas. So what’s the final result of the two formulas on our current example? Let’s see below: Round up gives me 27 months and round down gives me 26 months, which is accurate, depending on how you want to look at it. Lastly, you can also use the DATEDIF function, but it only calculates full months, so in our case the answer it returns is 26. =DATEDIF(A2, A3, "M") Years Between Two Dates As with months, years can also be calculated depending on whether you want to count 1 year as a full 365 days or if a change in the year counts. So let’s take our example where I have used two different formulas for calculating the number of years: One formula uses DATEDIF and the other uses the YEAR function. Since the difference in the number of days is only 802, DATEDIF shows 2 years whereas the YEAR function shows 3 years. Again, this is a matter of preference and depends on what exactly you are trying to calculate. It’s a good idea to know both methods so that you can attack different problems with different formulas. As long as you are careful with which formulas you use, it’s fairly easy to calculate exactly what you are looking for. There are also a lot more date functions outside of the ones I mentioned, so feel free to check those out also on the Office Support site. If you have any questions, feel free to comment. Enjoy!	https://www.online-tech-tips.com/ms-office-tips/subtract-dates-in-excel/
Central New York taxpayers — like those across the state — have heard all about the 2 percent property tax cap. Many may think that it will finally hold down their largest property tax bill: schools. Don’t start counting or spending those dollars yet — the 2 percent cap isn’t really a 2 percent cap on how much you pay. The tax cap law was written in such a way that districts — or any other local government — can legally raise property taxes more than 2 percent. For example, Jamesville-DeWitt could legally propose a tax levy increase of 3.88 percent and still be within its cap. For other districts, the legal tax cap could be even higher. The state law — which went into effect in June 2011 — allows officials to leave out certain costs from the cap: a portion of the pension costs, capital expenditures and court awards from personal liability cases. "Why everyone is calling it a 2 percent cap is beyond me, because it's not," said Rick Timbs, executive director of the Statewide School Finance Consortium, a group of nearly 360 districts that want the state to change the way aid is distributed. "And that misperception makes it challenging for districts." The exemptions The state law passed in June 2011 that established property tax caps for New York state school districts and municipalities allows the following exemptions that can be added onto your levy limit: The local share of any capital levy amount for next year. Cost of any court awards from personal liability cases. Portion of the district’s pension costs if they increase more than 2 percentage points. Source: Statewide School Finance Consortium By Thursday districts must report to the state what their tax levy cap will be — based on a formula established by the state. This will be the amount the district could raise the tax levy, although some Central New York districts may not propose tax increases that large when they give the budgets to voters on May 15. The tax cap law also only limits the tax levy, which is the total amount of property taxes collected. Even if a district limits its tax levy increase to 2 percent, a property owner’s school tax bill could show a tax increase that is larger or smaller than 2 percent. That’s because the bill is determined by the tax rate, which isn’t limited by the tax cap law. And finally, the state law allows a district to ask voters for permission to override the tax levy cap to collect more taxes. The district would need to notify the state and get 60 percent of the voters to agree. (Schools are different than town, village or other districts; those elected officials can vote for an override with no public vote needed.) Tully Superintendent Kraig Pritts said he doesn’t think the tax levy cap will help districts. “We face the same mandates and rising costs in retirement and health insurance,” Pritts said. “We’re all taking steps to cut costs, and it just means we have to use our reserves. And when that’s gone, what’s next?” Gov. Andrew Cuomo defended the cap when he was in Syracuse earlier this month. It is getting people to question and hold officials accountable for raising property taxes, he said. “There’s a whole dynamic to it that’s positive, and it gets people engaged,” he said. “Also, it’s had a phenomenal effect in curbing the amount of (property tax) increases across the state. You just can’t keep increasing taxes the way they have been like you’re on automatic pilot.” The formula It’s about as simple as an IRS tax worksheet, but here is the formula for calculating a school district’s cap: 1. Start with the prior year’s tax levy. 2. Multiply it by the tax base growth factor. (This is a number, provided by the Department of Taxation and Finance, that represents new brick and mortar construction that adds value to the tax base. For example, a new housing development would increase the number.) 3. Add any payments in lieu of taxes received during the prior year. 4. Subtract the taxes levied for exemptions during prior year for contributions to retirement plans. 5. The number left is the adjusted prior year tax levy. 6. Multiply the allowable levy growth factor. 7. Subtract (PILOTs) receivable in the coming year. 8. The number left is the tax levy limit. Glossary Tax levy: The total amount of money collected through property taxes. This is what’s capped by state law. Tax rate: Usually expressed in dollars per $1,000 of the value of a property. Districts calculate this number by dividing the tax levy by the total value of property. Put another way: (Tax Levy ÷ Assessed Value) x 1,000 = Tax Rate. Why is my tax increase different? A district may decide to raise its tax levy 3 percent, but that doesn’t mean your tax bill will go up 3 percent. It could go up the same, more or less. Why? What you pay in property taxes is determined by the value of your property and the tax rate. That change in what you pay is often different than the tax levy increase because of a number of factors, including your property’s assessed value, the town’s equalization rate and the value of property within the town along with its share of the district’s tax levy. Central New York school district officials, who are figuring out their budgets for 2012-13, are worried that people think their taxes will not go up more than 2 percent. They worry if they propose a higher tax levy increase voters will get annoyed and vote the budget down, said Timbs, of the school finance consortium. “People may start saying it’s all a gimmick, and that’s where the rub comes in,” Timbs said. “The exemptions are confusing, but the law allows for them. They’re there for a purpose, just like the tax deductions on your income tax.” Timbs advises districts to be as open as possible about the budget development process, and explain the tax levy limit is a threshold, or the highest allowable tax levy increase including the exemptions. Fayetteville-Manlius Superintendent Corliss Kaiser said the district has already begun trying to educate taxpayers. “The tax levy limit is very difficult to understand, and we’ve gone to a number of meetings so we understand it,” she said. “Helping the community understand is going to be very hard.” Fayetteville-Manlius calculated it would be allowed to raise its tax levy up to 2.65 percent when it includes the exemptions for capital and retirement costs. However, its administrators don’t want to do that; they are proposing a 1.95 percent tax levy increase in its preliminary budget. Tully’s Pritts said his district is trying to get the word out, and has already had community meetings. Taking into account exemptions, Tully estimates it would be allowed to increase the tax levy 2.6 percent. “We worry that it’s confusing to residents, and they’ll think we’re not being honest,” Pritts said. The exemptions are going to create the most angst, and some districts may choose to absorb them rather than increase the tax levy because they don’t want a backlash from residents. “If they don’t use the exemption, they’ll probably be forced to make more cuts,” Pritts said. Kaiser agreed. “I think you’ll see most districts try to stay within their tax levy limit because people might not understand the exemptions,” she said. Getting voters to pass a budget is even more critical this year because in the past defeated school budgets could be replaced by contingency budgets that raised taxes. Under the new tax cap law, a contingency budget cannot result in a tax levy increase. Throughout the state, districts are trying to get out there and explain the formula again and again, because each time you might reach a different group of people, said Barbara Bradley, a spokeswoman for the New York State School Boards Association. “It’s going to hurt school districts because they feel they have to stay within the 2 percent cap, so they’ll try to keep their budgets in range,” she said. “If they go above and then have to explain the exemptions, people might not hear that and then they’ll vote it down.” Elizabeth Doran can be reached at [email protected] or 470-3012.	https://www.syracuse.com/news/2012/02/why_new_yorks_2_percent_proper.html
Hi @akprasa1 , Please find the below screenshot. Thanks, Naushad Hi All, Model Calendar is set to Calendar/Months/Years in the model i am working with. i will not be able to format the line items as time period - Week Hi @akprasa1 , Goto Blue Print view and scroll down to the right and click on Format Column then you will able to see Time Period. Hi Naushad, Looks like you did not get what i meant by my model calendar is set to Calendar/Months/Year. I will not be able to select Week as a option. In that case you will not be able to select Weeks and Anaplan too will not be able to show you Weekly Output of a date. You will have to create a mapping module which can define the relationship between the dates and the weeks and use that mapping module for your reporting purposes. Hi @akprasa1 Given you model calendar restraints I would recommend using the following approach; Create a 'Time Properties - Year' module containing only time dimension set to Year. Add a single line item called, 'Start Date.' Type the following formula - START() This will populate the line item with the date of the first day of each calendar year. Create a 'Time Properties - Day' module containing only time dimension but this time set to Day. Add the following line items; 1. Date, format date, formula START() 1. WeekDay, format number, formula WEEKDAY(Date, 1) The '1' indicates the start of the week, Mon =1, Tue=2 etc 2. NewWeek, format number, formula IF WeekDay = 1 OR NewYear THEN 1 ELSE 0 3. NewYear, format boolean, formula Date = YEARVALUE('Time Properties - Year'.Start Date) 4. WeekNumber, format number, formula CUMULATE(New Week, NewYear) Set all summary options to none. The resulting table can be used to LOOKUP the week number for any given date within the model calendar depending on which day of the week each week starts. Adjust the WEEKDAY function to change this. I have attached some screenshots to help you see what I have suggested. Good luck, Chris Nice one! But two things here 1. Your 53rd week ends with just 2 days. 2. When the model set up is at months, wouldn't it make much more sense to map the modules manually (one time set up) instead of letting Anaplan do the work for fake timescale . (There has to be a fake time scale somewhere if anything needs to be reported at week level) Would love to hear your thoughts Hi @akprasa1 I have seen couple of solutions posted on this thread. I gave this a try, let me know if this is useful. Things to consider: Because the timescale in your model is at a monthly level, you can't specify when the week starts - on a Sunday/ Monday etc. In this case, I have assumed that the week starts on a Sunday. This can be changed based on your need. The Structure: You need 2 modules to identify the week number - one is a setup/ settings module, the other one is the core calc module. Module - Year Start Calc: Purpose of the module is to identify the start of the year based on the timescale. Current model timescale is from 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020 at a monthly level. Now, 1 Jan 2020 is a Wednesday. Idea is to find the start of the week using the number of days in a week. Below is the structure and calc of this module: You can club the 3 formulas in one if you wish to. I broke it down to show the flow of calc. Module - Week Number Calculation: Purpose of this module is to calculate the week number based on a date input. The first line item is for the input and rest 3 line items calculate the week number as desired. I have tested with the dates in year 2020 and found it to be matching - let me know if you see any discrepancies. This should scale if you increase the timescale to more years as it uses a lookup of year rather than a static input. Let me know if this helps.	https://community.anaplan.com/t5/Anaplan-Platform/how-to-calculate-WEEKNUMBER-of-a-particular-date-in-a-year/td-p/65305/highlight/true/page/2?attachment-id=2364
How Do You Accurately Measure and Calculate RPA ROI There are a variety of ROI formulas and approaches for RPA, however not all of them produce comparable results. find the most effective formulas. RPA or robotic process automation can be a great investment for your business. Since it automates repetitive tasks, you can focus on more important areas of your business. So, it sounds good in theory. But what do the numbers say? What Is the Formula for ROI? ROI is the net present value of future cash flows relative to the cost of the investment. So, when calculating ROI, you must first identify the costs and benefits over time and then discount the returns to the present. Essentially, you compare your investment cost to the returns you get and then look at what those returns would earn if you invested those funds elsewhere. What Is the ROI for RPA? When it comes to rpa Software, there are all kinds of ROI formulas and methods, but these don't all give you comparable results. Most of the formulas you will find include: Formula #1: ROI = Net Benefit ÷ Total Cost Formula #2: Net Benefit = Total Benefit - Total Cost Formula #3: ROI = Benefit/Cost To be clear, all of these formulas are similar, but they yield different results, making it difficult to compare. If you want a thorough analysis of your RPA investment, you must choose a formula that measures the cost and benefits from budgetary and financial perspectives, as well as a human capital perspective. ROI for RPA: How to Calculate Formula 1 The total cost of hardware is the capital expenditures (CAPEX) you'll need to pay now. The hardware cost of an RPA solution will depend on the size of your company and your RPA solution. If you use a cloud-based RPA solution, you need to count the costs of your internal data center, as well as any IT support or consulting fees. And if you're planning to use RPA as a recurring solution, you should also include the cost of service. To calculate your ROI for RPA, add up the costs of your hardware and any other costs you incur, like training, and then add up the benefits you get from your RPA investment. The formula is: (Time savings + Increased employee focus + Decrease in manual errors + Decrease in errors that cause process delays) ÷ Cost of hardware and other costs So, for example, let's say your RPA solution costs $5,000, and you estimate your time savings will be $500,000 over the next three years. Your ROI would be: ($500,000 in time saved + $500,000 of increased employee focus + $500,000 in mistake reduction) ÷ ($5,000 for hardware + $0 for training + $0 for other expenses) Formula 2 This formula gives you an overall financial perspective on your RPA project. To calculate it, use the following formula: (Total Benefit - Total Cost) ÷ Total Cost This formula will give you the overall financial position of your rpa project, including the profit or loss. If your RPA project generates a net profit, you can use this formula to calculate the RPA ROI. Formula 3 To calculate your ROI for RPA from a human capital perspective, you'll want to look at how your rpa software impacts your employees' performance. You can measure the benefits of RPA by comparing: The increase in focus employees has when performing tasks due to process automation. The number of time employees spends on a task or project. The number of time employees spends on management, administration, or other tasks. To calculate ROI from a human capital perspective, the formula is: (Increase in employee focus + Increase in time saved + Decrease in time wasted on management and administration) ÷ Cost of hardware and other costs Let's say you have ten employees, and each employee costs your company $100,000. In order to calculate the ROI of RPA for your organization, you must divide your ROI by the number of employees. So, if you calculate that your ROI is $100,000 and your investment is $5,000, your company would see an ROI of 20 percent. Why Is It Important to Know Your ROI? ROI is a key tool for measuring success and making strategic decisions. When you know your ROI, you can compare similar investments in the future. In addition, knowing your ROI can help you prioritize projects. For example, if you are considering implementing RPA, you can use your ROI data to assess whether this project will be a good investment. Final Thoughts RPA can help your business cut costs, increase your bottom line, and help your employees focus on more important areas of your business. It's a great investment, but only if you implement it well. You need to measure your ROI accurately and consistently. Invest in Robotic Process Automation software from BotPath to help make your business more efficient. Botpath is enhanced Robotic Process Automation (RPA) powered by AI, Simplified with templates, and allows you to store recordings of your process. Sign up now! Why Botpath?	https://botpath.com/calculate-rpa-roi
Work in human resources and use power bi? Rolling 12 month turnover trend chart. Power Bi Employee Turnover Rate Template – Finance Bi How to calculate attrition rate in power bi. How to calculate attrition rate in power bi. Great uses of calculate in power bi. Another term for this is attrition analysis because we want to see how our customer are churning, how many of our customers are coming on board and buying our products, how many are coming back and buying some more, how many customers we are losing, and so forth. Firstly, determine the number of employees in the subject organization at the start of the given period. The monthly attrition rate can be calculated with the equation (/) ∗ = ∗ = the attrition rate for april, 2015 was 13.11 percent. Filter ( all ( ‘year’ ); To calculate attrition rate, choose a span of time that you want to examine, like a month, quarter, or year. A common attrition rate definition refers to employee or staff turnover, but in a broader sense, attrition rate is a calculation of the number of individuals or items that vacate or move out of a larger, collective group over a specified time frame. However, while the period is one year, it doesn’t mean that attrition rate is a metric that should be tracked only once a year. [retention rate] ) * calculate ( sum ( factcustomers[new customers] ); ‘year'[year] = earlier ( ‘year'[year] ) ) )) this formula gives us (for every year) the total number of retained customers from previous year. How to calculate the attrition rate. Employee turnover rate in power bi. Employee turnover rate = var averageemployeesrolling12months = ([employee count]+[employee count 12 months before])/2 return [employees who left past 12 months]/ averageemployeesrolling12months Calculate is one of the most versatile functions in power bi. Now one of the requirement is to show the turnover data in line chart as 12 month rolling as trend. When you begin using anything from simple filters, time intelligence functions, or even advanced formulas, often the calculate formulas are leveraged to produce the desired outcome. Attrition rate (%) = total# of termination / ave# of employees * 100. The follow formula can be used to calculate the attrition of a business. The monthly attrition rate can be calculated with the equation (/) ∗. Akriti lal is a data analytics and data visualization maven with a decade of experience in different industry verticals.she has worked extensively on data analytics & data visualization using tools like tableau , microsoft power bi , python , microsoft sql server , qlik sense , microsoft power pivot , power excel & looker. Help calculating attrition % in power bi i am attempting to calculate attrition % which utilized the following formula: The monthly attrition rate can be calculated with the equation (/) = = the attrition rate for april, 2015 was 13.11 percent. Attrition rate = 20 / 310; By default, power bi desktop will create a basic calendar hierarchy for you: And below is my dataset: Simple add a table onto the reporting canvas and select the columns employeekey and enddate. Therefore, the firm’s attrition rate for the year 2018 was 6.5%. An attrition rate can help companies identify areas to improve to maintain productive employees and increase their customer base. The formula that i have to use is: I have developed headcount and attrition report based on monthly transaction record.find the attached sample report. So, for a company that began a year with 6,500 employees and ended the year with 6,380 employees, the calculation for average employees would be (6,500+6,380) / 2 = 6,440. So in my database there is operation_code table which contains a sens column this column indicates if this operation is either input or output and. All you need to do is open this template with power bi and connect it with employee information to see insights as seen in the first screenshot above. In this month, 20 people left, and the average number of employees was 152.5. In power bi / modeling tab / new table icon, you can create a custom date table using this expression: The number of customers who have already purchased something in the past, and are returning in. We’ll start with the easiest option, where there is no dax required at all. These graphs have been created using the standard attrition rate formula and displays attrition rate by years. Instead, according to dougie cameron. So if we have three comparisons that return true/false/true, then that's 1/0/1. Separations (in given time period)/average headcount (in given time period) * 100=attrition % Attrition is also known as employee turnover. Let’s use calculate to filter a column in a table. The model is now finished and we can start analyzing the employee attrition. This example walks thru techniques for creating interactive employee turnover / attrition / recruitment reporting u. Next calculate the monthly attrition rate. Ave# of employees = beginning headcount + ending headcount / 2. The formula for the attrition rate can be computed by using the following steps: Lastly, we calculate the employee turnover rate and divide the employees who left by the average number of employees.	https://freehealth.io/how-to-calculate-attrition-rate-in-power-bi
Compound interest, also known as compounded interest, is interest that's calculated both on the initial principal of a deposit or loan, and on all previously accumulated interest. For example, let's say $100 represents the principal of a loan, which carries a compounded interest rate of 10%. After one year you have $100 in principal and $10 in interest, for a total base of $110. In year two, the interest rate (10%) is applied to the principal ($100, resulting in $10 of interest) and the accumulated interest ($10, resulting in $1 of interest), for a total of $11 in interest gained that year. The second year's increase is $11, instead of $10, because the interest is compounding – that is, it's being applied to a larger base ($110 compared to $100, our starting point). Each year, the base increases by 10%: $110 after the first year, then $121 after the second year. It's similar to the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). For CAGR, you are computing a rate which links the return over a number of periods. For compound interest, you most likely know the rate already; you are just calculating what the future value of the return might be. This formula looks more complex than it really is, because of the requirement to express it in annual terms. Keep in mind, if it's an annual rate, then the number of compounding periods per year is one, which means you're dividing the interest rate by one and multiplying the years by one. If compounding occurs quarterly, you would divide the rate by four, and multiply the years by four. Financial modeling best practices require calculations to be transparent and easily auditable. The trouble with piling all of the calculations into a single formula is that you can't easily see what numbers go where, or what numbers are user inputs or hard-coded. There are two ways to set this up in Excel. The most easy to audit and understand is to have all the data in one table, then break out the calculations line by line. Conversely, you could calculate the whole equation in one cell to arrive at just the final value figure. We recommend the first approach, but both are detailed below. In the example below, you can input the data in yellow, and choose the compounding period. What is the formula for calculating compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in Excel?	https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/051115/how-can-i-calculate-compounding-interest-loan-excel.asp
COGS is one of the important components in determining the success of a business. Maybe you have often heard this term in the world of finance, especially in the field of accounting. COGS calculation is very important you do so that your business can achieve maximum profits and know the right moment to increase the price of the product you provide. With Manufacturing Software you can optimize material management and production cost budgets. The system will also ensure that you can adjust production activities based on demand, supply chain fluctuations, and production capacity. Table of Contents To find out the understanding of COGS in more depth, here we present an article that will discuss the main things about COGS. What is COGS? COGS is the cost of expenditure during the production process of goods or services, both direct and indirect expenses. This calculation is useful so that the products sold to generate profits for the company. COGS or Cost of Goods Sold is also a basic cost that is mandatory for companies to take into account when producing goods and services. Some of the components included in the cost of goods sold are overhead costs, raw materials, etc. In addition, calculating the value of this base price is fairly easy, but still must be thorough so that there are no uncounted costs and result in losses. Companies that are able to determine and calculate the price of this staple will be able to get the appropriate target market and the product is easier for the public to accept. In addition, the company will avoid losses due to price selection errors on each product that will be sold. Components in COGS Before you do the calculation of the cost of goods sold, you need to know what components are in the cost of goods sold. There are three important components to calculating COGS, including: 1. Inventory at the beginning This component is a supply of trade goods available at the beginning of the accounting bookkeeping period that will run. Therefore, the company should always pay attention to the amount of availability of existing goods, such as the availability of stock and materials that you will use in the production process. The use of inventory software can optimize inventory levels, including raw materials. This software can also prevent stockpiling of goods in warehouses by ensuring old products are sold first. The calculation of stock inventory is very important so that your company can avoid the unavailability of the stock of goods. Of course, if there is a vacancy in the stock of goods, it can cause scarcity of production and can cause losses. 2. Net purchase This component is the total purchase of trade goods that the company makes by debit or credit. This net purchase aims to maintain the availability of stock so that it is in a safe condition. In addition, in the calculation of net purchases, you have to calculate the number of transportation costs during the production process of goods. After that, you also have to record the price in accordance with discounts and discounts and record the return of the product you have purchased. Of course, this will reduce the total of your net purchase calculation. With Procurement software, you can get the best price from all vendors. So that this can increase the efficiency of procurement of goods. 3. Inventory at the end The value of this component can be known after calculating the adjustment data at the end of the accounting period. This final inventory usually contains the amount of stock of trade goods that are still left at the end of the period. In general, not all trade goods that exist at the beginning of the period do not enter the production process. This is done so that the rest of the production can be used by the company in the next process. The rest of the merchandise is commonly known as the final supply of trade goods. How to Calculate COGS in Business You already know the components that are in the calculation of the cost of goods sold. Next, you need to know how to calculate COGS in order to get maximum profit and avoid losses. Here are some steps you need to pay attention to in calculating the cost of goods sold in your company: 1. Calculation of net income You need to know some elements in a net sale before doing the calculations. These elements, namely: - Purchase return - Gross profit - Discounts In this case, transportation costs are not included in the net sale as they are common expenses. The calculation is using the following formula: Net income = sales – (return of goods + discount) 2. Calculation of net purchase There are several elements included in the net purchase, such as: - Gross profits - Discount - Purchase return - Purchase cut The calculations are as follows: Net purchases = purchases – returns – allowances – discounts 3. Calculation of COGS After calculating the net value of sales and purchases, you’ll start calculating the cost of goods sold. In calculating the cost of goods sold, you need to do it in a very long way that requires thoroughness. Here is a formula that you can use in calculating the cost of goods sold: COGS = Beginning inventory + P − Ending inventory P = Purchase during the period Examples of Calculating COGS in the Food Business A businessman who opens a business in the field of Food and Beverages will usually conducted many experiments in his business. They will conduct several experiments on purchasing raw materials in order to get the cheapest price from the supplier. Assumption of calculation: Now let’s try to calculate the COGS of a food business. Assuming there is a Cake &Bakery business that must produce cakes as many as 30 pieces. You need to note the ingredients you need in the cake production process. That measure is just an example. After doing the calculation of the dose you need, it’s time for you to record the price of the material. For example: The price of $9455 is the basic price of raw materials that you need in making cakes as many as 30 pieces. Of course, there will be a possibility that this amount will be reduced or increased by following other expenses, such as courier services, discounts, etc. Components that you can include in the COGS calculation are employee salaries, and the cost of electricity, water, packaging, etc. Let’s establish that the COGS in the Cake&Bakery food business is $9455 per 30 cakes in one production period. So, it can be known that the net price of the cake is $ 315.1/cake. Read: Increase Business Profits with the Cross Selling Method Conclusion By knowing the cost of goods sold or COGS, then you can easily set a margin that provides the maximum profit possible, and can also know the right time for you to raise the selling price of the product. In addition, there are several methods of costing inventory that will affect your COGS. The methods of costing the inventory are: FIFO (First In, First Out), LIFO (Last In, First Out), dan Average. Easily calculate your business COGS with HashMicro’s Online Accounting Software. You will get the best features such as financial statements that will be created automatically, have high accuracy, save time, and information presented in real-time. Get the free demo now!	https://www.hashmicro.com/blog/definition-cogs/
Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about. Article XIlIB of the California Constitution was a ballot initiative adopted in 1980 and modified by Proposition 111 that passed in 1990 to limit the amount of tax proceeds state and local governments can spend each year. The limit is different for each agency and the limit changes each year. Each year’s limit is based on the amount of tax proceeds authorized to be spent in fiscal 1978-1979 in each agency modified for changes in inflation and population in each subsequent year. The formula used in calculating the growth rate is: The calculated rate times the previous appropriation limit equals the new appropriation limit. The California Department of Finance is mandated to notify each city of the population changes and the per capita personal income factor to be used in calculating the growth rate. The City of Dixon’s limit was calculated as follows:	https://ci.dixon.ca.us/394/GANN-Appropriations-Limit
We commonly use Excel’s comment or note function to explain formulas or where the cell values come from. But, have you ever wanted to put this information in the formula bar itself? Sometimes it’s more helpful to document our formulas and data right where the user is reading them. Enter Excel’s N function. The N function converts it’s parameter to a number. This is not to be confused with the VALUE function which converts text to number values. The N function will convert any text given to it to the value zero. If that doesn’t sound useful, keep in mind the additive property of zero anything added to zero is the original value. With this in mind, you can use this function to insert comments into the formula. For example if you had a formula to give an annual average and increase it by 3% your formula might be =AVERAGE(A1:A12)1.03+N(“Returns a 3% increase in the average”). This use is shown in the featured image. Switching in Formulas Another interesting property of the N function is the way it converts TRUE or FALSE values. N will return the value 1 for a TRUE or 0 for a FALSE. Considering the multiplicative properties of 1 and 0 we can use this to create switches in our formula. A switch is where an operation is included in the final result if it’s multiplied by 1. For Example, this formula would result in the value 2 =(2N(FALSE))+(2*N(TRUE)) if you expanded it it would be (2 x 0) + (2 x 1), change the first FALSE to TRUE and the value will increase to 4. With some careful workbook design, the N function can be used to replace nested IF statements which would serve a similar purpose. Let’s look at a more sophisticated example. The sample workbook features quarter ending dates and the date of the current workpaper. By simply changing the workpaper date the Year To Date amortization updates appropriately. I’ve also used the comment N technique described earlier to demonstrate that use. The N function is deceptively powerful. On the surface it would be easy to dismiss, but with a little ingenuity and careful workbook design it’ll allow you to simplify your workpapers and provide great documentation in the formula bar. Do you want to get started with VBA? Want to learn how to automate your financial workpapers? My book, Beginning Microsoft Excel VBA Programming for Accountants has many examples like this to teach you to use Excel to maximize your productivity! It’s available on Amazon, Apple iBooks and other eBook retailers! Download the sample workbook (Excel 2010 and higher): Learn More:	https://derekrharlan.com/?p=419
How much you receive in Social Security retirement benefits depends on your earnings history. The formula for calculating benefits is based on your 35 highest earning years indexed for inflation. But there’s one thing retirees need to know. Those inflation adjustments stop when you turn 60. That can make working in your 60s much more valuable to someone looking to make the most of their Social Security benefits. Image source: Getty Images. Earning in today’s dollars You have the opportunity to earn in today’s inflation-adjusted dollars by working in your 60s while the rest of your past earnings are no longer adjusted for inflation. If you turn 60 in 2023, you’ll likely have earnings dating back to the 1980s. Let’s say you started your career in 1986 with a salary of $25,000. Based on Social Security’s wage index, those earnings will count as $84,788 in the calculation of your benefits. But that’s the maximum amount they’ll ever be worth. Maybe that’s equivalent to your earnings in 2022. But if you get a simple adjustment in your wages for inflation next year, you’ll earn more. Meanwhile, your previous earnings won’t get indexed any higher. That’s especially pertinent in high-inflation environments. As such, by working at 61, you’ll increase your Social Security benefits, even without any real (inflation-adjusted) wage growth from when you were 23. Of course, most people see real wage growth over the course of their careers. Some of your highest earning years Your 60s may offer some of your biggest career opportunities. The typical American earns their highest salaries in their 50s, but there are still plenty of well-paid positions for those in their 60s. The average 25- to 34-year-old earns just under $50,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, the average 55- to 64-year-old earns nearly $10,000 more per year. That’s a 20% increase. If you’re earning 20% more than you did in your 20s and 30s and getting the benefit of inflation, you’ll provide a substantial boost to your Social Securities benefits. Let’s go back to the example of someone who earned $25,000 in 1986 as a 23-year-old. By 2022, they’ve increased their real earnings by 20% and now bring home $101,746. If the person continues to work in their 60s, receiving an average 3% raise each year, they’ll have earnings of $117,951 by age 65. That would increase their average indexed monthly earnings by $79 by replacing their age-23 salary in their top-35 earning years. Even just an extra $79 per month in average earnings translates into more than $300 in extra Social Security payments per year at full retirement age. More likely, the average earnings increase would be much higher as ages 61 through 64 replace other low-earning years that have stopped adjusting for inflation. If those five extra years of work translate into something like a $350 increase in total, it’s nearly $1,350 in extra Social Security benefits per year. And if they delay benefits until age 70, it’s more than $1,650 in extra benefits. For someone abiding by the 4% rule, that’s the equivalent of an extra $41,000 in retirement savings. Consider your options If you’ve had a lucrative career and you’ve maxed out Social Security wages in most years, you probably won’t get much more out of Social Security by working in your 60s. If, however, you’ve mostly been an average earner or even a slightly above-average earner, you may get a lot out of continuing to work. You can look up your own wage indexes on the Social Security Administration’s website based on the year you become eligible to collect benefits. If you’re on the fence between retiring early and continuing a few more years, you may as well do a little math to see how much more you can get from Social Security by working past age 60. The $18,984 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $18,984 more… each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we’re all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.	https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/why-working-in-your-60s-can-help-maximize-social-security-69news-wfmz-tv/
Definition: Indexation is relief on long-term investments. A long-term investor can claim it merely by showing that, the value of their assets raised is not a real gain, but it rises only due to inflation. It is the inevitable link between monetary constraints and price level. It diminishes the cost of inflation and is enforced on interest, taxes and wages. For instance, employers are compelled to index wages across prices to reduce the divergence among money income and real income. The interest of long-term loans is so driven that the debtors would have to repay the borrowings in absolute terms. In lack of Indexation, unanticipated inflation, by destroying the actual value of loan deviates the belongings from a money lender to debtors and disturbs the credit structure, and for that reason the capital market. For instance, NSC (National Saving Certificates) are index associated. The purchasing power parity theory of rate change measurement in international economics is again a model of Indexation. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Of nations is further restrained on the basis of purchasing power parity(PPP). Indexation of wages is essential, and the prevailing system in various countries where wages agreements are abiding agreements and inflation survive to endure. In those situations, compensating employees for the trouble of their real income as a result of inflation becomes inescapable and two approaches are accepted primarily; they are as follows: - Link wages to cost of living index. - Create a regular set-up of wages increase, later CPI escalates by a definite percentage point. As per CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes), an investor can claim Indexation by simply comprising their asset with the cost of Inflation Index (CII). Content: Indexation - Formula for calculating Indexation - What is the Price Index? - What is Base Year? - Cost inflation index (CII) from the financial year 2001-2002 to 2020-21 - Effect of Indexation on Debt Funds - Benefit of Indexation - How can an investor maximize Indexation? - Conclusion Formula for calculating Indexation What is the Price Index? Price index shows the relative change in the price level, by comparing the price index of two years the government or various index preparing agencies can see that what has happened in general to the price level. If the price level index has increased, it means that there is an increase in the price level. Thus, it can be said that index is a specialized average and is mainly used to measure the relative change in a price level, through price index, we measure inflation. For that, we need to understand how price level index is constructed but to construct the price level index first; we need to understand the concept of a base year. What is Base Year? Base year is nothing but a particular normal year which the government took to measure the price level and fix that year as a base year. While selecting base year one needs to keep in mind, it should be a normal year (prices should be normal in average years) and not an abnormal year (prices are not too high or now too low in that year). According to every commodity and its prices of the base year will be set as a base price and with that price only we will compare. Thus, we need a base year to compare the relative change in the price level. Base year is mainly used for constructing the price index. To construct price index what government or agencies preparing indexes normally does is, if they want to create the present year price index, they check it with the following formula: And inflation is calculated in relation to the price index of the previous year and formula for calculating Inflation rate is as follows: Cost inflation index (CII) from the financial year 2001-2002 to 2020-21 \|Financial Year\|\|Cost of \| Inflation Index (CII) \|Financial Year\|\|Cost of \| Inflation Index (CII) \|2001-2002\|\|100\|\|2011-2012\|\|184\| \|2002-2003\|\|105\|\|2012-2013\|\|200\| \|2003-2004\|\|109\|\|2013-2014\|\|220\| \|2004-2005\|\|113\|\|2014-2015\|\|240\| \|2005-2006\|\|117\|\|2015-2016\|\|254\| \|2006-2007\|\|122\|\|2016-2017\|\|264\| \|2007-2008\|\|129\|\|2017-2018\|\|272\| \|2008-2009\|\|137\|\|2018-2019\|\|280\| \|2009-2010\|\|148\|\|2019-2020\|\|289\| \|2010-2011\|\|167\|\|2020-2021\|\|301\| Effect of Indexation on Debt Funds Now let us understand the effect of indexation on the debt funds of investors with an example: Situation Mr. A (Investor) purchase a debenture of ₹ 100 in 2016 and sold at ₹ 140 in 2019. Cost inflation index (CII) for the year 2016 was ₹ 825 and Cost inflation index (CII) for the year 2019 is ₹ 979. Analysis Based on the above-given data, we can notice a long-term capital gain of ₹ 40 on which the investor has to pay tax under long-term capital gain. Now, let’s see what’s the real gain of an investor with the benefit of Indexation. - After Indexation gain Thus, it is noticed that investor has to pay tax on long term capital gain of ₹ 40, and after Indexation, he has to pay tax on the only long-term capital gain of ₹ 21.34. Therefore, an investor gets benefited with the Indexation in the long-term. Benefit of Indexation Indexation deals with calculating the purchase price, after regulating for inflation index, as issued by the Income Tax Department. As the purchase price is regulated for inflation, the amount of capital gain decreases. In case, long-term capital gain for non-equity funds, the financier can use the indexation benefit. How can an investor maximize Indexation? Indexation can be doubled or maximized with the help of the following trick or process: - Acquire an asset at the beginning of any financial year and sell it at the beginning of another financial year. In this way, the one will get benefited with the Indexation of both the years, i.e., the current year as well as the previous year. Conclusion Indexation is a process by which prices and wages partly or entirely reimbursed for adjustment in the general price level. Therefore, it is not a procedure for regulating inflation. It is the process of adjusting monetary incomes so as to reduce the excessive gains and deficits in real incomes of inflation. Its main purpose is to oversee social dissatisfaction and to make inflation obvious to live with it.	https://theinvestorsbook.com/indexation.html
Apart from calculating the stamp duty payable, the rates are used as a reference to calculate capital gain tax — a liability arising out of profits from a property deal. The rates are officially released on December 31 each year. However proposals go from the field offices in each city before that. It has been learnt that only a moderate increase in the rates, especially for real estate within the municipal corporation area has been proposed this year. The final approval from the Inspector General Registrations (IGR) office will come only on the new year eve. There can be changes in the final rates as against what was proposed, say sources. The IGR’s office is in-charge of property deed registrations in the state. As a policy, sources say that it has been decided to only go for a moderate increase. The objective is to boost real estate buying in the state. There has been a year on year decrease in the ready reckoner values since last two years. In 2015 there was an average increase of 7.75%. In 2014, an average hike of 20% was effected. However, in 2015 certain properties in upwardly mobile west Nagpur had seen a hike of 10% to 15%. If the rates of properties within the municipal areas are expected to remain within 5%, that for outer areas may be slightly more, but less than 10% of 2015’s valuation. The rates are calculated on basis of reports of sale deeds registered in a particular year. The changes in prices seen in the sale deeds are considered for calculating fresh valuations. Sources in home loan financing business say there was a moderate increase in property rates. The peak rates in Nagpur are at Rs12000 to 13000 a square feet. At the entry level flats are available at Rs2,500 a square feet, which may be within 10% of the last year’s level.	https://realty.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/residential/3-4-hike-in-ready-reckoner-rate-likely-in-nagpur/50388735
It’s difficult to say exactly how many amp hours is a car battery. It could be 35 Ah or 100 Ah. It all comes down to the size, type, and speed of the vehicle that the battery is fueling. However, there is a general formula that can help you calculate the amp hours in your respective car battery. Read on to learn more about this formula and how to use it. We’ve also shared a guideline on reading and comprehending car battery amperage, along with some useful tips concerning battery replacement and recharge. Let’s dive in! Table of Contents How many Ah is a car battery? Ah, ampere-hours, and Ah rating – these are all different names for the same phenomenon. They refer to the flow of current from the battery to the car in a span of one hour. For example, if a car battery has a 100 Ah battery, it means it can supply 100 amperes for one hour. The same battery can supply 25 amperes for four hours and 50 amperes for two hours. It depends on the gear or current speed setting of the car. Different gears (or speed settings) draw different amperes and this affects the total run time. Usually, the average Ah suitable for a car is mentioned on its recommended battery body. For example, here are the company-suggested amp hours for the following cars: - Ford Explorer – 65 Ah (65000 mAh) - Toyota Corolla – 45 Ah (45000 mAh) - Toyota Camry – 38 Ah (38000 mAh) Given this, a quick answer to how many amp hours is a car battery would be 50 Ah to 70 Ah. That’s the average considering the majority of mid-range cars around the world. Read further to uncover how you can calculate the accurate Ah for your car. How are amp hours calculated? Before we get to the math, know that two metrics tell us about a battery’s capacity. These are: - Watt Hours - Amp Hours Calculating both requires a fixed metric of the car, i.e., battery voltage. You can find this metric mentioned either in the manual of the vehicle’s battery or on its body. Alternatively, you can use a multimeter to measure the voltage of the car battery. Once you have the voltage, you can calculate the battery capacity in the following ways: Amp Hours The formula for calculating watt hours is as follows: Watt hours = Power in Watts x Hours You can find the power of your car battery either on its manual or its body. Once you have the watt hours, divide the watt hours by volts, and you’ll get the amp hours. Amp Hours = Watt Hours / Voltage Watt Hours Calculate the watt hours using the following formula: Watt Hours = Voltage x Amperes You can measure the amperes using a multimeter as well. The formula above gives you the watt-hours or the power consumed by the car. Suppose you operate a 12V battery at 20 amperes. The watt-hours will be 240 Wh. Similarly, if you operate the same battery at 25 amperes, the watt hours will be 300 Wh. It is worth noting that a lot of car battery manuals mention average amp hour rating like this: 12V25 It means the 12-volt battery operates at 25 amperes. Importance of Car Battery Capacity Why do we even want to know how many amp hours is a car battery? Well, we want to know because the capacity or Ah of a car battery determines how long the battery will last. A car battery at 70 Ah continuously powers the engine at 3.5 amp for 20 hours. After this, it will need to recharge. You can still drive your car as it recharges its batteries. But it may impact the overall life of the battery. Battery capacity also determines the speed of the vehicle and the electrical accessories that it can support. For example, a car will require more power than usual to support extra lights, additional navigation systems, sound systems, etc. With that said, the average life of a car battery is about 3- 5 years. Some manufacturers also promise a seven-year-long life. But if you try using a car battery beyond its warranty period, you risk your safety. The battery may fail anytime. For that very reason, it’s essential to keep a keen eye on the battery’s current condition, capacity, and remaining life. What does CCA mean on a car battery? CCA is short for cold cranking amps. It is a rating that indicates how well a battery can start an engine in cold weather. Ideally, a good battery for a small car should have a 150 CCA rating at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. And it should stabilize the voltage of a 12V battery at 7.2 volts at least. For bigger vehicles, an ideal CCA rating is about 500-600. By the rule of thumb, the higher the CCA rating is, the better. But it only benefits those who are living in cold climates. For warmer climates, there’s no point in buying expensive batteries just for higher CCA. With that said, is any CCA rating too high? Can a high CCA rating damage your vehicle? Actually, no. A battery with a high CCA rating will work perfectly fine under all circumstances. However, it might not benefit you if you are living in a warm place. What happens if I put a higher amp battery in my car? The consequences of putting a higher amp battery largely depend on how high you’ve decided to go. Increasing the amp slightly more than the vehicle’s average Ah rating is acceptable. It will improve the performance and increase the storage capacity. Naturally, the battery will also last longer with an increased storage capacity. And that will make your vehicle much more energy-efficient. However, if you choose to upgrade the amperes by a significant difference (3x or 10x the original Ah rating), there’s a high chance it will increase the load on your alternator and slow down the charging process. Instead of improving the system, it’ll damage all the connected electronics. Plus, the CCA may increase unreasonably. So, be careful with the number of amps you increase. Make sure you also consider the space available within the engines. Usually, car batteries with higher amps are bigger too. How to choose the best car replacement battery? When shopping for a replacement car battery, there are a few factors you must consider to ensure that the battery is a perfect fit for your vehicle. These are: 1. Size Determine the size of the battery tray in your car and look for a battery that has the right physical dimensions and terminal locations. You’ll find automobile batteries grouped into sizes to fit the needs of different models. The most common size groups include: - Size 34/78: General motor cars and some Chryslers - Size 34: Majority of Chrysler cars - Size 35: Recent models of Nissan, Honda, and Toyota - Size 65: Mercury cars, Lincoln, large-sized Ford - Size 75: Most general motor cars 2. Age Recently manufactured car batteries feature the latest technologies and tend to last longer than older ones. Hence, it’s best to opt for a car battery manufactured less than six months ago. You can check out the date yourself by assessing the 2-character code given on the battery manual or the battery’s body. One of the characters will be an alphabet, and the other will be a digit. Here’s how to read both: - Character 1 (Alphabet): These range from A to L. A represents January, B represents February, C represents March, and so on. - Character 2 (Digit): These range from 0-9. They represent the last digit of the year. Every decade the cycle resets. For example, say a battery reads A2. It means it got manufactured in January 2022. 3. Battery Capacity Assess if the battery capacity is compatible with your vehicle’s needs. You can use the formulas given above to determine this. Calculate watt hours and Ah rating and compare. 4. Warranty It’s best to research brand reputation and opt for a trusted name. Along with reputation, also check out the brand’s confidence by evaluating their return and refund policy. Typically, a car battery comes with 24 months of warranty. FAQs 1. What does 35Ah mean in battery? 35 Ah refers to a 35 amp-hour battery, i.e., a battery that can deliver 35 amperes in one hour. The battery may last for an hour or up to 20 hours depending on the type of battery and current drawn. 2. How much Ah are 12-V batteries? Scroll above, and check out the formulas we’ve shared for calculating the Ah of a battery. According to these formulas, you cannot calculate the Ah without amperes or watt-hours. Since we do not have either, it’s difficult to say how much Ah are 12-volt batteries. 3. What is a deep-cycle battery? Deep-cycle batteries are one of the two major types of lead-acid batteries (i.e., the batteries used in cars). These batteries have a shorter charging time. And they can last longer than a starter battery without charging. They are more energy efficient and hence, are becoming increasingly popular. Final Words Summing up, there’s no definite answer to how many Ah is a car battery. Ideal Ah rating is unique for each vehicle, depending on its usage, model, and needs. We hope the guide above helps you figure out the Ah rating of your car and that the tips come in handy for future battery buys. If there’s still confusion, feel free to drop your questions in the comments below. We’ll get back to you soon!	https://www.uetechnologies.com/how-many-ah-is-a-car-battery/
We're responsible for the collection of business rates (also known as National Non-Domestic Rates, or NNDR), a tax payable at 'non-domestic properties' to contribute towards the cost of local services. You'll have to pay business rates if you own, lease or occupy a building or part of a building for non-domestic purposes, such as a: - shop - office - public house - warehouse - factory We'll send you a bill for the coming tax year in February or March, each year. If the charge changes part way through the year, for any reason, we'll send you a revised bill. How your business rates are worked out The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) sets the rateable value on which your business rates are based. This value represents the rent the property could have been let for on a certain date set in law. Read more about rateable value and how business properties are valued (GOV.UK). Central government makes national rules about business rates. They also set the business rates multiplier figures, effective from 1 April every year. Your business rates bill is calculated by us, we're responsible for: - calculating charges - issuing bills - collecting payements To calculate your business rates bill we multiply the rateable value of the property by the business rates multiplier figure. There are 2 multipliers: - the standard non-domestic rating multiplier - the small business non-domestic rating multiplier The standard multiplier is higher in order to cover the costs of small business rate relief. Get an estimate of your business rates and see the current multiplier by using the business rates estimator tool (GOV.UK). The estimator tool only provides an approximate figure. Your exact rates will be shown on your bill. Changes that affect your business rates The rateable value may change significant changes are made to your property, such as: - building work - demolishing an extension - significant external refurbishment You must report changes to the VOA or to us immediately. Business rates revaluation There's usually a revaluation to the rateable values of non-domestic properties every 5 years. The last one was 1 April 2015 effective from 1 April 2017. We'll make changes to your bill if a revaluation affects your bill. The multipliers are reviewed every year but cannot increase or decrease more than inflation except in a revaluation year. The transitional relief scheme helps to reduce the impact of any large increase or decrease in charges due to revaluations. It applies to charges based on the property at the time of the revaluation. The next revaluations are planned for 2021 and 2024. Appealing your rateable value Appeals against rateable values are free of charge. A new way to review your rating assessment was brought in on 1 April 2017. As the owner or business rates payer, you can check and challenge the rateable value of your property. - check your business rates valuation (GOV.UK) - how to check and challenge your rateable value (GOV.UK) If you have reason to believe that your 2017 rateable value is incorrect, you'll need to do the following: - Check: review and confirm the facts about your property held by the VOA - Challenge: once the facts are established, explain why you believe your valuation is wrong If you’re still not satisfied following a challenge, you can appeal to the VOA. An appeal on your 2017 rateable value is not possible until you have followed the Check and Challenge process. Rating advisers You don't have to be represented in discussions about the rateable value of your property or your business rates bill. However, if you want to be represented you may wish to contact one of the following organisations: They can put you in touch with someone who is qualified and regulated by rules of professional conduct designed to protect the public.	https://www.york.gov.uk/AboutBusinessRates
With index numbers we choose a point in time as a ‘base’ point which is where we start our calculations from and give this base point a starting index value of 100. We then show subsequent results as index values which can be easily compared back to this 100. So if the index value rises to 110 we can see that the increase has been 10%. Calculating index numbers from results If we want to work out index numbers we use the following formula: (New result / Result in base period) x 100 This can be used to calculate index numbers for changes in volumes, prices, costs or anything else that we might be interested in. Let’s consider the quantity of jam doughnuts that I ate. - If we set the first week as the ‘base’ week we would give the quantity of 1,295 jam doughnuts an index value of 100. This is our starting point and will make it easy to identify the change in the next couple of weeks as percentages. - In week 2 the quantity was 1,358 which has increased from the first week, meaning that the index value would rise above 100. Using the formula the index value will now be 1,358/1,295 x 100 = 104.9. This clearly shows that since the base period of the first week there has been an increase in quantity of 4.9%. - In week 3 the quantity was higher again so the index will have climbed even higher. The index would now be 1,412/1,295 x 100 = 109.0 showing that there has been a 9% increase since the base period of the first week. Using index numbers to forecast results One of the principal uses of index numbers is to improve the quality of budgets and forecasts. If we want to forecast a result and we know the index for the future period we can use: Forecast result = result in the base period x (New index value / 100) If I knew that in week 4 the quantity index for my jam doughnut habit was going to climb further to 112.4, I could work out that this meant that I was going to eat 1,295 x 112.4/100 = 1,456 jam doughnuts in week 4. In the explanations above we have been using a quantity index. Another common index that we might look at is a price index, such as RPI (the Retail Price Index which measures average changes in prices for products that are sold in the UK). This shows us the effect of inflation over time, as this can be expected to increase prices. As prices are expected to rise over time it can mean that comparing revenues or costs at different points in time is a bit meaningless. The price of a jam doughnut today will be far higher than the price of one ten years ago due to the effect of inflation. We therefore need to make adjustments to some of the figures to make them comparable. Let’s say we have the following information: \| \| Month \| \| Price index \| \| Labour cost \| \| July \| \| 145.6 \| \| £10,000 \| \| August \| \| 151.2 \| \| £10,240 You can see that the labour cost has risen from July to August but this is not a big surprise as the price index has increased, meaning that staff will have demanded higher wages. You can’t really compare the labour costs in July and August as they stand; we need to adjust one or other figure to account for the impact of the changing price index. We have two ways to do this: - Inflate the July figure to ‘August prices’ to compare to the August figure - Deflate the August figure to ‘July prices’ to compare to the July figure Inflating earlier cash flows To inflate cash flows we need to increase them to account for likely rises in prices caused by inflation. We do this using the following formula: To inflate: cash flow x (Index in later period / Index in earlier period) Applying this to the information in the table we could inflate the July labour cost to ‘August prices’ to add the effect of the increase in the price index. This gives £10,000 x 151.2/145.6 = £10,385. Deflating later cash flows To deflate cash flows we need to decrease them using a slightly different formula: To deflate: cash flow x (Index in earlier period / Index in later period) Using the same figures as we did for ‘inflating’ cash flows we can deflate the August labour cost to ‘July prices’ to remove the effect of the increase in the price index. This gives £10,240 x 145.6/151.2 = £9,861. Whether we compare the figures in ‘August prices’ (July £10,385 and August £10,240) or in ‘July prices’ (July £10,000 and August £9,861) you can see that once we account for the change in the price index the labour cost has actually fallen! Here’s one for you to try. Calculate each of the material costs in the table below in Year 3 prices: \|Year\|\|Price index\|\|Material cost\| \|1\|\|124.6\|\|£57,500\| \|2\|\|131.5\|\|£63,100\| \|3\|\|139.2\|\|£65,700\| \|4\|\|145.7\|\|£67,300\| \|5\|\|151.8\|\|£72,900\| Once you’ve had a go, watch me work my solution below: You may also be interested in our related blog on time series analysis, another way to predict the future.	https://www.firstintuition.co.uk/fihub/index-numbers/
Today’s changing economy has shifted the retirement age back a few years. The average age of retirement is 63, with men retiring at 64 and women retiring at 62. As the economy becomes more and more unpredictable and social security because smaller and smaller, it’s going to be even more difficult to retire. If you’re looking to retire earlier than this, you may need to look for different ways of securing money for your retirement period. However, traditional means of cash flow typically aren’t very lucrative. The answer? Real estate. Rental income for retirement is a consistent payment coming into your pocket every single month. But, the real question is how many rental properties does it take to retire? To learn the answer to this and more, keep reading. How Much Money Do I Need to Retire? Before we look at how rental properties can keep you funded, it’s important to know just how many funds you’re going to need. Typically, the average retiree budgets for about 70% to 90% of their pre-retirement income. However, this all really depends on how much you plan to be spending. Some retirees spend their days relaxing at home, while others spend their days traveling It’s important to know what your expectations are for retirement and how much it may cost per year. If you’re looking for a better estimate, you can use a retirement calculator. Keep in mind that your number is probably going to be different than someone else. This difference is due to different spending habits, needs, wants, etc. What Formula Can I Use for Rentals? Before you start looking for the rental houses that you want to buy, it’s important to understand how much you’ll need to invest in rental properties. Investing in real estate does take a lot of funds, but it pays back those funds and more. To figure out how much you should invest in rentals, you need to know two of the following three things: - The amount you’re going to spend in retirement per year (M) - The amount you’ve invested in real estate (I) - The cash-on-cash return you’re making on your investment (C) If you only have two of the variables, you can solve for the third one by using the following formula: I x C = M Mostly, you’re going to be using this formula to determine I, the amount you need to invest in real estate. Let’s Look at a Few Examples Let’s say that you’ve found properties that you can make a 10% cash-on-cash return with. With this information, we know that C=10%. Let’s also say that you’ve gone to a retirement calculator and discovered that you’re going to need about $70,000 per year during retirement. This means that M=$70,000. With these two variables, we can figure out how much you need to invest in retirement, I. I x C = M I x 10% = $70,000 I = $70,000/10% I = $700,000 With this example, the retiree would need to invest $700,000 in real estate. Let’s look at a more conservative example using the same income. Perhaps, you want to plan for the worst. Let’s make C = 6% to account for bad seasons or overlying maintenance costs that you may have. Let’s see how this changes the amount that you need to invest, keeping everything else the same. I x C = M I x 6% = $70,000 I = $70,000/6% I = $1,166,667 This calculation shows you just how important every variable is in this equation. You should also keep in mind that the equation is telling you the minimum amount you’d need to invest in these properties. In order to count for poor seasons, you should either lower your cash-on-cash return as we’ve done here or assume you’ll be spending more than a retirement calculator may have predicted. How Much Debt Should I Use? Some real estate gurus question whether or not they should be using debt to reach their real estate goals. As wit most things, there are pros and cons to both sides. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of either situation. Making Use of Debt The advantages of using debt to bolster your real estate portfolio are as follows: - You’ll be able to buy houses faster because you’ll have secured the funds through a loan. - You can buy higher quality houses (more expensive houses) with the availability of a loan. - You could see rent appreciation if you’ve secured real estate in great locations. The disadvantages of using debt to bolster your real estate portfolio are as follows: - You’ll have to invest in more properties to see an increase in income. - Financing all of those properties is going to be more difficult. - You may be at more risk if a recession is to happen in the future. Not Using Debt The advantages of avoiding debt when buying real estate are as follows: - You’ll have fewer properties to manage for the same amount of income. - You’re less likely to be heavily affected by any recessions. - You can also benefit from rent appreciation if your properties are strategically located. The disadvantages of avoiding debt when buying real estate are as follows: - You’ll have to spend more money out-of-pocket. - You could take longer to reach your retirement goals. Figuring How Much Debt You Should Use Typically, real estate investors fall somewhere in between using and not using debt, meaning that they’ll take out loans for some properties while paying out-right for others. Finding a healthy in-between can protect your portfolio from either scenario’s disadvantages. It’ll also allow you to take from both scenario’s advantages. We also encourage you to take your ideal retirement age into account when preparing your portfolio. If you’re 20 years old, you may have time to invest in all of your properties out-right and save more money in the long-run by doing so. However, if you’re 50 years old and wanting to retire in 5 years, you’ll need to consider using some debt to get you to your retirement goals faster. The Steps to Developing Your Rental Portfolio Now that you’ve figured out all of your underlying costs and investment needs, it’s time to actually start building your portfolio. This is the part where you may want to have your financial information readily available to reference. You should also be prepared to make a spreadsheet or map out a few calculations. Let’s take this step-by-step. 1. Figure Out How Much You’re Currently Spending Figuring out what you currently spend is different than determining how much you should save for retirement. This step involves looking into your bank statements and spending habits rather than using a retirement calculator. It may also be useful to consider what your ideal spending habits are as well. As we mentioned earlier, some couples travel during their retirement years. Therefore, those couples would need to have a greater income to supplement their traveling expenses. For this step, it’s important to consult your bank statements, budgets, and other records of your spending habits. Be completely honest with yourself about what you’re currently spending and what you want to be spending. It’s okay to shoot for $100,000 a year or even higher. You just need to know what your expenses will look like so that you can plan. 2. Adjust for Retirement Make a bucket list or another kind of plan that you’re looking to complete during your retirement years. What do you want to do? Where do you want to go? How much will all of this cost? Make a spreadsheet with details about what the activity is how much you should save for it. This can help you determine your yearly costs when you place these expenses on top of your normal expenses. As always, account for more money than you think you need. This will protect you during those months when you spend more than anticipated. 3. Account for Other Sources of Income Don’t forget to include other sources of income in your spreadsheet. You may have other investments, a 401K, or another means of acquiring more income. It’s important to diversify your retirement portfolio and make sure to sort your eggs among multiple baskets. Don’t try to keep all of your income isolated to one basket. It’s actually smarter to diversify your portfolio and have to account for several different modes of income. This may sound more complicated, but it is better overall. 4. Create a Retirement Rental Property Profile Now, it’s time to create your retirement rental property profile. Look into what kind(s) of houses you want to invest in and what your ideal investment house looks like. Think about how many beds and bath you want, how expensive you want it to be, and what other details you want to account for. This profile will serve as your way of determining whether or not a house is suitable according to your finances. Be sure to keep your finances in mind when you’re choosing the kinds of houses that you’re going to invest in. Use this property profile when you’re looking for houses to invest in. You may also want to start deciding on some houses that are currently available for investment. As you’re making this profile, you should anticipate any costs that may come with the house(s) that you’re looking at. If you’re looking at older homes, you should take into account maintenance costs and repair costs. 5. Do the Final Calculation Once you determine all these variables, you can go back to our original equation: I x C = M Look at your ideal investment properties and determine how many investment properties of that type and price you’ll need to meet your investment goals. As you’re calculating your final number, give yourself some room to breathe. You don’t want to undershoot the amount of money you’re planning to spend. If anything, overshoot and have too much money every month. How Long Will It Take to Retire With Real Estate? The answer is simply that it depends on what you’re doing now. How much you’re spending and how much you’re looking to invest in a short period of time also affects this answer. As we mentioned earlier, your investment potential depends on your age. A 20-year-old and a 50-year-old will not have the same goals or plans when it comes to planning rental income for retirement. Get A Free Online Home Valuation in Minutes! We suggest that you look at when you want to retire and plan your investments from there. If you have 20 years before you want to retire, you can space out your investments over longer periods of time. To be safe, we suggest that you give yourself at least five years to plan your real estate investments for retirement. You don’t want to take out a huge loan all at once or spend your entire savings account. Give yourself time to set up a stable system that will keep you funded throughout your retired years. Don’t try to rush the process out of excitement. If you’re on the younger side, you have two options. You can go ahead and set-up your rental homes now and make cash off of them early in order to potentially retire early or you can take your time setting up your properties if you feel you may become too overwhelmed with buying multiple properties at once. If you’re on the older side, it’s best to make secure decisions with the understanding that you’re going to be more immediately impacted by those decisions. This means that you should be careful about what kind of money you’re going to drop on homes. You may not want to take out loans, but this might be a better decision if you’re looking to make the most out of rental property income sooner rather than later. Where Can I Learn More About Real Estate? After reading about rental income for retirement, we know that you’re bursting with excitement. Buying rental properties and seeing that income fall into your bank account is riveting. We imagine that you’re ready to start collecting properties. Learn more about the iBuyer Marketplace. We also invite you to use our free home value estimator to look into pricing for these homes as you’re buying.	https://ibuyer.com/blog/how-many-rentals-do-i-need-to-retire/
Both organisations that I belong to (BPW Australia and economicSecurity4Women) are unique in that they represent women who are employers, employees, self-employed and non-employed. Clearly these women have a wide range of views on how best to improve the status of women and secure their equal place in all facets of society; however they all share the ambition to ensure that women have lifelong economic wellbeing. BPW, and eS4W member organisations, attend to the issues that affect women’s ability to achieve this: issues such as pay equity, access to relevant and affordable education and training, access to financial planning and superannuation, access to quality childcare that is both available and affordable, carer needs, and retirement income equity. Such issues affect women across the full spectrum but are magnified when they are compounded by multiple disadvantage. We see an important role for the Workplace Gender Equality Agency and its continued focus on gender reporting requirements; we expect that they will provide clarity for employers and will contribute to the workplace changes needed for more women – and men – to be able to combine paid work and unpaid care responsibilities. We believe that apart from outright discrimination against women in the workplace, it is the unpaid care responsibilities that have the greatest impact on the number of hours women are able to work. It presents barriers for entry and participation in the workforce and is one of the greatest challenges to be faced over the coming decades. The recent report funded by eS4W ‘Counting on Care work in Australia’ (2012) showed that women annually contribute 60% of the 21.4 billion hours of unpaid care work ( Counting on Care Work in Australia.pdf ). Many women have to take insecure and casual work in order to juggle earning an income with unpaid care responsibilities. These care responsibilities include care for babies and children, of course; they include in particular care for children before and after school and during school holidays. They also include care for parents, spouses other family members and close friends. We are ask that government consider the gender implications of insecure employment in relation to workplace gender equality objectives, paying particular attention to caring as it impacts on women as primary paid and unpaid care workers. Similarly a gender lens must be considered when looking at relevant public policies including education and income support. Collaboration on these issues brings thoughtful and thorough responses. eS4W recently facilitated BPW (Business and Professional Women) South Australia to join with Working Women Centre SA to examine these issues more directly. Current labour laws were discussed such as National Employment Standards that do not cover causal workers, of whom 55% are women. Nor do many of the modern awards in female industries adequately protect workers on part-time contracts, who are overwhelmingly women. The breadth of casualised work across many sectors is alarming and was cited in our submission BPW Senate Inquiry in to the Role of Technical and Further Education, a sector that relies increasingly on casualised staff as does the Higher Education sector. TAFE represents the cheapest, easiest educational opportunity for many women, including recently arrived women immigrants to this country and there needs to be continued support for this process to ensure integration of women and their families into Australian society. Their first understanding of our country, culture and language is through TAFE English classes and then through Cert III skills training for such jobs as aged care, child care and hospitality. These women are mostly employed in such low skilled jobs but it provides them with friends outside their husband’s home and opportunity for some. BPW Australia continues to lobby against systems that see such women often funnelled in low paying, low skilled employment but sees the services of the TAFE system as an essential first rung to employment and financial independence. Childcare remains one of the intransient barriers to workforce participation. We know that quality and availability are key factors, but affordability is the biggest issue. Members including BPW Australia and NFAW have asked that the Productivity Commission be tasked to examine both the supply of quality, affordable child care, as well the effect of the taxation and welfare transfer systems interacting with the cost of child care Productivity Commission request This would have the effect of improving productivity, as well as taking account of appropriate service structure for child development. We know that for many women the decision about whether to work part -time, or to work at all is dependent on how much net return they receive after factoring in possible loss of Family Tax Benefit Part B, plus the net cost of child care and other expenses of returning to work. We also know that Australian women have the highest rate of part-time work of all OECD countries. Balancing work and family, and the lack of good quality Out of School Hours Care play a part in decisions about work. Long periods out of the workforce have severe implications for long term financial security and we understand the aim of the Government to ensure single parents are supported to find and start work once their children are at primary school. We are however concerned about the potential barriers to this transition especially into decent work (fair pay, secure hours) and the impact on their economic wellbeing if and when some families have to survive on the NewStart Allowance. Without skills and access to formal and informal childcare it will be extremely difficult for many women (and men) to get family friendly work arrangements that better balance work and care responsibilities and that pay enough to cover the costs of raising a family in a single income household. And those costs will have to include out of school hours care and care to cover illness and other interruptions to school attendance. Many single parents will have to find work in an increasingly casualised workplace and will have little choice on what to accept. This may well add even more insecurity to already precarious circumstances. To be fair to parents and their children, this move should also be accompanied with gender inclusive policy action to target women’s skills development, particularly in the emergent ‘green economy’, mining and construction industries that traditionally have better pay and conditions. It should also offer a significant increase in the JET childcare and training assistance. eS4W and WAVE is calling for national Vocational Education and Training (VET) policies that focus on gender equity and that respond to the complexity and challenges associated with gender and when gender intersects with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, with disabilities, with culturally and or linguistically diverse backgrounds, with low socio economic backgrounds and with geographical disadvantage. We also recommend establishing and resourcing pre-vocational programs for women returning to work after raising children, caring or moving from income support. With the Small and Medium Business sector being Australia’s largest non-government employer, we look forward to working with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency to develop the tools identified in our research Attitudes to gender equity in small firms that will help smaller employers have gender equitable workplaces; tools that focus on recruitment and selection processes, job analysis and job descriptions, developing performance management systems and reward systems and pay equity. This will ensure the sector attracts and retains quality staff in a competitive labour environment.	http://leadershipforwomen.com.au/transform/activism/panel-on-women-experiencing-disadvantage/sharing-the-caring-we-need-to-spread-the-load
For members of the generation juggling the dual responsibilities of children and older parents — the Sandwich Generation — balancing and prioritizing obligations was often a source of stress even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the pandemic has ratcheted up the pressure. According to the Pew Research Center, 29 percent of U.S. adults have a child under 18 at home, while 12 percent care for an adult as well. Those numbers will likely increase as the proportion of the population age 65 and over increases. The impacts of the pressures facing the Sandwich Generation can make their way into the workplace in the forms of absenteeism, decreased productivity or increased turnover. And women are bearing the brunt. In September 2020 in the U.S., four times more women than men left the workforce: 865,000. It’s an issue employers need to be aware of and address, especially as the pandemic adds to the stress of Sandwich Generation employees. “It’s important that employers understand the needs of these working parents and caregivers in the best of times — even more so as they are navigating the challenges of the pandemic,” says Julie Norville, senior vice president and Time Away Strategy leader at Aon. “Employers can create accommodations and resources that can help Sandwich Generation employees work together to meet their needs in these stressful times.” In Depth For Sandwich Generation employees, the COVID-19 pandemic heaped even more pressure on an already stressful life. Due to government lockdowns and social distancing efforts, many found themselves working remotely, some for the first time. As they adjusted, many employees found themselves sharing a home with school-age children trying to practice remote learning. Thus, many employees took on a new role on top of their full-time jobs: teacher’s assistant. “It’s definitely creating a problem for employees and for employers that are trying to figure out how to support employees with kids who are schooling from home in terms of balancing work and life,” Norville says. Parents are also helping children navigate feelings of anxiety or other emotions stemming from the pandemic and their inability to interact with friends face to face. Older Parents Need Help Too Older loved ones, meanwhile, are among those at higher risk from COVID-19, often forcing Sandwich Generation members to look after their safety and worry about their wellbeing. That’s particularly true if an older loved one lives in a long-term care facility with higher virus risk. Many older adults lack the technology savvy to order essential items like groceries online for home delivery, forcing their Sandwich Generation children to find solutions for day-to-day challenges. Recently, many members of this generation faced an additional source of stress in trying to help older parents secure COVID-19 vaccinations. For some in the Sandwich Generation, the inability to visit older relatives because of social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 can be a further source of stress. Many of this generation’s workers are trying to deal with these new or heightened challenges related to their children and parents on top of full-time jobs. In addition, grandparents or other older family members often served as backup childcare in pre-pandemic times. The need to reduce their potential exposure to the virus removed that childcare backstop for many employees, Norville says. Understanding the Sandwich Generation’s Needs For employers, there are a number of ways they can help Sandwich Generation employees address the added challenges of the pandemic. The first step is for business leaders to understand their employees’ specific needs. “Employee surveys and focus groups are great places to start understanding what employees are facing and what they need,” says Norville. “From there, employers can design tailored solutions.” Team leaders and line managers are also trusted resources. Employers can train their managers in ways they might help Sandwich Generation workers, or create tool kits or conversation guides that can help them recognize employees’ issues and needs. Considering Flexible Work Options An increasing number of employers are addressing the needs of the Sandwich Generation by offering flexibility in when, where and how work gets done. Beyond work at home, employers are offering relief to Sandwich Generation employees with flexible work options, such as flexible hours, compressed schedules and reduced schedules. Flextime arrangements that give employees space in their day to meet the various demands they’re facing could go a long way to helping workers during the pandemic, says Norville. “Requests for time away from work have increased. Employers aren’t sure how much time or what type of time should be allowed for employees to care for their children during the school day,” she says. Flextime arrangements would allow employees to work outside their regularly scheduled hours to make up for time needed to help a child or care for an older loved one. It might mean working in the evening or working on the weekend to meet job requirements. According to Norville, it’s important that employers formalize flextime policies to establish a sense of fairness in their treatment of different employees. But for many employees, shifting hours isn’t enough to assist them with juggling the increasing responsibilities they have faced during the pandemic. Part-time work policies are a tool many employers are using to provide some relief from the stress and strain of day-to-day life, including employees who wouldn’t have considered them pre-pandemic. “Part-time options are a good retention tool to avoid losing employees — especially women — due to these challenges,” says Carol Sladek, Work-Life Consulting practice leader at Aon. Similarly, Sladek says some employers are offering job-sharing arrangements — allowing two employees to work part time to share one job — to help employees with pandemic pressures. And others offer phased leave programs — allowing employees to take time off and return on a part-time schedule for some period of time. Sladek says the idea of a four-day compressed workweek is another flexible work arrangement some employers are considering as they respond to the needs of their working-parent and caregiving employees. The governments in Spain and Japan announced plans to explore a four-day workweek option with the goal of improving wellbeing and productivity. Learning Pods and Other Creative Solutions Norville says employers are also making remote education easier for employees’ children by helping them form “learning pods,” where small groups of students can learn together at home with tutors or parents sharing teaching duties. Companies with a smaller concentration of workers could collaborate with other businesses to provide such resources to employees. Job-sharing arrangements or even retiree rehiring programs can also be useful tools to help reduce the time demands on pandemic-stressed Sandwich Generation workers, says Norville. Employers also can create employee resource groups and social networks that allow workers to support one another and share solutions as they navigate these challenges. Why Helping the Sandwich Generation Will Benefit Employers Employers that find ways to help their Sandwich Generation employees deal with the added stresses of the pandemic can benefit through improved productivity and better retention of valued workers who otherwise might be forced to leave to handle family issues.	https://theonebrief.com/coping-with-covid-the-impact-on-sandwich-generation-workers/
On 16 December 2020, the International Labour Organization and the International Training Centre (ILOITC), in cooperation with the WorkLife HUB held a learning webinar entitled Work-life integration: Successful workplace practices in the “new normal” as part of the EU-funded WE EMPOWER G7 project to promote women’s economic empowerment at work. The learning webinar aimed to showcase workplace practices implemented during the pandemic to support workers to balance their work and family responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The learning webinar was opened by representatives of the European Commission and the ILO. It was followed by practical examples of workplaces promoting work-life integration by the Boston College Center for Work & Family, Stanford University and the WorkLife HUB. The full webinar recording is available here: Key take-aways: 1. The pandemic has further exposed the existing challenges to balancing paid work, personal lives and care responsibilities Helpful Resources: The full webinar recording is available here: Key take-aways: 1. The pandemic has further exposed the existing challenges to balancing paid work, personal lives and care responsibilities - Even before the pandemic women were performing 3/4 of all unpaid care work, and as a result, experiencing motherhood penalties (in employment, pay, and leadership) in the world of work. The current crisis is magnifying and accelerating these pre-existing gender inequalities. - Many of the sectors hardly hit by the pandemic have a majority female workforce, including the healthcare, childcare, hospitality and retail sectors. This situation has resulted in either massive job-losses for women or taking bigger health risks working on the front lines, all the while having to care for their family members. - Compared to the pre-COVID-19 situation, men have slightly increased their participation in unpaid care work, but it is not enough to compensate for the increased care burden faced by women, especially due to the closing of schools and childcare. - Single parents, workers in insecure jobs, migrant workers, women in small enterprises, or those living with disabilities are suffering the worst impact of the crisis. - The crisis has also increased parents’ mental health burdens and lowered their wellbeing, especially for women with young children. This is why achieving a better work-life balance and enabling an equal sharing of family responsibilities are crucial. - The existing ILO labour standards on maternity protection, workers with family responsibilities, part-time work, as well as the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) provide a strong foundation and guidance for the design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of effective work-life balance policies, both public and private. - EU-wide instruments, such as the EU Work-Life Balance Directive, support EU Member States to narrow the gender employment gaps and ensure adequate protections to pregnant workers, working parents and carers. These instruments are even more important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many more workers are struggling to balance their paid work and family responsibilities. - The need for collaboration, consultation and cooperation among governments, workers and employers and their representatives are fundamental to bring about effective and sustainable solutions. - Good practices tend to respond to the actual needs of workers and take into consideration the individualized circumstances of workers and their specific challenges. Successful employers regularly surveyed and reached out to workers and their representatives. - The organizations that were most successful in pivoting to full-time remote work were the ones who already had some established guidelines about how to work remotely and how performance could be measured based on results. - The Boston College Center for Work & Family (see presentation) shared the summary of their corporate roundtable benchmarking survey results. It categorized the support employers offered to working parents in their workforce as it follows: working flexibility, well-being and mental health, leadership and culture, access to care support, financial support and community support. - Workplace solutions and support can range from low-cost or very cost-effective solutions to services that require a larger financial investment by the employer. It shows that even employers with limited resources can offer support to the working parents and carers in their workforce. - Empathy and understanding by leadership about the challenges faced by workers during the pandemic and beyond is a key component in creating an enabling and supportive workplace. - Workplace policies and services need to be built and sustained on trust. An organisational culture that supports care as a normal fact of business life and managerial and leadership practices that are conducive to balancing work and family responsibilities are essential in ensuring that workers feel comfortable in using available services and supports. - Stanford University (see presentation) has been reinforcing a culture of care for decades. It offers the largest corporate childcare (900 children under normal circumstances) in higher education in the United States. The centre had to grapple with the impact of the pandemic and managed to maintain care primarily for children of healthcare and other first responders (400 children). - Preliminary research showed that workload has not changed during the pandemic, in many cases it has even increased. A key challenge for both managers and employees has been how to maintain previous levels of performance while the workplace became inaccessible and children and other dependents had to be cared for at home. - Stanford and other employers have been delivering management training and workshops to support teams with skills and tools to re-distribute the work and ensure that expectations were clear and could be met by the workers. - Work-life integration, including leave polices, care services, flexible working, teleworking and an enterprise culture for caring workplaces need to be built into the post-pandemic recovery plans. - ILO research shows that gender diversity in an enterprise culture that kindles work-life balance for both women and men is a smart business strategy. - Knowledge and lessons learned during the crisis can guide workplace policies and practices for the post-COVID world. - WorkLife HUB suggests (see presentation) that the pandemic may mean the end for the “ideal worker norm”, namely a care-free worker, who prioritizes work over all other aspects of life. Many of the effective workplace practices build on compassion, creativity, and empathy while taking into consideration the diversity of workers, their individual care needs and caregiving responsibilities and normalising the conversation around care. - Tools and resources are available for organizations to develop skills and understanding of these issues. The online Empowering Women at Work Capacity Development Platform offers open-access learning tools and modules in different languages. - Employers that build their policies and services on a foundation of trust and a culture that normalises caregiving create inclusive and safe workplaces that can attract a diversity of talent, fosters creativity and innovation and enhance business benefits. Helpful Resources:	https://www.ilo.org/global/meetings-and-events/events/WCMS_764071/lang--ja/index.htm
New research from LinkedIn (registration) claims that a third (36 percent) of UK professionals believe their employer does not do enough to support new parents. The release of the figures comes as LinkedIn claims that 18th March was the day that working families only just start getting paid for the year, once growing childcare costs are taken into account. The survey of 4,000 UK workers suggests that professionals feel they are being left in the dark when it comes to parental policies, with a third (37 percent) not even aware of what support their workplace provides for new parents. At the same time, nearly two thirds (60 percent) said their employer was not completely transparent about its parental policies when they joined. The two biggest challenges facing working parents were identified as flexible working arrangements and the cost of childcare. Flexible working was cited by 38 percent of workers as the most desirable policy for supporting parents, and LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report found that nearly nine in 10 (84 percent) UK businesses believe it helps employees achieve better work/life satisfaction. However, nearly two fifths of women (38 percent) say they feel uncomfortable discussing flexible hours with their boss. The top reasons for this include feeling their employer sees flexible working as an inconvenience (41 percent), fearing they will say no to requests (40 percent), feeling they will be seen as needy for requesting it ( 37 percent), and fearing they will be seen as less productive or committed to their job (33 percent). When it comes to childcare costs, just 23 percent of UK workers feel it is financially worthwhile returning to work after having a child. The average UK worker feels that covering the cost of childcare comfortably requires a household income of over £55,000 a year, with this rising to £73,000 in Greater London – a far reach from the average salary (£29,832 outside of London and £44,714 in Greater London). As a result, parents are considering their options after returning to work. A quarter (26 percent) – rising to 29 percent for women – have considered switching careers altogether to find a job that is more accommodating to working families. And half of parents said that they delayed having a child – on average for up to two and a half years – in anticipation of the childcare bills they would have to cover. Jon Addison, Head of Talent Solutions at LinkedIn UK, commented: “Flexible working is becoming one of the hot topics working parents discuss with their LinkedIn communities. However, our research reveals that many employees still don’t feel comfortable talking about flexible working options, and would even consider switching careers to find a job that better matches their family commitments. LinkedIn members and business leaders including Anna Whitehouse, founder of blogging platform ‘Mother Pukka’, working parent campaigner Christine Armstrong, CEO and author of ‘She’s Back’ Lisa Unwin, and executive search business owner David Hunt have been sparking conversation on LinkedIn. They’ve been opening up the debate about balancing parenting and working life and what businesses can do to support. LinkedIn is encouraging businesses to join the conversation using #ParentsAtWork. How has your business helped to support working parents and what are the challenges you’ve faced supporting parents in the workplace? How do you leverage your family policies and flexible working practices to attract candidates and retain top talent?	https://workplaceinsight.net/people-often-feel-as-if-they-are-kept-in-the-dark-about-flexible-working/
By Anne Whiting, Senior Consultant Recessions caused by periodic economic downturns typically hurt men’s employment more than women’s, but in 2020 and 2021 this has not held true. The Covid-19 pandemic has created a perfect storm – eroding women’s employment and making work-life balance even more difficult for working women at all levels. The institutions that mothers depend on to work outside of the home have been affected – stay at home orders have shut down daycare centers and schools have transitioned to remote learning. Grandparents, neighbors, friends are not able to provide childcare support due to contagion fears while they await vaccines. Prior to the pandemic, women comprised more than 50% of the country’s workforce. Many jobs have simply disappeared, especially those in service, hospitality, and education – where women tend to be employed in larger numbers. Families have largely been left to navigate the pandemic on their own, negotiating childcare and homeschooling responsibilities while juggling work. As families are buckling under the strain of caregiving, many women, especially lower-wage earners, have opted out. While overall unemployment numbers for women continue to improve since the early part of last year, these numbers do not include the many women who are no longer seeking work. Data from the National Women’s Law Center is staggering: In the month between August and September 2020, four times as many women dropped out of the workforce as did men. While it can be hard to imagine a positive angle on the massive exodus of women from the workplace created by the pandemic, the “shecession” does contain some valuable lessons for employers that are serious about creating more equitable and inclusive workplaces and retaining women. The ongoing childcare crisis in the U.S. needs leadership at the federal and state levels, but employers have a significant role to play in creating structures and policies that enable employees to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Policies that expand childcare benefits and bolster paid family leave will attract and retain women. Companies that make a visible commitment to closing the gender pay gap will also gain an advantage. This will require annual pay audits and use of tools and technologies that support equitable hiring and promotion decisions – and assessments of the potential for leadership roles. Another key area for action is work flexibility. Forward-thinking companies have already realized that workers, especially working parents, want flexibility, but these companies – and those that follow – need to ensure that they are setting flexible and remote employees up for success. Work flexibility is a broad term for options in the workplace that give managers and employees the freedom to decide when, where, and how work will get done. Flexible work arrangements may range from informal smaller agreements, such as: occasional telecommuting, having different start and stop times to avoid commute traffic, or an alternative schedule to accommodate daycare center and school hours. These arrangements can also be more formal, including compressed work weeks and fully remote work. With so many possible variations on “flexible” work, writing comprehensive organizations policies can be difficult. This often leaves decisions in the hands of individual managers, which leaves room for disparity, discrimination, and playing favorites. Flexible work arrangements that are individually negotiated can adversely impact women; the “motherhood penalty” comes into play. According to WorldatWork, approximately 80% of employers offer flexible work arrangements, but only 37% have a “formal, written philosophy or policy to support flexibility options.” For many women, there is a stigma connected to the use of flexible work arrangements, one that adversely impacts pay and promotion opportunities and causes others to question their commitment to their job. Organizations can better support women by having a clearly communicated written policy; one that defines which jobs are subject to flexible schedule and which ones are not. Defining core hours and meeting times are useful in helping women protect work schedules and organize childcare. Removing uncertainty helps both managers and employees make better-informed decisions about the flexibility offered to them. The pandemic has proven that flexible work schedules and remote work are viable for many organizations. Going forward, companies are going to continue to capitalize on the remote work tools in which they have invested so much money and time. Employers who go further and integrate flexibility into their business strategy and transition away from employee-initiated requests to proactive manager-initiated programs supported by tools, technology, and training will differentiate themselves. To succeed with remote and flexible workers, managers will also need additional support in defining and measuring key performance indicators and rewarding employees for their results, not for hours spent in the office. Performance management philosophies and systems will need to be revisited and redefined. Falling short in this area will have a direct impact on employee retention and business results. Here are a few key strategies to consider: - Structured, meaningful conversations between managers and their employees are essential and should cover what is working well, areas for improvement, and support needs. Managers should receive support and training on how to have these conversations and can share common themes with HR and other senior leaders to inform policy and training improvements. - Employees need timely, honest, constructive feedback on their performance, ideally from sources that go beyond their manager for a more well-rounded view of how they are executing against their goals. Performance management systems that skillfully integrate 360 Feedback – and offer training on how to make feedback useful and have authentic conversations around performance – will have an advantage. - Access to coaching – whether internal or external – can have a dramatic impact on employee growth and performance and can be a vital additional source of support and guidance for women and men working remotely. Ultimately, it is not just women and working parents that will benefit from well-considered and executed remote and flexible work arrangements. Other groups that have traditionally been shut out of the workforce or marginalized to some degree due to an uncooperative infrastructure, such as people with disabilities, should find more doors open to them that were once shut. The possibilities are exciting and long overdue. Anne Whiting, MA is the Director of Consulting Services at 3D Group. She has over two decades of experience as a global HR leader and coach. Her direct industry experience includes consumer packaged goods, aerospace manufacturing, professional services, information technology, and healthcare. Anne earned her Master of Science degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Alliant International University in San Diego. This article was originally published on HR.com.	https://3dgroup.net/using-the-lessons-of-the-shecession-to-create-a-more-equitable-workplace/
UK coronavirus support “repeatedly skewed towards men,” says new report The Women and Equalities Committee, which holds the UK government to account on equality law and policy, says that government policies on Covid-19 have “repeatedly failed to consider” the labor market and caring inequalities faced by women. The government has spent over £200bn on job support schemes during the pandemic. However, Committee chair Caroline Nokes says they “must start actively analysing and assessing the equality impact of every policy, or it risks turning the clock back.” The report notes that women have spent more time on caring duties than men during the pandemic, yet “furlough was not clearly articulated as a right for those with caring responsibilities.” Women were also less likely to qualify for statutory sick pay, in part due to caring responsibilities, as their wages, as a result, were too low to be eligible. The report makes 20 recommendations, which include making it easier for staff to get flexible working arrangements. Suggestions include: - Changing the law to allow employees to request flexible working arrangements when they start a job rather than waiting 26 weeks as currently mandated by law. - Maintaining increases in financial support including the £20 rise in Universal Credit. - Extending redundancy protection to cover pregnant women and new mothers. - Reviewing the availability of sick pay. - Conducting an equality assessment of the support measures introduced during the pandemic. - Reinstating gender pay gap reporting which was cancelled in March 2020 due to the pandemic. - Reviewing childcare provision to provide support not only for working parents but for those who are job-seeking or retraining. British Chambers of Commerce co-executive director Claire Walker believes that a national focus is required to help parents and carers: “Employers value the skills women bring to the workplace and the evidence shows that businesses with a diverse and inclusive workforce perform better.” She says, “Economic growth will depend on access to high quality, affordable childcare.” Daniela Vuri has explored whether childcare policies increase maternal employment for IZA World of Labor. She says, “Childcare services could help encourage parents—in particular, mothers—to take part in the labor force. However, if such services are not sufficient to meet demand, are too expensive, or are incompatible with the needs of parents (usually mothers) who work full-time—for instance, because of inconvenient opening and closing hours, centers being too far away—this could severely affect their work possibilities.” In their commentary on childcare during Covid-19, Almudena Sevilla and Sarah Smith also write about how “in families where men are now working from home or are not currently employed, the allocation of the additional hours of childcare within couples is more equal than it was in those same couples before the Covid-19 crisis began.” They are optimistic that “[t]he experience of working from home may help to accelerate a move to more flexible working arrangements. Because when men are working from home, the burden of childcare is more equally shared, this potential shift to additional work performed from home could lead to a longer-term increase in gender equality in childcare.” Find more IZA World of Labor content on female labor force participation.	https://wol.iza.org/news/uk-coronavirus-support-repeatedly-skewed-towards-men
The Athena SWAN Gold award held by the Chemistry Department means a commitment to offsetting the disadvantages that some groups of people suffer and the advantages that others enjoy. This has led to important initiatives such as pay gap analysis, promotion of female role models, a flexible working guarantee and a part-time working assurance. Although these initiatives are primarily targeted at redressing the imbalances faced by women in the workplace, it was evident from the discussions that the Athena SWAN approach benefits fathers, as well as mothers. Balancing childcare and work For example, as Dr Laurence Abbott told me, “After my wife tragically passed away shortly after my daughter Jessica was born, I took some time off to adapt to my new life as a single parent. I am now fully responsible for Jessica’s care and have to stay at home when she is ill. This can involve having to drop everything immediately to go and pick her up. The department allows me to be flexible and work around any such sick days.” “My wife is a teacher so cannot make it to events that fall within the school day. The flexible working policy made it easy for me to attend Harvest Festivals, Christmas plays and sports days. I won the dads’ sack race this year! I have also covered periods when the kids are sick. It is great that we are allowed this level of flexibility.” Dr Andy Goddard, Research Facilitator Indeed, from my own experience, when we adopted our son, the Department was very supportive of me working part-time, which I did for the first year, while he settled into our home. I had the assurance that I could transition back to full-time work when the time was right. As my husband’s health is now sadly declining, flexible working has been massively beneficial, and I am once again exploring patterns of part-time work that would allow me to match additional time off with school holidays. Facts and Figures It is interesting to reflect, however, that although there is UK legislation for shared parental leave, national evidence shows that current take-up amongst fathers remains very low (<5%). Furthermore, surveys show that on average, women do over twice as much childcare as men. Strangely, men are still often labelled as ‘exceptional dads’ even for doing just 50% of the childcare – a fair share. This is compounded by the fact that women also take on the majority of other caring roles, such as for elderly or sick relatives, as well as doing 60% more housework than men. Strangely, men are still often labelled as ‘exceptional dads’ even for doing just 50% of the childcare – a fair share. In terms of childcare, there seems little doubt that societal expectations influence parents’ decision-making. I think that in the absence of such expectations, men would feel empowered to become more involved in childcare. For example, I am a gay parent, and there were absolutely no expectations about who would do what. My husband and I started from the assumption that childcare should be split 50/50 and worked from there – why would we do anything else? However, it remains clear that many people worry about the impact that childcare and part-time or flexible working may have on their careers. This view is doubtless informed by the many years in which the shameful lack of some employers’ support for women with childcare responsibilities has been one of the factors having a negative impact on their careers. This is a key reason that a visible set of departmental policies on family-friendly working, as well as highlighting female role models who have successfully balanced family and career, is so important in engendering change. I strongly believe that real change in gender roles will actually be driven by changing the roles of both men and women. It is vital to support women in the workplace, but it is also important to start a conversation in which men’s roles in the home are questioned. Perhaps at some point in the future, when a group of fathers discuss work and family, it will be those who don’t take significant time out of their working patterns who will be seen as exceptions. Such parental equality would have huge impacts in workplaces everywhere.	https://yumagazine.co.uk/flexible-fathers/
It’s no secret that gender equity has taken a major step backward during the pandemic. Globally, women lost more than 64 million jobs in 2020—or 5% of all jobs held by women—according to Oxfam International. Women’s labor participation in the US hit a 33-year low in January 2021. Even as economies reopen, and some businesses staff up, women are still facing some of the biggest challenges to workforce participation in decades. Many of these challenges predate the pandemic—but the Covid-19 crisis has significantly exacerbated them and forced many women, particularly women of color, out of the workplace entirely. The future remains uncertain—and many businesses are now reevaluating their return-to-office plans in response to the Delta variant. But despite this uncertainty, one thing is clear: Women are facing a crisis whose impact will extend long after the pandemic is over. No matter how your office is approaching the current pandemic reality, leaders have a unique ability to right the structural and systemic wrongs that have long created inequities for women at work. To help, we’ve created a list of five major challenges women continue to face in the new workplace—and actions leaders can take to advance gender equity. 1. Insufficient childcare and caregiving support. The pandemic exposed and exacerbated women’s time spent on unpaid household and caregiving responsibilities. Globally, women spent three times as many hours on unpaid childcare last year than men—an average of 173 additional hours versus 59. A Catalyst-CNBC survey also revealed that 41% of mothers working in the US said they believed they had to hide their caregiving struggles from their employer. The lack of a strong childcare infrastructure in the US—particularly for young children—created significant challenges for women after both schools and childcare facilities shut down. Unequal distribution of caregiving, and lack of support from employers, will remain a barrier for women at work even after the pandemic. Offering flexible work options—such as the ability to work remotely or to have flexible hours throughout the day—is one way to lessen the burden. Creating a culture of empathy and psychological safety—where women can feel safe to share their need, for instance, to leave work early to take their child to the doctor—is another. Finally, consider expanding your parental leave options or other childcare benefits so that everyone has the time they need to care for children. 2. Lack of access to flexible and remote work. Many companies are now returning to in-person work, either full- or part-time. But women with caregiving responsibilities may need to continue working remotely due to a lack of childcare options—many daycare centers closed permanently during the pandemic—and the high cost of care. Another US-based survey conducted in June 2021 found that 72% of parents say childcare is more expensive, and 46% say it is more difficult to find than before the pandemic. For women who are impacted by a lack of childcare options, their ability to remain in the workforce, or return to it in the future, will depend on employer flexibility. A recent Catalyst survey found that women with childcare responsibilities who have remote-work access are 32% less likely to report intending to leave their jobs, compared with women with childcare responsibilities who do not have remote-work access. But remote and flexible work is not just important for caregivers—the pandemic showed that many kinds of employees benefit from and prefer these options. Leaders must also ensure that women who choose to work flexibly have the same opportunities for advancement and visibility as those who work on-site. Consider building a remote-first culture and developing inclusive hybrid options—a combination of remote and in-person work—so that all employees, regardless of where or how they work, are set up for success. 3. A widening gender pay gap. Before the pandemic, the gender pay gap typically cost women in the US $846 a month—or $10,157 a year. For most women of color, the annual loss was higher than for White women. Covid-19 exacerbated these inequities as a disproportionate number of women, particularly women of color, lost wages due to unemployment or reduced work hours. As some women move back into the workforce, they may face a “pay penalty” as a result of their absence over the last year. One study found that women earn on average 7% less than men in the same position when returning to work after an extended absence. When hiring or rehiring women employees, leaders must ensure they are paid equitably and not penalized for pandemic-related time off. Start with conducting regular pay equity analyses and evaluating your talent management systems for bias. Also, consider offering formal “returnship” programs to attract high-potential women back into senior roles. 4. Lack of sponsorship. Women who stepped out of the workforce or had reduced work hours during the pandemic may also have trouble getting back on track in their careers. Having a sponsor—a senior leader who uses their influence to advocate for an individual’s advancement—can make a big difference, especially for women of color who may lack access to informal networking relationships. As more women may opt to work remotely, sponsors will be critical to ensure that women are not overlooked for advancement opportunities. Leaders need to consider how women, particularly women of color, in their company could benefit from sponsorship and learn how to make the most of sponsor relationships. 5. Unconscious bias. Unconscious bias is an implicit association or attitude—about race or gender, for example—that can influence an individual’s behavior toward a person or group of people. This bias is rooted racism, sexism, and other forms of marginalization that showed up in different ways during the pandemic. For example, women of Asian descent were the targets of coronavirus-related racism and violence. Black women working remotely faced the burden of code-switching in new ways to “optimize the comfort of others with the hopes of receiving fair treatment.” None of these problems is going to go away after the pandemic. In fact, a return to in-person office environments presents its own fears and concerns about racism for women of color. Companies should not overlook these concerns. Instead, leaders should listen to their employees, particularly employees of color, to understand what kinds of changes they want to see in the workplace. Leaders should also work to build more racially equitable workplaces, which includes addressing their own deep-seated unconscious biases, having difficult conversations across differences, and eliminating bias from hiring and talent-management decisions, to ensure that all women have equitable opportunities in the workplace. In the reimagined workplace, these are the critical challenges women will face and that leaders must address. What actions on this list are you willing to take?	https://www.catalyst.org/2021/08/25/women-workplace-challenges-covid/
Recently, the Government’s Women and Equalities Committee published a report on fathers in the workplace. According to the report, policies currently in place to support fathers in the workplace are unable to deliver what they promise. It is, therefore, important for the Government to reform these workplace policies under employment law, making sure that they better support working dads, who are taking care of their children. The report concludes that despite having good intentions, the right to request flexible working has been unable to create the desired cultural change and the Government itself admits that its flagship shared parental leave scheme will prove insufficient in meeting its objective for most working fathers. Supporting cultural shifts The report specifies that an increasing number of employed fathers, nowadays, want to participate more and equally share the responsibilities of childcare (especially during their child’s infancy). The current policies, however, are not flexible enough to support them in doing so. One of the main reasons behind this is the outdated mindset of the employers about the roles of fathers and mothers, relating to childcare and workplace. Therefore, there is an urgent need to support cultural shifts and reform current policies to include statutory paternity pay, flexible working and parental leave. Ensuring fairness and tackling fears Nowadays, the attitude of working fathers is radically changing when it comes to taking care of their children. Not only are they carrying out a greater share of childcare responsibilities than before, they are doing so with lesser concessions at the workplace than those given to mothers. While working mothers face pregnancy discrimination and other forms of gender discrimination at work, working fathers are unable to voice their concerns relating to leaves or flexible working around the time of their child’s birth. Due to the prevalent macho culture and the fear of possibly harming their career prospects, most working fathers choose to grind in silence at the workplace. Therefore, it is important that fathers of all income groups have an equal chance to bond with their children, as mothers. To do that, a culture shift is as important as the need for family-friendly government policies. Need for new parental leave reforms The Women and Equalities Committee report comes as a wakeup call, even as the deadline approaches for gender pay gap reporting. The Government finally recognises the fact that the fathers need to take up a more active role in taking care of their children. This way, it will become easier for the legislature to end the ‘gender pay gap’. Having said that, there are a number of notable recommendations in the Women and Equalities Committee report, therefore, recommending a number of comprehensive measures including: - Introduction of statutory paternity pay (90 percent of the father’s pay, which is capped for higher earners) so that all working fathers can be at home at the time of their child’s birth; - Consider the cost and benefits of replacing the shared parental leave with a new policy of 12 weeks of standalone fathers’ leave (in the child’s first year); - Immediate legislation for all jobs to be advertised as flexible, unless there are serious business implications for doing so; - Harmonising workplace rights for fathers, especially those who are self-employed or working as agency workers, with those for employed fathers. There is a historical lack of support for men in the workplace when it comes to childcare and paternity leaves. Overall, there are several negative cultural assumptions and gender discrimination that persist even now. While the Government can only take positive steps forwards and introduce newer reform in employment law, it is also the onus of employers to redesign workplace policies so that they can keep up with the social changes in people’s everyday lives. Wrapping Up Outdated assumptions and negative cultural impacts the roles of working men. Women are some of the main reasons working fathers are let down in the workplace. Unlike working female employees, male employees are more hesitant about voicing their needs and aspirations related to childcare. This needs to change. Both women and men must have equality whether at work or at home. Through effective policy-making and implementation, employers can meet the needs of families and tackle gender inequalities. Tom Street qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and has over 20 years experience in employment and litigation law. He studied law at the University of Manchester before undertaking the legal practice course at the College of Law in Guildford, going on to complete his legal training at a firm in Chancery Lane, London. Once fully qualified, he moved to a niche litigation practice in the City of London. In 2010, Tom set up his own legal practice, Tom Street & Co Solicitors and as part of this, in accordance with his strongly held objective to provide everyone with an easy pathway to justice he established the online portals Do I Have A Case? and Tribunal Claim. These websites are trading names of Tom Street & Co Solicitors.	https://www.tribunalclaim.com/working-fathers-let-workplace/
How Egalitarian Relationships Help Us All Thrive at Work When young women come to me for career advice, they are generally just starting out in the professional world, or almost finished with school and want to discuss career paths in psychology. I talk about what it’s like to work in the field of industrial-organizational psychology and how to carve out research projects on healthy workplace topics. We also discuss the benefits of postgraduate education, leadership opportunities and long-term earning potential. Two questions I wish more women would ask as they contemplate life after graduate school are, “How will my spouse or partner affect my career?” and “What type of workplace environment is going to be most supportive of my professional and personal goals?” The reality for most women entering the workforce is that they will be launching their careers around the same time in their lives they’ll also be navigating marriage, balancing their partner’s professional ambitions and starting a family. A spouse who shares similar views on work and childcare responsibilities can make a big difference for women who want to flourish in a demanding career and have a fulfilling personal life. Supportive workplace policies and leaders who understand the value of a healthy workplace help both men and women perform well in their jobs, which in turn benefits their families and organizations. This makes sense, because sure, it would be nice to have both a supportive partner in life as well as a supportive employer, but it’s not always simple to find either, let alone both. Research has shown that the majority of us prefer egalitarian relationships, and this is what I find with most of the millennial women I mentor as well. In a study of the effect of workplace policies on the relationship preferences of young men and women, Pedulla and Thébaud (2015) found that while men and women have egalitarian attitudes about gender roles, if their companies do not offer supportive, family-friendly policies, men and women choose more traditional roles, as described in this recent New York Times article. Many of us want partners who forge their own careers, who understand the realities women face in the workplace, and also share the household and childcare responsibilities equally. As professional millennial women, we want the best of both worlds, and we want the companies we work for to work with us so we can all succeed. In doing so, we perform better at work and everyone is happy. It’s a win-win. More American women with advanced degrees are choosing to have both children and a career (Pew Research Center, 2015). The decision is no longer “either/or” as it was for some in previous generations, yet our workplace flexibility options and parental leave policies still lag behind both the times and other countries. Are workplace norms and policies really limiting us from achieving gender equality in the workplace and the more equal relationships we want at home? “Our choices are profoundly influenced by the cultural and institutional forces around us. We need to understand the real problem – that we lack the social and systemic supports that we need in order to realize our potential and share our talents with the world,” suggests Katrina Alcorn, author of the book Maxed Out: American Moms on the Brink. Something has to give in order for working parents to thrive at work and at home. According to APA’s newly released Work-Life Survey, 51 percent of working Americans say their employer offers flexibility for when they work, and less than half report having flexible options in terms of the number of hours they work (43 percent), how many days per week they work (40 percent) and the location where they work (34 percent). Surprisingly, even fewer U.S. workers are tapping into work-life benefits, with just a quarter or fewer using work-life benefits once a month or more (APA, 2015). APA’s Work-Life Survey also found that men are more likely than women to report frequent use of some work-life benefits, including child care resources, personal time off, flex schedules, paid leave, unpaid leave, life management support and phased transitions. Men were also more likely than women to say their employer offers many work-life benefits. In some ways it’s easier to juggle work and family now than in earlier generations because there are more options. Yet not enough has changed – societal and workplace culture norms still set up an expectation that women should be responsible for the bulk of childcare and housework, leaving women feeling overwhelmed, burning out or opting out of the workforce all together. Not only does the expectation persist, but, on average, women still do more of the childcare and housework, in addition to working. Mothers spend about 32 hours on childcare and housework a week, whereas fathers spend about 17, in addition to paid work (mothers spend about 21 hours a week on paid work, fathers spend an average of 37), according to the Pew Research Center. Benefits for women to achieving greater equality at home include everything from better health and wellness to more fulfilling relationships. Yet men who strive for gender equality, those who take paternity leave or stay home with their children when they are sick, can also encounter a less receptive work environment and, in some cases, are stigmatized and “daddy tracked.” In order for women to be successful in their careers, we don’t just need paid maternity leave and flexible workplace policies. We also need partners who have the same options and flexibility and are encouraged by organizational leaders to use them for everyone’s advantage. 0 TrackBacks Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: How Egalitarian Relationships Help Us All Thrive at Work.	http://www.apaexcellence.org/resources/goodcompany/blog/2015/09/how-egalitarian-relationships.php
Rebuilding Work as We Know It: Flexibility, Child Care, and a Stronger Social Safety NetMazrouei & Sultana You’d be hard-pressed to find an aspect of society that hasn’t been transformed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit–work is no different. Overnight, working from home–what was once a perk, perhaps a possibility after a promotion, or a long-thought out agreement–became the new reality for millions of workers across the country. This shift highlights why working conditions should be responsive to changing demands and context. However, a pandemic shouldn’t be the only time that work caters to the needs of workers. This crisis has shed light on pre-existing inequities; now, there is an opportunity to re-imagine and reconstruct access to the labour market, enabling decent work for more Canadians. Flexible workplaces, investing in child care, and ensuring a stronger social safety net make us all more resilient to future crises and creates an economy that works better for everyone. These solutions aren’t new – the disability justice, gender equity and labour movements have advocated for them for decades. However, currently, they’ve taken on a greater urgency. After this pandemic subsides, we can’t go back to our pre-existing normal; we need to rebuild a better society and the workplace is a good place to start. The labour market was never built for women, and particularly not for women from more marginalized communities. They face systemic discrimination, pay disparities, roadblocks to advancement, challenges in having their credentials recognized, and are over-represented in precarious, short-term and part-time work. For example, though racialized workers are more likely to access the labour market, they earn significantly less than workers who are not racialized. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how the pre-existing challenges women faced in the labour market will only deepen. In March 2020, 63% of workers who lost their job were women and a total of 1.2 million women had a reduction in hours. The hardest hit sectors, such as hospitality and tourism, food services, and retail, consist disproportionately of women workers, highlighting the brunt of this economic downturn. At the same time, women are on the frontlines of this pandemic representing the majority of workers in occupations in the health services, social services and charitable and nonprofit sectors. Through our research project and our work across the country, YWCA Canada has identified promising practices to support women’s labour market participation. First, just as prior to the pandemic, flexible work arrangements that align with the realities of women continue to be critical priority. Flexible work conditions provide individuals greater freedom by deciding when and where their work is completed, leading to increased productivity and satisfaction. Such conditions can include remote or tele-work, and flexible hours that allow employees to work on their schedule and maintain a better work life balance. Other measures are compressed work weeks, extended paid time off, sick leave with pay, paid lactation breaks, among others. These policies become particularly important for women who are parents, single parents, have other care responsibilities, or women with physical and invisible disabilities. Before this crisis, many women workers were taking on the ‘double burden’ by carrying out their paid employment duties along with a large portion of unpaid care and household work. During this crisis, with the cancellation of schools, and after school recreational programming, women workers are adding on responsibilities by taking on home schooling and child care, leading to a new pandemic-fuelled ‘triple burden’. This crisis has highlighted how critical child care is to fuelling our economy and our ability to work effectively. Child care is an integral part of re-building a labour market that is more accessible and supportive for women with marginalized experiences. Truly engaging women from varying backgrounds in gainful employment relies heavily on providing free, accessible, trustworthy, and non-discriminatory childcare. Family-friendly policies support working parents and can also take various forms such as on-site child care, child care allowances or subsidies. When it comes to child care, a one-size fits all approach is not feasible. UN Women highlights how some women prefer care arrangements closer to home, with shorter commutes, and safer settings. In such cases, flexible work settings and childcare allowances will be more appropriate measures. This should be a foundational cornerstone in Canada’s post-pandemic recovery. Finally, we can’t talk about work without addressing the need for a strong social safety net that provides the basic needs for a safe, secure and healthy life such as housing and income. Current public health measures tell us to stay at home, assuming that everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. Housing is a fundamental determinant of health and a prerequisite to participating in the labour market and securing decent work. That’s why advocates continue to call for measures such as eviction bans, rent freezes, and rental supplements. These measures point to the fact that the current Canadian housing and rental market is untenable, and significantly impacts workers. We need immediate investments in affordable housing projects that prioritize women to create a strong foundation for workers to re-enter the labour market. Another key issue is access to enough income to live a decent life where basic needs are met, and women can thrive. During this crisis, we’ve seen some employers raise the pay of their essential workers because of the risks they are taking, but this has to continue post-pandemic. We need higher wages for all workers, especially in the sectors where over half of women workers are concentrated, such as caring, cashiering, catering, clerical, and cleaning. One approach is to increase minimum wage across all jurisdictions beyond just federally regulated sectors so people can live a healthy and thriving life. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how much our society depends on essential workers, the majority of whom are women. These essential workers and women workers more broadly need essential investments in flexible work arrangements, affordable child care, and a social safety net that meets the needs of their lives. Today, we have the opportunity to move towards equitable recovery by rebuilding the labour market so that it works for everyone. By: Shiva Mazrouei & Anjum Sultana Shiva Mazrouei is the Research Officer for the Born to Be Bold: Measuring success for women’s access to the labour market research project at YWCA Canada. Anjum Sultana is the Director of Public Policy & Strategic Communications at YWCA Canada. Sources: - Marginalized women: Low-income women, women experiencing or having experienced gender-based violence, Indigenous women, racialized women, women in remote locations, and newcomer women;. also includes young women, single mothers, and women with physical disabilities. * We use this term interchangeably with “women of marginalized experiences” - Indigenous women, racialized women, newcomer women, and disabled women earn 65 cents, 67 cents, 71 cents, and 54 cents on the dollar that males earn respectively.	https://ppforum.ca/policy-speaking/rebuilding-work-as-we-know-it-flexibility-child-care-and-a-stronger-social-safety-net/
Becoming a new mom during a global pandemic has built resilience, patience, and a reckoning. A reckoning with the lack of societal and government support of children and families. A learning that as a result of the pandemic, women are having to make some tough decisions… ones that we’ve been making for decades, but with an added layer of fear. In the U.S., over 2.3 million women have left the labor force since the start of the pandemic, as shown in research done by The Women’s National Law Center. Finding care for a 4-month-old during a normal time is difficult, but was daunting in the face of a pandemic. In my town of over 45,000, there are 2 infant care child-care centers, a few options for homecare, or the option to hire a local sitter. The lack of affordable and flexible childcare options has resulted in a number of women being forced to leave the workforce over this past year. Childcare has been underfunded for more years than I am old, but the pandemic has resulted in the uprooting of our industry, leaving the livelihood of women in its path of destruction. The impacts of the pandemic on working women further expose the ongoing challenges women face as a result of the lack of policies that support working women and families. Unsurprisingly, the pandemic’s impact on childcare is affecting women of color most. Research from The Women’s National Law Center shows nearly 1 in 11 Black women ages 20+, and more than 1 in 12 Latinas ages 20+, were unemployed in February (up almost two-fold from pre-pandemic rates). It has become blindly evident that there is little social, workplace, or government support for parents and their children, especially for BIPOC families. Thousands of childcare centers and home providers have had to close their doors. Since March 2021, it is estimated that over 4 million childcare slots will have been permanently lost across the U.S. Many of these slots are for children of front-line and essential service workers, many in the BIPOC community, forcing women of color out of the workforce. As we all know, the loss of a job directly impacts the livelihood of the child and entire family. We need to prioritize supporting the whole family through supporting childcare for children from birth to age 12. We’ve done it before – supported working women in a meaningful manner. During WWII childcare was supported as a way to get women in the workforce, prioritizing childcare as a matter of national security. Recent federal bills and legislation will temporarily provide extra funding to childcare, while raising the child tax credit. With plans for the tax credit to pay out monthly to qualifying parents, some families could see an extra $200 – 300 monthly, which has the potential to meaningfully help many families. In California, where the cost of living is high, this added tax credit will be of help, but realistically will have no major impact. These efforts are seemingly a step in the right direction, but I can’t help but feel that we must support the childcare industry more thoughtfully. We need to support working mothers more thoughtfully. We need to support women of color more thoughtfully. With mindful funding of childcare, we inadvertently begin to better support working mothers, allowing for women to continue to play a vital role in the economy. For breakfast, I had an almond butter Perfect Bar and coffee with raw honey and milk.	https://boostcafe.org/funding-childcare-supports-women/
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people have been discussing the unique challenges facing working parents. Balancing work, family and caring responsibilities has always been a struggle, but the COVID-19 pandemic really illuminated how traditional workplaces unfairly penalised working parents. According to recent studies: - 20% of working parents in the UK feel they have been treated less fairly at work because of their childcare responsibilities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. - 26% of women get into debt during maternity leave, with the average parent borrowing around £2,800. - A recent survey of 27,000 parents found that the cost of childcare has forced 43% of mothers to consider leaving their jobs and 40% to work fewer hours. It's clear that if companies don't value and support working parents, many will continue to leave the workforce to put their family first – and it doesn't have to be like this. When businesses choose a family-friendly approach, it can help boost employee well-being and morale, increase productivity, and enable companies to attract and retain top talent. Here are 5 ways you can attract, employ and retain working parents, creating an inclusive work environment. Create safe spaces where parents can connect Setting up an employee network or focus group for parents and carers can be a powerful way for them to connect, share resources, give feedback and support each other. As Janice Chang writes, "While culture change doesn’t and shouldn’t happen overnight, you can kick off the process by providing parents with spaces in which they can connect with other parent employees, confide in their managers about issues or personal wins, and ultimately thrive." It's also critical to make this an inclusive space for all employees with parenting or caring responsibilities and to be inclusive of nontraditional family units, including adoptive parents, single parents, queer families and full-time caregiving grandparents. There are many ways that this can take shape, from in-person meetings, Slack channels, and one-on-one time with managers and senior leadership to share experiences and flag concerns. Parenting is hard work – building a strong, supportive community can allow employees to thrive, not just survive. Hire people wanting to return to work Research by PwC estimates that 76% of professional women on a career break want to return to work. It's important that more employers embrace career returners who often have a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. Companies can tap into this pool of talent by offering structured programmes that offer people returning to work support and mentorship. Provide an inclusive parental leave package With 26% of women in the UK going into an average of £2,800 of debt during maternity leave, offering a strong and inclusive parental leave package is important now more than ever. Growing your family, whether by giving birth or through adoption can be a joyful and emotionally taxing experience – and worrying about work or money can make that even more stressful. Outside of the significant benefit to employees and their families, having an excellent parental leave policy similar to Unleashed, Ably, Planes and Juro, can help boost employee retention, reduce costs associated with re-hiring and training, attract diverse talent, reduce recruitment costs and increase employee well-being. In addition, shifting from maternity leave to parental leave can help with the "motherhood penalty" by giving either partner the choice to take leave or continue working, and offering a shared parental leave policy can help mitigate the gender pay gap and help both parents spend quality time with their newest addition. It goes with saying that your parental leave policy needs to be inclusive for single parents, LGBTQIA+ families, and those pursuing fostering or adoption. And it’s important for employees to be encouraged to take parental leave, and for senior leadership to model what that looks like. Create child friendly workplaces It seems simple, but ensuring that your work environment is child friendly can be a small way to support working parents at your company. It might be helpful to have rooms for parents that are pumping, breastfeeding or chestfeeding, toilet facilities with changing tables, and high chairs in kitchen spaces. These small changes can go a really long way. Prioritise flexible working arrangements For many working parents, flexibility at work can be a critical component of juggling work, life and caring responsibilities successfully. As such, to both support and retain working parents, companies need to consider prioritising flexible working, whether that means giving employees the option to work from home, or offering flexible hours, which can come in handy when your little one is sick. It's also important to champion alternative working arrangements such as job sharing, or allowing and encouraging employees to work part-time. As Oliver Taylor, Flexa's Account Manager shares, "Flexible working has really helped me to remain present in my children’s lives. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, I realised how much I bonded with my daughter, and I wanted that to continue. Working flexibly allows me to do the school pick-up and drop-off, and with no commute, I can use that time to spend quality time with my children, whether that be swimming or riding bikes. Most importantly, it means that my partner does not have to sacrifice her career to take care of our children." There are small but significant steps that companies can take to support parents, such as scheduling meetings in the late morning or early afternoon to allow parents to do school pick-up and drop-offs, including regular breaks during the work day to support pumping/breastfeeding mums, and giving advance notice for any company functions outside of work hours so that parents can schedule childcare. Why transparency matters At the end of the day, flexibility and inclusivity benefits everybody – not just working parents. And for these changes to work and have maximum impact, companies must publicise the support available for working parents – both internally and externally – to shift the company culture and foster accountability.	https://flexa.careers/blog/build-an-inclusive-workplace-for-working-parents
This discourse has, along with the increasing amount of data and research into the real needs of working women, brought several workplace issues to the fore. Maternity and menopause are two of the biggest events to impact on women’s professional lives, yet research suggests employers are still falling short when it comes to putting the right workplace behaviours, cultures and support systems in place. To address these issues, it’s necessary to understand how these life stages make women feel and the knock-on effects it can have for women as employees and businesses as a whole. Research shows that more than 80 per cent of women start maternity leave unhappy in their work and lacking in confidence and more than one third feel so isolated when they return that they plan to resign. Perhaps this can be attributed to reported resentment towards pregnant women in some workplaces and companies’ concerns about whether pregnant employees will return or stay. Women report receiving little support during the return transition (90 per cent) and perceive a lack of flexibility and understanding from bosses and colleagues, with almost two thirds worried that requests for flexible working will be denied. For the most part, women are still the major carers of children in the UK and as such are more likely to require flexible hours or part-time positions and are the ones that have to handle unexpected days off due to children’s sickness or problems with childcare. Greater support and flexible provision are more than just for women’s benefit though – it also helps to avoid absences and lapses in work continuity, both of which lead to reduced productivity and staff attrition over time. If we turn our attention to the menopause, research published by the Department for Education, carried out by Leicester and Bristol Universities, stresses that employers must do more to support women and encourages the subject to be openly discussed, rather than in hushed and embarrassed tones. Menopause can affect women in their 30s and 40s, although the typical age is 51. The need to understand it is becoming greater as 80 percent of menopausal women are in the workplace and this is set to increase as we work later into life. As much as 20 percent of an average woman’s working life is likely to be spent dealing with its symptoms and effects which can be unpleasant at best and debilitating at worst, spanning hot flushes, mood swings, memory lapses and a loss of confidence. With many women feeling unable to share their health concerns with employers for fear of reprisal, it’s not surprising that many choose to cope alone. In turn this can impact women’s wider mental wellbeing and productivity, as well as increase the likelihood of absences and reduced job satisfaction. At a time when business leaders are concerned with how to improve productivity and extract more meaningful value from their employees, they must recognise the needs of a significant part of their workforce. Failure to do so is a certain first step to losing valuable talent and knowledge gained over decades, not to mention a significant step backwards in facilitating women’s contribution to the labour market. One important way to address these issues is with a flexible workplace and an open organisational culture. Empowering people to choose how, when and where they work (within guidelines) can give all employees the ability to work around symptoms, childcare issue or difficult personal issues – whether it’s menopausal women, a man with care responsibilities for an elderly relative or someone dealing with mental health issues. Certainly, for women dealing with a return to work after maternity or menopausal symptoms, flexible working can provide a lifeline and make it possible to maintain their professional contribution. Business leaders must support this further by ensuring that female health is factored into wellbeing policies, line managers are trained to recognise where support is needed, and women are encouraged to discuss their health needs openly. Flexibility is an expected part of the modern employee experience and with a proven link between flexible working, wellbeing, productivity and staff retention, employers should harness its power. All employees will have changing needs throughout their professional lives, but in the interests of keeping women in the workplace in particular, it’s important to recognise two of the most challenging times in their lives. Employers that openly talk about health issues of all kinds and create a culture of support which values the individual, will create a homogenised, inclusive, engaged and happier workforce, where individuals’ needs can be accommodated rather than shunned and create an employer brand to be proud of. The message is clear: flexibility is not just a requirement for the modern employee, it’s a necessity in order to recognise and maintain women’s valuable contribution in the workplace. For employers focused on unlocking greater productivity, performance and retention of the brightest and best, it’s time to discuss the M word. Snowflake miscommunication and generational diversity.	https://www.claremontgi.com/blogs/ms-the-word-breaking-the-silence-around-maternity-and-menopause-in-the-workplace/
Throughout 2020 and into 2021, employment statistics and trends were pretty uniformly grim. Mass unemployment due to the Covid pandemic impacted workers across the spectrum—and often hit already vulnerable groups hard, like women, employees of color, and people who have disabilities. As the stats became clearer (and ever more alarming), one major trend line became apparent: women were leaving the workforce in droves, either through layoffs or quitting their jobs due to stress or conflicting obligations. In September 2020 alone, 865,000 women left the U.S. workforce—more than four times the number of men. Research by organizations like Deloitte Global and McKinsey found that this was due to a combination of factors: involuntary unemployment, stressful work environments, and voluntarily leaving jobs to manage family or health obligations. As employment begins to rebound and companies look to shore up their workforce, the priority should be helping to stem this exodus of women, so to speak. A generation of female leadership and growth in the workplace is jeopardized by a perceived lack of support and the real conflicts that many women face between home and work. Organizations looking to build back this crucial part of the workforce can take action to keep women (or bring them back) from leaving the game altogether. 1. Allow flexible work arrangements Women are often primary caregivers for children or relatives and end up having to balance the demands of a full-time job with another full-time job at home. Flexible work arrangements (which have become so essential for workers across the board during the pandemic) can go a long way toward helping working moms manage multiple obligations and workloads without feeling overwhelmed. Before the pandemic, many companies were hesitant to offer workers flexible work accommodations, preferring to have a more traditional in-person model. Infrastructure and the limitations of collaborating remotely were often cited as points of resistance. However, things changed virtually overnight, and companies that never had a robust work-from-home program had to develop one right away. It was a learning experience for management groups in all industries, but it did give companies a structure for doing that moving forward. Once you acknowledge that work can be done remotely, it can be frustrating for employees when that’s walked back. Consider the past year an opportunity to do a deep evaluation of what absolutely can’t be done remotely, and what can. It’s also important to allow flexible hours, and set expectations that employees have lives and obligations outside of the job, even if they’re working from home. Many WFH employees report feeling stressed and pressured to work beyond normal business hours. Encouraging a healthy work-life balance and setting expectations around hours (whatever they may be) can signal to employees that they have some leeway in the workday. Setting clear goals as productivity-oriented, rather than clock-oriented, can help give employees the flexibility they need to be productive. 2. Implement stronger family care policies Going back to the caretaking issue, becoming parent-friendly is a must for any company hoping to retain talent. The pandemic exposed a lot of alarming gaps and challenges for working parents, from finding childcare to allow for at-home productivity to helping kids manage their school while the parents try to get work done in the other room. And for employees who don’t have the option to work remotely at all, childcare has always been a struggle for many working parents. If possible, partnering with childcare services can help moms who need to balance the needs of their kids with the demands of work. Offering discounts, subsidies, or incentives as benefits can help, as can employee and stress-relief support groups for parents. Being family-friendly goes beyond having daycare options. Improving parental leave all-around can help boost retention. Many women cite having to choose between having children and their career progress as reasons for leaving work. Extended paid maternity leave can help make your organization a competitive option, as well as paid paternity leave. Robust paternity leave policies can help alleviate the burden on moms and make the return to work easier after the birth or adoption of a child. 3. Prioritize diversity and inclusion in hiring and promotion Many companies are prioritizing diversity and inclusion as part of their hiring and employee retention. That’s excellent—but it’s not always the easiest thing to implement or convey. One of the best things your organization can do to help build a more supportive structure is to create a team devoted to diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI)—including officers, clear initiatives, and high visibility. Gender diversity is a major component of any inclusivity progress. A DEI team can identify potential danger zones for retaining women employees and implement ways to help make the organization more welcoming of working women’s concerns and priorities. 4. Offer returnships One of the biggest obstacles for women looking to get back into the workforce is often the gap caused when they take time off to care for their families or deal with personal issues. Returnships are becoming more and more common for mid-career professionals who had to leave for one reason or another, but who may struggle with feeling left behind or lacking in current experience. These part-time or flexible roles can help ease women back into their career path, even if there has been a disruption. 5. Re-evaluate pay and benefits Gender pay disparity is often cited as a source of discouragement for women in the workplace. Parity is still a long way away—30 years, by one U.S. Census estimate. With women earning, on average, 82 cents on the dollar compared to male employees, pay discrepancies can discourage women from remaining in the workplace. If women earn less than their partners, that often drives them to be the one who drops out of the workforce and stays home for the family. Ensuring that your organization pays women on par with men in similar roles not only helps push toward overall parity but also conveys that you’re committed to supporting women. Women are leaving the workforce in shocking numbers, but with thoughtful policies and support, your organization can be part of reversing that trend. The post These 5 policies will help keep women in the workforce appeared first on TheJobNetwork.	https://www.oleantimesherald.com/jobs/these-5-policies-will-help-keep-women-in-the-workforce/article_082c0fd7-7819-5f9b-8c98-b8b1c2ac484a.html
While companies are grappling with how to deal with COVID-19’s enormous impact on their businesses, and the government struggles to implement appropriate policies to protect the workforce, Verizon and the Communications Workers of America, which represents about 27,000 of the company’s 135,00 workers, worked swiftly earlier this week to agree on critical leave and sick pay policies that will be extended to the company’s entire workforce. The policies will allow Verizon workers to care for themselves and loved ones without worrying about losing pay or their jobs. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has made clear that all companies should take steps to protect their workers and the public. In a matter of days, CWA and Verizon came to an agreement to protect workers that are or will be hit the hardest from coronavirus. CWA and Verizon’s leave and pay treatment are as follows: - Employees that are diagnosed with COVID will receive 26 weeks of paid leave. - Employees with an underlying health condition who are directed to stay out of the workplace by a doctor in order to insulate from COVID, including in order to protect a family member who has the underlying condition, will receive 8 weeks at full pay and up to 18 weeks at 60% pay. - Employees who are not able to work due to the closure of their child's school or daycare arrangements and for whom another childcare option is not available will receive 8 weeks at full pay and up to 18 weeks at 60% pay. - Verizon extended services for affordable childcare through a childcare agency. The agency will provide backup childcare or reimburse employees for services provided by a family member. - Employees who are unable to work due to caring for a family member who has COVID and are unable to make other treatment arrangements will receive 8 weeks full pay and up to 18 weeks at 60% pay. - With a new work-at-home arrangement, employees are now able to volunteer to work from home. “We are all learning in real-time how to address the impact of COVID-19 on our health, on our jobs and the economy, and with all the uncertainty around what this means for our near and long-term future, having secure and flexible systems in place to protect the health of our members is paramount right now,” says CWA District One Vice President Dennis Trainor. “We appreciate the cooperative and constructive approach taken by Verizon as we negotiated these agreements. They demonstrate the importance of having a strong union that can work closely with an employer to do what’s best for the workers and the community. It is an approach that should be replicated by other organizations across the country which are committed to protecting workers during this perilous time.” ### The Communications Workers of America represents 700,000 working men and women in telecommunications, customer service, healthcare, media, airlines, public service and manufacturing. District One represents 65,000 members in New York State.	https://cwad1.org/news/releases/cwa-verizon-agree-critical-leave-and-pay-policies-protect-workers-safety-response
The UK is already one of the most lightly regulated markets in the developed world; Fawcett does not believe that deregulating further will inspire growth or keep women adequately protected at work. Up until last month, the UK’s model of parental leave designated women as carers and men as breadwinners. On the birth of their child, mums were given a year of maternity leave, while dads/partners typically went back to work within two weeks. Not only did this outdated stereotype ignore the genuine diversity of modern families, but it also represented an actual obstacle to equality; preventing men from spending time with their children and women from achieving their potential at work. Nick Clegg's announcement of flexible parental leave last month signals a turning point in policy thinking, and a crucial step forwards in the fight for equality. Under transferable leave, women will be able to trigger flexible leave arrangements at any point from two weeks after their child's birth. The mother's remaining leave and pay can be shared between her and her partner in whichever way suits them. This resoundingly challenges traditional assumptions, affording parents greater choice and flexibility about the distribution of caring after having a child. Greater equality in the home is integral to greater equality in the workplace. Women have long been subject to a ‘motherhood penalty’: they do the bulk of unpaid caring in the UK, and face both direct and indirect discrimination in the workplace as a result. On average, women in the UK earn 14.9% less than men, and 14% of this can be attributed to interruptions in employment due to caring work. The new parental leave arrangements challenge the expectation that women will shoulder the brunt of caring responsibilities, enabling partners to play a greater role in their child's life right from the start. The Deputy Prime Minister's further announcement of the extension of the right to request flexible working to all employees is also significant in this context, enabling all employees to fit work around their caring responsibilities. This isn't only good news for families and women, but also for employers. Flexible parental leave and flexible working will help employers to retain experienced and able women in their workforce. By giving women a choice over how they arrange their caring responsibilities and their working hours, the false "choice" that women were offered between family or work is undermined. Of course, flexible parental leave and flexible working only represent one piece of the puzzle. There is more work to be done; the extension of ring-fenced and paid paternity leave from the current two-week limit is vital to advancing equality at home and in the workplace. Moreover, diminishing childcare services, rising childcare costs, and extensive cuts to sectors where women make up a majority of workers all threaten to push women out of the workplace and back into the home, as well as further widening the pay gap. Other policy that Government is pursuing risks undermining the ethos and outcomes of the Modern Workplaces agenda. In particular, Fawcett is concerned that the Government's plans to introduce the employee-shareholder scheme will impact negatively on women's workplace rights. Fawcett has concerns about the overarching ethos of proposals that position employment rights as 'red tape' and necessary to reduce in order to enable growth. In a climate where women's access to work is already precarious, it is increasingly important that measures are in place that enable rather than prevent women from working, and that the right infrastructure is in place to both protect women and enable them to flourish when at work. The UK is already one of the most lightly regulated markets in the developed world; Fawcett does not believe that deregulating further will inspire growth or keep women adequately protected at work. Fawcett is concerned that women, particularly those with caring responsibilities, comprise the group most likely to exercise the specific rights that are part of the employee shareholder status. Women, who rely more heavily on part-time employment to balance work against caring responsibilities, will find it more difficult to take up the employee shareholder status. They are therefore more likely to be discriminated against in the recruitment process, either by being pressured by employers to take up the status as a condition of their job offer or being disregarded due to the likelihood they will wish to exercise excluded rights. Furthermore, framing maternity provision and flexible working as 'red tape' may further entrench pregnancy discrimination against women in the workplace and is directly at odds with Government's ambitions for Modern Workplaces - to afford families more choice and flexibility and to embed flexible working as the norm, rather than the exception. At a time when women's unemployment is at a 24-year low, we can no longer afford to ignore women's vital contribution to the economy. With ‘one million women missing from the UK economy’, it is vital that flexible parental leave is one part of a wider strategy to place women at the heart of the agenda for growth. Employee owner status - business democracy or Beecroft by the back door?	http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/womens-workplace-rights-opportunities-and-threats
By Julie Ann Zuniga, PhD, RN (Protégé, APA Cyber Mentors Program) Have you ever forgotten where you put your keys? Or looked around for your glasses when they were on top of your head? Everyone knows what it’s like to forget the little things. However, some people living with HIV may be particularly affected by cognitive changes, such as short term memory loss and confusion. An estimated 20 to 30% of people living with HIV may experience some form of cognitive disorder. Most cognitive disorders are unlikely to significantly impact day-to-day functioning. The level of cognitive disability varies greatly and may be linked to severity of illness. However, when it does occur, memory loss can be understandably frustrating for people experiencing the cognitive change as well as for their caregivers and loved ones. If you are living with HIV, here are some steps you can take to prevent or improve short-term memory loss. Even if you don’t have HIV, these tips will benefit you, too: - Stay physically healthy: - Decrease stress - Get enough sleep - Decrease alcohol intake - Exercise - Take your medications regularly. - Keep challenging your brain: - Learn a new skill that is difficult and you find interesting. - Speak the second language you learned in school. Watch a telenovela in Spanish, listen to an opera in Italian, or watch a foreign film. - Play or learn to play an instrument. Pull out that old flute, keyboard, and sheet music. It doesn’t have to sound good! If you are already experiencing short term memory loss, use these tips to cope: - Use visual reminders: - Post-it notes. Many patients have found using post-it notes is helpful to remind them what they set out to do. - Dry erase boards. Daily reminders can be written and changed on dry erase boards. These are used in hospitals to remind patients of the day and the names of the medical staff. A message of the day’s activities might be helpful. - Use apps for memory loss: - Task lists help you remember what task you need to do and when. The tasks can be simple, like “lock the door,” or “feed the cat.” One useful app is called “It’s Done.” - Timers can help you remember to move on to the next task. Some don’t realize how long it takes to do a task, and these apps will remind you to move on to the next activity. Try the “30/30” app. - Games: Some games claim to improve mental sharpness like Luminosity, Brain School, Sudoku, or KenKen. - Recorders: There are free voice recorders you can use for verbal reminders or instructions. This is not an exhaustive list. There may be other ways for you to cope with cognitive difficulties. You can start with these tips as the basis for trying out other ways to improve your memory or cope with memory loss. You should also consult your healthcare provider to arrange for evaluation and possible assistance. Biography: Julie Ann Zuniga, PhD, RN is a post-doctoral fellow at Emory University, School of Nursing. She obtained her nursing degree and PhD from The University of Texas, where she trained as a nurse at the county hospital on the infectious disease unit. She is currently a protégé in APA’s Cyber Mentors program.	https://psychologybenefits.org/2015/01/29/4-tips-for-preventing-and-coping-with-hiv-related-short-term-memory-loss/?like_comment=20926&_wpnonce=bfda8614db
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Longview’s senior population continues to grow (15.11% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Longview, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease decreased by 12.9% between 2014 and 2019. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is higher than the rest of the nation (8.53% in Longview vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Longview. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time-consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Longview, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Bonaventure of Salmon Creek is an assisted living and memory care community situated in a natural setting yet still close to a variety of shopping centers, restaurants and plenty of local entertainment. It offers seniors a choice of comfortable retirement apartments that come in various one and two-bedroom layouts, as well as private suites for memory care residents. The community's memory care services provide those with Alzheimer's or other cognitive impairments with personal care in a secure and welcoming environment. A compassionate 24-hour staff encourages residents to take part in Bonaventure's special memory-enhancing exercises, physical activities, aromatherapy and reminiscing therapy to help them feel relaxed and rejuvenated. In addition to delicious meals and snacks, seniors enjoy many amenities such as an on-site hair salon, library, outdoor patios and a cozy sitting area with a fireplace. Bonaventure exceeds the expectations of people in the community. One reviewer said, "Beautiful place to live. They go above and beyond expectations and I would recommend this community to anyone looking for a new place to call home." Located just off I-205, Bonaventure of Vancouver offers assisted living, independent living, memory care and respite. Residents can participate in a host of enriching and fun activities on a daily basis with all ages, abilities, and health levels catered to. With an on-site bowling alley, whirlpool room and movie theater, seniors can stay entertained. Memory care patients can participate in programs that enable them to feel safe while preserving cognitive function. These include aromatherapy, reminiscing therapy, special entertainment and performances and animal and art therapy. Memory care residents also enjoy supervised day trips to local sights. Residents commented on the range of available activities and the pleasant room options, with one saying, "I moved into the Bonaventure of Vancouver. They're very nice people. ... They have a lot of things to do. They have bible study, bingo, and a beautician on-staff. ... It's very nice and well kept." Brookdale Vancouver Stonebridge focuses exclusively on Alzheimer's and dementia care, so residents receive the support they need at every stage of memory loss. Through the Clare Bridge program, residents receive assistance from caregivers specially trained in dementia care. Available 24/7, they assist with daily activities including medication, bathing and mobility, and they receive ongoing education in the latest care techniques. Research-based activities that encourage current skills include brain games, art classes, dancing, journaling and sharing stories around the table. Crossings, a program for seniors with early-stage memory loss, features social activities to stimulate memories and encourage connections, while Solace, for seniors at later stages of dementia, adds extra support through multisensory experiences. Easy-to-navigate floor plans prevent wandering behaviors, walls are painted in cheerful colors, and doorbells monitor in/out movements, all within a 24/7 secured environment. Loved ones praise the staff and level of care. One reviewer says, "My mom has been here for two years, and we are very happy with the care she receives. Really friendly staff and always easy to talk with someone who works there if I have any questions. My mom seems very happy!" Licensed staff members at Canterbury Gardens Memory Care Community utilize a customized care model that helps residents living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease connect to their memories and create a deep sense of personal purpose. This technique, called Humantitude, incorporates gazing techniques that allow caregivers and residents to better communicate through nonverbal cues. Staff members also use soft, calm and melodious tones to speak with seniors to stimulate feelings of love, self-worth and tenderness, and they incorporate touching techniques designed to bring comfort and stability to each resident throughout each encounter with caregivers. Because many memory care residents also experience hearing loss, seniors use Eversound wireless headphones to better understand speakers while viewing movies, attending community presentations and participating in outings. All senior accommodations are equipped with extra-wide hallways, shadow boxes that display each resident's personal memories and secured curio cabinets that help jog residents' memories of the past. Family members feel this community was the best choice for their loved ones. "The staff is caring and attentive while also being professional and extremely well organized," one writes. "From beginning to end, Canterbury Gardens is the place to choose when it comes to selecting a memory care facility for a loved one." Longview residents living at the family-owned Canterbury Inn relish luxury services in a charming rural setting near the Columbia and Cowlitz Rivers. The Canterbury Inn follows the Koelsch Communities Living Well program, which focuses on providing enriching activities that address seven areas of wellness. Skilled nurses are available 24/7, and security features include 24-hour surveillance and overnight security staffing. Historical Surprises, curated displays of historical items designed to spark long-held memories, is one of the more unique amenities offered at Canterbury Inn. Music therapy is also available, helping individuals access deep memories unaffected by memory loss. Menus are curated by former royal chef Darren McGrady, who creates signature food served at the on-site Monticello restaurant. The staff's warmth and genuine care is particularly appreciated by residents. One family member notes, "My mother-in-law spent the last few months of her life at Canterbury Inn. The people were great. It was obvious the staff cared a great deal. Our only wish is that she would have moved there much sooner. She would have thrived." Life at Cherrywood Village provides its residents with comfort and assistance in a peaceful setting, featuring paintings of murals of Columbia George and the International Rose Test Garden of Portland. A separate neighborhood - Parkview Memory care provides extended support to those with Alzheimer's, dementia and other memory loss ailments. The professionally trained caregivers assist seniors with their activities of daily living and design a personal care program customized to the needs of each individual. The Parkview neighborhood has circular pathways and familiar surroundings, which provide a secure environment for memory care residents. Residents can participate in fitness activities held at the vitality and wellness center and enjoy the on-site acupuncture facilities, foot care and massage therapy. The community features a movie theater, art studio and a library. Residents can socialize and connect in the community gardens and the 18-hole golf course. Families love the plentiful amenities offered by the community. One writes, "Cherrywood Village met all of my mom's needs. It has plenty of things to do, lots of places to be, and the people are very open, welcoming, and friendly. They have a pool, gym, art studio, theater, chapel, hair salon, massage therapists, and they have outings." Cogir of Vancouver is a welcoming and pet-friendly senior community located in a greater Seattle neighborhood. It offers individualized memory care plans in safe and secure accommodations for those with Alzheimer's, dementia and other types of memory loss. The community's 24-hour care staff assists seniors with daily living tasks while doctors or on-site nurses ensure any medications and health needs are handled. A variety of activities, such as board games, puzzles and community events, enhance the cognitive and social abilities of memory care residents. Chef-prepared meals are served all day long in the dining room, or seniors can choose to eat at the bistro cafe. A library, a swimming pool, walking clubs, a fireplace lounge and tai-chi classes are some of the other amenities residents at Cogir of Vancouver can enjoy. Seniors love the services and care they receive at Cogir of Vancouver. A longtime resident exclaims, "We have lived here for over a year and absolutely love it! ... I would strongly recommend you check this place out for a wonderful work-free retirement environment!" Sitting at the base of Mount Tabor in southeast Portland, Oregon, Courtyard at Mt. Tabor offers a resort-style senior living community with easy access to nature. This community offers a memory care program, known as GENERATIONS Memory Care, that follows a person-first philosophy by celebrating and highlighting the abilities of the residents. Each resident gets a life story display that honors their personal "Story of a Lifetime" and a personalized jukebox made up of their favorite music. The culinary team prepares meals based on recipes from the past to foster reminiscing. The memory care team is available 24 hours a day and helps with daily living tasks such as dressing, eating, bathing and medication management. Weekly housekeeping and laundry services are also provided. Memory care residents can take advantage of music, art and pet therapies that help reduce their agitation. Family members love the wonderful staff and services of this community. The daughter of a resident writes, "Courtyard at Mt. Tabor accommodated my mother's memory care needs. We are all good. The staff is wonderful. The services are great. Her room is wonderful and clean. She brought all her own furnishings. She enjoys their social hour." Glenwood Place offers a variety of options for senior living, including independent living, assisted living and respite care. Memory Care is available for seniors with In the Moment Memory Support, which provides up-to-date techniques to help residents with dementia. At Glenwood Place, seniors can enjoy various amenities, including a wellness center with fitness trainers and classes, an on-site movie theater, scheduled activities, craft and cooking classes and outings. Skilled nursing and medication management is available, as well as housekeeping and laundry service. Seniors who need extra help are provided with dietary monitoring, customized meal plans and escort assistance to meals and activities. Assistance with other daily living activities and pet care is also available. Residents and their families love Glenwood Place. They say the staff is caring and attentive, the food is good and the activities are fun. One reviewer says, "The entire staff presents the attitude 'We are here to help you'. The facility is very attractive, comfortable and well maintained." Harvest Homes provides memory care in a tranquil environment in the historic St. Johns area of North Portland. Residents feel comfortable, safe and happy in the serene setting with the beautiful gardens in the community. The memory care center extends support to residents with Alzheimer's, dementia and various associated memory loss issues. Seniors remain active throughout the day with social and recreational activities as per their abilities. The skilled caregivers provide personal support services to the residents with compassion and respect, enabling them to live a quality life in a familiar and safe environment. Regular monitoring of the health status of seniors helps maintain their physical well-being. The community features a safeguarded living area, fenced courtyard, fire sprinklers, smoke detectors and emergency call buttons throughout the community for the safety of residents. Residents can relish nutritious home-style meals in an atrium-like dining room. Families and residents appreciate the ambiance at the community. One writes, "My relatives move in to Harvest Homes. Our experience is good. The room is clean and presentable. We had a pleasant experience with the people working there. They are professional. They have activities like arts & crafts, and they have shows there as well." Highgate Senior Living provides independent living, assisted living and memory care options to the Vancouver area. The pet-friendly community is a hive of activity with yoga, lunchtime barbecues in the courtyard, clay sculpturing classes and speed bingo and Jeopardy. A holistic approach encourages memory care residents to stay mentally and socially active, and the Life Enhancement Program provides a framework for the daily activities offered. Memory care residents can enjoy outings in the local area. Aromatherapy is used to maintain calm, stimulate appetites, and lift spirits. Family members praise the committed staff and the compassion they show, with one saying, "The staff at the facility showed that they wanted to be there, had interest in every patient and their unique needs. The facility was clean, bright and provided a large area for movement, activities and interaction... Her whole condition has improved." Pacific Gardens is a senior care community that focuses on assisting seniors with Alzheimer's and other cognitive impairment disorders. The perimeter of the community is secured giving residents the freedom to safely walk around the gardens and independently decide where they would like to go each day. The Meaningful Moments program incorporates important past daily routines into the life of each resident to help them to feel comfortable and reduce confusion. Each resident has a personalized care plan that includes likes, dislikes, preferences and cherished memories to help staff members to provide care that is tailored to the individual needs of the senior. The fully supervised and success-orientated activity program includes art classes, fitness classes, movie nights and visits to local attractions. A team of caregiving staff is always on hand to provide emotional and physical support while encouraging independence. Residents appreciate the high level of care and consideration the staff provides. One says, "The care has been very good and the staff at all levels has been great. The caregivers truly care and are very attentive. The activity directors are upbeat and involve everyone, no matter what. ... I feel there are many activities and they address things on many levels." Assisted Living at Summerplace offers the award-winning Expressions Memory Care Program, designed using the latest research to provide people with dementia an outlet for creativity through arts, learning and spirituality. This program has five components — Healthy Expressions, Tasty Expressions, Artistic Expressions, Educational Expressions and Spiritual Expressions — that focus on physical fitness, dining, creativity, lifelong learning and spirituality, respectively. This community has a wide range of engaging and social activities for its memory care residents, such as word games, gardening, fitness classes, community walks, indoor golf and pool noodle darts. Residents can receive help from caregivers with various everyday activities, including dressing, grooming, bathing and medication management, and scheduled transportation is available for those attending off-site doctor's appointments. This community's varied amenities include a beauty salon, a clubhouse, an outdoor pool and a secure courtyard. Family members rave about the staff. The daughter of a resident writes, "The staff treated my mother as if she was their family and she loved it. Having dementia like hers it was important to feel safe ... They were kind and welcoming ... I appreciated all their help and support ... The facility is clean and well kept." Occupying a historical building on 2.5 acres of lush greenery right off I-205, St. Andrews Memory Care offers easy access to many local attractions, such as the Oregon Zoo, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Rose City Golf, The Grotto and Mt. Tabor Park. The memory care program of this community focuses on preserving the independence and engaging the cognitive functions of residents through various therapies and life enrichment activities that support physical skills and stimulate the five senses. Residents can participate in dementia-specific activities, such as memory box making and scrapbooking, and social activities, such as yoga, high tea social, book club read aloud and paper flower folding. The care team helps the residents with daily living activities, including bathing, grooming, dressing, housekeeping and laundry. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are available onsite to provide medical assistance. Family members love the wonderful staff. The sister of a resident writes, "This institution is absolutely lovely. The rooms are wonderful. The staff has been wonderful. They are really good about maintaining a positive attitude. The overall energy here is just so calming and happy. I'm truly glad I put my sister in this institution." The Cottages Senior Living Portland is a dedicated memory care community for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Staff members help seniors with daily tasks, such as bathing, grooming and dressing, and host memory care-specific daily activities that are designed specifically to enhance each resident's mental functioning capabilities. Personalized support for difficult resident behaviors is also available. Residents can live in private or shared single sex cottages with convenient access to secured walking paths throughout the landscaped courtyard areas. Family style meals are served three times per day, and snacks are available throughout the day. Family members are grateful for this community. One says, "I feel so blessed to have found this home for my ex-husband. The staff is so caring, kind and capable. They also communicate very well with family and notify us timely of any situation. During COVID, they have kept us informed not only of our loved one but also how the home is responding to all additional care-related issues." The Hampton and Ashley Inn Memory Care Community provides specialized care and support for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer's, dementia and other forms of cognitive impairments. Residents can choose from the various types of comfortable studio and shared suites with extra seating for guests to sit and spend time with them. The family-owned community has window and motion sensors installed throughout the living areas to keep residents safe and secure. On-site care and nursing staff are available 24-hours a day to assist with daily living and health needs. Many programs and activities such as music, exercises and social events help stimulate the cognitive abilities of seniors daily. Three nutritious meals are served every day in the community's two dining rooms. In addition to the salon and spa, residents at The Hampton and Ashley Inn can enjoy gardening, the relaxing sunroom, soothing outdoor water fountain and club room. Family members are impressed by the care their loved one receives at The Hampton. One reviewer remarked, "I would highly recommend The Hampton & Ashley Inn. The staff is superb and are always friendly and helpful. They have always taken excellent care of my Mom." The Hampton at Salmon Creek Memory Care Community serves older adults living with Alzheimer's, dementia and other types of memory loss. Its nursing and 24/7 care staff treat each senior with the respect and dignity they deserve while providing assistance with daily living tasks. The family-owned community offers memory care residents comfortable shared or private suites with a seating area for visitors. Extra-wide hallways and shadow boxes outside of each suite help seniors easily find their way back. Motion and window sensors throughout the living space add security and safety. Each day, residents are served a delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner in the two dining rooms. Amenities include the club room, cozy living room with fireplace, outdoor gardens, sunroom and spa. The Hampton Memory Care Community is a welcoming and caring place. One relative of a resident writes, "My father has lived in the Hamptons for several months. The staff there... went above and beyond to make him feel at home and comfortable." The Quarry Senior Living offers a wide variety of senior living services for residents who prefer a more active lifestyle in independent living or require more extensive care. Its memory care services include secure surroundings and memory-oriented activities to encourage mental stimulation, medication and incontinence management, personal escorts to meals and dietary monitoring. The Quarry also offers assisted living and respite care services. There are many amenities available to residents, such as laundry and housekeeping services, 24-hour nursing services and chef-prepared meals. While at the community, residents enjoy activities including aquatic and fitness programs, bingo and musical events. Residents and their families love The Quarry Senior Living care environment. One said, "My husband has already moved into The Quarry, and they are outstanding. ... He has a nice one-bedroom apartment on the main floor that has a little patio outside, so when I take the dog over, the dog can visit. The food is very good." Staff at Touchmark at Fairway Village aims to enrich the lives of residents in this community through personalized connections, teamwork and compassion. The memory care neighborhood provides 24-hour care in a comfortable, secure environment. The community caters for early memory care and for those whose dementia is more advanced. The Best Friends program encourages community members to live to their fullest, and each resident has a caregiver companion who develops a deep and meaningful relationship with them. Color-cues help residents navigate the neighborhood, and a secure and secluded outdoor area provides the option for taking in the fresh air and sunshine. Individualized activities such as music and cognitively stimulating occupations keep residents entertained and relaxed. Fitness classes and freshly prepared meals and snacks take care of body health. Nursing support and regular assessments keep track of how your loved one is doing. Private en suite studio apartments offer privacy and the communal dining area gives residents the opportunity to socialize. Relatives and friends offer positive reviews about this community. A daughter says of her parents, "There is no doubt that their lives were extended by the professionalism and compassion consistently demonstrated by staff." A family member comments, "Everyone at Touchmark is very friendly and helpful." Located on an acre of what used to be the botanical gardens, Windsor Gardens Memory Care offers a tranquil, park-like setting for residents. Professional, dedicated staff provide assistance and specialize in care for dementia and Alzheimer's residents. The community is gated and monitored with cameras to prevent wandering, with secure walking paths and outdoor areas available for relaxation. All levels of memory care are provided for, with a high staff-to-resident ratio, ensuring personalized care at all times. Three daily meals are prepared by a professional chef, with dietary requirements being catered for. The activity program is designed to stimulate cognitive function and physical mobility, including crafts like painting and jewelry making, games and exercise sessions. Family members highlight the caring staff, meals and overall community atmosphere. One daughter said, "The care my mom received was constant and very personalized. No matter which caregivers were there when we visited, they all knew us by name, and could answer any questions we had as to how mom was doing."	https://www.memorycare.com/longview-wa-facilities/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Fontana's senior population continues to grow (19.71% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Fontana, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 15.94% between 2014 and 2019. The number of deaths from all causes for that same age group increased by 16.25%, showing that Alzheimer’s is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is slightly higher than the rest of the nation (8.86% in Fontana vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Fontana. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Fontana, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Villas at San Bernardino offers specialized memory care in Fontana, California. The memory care community provides comfort, security and enjoyment to those with memory loss. Activity programs include an exercise program led by a certified personal trainer, weekly live entertainment, and soothing activities such as pet therapy to improve residents' mental, physical and social well-being. Villas is a pet friendly community, with an on-site dog yard. Staff and caregivers foster a sense of independence, providing care on an as-needed basis. Amenities such as a beauty salon, social and community educational programs for loved ones of residents, as well as rooms designed specifically for those with limited mobility, allow residents to feel at home. Residents and their loved ones appreciate the caring staff and homelike residence at the Villas at San Bernardino. One relative says, "The public rooms [are] cozy and well appointed. As mom's disease progressed, she had to move to the memory care unit. This is where the best aspect of the Villas shined � the wonderful, loving, caring staff." Pacifica Senior Living: Riverside Legacies Memory Care is designed specifically to treat seniors in various stages of Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. The community is divided into six cabins, each with its own kitchen, dining room and yard to create a homelike environment. Specially trained Licensed Vocational Nurses and a 24-hour staff provide individualized attention to seniors who need assistance with everything from activities of daily living to keeping their home clean and maintained. Dementia residents receive reminiscence therapy and the opportunity to participate in a variety of physical and intellectually stimulating activities to help them maintain or improve their cognitive abilities. Much of the appeal of Pacifica Senior Living: Riverside Legacies is the unique programming seniors have access to, in addition to the top-notch care they receive. One person shares, "Every resident is treated as a family member that plays together, sings together and enjoys activities together. No one is left out." Citrus Place offers independent living, assisted living and memory care accommodations. Its memory care team features specially trained professionals who get to know residents. Secured walking and recreation areas provide safe places for seniors to exercise and relax, and stimulating activities help individuals with dementia use their existing skills and decrease undesired behaviors. The living areas are likewise designed to be easily navigable. This community offers all-day dining and seasonal menus, with monthly brunches and holiday dining options. For entertainment, seniors can take part in watercolor and oil painting, poker games and trivia. Other activities include water aerobics, bocce ball, family nights and opportunities to volunteer. Reviewers speak highly of this community's staff, with one praising their "caring and thorough approach" and frequent communication. Another reviewer remarks that the community "is sparkly clean and well-maintained. It has attractive greenery to enjoy." This reviewer goes on to praise the community's activities schedule. An award-winning community located in central Riverside, Sunrise at Canyon Crest provides individualized care for seniors experiencing Alzheimer's and dementia. Every resident is paired with a life enrichment manager who gets to know their unique needs and preferences. Highly trained caregivers are available 24/7, assisting residents with daily tasks such as bathing and showering, dressing, mobility and medication management. The Reminiscence neighborhood for memory care residents features carefully selected furniture and decor and an easy-to-navigate layout. Residents can enjoy home-cooked meals in the dining areas, savor snacks and refreshments in the country-style kitchens or relax in the soft-lit reflection rooms. A full schedule of activities keeps seniors engaged. Daily opportunities include recreational programs, art projects, puzzles, crafts, exercise classes and cognitive programming tailored to each resident's abilities. Loved ones appreciate the personalized care approach. "Sunrise at Canyon Crest is beautiful and well-staffed," says one relative. "The staff has been there a number of years, so they seem very dedicated to that facility. It seems like they take a very one-on-one individual approach to each patient to figure out what they need specifically." Nestled at the foot of Blue Mountain and close to Loma Linda Medical Center, pet-friendly Vista Blue Mountain Assisted Living and Memory Care provides compassionate care in a homelike setting. Caregivers assist residents with day-to-day tasks, such as bathing, dressing and medication management, and support seniors to live at their full potential. Transportation is provided to medical appointments. Memory care residents can enjoy games and puzzles designed for cognitive stimulation, as well as excursions, volunteering opportunities, social events and other enrichment activities. Seniors can relax in the large landscaped courtyard, and a salon is on-site for residents who enjoy a little primping. Healthy snacks are available throughout the day in addition to three tasty, nutritionist-designed meals. Residents like the friendly ambience and array of activities. One family member says, "My sister-in-law is in memory care. It's wonderful, and she has absolutely blossomed there. � She's integrated with the staff and with the other people there. � They play the piano, they have bingo, happy hour on Friday nights, musicians and entertainment, and field trips. Situated in the serene Moreno Valley, Renaissance Villages Rancho Belago is a resort-style senior living community that offers purpose-built apartments and a structured environment for seniors with dementia. Tailored care plans based on each resident's unique history foster regular daily engagement and calmness to minimize behavioral issues and ensure restful sleeps. Memory care amenities, such as private dining, gardening, sensory rooms and on-site therapy services promote comfort and security, and an open door policy allows communication with any staff member when needed. Community spaces, such as the dog park, the cinema and the large outdoor patio, encourage sociability. Three chef-prepared meals per day are served in the dining room and the '50s nostalgia diner. Memory care apartments include weekly housekeeping and laundry, cable, Wi-Fi and phone service. Residents and family members appreciate the committed caregivers and the elegant atmosphere. One family member writes, "Renaissance Village Rancho Belago is beautiful and lovely. The staff is fabulous; you would think that they're your long-lost family who are there to help you every step of the way. The amenities [are] great. It's all new, up-to-date, and very clean." Brightwater Senior Living of Highland prioritizes wellness in a safe, secure environment. The Connections memory care program features adaptable care plans that incorporate resident input. Daily activities, such as art classes, reading and singing groups, life stories writing, gardening and baking, foster a sense of purpose, and life skills stations throughout the memory care neighborhood spark meaningful, nostalgic moments. Residents socialize at the movie theater, billiards room and coffee shop, while the worship center encourages quiet reflection. Dining features three-course, chef-prepared meals and � la carte options served tableside. Memory care suites promote privacy and independence while enabling social connections in common areas. Accommodations include utilities (except phone), cable TV, wireless internet and weekly housekeeping. Residents and family members praise the luxurious amenities and compassionate staff at Brightwater Senior Living of Highland. One family member writes, "The staff and administration in particular are extremely friendly and caring. The facility is more like a lavish resort or community that provides activities and resources that are social and health-related." Located 10 miles east of San Bernardino, Wildwood Canyon Villa is a memory care and assisted living community serving Yucaipa and the surrounding area. The community's specially designed Wildwood Garden neighborhood meets the needs of seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia. Staff receive dementia-specific training that focuses on empathetic communication and validation techniques. The property features beautifully landscaped outdoor sitting areas and a community dining room for shared meals. Seniors can participate in several activities throughout the day such as morning exercise and movie time along with courtyard chat and evening stroll. Residents also receive housekeeping and laundry services as well as medication management and transportation. Family members appreciate the quality of care and engaging activities at Wildwood Canyon Villa. One reviewer states, "They have aides constantly on the floor to help them with whatever they need," adding, "They take them on picnics, they go on outings, they do activities. She loves it there." Linda Valley Assisted Living's memory care program includes personalized assistance with daily living activities, memory-enhancing activities and socialization opportunities designed especially to help seniors feel engaged in the community. After assistance with bathing, grooming and dressing, seniors participate in group puzzles, trivia games, exercises and current events discussions that help to enhance their cognitive functioning abilities. Residents also receive iPods pre-programmed with all of their favorite songs from the past. This Music and Memory program helps to enable residents living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease to reconnect to the world through music-centered memories. Family members appreciate the friendly, competent staff members here and the clean, comfortable community feel. One relative says, "The staff has been extremely good with my mother. They're very caring, helpful, and I think they've done a good job. The place itself is very clean and comfortable." Blossom Grove Alzheimer's Special Care Center's caregivers use the SPARK Lifestyle program, a Montessori-inspired care philosophy that strives to enhance each resident's remaining skills throughout their mild, moderate and advanced memory decline stages. This scientifically based program keeps seniors socially engaged through activities such as pen pal programs, day beach trips and group exercise classes. The community's caregivers also utilize proprietary intake assessment tools to provide personalized care services. Resident-centered activities stimulate each senior's mind and strengthens their cognitive skills. Seniors receive daily help with bathing, dressing, grooming and medication management services. Mobility, reminder and escort services are also provided. Family members rave about the cleanliness and beauty of the community and the caring, competent staff members here. One relative says, "This place is absolutely AMAZING!!! The building is beautiful, clean and I really love the staff and how they are with my grandmother. I cant say enough good things, I know she's in great hands and I'm so pleased!!!! Great job Blossom Grove!" Lotus Villa and Memory Care is an assisted living facility with a separate, secure unit for seniors with memory-related issues such as Alzheimer's and dementia. The caregivers at Lotus Villa plan stimulating activities everyday to engage residents and promote cognition. Seniors receive 24/7 supervised care and housekeeping services along with assistance with personal grooming and medication. The property features several indoor and outdoor sitting areas for residents to relax or socialize. Lotus Villa serves three meals daily from dietician-directed menus in the community dining room or in residents rooms. Family members praise the staff at Lotus Villa and describe them as "knowledgeable" and "professional" as well as "competent" and "caring." The community's appearance also gets high marks from reviewers, with one saying, "It's super clean and intimate. I love visiting at Lotus Villa. I highly recommend." Raincross at Riverside is a pet-friendly senior living community with a resident-centered approach to care and support. Care teams collaborate with residents and their families to create customized care plans. Secure memory care neighborhoods promote warm, welcoming environments with fresh flowers, natural lighting and personal displays containing photographs, keepsakes or symbols of family histories. Memory care employees are specially trained to achieve certification through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, or NCCDP. Family-style meals are served in a communal dining room, and snacks and beverages are always available. A personal pantry program designates storage space for each resident's favorite foods. A wide range of recreational and social activities includes art, music, tai chi and armchair fitness. Some activities, such as trivia, board games and group discussions, are tailored to maximize cognitive stimulation. Reviewers appreciate the food, staff and activities at Raincross at Riverside. One says, "It is very clean and very warm. They are very attentive to their residents. They do a lot of activities keep them engaged, and they provide a lot of attention to them. Food is good. They have nice outdoor settings, too. They really try to make it home-like. They have games, movies, and outings. " Summerfield of Redlands provides individualized memory care in Fontana, California. Summerfield's multifaceted approach to memory care includes holistic care, where trained staff work to empower residents and maintain independence and engagement. The staff focus on each resident's personal hobbies, interests and connections, fostering a homelike environment through the Feels like Home and Hands to Help programs. Advanced technology, like Sagely's smart technology, is used by staff to help personalize and optimize the monthly activity calendar. Digital displays and a community messaging app allow residents, and their loved ones, to feel included in all of the activities and events. The community app also allows staff to inform loved ones of each resident's wellbeing, strengthening family connections. Summerfield offers restaurant-style dining, with doctor-recommended meals, while also taking into consideration each resident's personal tastes. Residents and their loved ones appreciate the compassionate staff and activities at Summerfield of Redlands. One reviewer says, "[The staff] has gone out of [their] way to make sure [my husband] is active. [They] have helped me through this transition, providing me gentle guidance with comforting words and encouragement." In business since 1990, Rose Garden Residential Care provides personalized senior memory services within its secured, 2-acre Mentone, California community. Its staff members specialize in the care of residents living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia and are well-versed in the beginning, mild, moderate and advanced stages of memory impairment. Care plans focus on providing residents with proper stimulation and enhanced programs to help with confusion, restlessness, wandering, memory loss and thought disorders. Monthly activities include pet therapy sessions, reminiscence hours and group singalong sessions. The 24/7 staff assists seniors with all activities of daily living and provides medication management services. Family members are at peace when their loved ones live in this charming, clean community with lots of engaging activities. One relative says, "Finding a memory care facility for my dad was a very tough thing to do. Fortunately, I never had a moment's worry once he moved to Rose Garden. The units are nice and always clean. The grounds are beautiful, and they plan fun activities for the residents." The Legacies Memory Care program at Pacifica Senior Living Menifee offers seniors with dementia an independent lifestyle. The highly trained staff works with each resident and their family to evaluate their needs and capabilities to develop a personalized care plan that respects their memories and preferences. Reminiscence programs and specialized therapies are available to stimulate memories and improve cognitive abilities. Residents live in a secure neighborhood designed to build confidence and self-esteem, featuring bright, open and easily navigable spaces that enable them to explore independently without getting lost. The 24/7 caregivers provide medication management and help with activities of daily living, such as dressing and bathing. Housekeeping, linen and 24-hour maintenance services are available, and seniors can participate in weekly happy hours, live entertainment and daily exercise classes. Amenities include a beauty salon, library and outdoor swimming pool. People praise the devoted staff and clean environment. A reviewer writes, "The facility is really clean and the employees are all really nice. The amount of activities for the residents is wonderful. The residents all looked really happy to be living there. I highly recommend this place. The employees will go above and beyond for the residents." Sun City Gardens provides high-quality memory care near Fontana, California. The Reflections program features a three-pronged approach to memory care that focuses on care, activity and nourishment. Individualized care programs offer assistance with daily activities such as dressing and walking, and secured grounds and an intercom communication system ensure safety and security for each resident. Amenities include an on-site beauty and barbershop, transportation to off-site appointments or social outings and onsite religious services. Rotating activities include chair exercise, movie nights and bingo to provide physical and cognitive exercise as well as social engagement. Residents and their family members appreciate the beautiful grounds and caring staff at Sun City Gardens, saying, "The people are absolutely awesome and truly care about the people in there. The grounds are beautiful, the food is made with care and the activities are great entertainment for the people. I would highly recommend this place." The Journey memory care program at WellQuest of Menifee Lakes helps seniors with dementia live meaningful and active lives with dignity by providing a safe, calming and supportive environment. The highly trained staff works with family members to carefully assess each resident's likes, dislikes, skills, experience and limitations before developing an individualized care plan tailored to their unique needs. The caregivers, available 24/7 through the emergency response system in every resident apartment, provide medication monitoring and help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, transferring and incontinence care. Round-the-clock maintenance and weekly housekeeping and linen services are available, while residents who need to go off-site for doctor's appointments can schedule rides with the community transportation. A chef serves three nutritionally balanced meals every day. Amenities include a swimming pool, an arts-and-crafts room, an outdoor yoga studio and a fitness center. Family members rave about the caring staff, beautiful amenities and delicious meals. A resident's daughter writes, "I am deeply grateful for the tremendous professionalism of everyone at WellQuest of Menifee Lakes. My mother has adjusted so beautifully in less than three weeks. In our daily phone calls, I now hear a cheerful and upbeat tone." Memory care residents at Sunny Rose Glen live in secured, single-story accommodations that are designed to maximize independence levels for seniors living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. All the community's caregivers undergo specialized ongoing training that helps them provide thorough assistance with all activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing and grooming, and also helps them address challenging memory decline-related behaviors efficiently. Medication management and mobility services are also offered. Private and shared suites are equipped with 24/7 emergency pull cord systems. Seniors participate in memory-enhancing activities such as trivia games, reminiscing times and vintage movies to unleash past memories and bond with other community members. Family members express gratitude for the passionate, caring staff members who provide excellent end-of-life transitional care here. One relative says, "All of the workers there have a passion for people. They truly care. He started in assisted living and then was moved to memory care as his dementia progressed. It was a huge relief knowing that he could live out the rest of his life at Sunny Rose." The Connections for Living memory care program at Estancia Del Sol provides 24/7 care for its residents living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Caregivers build strong relationships with residents so they can understand both verbal and nonverbal cues and pick up on any changes in a timely manner to update care plans as needed. Activities include trivia and bingo games, puzzles, group movie times and happy hour socials. Meals are served in the communal dining room, with residents' favorite dishes highlighted on the menu rotation to stimulate their appetites and help them feel more connected to the community. Transportation to medical appointments is provided, and pets are welcome to live with residents here. Residents' family members praise the staff, amenities and dining options. One reviewer says of their mother's experience, "She likes the library. She likes the grounds where she's able to walk freely but safely. Her room is great and perfect for her. The administrative staff has been great and worked with us really well. They have great amenities, and the food is wonderful." The highly skilled caregivers at The Lakes at Banning provide assistance with activities of daily living while helping its memory care residents navigate through the challenges associated with living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The community's staff members host daily activities designed to enhance the mobility and cognitive functions of its memory care residents. Scheduled weekday transportation takes residents to doctor's appointments and group outings. On-site leisure social opportunities such as bingo, movie screenings, and craft and cooking classes give seniors opportunities to bond with other community members. Nondenominational religious services are held regularly. Family members recommend this community highly for its friendly, attentive staff members and clean accommodations and common areas. One relative says, "My mother is a resident of The Lakes at Banning. They're amazing, I would recommend them to anyone. I asked a lot of questions, and they have all the answers. The staff is wonderful. It doesn't smell, it's very clean. They're very professional. Everyone there is nice."	https://www.memorycare.com/fontana-ca-facilities/
Many people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have difficulty remembering. They may have difficulty recalling, focusing, organizing, and distinguishing between important and unimportant cues. They may be easily distracted, forgetful, or have difficulty starting tasks. Lengthy multi-step instructions are often frustrating and impossible to follow. This article discusses the relationship between ADHD and memory, including how this condition affects working memory and long-term memory. It also covers strategies to help people with ADHD train and improve memory. The link between ADHD and memory Studies have shown that people with ADHD have a variety of memory problems, including poor short-term and long-term memory. Many symptoms of ADHD, especially inattention, can affect the way information is encoded and stored in memory. Because children and adults with ADHD may not pay as much attention to certain things in their surroundings as they need, they are less likely to form memories of this information. ADHD and working memory Research has also shown that people with ADHD often have serious problems with working memory. Working memory is a “temporary storage system” in the brain that stores multiple facts or ideas when solving problems or performing tasks. Working memory helps people retain information long enough to use it in the short term, focus on a task, and remember what to do next. Working memory is important to retain information long enough for you to take action. This is important for completing all aspects of daily life, such as following instructions, planning actions, following schedules, and organizing activities. The deficit in working memory explains why children and adults with ADHD have difficulty completing tasks such as staying on track, staying organized, and completing projects. A study published in the journal in 2020 Neuropsychology It has been found that most children with ADHD show obstacles in working memory. Previous studies have found similar effects on adults with this disease. ADHD and long-term memory Research also shows that ADHD can affect long-term memory. Although adults with ADHD have been shown to perform poorly on long-term memory tests, the exact explanation for this effect is not fully understood. A 2017 study investigated the performance of adults with ADHD on long-term memory tests. It was found that the participants’ performance on the verbal memory test was significantly lower than that of the control group. The researchers concluded that these memory deficiencies are related to information encoding problems and not related to memory retrieval problems. How to improve your working memory Studies have shown that mental exercise may increase the working memory of people with ADHD. Working memory is like a muscle-flexible, mobile, and trainable. It can be improved through “exercise” and training. You can find various working memory challenges online. It may test your ability to recall visual patterns or recall auditory information. Some things you might try include: - Try online memory tools: look for websites or apps that provide challenges and aim to build your memory of verbal and visual information. - Playing brain games: Some evidence suggests that cognitive training, also called brain games, may help improve working memory and other abilities such as concentration, problem solving, and reasoning. Some of these games may involve memory, pattern recognition, planning, visual prediction, logic, and mathematics. - Use memory strategies: When you know you have memory problems, look for tools and strategies that can help you remember important information. Using mnemonics, writing down important information, and setting reminders on your phone may help you stay on track. - Do only one task at a time: Because of poor working memory, it is difficult to handle multiple tasks at the same time. You may find it helpful to avoid multiple tasks at the same time-instead, only do one activity at a time. Eliminate interference as much as possible. Setting time limits and setting alarms may also help, so that you can focus all of your attention on a single task in a limited amount of time. Doing so reduces the possibility of you being distracted by other tasks and forgetting to return to the task you are working on. - Exercise: Some studies have shown that physical exercise can be a useful non-drug tool for managing ADHD symptoms and improving brain structure and function. A study found that preschoolers who participated in an after-school physical activity program performed better on tasks that required working memory. - Medication: Stimulant medications are usually used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. Some evidence suggests that this drug can also improve the function of brain regions related to working memory. - Consider treatment: You may also find that treatment helps solve the memory problems that accompany ADHD. Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focus on helping people change the thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that cause problems. CBT can help you learn new coping mechanisms, including time management and goal setting skills. review The practice of “training” working memory helps to improve one’s concentration, control impulsive behavior, and strengthen problem-solving skills. Very good sentence Although ADHD is related to memory difficulties, research also shows that people can take some measures to solve these problems. Brain training, memory strategies, and following your doctor’s ADHD treatment recommendations are all steps you can take to help improve memory. .	https://vigortip.com/use-add-to-improve-your-memory/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As The Villages’ senior population continues to grow (30.82% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In The Villages, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 10.87% between 2014 and 2019, showing that Alzheimer’s is a serious concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is lower than the rest of the nation (1.92% in The Villages vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in The Villages. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in The Villages, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Atria Lady Lake offers seniors numerous amenities and services aimed at improving their daily lives. Its secured campus features walking paths, a putting green and a community garden where residents can safely participate in outdoor activities. Additional features include a salon, barber shop and spa that let seniors easily maintain their appearance, and numerous common areas where residents can gather for conversations and games with their peers. Friendly staff members that are carefully trained in helping individuals with dementia are on call 24/7 to ensure residents' requests are fulfilled in a timely manner, and seniors can request escort and transfer assistance as needed. A fitness center, therapy room and cognitive learning center are available on-site, and staff members regularly hold enriching activities designed to help seniors remain physically and mentally engaged. Residents and their family members are impressed with the inviting atmosphere at Atria Lady Lake. Visitors echo the praise, with one stating, "The place was very light and airy. It was all on one floor which was a plus. The staff was very helpful and very attentive and accommodating to their residents." Brookdale Chambrel Pinecastle holds monthly training sessions for its staff members to ensure seniors receive high-quality care. The community provides a range of services from independent living apartments to signature memory care programs, making it easy for residents to age in place. Its professional staff members set up unique care plans for each resident that's suited to their abilities, personality, and condition. Caregivers are on hand 24 hours a day to lend assistance with daily activities, and the secured campus is specially designed with visual cues to help residents comfortably navigate the area. Seniors are served three dishes from an easy-to-understand menu each day with the offerings changing seasonally to boost interest. Stimulating activities aimed at promoting mental wellness are held frequently, and staff members regularly host games and parties to encourage social interaction among residents. Residents and their loved ones express gratitude for the attentive staff members at Brookdale Chambrel Pinecastle. One senior's daughter says, "I told her that he liked oatmeal cookies, so she brought him that as well as chocolate. The place is very accommodating. They were playing memory games when I was there, and the residents were participating very eagerly." Situated in the heart of Ocala, Brookdale Paddock Hills provides memory care and assisted living to seniors in a rural atmosphere, with proximity to city amenities such as shopping, dining and medical facilities. On-site common areas include a cozy community room, library and beauty salon/barbershop. Residents can sit out on the spacious porch or enjoy the fresh air in the courtyard. Meals are provided, along with housekeeping, laundry and transportation, and there’s a wide variety of activities and events. The community provides memory care using the Clare Bridge Daily Path program, an evidence-based approach to help seniors maintain and improve their cognitive function. Residents can participate in daily activities such as fitness classes and brain games. Available 24/7, staff members are trained in the latest memory care and dementia techniques. Residents and family members love the home-like atmosphere and caring staff. One writes, "My mom is so happy here. … Everyone there makes her feel like she is truly at home.” Another resident adds, "It was a clean facility and I just felt at home and also felt there was a feeling of warmth from staff to patient and vice versa.” CERTUS Premier Memory Care Living is a retirement community that focuses on caring for seniors with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive conditions. The well-planned residence features color codes, efficient lighting and visual cues that support easy navigation, with plenty of relaxing areas that promote social engagement. Utilizing evidence- and research-based techniques, the community’s signature programs help in creating positive experiences for residents. For instance, SPIN focuses on activities that enhance social, physical, intellectual and nutritional wellness, and the award-winning Musical Breath program harnesses the power of music to improve sleeping and eating habits and encourage peer interaction. Seniors stay physically fit through a variety of exercises offered through the Fits Moments program, with gardening and other simple chores serving as alternative strengthening activities for those who can’t participate in traditional physical exercises. Family members appreciate the support they receive as they deal with challenging situations. One says, "He enjoys the freedom to roam, the delicious food, the engaging employees who show him much kindness and caring. As he progresses with this horrible disease, Alzheimer’s, they are there every step of the way. Their facility is exactly what I was looking for.” Élan Spanish Springs is a senior living community with a boutique hotel style and a range of resort-style amenities. The Cottage memory care section focuses on creating moments of happiness for the residents each day to give them a sense of purpose and joy. Activities are designed to suit the interests and abilities of residents and may include art classes, gardening, themed sensory boxes, interactive life or work stations and Ageless Grace exercise classes. The ratio of staff to residents is high to ensure that the residents receive warm and compassionate personalized care from the staff. A team of dedicated caregivers is always on hand to assist residents in any way they can, and all staff members are certified in working with seniors with cognitive impairment disorders. Three home-style meals are served family-style each day and social interaction is encouraged. Family members praise the excellent staff and range of activities offered with one reviewer saying, "My mom's care is very good at Élan Spanish Springs. The director does a very nice job. The nurses seem to be very professional. ... Everything seems to be 5-star. They provide laundry service, dining, music, bingo, and arts and crafts." Freedom Pointe at The Villages offers memory care, assisted living and independent living and is located next to UF Health The Villages Hospital in The Villages, Florida. This community’s memory care program is based on a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of each resident’s remaining abilities to cultivate a sense of pride and dignity. Residents can update their appearance at the on-site beauty shop, work on creative projects in the arts and crafts studio and stay active by participating in exercise classes. They can also enjoy nutritious foods served from a menu developed by culinary associates, dietitians and dementia-care experts and dine in an environment where they can receive assistance as needed. Freedom Pointe at The Villages earns rave reviews for being a welcoming community with caring staff members. One resident’s family member states, "They were very personable, patient and kind with their interactions with the residents as well as with all of the visitors… and overall it was a great location that helped get my wife's grandmother healthy again.” Hampton Manor Assisted Living at Belleview provides a peaceful and serene environment to serve as a backdrop for its memory care programming. The busy activities calendar provides memory care patients with options that emphasize connections, including writing letters to loved ones and picture days. Physical fitness is also prioritized, with residents taking part in games, basketball and massage therapy. The courtyard is a common spot for resident gatherings, and the communal interior spaces promote engagement among residents as well. Reviews of Hampton Manor Assisted Living at Belleview discuss the compassion and respect shown to residents at all levels of care. Many emphasize the staff, with one noting, "We looked at many memory care facilities before choosing Hampton Manor Belleview. The best part is the wonderful staff. Without exception, we found them to be the most caring, kind and compassionate people." HarborChase of Villages Crossing is an assisted living and memory care community located less than 2 miles from UF Health The Villages Hospital and the La Plaza Grande West shopping center in Lady Lake, FL. The staff is trained in the latest memory care techniques and uses gentle reminders and customized care plans to help ensure that residents feel safe and comfortable. Family members are also encouraged to play an active role in their loved one’s care. The Cove memory care neighborhood provides a comfortable, inviting environment and offers programs built around activities meant to stimulate residents and enhance their mental, physical and social wellness. They can participate in guided meditation, work on craft-making projects and attend dining events. Reviewers appreciate that HarborChase of Villages Crossing is an attractive community with kind staff and plenty of amenities. One remarks, "I liked HarborChase of Villages Crossing very much … It was very beautiful, and they had a bar when you come in. The staff and the residents were very nice. They had a chapel and gave us cookies when we left.” Located in sunny Florida, HarborChase of Wildwood is a close-knit retirement community that offers resort-style amenities and upscale accommodations. In the community's memory care neighborhood, The Cove, seniors with memory-related conditions receive comprehensive dementia care from a professional team of caregivers specially trained in the latest memory care techniques and therapies. Designed to promote healthy, dignified living, care plans are tailored to each resident’s Silhouette of My Life profile, which chronicles past experiences and unique interests. The staff schedules meaningful activities that promote cognitive health and help achieve personal goals. Daily calendars are filled with creative cooking and painting classes, stretching exercises, IQ games, friendly discussions and other fun, productive activities that residents can share with peers and families. The community’s luxurious services and hospitality are evident in its intimate dining program, which offers nutritious food selections served in a comfortable restaurant-style setting. People like the intimate, nurturing environment, welcoming outdoor areas and friendly staff. "Facility is quite nice and smaller than most of the others in the area. Better attention to memory care patients. Nurses knew who we were before we even met them. Mother has been very happy there. Great response to immediate needs,” says one family member. Located in the small, peaceful community of Altoona, Lakeview Terrace serves seniors who need help with assisted living and memory care. Residents are welcomed into a warm, safe environment with around-the-clock access to the center’s professional staff. Seniors with Alzheimer’s and other impairments live in a secure gated area with supervision 24/7 by a nursing team that also offers medication management, outpatient rehabilitation, and physical, occupational or speech therapy. The in-house Life Enrichment Program stimulates the minds of residents with classes and lectures, reading clubs, Bible study and groups for theater, music and poetry. Assistance with laundry and housekeeping is available, and three nutritious meals are served per day, with special options for those with dietary restrictions. Multiple on-site activities preserve seniors’ cognitive and physical functions, including therapeutic recreation, fitness, gardening, golf and yoga. Transportation and religious services are also provided. Reviews often praise the center’s amenities and its efforts to make seniors feel at home. As one reviewer writes, "This is one of the nicest retirement communities I’ve visited. Nice houses, neat little community with a mini-golf course. The food at the cafeteria was tasty and inexpensive — the residents never need to cook… The layout is huge, and there’s a really great fitness center.” Mission Oaks Assisted Living and Memory Care is located in south Oxford, FL, just a short distance from the Villages, with easy access to shopping and dining. Medical care is available on-site and Select Specialty Hospital is located less than 2 miles away. The community offers a dedicated and secure memory care neighborhood with a comfortable, homelike environment that provides residents with a sense of belonging. Trained staff are available 24/7 to assist with many tasks, including the activities of daily living. Memory care residents can also engage in memory games and other enriching daily activities. Amenities include a spacious common area, library, movie theater, ice cream parlor and therapy and spa suite. Meals, housekeeping, transportation and concierge services are all provided, along with a wide range of daily activities. Family members appreciate the home-like atmosphere and caring staff. One reviewer writes, "The staff is fantastic at this facility... the leadership is fantastic. You could not ask for a better group of people to take care of your mom or dad.” Another adds, "The atmosphere was homey, and the many staff and residents we met were so friendly and welcoming.” Located in central Florida and less than an hour northwest of Orlando, Osprey Lodge of Tavares offers a specialized memory care program, Ensemble, for seniors diagnosed with dementia and memory disorders. The program focuses on a whole-person approach that combines mind, body and spirit and uses familiar objects and routines to stimulate engagement. Ensemble neighborhoods are designed to create a home-like environment that promotes a sense of emotional security and belonging. Residents can join regularly scheduled card games and trivia nights to socialize, stay physically active by participating in daily community walks, and take baking classes to develop new skills. People are impressed with the staff and surroundings at Osprey. One reviewer writes, "My father is a resident in the memory care facility. From the director to the cleaning crew and everyone in between have been a pleasure to work with. They get to know the family members of their residents personally. The MC nurses are providing care for my father far beyond any care I could provide. The staff is helping my family cope with the Alzheimer's process by providing their knowledge and understanding of this terrible disease. I know my father is in good hands." Located in a vibrant neighborhood close to leisure parks and medical facilities, Regency Park Assisted Living Facility provides personalized senior care complemented by an array of convenient, homelike amenities. A nurturing environment awaits seniors at its memory care community, supported by Alzheimer’s and dementia care that includes behavior management, assistance with activities of daily living and access to 24-hour nursing care and third-party healthcare services. The staff is trained to manage the various risks and complications related to cognitive conditions, such as wandering, dehydration, weight loss, infections and behavior changes. The resident physician customizes medication programs according to individual needs and ensures that timely changes in prescriptions are in place when health conditions change. Regency Park promotes social well-being through an abundance of engaging activities. Whether it’s a cookout, afternoon movie, Sunday services or birthday celebrations, there’s always something to support seniors’ different interests and preferences. Family members love to visit for get-togethers and are pleased with the staff’s friendly and welcoming attitude. One says, ”Everybody there knows everybody, and they all call each other by their first names. The whole staff greets you with open arms every day. They have activities and entertainment for the residents every week. Part of The Villages retirement community in central Florida, Serenades at The Villages is a custom-built memory care community for seniors. Residents are placed in small and intimate neighborhoods around a secure courtyard to encourage independence and interaction in a comfortable, home-like setting. Visual cues help with navigation, while full spectrum lighting and home-like design and décor helps residents stay at ease. Walking paths, water features and raised flower beds provide a multi-sensory connection with nature. Meals, housekeeping, laundry, maintenance and transportation services are all provided. Dementia-certified caregivers and licensed nurses are available 24/7 to provide customized care and assistance with daily living, mobility and medication management. Residents also have access to a full spectrum of activities and programs for the mind, body and spirit, along with an individualized music and memory program. Family members love the small, intimate community and the highly trained staff. As one reviewer writes, "Amazing care throughout the building, the caretakers have become family...5 STARS.” Another reviewer adds, "Wonderful care and such a beautiful building, well maintained building and staff is well trained. My family is very happy with the care that my mother is receiving.” Part of The Villages retirement community in central Florida, Sumter Senior Living offers memory care, assisted living, independent living and respite care in luxurious surroundings. The community offers a dedicated, secure neighborhood for memory care residents. Specially designed neighborhood features include a calming physical environment, landmarks and sensory cues to help with navigation, and living and dining spaces presented in residential settings. The signature Village Program offers a personalized approach that engages residents in activities tailored to their former interests, skills and lifestyle. Highly trained staff is available around the clock, and can assist with the activities of daily living, cueing, reminders and medication management. Family members and loved ones appreciate the caring and friendly staff, and the quality of the food. One family member writes, "In laws live there. It is very friendly and service is good. Food choices are very good.” Another reviewer concurs, writing, "Great staff. Great food.” The Cove at Tavares Village uses professional assisted living and memory care services to enhance the quality of life for seniors that struggle with daily tasks. Its homelike campus is specially designed to create a comforting atmosphere where residents can relax, and friendly staff members, including nurses that receive ongoing training in elder care, are on-site 24/7. At-home visits with physicians, podiatrists and dentists can be arranged so seniors don't have to leave the familiarity of the community for routine appointments and medical care, and specialized therapies that employ massage, pets and music are included in the daily wellness programming to encourage mental engagement and stimulation. Residents can choose three meals each day from a variety of delicious menu items, and personalized dining assistance is available. The Cove at Tavares Villages' caregivers receive high praise from one resident's granddaughter for their dedication to making residents comfortable. She shares, "The staff I have witnessed have all been attentive, interactive and caring. Clean with a lovely Hair salon and cute rooms. My grandma lives in the Alzheimer’s unit. The atmosphere is always calm and relaxing." The Willows at Wildwood is a luxury senior community that provides memory care, assisted living and independent living. Conveniently located near The Villages in Oxford, FL, numerous shops, restaurants, parks and medical facilities are nearby. The community provides memory care residents with secured outdoor patios and specially designed dementia-friendly apartments, menus and programming with its signature Opal program. Enriching activities take into consideration each resident’s life story, skills and interests. Residents are encouraged to stay active, to perform tasks with purpose, to express themselves creatively and to participate in art, music and horticulture therapies. Amenities include a bistro, library, theater, living room and recreational areas. Meals, housekeeping and transportation are all provided. Residents can also enjoy a robust calendar of activities and events. Family members often mention the caring staff and the quality of the food. As one reviewer writes, "The care that he receives has been good. The facility is very clean. The food is very good.” Another adds, "The staff is really great, seem interested in Dad, and remembered his name right away. They don't walk by anybody without saying 'Hi.'” Village Veranda at Lady Lake is nestled in nature in the south of Lady Lake. In the center of the town residents can find a variety of health care facilities, including UF Health The Villages Hospital. There is a secure memory care wing, designed with security and easy navigation in mind to help seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia feel at home. The community has a communal lounge area and a beautiful courtyard with outdoor seating for residents to relax and socialize together. The specially trained caregivers deliver personalized care and assistance with daily tasks 24/7, as well as housekeeping and laundry. There are also some engaging scheduled activities, designed to reduce memory decline and to optimize physical and mental wellbeing. Activities include music therapy, brain games and stretching classes. Three fresh meals are provided every day in the dining area. Family members praise the modern amenities and the excellent rooms, with one reviewer saying, "Overall, it was a beautiful place, because it was brand new. The staff was fine, she was the only one we talked to, the rooms were very nice, definitely adequate. The dining area was nice, large, and very clean." Vista Lake Assisted Living provides memory care services amid a lush green Florida landscape. Each memory care resident receives a customized care plan that includes meal preferences and routines that make them most comfortable. Activities focus on being present and promoting a sense of calm. Community amenities include restaurant-style dining, screened lanais, a fireside living room and an on-site beauty salon and barber shop. The community is pet-friendly, and memory care residents have access to staff 24 hours a day. Resident reviews emphasize the beauty of the community and the easy navigation for memory care residents. The inclusion of amenities is also a point of note. One writes, "Vista Lake was nice. I liked the courtyard... where they can go out in the memory care unit, but they can't leave. They can walk around in the yard and sit outside." Located in a quiet semi-rural setting, YourLife of Wildwood focuses its services exclusively on memory care for residents. The community emphasizes cognitively engaging residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia to improve quality of life. This memory care approach involves scheduled outings that are combined with therapeutic sessions in music, art, culture and physical exercise. Pet therapy is also included. All of these are practiced through the YourStory program, which personalizes therapy preferences and resident interests without applying rigid schedules. Dining, personal care and health services are also customized to each resident through the YourStory program to create an experience that’s as comfortable as possible for each client. The community’s general amenities include a licensed nursing staff that’s on call 24 hours a day, daily freshly prepared meals, constant health monitoring and regular housekeeping services.	https://www.memorycare.com/the-villages-fl-facilities/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Syracuse’s senior population continues to grow (11.73% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Syracuse, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 13.93% between 2014 and 2019. To put that in perspective, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group only increased by 5.06%, showing that Alzheimer’s is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is lower than the rest of the nation (4.03% in Syracuse vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent more than a dozen hours researching senior living communities in Syracuse. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Syracuse, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Bishop Rehabilitation and Nursing is located in picturesque Syracuse, NY, just a mile outside of downtown and is close to St. Joseph's Hospital, Highland Park and Onondaga Lake Park, as well as art galleries, restaurants and shops. The rehabilitation and memory care community offers a suite with 2,400 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities including physical therapy activities and spacious living areas. Memory care residents receive personalized care available around the clock, with staff experienced in Alzheimer’s, dementia and other memory disorders. Their rooms have warm lighting and modern decor to help residents feel more at ease in their new home. There is a bright and welcoming lobby with a coffee shop and casual gathering areas nearby. Residents can get lots of fresh air with a spacious courtyard with benches and a walking path. Residents and their families are pleased with the attentive staff and wide range of support services. "It's a great place. My family member loved it - the care was great and the food was excellent," one family member said. Brookdale Bellevue is a care facility located in Syracuse, New York, offering quality memory care services. Staff members trained in dementia care work to meet each individual's needs, implementing personalized care plans based on assessments. To ensure that every resident maintains physical and cognitive wellness, Brookdale Bellevue provides at least six programs every day that keep residents active. These include mental workouts where residents participate in brain games and share life stories, as well as physical activities such as dancing and walking programs. Residents are encouraged to share their achievements with family members, periodically sending personal notes through the "We're Keeping Our Promise" program. Health services include medication monitoring, grooming assistance and assistance with daily living. Hospice care is also available. Residents enjoy the activities and kind staff. One relative writes, "They have very good food, the rooms are a good size and people are friendly and very helpful. They do a lot of different things, like bingo, singalongs, movie nights and popcorn, and have entertainment come in, like singers and comedians." Occupying a peaceful residential neighborhood, Brookdale Fayetteville focuses exclusively on memory care, using a person-focused approach to encourage natural abilities and preferences. The welcoming environment features easy-to-navigate floor plans, abundant natural light and walls painted in soothing colors. Exterior doors are secured day and night, while doorbells monitor who comes and goes for added protection. The trained staff is on-site 24/7 to assist with everyday living, from bathing and grooming to medication management and care coordination. Staff receive ongoing training on the latest memory care methods, so residents receive the highest level of support. Daily programs allow seniors to explore their interests, with enriching activities including exercise classes, puzzles, games and singalongs, while enclosed courtyards and gardens offer space to relax. Flavorful meals include an assortment of entrées and sides to accommodate dietary needs. Visiting family members praise the caring staff. "They had everything that we needed for Mom, and since she has been there, everybody has been fantastic in regards to Mom's care," one relative says. "Everybody has been extremely communicative, wonderful, and they're watching over my mother...They are absolutely terrific. They're the best." Surrounded by a spacious green yard, Camillus Ridge Terrace is a relaxed retirement community in a quiet setting. With only 12 beds, its memory care neighborhood is cozy and intimate, allowing residents and caregivers to form strong friendships. As well as individualized care from professional staff, residents have access to a private enclosed courtyard, a sun room and a comfortable country kitchen. A variety of group activities, including arts and crafts, baking, day trips and bird watching, are designed to keep seniors entertained and alert. A rotation of chef-prepared meals entertain the senses and inspire nostalgia, and snacks are available throughout the day. Seniors appreciate the caring staff. "They have music pretty much every day, which I know makes my mom happy. They have movie nights. In terms of the general atmosphere, everything is clean, neat, tidy and welcoming. The staff seems attentive. My mom has been there for a month and they all know her by name," said a family member. Located just northwest of Syracuse in upstate New York, Elderwood at Liverpool is a senior community that offers assisted living, independent living and memory care. Through personalized programming based on each individual's unique needs, Elderwood aims to preserve a high quality of life for residents with memory loss conditions. The special programs include fitness sessions and tasks to challenge motor skills, art and music therapies to encourage communication, and cognitive exercises to reduce agitation and anxiety. Community residents are divided into groups based on their capabilities, providing opportunities to socialize with fellow seniors in similar situations. Those suffering from dementia conditions that make them feel overwhelmed have access to a sensory balance program led by a trained therapist. Residents enjoy the activities and care. One relative writes, "My Dad resides at Elderwood ... His level of personal care is very good and they actually have activities specific for just the gentlemen, like bocce and horseshoes. He appreciates that." Keepsake Village at Greenpoint is a senior living community that meets the needs of seniors with memory loss disorders. The community uses the Live More, Think More and Move More programs to offer memory care services. In the Live More program, staff members, who are available 24/7, get to know the residents as friends through regular chats about their childhood memories, families, culture, traditions and hobbies. The Think More program challenges and improves the cognitive abilities of residents through regular mental activities and discussions. The Move More program offers fitness through walking clubs, chair yoga, dancing and tai chi. A consistent daily schedule is followed to limit confusion. Family members praise the caring staff and welcoming atmosphere, with one reviewer saying, "I recently put my father in the memory care at Keepsake... He is doing fantastic and loves it there. The staff has been wonderful...Thank you Keepsake Village for making my father feel like one of the family and at home." For seniors with Alzheimer's or dementia, Park Terrace at Radisson offers a memory care program centered around residents' personal interests that fosters a sense of meaning, purpose and success. Highly trained staff run an intimate program designed specifically for residents with cognitive impairment. Upon admission to the community, staff develop an individualized care plan for each senior, which is updated periodically. Residents receive 24-hour care and have access to emergency response systems. Activities include exercise classes, entertainment, computer classes, contests and movies. Visiting nursing, physical and occupational therapy services are available, and support groups are on site. People love the facilities at Park Terrace at Radisson. One reviewer writes, "My mother went to Park Terrace at Radisson. It's been excellent. I would speak very highly of them. They have a lot of activities. They have a lot of living areas for people to do activities in. There's a library facility that comes in. They have a book club, a walking club, they do exercises every morning, they have a beautiful terrace outside to sit on, and they have ice cream socials and happy hours every Friday. The food is excellent. I've been very impressed with the facilities." Peregrine Senior Living at Onondaga Hill offers memory care in peaceful surroundings southwest of Syracuse. Conveniences such as shopping and dining are nearby, and the Upstate Medical Center is located less than 2 miles away. All staff are trained in dementia care techniques and are available 24/7 to provide care and assistance, including with the activities of daily living and medication management. The community offers several signature memory care programs, including writing legacy stories, creating personalized memory boxes, educational lectures and music therapy. Residents can participate in a wide variety of social, recreational and educational activities, including art classes, brainteasers, games and exercise classes. The pet-friendly, single-story community features numerous common areas and expansive grounds with enclosed courtyards. Additional amenities include an on-site beauty parlor, ice cream and soda shop and country chapel. Meals, housekeeping and transportation services are provided. Reviewers are impressed by the caring and professional staff. One writes, "I absolutely love this place. Every time I visit I find new things to love. I know no institution is perfect in every way — it's not run by Mary Poppins — but is run by a team of folks focused on making the best life possible available and achievable for the residents.” Peregrine Senior Living at The Athenaeum of Skaneateles, located in Syracuse, New York, is an assisted living facility offering memory care services. Through personalized support and life-enrichment activities, residents maintain both physical and cognitive health. Special memory care activities, such as trivia games and music therapy, are designed to encourage communication and keep the mind active. Activities also include multisensory events such as exercise classes, group outings and fun with pets. With the help of a staff member, each resident completes a personal biography that helps ignite old memories and keeps a record of their daily life. The staff consists of trained caregivers who are accessible 24/7 and provide health services such as nutrition monitoring and medication management. Rehabilitation services, physicians and podiatrists are available on-site. The homelike environment makes The Athenaeum stand out. One visitor writes, "The Athenaeum of Skaneateles is beautiful. ... It's more like living at your house. It's very clean. ... The dining area was beautiful and overlooked Skaneateles Lake." The Heritage Memory Life Community is one of New York’s oldest homes specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Cascading lawns with courtyards and patios surround the beautiful historical building, providing a serene and secure setting for seniors to socialize. The community has two main types of care: the assisted living program and enriching program. Staff assist with medication management, scheduling external appointments and housekeeping, ensuring seniors live a stress-free life. Assisted living residents benefit from additional care such as diabetes monitoring, help with navigating the grounds, oxygen therapy and toileting assistance. On-site is a hair salon, pharmacy, chapel and numerous common areas where residents can socialize with family members. Seniors can also enjoy scheduled outings to the many museums, theaters and other landmarks in the neighborhood. Residents remark on the great facilities, with one person saying, "The staff here is incredible. Low turnover rate of management and care staff. Great communication with families from care managers and a quality of life director. Beautiful old building with a full chapel and nice sided apartments. Small dining and living areas suited well for those with Alzheimer's." Surrounded by trees, The Nottingham provides a peaceful home to those living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Staff are on-site around the clock attending to the needs of residents, helping them with the activities of daily living and managing their medications. The residents have access to a 24/7 emergency alert system so if they need help, it arrives quickly. The memory care program run by The Nottingham focuses on the memory and communication skills of seniors, while also helping them relax and feel proud of their wins. It stimulates the senses of seniors by having them engage in activities that they enjoy but that can challenge them and make them use their cognitive abilities. A full chapel and spiritual care service are available. They've taken very good care of my mother... They have a variety of activities available for the residents. It's a community that you can start off in an apartment and as you require care, you can receive that care all the way up through skilled nursing, which... I thought it was very important, writes one resident's family member.	https://www.memorycare.com/syracuse-ny-facilities/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Surprise's senior population continues to grow (23.05% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Surprise, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 11.98% between 2014 and 2019. The number of deaths from all causes for that same age group increased by 19.21%. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is slightly higher than the rest of the nation (8.54% in Surprise vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). In order to help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer's find the support and care that their loved ones need, we've compiled information below about the cost of Memory Care, how to get financial assistance to help make care more affordable, free resources, etc. Also included are reviews of the best memory care facilities in the area, which cover pricing, types of care provided, residents' reviews, and more. Table of Contents For memory care facilities, COVID-19 rules and regulations are typically set at the state level. You can view specific rules on our guide to memory care in Arizona. These rules change often, and many communities have policies in place that go above and beyond what's required by the state, so you should contact your local community for more information. Additionally, you can contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn more. Note: Memory care is typically provided in communities licensed as assisted living facilities, and in general, costs 20-30% more than standard assisted living services. No authoritative cost data is available for this type of care, so we estimated memory care rates by adding 25% to assisted living fees in the Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey. The estimated monthly cost for memory care in Surprise is $4,969, which almost perfectly matches the average price in Arizona. While Surprise is a few dollars less expensive than the state average of $5,000, it's also approximately $600 less expensive than the national average of $5,625. Residents of Sierra Vista pay approximately $5,188 a month, just a bit higher than Surprise, while Tucson is $5,063. Prices in Flagstaff are the highest in the state at $6,250; the low side of the memory care cost range is represented by Yuma's estimated price of $4,750. Adult day health care is the least expensive option for long-term care in Surprise at $2,167 per month. At $3,975, assisted living is roughly $1,000 cheaper than memory care. Remaining options are all more expensive in Surprise. In-home care and home health care, ideal for seniors who wish to age in place, each run an average of $5,958 a month. Nursing home care is the most expensive option at $6,418 for a semiprivate room. Note: Data for Surprise was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Phoenix, was used instead. Since not everyone can afford to pay for memory care out-of-pocket, it's important to find alternative methods to help make memory care more affordable. Some of these options include: For more information about your options for making assisted living more affordable, visit our guide to Memory Care in Surprise. Surprise-area older adults have an array of local resources that can help them prepare for and mitigate some of the effects of dementia. These resources include emotional help, such as that found through support groups and social events, legal counseling that can help seniors resolve civil matters, and financial assistance that can help them pay for safety equipment and occasional respite care. \|resource\|\|contact\|\|description\| \|State Health Insurance Assistance Program\|\|623-866-4214\|\|This federally funded but state-level program is aimed at providing useful information about Medicare to eligible older adults. Its representatives can help low-income seniors get assistance with monthly payments and some prescription drug costs.\| \|Arizona Senior Citizens Law Project\|\|602- 252-6710\|\|The attorneys of the ASCLP can provide free and confidential legal assistance with civil matters to Surprise-area residents aged 60 and up. This nonprofit organization doesn't provide help with criminal matters but can refer seniors in need of such representation to private lawyers.\| \|Alzheimer's Association Desert Southwest\|\|602-528-0545\|\|This regional arm of the national AA covers all of Arizona and part of Nevada from an office in Phoenix. Seniors may contact the AA to find local support groups for themselves and for their caregivers, classes that can help educate them on and prepare them for the early stages of dementia and assistance in securing emergency response equipment, such as alert bracelets.\| \|Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program\|\|602-542-6454\|\|This program serves the residents of assisted living facilities, nursing homes and adult foster care locations by ensuring such communities are offering proper quality of care. Ombudsmen can also field and investigate care-related complaints, in addition to helping residents access services and defend their rights.\| According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Surprise, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Mariposa Point of Surprise is a secure senior living community just minutes from multiple health care services. Its caregivers and nursing staff receive comprehensive dementia-related training and offer customized care solutions that include medication management, mobility support and assistance with activities of daily living. The community uses a specialized life engagement program to help lower anxiety and frustration among seniors facing memory loss issues. On-site health checkups, dental appointments and physical, speech and occupational therapy are available. Residents can enjoy the secured outdoor area, chef-prepared meals and snacks throughout the day as well as scheduled transportation to and from medical appointments. Reviewers are pleased with the community's cleanliness and homelike amenities. One family member writes, "Absolutely gorgeous community, attentive and caring staff, fun activities. From the moment we toured we felt right at home and we are so bless to be able to have my mother live at Mariposa Point of Surprise." Orchard Pointe at Surprise is conveniently located in a residential neighborhood and offers a quiet living environment with easy access to shops, parks and medical venues. This community's Portraits memory care program, based on Montessori principles, improves the abilities of seniors with dementia to help them live purposeful lives. The staff collects stories and personal mementos from each resident's family and uses the insights gained to create an individualized care plan tailored to their needs and abilities. Seniors live in a secure neighborhood featuring an enclosed courtyard to ensure their safety, and they participate in therapeutic programs, such as multisensory stimulation. The life enrichment director organizes live music, fitness classes and community outings. The 24/7 caregivers, certified according to Alzheimer's Association of America guidelines, provide medication management and daily living assistance, such as grooming and dressing. Three chef-prepared meals are served every day. Family members praise the friendly staff, clean environment and engaging activities. A resident's daughter writes, "The staff is professional, supportive and caring; the activities keep folks involved throughout the day. The team has helped me tremendously navigate this new experience. … The [community] is clean and inviting. Dad has not once asked to go home." Avenir Memory Care at Surprise is a senior living community with a homelike atmosphere. The community is composed of four neighborhoods that care for residents of different cognitive function, so that individuals feel a sense of community and belonging. Its care team gets to know each resident to develop personal care plans that cater to their needs and preferences. It offers activities and events best suited to those with memory loss so as to enrich residents' spirits and encourage independence. The culinary team additionally creates menus of delicious, nutritious dishes made from scratch using the freshest ingredients. A resident's son praises the care and attention his mother receives at the community. He says, "Moving my mother into Avenir Memory Care in Surprise was the best decision I could have made. I absolutely love how all of the staff got to know my mom on a one-on-one basis and truly show how much they care for her." Rock Creek at The Park Memory Care Community is solely dedicated to memory care programming. Memory care in this community encompasses a number of techniques to reinforce cognitive function. The Gaze technique incorporates direct eye contact and cultivates positive recognition between individuals. Staff is also trained to speak in soft tones to promote a sense of calm. Touch is used as a means of communication among memory care residents, while being physically upright as much as possible may help residents feel as though they are on the same level as their caregivers. Music is incorporated into most daily activities, while the Living Well program draws on specially designed exercises to promote physical well-being. Even dining is part of the larger approach, with restaurant-style meals catering to a variety of taste preferences and details to taper overstimulation for memory care residents. Community reviews emphasize the helpful staff and myriad activity offerings for memory care residents. Of this, one writes, "I know two friends at Rock Creek…They have furnished rooms and a beautiful courtyard, so you can look out the windows and see the courtyard and trees. It's really pretty, and you can sit out there." Conveniently located in a residential neighborhood, The Woodmark at Sun City offers a quiet living environment close to nature reserves, shops, restaurants and medical options. This community's Legacies Memory Care program provides compassionate care to help seniors with dementia preserve their quality of life. The staff conducts a comprehensive assessment of each resident to determine their level of care. Seniors live in a secure neighborhood featuring an enclosed outdoor space and an emergency call system to ensure their safety. The 24/7 caregivers, trained in redirection techniques, provide medication management and daily living assistance with tasks such as bathing, grooming and dressing. Residents can participate in therapies, arts and crafts, brain games and group exercises, and those with appointments at nearby hospitals can schedule rides with the community transportation. Three nutritious meals are served daily. Amenities include a library, coffee shop, game room and fitness center. Family members praise the devoted staff and beautiful environment. A resident's daughter writes, "My mother is so happy here! Beautiful studio room with a balcony. Easy for her to maneuver without the fear of getting hurt. She tells me that the staff is like family. … Thank you for taking such good care of her." Avista Sun City West is a dedicated memory care community of three purpose-built, homelike cottages, each surrounded by secure courtyards and located within a peaceful residential area. Staff fully trained and certified in dementia care look after residents 24/7, ensuring medications are taken on time and supervising memory care and rehydration programs. Rooms include all utilities (except phones) and individually controlled thermostats. They are constructed to minimize noise intrusion, which can cause anxiety in some residents, and they include ambient soft lighting to reduce stress. Three nutritious meals are served daily, with snacks available throughout the day. On-site facilities include a beauty salon and barbershop, and podiatrists, dentists and audiologists visit regularly. The supervised entertainment also includes regular outings. Reviewers praise the cleanliness and caring staff. The wife of one resident says, "I went to visit, and the facilities were nice and clean, and up to what I would prefer for myself. I found the staff very caring and dedicated to their work. They told me they weren't allowed to take gratuity, and work out of love. Brookdale Camino del Sol is a senior living community that focuses on assisting seniors at all stages of memory loss. Clare Bridge is the program for residents with mild to mid-stage dementia or Alzheimers. The program uses research-based therapies and activities to help seniors improve or maintain their current cognitive abilities. Solace is the program for those in the advanced stages of memory loss where the focus is on reducing stress and confusion and providing comfort. Each resident has a personalized care plan that ensures they receive the care they need. The community is pet-friendly with a secure courtyard area where seniors can safely walk their dogs. Daily activities include aromatherapy, cooking, gardening, gentle fitness classes, reminiscing chats and religious services. Family members praise the compassionate staff with one reviewer saying, "Our dad lived at Brookdale Camino del Sol for about 1 year… Every staffer treated us and our dad like their own family. Every concern was addressed. He wasn't just a patient. " Brookdale Trail Ridge is a purpose-built memory care community with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The building features circular corridors and open plan spaces to reduce confusion. Visual cues are used throughout the community to help seniors navigate independently. The perimeter is secured to allow residents to safely explore the gardens and walking trails. Two levels of care are offered, with one focusing on seniors with mid-stage memory loss and the other assisting those in the advanced stages. A schedule of six planned programs is followed each day to give residents a sense of routine. Activities provided include arts and crafts, morning discussions, brain games, yoga, musical entertainment and B-Fit classes. Consistent care assignments ensure seniors get to know and trust their caregivers. Family members appreciate the caring staff and range of activities offered. One reviewer says, "My mother moved into Brookdale Trail Ridge. She was able to have a private room, and the appearance of the facility was wonderful. It's a beautiful facility, the staff is very good, very helpful, and understanding. They have games, entertainment, they have an activities director, and she's been very good at drawing my mother out of her room." Brookdale Union Hills focuses exclusively on memory care, providing two levels of programming for residents with memory care conditions. The Clare Bridge Daily Path program offers six group activities every day of the week to keep residents stimulated through group exercise, puzzles and crafts. The Solace program supports those with advanced memory care conditions. It features same components as the Clare Bridge program, but with extra time built into the daily schedule for dressing, grooming and additional therapies, such as aromatherapy. Both programs promote structured routines devised according to the resident for consistency. The community offers a dementia-friendly menu and emphasizes consistent seating layouts in the dining room. Soft music and scented towels are provided for memory care residents to make mealtimes even more comfortable. Reviewers appreciate the expertise of the staff assisting residents with memory care conditions. One family member writes, "My mom moved into Brookdale about a year ago, and she's had the same caregiver since she got there who's very familiar with Alzheimer's and knows how to approach her." Situated in a thriving, senior-oriented neighborhood, The Gardens of Sun City promotes well-being through social connection. The program fosters close bonds between caregivers and residents, weaving their life histories and interests into tailored care plans. Holistic activities involve dance, light exercise, meditation, games and live entertainment. Smart technology helps caregivers engage with residents and optimize their monthly calendars, and a family app keeps residents' loved ones connected to the community. Bright, elegant amenities, such as the library, fitness center, garden and outdoor sitting areas, foster a sense of belonging. Outings to shopping venues and cultural attractions connect residents to the Sun City community. A Food Network celebrity chef crafts nutritious restaurant-style meals, which can be tailored to dietary restrictions. Accommodations include kitchenettes, housekeeping and in-house doctor visits. Residents praise the loving atmosphere and caregiver engagement. One family member writes, "A caring community and staff that my dad can call his family! Such great love and attention has created well-being and contentment for my dad. I see the respect and focus on health. … There are always great activities planned, and the meals are amazing here!" Conveniently located in a Phoenix suburb, The Mission at Agua Fria Senior Living is close to parks, shops and medical services. This community helps seniors with memory impairment live with dignity by providing person-centric care in a safe setting. The staff, trained and certified in dementia care, conducts a comprehensive assessment of each resident before developing an individualized care plan tailored to their needs. Specialized cognitive programs, including multisensory stimulation and music and pet therapies, improve seniors' mental and spiritual wellness. Residents can also participate in life enrichment activities customized to their abilities and interests, such as arts and crafts, walking clubs and fitness classes. The 24/7 caregivers provide case management, medication administration, ongoing health monitoring and escorts for meals and activities. They also help with activities of daily living, including dressing and bathing. A chef serves three nutritious meals every day. People love the friendly staff and diverse activities. A reviewer writes, "The overall feel of this community just felt right, and everyone there was super friendly. The activities were pretty good. … They had wine tastings and movie nights. Residents could listen to music and play card games. Our loved one always seemed to really enjoy the food." Hacienda Del Rey is a warm, welcoming senior living community located close to medical services. The Connections for Living memory care unit provides a secure, homelike environment where residents can feel comfortable and safe. Professionally trained caregivers are on-site 24/7 to offer support. All staff members are trained in the best methods of redirecting aggression and sundowning. Inspiration stations and baskets, which are located throughout the community to spark memories, replicate everyday locations such as an office, baby nursery or workshop, and the baskets are filled with fun items or games that may inspire residents. Family engagement is encouraged, with family members invited to take part in social events and activities. Family members appreciate the caring staff. One reviewer says, "We feel like we found a gem with Hacienda Del Rey. We just love the caregiver's attention to Mom and the love they show to her. They seem to treat her like their own family member. The leadership and staff are all very professional and great communicators." Legacy House of Avondale provides a nurturing, friendly environment for assisted living and memory care seniors. Residents with memory impairments live in The Cottage, where they receive assistance with daily tasks such as eating, ambulation and bathing. Seniors in the memory care area have their own activity and dining areas, as well as a family-style kitchen to better emulate a home environment. A secured courtyard with walking paths and garden boxes provides space to reflect or enjoy a sunny day, while music therapy, brain games and reminiscence projects help seniors retain or improve their level of cognitive functioning. Most visitors to this community are impressed with its pleasant appearance, pleasant staff and level of caring. One visitor writes, "The people at Legacy House of Avondale were extremely nice and very informative about all the different aspects of Mom's care. The facility is immaculate, absolutely top of the line in everything." Auberge at Peoria is a specialized memory care community designed with the health and happiness of seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia in mind. Montessori-inspired life enrichment programming, delivered via the SPARK program, helps seniors enjoy daily physical and mental activities that cater to their unique interests, helping improve health and slow cognitive decline. SPARK is an award-winning program that's based on science and uses unique assessment tools. The Life-Enriching Connections program enhances communication between residents and their loved ones. Services include mobility escorts, activities assistance, spa services, clubs and resident councils, social outings and personalized care coordination. Reviewers mention the cleanliness of the facility as well as the quality and quantify of fulfilling activities. A family member writes, "My father-in-law has resided there for a few months, and he is very happy. … The staff is VERY caring, attentive, responsive and kind to the residents and families." Fairmont Village is a gated senior living community specializing in assisted living and memory care services. Its secure courtyard gives residents unrestricted freedom to move throughout the campus. Fairmont is the first community in Arizona to use circadian rhythm lighting systems that simulate night and day to minimize the impact of sundowning and to improve sleep, cognitive processing, and alertness. Caregivers receive ongoing dementia-related training from the on-staff clinical director. These caregivers are on hand 24/7 to assist with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing and mobility. In addition, staff encourages seniors to maintain their customary routines and participate in on-site activities that match their interests and abilities. Meals and snacks are served daily in the relaxing dining area, and hydration stations are strategically placed around the community. Reviewers are pleased with the level of care the community provides. One family member writes, "We are so grateful we found this memory care community, my dad is doing great, he now has a purpose everyday and that means the world to our family. Top-notch staff, top-notch leadership, top-notch care!" The Groves has a memory care community, Garden House, that caters to the needs of those with Alzheimer's and dementia. Residents can relax and exercise in safety in the enclosed courtyard, and rooms and common areas are decorated in pastel shades to enhance the calming environment. 24/7 staff are trained to care for seniors with memory loss, help them through periods of anxiety and provide support with bathing and medication management. Housekeeping and laundry and provided, as well as three freshly prepared meals per day served restaurant-style in the dining area. The Groves also provides transportation for medical appointments. Residents' families love the amenities at The Groves. One says, "The staff has been very helpful and very pleasant too. They have bingo, a movie theater, card games, monthly events/holidays, exercise classes, a beauty salon and barbershop. They also do their nails. Their food is also excellent." Mariposa Point at Algodon Center is a pet-friendly community located just blocks from the Banner Estrella Medical Center. Its Generations Memory Support Program encourages seniors with dementia-related illnesses to maintain familiar schedules and participate in activities that match their unique abilities. The program incorporates elements of art and pet therapy when appropriate. Trained caregivers are available around the clock to assist with activities of daily living, such as grooming, dressing and mobility. The community's on-staff medical director oversees the development and implementation of personalized care plans and conducts frequent wellness checkups. Residents can make full use of the on-site library, beauty salon and TV lounge areas and enjoy three daily meals and snacks throughout the day. Reviewers like the community's well-appointed rooms and variety of activities. One family member writes, "I like the director and the nursing staff. They're very nice. They have amenities where the residents can build puzzles, they can do crafts, and they also have something like a dinner for everyone and stuff like that." Located within a mile of Curahealth Hospital Northwest Phoenix, The Inn Assisted Living and Memory Care is part of a wider residential care campus. Trained caregivers provide personalized assistance with day-to-day tasks, such as bathing, dressing and medication administration, and all rooms have an emergency call system. A licensed nurse is on-site 24/7, and the in-house therapy team further supports resident health. Free transportation is provided for medical appointments and to run local errands. Nutritious meals are served in the shared dining room, with healthy snacks also available throughout the day, and a private dining room is available for special occasions and family meals. The Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program supports senior well-being through stimulating enrichment activities, including fitness classes, arts and crafts, games and devotional worship, and seniors can relax and mingle in the courtyard, billiard room and club room. Residents value the compassionate care and family-like atmosphere. One loved one says, "My mother has been at this [community] for quite some time. The staff is attentive and very caring. They treat her as part of their family. I can't tell you how comforting it is to know that my mother is so well taken care of." Glencroft Center for Modern Aging, which is located on a 40-acre campus, provides a seamless transition between care levels as residents' needs change. Memory care services include some clinical care and skilled nursing, as well as security. The center's holistic model of wellness focuses on six key areas of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social and vocational health. The activities department helps residents engage with other residents and the larger community through fitness classes, adult education, yoga, water classes and games. Residents appreciate the community's cleanliness and the number of activities it offers. One resident says, "My husband and I moved into Glencroft two years ago. … We love it!! So much to do right here on campus. We have a beautiful two-bedroom apartment. It is a Christian community and very clean. … Always something going on if you feel like joining us." At Thunderbird Senior Living in Glendale, Arizona, memory care residents live in a secure environment and receive 24-hour care, including help with all their daily living activities and medications. The Embrace memory care program focuses on five principles: wellness, enrichment, challenge, connection and creativity. Residents can take part in Spark, a program designed for mental stimulation; Bookmarks, a reading club; Snapshot, a program to strengthen connections between residents and their families; Essence, a multisensory experience; and Thymeless, a gardening program. They can enjoy relaxing in their cozy apartments, meeting with other residents in comfortable common areas and taking fresh air in a secure outdoor courtyard. Residents and their families are pleased with the exceptional staff at Thunderbird Senior Living. One relative is happy with the prompt communication staff members provide about her father, saying one staff member even "sends me pictures," and "she's always open to me calling her." The reviewer also appreciates the activities available to residents, especially the music and memory games.	https://www.memorycare.com/surprise-az-facilities/
Rehabilitation medicine uses many kinds of assistance, therapies, and devices to improve function. The type of rehabilitation a person receives depends on the condition causing impairment, the bodily function that is affected, and the severity of the impairment. The following are some common types of rehabilitation:1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - Cognitive (pronounced KOG-ni-tiv) rehabilitation therapy involves relearning or improving skills, such as thinking, learning, memory, planning, and decision making that may have been lost or affected by brain injury. - Occupational (pronounced ok-yuh-PEY-shuh-nl) therapy helps a person carry out daily life tasks and activities in the home, workplace, and community. - Pharmacorehabilitation (pronounced fahr-muh-koh-ree-huh-bil-i-TEY-shuhn) involves the use of drugs to improve or restore physical or mental function. - Physical therapy involves activities and exercises to improve the body’s movements, sensations, strength, and balance. - Rehabilitative/assistive technology refers to tools, equipment, and products that help people with disabilities move and function. This technology includes (but is not limited to): - Orthotics (pronounced awr-THOT-iks), which are devices that aim to improve movement and prevent contracture in the upper and lower limbs. For instance, pads inserted into a shoe, specially fitted shoes, or ankle or leg braces can improve a person’s ability to walk. Hand splints and arm braces can help the upper limbs remain supple and unclenched after a spinal cord injury. - Prosthetics (pronounced pros-THET-iks), which are devices designed to replace a missing body part, such as an artificial limb - Wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and other mobility aids - Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, which aim to either make a person’s communication more understandable or take the place of a communication method. They can include electronic devices, speech-generating devices, and picture boards. - Hearing aids and cochlear implants - Retinal prostheses, which can restore useful vision in cases in which it has been lost due to certain degenerative eye conditions - Telemedicine and telerehab technologies, which are devices or software to deliver care or monitor conditions in the home or community - Rehabilitation robotics - Mobile apps to assist with speech/communication, anxiety/stress, memory, and other functions or symptoms6 - Recreational (pronounced rek-ree-EY-shuh-nl) therapy helps improve symptoms and social and emotional well-being through arts and crafts, games, relaxation training, and animal-assisted therapy. - Speech and language therapy aims to improve impaired swallowing and movement of the mouth and tongue, as well as difficulties with the voice, language, and talking. - Surgery includes procedures to correct a misaligned limb or to release a constricted muscle, skin grafts for burns, insertion of chips into the brain to assist with limb or prosthetic movement, and placement of skull plates or bone pins. - Vocational (pronounced voh-KEY-shuh-nl) rehabilitation aids in building skills for going to school or working at a job. - Music or art therapy can specifically aid in helping people express emotion, in cognitive development, or in helping to develop social connectedness.7 These services are provided by a number of different health care providers and specialists, including (but not limited to):	https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/rehabilitation-medicine/conditioninfo/activities
It can be scary to think that maybe one day you won’t remember someone’s name, or your own birthday, or who your loved ones are. Unfortunately, as populations continue to grow old, there are more and more people struggling with memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. The worst part yet is there isn’t a cure for these conditions, so your biggest defense is to try and delay and prevent memory loss from happening as best as possible. Some preventative methods of memory loss include eating a brain-boosting diet, playing mind games, and learning a new skill or language. But researchers now suggest another that which can delay memory loss. Volunteering helps delay memory loss among seniors The research was conducted by the University of Missouri, who found that volunteering your time could help improve cognitive function among older adults. Previous studies have found positive benefits among volunteering and improved physical health. Volunteering often involves many different skills including problem-solving, being active, and other brain stimulating activities. Christine Proulx of the University explained, “Cognitive functions, such as memory, working memory, and processing are essential for living an independent life. They’re the tools and methods the brain uses to process information. It’s the brain’s working memory and processing capacity that benefit the most from volunteering.” Working memory receives the biggest boost through volunteering. The term refers to the brain’s ability to manage and store information temporarily and is often the first type of memory to go in dementia patients. Long-term memory tends to take longer to lose. Processing capacity also benefits from volunteering which is the ability to take in and store information. Dementia patients have increasing difficulties to take in and store information and so responses may become delayed as a result. The researchers looked at the impact of volunteering on 11,000 older adult brains. They found that volunteering benefitted participants regardless of the amount of time spent volunteering. So, if you’re a senior, regardless of whether or not you’re at risk of dementia, it may still be a wise choice to partake in volunteering your time. Not only will this protect your brain, but you can experience physical benefits too.	https://www.belmarrahealth.com/protect-memory-one-activity/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Valley View's senior population continues to grow (42.95% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Valley View, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 40% between 2014 and 2019. To put that into perspective, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group only increased by 18.9%, showing that Alzheimer's is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is higher than the rest of the nation (10.11% in Valley View vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Valley View. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Valley View, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Eagle Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center supports people with memory loss through its Meaningful Moments program. Staff learn all about each resident's life, including their likes and dislikes, career, family and interests. They then create a personalized daily care plan incorporating familiar routines and engaging experiences to support residents emotionally, socially, mentally, physically and spiritually. A beautifully landscaped courtyard offers a secure outdoor space for walking and relaxing. Scheduled activities include arts and crafts, cooking, games, and social events, with family encouraged to attend. Support is also available to caregivers as their loved ones transition into the community. Family and friends recommend this memory care community for the friendliness of the staff and the respect and care given to each individual. One reviewer writes, "The staff have been greater than excellent. They're very in tune to each resident's personality and needs, which makes it very comfortable for me as my loved one's caregiver." At Anthology of Denton, residents can find the pet-friendly surroundings comfortable and inviting, with easy-to-navigate living spaces and well-appointed accommodations. The Virtue memory care neighborhood, in particular, features personal memory displays and artwork of familiar landmarks and images, helping create a homelike atmosphere. Safety is a priority, with 24-hour staff, personal alert systems, key-pad access and real-time locations systems ensuring the close monitoring of seniors while providing the right level of independence. Programs focus on creating close-knit connections, and through comprehensive consultations with family members, the care team gets to know residents' individual histories and interests, helping them develop activities tailored to unique traits. Game and reading rooms, thoughtfully designed common areas and beautifully landscaped outdoor spaces provide plenty of cozy venues for entertaining visiting family members and friends. The staff's attention to detail earns positive comments from family members. "The managers and staff are caring, courteous, and soon become like family to those living in the community, as well as to their loved ones," shares a daughter. "Many times the staff went beyond the call of duty, such as helping my mom by resetting her clocks when the time changed and numerous other tasks." Willow Bend Assisted Living is a vibrant senior living community located just minutes from the Medical City Denton hospital. Its caregivers are specifically trained to provide memory care support services and are available around the clock to assist with activities of daily living, including medication management, grooming, hygiene and incontinence care. Individualized care plans are developed for each resident and daily activities are designed to match the senior's unique interests and abilities. The community offers animal therapy through the Paro Seal robotic seal program. Residents can enjoy a variety of community common areas, such as an internet game room, a cafe, a beauty salon and an outdoor area that includes a large front porch and enclosed courtyard. Daily meals are served restaurant-style in the main dining room, and laundry and housekeeping services are included. Residents are pleased with the level of care they receive and the variety of activities offered. One family member states, "My father is at Willow Bend memory care facility. The assisted living side has puzzles, games, music, happy hours on Fridays, outings on Wednesdays, exercises, preaching and crocheting group come in, and there's a salon." Mayberry Gardens is a home away from home for senior assisted living in Denton, Texas. Offering five different residential homes, each with a shared kitchen, dining and living room, the community sprawls through 5 acres with walking paths and large front porches to enjoy the weather. Mayberry Gardens has high staff-to-resident ratios, with 24-hour awake care and an emergency call system. For those who require it, medicine, dressing, grooming and incontinence assistance are available. With three home-cooked meals a day and snacks from the kitchen, it's easy for residents to relax and take it easy. Residents state that the community is a pleasant place across the board. One visitor says, "I am always welcomed by friendly staff that genuinely cares about people. There is always a home cooked meal being prepared. I am always impressed with the level of care that they provide. They truly care about the people they care for." Conveniently located opposite a full-service hospital, Beehive Homes Lewisville Old Town is a small memory care community designed to resemble a family home. The staff provides round-the-clock supervision, companionship, home-cooked meals and person-centered care to make life more comfortable for those with progressive memory loss disorders and use the iN2L senior engagement technology to promote meaningful social interactions and bring joy into the lives of residents. Activities include daily exercise, devotions, painting and sing-alongs. A fenced courtyard gives safe access to the outdoors. Additional community benefits include furnished rooms, public Wi-Fi, on-site hair and nail salon services, daily housekeeping, personal laundry services, an on-call consulting nurse and regular home visits from doctors. The community can also accommodate third-party home health providers, making it possible for most residents to age in place. Families commend the individualized care and dedicated staff. One comments, "It is truly a home! The level of care is top-notch. We are so appreciative of the exceptional staff who always have the well-being of the residents in mind." A second notes, "The whole staff is amazing. They helped mom through the different stages as well as helped our family cope with all the changes." Avanti Senior Living at Flower Mound focuses on helping residents remain independent for as long as possible by providing the tools needed to help themselves. Well-trained staff members are on-site to help with medication management, grooming, housekeeping and meals. Memory care treatment includes engaging activities, healthy nutrition and specialized exercises, and the community also has a host of activities, including fitness classes, personal exercises, casino nights, art shows, crafts, computer classes, a beauty shop, outdoor and indoor common areas and transportation. The Taste restaurant provides residents with healthy, unprocessed meals and it works to accommodate special dietary needs of residents. Lectures and information are regularly provided on topics like transitioning to memory care and breast cancer awareness. Residents rave over the wide variety of care options. One family member says, "We found that Avanti has the whole package: assisted living and memory care. Their standard of care is above all others and they treat their residents like family." Located on the outskirts of Lewisville, Texas, RockBrook Memory Care provides access to everyday amenities in a friendly homelike setting. Trained staff members use customized care plans and are on-site 24/7 to support residents with memory impairment, and the easy-to-navigate community features soothing decor. Private rooms further encourage calm and familiar feelings. Nutritious meals are served in the homey dining room, and seniors can socialize in the diner-themed common room, complete with a popcorn maker and retro artwork. The secure courtyard and cozy lounge provide opportunities for relaxation, and residents can enjoy diverse activities geared towards enhancing physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual health. Residents especially value the compassionate staff members and friendly ambience, with one person saying, "What I see here in abundance is TLC! Over and over again I have witnessed the staff demonstrate authentic human caring! This is a very special place because of its very special staff." The memory care program of Inspired Living Lewisville adopts an evidence-based approach that provides emotional support to seniors with dementia by honoring and respecting their past, present and future. Residents can participate in life enrichment activities designed to connect the mind, body and spirit based on six dimensions of wellness: purposeful, physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual. The staff thoroughly assesses the health and needs of every resident before developing an individualized care plan focusing on reducing cognitive decline, stimulating neural pathways and improving recall. Caregivers are on-site 24/7 to provide daily living assistance, such as bathing and dressing. Maintenance and housekeeping services are available. A concierge coordinates with outside specialists to provide on-site medical services, including occupational therapy, psychiatry, physical therapy, dentistry, speech therapy and podiatry. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool with an ADA lift and putting greens. Family members love the caring and devoted staff. The son of two residents writes, "The staff cares about the residents, and helps them in every way possible. We couldn't ask for a better place for our loved ones. I would recommend Inspired Living to anyone who wants the best for their parents in their golden years." At Avalon Memory Care - Lewisville, residents live in private or companion rooms. Thanks to the community's smaller, homelike setting, resident confusion is minimized. Daily activities include games, gardening, baking, creative art, exercises and Bible studies, all designed to promote memory care residents' dignity and self-esteem, to help reduce needed medications, and to increase acceptance of new surroundings and appetite. The outdoor garden areas provide access to fresh air, and the covered seating area is ideal for having lunch or visiting with family. A security system is in place to prevent wandering in indoor and outdoor areas. Residents and their families sing the praises of the caring staff at Avalon Memory Care - Lewisville. One relative says, "Avalon offers compassionate care, and my mom is extremely happy and well-cared for in her new home." Cedar Crest of Lewisville is located in a quiet residential neighborhood of Lewisville, TX. This community offers assisted living, respite care and memory care services. A wide range of daily activities focuses on building a bridge between the past and today for residents, supporting cognitive skills and encouraging social engagement, while a private courtyard and secure environment ensure safety in a warm and caring environment. Chefs prepare fresh, seasonal meals three times a day, with many options and customizations for dietary needs. Resident care such as housekeeping, laundry, medication management and on-site nursing are also provided. Cedar Crest Senior Living of Lewisville is a home away from home for many. One family member says, "From the minute we walked in, we were SO impressed. There was absolutely nothing that we didn't love. We were immediately treated like family." At Rosewood Assisted Living, activities, meals and services are individually tailored to each resident's needs. Care providers are specially trained in memory-related conditions and are available 24/7. Special family and community support groups are available to residents and their loved ones to support them throughout their journey. Companion services are also made available to provide a listening ear and physical assistance. Staff provides a comforting, homelike atmosphere balanced with games, social activities, outings and educational sessions. Fitness and exercise programs complement these activities for whole body wellness. Family members appreciate the level of care. One relative states, "The patience and compassion they have for the residents allows me to sleep at night knowing my loved one is safe and secure." In addition, the community itself is lauded as luxurious, with one visitor saying, "I like the decor, it's elegant, it's homey. It's like you're in a nice hotel." Avalon Memory Care of Flower Mound offers specialized care in the quiet community of Valley View. Its national award-winning memory care services include health promotion and exercise services, assistance with activities of daily living, medication management and mental health care and counseling. The community provides private and semiprivate rooms with companion suites available. Residents are given three home-cooked meals a day, with accommodations for dietary restrictions. Around-the-clock care is available for residents, as well as a variety of amenities and activities such as exercise courses, Bible study, baking and reminiscing games. The staff at Avalon Memory Care is specifically trained in dementia care to provide the highest quality of living. Residents and their families feel safe and cared for at Avalon Memory Care of Flower Mound. These residents are treated with respect and dignity while receiving the care they need. One family member says, "Both my husband and father receive loving care every day. Special needs are met. Special requests are honored. Special people are loved." The Crossings at Flower Mound is a senior community exclusively for those living with memory loss. Trained staff use a holistic approach to wellness called THRIVE where understanding and respect are key and residents are empowered. This approach is based on the highly regarded Positive-Approach to memory care developed by Teepa Snow. From its calming decor and themed hallways to its sensory relaxation room, this community is specifically designed to support those with memory loss. The Dining with Dignity program aims to make mealtimes a positive experience for all, and a full day of scheduled activities gives residents plenty of opportunities to engage all their senses and find joy. Other amenities include a beauty salon, a barbershop, and secure outdoor courtyards with flower gardens. Reviewers talk about the peace of mind that comes from knowing their loved ones are well looked after. One family member writes, "The staff and caregivers are amazing. They all treat my sister with love and care as they genuinely understand the intricacies of Alzheimer's disease and how it affects our loved ones." The Oaks at Flower Mound, located in the quiet town of Valley View, offers a variety of senior care services, including memory care services with dementia-specific staff, medication management and full-time nursing services. Residents can also enter the assisted living program to receive assistance with activities of daily living and on-site physical therapy. The community offers extensive amenities and activities for residents, such as a salon and fitness room, an ageless grace program to exercise all five functions of the brain and an on-site movie theater. The community's Passion Program encourages passion in all aspects of senior care, including service, entertainment and cleanliness. Residents and families love the care at The Oaks. One says, "My dad is in The Oaks in Flower Mound. He's been in memory care for three months now. The staff is excellent, and they seem on the ball. They're also very friendly in whatever it is that they're doing, be it talking to a patient or another employee." Silverado Southlake Memory Care Center is a beautiful community located on the water in Southlake, Texas. Caregivers and around-the-clock nursing staff, provide expert care to residents across the three distinct neighborhoods that help those with early-, mid- and late-stage dementia and related conditions. Residents can enjoy gourmet meals, group outings and experiences to fill their time. Memory box cabinets outside each room provide an easy way for residents to find their rooms, as well as display important keepsakes to remind them of important people and events. The community does not have set visiting hours, and visitors can eat with their families at any time. Family members praise Silverado Southlake for being a well-rounded community. One says, "Silverado Southlake is a lovely environment. It has a large green space that overlooks a small lake. The caregivers are very loving and attentive to my sister. They have specific activities for memory loss patients. It's a lovely place, and the people are very friendly." HarborChase of Southlake is a sprawling and vibrant community offering services and activities for seniors amid a peaceful setting. Memory care is administered in The Cove section of the larger community. Cognitive function is the top priority here, and residents are encouraged to cultivate this through challenging games, puzzles, trivia, sensory activities and physical activity like chair yoga. Family involvement is also important in The Cove, and family members are encouraged to stop by and spend time with their loved ones even as they are participating in programming. This segment of the community promotes independence, but also offers residents assistance with activities of daily living as needed. Residents have access to chef-prepared meals and a variety of community-wide activities, including group fitness and game nights. Residents and their family members note that HarborChase of Southlake boasts robust memory care programming and ideal amenities, including diverse menu offerings. One writes, "I moved my dad into HarborChase about 10 weeks ago. My dad has settled in well. HarborChase in Southlake is the nicest assisted living facility I have ever seen, but the best part to me is the fantastic staff." Mustang Creek Estates offers a warm homey living space with up to 16 residents per house. For the memory care section, the staff is specifically trained to provide residents with the careful attention they need and carefully redirect them to avoid confusion. Assistance with daily tasks such as bathing and showering, dressing, grooming and medication and help with incontinence are offered along with daily housekeeping services. Residents can congregate in common areas to engage in enriching activities and games, stimulating the minds of those in memory care. Other activities such as neighborhood walks under the guidance of a caregiver help residents enjoy their stay. Visitors praise the community for the friendly staff and good food. One says, "Mustang Creek was almost like a group home with around 10 residents per building. It had a homey atmosphere, and the rooms were smaller. The staff was very friendly and very good." Sunrise of Frisco is located adjacent to the Frisco Medical Center, just north of downtown Dallas. Through the Reminiscence memory care program, life enrichment managers develop care plans recognized by the Alzheimer's Association for evidence-based planning, communication techniques and resident assessment. The staff receives validation training, which allows them to communicate with residents through mood-matching and open-ended questions. While offering assistance with activities of daily living, staff also organizes daily activities to maintain residents' mental, physical and social abilities. These include communal trivia competitions, morning exercises and purpose-driven activities such as baking and Bible studies. Residents' loved ones commend the staff for providing personalized care and adhering to Sunrise's memory care values. One writes, "My dad had a wonderful experience as a memory care resident at Sunrise of Frisco. The caregivers are ALWAYS smiling and the residents know this place is home, everyone on the staff lives up to the mission statements." BeeHive Homes of Frisco provides memory care and assisted living options to individuals looking to maintain a level of independence with the added benefit of 24-hour access to personal care. Residents enjoy large private rooms with bathrooms and ADA showers for easier bathing, and the open-concept design of the campus combined with the lower resident capacity allows for an intimate, family-like atmosphere. Life enrichment activities and a beautiful outdoor courtyard help residents stay social and active, while an on-site hair and nail salon, daily meals and weekly housekeeping offer additional convenience. Utilities, Wi-Fi and cable television are all included with the monthly rent, and residents can opt to dine in their private rooms or suites or enjoy dietician-approved meals in dining rooms specifically designed to look and feel just like home. Family members and residents appreciate the gentle nature of the staff members and the family-style surroundings. One says, "My mom received wonderful care from everyone at BeeHive Homes of Frisco. I am so thankful for their knowledge, care and their gentle and loving hearts. Oh and the space is absolutely beautiful!" Residents of The Cottages at Chapel Creek receive care in a warm, homelike environment with services tailored to their emotional, mental, and physical needs. Caregivers are trained to ensure a high quality of life for seniors dealing with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson's disease. The unique floor plan and smaller setting allow seniors to develop deeper relationships with the staff and other residents. Hallways are color-coded, helping dementia patients find where they need to go, and large, secure outdoor spaces provide opportunities to get fresh air. Services include 24/7 on-site staffing, a certified Alzheimer's trained activity director, wellness monitoring, menu evaluations and bathing assistance, in addition to incontinence care, housekeeping, laundry service, and mobile lab and X-ray services. Reviewers appreciate the community's homelike environment. One relative says, "Caring and kind caregivers. If he can't be home, I love that my husband is living at The Cottages."	https://www.memorycare.com/valley-view-tx-facilities/
You want to lock your home while leaving, but you forgot where you've left your keys. Does this ever occur to you? You might wonder if this is something minor or the start of cognitive decline. And if this is the start of cognitive decline, can something be done about this? In this article, we discuss how age affects the brain and what you can do to support your brain and stall this process. What happens to your brain as you get older? Brain ageing is inevitable, but the way it affects the functioning of the brain differs per person. While we get older, lots of changes occur in our brains. According to studies, your brain will reach its peak performance between the age of 16 to 25. After the age of 25, the functioning of your working memory will start to reduce. Although this might sound alarming, your mental fitness doesn’t necessarily experience a sharp decline after you surpass the age of 25. According to research, testing and stimulating your brain will keep your mental fitness strong, including your memory. Want to know more about how ageing affects the brain? Read all about it here . Can you really improve your memory? How strong your memory is, depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Fortunately, the health and vitality of your brain can be improved. This is because the human brain has the ability to adapt to changes, even at old age. Stimulating your brain in the right way forces your brain to make new connections between both new and existing brain cells. The adaption of your brain by creating new connections between brain cells is what we call neuroplasticity. Memory loss and other mental problems aren’t caused by a loss of brain cells, but by the lack of communication between these brain cells. Neuroplasticity is what makes the improvement of your memory possible. How to improve your memory? As already mentioned, does the ability of your brain to create new connections between brain cells. This is also known as Neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity makes it possible to adapt to changes. So, Neuroplasticity causes your brain to improve itself already, you probably wonder if you can’t do anything to improve your memory yourself. Luckily, there are lots of ways to stimulate your brain to become and stay healthy and fit. Here are our 4 tips: Tip 1: Eat the right nutrients According to lots of researches, what you eat can affect the health and vitality of your brain. Consuming fish, whole grains, green vegetables, nuts and even chocolate can have a positive effect on the health of your brain. Want to know what food you can’t miss when you want a healthy brain? Read all about it in this article . Tip 2: Exercise, exercise and... exercise Physical exercising improves the blood circulation within your brain. The brain contains out of many brain cells and orbits, connecting the brain cells and other areas of the brain with each other. All those connections are sensitive to the quality of the blood circulation. This is just one of the many positive effects exercising has on the health and vitality of the brain. Read here about all the benefits of exercising on the brain. Tip 3: Try to avoid stress People aren’t aware of this yet, but stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. Long-lasting stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the region of the brain that is involved with the formation of new memories and retrieving old ones. Tip 4: A glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away Although it sounds like a joke, this saying is partly true. One glass of wine daily can lower your blood pressure, which is linked with decreasing the stress level. But don’t forget, it is all about moderation. While a whine a day can have positive effects on the health and vitality of your brain, excessive use of alcohol can have a big negative impact on your brain. Learn more useful tips and tricks to improve your memory in this article . What games exercise your brain? So, stimulating your brain forces it to make new connections between both new and existing brain cells. But how do you stimulate your brain? Using games and doing activities that forces you to think in different ways help you to stimulate your brain, and thus exercise your brain. A couple of ways to keep your brain and memory healthy and fit are: Solve a crossword puzzle Solving a crossword puzzle doesn’t only stimulate your vocabulary, but also your other cognitive functions and memory. Studies have shown a strong correlation between people who do crossword puzzle often and the delay in the development of dementia. Solve a Sudoku This number placement game forces you to think about more than just the single next step you are going to take and follow trails of consequences. Being available in different difficulties. Play chess Playing a game of chess asks for the brain to start thinking strategically, continuous pay attention and to remember what kind of actions your co-player made. All these cognitive abilities occur during daily life. Put together a jigsaw puzzle Whether you are putting together a jigsaw puzzle of 100 or 10,000 pieces, working on a jigsaw puzzle is a helpful way to improve your brain. A jigsaw puzzle forces you to look at different pieces and figure out where they would fit within the bigger picture. Therefore, a jigsaw puzzle is a great way to stimulate your visual perception. Brain training with brain games If you are looking for extra variety in exercises for the brain, brain training with brain games is an option. The variety in available brain games helps you to stimulate not a single, but multiple cognitive functions. What is brain training? Brain training is the use of a digital program, aimed to maintain or improve one’s cognitive abilities. Examples of cognitive abilities are the memory, concentration, visual perception, planning skills and logic. Because the brain has the ability to adapt to changes, forcing these abilities to work could result in strengthening them. Brain training programs could include brain games , tests and brain teasers. What are brain games? Brain games are games designed to focus on improving your cognitive functions. This includes your concentration, memory, visual perception, logic and planning skills. Transforming science-based exercises into games, makes brain games suitable for different purposes. Like people who play games for fun or even people who are looking for a way to improve their cognitive performance. With brain games, it is now possible to stimulate your cognitive functions. Research has shown that just 10 minutes of brain training a day will already ensure cognitive stimulation. You can also train your brain with brain games. All you have to do is start a brain game. The games are designed to ensure you will stimulate your cognitive functions to work, while you are playing a game. Read more about how brain games and BrainGymmer work in this article . Want to try out a brain game? Take a look at our brain game Pattern Matrix There are various brain games all over the web. We at BrainGymmer provide you with a total package where you can follow your improvements and you can compare yourself with others. This makes training your brain fun, useful and challenging. Take our brain game Pattern Matrix for example. Pattern Matrix helps you to train your pattern recognition skills in a fun way. With this brain game, you have to find and connect the tiles with matching patterns. Pattern Recognition and other pattern games are all about recognizing patterns as fast as possible. To train with your pattern recognition with Pattern Matrix you can click here . Why brain training? Brain training is a fun and easy way to challenge your brain daily. If you lack in challenging your brain enough, you have the chance of deteriorating your cognitive age. Just reading or solving a Sudoku every single day won’t be enough. According to research, the variation of activities to challenge our mental health is the key to a strong and fit brain. BrainGymmer offers a variety in activities such as brain games, tests and brain teasers. Because we keep track of your scores, your progress is measurable. Only ten minutes of brain training could already show an increase in your scores. The brain games as part of our brain training program will adapt to your level. This keeps training with serious games challenging, without being impossible. In addition, brain training with brain games is less labour-intensive, more interactive and brain games are designed to trigger specific cognitive abilities. Do brain games really work? Because brain games still are a very new science, researchers are still discovering the specific effects. BrainGymmer is currently supporting multiple international universities during their researches regarding brain training and brain games. By working together with universities within this area of expertise, we at BrainGymmer try to provide as impactful brain games as possible.	https://www.braingymmer.com/en/blog/why-brain-training/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Happy Valley's senior population continues to grow (22.57% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Happy Valley, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 66.66% between 2014 and 2019. To put that into perspective, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group only increased by 14.87%, showing that Alzheimer's is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is higher than the rest of the nation (10.4% in Happy Valley vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Happy Valley. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Happy Valley, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Conveniently located in an affluent residential neighborhood, just off Interstate 205 to the southeast of Portland, MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Happy Valley is a short drive from medical facilities, with Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center just 5 minutes away. This community offers Under a Lavender Sky, its signature memory care program that embraces the lives of seniors with dementia to help them expand their possibilities. Each new residents receive an individualized care plan after a thorough assessment by the wellness director. The care staff is available 24/7 to help with activities of daily living, such as grooming, bathing and medication management. Round-the-clock care managers and full-time licensed nurses are on staff to ensure care quality. Household services, including spot cleaning, housekeeping and laundry, are also provided. A dedicated life enrichment team organizes a full calendar of engaging activities. Family members love the compassionate staff. One writes, "I cannot imagine a better home for my father. The MorningStar team has been compassionate, professional and unbelievably supportive. They are always available to answer my questions and respond to my concerns. My father has benefited from the genuine care and friendliness that all staff members show him." Located near the scenic downtown of Happy Valley, Oregon, Monterey Court Memory Care offers specialized tailored memory care in a peaceful setting. Trained caregivers assist 24/7 with everyday activities, such as bathing, mobility and medication management, in an environment that encourages independence, with routine appointments with healthcare professionals as needed. The accessible community is easy to navigate and scheduled transportation is provided for medical appointments and social events. The Montessori-based SPARK program provides diverse enrichment activities centered around the principles of inclusion and belonging, lifelong learning, community contribution and purpose, including exercise classes, outings, social events, religious services, arts and crafts, interactive lectures and varied hobbies. Residents can relax in attractive lounges and socialize over nutritious chef-prepared meals in the restaurant-style dining room. Residents especially like the warm staff and variety of activities. One family member says, "Monterey Court is wonderful and they take very good care of my husband. It's beautiful and the staff is loving and caring. They're wonderful and so patient. They have all kinds of crafts and field trips for those who are able to go outside. They have something going on all the time and they try to keep them busy." Sunnyside Meadows Memory Care offers all comforts of home to its residents in a peaceful neighborhood in Happy Valley, minutes away from Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center and Providence Milwaukie Hospital. The community provides extended support for residents with Alzheimer's, dementia and other memory impairments. Residents live a maintenance-free lifestyle in a safe and caring environment, with trained staff available 24/7 to assist seniors with their activities of daily living and meal reminders. Seniors remain physically and mentally active through music programs, cooking and art classes, cards, writing clubs, board games and exercise classes. Caregivers design personalized care plans after a comprehensive nursing assessment. The community creates a homelike environment and builds emotional connections among residents, families and staff. Families appreciate the plentiful amenities offered by the community. One writes. "My dad moved to Sunnyside Meadows around early September. It's a brand-new facility, he's in an area with 20 people and they're very well staffed. They have nice, private rooms, which we wanted. It was fairly close to me and it's of excellent quality." Courtyard at Mt. Tabor offers Generations, a person-centric approach to memory care that highlights and celebrates the abilities of seniors living with dementia. It consists of six signature programs. Life Story Display honors the lives of residents, and Tune Into Me creates personalized jukeboxes to encourage reminiscing. Other programs include Culinary Creations, which recreates nostalgic recipes to stimulate memory, and From Our Generation to Yours, which builds intergenerational connections. Seniors can also participate in Never Stop Exploring to explore the local community, or It's All Right to express their creativity. Residents live in specially designed neighborhoods with bright living spaces and secured outdoor courtyards. The care staff is available 24/7 to help with activities of daily living, such as grooming and medication management. Household services, including weekly housekeeping and laundry, are also provided. Music, art and pet therapies are available. Family members praise the devoted caregivers and the services they provide. They also love the clean rooms. The daughter of a resident writes, "Courtyard at Mt. Tabor accommodated my mother's memory care needs. We are all good. The staff is wonderful. The services are great. Her room is wonderful and clean. She enjoys their social hours." Cherrywood Village is located on lush 12-acre grounds, just minutes away from downtown Portland. It offers accommodations in a resort-style setting filled with painted details reflecting the beauty of the region and surroundings, as well as elements representing neighborhood landmarks and amenities. Memory care apartments focus on safety and security to ensure that residents feel comfortable in their personal spaces. Care staff also works together with seniors to create personal care plans that are specifically tailored to the individual. These programs include assistance with bathing, dressing, medication management and personal escorts. It uses a range of therapies that enhance the lives of memory care residents through its licensed staff. The community additionally offers an array of programs and amenities that include an art studio, a wellness center, a pool, events and social activities and transportation to medical appointments and shopping destinations. Residents appreciate the quality of life the community provides, with one saying, "The amenities are remarkable. The activities, qualified staff, superb maintenance and many friends make retirement a wonderful time of life. One must see it to believe it and a complete tour of the facility is the only way to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings and the welcoming atmosphere." Assisted Living at Summerplace is a homelike community that offers something new and exciting each day to residents navigating life with Alzheimer's and memory loss. Residents are cared for by specialized carers on call 24 hours a day and emergency call systems are available in all units for when help is needed. Residents have access to various events and activities through the Expressions Memory Care Program to maintain their memory and cognitive abilities, all designed with memory loss in mind. In addition to participating in the activity schedule, residents have access to their own enclosed outdoor spaces to keep active and safe on-site at all times. Three fresh and nutritious meals are prepared daily. Family members consistently mention the caring staff members, with one saying, "I moved my parents in Assisted Living at Summerplace. My dad lives in the Assisted Living side and my Mom lives in the Memory care. They truly have changed the way my mom and live and added so much quality of life. The care is excellent!" The Cottages Senior Living Portland is located conveniently close to major highways, medical facilities and leisure venues. The community's fully personalized memory care program is designed to help seniors cope with the daily challenges of cognitive conditions within a caring, homelike environment. Licensed nurses keep track of seniors' medical conditions, and the care team uses a unique tiered approach to care appropriate to individual needs. The community features all-male and all-female cottages, and residents can choose the privacy of their own studios or share friendship suites with roommates. Beautiful walking paths, lovely landscaped grounds, a welcoming fireplace and comfortable indoor common areas serve as relaxing gathering spaces, and nutritious meals are served in the family-style dining room. The Cottages' memory care program also offers therapeutic activities, including music, fitness exercises and brain games. Visiting relatives and family members are happy to see loved ones having fun with the activities." We couldn't have found a better place for our Mother," writes a resident's daughter. "The caregivers are so kind and loving to the residents. They do fun activities with residents, keep them active. They really understand the care needed for the residents." St. Andrews Memory Care has more than 2.5 acres of lush greenery that provide the perfect backdrop for relaxed living at this community. The Alzheimer's-trained staff members are on-site 24/7 to assist residents with all aspects of daily living and provide personalized services, when necessary. A variety of fair-weather group exercise classes, animal therapy sessions and creative arts projects enhance senior cognitive functioning and slow down the process of memory loss. Indoor activities, such as sensory programming, cooking and reminiscing hours give seniors time to explore stress-free outlets that support their remaining abilities and talents. Nondenominational spiritual services are offered on-site and programs that allow residents to engage in intergenerational community involvement activities are held regularly. Family members state that their loved one settled in nicely here and that the staff members are caring and receptive. One says, "My sister with early-onset dementia is a resident here, and while we were concerned the age difference would spook her, she has settled in very well. The staff is taking great care of her." Pacific Gardens is a senior living community that focuses on providing a safe and calming space for seniors with memory loss disorders. The perimeter of the community is secure allowing residents the freedom to independently walk around the gardens and spend time relaxing outdoors. The community uses the Meaningful Moments approach to memory care, which incorporates each resident's life story into their daily care plan. Family members are encouraged to take part in activities with their loved ones to create moments of joy and happy memories together. Some of the activities offered include social gatherings, religious services, life skills stations, cognitive games and musical entertainment. A team of trained caregiving staff is always on-hand to monitor the wellbeing of residents and to gently work through any difficult behaviors. The signature dining program serves three dietitian-approved healthy meals each day. Family members appreciate the caring staff and well-designed community, with one saying, "The staff were all very informative and very caring. The facility is very open, it's very spacious, it has a lot of daylight coming in, and it has a lot of windows. The gardens and the ground are very well kept and very nice." The Journey's Memory Care neighborhood at Tabor Crest Residential Care strives to help individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia lead their best possible lives. The top-notch care the community delivers begins with individualized action plans based on residents' life and medical histories, interests and hobbies. These plans guide staff through their daily interactions, allowing them to recommend the right research-based programming for each person in their care. Health and wellness activities keep everyone active and are tailored to the abilities of participants. Seniors can benefit from a structured day that creates a familiar routine to reduce anxiety and stress. At mealtimes, residents are treated to an assortment of signature local favorites, all of which are made from scratch. Dining plans can be customized for preferences and dietary restrictions. Reviews praise the professionalism of the staff and describe how well the community is maintained. One family member shares, "I have such peace of mind, knowing that my mom gets excellent care. The facility is very clean, and it's structured to address the individual needs of a memory care resident. The director is absolutely amazing. " With dedicated and compassionate caregivers on its team, Farmington Square Gresham strives to offer an enriching lifestyle for seniors. Residents in the community's memory care neighborhood benefit from individualized support through the Transitions Care program, which is dynamically designed to meet evolving needs. Living areas are located in single-story structures and feature family-style dining rooms, patios and secure outdoor spaces for a homelike setting. Residents engage in regular activities that help nurture the body, mind and spirit. For instance, the community's physical fitness regimen is designed to improve flexibility, balance and strength, while cognitive exercises and support groups help stimulate the mind. Additionally, seniors have access to cultural, musical and spiritual activities that incorporate individual interests and passions. Farmington Square uses iN2L touchscreen technology in selected activities for a more exciting resident engagement. Families express confidence in leaving loved ones in the community. "A great weight has been removed from my shoulders, and I sleep without worry," shares a resident's daughter. "I am so happy that my mom in her aging brain and body can be comfortable, well fed, safe and stimulated by varied activities. One thing I notice is that all the residents are friendly." Bonaventure of Gresham is a full-service senior living community that offers independent living, assisted living and memory care. The team cares for seniors afflicted with Alzheimer's and other cognitive conditions by providing a blend of personal care, a secure and nurturing environment and convenient amenities. The neighborhood is thoughtfully designed to evoke feelings of home, with open courtyards for socialization and private accommodations where residents feel safe and secure. The team uses a variety of therapeutic methods for resident engagement and stimulation. For instance, reminiscing therapy helps trigger joyful memories by revisiting old photographs and mementos, and aromatherapy provides relaxation and helps alleviate simple pains and sleep problems. Residents can also enjoy special entertainment and performances from visiting singers, choirs and bands. Bonaventure encourages family involvement through educational programs and monthly support groups. Families appreciate the welcoming environment and the staff's genuine care. "I had a solid peace in my heart that my folks would be safe and happy living there," writes a daughter. "The staff at Bonaventure have truly become FAMILY. They have not only treated my folks with dignity and respect, they have loved them as if they were their very own grandparents." Conveniently located in the Belmont area, a quiet residential neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, Hawthorne Gardens Senior Living Community is close to parks, restaurants, shops and the Willamette River. This community offers Embrace, its award-winning memory care program for seniors with dementia, which provides a holistic experience by sparking social closeness and imagination. Each new resident receives a designated caregiver to ease the transition process. Care staff are available 24/7 to help with activities of daily living, such as grooming, dressing, bathing, medication management, mealtime reminders, escorts to and from activities and meals, incontinence management and diabetic care, based on each resident's individualized care plan. Caregivers also handle household chores, including weekly housekeeping, laundry and daily tidying. The culinary team prepares delicious and nutritious meals every day, focusing on each resident's nutritional requirements, personal preferences and medical needs. People love the caring staff and clean environment. A reviewer writes, "This is a nice community for my parents, who live together on the memory care floor. The staff is nice and caring. The community is clean. They are happy with the atmosphere. We recommend this community to other families for the good care and value." As a dedicated memory care community, Revere Court of Portland helps seniors and their families cope with the everyday challenges of cognitive conditions. An initial assessment upon move-in and regular follow-ups provide comprehensive details of the residents' care needs, from which personalized plans are based. Services typically include diabetes care, nutritional management, counseling and visits from podiatrists, dental hygienists and massage therapists. The team makes sure that seniors are comfortable in their accommodations, which feature large windows and ample closet storage. Wandering prevention, emergency response and fire alarm systems keep the surroundings safe and secure. Seniors participate in regular stimulating activities, which are structured, short and simple to follow to encourage engagement and reduce boredom. Activities usually include basic life skills such as gardening and light kitchen and household chores. Visiting families are grateful to see loved ones' condition improve in the community. "My mother has been doing a whole lot better than she was before," says a family member. "She is very content and seems to be getting the proper care that she needs. I can really tell the difference in care from where my Mom was previously." Mountain Park Memory Care is located in a vibrant neighborhood in Clackamas, close to Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center and Providence Milwaukie Hospital. The trained staff remains vigilant to the needs of residents with Alzheimer's, dementia and other memory loss issues and assists them with medication administration and activities of daily living. The community follows a person-centered approach to care and focuses on maintaining the social, spiritual, psychological and physical well-being of all seniors. Caregivers design personalized care plans to serve the unique needs of each resident. Seniors are encouraged to participate in life enrichment programs and other engaging activities to maintain their sensory, cognitive and creative skills. Additional amenities include easy-to-read menus, landscaped courtyard, walking paths and an activity room. Seniors can savor delicious modified meals and snacks daily that adhere to their specific dietary requirements. Housekeeping and laundry services are also available. Families praise the staff of the community. One writes, "I would highly recommend Mountain Park memory care. Beautiful community & Wonderful staff that are attentive to residents' needs. It was a hard decision to place my mom in memory care, but I'm glad I found one that I feel 100% comfortable with caring for my Mother." Russellville Park is a Leisure Care premier retirement community with an urban setting in Portland's Russellville neighborhood, conveniently located on a MAX light rail station and only 5 minutes form Adventist Health Portland Hospital. Its two low-rise apartment complexes are pet-friendly, each with its own large central courtyard and upscale indoor amenities, including restaurants that are open to the public. Aside from the community's 24-hour staff, residents also have access to services by in-house physical and occupational therapists, a concierge doctor and visiting podiatrist. Russell Park's Opal memory care program provides holistic support based on Teepa Snow's GEM Levels and Positive Approach to Care. Each memory care resident's life story, personal interests and preferred routines are documented and updated accordingly. Therapeutic memory care activities include music, art, gardening, PrimeFit exercises and daily sensory activities. Loved ones commend Russellville Park's accommodating staff and beautiful environment. One family member writes, "The community looks very very plain from the outside but the inside is very nice. The staff is very caring and friendly. The staff-to-resident ratio is very good and that gives us peace of mind. The communication between the staff and the family is great." The Springs at Clackamas Woods offers Footsteps, a memory care program that treats its residents with dignity and respect while providing a nurturing and safe homelike living environment. The care staff is specially trained in the CARES approach developed by the Alzheimer's Association. Round-the-clock personal care services, including grooming, dressing, mobility and dining assistance as well as medication management, oxygen and nebulizer treatments, transfer assistance and continence care, are available based on each resident's unique needs. A team of registered nurses oversees all care services. The staff also performs household tasks, such as laundry, linen service, maintenance and housekeeping. The memory care neighborhood, safely secured and equipped with a wireless emergency call system, is designed for easy navigation and allows seniors to move and explore freely. Many activities, including brain games, music performances and walking clubs, are available to help residents stay engaged. Family members rave about the accommodating staff. A reviewer writes, "The Springs at Clackamas Woods is, hands-down, the best senior living establishment around. The staff and residents are so nice and caring. The staff goes over and above to accommodate every need of the residents and make them feel loved. I cannot recommend this establishment enough." Royalton Place is a senior community offering care services for those with dementia. They live in an environment designed to keep them safe as caregivers tend to their daily needs and facilitate opportunities for them to express themselves and participate in activities. Help is available when they need to bathe themselves, take medications, eat meals or handle other challenging tasks. The Mosaic Memory Care Program at Royalton Place incorporates the Best Friends approach so that residents receive consistent support from caregivers who understand them intimately and can adjust attention to their unique needs. Residents receive three meals a day that are adjusted to their dietary restrictions and have access to snacks and hydration. This community structures activities that residents with cognitive conditions can participate in comfortably to the best of their abilities. Loved ones can attend seminars here to learn more about dementia and how to handle related challenges. Family members have positive remarks about the management and the grounds at Royalton Place. One relative says, "The staff here, from the executive director on down the line, were all caring and attentive to my mother's needs. The facility is beautiful and meals are delicious." Miramont Pointe is committed to delivering excellent care based on The Goodman Group's Platinum Service standards. This retirement community enjoys a tranquil setting adjacent to Mt. Talbert Nature Park's Sunnyside Road trailhead, and it's less than 5 minutes from Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center. Residents benefit from a range of Platinum programs that enrich their daily lives, and they include Food for Life nutritious dining, FIT Functional Fitness exercises, Ages Entwined intergenerational interactions, Soaring spiritual care and Valiant Veterans. On-site therapy services are provided in partnership with Infinity Rehab. The community's Pearls of Life memory care program uses the Montessori-inspired approach to care that focuses on the individual strengths of residents with dementia. Its well-rounded Pearls of Life calendar of activities includes yoga and pilates classes, music therapy, art workshops, gardening and scenic rides. Loved ones are impressed by the attractive and warm environment at Miramont Pointe. A long-time resident's daughter shares, "My mom has lived here for over 4 years. It has been safe, hospitable and a great fit for her. I think the staff is truly caring and the rooms are beautiful. I would recommend it to a friend." Powell Valley is a quiet senior living community fully equipped to assist those struggling with different stages of memory loss, Alzheimer's and dementia. Experienced, competent staff provide four levels of memory care. Level 1 residents receive assistance with medication and cues for dressing, bathing and eating. In comparison, Level 4 residents require more comprehensive care, are monitored for exit-seeking behavior and may receive dressing, grooming and incontinence aid. All residents have 24/7 access to staff and wireless emergency call systems. Covered porches and private landscaped gardens provide safe outdoor spots for residents to get fresh air. Hallways have eyecatching decor and visual cues to aid navigation, and memory boxes placed outside each resident's room help them find their accommodations. Meals are served family-style in homelike dining rooms to encourage socialization. Residents can partake in weekly outings as well as small- and large-scale scheduled group activities. Reviewers praise the residents and staff in the community, calling them a "second family," "super friendly" and "genuine people." One person comments, "The food is very good and great variety. I would highly recommend moving a loved one here. The memory care has THE best activities program and great staff!"	https://www.memorycare.com/happy-valley-or-facilities/
Research has found that declines in temporal information processing (TIP), the rate at which auditory information is processed, underlies the progressive loss of function across multiple cognitive systems in the elderly, including new learning, memory, perception, attention, thinking, motor control, problem solving, and concept formation. In a new study, scientists have found that elderly subjects who underwent temporal training improved not only the rate at which they processed auditory information, but also in other cognitive areas. The study is published in the current issue of Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. “Our study showed for the first time significant benefits of temporal training on broad aspects of cognitive function in the elderly. The results were long-lasting, with effects confirmed 18 months after the training,” says lead investigator Elzbieta Szelag, Professor, Head of Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology (www.nencki.gov.pl), and Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities (www.swps.pl), Warsaw, Poland. Thirty subjects between 65 and 75 years of age were randomly assigned to three groups. One group received temporal training using Fast ForWord Language® (FFW), a program comprised of several computer games designed to improve memory, attention, and sequencing abilities. The program was developed to help children who have trouble reading, writing, and learning. The second group participated in non-temporal training by playing common computer games. The third group, the control, underwent no training. Prior to the training, all of the subjects went through a number of tests to measure their cognitive functioning. Two tasks assessed TIP by measuring sequencing abilities. Specifically, at which inter-stimulus-interval subjects could identify the order of two stimuli presented in rapid sequence, i.e. which of two tones was higher or lower, or whether they heard a sound in the right or left ear first. Three aspects of attention were assessed: the ability to sustain attention over a longer period of time (vigilance), the ability to pay attention to multiple processes (divided attention), and the ability to maintain a high level of attention in anticipation of a test stimulus (alertness). Short-term memory was assessed with tests to evaluate working memory span, the ability to match complex patterns, and the ability to recognize a pattern seen earlier. Each subject in the temporal training group started with exercises from the basic module of FFW. When they reached 100% complete for each exercise, they moved onto an intermediate program, and then an advanced program. They trained for an hour a day, four days a week, for eight weeks. The non-temporal training group played computer games such as Solitaire or Internet games such as Mahjong for the same amount of time. The control group received no training but was tested before and after the eight-week period. At the end of the training period, cognitive functioning was re-assessed. Prior to training, no significant differences were found among the three groups. After the training, improved temporal information processing was found on the tone task in the temporal training group. It was accompanied by improvements in some aspects of attention and short-term memory. In contrast, the non-temporal training group’s attentional and memory resources scores remained at the pre-training level, while only the second measure of temporal information processing improved. Changes in the control group were nonsignificant. Professor Szelag concludes, “These results show a new impact of temporal training on age-related cognitive decline in the senior population. Moreover, they foster a greater understanding of the relationships between timing and cognition, and they show new possibilities for the application of temporal training.” On the basis of these results the Laboratory of Neuropsychology has recently initiated an innovative rehabilitation computer program that addresses improvement of a broad range of cognitive functions in children and adults. “Cognitive functioning in elderly can be ameliorated by training in temporal information processing,” by Elzbieta Szelag and Justyna Skolimowska. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 30:5 (September 2012). DOI: 10.3233/RNN-2012-120240. Published by IOS Press online ahead of issue. Full text of the article is available to credentialed journalists upon request. Contact Daphne Watrin, IOS Press, +31 20 688 3355, [email protected]. Journalists wishing to interview the authors should contact [email protected].	https://www.iospress.nl/ios_news/scientists-report-promising-new-direction-for-cognitive-rehabilitation-in-the-elderly/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Blue Springs's senior population continues to grow (16.99% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Blue Springs, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease decreased by 29.36% between 2014 and 2019. The number of deaths from all causes for that same age group increased by 6.69%. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is lower than the rest of the nation (3.7% in Blue Springs vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Blue Springs. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Blue Springs, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: The Parkway Senior Living is a retirement community providing a safe and structured environment for those with dementia. The memory care community prioritizes the use of unobtrusive security measures that keep residents safe and prevent wandering without making them feel confined, while its life enrichment coordinators assist residents with tasks throughout each day and oversee their personal and medical needs. The Parkway Senior Living utiilizes life stations, which help residents relive pleasant experiences related to their own interests, and targeted methods engage seniors socially and address behavioral challenges. Specialized dining services ensure each person living here receives meals tailored to their dietary needs. An on-site beauty salon is available. Several reviews praise the kind staff and dining accommodations at The Parkway Senior Living. One says, "The staff is very friendly and helpful. The dining room has an excellent choice of good food and service." Cedarhurst of Blue Springs offers 24-hour support to both memory care and assisted living residents. Staff at Cedarhust of Blue Springs are trained by a certified dementia practitioner to provide appropriate care to memory care residents and keep them as independent as possible. The community's Level of Care system ranges from supportive care, such as reminding residents to do certain tasks, to comprehensive care, which allows staff to take over daily tasks for residents as needed. Residents can mingle in the dining room or gorgeous outdoor spaces. They can enjoy three nutritious meals a day and partake in activities such as bingo, movie nights and reading in the on-site library. Residents and family of residents notice how compassionate the staff is and how clean and welcoming the facility feels. One relative writes, "Cedarhurst is amazing! Prices are extremely competitive, staff are some of the most caring people out there! Fantastic place for your higher functioning loved one with dementia!" Benton House of Blue Springs offers assisted living and memory care in a welcoming environment designed to encourage independence while providing support. This community creates a familiar daily routine for residents in memory care while also offering a variety of activities to promote wellness and enjoyment. Residents experiencing memory loss can spend time in the beautifully landscaped, secure courtyard where they can safely walk, garden and relax. The entire community is on one level, allowing residents to move easily throughout the building. An on-site beauty and barber salon, a media center and a private dining room are available for residents to use. This community is equipped with emergency response buttons and grab bars in bathrooms, and each resident is also provided with a personal emergency pendant, allowing them to summon help whenever necessary. Residents and their families speak highly of the welcoming atmosphere, high-quality care and friendly staff. One reviewer comments, "The entire staff, from administrators to caregivers and dining/hospitality associates has just been amazing. Benton House is a relaxed environment that provides the highest level of care." Addington Place of Lee's Summit is located 25 miles southeast of Kansas City. It's in a residential area, close to medical facilities such as Lee's Summit Medical Center. The community features spacious communal areas and beautiful courtyards with raised beds for gardening. For residents with Alzheimer's or dementia, there is a secure memory care neighborhood, designed to feel like home. Residents receive an individualized memory care program that is tailored to their individual needs and interests. Caregivers provide 24/7 care and assistance with daily tasks such as grooming and bathing and also provide housekeeping and laundry services. There is a wide variety of activities, designed to slow down cognitive decline and enrich body, mind and spirit. Activities include pet therapy, religious services and exercise classes. Residents have access to restaurant-style dining, with three nutritious meals provided daily. Family members praise the great location, with one saying, "Addington Place of Lee's Summit was nice, clean, and beautiful. I could walk to my husband's doctors and the hospital from where the facility is. Everybody I talked to was great and they did a lot of follow-up calls. They have a lot of activities that he could be doing." Cross Creek at Lee's Summit specializes in resident-centered memory care designed to help seniors with dementia enjoy life and live with a purpose. The care team, highly trained in dementia care, uses state-of-the-art techniques to develop the best care plan for each resident. The staff, including licensed nurses, is available 24 hours a day to help with activities of daily living, such as medication management, housekeeping, wellness monitoring, laundry and linen services. Field specialists, including a recreation therapist and several dietitians, are also available onsite for the seniors with such needs. The memory care program builds on the five pillars of brain health: move, discover, relax, nourish and connect. For fun, residents can work out in the fitness center, curl up with a book in a reading nook or join a game of poker in the craft and game room. People love the helpful staff and engaging activities. One writes, "My mom seems to be very content there and loves the staff. The staff is always available to help you with any issues. No smells, very clean place. The food is excellent and so are the activities that are totally geared to memory care issues." Anthology of the Plaza is a senior living community where those with memory conditions can thrive with the help of trained caregivers who provide consistent, one-on-one attention and help residents with any challenges they face. This community encourages seniors to reminisce through artwork and environmental details as well as structured activities that entertain them and stimulate them physically and mentally. Caregivers at this community are specially trained to care for people with dementia, and they're specifically assigned to residents facing certain challenges based on their unique experience and training. Residents receive assistance with eating, bathing and any other personal needs and are kept secure via state-of-the-art alarms and anti-wandering systems. Residents say positive things about the caregivers at Anthology of the Plaza. One family member of a resident says, "Above all it's the staff at Anthology that makes this place so special. Not only are they energetic and superbly credentialed but they are also warm, caring people, who are never too busy to stop and chat with a resident." The caregivers of the memory care program at The Oxford Grand Assisted Living & Memory Care are all specially trained to work with individuals living with dementia. The staff is available 24 hours a day to help with activities of daily living, housekeeping, laundry and linen services. This community uses the latest technology to improve its quality of care, including Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR), which helps coordinate care among the staff and automatically spots potential health issues in residents. Caregivers utilize specialized medication software to safely automate the process of administering medicines. Residents can also take advantage of touchscreen technology with LinkedSenior, a therapeutic program that offers music therapy and cognitive games to keep seniors engaged, and OneDay App, a program that captures and shares videos of the residents with family members. Family members love the homelike atmosphere and caring staff. A reviewer writes, "Oxford Grand has a welcoming, home-like atmosphere. The food is excellent and the staff treats each resident with care and respect. The memory care section is designed to feel just like a home. Mom has said more than once that she really likes it here." The Health Services Director of The Gardens at Barry Road Assisted Living and Memory Care meets with every new memory care resident to assess their psychological and physical needs and develop a tailored care plan. The highly trained care team, under the supervision of a licensed nurse, is available 24/7 to help seniors with health care needs, including wellness checks, medication management and pharmacy services, and activities of daily living, such as grooming, bathing and dressing. Art, music and pet therapy are offered on-site. For urgent matters, residents can use the emergency call system to reach the caregivers at any time. The care team regularly takes seniors on scenic drives and outings to help them enjoy the outdoors and improve sleep patterns. Residents can also participate in a range of social activities, fitness classes and wellness programs. Family members rave about the attentive staff. The son of a resident writes, "My Mom has been a resident now for six months. I couldn't be happier with the care she receives, the attentive staff, the variety of activities, or the facility itself. Grateful for such a safe, clean, secure, and happy home for my Mother." Addington Place of Shoal Creek features secure memory care neighborhoods created for residents affected by memory loss disease. These neighborhoods are designed with added safety features, such as clear sightlines, wide pathways and secure entrances. Common dining areas and outdoor spaces encourage socialization within the community and with visiting family and friends. Each resident is treated as an individual, with a custom-tailored care plan based on their needs and interests. A physician and nurse see each resident weekly and get to know them personally. The staff is trained by a certified dementia practitioner to responsibly and respectfully assist residents with daily living activities. Reminders and assistance or supervision are provided, depending on the resident's needs and level of care. Residents and their families love that the staff is caring and attentive, and they praise the community's cleanliness, food and range of activities. "Addington Place is clean and the food is good," write's a resident's daughter. "She has a great room and plenty of activities that she participates in. Would definitely recommend Addington Place." The Courtyard Community memory care wing of Tiffany Springs Senior Living seeks to affirm the dignity of its residents living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia and provide them with a daily sense of pleasure and purpose. Planned memory care activities help seniors maximize their health and wellness levels through targeted social interactions and art, music and movement creative outlets as well as outdoor therapy sessions held in the community's secured outdoor courtyard. Staff members establish close relationships with memory care residents and remain in close contact with each senior's family to keep them updated and engaged in their loved ones' treatment plans. Medical transportation is provided, and complimentary concierge services are available. Family members are happy with the range of amenities and the friendly caregivers who keep them updated on their loved ones. "There's been excellent communication," comments a resident's niece. "Everyone is extremely friendly. They have arts, games, small movie rooms, a salon, and a spa. They have multiples kitchens and tons of conversational areas. They have a courtyard, and you can have pets and have them in the courtyard. " Anthology of Burlington Creek is an elegant senior living community that is conveniently close to medical centers and shops. The memory care neighborhood is safe and secure and has been specially decorated with images of local landmarks to help residents feel at home. A memory display box is located outside each apartment to assist seniors in navigating back to their rooms and to promote community interactions. Daily activities are designed around the needs of each individual resident and the programs are flexible to allow seniors choice and independence in their schedules. Activities offered include art classes, life stations, gentle fitness classes, religious services, gardening and cognitive games. A team of skilled caregivers is available 24/7 to provide physical support and emotional care to all the residents. The community runs regular memory care support groups for family and friends. Family members praise the compassionate staff, with one saying, "My wife is currently in the MC unit at Burlington Creek. We did considerable research and chose this community and their staff has been outstanding! During every step, I was treated with politeness, efficiency and skill. The personal care that my wife is receiving is outstanding." St. Anthony's Senior Living is a faith-based, resort-style community nestled in the Brookside area within walking distance of boutiques, restaurants and stores. This community was designed with the safety needs of memory care residents in mind. Memory caregivers at St. Anthony's are specially trained by a certified dementia practitioner in accordance with the latest guidelines from the National Council on Certification of Dementia Practitioners. This community is gated and adjacent to the Research Medical Center Brookside Campus. St. Anthony's amenities include the All Saint's Salon & Spa, St Elizabeth's Bistro and St. Peter's Pub. Resident priests and St. Anthony's Chapel are available for religious services and Mass is held daily. St. Anthony's is pet-friendly and Wi-Fi, HD cable and underground parking are included. The apartments are spacious with granite countertops and oversized bathrooms and closets. People have great things to say about St. Anthony's Senior Living. One reviewer comments, "Can't say enough good things about St. Anthony's. Great facilities, amenities, food, and most importantly a great staff!" Benton House of Tiffany Springs provides a safe and secure environment for seniors with options of assisted living, memory care or an adult day program. The Beacon memory care neighborhood, which is designed with safety as a top priority, features keypad protection and an enclosed courtyard where seniors can enjoy gardening, walking or relaxing outdoors. Residents have private rooms and receive assistance with daily living activities. Housekeeping and linen service is provided weekly, and nutritious meals and snacks are available throughout each day. Residents are encouraged to participate in fitness classes and walking clubs, seminars on topics of interest, concerts and performing arts events. Families are glad that their loved ones are safe and feel at home in the Memory Care Beacon neighborhood. One online reviewer feels it's the best place for his wife. He says, "They have memory exercises, and they have well-qualified staff to do it. It's like home living, no hallways and everything comes out into the main living area." Benton House of Staley Hills strives to create everyday happiness for seniors by focusing on four keys of service excellence: safety, caring, exceptional quality and consistency. These are clearly manifested in its Beacon memory care neighborhood, where seniors with cognitive issues get the assurance of compassionate support from the dementia care team. With the entire neighborhood protected by a keypad entry system, residents can freely enjoy the vibrant community ambiance in the open, spacious living spaces and wander safely in the relaxing outdoor areas. A dedicated Beacon coordinator schedules daily programs exclusively for memory care residents, providing a balance of planned, familiar routines and fresh, spontaneous activities. The Benton House team strives to rekindle the spirit of family dining by encouraging loved ones to visit and have meals with residents in the private dining room. Families like that the staff encourage loved ones to stay productive. One sibling shares, "They let my sister work with them by helping set the table for the other residents, which is something that she's comfortable with and something that helps make her so happy. They're doing a great job of helping keep a routine with her. I would recommend them." Bickford at Mission Springs is a pet-friendly senior living community dedicated to treating all residents as unique individuals. Caregivers are available at all times to help residents with activities of daily living, and all staff are trained in caring for residents with dementia. Licensed nurses administer medications, monitor residents' physical and emotional health and update individualized care plans every 90 days. Culinary staff prepare home-cooked meals in the Bread Basket kitchen, and residents can eat in the restaurant-style dining room or small, quiet dining rooms. Each resident has a Lifesong document containing personal history and Lifesong baskets to help caregivers plan activities based on individual interests and hobbies. A companion care program encourages one-on-one interactions. Bickford Springs also works with volunteers in the local area to provide on-site entertainment such as live performances, pet therapy and student visits. Families praise the staff and amenities. One relative says, "It's very clean and well-kept. They're very nice and accommodating. The food looks great at all times. They give a lot of food the residents want. They have activities going on every day. It goes down into a little valley and it has a park around." Located in downtown Overland Park, Morningside Place is dedicated solely to memory care. The person-centered programming focuses on Better Together, a schedule of events focused on connecting residents to each other, staff and student volunteers. Its Never 2 Late technology grants access to varied cognitive exercises, communication with family and recreation. To support residents, caregivers provide medication management and help with activities of daily living. Each resident's care plan is reviewed every 90 days by 24/7 nurses, trained staff and visiting physicians. Secured by silent monitoring systems and concierge reception, residents have access to walking paths and common areas designed to meet many mobility needs. Residents and loved ones appreciate the active atmosphere. One says that her mother "has her friends to visit with and she has activities to attend. What more can a person want for their elderly parent! I feel so lucky that when my mother could no longer live safely at home, there was room for mom and dad at Morningside Place." The staff members at Bickford of Overland Park write down each memory care resident's life story so that all of the seniors' caregivers can incorporate their history into their daily interactions and long-term treatment plans. Life baskets and stations are also erected throughout the memory care neighborhood so that items that match the residents' interests and hobbies can inspire them to engage in meaningful impromptu activities. Residents can enjoy one-on-one time with trained staff members and are encouraged to participate in the community's daily group activities, which include physical and mental fitness sessions. Pets are welcome to live with residents, and medical transportation is provided. Family members appreciate the skilled, attentive staff, with one saying, "The staff members are wonderful. We interacted with them frequently because my father needed a high level of care, and they were fabulous, very skilled, personable, welcoming, and made my parents feel very good." Sunrise of Leawood offers memory care recognized by the Alzheimer's Association for evidence-based training and care planning. In the community's Reminiscence neighborhood, staff use validation therapy, which includes mood-matching, eye contact and rephrasing to soothe disoriented residents. Life enrichment managers create care plans based on residents' histories and preferences. This allows residents to enjoy a schedule of events that includes story-sharing, game clubs, socials and brain and body exercise. Memory care common areas include a quiet reflection room and life skills station for maintaining cognitive abilities. With an on-staff culinary coordinator, residents may enjoy three diet-friendly, from-scratch meals per day. In the bistro, residents gather with neighbors for snacks and coffee. Residents and families praise the attentive staff. One says, "I am so grateful we found this community. She is getting very good care, and whenever I have to go out of town, I know she is being well taken care of and that eases my mind. The staff is wonderful." Residents of Brookdale Shawnee enjoy memory care based on the Clare Bridge signature program. This schedule of six daily activities can include B-Fit exercise classes, relaxing nature excursions, pet therapy and brain aerobics. During these activities, staff provide cueing and gentle reminders to acclimate residents to their routines. In the Solace program, residents in the late stages of dementia receive extra time for music and aromatherapy, hygiene assistance, and mobility help. Because this community is dedicated to memory care, all areas are keypad secured and feature floor-to-floor carpeting and plenty of natural light. Communal spaces include a greenhouse, fireside living room and pub. In the dining room, neighbors can gather around meals, including Maui burgers and strawberry mousse parfaits. Residents and families appreciate the informative, caring staff. One writes, "[My mother's] care has been top notch and they keep us informed extremely well. Lots of activities for the residents and there is a genuine caring nature from everyone there. Couldn't ask for a better community for mom." The Village at Mission is a rental retirement community that encourages independence among memory care residents. This community offers room options ideal for memory care residents who require higher levels of convenience and access to constant support. Residents can enjoy a sense of community while socializing in common areas and participating in daily fitness, learning, creative, social and spiritual activities. Activities for memory care residents are designed to help them maximize their capabilities and encourage living as independently as possible while assistance is always readily available. Individualized care plans are created based on the resident's interests and preferences while maintaining the structure and routine needed to increase comfort and reduce confusion. Residents love the friendly and caring staff and the fun activities provided. One reviewer says, "I am also impressed with the exceptional quality of care as well as the many activities provided to make living there a pleasant experience! The atmosphere is elegant, warm and inviting, creating a wonderful feeling of home and family!"	https://www.memorycare.com/blue-springs-mo-facilities/
Have you ever encountered such a situation where you remember a person by face but failed to recall his name? Often times we find ourselves totally helpless simply because our mind is in sleep mode for a while when we need it to behave actively. So what are you going to do for that? Thinking to take NZT like Jake? Well, the good news is, you can still make your brain active by changing few habits. Read along to find out how you may train your brain and remember more things than you do now. 1- Quit Smoking ASAP: When I say to quit smoking ASAP, you might think of it as an impossible thing. But yes, quitting your smoking habit will help you gain a more active mind. A study conducted by University of Michigan researchers revealed that smokers have lower IQ levels in comparison to non-smoker participants. It may appear a stylish act to hold a cigarette in your hand while you talk to your friends but it slows down your ability to think the way you can. 2- Try Memorizing Things: Even if you have a weak memory, you still need to try this one. You need to give yourself little tasks of memorizing something from your routine activity or anything you get your hands on. Initially, it might appear exasperating but as you practice and create the habit of memorizing little things, you’ll see positive changes in your memory and brain power. This useful practice of sharpening your memory comes from renowned choreographer and author of the book ‘The Creative Habit’ Twyla Tharp who applied the same in her professional activities. 3- Acquire A New Skill: Another effective way to improve your memory and brain is to acquire new skills whenever you can. Doing routine tasks, again and again, might reduce our brain’s ability but when we learn something new, our brain reacts in a different way. You may try learning a new language (how about the Chinese language you’re putting off from years?) or try any physical skill that you like. As you work on yourself to acquire that new knowledge, you’ll find out some changes in your mind and how it works in your favor. 4- Tweak Your Mind With Mobile Apps: It’s true that we rely on technology in most of the things that affected our normal IQ level. As a matter of fact, our reliance on digital devices made us think less. So how about that if we change the way we use technology and use it in our favor? If you want to make your memory strong enough, you may use that smartphone you’re reading this post on. Yes, there are so many best brain training apps specifically developed to enhance your cognitive abilities and remember things efficiently. Offering different exercises to tweak your mind power, Elevate is a nice option to try. It offers different sets of training programs. Another way to improve your mind power is by using BrainHQ mobile app allowing you so many tools to improve your memory. You may play games specifically designed to improve your mind. If you want to remember little but important information of various kinds, you should try Eidetic. The app is designed to help us memorize such information that we usually skip easily like dates, key figures from history vice versa. One amusing way to sharpen your mind is by playing games, unlike solving exercises, on Lumosity. It offers you different games exclusively designed to train your mental muscles. 5- Try Something New Continuously: Our brain works the way we want it, so in order to improve your memorization skills you need to train your mind a little bit. Think of a habit you dislike in yourself and compel your brain to do the opposite. It might appear a little hard initially but as you go along with it, you’ll achieve your objectives. For instance, if you’re the lazy person who doesn’t like to do much work. You simply need to keep telling yourself to do some more work. Try small and then go big as you get hold of previous work quantity. 6- Exercise for a Sharp Mind: Here comes the very common tip you might get every now and then – Exercise. Okay, you have heard this tip already but now is the time to finally take action. The reason to exercise is it helps the brain create new neural connections that help you learn things fast and become more proactive. If you can’t manage a dedicated routine to hit the gym, you must find 20 minutes a day to work on your body that will improve your mind as well. 7- Be More Outgoing: Talking does help you improve your memory. So try it and make this a routine to talk about something either with a friend or someone special on a daily basis. Studies show that people with outgoing attitudes have more active minds than those who behave reserved or anti-social. 8- Eat Wisely: Try improving your memory by incorporating healthy choices. Eat delicious foods that contain proteins, and fiber to make your mind healthier. Nutritionists recommend eating fish as it contains EPA and DHA that is effective for mental health. You may even consider a vegetarian diet as red meat has been proven to slow you down. Don’t be too upset though, there are some treats – even dark chocolate is recommended for a healthy brain! Try these tips and save yourself from the embarrassment of forgetting names or keys as you might be doing now. ————- Muhammad Usman Siddiqui is a young entrepreneur aged 22 years from Pakistan. His studies (Petroleum Engineering) has no relation to innovation and future technologies but the passion keeps him in this field. Follow him on Twitter!	https://www.healthisfood.com/train-your-brain-with-8-ways-to-learn-faster
Childhood is the most critical time for developing a human brain, especially cognitive skills. Children go through multiple stages of learning as they navigate their formative years. They learn different things through their senses, adjusting to the world around them and starting to create and remember memories. At this stage, a parent’s close and supportive guidance are vital for children to learn efficiently and correctly and to provide them with different ways to develop memory skills. Table of Contents: - Biological Aspects Of Brain Development - Developmental Milestones In Memory Skills - Socio-Cultural Influences On Memory Skills - Games & Toys To Boost Memory Skills in Kids - Memory Building Activities For Kids Memory is ‘the ability to store knowledge or a representation of experience, based on the mental processes of learning or encoding, retention through some interval of time, and retrieval or reactivation of the memory,’ according to the American Psychological Association. It includes experiences that a person encounters and stores in their minds. For an event or a scenario to be memorable, it must come with an exciting thing that a child can retain and remember, thus making their memory. Biological Aspects Of Brain Development From a biological viewpoint, memory is considered a complicated idea, and how it exactly works is still a vague concept that cannot be fully explained. However, it is known that it involves the part of the brain called the hippocampus, which binds together different elements in a memory stored in other parts of the brain. The hippocampus allows the brain to organize these memories. Scientists also believe that the hippocampus is responsible for transferring information into long-term memories. Different types of memories are stored in other areas. Visual information, for example, can be stored in the visual cortex. Neuroscience even suggests that specific memories have separate neural circuits, particularly for their type and purpose. Other factors such as hormonal fluctuation, protein synthesis, and changes in neurotransmitter release from neurons are also involved in creating and keeping memories. Another biological aspect involved is long-term potentiation, or changes in synapses forming long-term memories, creating more responsive synapses. Since a child’s brain is continuously developing, it is essential to keep them physiologically healthy to allow their brains to function correctly and retain needed memories. Developmental Milestones In Memory Skills Psychologist Jean Piaget believed that children think differently from adults, following a different track in cognitive development milestones. These milestones show the progress in which the child is developing, as well as their rate in comparison to other children their age. Piaget developed the theory of cognitive development, which suggests that children move through four different stages of learning: sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete operational, and formal active phases. 1. Sensorimotor Stage – 0 to 2 years Cognitive development begins during the sensorimotor stage. Babies use their senses and their developing abilities to build awareness about their environment. In particular, they enjoy sucking, licking, grasping, etc. because they find these actions pleasurable. From birth to 2 years, babies’ actions progress from reflexive to intentional habits. With regards to memory, babies can recognize their mother’s voice or nursery rhymes they repeatedly heard while in the womb. In the study conducted by psychologist Carolyn Rovee-Collier, she found out that babies as young as 2 months can display recall memory. She placed the babies under a mobile and attached it to the baby’s feet with a ribbon. The babies learned that kicking makes the mobile move and was able to retain the memory for 2 days and even several weeks for older babies. By 9 months, babies can already remember people and objects. As they grow, they learn to recognize different sounds and form a basic vocabulary of speech-like sounds and short phrases. 2. Pre-Operational Stage – 2 to 7 years While in the previous stage babies learn about the world through actions, in the preoperational stage of growing children begin to understand that symbols represent events or objects. As their language and thinking skills improve, they can use words and pictures in describing objects. They also learn about the difference between the past and the future and engage in imaginative play. Children at this stage likewise don’t understand viewpoints other than their own (egocentrism). Piaget also found that children younger than five years don’t understand the concept of conversion, or know that a quantity remains the same even if its appearance changes. A more recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Diagnostic Research shows that preschool children do not understand the concept of reversibility. However, they believe that this characteristic decreases with age. 3. Concrete Operational Stage – 7 to 11 years old Kids at this stage begin to think logically and can manipulate symbols to solve problems. They learn to classify things and sort them into sub-classes. They process information more quickly and have longer attention spans. Their short and long-term memory improves, along with their reading and writing skills. At this stage, children rely on their working memory to perform tasks and solve simple problems. 4. Formal Operational Stage – 12 years & beyond The final stage of Piaget’s formal operational stage begins during adolescence and lasts until adulthood. Pre-teens and teenagers are now able to think abstractly and use advanced logic for reasoning. With regards to memory, researchers from the University College London (UCL), found that adolescents possess a great recall for autobiographical memories. They can also remember song lyrics, movie lines, titles, books, and public events better than any other age group. In addition, the researchers also found that stress and drug use can negatively affect memory formation in teens and young adults. Socio-Cultural Influences On Memory Skills The environment a child grows up in is a vital factor in determining and influencing their brain potential. Children should constantly be exposed to new sights, sounds, textures, and other experiences that involve using their senses to strengthen their memory and improve neural networks. Games & Toys To Boost Memory Skills in Kids As a parent, you must ensure that your child gets exposed to different activities to help them develop their brain and increase their mental capacity. If you’re looking for ways to do this, you can find games, activities, and a variety of puzzles available to help your child train their brain and improve critical thinking. 1. Games Numerous ways are available to support your child’s memory development, such as providing them with journals and storybooks, but the best and most interesting for them would be in the form of games. Parents and guardians can simultaneously allow children to play and improve their minds. Some of these ways are through: 2. Toys Since memory is created through one’s senses and allows the brain to process this information and retain memory, toys are the best option for children growing up. These should involve mechanisms that enable the child to discover basic movements filled with colors and sounds to improve their visual memory and auditory skills. Also, it is best if the toy has a texture that can enhance memory through touch. Toys are excellent in providing opportunities to practice different thinking skills, allowing the child to imitate the action, understand cause and effect, fundamental problem solving, and start the idea of symbolic thinking. Be careful when choosing toys; ensure they are age-appropriate, as choking hazards are common for younger children. 3. Indoor and Outdoor Games Indoor games allow the child to be comfortable when playing in a closed setting, usually with parents, guardians, babysitters, or other children. They let them be in a calm, quiet location where they can focus on their toy or game properly. Outdoor games, however, usually develop their memory of the outside world as they can see the surroundings and many elements present in the playing area while improving their body skills. Both options are great for developing a child’s memory, and it is essential to find the proper balance to allow them to experience both. However, supervision is a key requirement, especially if they choose to play outside, as they can be vulnerable to more objects when playing games in an open area. 4. Games Using Technology Since the modern age of raising children is upon us, some games are available on gadgets such as cellphones, tablets, game consoles, etc. Tech games for kids are usually interactive and full of details and different features that can develop a child’s visual and auditory memory well. However, be sure that an adult should supervise them and limit their use of technology and games, as too much can damage their developing minds. Related: Also check out how console games benefit your kids! 5. Board Games If you prefer games, your child can learn and grow cognitively; board games should be the best option. These include puzzles, chess, scrabble, checkers, and many others that they can enjoy and also acquire skills such as strategizing and making decisions, and earn a sense of fulfillment afterward. These board games can also be a great bonding time for the child, the adult, or someone they can play with. Be sure to take note that a child should not put small pieces of board game toys in their mouths to avoid choking hazards and have a safe, fun playtime. 6. Solo And Group Games Like allowing them to choose between indoor and outdoor games, giving the child an option between solo and group games will enable them to have the freedom between learning the mechanics of the game and the toys by themselves or having the opportunity to share them with someone else, if they are comfortable enough to do so. They can also share their toys if they want to know more about their mechanics and make friends with whom they can make memories. Aside from memory, their social skills and independence can be improved, allowing them to play alone or with other children. 7. Games Involving Science, Math, And Language Kids of all ages enjoy games. You can even use games as a teaching opportunity and a memory-boosting tool. It doesn’t take rocket science to teach your baby about object permanence; a simple game of peekaboo or hide-and-seek is already loads of fun. You can also nurture your baby’s memory by establishing routines, exposing them to tactile activities, and talking to them often. Related: Check out Best STEM Games for Kids to immerse them in playful learning. As they enter preschool, you can use games as a way to improve their visualization skills. Play matching games or use flashcards with words and images. Active reading can also help them form long-term memories. Quick Tip: Try these Playful Preschool Activities to boost learning! Interactive games, simple experiments, and learning games in different languages can improve critical thinking skills, logical thinking, and conversational skills. These games are best for children in the pre-operational stage or older since this is when they start to develop the needed skills to understand concepts. Be careful not to overwhelm them and focus too much on learning, as this should still be a fun game for the child. Memory Building Activities For Kids Aside from games, other ways you can enjoy yourself with your kid are activities that can hone their skills, such as allowing them to join in activities either in school or extracurricular. These activities serve as an excellent memory building tool and are an excellent hobbies to pursue as well. 1. Creative Writing If the child is someone that enjoys reading stories and making up plots for fictional characters, you can encourage them to try creative writing. It is a type of writing, usually in fiction, where a child can express their imagination in poetry or prose form. This activity can improve their language, storytelling, creativity, resourcefulness, and social skills as they try to connect their rich inner imagination to more people. 2. Painting For children, a common way to express their inner feelings is by using shapes, lines, colors, and designs. These can form figures that can convey their emotions and allow them to express their thoughts in various colors. Aside from improving their visual and memory skills, they can also improve their hand-eye coordination, enabling them to express feelings even if they are not inclined to language or words. 3. Dance The art of dancing involves a lot of memory work that the child can memorize and enjoy simultaneously. Some of its benefits for children include a significant increase in physical confidence, better well-being, and self-esteem. It can be used as a form of motivation, improve a child’s mental agility, and improve their social skills by dancing with their peers. If your child enjoys dancing, you can enroll them in a dance class, depending on their willingness to learn. 4. Music If the child is inclined to listen to songs and tones, you can encourage them to pursue activities in music. One way to do this is to allow them to choose a type of instrument they can learn to play. Another is to enable them to learn songwriting, improving their language and musical skills. If you see a musical inclination in your child, you can encourage them to pursue activities in music. Listening to music and performing using instruments they can learn allows the brain to activate and develop areas associated with one’s memory, reasoning, and emotions. 5. Theater Another art form children can participate in as an activity to enhance their memory skills is theater. It is a way to express their emotions and expose them to a reality that allows them to feel these emotions without ridicule or making them feel frustrated. If the child is a fan of acting and taking different characters to enhance their imagination and self-expression, theater can be the best option for their memory development. 6. Gardening And Animal Keeping Some kids are inclined toward nature and its elements, such as the beauty of gardening and animal keeping. They can improve their skills in focus, concentration, and patience. Keeping under the sun at a healthy time and taking care of animals can be practical activities that kids can experience and improve upon as an activity. Supervision with using garden tools and taking care of animals can also be a good bonding activity between you and the child. In this activity, they can practice their memory by learning about different types of plants and animals. 7. Hiking And Road Trip For outdoorsy children who want to go on adventures, nature walks, hiking and road trips can be the best options. Going to breathtaking places and learning different things from traveling can enhance the mind’s memory and learning skills by remembering directional signs, roads, landmarks, and sights to see while going to the destination. Other Ways To Improve Your Child’s Memory Engaging the child in games and activities is a great way to improve their memory retention and cognitive skills. Aside from these, the best way to support them is through providing proper diet and nutrition for their developing brains. Some of these are green, leafy vegetables, fatty fish, walnuts, and fortified foods to enhance the physiological aspect of cognitive development. Finally… There are numerous ways to improve a child’s memory development. It includes engaging in games that can enhance their cognitive skills while allowing them to have fun, activities that they can improve as hobbies, and giving them a proper diet to enrich their brains. Children’s minds are continuously developing through their senses; therefore, it is best to give them the support they need. Author Bio Arista spends her weekdays as a preschool teacher and content writer for several parenting blogs. On weekends, she heads to the nearest park with her dogs or simply stays at home with the latest puzzles from Hobbyco to stay sane.	https://kidpillar.com/developing-kids-memory-skills/
Klingberg, T. (2013) states that memory is basically a process through which information is first encoded, stored and then retrieved. Problems in memory are often associated with the retrieval stage of memory. The development of memory in children is evident in the second to third years of life. This is because they exhibit considerable change in in declarative memory. Enhancement in memory will continue and will cause advancements in working, short-term and long-term memory and also autobiography memory. While growing up, children may exhibit problems with memory; for example working memory. According to Gathercole & Alloway (2008), working memory is the memory that is useful in the carrying out of complex tasks such as comprehension, learning and reasoning. Problems with working memory can be a symptom of conditions such as ADHD. Research has be able to establish that a variety of brain activities or games if you will can be useful in improving working memory in children with the problem. The typical test for working memory involves testing the span of a child’s memory. Research by Alloway (2010) on the topic has shown that a series of mind activities or games can be used to improve the working memory of a child. One example of an activity useful in improvement of working memory is playing cards. Simple games such as Uno, Crazy eights and Go fish can improve a child’s memory in two ways. The first is that the child will have to memorize the rules of the game and the second is that the child will have to remember not only the cards they hold but those played by others. Numbering ones directions is also an activity that can help improve memory. An example a parent or teacher can tell a child that they want two or three choses done. This will help the child keep all of the activities in mind. Research also showed games involving visual memory to be especially effective in improving memory. The study by Alloway, (2010) had twelve children with memory problems. They were taught a game where they were shown slides of a series of car license plates and were asked to recite them and then say them backwards after they were removed. With time, then number of children who were able to remember five license plates in series increased from three to eight at the end of the study. Showing a child connections will also help the child remember better. This involves finding things that the child already is able to learn and finding a connection to the new material. For example, showing them the connection between the times table of the number two and the child’s doubles. That is 3×2 = 6 and 3+3= 6. The final research described in the use of connection of emotion to information to help a child with working memory problems. The processing of information in more than one way can aid a child in retention of said information. Having a child connect emotion to the facts that they are learning might help them remember the information simply by tapping into their emotion. For example, having child visualize how it must have been like to perhaps work in the fields all day in the sun may help them retain facts about slavery. The research by Phillips, R. L. (2006) who however focused maily on audial games showed this. As stated earlier in this paper, a variety of conditions can cause a child to exhibit problems with working memory. The findings in described in the pieces of research above can be applied in differentiation of instruction when dealing with children with special abilities and needs both in the home and school setting. The activities can be used or applied not only as games but also in the carrying out of simple house hold chores for example the numbering of activities. A child with special needs vis-à-vis working memory can benefit significantly from this. Parents and guardians can also have said children play games like card games and games involving visual memory rather than conventional games such as video games only. This is according to Phillips (2006). Gathercole & Alloway, (2008) also explain that in school, it may be relevantly more difficult but not impossible to apply mind activities to help children with problems with working memory. Here, activities in the line of connection of information with emotion and helping children make connections. The main benefit of the above techniques is that they can be used with a collective student body and will benefit all children but especially children with special needs. The techniques though useful mostly with problems with working memory, are designed such that they benefit even those with no problem. Many challenges affect research and use of memory games in improving memory. The first is the fact that not much research has been conducted on the topic. For this reason, very few facts are known about the effectiveness of memory games and activities in solving the problem. Research-based methodology is currently replacing traditional practices that are simply based on experience. Because of this, research has to be invested in methods so that they can me accepted into any practice. The technique will gain more results and publicity if research proves that it works effectively. Currently, it has received only enough publicity to warrant it have more research funded in its name. This is supported by Klingberg (2013). Secondly, in this day and age, people believe more in treatment using medication rather than therapy and other similar interventions. Few parents and teachers will therefore seek information on how to improve a child’s using therapeutic means but will quickly turn to medication. Phillips (2006) explains this fact. This too can be solved by increased research on the subject. Professionals, guided by reseach-based methodology will promote this theraputic intervention instead of offering prescriptions. Research findings will not only make the technique more accepted by professionals but also to lay people who base the success of psychological and medica intervention on factors such as past success and safety of procedure rather than research results. This paper would recommend that more research be put into non-medication treatments for cognitive developmental conditions. It is evident that although the techniques are quite effective, lack of adequate information on them results in little application. The paper would also discourage the separation of children with problems in working memory from the normal class setting. This might discourage their learning. This is according to Alloway, (2010). The researcher recommends that more attention be given to the student instead alongside using the above explained techniques. Conclusion Our writers will create one from scratch for online References Alloway, T. P. (2010). Improving working memory : Supporting student’s working. SAGE. Gathercole, S. E., & Alloway, T. P. (2008). Working Memory and learning : A practical guide for teachers. Los Angeles: SAGE. Klingberg, T. (2013). The learning brain : Memory and brain development in children. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Phillips, R. L. (2006). Effects of short-term memory auditory games on children enrolled in learning dissability classes. Madison: University of Wesconsin Press.	https://assignster.com/good-example-of-essay-on-cognitive-development/
A recent study looked at whether consuming fruit and vegetables over a long period of time can help to prevent memory loss. Memory loss can be a normal part of aging. But does diet affect memory loss in older adults? Can eating fruit and vegetables improve memory? A recent study evaluated whether eating fruit and vegetables can help to prevent memory loss and improve brain health. They looked at specifically the impact eating leafy greens, dark red and orange vegetables and berries, as well as drinking orange juice can have on the memory of older people. Published in Neurology, the study began in 1986. It included 27,842 men with an average age of 51. All the participants were health professionals such as dentists and veterinarians. The researchers looked at the consumption of fruit and vegetables and the impact it had on cognitive function. Over a period of 20 years, the average dietary intake of fruit and vegetables was assessed using five questionnaires. Each participant filled out the questionnaire at the start of the study about how many servings of fruit and vegetables they had per day. They filled out another questionnaire every four years for 20 years. One cup of fruit or half a cup of fruit juice was considered one serving. One cup of raw vegetables or two cups of leafy greens was considered one serving of vegetables. The researchers also assessed average cognitive function using two questionnaires at least four years before the end of the study, making the average age of the participants now 73. The assessment was designed to detect any changes that occurred in participant’s abilities to remember things. For example, they were asked “Do you have more trouble than usual remembering a short list of items, such as a shopping list?”Participants were categorized as either good, moderate or poor. Any changes in memory which were reported by the participants were considered precursors to mild cognitive impairment. Higher intake significantly associated with lower odds of poor cognitive function The results showed that a higher intake of vegetables and fruits were significantly associated with lower odds of poor cognitive function. Men who consumed more vegetables were 34% less likely to develop poor thinking and memory skills compared to men who ate the least amount of vegetables. Overall, 55% of the participants had good memory and thinking skills, 38% had moderate skills and 7% had poor memory and thinking skills. Those who ate the highest amount of vegetables averaged six servings per day, compared to only two servings per day for the participants who ate the lowest amount. Whereas for fruit, an average of three servings per day was the highest amount consumed, compared to half a serving for those with the lowest amount. Participants who consumed orange juice daily compared to those who had one or less servings of orange juice a month were 47% less likely to have poor cognitive function. Also, eating more fruit and vegetables in the 18 to 22 years before cognitive function was linked to lower odds of poor cognitive function and therefore memory problems. Long study period strengthens results An important factor for this study is that the research was conducted over a 20-year period. The long-term nature of the study enabled the researchers to observe very telling results. The results of the study shows a relationship between eating fruits and vegetables and drinking orange juice with memory loss. It does not show that eating fruits and vegetables reduces memory loss. The results support the benefits of eating fruit, vegetables and orange juice to help prevent memory loss and provides evidence that brain health can be maintained through choices in our diet. References: - Yuan C, Fondell E,Bhushan A, Ascherio A, Okereke O, Grodstein F, Willett W. Long-term intake of vegetables and fruits and subjective cognitive function in US men. Neurology Nov 2018, 10.1212. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000006684. - Orange juice, leafy greens and berries may be tied to decreased memory loss in men. EurekAlert Website https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-11/aaon-ojl111918.php. Accessed November 23, 2018.	https://clinicaltrialscanada.com/does-eating-fruit-and-vegetables-help-prevent-memory-loss/
In the first part of our series, we covered how to decrease the physical behaviors of those with memory loss. We learned ways to effectively manage and limit physical behaviors, but what about the cognitive behaviors of those with memory loss? Is there any way that caregivers can help to decrease or manage the negative effects memory loss can have on their loved one? While memory loss may be incurable, there are some things caregivers can do in order to at least manage some of the cognitive behaviors their loved one faces. According to DeeAnne Helton, Executive Director, at CountryHouse, a memory care community in Granite Bay, CA, when loved ones are diagnosed with dementia, it can be difficult to accept that changes that may occur in the future. “Right now, your loved one may be in the beginning stages of memory loss,” says DeeAnne. “During the beginning stages, you may not realize much of a change. Your loved one may be able to do everything they once did, but may have trouble with remembering names, coming up with the right words to use or have increased difficulty performing or remembering certain tasks. As time goes on, you may notice that they begin to forget important things, become more confused or have decreased cognitive abilities. While memory loss can take years to progress, it’s important to find ways to help your loved one engage and use their current cognitive abilities in order to help them live full lives. How To Manage Cognitive Behaviors in Seniors with Memory Loss As memory loss progresses, many different cognitive behaviors can show up. According to the Alzheimer’s Association® some of these behaviors can include forgetfulness, confusion, repetition, suspicion and wandering. In order to decrease the psychological effects of memory loss, it can help to try to manage these symptoms by distraction or trying to engage the brain in a fun way. Try some of the following ways to decrease your loved one’s cognitive behaviors. - Be smart about repetitive behaviors. Notice if they are repeating themselves or if they make repetitive motions. Does this occur in certain places, at a specific time or around the same person. Try to put pieces together to see if they are agitated, bored or uncomfortable. - Turn their behavior into an activity. If they are repeatedly trying to wipe something, ask them to help clean. If they like to put things in certain spots, allow them to clean up a room. If your loved one keeps going into the kitchen or opening cupboards, ask them to get you certain ingredients out so you can make something together. - Wander wisely. If your loved one is prone to wandering, start taking walks together. Let them lead the way, as this can give some insightful clues into where your loved one would go if they wander off. Talk along the way to see why they may want to walk to where you are going. Did they once walk children to school? Did they walk to work? Try to find the reason they want to wander to this place and make a routine out of visiting. - Play games or do puzzles. Playing familiar games that your loved one used to enjoy can help to both stimulate their brain and provide them with enjoyment. Doing puzzles and playing different games can also help to distract them from the different behaviors they are facing. Be sure to adapt games where needed in order to make them either easier to understand or more enjoyable for your loved one. - Go through old photo albums. If your loved one is having a particularly rough day, it can help to have them go through old photo albums. Ask them questions about pictures if they seem to light up at one and listen as they talk about their past memories and experiences. - Try using memory aids. If your loved one often forgets dates, buy a calendar to put important dates on. If they forget names, use photographs. These seemingly small tools can actually do a lot to manage your loved one’s cognitive behaviors. It’s important to be patient and understanding when managing the cognitive behaviors of a loved one with memory loss. Don’t correct or scold them, but be reassuring and try to stay calm. Your loved one has little to no control over their memory loss or their behavior as they reach later stages, so it’s important to do your best to work through their behavior. Your Valuable Resource for Cognitive Behavior Education and Support For more help with managing the cognitive behaviors associated with memory loss, call or visit us at CountryHouse. Our experts are here to assist you. Treating people like family is at the heart of what we do. CountryHouse at Granite Bay is the very first CountryHouse location in California. With a desirable location among Folsom Lake and the Sierra foothills, and only 25 miles northeast of Sacramento, Granite Bay was the perfect area to place our upscale memory care community. While CountryHouse at Granite Bay may be brand new to California, we are certainly not new to the needs of seniors. And just like every CountryHouse around the United States, we know that personalized care can make all the difference when it comes to quality care and peace of mind. At CountryHouse, we provide personalized memory care in an environment that is beautiful and thoughtfully designed. Full of natural light, warmth and tasteful elegance, we want residents and their families to feel welcome and at home. In fact, our staff members are even hand-picked based on their natural empathy. Our staff learns each resident’s story, from their likes and dislikes to their values and their pasts, in order to customize care and make meaningful connections that provide residents with true moments of joy and the desire to make the most of each day. With our LifeCycles wellness programming, we encourage residents to connect, engage and enjoy every day. Our LifeCycles programming is designed to focus on the four dimensions of wellness: physical, social, spiritual and intellectual. We achieve this through a range of daily activities and routines, which can include daily bus rides, cookouts, trips and other special events. At CountryHouse, we strive to make sure our residents make the most of each day, and we believe that when you treat people like family, and keep that at the heart of what you do, residents, their families and their health thrive. Contact us to learn more! Connect with us today or call us at 916-778-9665 for more information or to schedule a visit. CountryHouse is part of the Agemark family of senior living communities.	https://www.countryhouse.net/blog/part-2-managing-cognitive-behavior-memory-loss/
Dementia, and specifically Alzheimers, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Westminster’s senior population continues to grow (23% growth between 2015 and 2020), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment. In Westminster, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease rose 39% between 2015 and 2020. To put that in perspective, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group only increased by 23%, showing that Alzheimer’s is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is higher than the rest of the nation (10% in Westminster vs. 6.46% in the U.S.). To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Westminster. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more. Table of Contents According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Westminster, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Sunrise of Westminster is a senior care community offering specialized services to those with Alzheimer's and dementia. Its Reminiscence memory care neighborhood provides a safe and contained environment where residents can explore their surroundings, interact with their neighbors and participate in activities designed for their capabilities. Its staff members, called Life Enrichment Managers, are trained in validation therapy and regularly handle the emotional and cognitive frustrations seniors with memory loss may experience. Caregivers also maintain each person's personal hygiene and help them with daily care and grooming routines. The residents eat three healthy meals every day and live close to the dining room, making it easier for them to navigate the campus. An advanced lock system prevents residents from wandering out of the building, enabling them to take advantage of common areas and activity rooms safely. Residents say positive things about the care staff and memory care programming at Sunrise of Westminster. A resident's daughter says, "I visited the facility every other day and saw many activities, meals, happy hours, sing alongs and more. The staff was amazing with the residents in Memory Care. They treated them with respect and dignity." Greenridge Place is a specialty memory care facility that offers a secure and welcoming environment to seniors. The community uses a person-centered approach to memory care, and the staff members spend time getting to know each resident as an individual. Interactive programs are used to help seniors recreate stories from their past, consider new ideas and spend time with their loved ones who live far away. Intergenerational programs are an important part of the day when local student volunteers spend time talking to seniors about their lives and the lessons they have learned. Staff members are always available to provide compassionate care and support as required. Aromatherapy as well as pet, music and art therapy are used to help calm or stimulate seniors throughout the day. Family members appreciate the compassionate staff and well-maintained facility, with one reviewer saying, "Greenridge Place staff was wonderful with my mother! They were kind, caring and responsive to her needs. The facility was clean, bright and cheerful. The facility is a good choice for an individual in need of memory care." Atria Westminster is located 12 miles north of Denver in Westminster, next to a beautiful golf course. The community has a custom-designed Life Guidance neighborhood that features secure entries and exits, beautiful outdoor gardens and walking paths and a fitness center. Residents with Alzheimer's and dementia each receive a personalized care plan with 24/7 support with tasks such as dressing, grooming and medication management. There is a full calendar of activities and events tailored to the abilities and interests of the residents. Activities are designed to slow down cognitive decline and include exercise classes, gardening and music therapy. The kind staff takes care of other useful services, such as scheduled transportation, housekeeping and laundry, so that residents can spend more time doing what they love. The culinary team provides three fresh home-cooked meals per day. Residents praise the excellent staff, with one reviewer saying, "The staff was amazing, that's actually why we picked them. We also met the director, the wait staff in the restaurant, we met the chef, we met the nurse. Everybody was amazing and still is. The facility is amazing. It's all top-notch. Five-star hotel. The food is excellent. " Northglenn Heights Assisted Living is nestled in the north of Denver, in Northglenn. The signature In the Moment memory care program takes a team-based approach to care, marrying six principles of well-being to provide a holistic care plan for each senior. The individualized care plans promote optimum wellness through physical engagement, spiritual support and community connections, as well as education, artistic expression and leisure. The team of trained staff provides 24/7 support with tasks such as personal care, transportation and medication management. Residents can take part in a wide variety of enriching activities, designed to slow down cognitive decline, including pet therapy, yoga and music classes. The culinary team prepares three nutritious meals per day for residents to enjoy together in the spacious dining room. The secure memory care neighborhood features a beauty salon. spacious communal areas and walking paths. Visitors appreciate the helpful staff, with one reviewer saying, "The admissions director is extremely kind and compassionate. I discovered when I was there that people are happy, the staff is happy and the residents are happy for the most part. It's relaxing. They have plenty of activities going on. They also have visiting doctors." Springwood Retirement Campus is a locally owned senior community featuring memory care services. Its Nightingale Lane memory care neighborhood is designed to accommodate the navigational needs seniors with memory loss may have and provide easy paths they can follow each day. Residents are encouraged to express independence but are protected by caregivers and anti-wandering systems so they can live freely in a secure environment. Seniors are served three nutritious meals each day and have their medication schedules managed by staff members. Caregivers also help with personal care and hygiene needs. Springwood Retirement Campus stimulates residents with targeted activities and social events designed to match their abilities and help delay further cognitive decline. Its Memories in the Making art program offers a creative outlet, and fitness, musical, pet therapy and food-related activities are also available daily. Residents express satisfaction with Springwood Retirement Campus and trust the staff members. A resident's child says, "My father's been in Springwood for about four years now. It's excellent and they're doing a wonderful job, I would recommend it to anyone." Brookdale Arvada Senior Living engages memory care residents in meaningful programs in order to provide person-centered care. Residents can look forward to consistency, security, daily activities and relationship building with compassionate staff and other residents. Staff members are trained in caring for senior with cognitive challenges. Residents can choose between private suites or friendship suites and are encouraged to decorate to reflect their personal interests and histories. The community hosts a wealth of daily small- and large-group activities each day, such as cooking and art classes. Meals are served three times a day and feature music, company and light activities. Brookdale Arvada Senior Living is a secure facility with 24-hour care, keypad entry and monitoring at entrances and exists. Days are consistently and thoughtfully scheduled so residents can focus on routine and comfort. Residents and loved ones appreciate the attentiveness of the staff. One loved one writes, "It's very warm and feels like home as soon as you walk in the door with the beautiful living room. All the staff is extremely friendly and everyone is very inviting." The Gardens on Quail is a retirement community that provides different levels of care to suit the changing needs of its residents. Dallas Creek is the peaceful memory care section of the community that offers a homelike and secure environment. The small size of the neighborhood ensures that seniors receive personalized assistance from a team of dedicated caregivers who are available at all times to provide support. A registered nurse oversees the medical care of residents and carries out regular health checks to monitor their general well-being. Seniors have access to a secure courtyard where they can take part in outdoor activities or simply enjoy the sunshine. The caregivers guide residents through daily activities that may include card games, arts and crafts, puzzles, balance classes and reminiscing conversations. Relatives appreciate the compassionate care provided by staff, with one person saying, "We couldn't ask for a better place for our Mom. The staff is genuinely caring and has her best interest at heart 24/7. They go above and beyond to make sure all of her needs are met from cleaning her apartment to the delicious food she is served." Villagio of Broomfield is a stand-alone memory care community that offers a warm and welcoming environment to seniors. Each resident has a personalized care plan to ensure they receive treatment tailored to their needs and preferences. Staff members are trained to assist seniors at every level of memory loss, from the early stages to end-of-life care. Highly experienced caregivers are on-hand at all times to provide guidance and support as needed. The daily program is designed to keep residents engaged throughout the day and may include pet therapy, art classes, music therapy and one-on-one cognitive activities. Every resident has a spacious private apartment with a small kitchenette and a washer and dryer. Seniors are encouraged to bring their own items to decorate the apartment to help them feel at home. Relatives appreciate the professional staff and range of activities, with one person saying, "The staff is super friendly, caring & helpful; going out of their way to meet Mom's needs. The food is excellent (really!) & I love that each apartment has its own laundry. ...The daily activities are engaging, appropriate for memory-impaired patients & lots of fun." Legend of Broomfield is a senior living community conveniently located between Boulder and Denver, Colorado, in the suburb of Broomfield. With beautiful mountain views as a backdrop, the bustling community provides memory care services designed to meet the personal needs and preferences of residents with dementia, Alzheimer's and other cognitive impairments. Around-the-clock caregivers are specially trained in dementia care to assist seniors with daily living tasks, such as bathing, dressing and eating. Residents have plenty of opportunities to stay physically fit and mentally engaged by participating in various activities and programs. The community's team of chefs prepares and serves delicious meals in the dining room, or seniors can order something from the fully stocked bistro. Podiatry, portable X-ray and therapy are a few of the additional medical services offered by visiting medical professionals. Family members praise the warm and welcoming environment at Legend. The daughter of a resident writes, "My mother has been with the community in the memory care facility at the Legend at Broomfield for over two years now. The staff have been amazing, comforting, and helpful particularly over the past year." Assured Senior Living 11 Arvada Blue House in Arvada, CO offers assisted living and memory care services in a warm, home-like setting. Specially-trained Alzheimer's professionals provide 24-hour protective supervision and support to residents coping with degenerative mental disorders. The expert staff deliver pain management, stroke support and medication administration services. A respectful team of caregivers assists residents with daily activities like eating, bathing and grooming while helping them maintain maximal independence. Residents receive delicious meals served in their studio apartments or in the lively dining room, where they can spend time with friends and neighbors. The community schedules stimulating social, cultural and recreational activities that encourage residents to interact and use their skills. Wellness programs such as pet and music therapy are available to help meet the changing day-to-day needs of seniors living with dementia. Transportation to social outings and medical appointments is also provided. Residents and their loved ones applaud the community for its well-maintained grounds and nutritious dining options. "I visited often during my Mom's time there and the house was always clean and well maintained," one reviewer writes. "I have been there many times when meals are being prepared/served and while they are definitely not gourmet, they are nutritious, hot and appealing." Bonaventure of Thornton is located 15 miles north of Denver in Thornton, Colorado. Designed with memory-impaired seniors in mind, the specialized memory care unit has easy-to-navigate floor plans, secure patios and a library. Residents receive unique care plans, personalized to their needs, abilities and interests. The team of trained staff, which includes registered nurses, offers 24/7 care and support with daily tasks, such as medication management and housekeeping. Caregivers are trained in memory care treatment techniques that include aromatherapy, clinical exercises and reminiscing therapy. There is a robust menu of engaging activities designed to slow down memory loss, including gardening, computer classes and art classes. Three chef-prepared meals are served daily in the elegant dining area, and there is a private dining room for special events with loved ones. Visitors appreciate the array of activities, with one reviewer saying, ?"Bonaventure Senior Living - Thornton is a wonderful place. There are lots of activities, it's easy to navigate, and the food seems pretty good. My mother-in-law seems to enjoy the food. There's a movie theater, bowling game, jigsaw puzzles, bingo, and rummy cube, and they have a daily activities calendar." Gardens Care Senior Living Camenisch Park is a well-appointed, cozy memory care community. The facility is notable for providing individualized care to each senior. It is set up to resemble a home, with an open kitchen where meals are prepared and an open layout that encourages residents to interact with each other. All residents receive help with the daily activities of living from 24/7 caregivers and have access to an outdoor patio area. Housekeeping and laundry services are included, and scheduled transportation is available for medical appointments. Throughout the day, activities are planned to keep residents busy, including arts and crafts, puzzles, book clubs and gardening. Gardens Care Senior Living - Camenisch Park has numerous positive reviews, with many highlighting the caring staff. One reviewer writes, "The care given to all the residents was excellent, and the service provided by their physicians & nurses was on time. Rest assured that you and your loved one will be in good hands!" Applewood Our House Arvada is a small, homelike community for seniors who need memory care. Sixteen residents live in private or shared rooms grouped around a large community space with an open floor plan. The walkway around the house has a sturdy iron fence, so seniors can safely spend time outdoors and admire the mountain view. Activities include music, crafts, gardening, cooking and a weekly off-site excursion. Applewood Our House accepts seniors with all forms of dementia, including Parkinson's disease. All staff members earn QMAP certification and are available around the clock. Residents receive help with dressing, bathing and other daily needs. A doctor visits Applewood Our House every week. Physical therapy and hospice care are provided on-site. A dietitian plans the home cooked meals; laundry and housekeeping are provided at least three times per week. Family members comment that Applewood's small size works so well for their loved ones. "It truly is the next best thing to being home," says one. Another resident's wife comments, "The quiet atmosphere has given back quality to [my husband's] life." Reviewers are also impressed by the dedication and compassion of the staff. "My mom was treated as if she was their grandma," notes a resident's daughter. Overlooking the Rocky Mountains, the Mountain Vista Senior Living Community offers assisted living and memory care accommodations. The 30-acre community provides memory care residents with 24/7 care and discreetly assists them with the activities of daily life while providing cognitive cues to help them retain independence when possible. Residents live in a secured unit and are offered three chef-prepared daily meals, served in a restaurant-style dining hall. Throughout the day, residents are encouraged to interact with each other at religious services, catch a film in the theater, take part in arts and crafts or walk the trail in the enclosed interior patio. Many reviewers mention how responsive the staff is, while others comment on the clean environment and general layout. One reviewer writes, "This is a loving place for my mom; there's nothing better than good care by a friendly staff that love what they do, in a clean environment and with dignity into everything they do!" Allison Care Center is located in a residential neighborhood of Lakewood, Colorado, a few miles south of Westminster. The community's robust memory care program optimizes wellness to meet a spectrum of needs, including personalized support for each resident's physical, emotional and social goals. Individual and group activities encourage lively discussion, sensory enrichment and creative expression through games, art, music and exercise. Through these guided experiences, staff members learn the social history and preferences of each resident, matching them to the level of care and assistance seniors receive as they navigate daily living activities. Services with therapeutic specialists are available on-site, and transportation is provided for appointments with off-site medical professionals nearby. Reviews describe lively engagement in activities. A resident's loved one says, "Every time I visit [the activities director] is engaging in activities with the residents and they are smiling and laughing and enjoy the activity that is taking place." Another resident's family member writes, "It looks like they have all the amenities that you would want for your parents." Tucked into a quiet, residential neighborhood in Arvada, Co, Gardens Care Senior Living- Columbine Acres is a memory care community that offers individualized care and a low staff-to-resident ratio. All 16 residents receive a private studio bedroom and are encouraged to mingle in shared common social areas that resemble a home, such as the living room, TV room and open kitchen, where meals are prepared daily. Life stations and activities are offered each day that appeal to the interests of the current residents, and community members are encouraged to explore the enclosed outdoor garden area, which includes a walking trail. Residents and their loved ones are very positive about the experience at Columbine Acres, with many commenting on the compassionate staff and comfortable interior. One reviewer highlighted the staff, writing, "What a beautiful and welcoming assisted living community. Everyone that works here was exceptionally kind and had a good attitude in taking care of all the residents, great food, on-time medication, and a pleasant ambiance." MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Wheat Ridge provides a caring environment for seniors living with memory-related conditions. The team's Lavender Sky philosophy focuses on expanding possibilities for residents in their day-to-day experiences. All caregivers receive training that prepares them to support memory care residents beyond the basics of daily living. The Life Enrichment Team fosters meaningful moments of connection through activities designed to recognize a senior's unique talents and celebrate their personal stories. Clinicians practice the same standard of care in meeting a resident's medical needs, coordinating with on and off-site specialists as needed. Chef-prepared meals follow a BrainWise menu plan that features foods known to promote cognitive health, and meals can be modified for special dietary needs or personal preferences. Residents and loved ones praise the staff for excellent communication. A family member writes, "I cannot speak more highly of the care that my Mom is currently receiving at MorningStar Wheat Ridge. ... They are loving and conscientious. They are responsive to my Mom's needs and requests from our family. ... They are doing whatever it takes to keep Mom safe, comfortable, and happy." Sunrise of Boulder offers assisted living and memory care as well as respite and hospice care. The community's location near Boulder Community Hospital and the Good Samaritan Medical Center gives residents convenient access to medical services, as do its nursing team and visiting physicians. On-site, caregivers are present around the clock. In the Reminiscence Neighborhood, seniors with memory-related challenges can find support from specially trained caregivers in a secure setting. The staff runs daily activities for memory care residents and takes them on outings. Sunrise of Boulder's dining program ensures seniors receive well-balanced meals. Additional support comes in the form of housekeeping and laundry services. The community's family engagement app gives residents and family members a way to share experiences, and its Sunrise CareConnect system helps caregivers deliver individualized care. Reviewers praise the atmosphere at Sunrise of Boulder, with one writing, "The community has a very homey feel" and indicating that the staff delivers "a very personal experience" to residents. Another reviewer compliments the community's cleanliness and maintenance as well as its activities program. They also remarked that visiting is an easy experience for residents' loved ones. MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care of Boulder is located in the busy residential neighborhood of Martin Acres in Boulder, Colorado. This community's memory care program, Lavender Sky, strives to inspire residents to enter, embrace and explore by enriching their lives with purposeful and meaningful moments. Seniors here can spend time enjoying the outdoors in a safe, secure manner from the memory care neighborhood's enclosed courtyard and patio. They can also tend to the garden, help in the office and even work alongside maintenance and culinary team members. The staff is trained in the skills needed to communicate and connect with memory care residents while guiding them with empathy and creativity. Families appreciate that MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care of Boulder is a well-kept community with good food and caring staff members. One resident's loved one remarks, "The staff seems genuinely interested in the well-being of their residents. The food seems to be high quality and fresh, and the premises are clean, modern and very homelike." Sunrise at FlatIrons provides memory care to older adults with various forms of memory loss. This community has a contemporary lodge feel with stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. Residents with memory loss can benefit from the Reminiscence Program that integrates validation therapy and music to help improve residents' mental health. Seniors with Alzheimer's and other forms of cognitive impairment can also benefit from the Sunrise Signature Experience, in which certified dementia practitioners and life enrichment managers provide them with personalized care and support. The compassionate caregivers monitor memory care residents and help with medication administration and everyday tasks. The home has various room types with cable TV, Wi-Fi and a full kitchen. Outdoor spaces, such as a secured courtyard, beautiful gardens and patios, offer places for seniors to take strolls, sit and relax. Housekeeping and laundry services are provided. Loved ones applaud the community's caring, respectful staff. One reviewer says, "Sunrise at Flatirons is a wonderful place for my parent to live. Staff are very respectful and take great care of residents. Staff is very helpful to me and any needs or questions I have. The building is beautiful and very well kept. I feel very comfortable and secure with my family member living here."	https://www.memorycare.com/westminster-co-facilities/
If you enjoy reading the Information Age Education Blog entries, please subscribe. The subscription is free. When a new blog is published (currently about one per week) you will receive email notification. To subscribe, click on Subscribe to blog near the top of the page. Note that IAE does not sell use of its mailing lists. Thanks Dave Moursund ==================================================== The following IAE-pedia entry has recently been expanded and updated: Moursund, D. (April, 2014). “Brain Science.” IAE-pedia. Retrieved 4/23/2014 from http://iae-pedia.org/Brain_Science. The IAE-pedia entry covers 36 different brain science topics that are important to teachers, parents, and others interested in education. One of the topics is “Games to Enhance Brain Functioning.” This IAE Blog entry is based on that section of the IAE-pedia “Brain Science” article. See http://iae-pedia.org/Brain_Science#Games_to_Enhance_Brain_Functioning. In recent years, there has been considerable research and development in the area of games that are designed to improve a person’s cognitive abilities. Some of the games have been heavily advertised and have achieved large numbers of users. But, does this type of “brain training” really work? Report on a Wii Game The following short article reports on a study in which adults ages 50 to 70 each spent 20 hours over a period of a month playing a game. It summarizes some of the progress that had been made by the middle of 2010. Bartlett, Tom (9/16/2010). “Can the Wii Make Your Brain Bigger?” The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 11/7/2013 from http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Can-the-Wii-Make-Your-Brain/26979/?sid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en. An abstract of the research paper is available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20822257. Quoting from the article: The game "Big Brain Academy" for the Nintendo Wii tests your abilities in five areas: "memory, analysis, number crunching, visual recognition, and quick thinking." According to its promotional material, it allows you to "have fun learning from the comfort of your couch." … First, the bad news: playing the Wii game didn't improve their cognitive and perceptual abilities, according to the tests. On the upside, the subjects did get better at playing "Big Brain Academy." Those Wii skills, however, don't seem to transfer to the non-Wii world. As you can see, the much-hyped Wii game did not produce significant gains in brain functioning. Lumosity Games Lumosity is an example of a company that has had considerable commercial success in the brain game industry. Its website reports, "Researchers have measured improvements in working memory and attention after training." This company advertises widely and claims that it has had over 50 million users of its materials. The website provides some information on 15 completed research projects and 38+ ongoing research projects. Here are brief excerpts from the website on two reports of the completed research projects: A 2013 peer-reviewed study from Dr. Shelli Kesler, an Assistant Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, shows that Lumosity training can improve the brain’s executive functions, which are a key driver of everyday quality of life. Dr. Shelli Kesler found that women who completed about 12 weeks of Lumosity training improved significantly on a common neuropsychological test (the WCST) compared to a control group of women that did not train. The training targeted skills such as working memory, verbal fluency, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility. … [In another study,] 1,204 students from 40 different schools participated in a semester-long study of Lumosity in the classroom. Students who supplemented their regular curricula with Lumosity training improved more than a control group on a battery of cognitive assessments. More Research The following article suggests that research on the use of games to improve cognitive functioning is promising but in its infancy: Walton, Alice G. (9/5/2013). “Can Video Games Actually Improve Brain and Cognitive Function?” Forbes. Retrieved 11/7/2013 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2013/09/05/can-video-games-actually-improve-brain-and-cognitive-function/. Quoting from the article: The cover of Nature this month features a “game changing” study suggesting that video games may improve brain function in certain measurable ways. The games, of course, are specifically designed for this purpose—they’re not off the shelf at the local game shop—and they give the brain’s attention areas a good workout. The research team led by Adam Gazzaley at the University of California, San Francisco say that a similar approach could become a therapeutic tool for people dealing with a range of issues, like ADHD, dementia, autism. All of these have a common denominator—the loss of cognitive control, which includes the closely linked capacities to attend, make decisions, and multitask. The research is still in its baby stages, so it’s too soon to take that bet, but the possibilities of the technology are alluring, and the study’s underlying logic worth paying attention to. [Bold added for emphasis.] The website http://news.softpedia.com/news/Games-Might-Improve-Cognition-in-the-Elderly-Says-Study-381110.shtml reported on the same study as the article by Walton mentioned above. This report was somewhat negative and closed with the statement, "There are other studies that show brain training video games actually have no effect on the cognitive performance of players." The following article is also critical of the research to date. Olena, Abby (4/21/2014). “Does Brain Training Work?” The Scientist. Retrieved 4/23/2014 from http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/39768/title/Does-Brain-Training-Work-/. Quoting from the article: “Psychologists have been trying to come up with ways to increase intelligence for a very long time,” said D. Zachary Hambrick, a professor of psychology at Michigan State University. “We’ve been interested in increasing intelligence for almost as long as we’ve studied intelligence, which is over a century.” Psychologist Randall Engle’s group at Georgia Tech has previously shown that working memory capacity is highly correlated with complex learning, problem solving, and general attention control. But he pointed out that this correlation does not mean that by increasing working memory capacity, fluid intelligence can be increased. “This idea that intelligence can be trained would be a great thing if it were true,” Engle said. Fluid intelligence is the ability to reason quickly and to think abstractly; this type of intelligence tends to decline during late adulthood. The Olena paper briefly discusses an often-quoted 2008 study: “Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory.” When Engle’s group tried to repeat the findings of the paper, “we totally failed to replicate the . . . study,” he said. For the paper that resulted from their efforts, which was published in 2012 in Journal of Experimental Psychology, the researchers taught the same working memory tasks, in which participants were presented with stimuli one right after the other and are asked to recall which occurred a certain number of times previously, to one group of young adults; an adaptive visual search task to a second group; and no task to a control group. The researchers assessed the participants at the beginning, middle, and end of the training programs for measures of cognitive function, including fluid intelligence and multitasking. The groups that practiced the n-back and the visual search tasks improved their performance on those tasks specifically, but the team found no positive transfer to the other cognitive abilities they tested. … “Data obtained so far doesn’t seem to show that working memory capacity was expanded after working memory training,” coauthor Weng-Tink Chooi, who is now a researcher at the Advanced Medical and Dental Institute of the Universiti Sains Malaysia, wrote in an e-mail to The Scientist. “What is more consistently observed is that improvements are noted on the trained task and other tasks that share the same specific skills/processes engaged as the trained task.” [Bold added for emphasis.] Update Added 01/27/2014 Koenig, R. (01/22/2014). Brain-Training Companies Get Advice From Some Academics, Criticism From Others. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 10/27/2014 from http://chronicle.com/article/Brain-Training-Companies-Get/149555/. Quoting from the article: … brain-game companies entice people to buy subscriptions to their online training programs, many of which promise to increase customers’ "neuroplasticity," "fluid intelligence," and working memory capacity. They even claim to help stave off the effects of aging. Leading scientists have criticized those promises, though. The loudest objection came on Monday, when the Stanford Center for Longevity and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, in Berlin, released "A Consensus on the Brain-Training Industry From the Scientific Community," a statement objecting "to the claim that brain games offer consumers a scientifically grounded avenue to reduce or reverse cognitive decline." Nearly 70 psychology, neuroscience, and gerontology professors signed the document, which has been in the works since a group of scientists met, in April 2013, to discuss their concerns about the burgeoning industry that claims to draw on their research. Update Added 3/30/2015 Here is another somewhat negative article: Abner, E. (3/232015). Opinion: Can the Brain Be Trained? New Scientist. Retrieved 3/30/2015 from http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/42522/title/Opinion--Can-the-Brain-Be-Trained-/. Quoting from the article: Meanwhile, products already on the market claim to build, support, and protect brain function. Companies like Lumosity, for example, produce online games that promiseto train your brainfor better performance in memory and other aspects of cognition. With millions of dollars invested in these industries, brain health is clearly big business. In 2013,Forbesnamed Lumosity, which has millions of customers, one of “America’s most promising companies.” But are the promises of improved cognition supported by evidence? [Bold added for emphasis.] So far, the answer is no. Recently, the Stanford Center for Longevity and the Berlin Max Planck Institute for Human Development convened a group of more than 60 neuroscientists to develop a consensus statement on how well brain games match up to their advertised benefits. The group concluded that “claims promoting brain games are frequently exaggerated and at times misleading.” The consensus group reported that while game scores will in fact improve for most consumers, these are short-term improvements that do not extend to other brain functions. In other words, better scores are the result of practicing the games and do not appear to translate into better memory, thinking, or gains in intelligence. Further, there is no evidence that these brain-training games will prevent or slow the onset of cognitive impairment or dementia. Final Remarks We are still a long way from developing brain games that significantly improve brain functioning over a broad range of tasks beyond those tasks specifically trained for in the games. There are a number of companies and well-qualified brain and game researchers working in this area, but it is proving to be a quite difficult challenge. So, be skeptical of unsubstantiated claims from the developers and marketers of such games. What You Can Do When your students play a computer game, they are exercising their brains. They are also learning how to play the game and most will become better at it with practice. If you spend quite a bit of your own time playing computer games, take some additional time to do metacognition/reflection about what you are learning. Try to evaluate the extent to which your increasing game knowledge and skill transfers to other problems and tasks that you face in your everyday life. Then do the same exercise with your students. Encourage your students to think about their lives, both in and out of school, or you might restrict their metacognition/reflection specifically to the subject area that you are teaching to them. After they complete the metacognition/reflection, have them share their insights in small groups or with the whole class. Suggested Readings from IAE Moursund, D. (10/31/2013). Transfer of Learning. IAE Blog. Retrieved 4/24/2014 from http://i-a-e.org/iae-blog/entry/transfer-of-learning.html. Moursund, D. (10/7/2012). The Brain Series on PBS Hosted by Charlie Rose and Eric Kandel. IAE Blog. Retrieved 4/24/2041 from http://i-a-e.org/iae-blog/entry/the-brain-series-on-pbs-hosted-by-charlie-rose-and-eric-kandel.html. Moursund, D. (12/21/2013). Education for the Future. IAE Blog. Retrieved 4/24/2014 from http://i-a-e.org/iae-blog/entry/education-for-the-future.html. Moursund, D. (12/6/2010). Neuromythologies (Brain Science Mythologies) in Education. IAE Blog. Retrieved 4/24/2014 from http://i-a-e.org/iae-blog/entry/neuromythologies-brain-science-mythologies-in-education.html. Moursund, D. (4/16/2014). Some Underlying Theory about Electronic Games in Education. Retrieved 4/24/2014 from http://i-a-e.org/iae-blog.html?start=60. Moursund, D. (April, 2014). “Brain Science.” IAE-pedia. Retrieved 4/23/2014 from http://iae-pedia.org/Brain_Science. Moursund, D. (n.d.). Education for Increasing Expertise. IAE-pedia. Retrieved 4/24/2014 from http://iae-pedia.org/Education_for_Increasing_Expertise.	https://i-a-e.org/blog2/entry/does-brain-training-work.html
Summary: People who are competent at “near transfer”, or skilled ability at similar games, are more likely to also have far transfer skills, meaning a greater ability to focus on daily living activities. Source: UCR If you are skilled at playing puzzles on your smartphone or tablet, what does it say about how fast you learn new puzzles, or, more broadly, how well you can focus, say, in school or at work? Or, in the language of psychologists, does “near transfer” predict “far transfer”? A team of psychologists at UC Riverside and UC Irvine reports in Nature Human Behavior that people who show near transfer are more likely to show far transfer. For a person skilled at playing a game, such as Wordle, near transfer refers to being skilled at similar games, such as a crossword puzzle. An example of far transfer for this person is better focus in daily living activities. “Some people do very well in training, such as playing a video game, but they don’t show near transfer perhaps because they are using highly specific strategies,” said first author Anja Pahor, an assistant research psychologist at UCR and a project scientist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maribor in Slovenia. “For these people, far transfer is unlikely. By better understanding why this type of memory training or ‘intervention’ works for some people but not others, we can move forward with a new generation of working memory training games or use approaches that are more tailored to individuals’ needs.” The researchers conducted three randomized control trials involving nearly 500 participants and replicated the same finding: The extent to which people improve on untrained tasks, that is, tasks they are not familiar with (near transfer), determines whether far transfer to an abstract reasoning task is successful. By analogy, if a person running on a treadmill in the gym (training or intervention) proceeds to be able to run faster outdoors (near transfer), then this improvement predicts whether this person would be better prepared to engage in other physical activities (far transfer), such as cycling or playing a sport. Whether and the degree to which working memory training improves performance on untrained tasks, as in “fluid intelligence,” the ability to think and reason abstractly and solve problems, remains a highly debated topic. Some meta-analyses show a small but significant positive effect on fluid intelligence; others argue no evidence exists that training generalizes to fluid intelligence. “What working memory researchers get most excited about is whether there is transfer to fluid intelligence,” said coauthor Aaron Seitz, a professor of psychology at UCR and the director of the UCR Brain Game Center for Mental Fitness and Well-Being. “What we say in our paper is simple: If you get near transfer, it is very likely that you also get far transfer. “But not everybody gets near transfer for a variety of reasons, such as participants disengaging during training or because that particular training is ineffective for them. These people appear not to get far transfer.” Seitz noted that people are constantly being sold brain training games. “Some studies claim these games work; other studies claim the opposite, making it difficult to interpret the interventions,” he said. “Further, some of these studies have lumped together people who show near transfer with people who show no near transfer. Our paper clarifies some of this confusion.” To further explore those issues, the team has launched a large-scale citizen science project that will engage 30,000 participants in various forms of brain training. The researchers welcome anyone over 18 to participate by signing up or learn more about their ongoing work. Susanne Jaeggi, a professor of education at UCI and director of the UCI Working Memory and Plasticity Lab and a coauthor on the research paper, cautioned that companies’ claims that their games improve core cognitive functions need to be carefully evaluated. “Almost everyone has access to an app or plays a game on a computer and it is easy to get seduced by the claims of some companies,” she said. “If we can understand how and for whom brain training apps work, we can improve them to get more out of them than just fun. Such improved apps would be especially meaningful for older adults and certain patient groups.” Funding: The research was funded by a grant to UCR and UCI from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health. About this neuroscience research news Author: Iqbal Pittalwala Source: UCR Contact: Iqbal Pittalwala – UCR Image: The image is credited to UCR Original Research: Open access. “Near transfer to an unrelated N-back task mediates the effect of N- back working memory training on matrix reasoning” by Anja Pahor et al. Nature Human Behavior Abstract Near transfer to an unrelated N-back task mediates the effect of N- back working memory training on matrix reasoning The extent to which working memory training improves performance on untrained tasks is highly controversial. Here we address this controversy by testing the hypothesis that far transfer may depend on near transfer using mediation models in three separate randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In all three RCTs, totalling 460 individuals, performance on untrained N-back tasks (near transfer) mediated transfer to Matrix Reasoning (representing far transfer) despite the lack of an intervention effect in RCTs 2 and 3. Untrained N-back performance also mediated transfer to a working memory composite, which showed a significant intervention effect (RCT 3). These findings support a model of N-back training in which transfer to untrained N-back tasks gates further transfer (at least in the case of working memory at the construct level) and Matrix Reasoning. This model can help adjudicate between the many studies and meta-analyses of working memory training that have provided mixed results but have not examined the relationship between near and far transfer on an individual-differences level.	https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-training-20874/
I’m working on a anatomy discussion question and need support to help me learn. Module 07 Discussion – Brain Games Discussion Topic Activity Time: 2 hours; Additional Time for Study, Research, and Reflection: 1 hour Directions: Brain games continue to increase in popularity, especially mobile applications. You may have seen the advertisements for these apps, or perhaps you may have even tried them yourself. There are dozens of different companies claiming that their mobile applications can improve your brain’s function. Do these brain games work? Can games on your mobile device actually improve mental acuity or prevent memory loss? What does the research say about these types of games and activities?	https://goldgrades.info/2022/02/ma-278-rc-w7-smartphone-games-in-cognitive-development-discussion/
Having a good memory can often be the difference between being successful or failure in life. Research has shown that there is a strong relationship between intelligence and working memory. Cognito is a suite of three different memory games designed to help you improve your memory according to the rules of Mnemonics. Playing these games for a little while everyday shall dramatically improve memory of players. The three games are based on three different memorisation categories. -Association -Face Recognition -Number Retention There are three difficulty levels for each game. Play on your own or take turns to find out which of your friends has the best memory.	http://androlicious.com/details/com.androlive.memoryplus
Talking to my friends and looking at my own reactions, I believe that memory loss is one of the most feared disabilities of aging. Since, as we age, most of us experience some degree of memory loss, it is easy to wonder if what we are experiencing are the first steps to dementia. Witnessing someone with Altzheimer’s Disease can be a really unsettling experience, particularly if is a genetic relative. I have Parkinson’s Disease which has a much higher incidence of dementia than the general population, so my memory failings can be very disconcerting. Our memories and ability to function mentally constitutes the essence of who we are, defining our personalities and our abilities. For a few, memory loss is massive and devastating and is accompanied by loss of many other functions such as their ability to function socially, behave appropriately, make sound judgments, solve problems and take care of oneself. The loss of that complex of functions we label dementia. For most memory loss is much less severe and is part of the normal process of aging. It can be annoying, frustrating and worrisome (Am I developing Altzheimer’s Disease?), but it is circumscribed. This post is mainly about normal memory loss, but I will start with describing dementia. Dementia: Dementia is not a disease; it is a collection of symptoms, which include memory loss and a group of other cognitive dysfunctions including personality changes, inability to carry on normal relationships and activities. The brain lesions seen in dementia are widespread. Alzheimer’s Disease is a leading cause of dementia, but it is not the only cause. Vascular dementia resulting from damage to many small blood vessels throughout the brain is another common cause, and there are a variety of other less common diseases that can lead to dementia. One, which we have heard a lot about recently is dementia resulting from multiple concussions or head trauma, such as occurs in some contact sports, boxing, football or hockey. Unlike the mild memory impairment that most of us over 65ers suffer, dementia is characterized by loss of many functions. Patients with dementia usually have little ability to acquire new memories, forgetting new events almost as quickly as they occur. They are often unaware of their loss with family members complaining about the problem much more than the patient does. They may lose interest in social activities, may behave inappropriately and have great difficulty solving even simple problems. Normal memory loss: The aging brain does undergo changes that result in slowing of the ability to process information and to acquire and recall memories. It manifests as absentmindedness (Where did I leave my keys?), missed appointments or forgetting what you set out to do (Why did I come into the kitchen?). We also notice the forgetting of names and past events. Some of this is related to a lessened ability to focus on acquiring new information (i.e. names) particularly when distracted by other events, and some is related to the gradual fading of unused memories (use it or lose it). All of these things result from some degree of deterioration of brain functioning due to a declining number of neurons (brain cells) and neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, etc.). The processes particularly affect the hippocampus and frontal lobes, the areas most associated with laying down and retrieving memories. The bad news is that this is the inevitable result of wear and tear, and it progresses naturally as we get older. The good news is that it has been discovered in recent years that the brain can grow new cells and actually improve function in some areas, even in later years. So there is some reason to believe that the process can be slowed down. The amount of deficit that we develop as we age is highly variable. All people have some loss, and the longer we live, the more it is likely to be. However, as we all know, some people remain remarkably intact into their 90s, and others have more memory impairment earlier. The loss of function generally is in the acquisition and retrieval of information. So, we are slowed in the processing and recalling of facts, but retain the ability to interpret information. Fortunately that means that one’s ability to function, relate, reason and make judgments continues unimpaired. A wise person remains wise, however many details of memory are lost. What makes memory loss greater, and what makes it less? There are a number of risk factors, some of which we can change and some we can’t. We can’t change our genes, and the likelihood of severe memory loss is affected by the genetic legacy of our parents. Other risk factors include obesity, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking and certain medications. Depression may contribute to memory loss, or it may be an effect of it. Hearing loss doesn’t affect memory itself, but it makes it more difficult to acquire new information. Many of these factors can be at least influenced by our behavior. Importantly, there are a variety of factors that evidence suggests reduce the risk of dementia and memory loss. The first among them is physical exercise. None of the studies of this are definitive, but there are many that indicate that moderately vigorous exercise 3-4 times per week reduce the incidence of dementia and memory loss. It is not known exactly why, but exercise reduces the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke, themselves risk factors, and it may improve oxygen transmission to the brain and increase the connections between brain cells. In any case, there is certainly evidence that regular exercise improves physical functioning and is linked to longevity, so building it into one’s life seems prudent and may help to slow memory loss. Mental exercise is also linked to reduced incidence. Many experts believe that challenging you brain with activities such as reading, learning a language or learning other subjects, games that demand mental exercise, social interaction, and challenging work all delay or lessen the onset of dementia and memory loss. There are studies that are suggestive of this, although, again, none of them are definitive. There are a number of commercial, interactive, computer programs now that profess to improve mental functioning, but there is not yet clear evidence as to whether they have an effect beyond learning how to play their games better. However, as with physical exercise, there is no down side in engaging in mental activity that stimulates the brain to work. There are some studies that suggest that those following a Mediterranean diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and vegetable oils have a lower incidence of Altzheimer’s Disease. This is also the case with moderate use of alcohol; however, there is clearer evidence that heavy drinking and the use of illegal drugs have a negative effect on mental functioning. All of us are aware that getting a good night’s sleep improves mental functioning the next day. The challenge for over 65ers is that sleep tends to deteriorate with age. We may need less sleep than when we were younger, but sleep is often interrupted making it less effective than sleeping straight through. I know that I suffer from interrupted sleep like many others. I offer no solution, but following the usual suggestions such as no caffeine late in the day, minimal fluids after dinner, quiet reading until tired before going to bed, consistent schedule, avoiding long daytime naps, all help. Also, it is useful to give yourself enough time in bed. If you require 6 hours sleep to be well rested, schedule 7 hours in bed to make up for the interruptions and awake times. In summary, some memory loss is part of the normal process of aging, and for most people it does not cause major impairment, at least until they get very old. For some the losses progress more quickly, and to some extent it is chance whether you are in that category. However, there is now scientific evidence that there are things one can do to positively affect the retention of memory and that the brain is much more plastic and renewable than we ever imagined. Staying as active as one can, both physically and mentally and avoiding bad health habits is all one can do, and then hope for the best. For someone who wants to read more about this subject, much of what I have written is elaborated in more detail in a Harvard Medical School special health report entitled “Improving Memory”. Al Martin, M.D., 75, is a former associate professor of medicine at University of California San Francisco Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer of Blue Shield of California. He writes a blog, Age with Spirit.	http://over65.thehastingscenter.org/memory-loss/
TABLE OF CONTENTS According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time-consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed. As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution. In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle. To choose the best memory care facilities in Hialeah, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process. Overall, our team: Located in Hollywood, FL, The Peninsula is a senior living community dedicated to enriching the lives of its residents. Using the Montessori Moments in Time program, residents in need of specialized memory care are treated to personalized assistance and care based on their life stories, medical histories and personal needs to provide an environment of respectful care and targeted treatment. Private apartments are designed to radiate the comfort of home, and the staff is on hand 24/7 to assist residents. Daily schedules designed by the life enrichment coordinator showcase the strengths and abilities of each resident through hobbies, artistic talents and socialization with neighbors. Additionally, physical and mental fitness programs ensure both body and mind receive ample exercise. What Residents Are Saying Residents and their families praise the community for its welcoming and homelike environment, consistently commending the staff. One family member says, “The staff is so caring and understanding. It makes a difference when you can count on people to help in such difficult situations.” Reviews: 3.55 out of 5 stars; 111 reviews Phone: (954) 368-0679 Address: 5100 Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hollywood, FL 33023 Web: https://www.meridiansenior.com/senior-living/fl/hollywood/the-peninsula/ The Plaza at Aventura ParkSquare is a luxurious 10-story high-rise senior apartment building that features a wide range of restaurants, cafes, retail shops and other services within walking distance. For residents living with dementia or other memory loss, its memory care program provides a safe, secure and homelike setting with various types of brain-stimulating activities. A trained team of caregivers focuses on assisting seniors with daily living activities and ensuring their physical and mental needs are met on a daily basis. A special floor of the building offers complimentary concierge services for easier access to community activities, restaurant-style dining and social events. Residents living on the concierge floor can get assistance with anything they need from a full-time staff member just a few steps from their door. What Residents Are Saying The Plaza makes a senior’s transition from home to a caring community go smoothly. A family member wrote, “We just moved my mom in last week and I can’t say enough good things about The Plaza at Parksquare! All of the staff is amazing and really help with the transition for your loved one. I highly recommend The Plaza at Parksquare!” Reviews: 4.83 out of 5 stars, 42 reviews Phone: (786) 496-0142 Address: 2940 NE. 207th St., Aventura, FL 33180 Web: http://royalaventura.com/ MiCasa Senior Living is a welcoming and safe senior community offering assisted living and memory care in fully furnished bedrooms with cable television, Wi-Fi and 24-hour security. Seniors living with dementia or other memory loss issues receive brain-enriching programming, motivational activities and fitness exercises to promote a healthy, active life. Its multicultural care staff is available 24/7 to provide assistance with medications, bathing, dressing and as much care as needed. For added peace of mind, residents are monitored by a wireless emergency calling system through an alert pendant and video surveillance cameras. Community services include housekeeping, laundry and gourmet meals that meet resident’s dietary needs. MiCasa provides short-term stays for loved ones or caregivers needing to take a break, as well as hospice care. During a power failure, the residence is backed by a power generator to minimize any disruption in services. What Residents Are Saying Residents say that MiCasa Senior Living takes extremely good care of them. One family member remarked, “This is a beautiful and clean Assisted Living that caters to Memory Care. They really care for each of their Residents and treat them as part of a family.” Reviews: 4.90 out of 5 stars, 19 reviews Phone: (954) 613-1163 Address: 6021 Duval St., Hollywood, FL 33024 Web: https://www.livingatmicasa.com/ Presidential Place is an assisted living and memory care community located just a few minutes from the ocean in Hollywood, Florida. Its personalized Valeo memory care program provides a homelike environment for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. With the support of the program’s trained and caring staff, residents receive help with daily tasks, such as bathing, grooming, toileting and eating. Seniors are encouraged to share positive memories, build relationships with family and engage in brain-stimulating activities that include puzzles, crafts and exercises. To keep residents safe, Presidential Place has 24-hour security, an emergency response system in each bathroom and enclosed courtyards. On a daily basis, three nutritious chef-prepared meals are served in the restaurant-styled dining room. Housekeeping, laundry and scheduled transportation to doctor’s appointments or outings are services also provided. What Residents Are Saying Presidential Place provides a caring place for residents. A relative wrote, “The staff were mostly attentive and caring, and they were quick to respond and remedy any situation as it came up. In the end, we were very grateful for the entire team, the atmosphere and the level of care they provided for our Mother at Presidential Place. Reviews: 3.93 out of 5 stars, 137 reviews Phone: (954) 894-0059 Address: 3880 S. Circle Dr., Hollywood, FL 33021 Web: https://www.presidentialplacehollywood.com/ The Sterling Aventura is a comfortable senior community located a few minutes away from sandy beaches featuring on-site nature trails, walking paths and a shaded courtyard for relaxing. Its Valeo memory care program encourages residents with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive impairments to create new social relationships, preserve memories and improve physical wellness. A trained care team is available 24/7 to help seniors with grooming, washing, dressing and walking. Finance assistance and help preparing meals is also offered along with medication management. 24-hour security, health monitoring and an emergency response system keep residents safe and secure. Seniors can gather with family and friends on the outdoor patio, enjoy chef-prepared meals and get their hair done at the beauty/barbershop. Scheduled transportation is available for those needing to get to doctor’s appointments, attend cultural events or go on local shopping excursions. Weekly housekeeping, laundry, linen and maintenance services are also provided by The Sterling. What Residents Are Saying The Sterling offers excellent care from a team of memory care staff and nurses. A relative of one resident wrote, “The Sterling is an exceptionally perfect…[community]…for my 95 year old mother. The staff, nurses, assistant nurses are very kind, compassionate and caring.” Reviews: 4.37 out of 5 stars; 141 reviews Phone: (305) 918-0000 Address: 2777 NE. 183rd St., Aventura, FL 33160 Web: https://www.thesterlingaventura.com/ Residential Plaza at Blue Lagoon is a senior living community located in the heart of Miami. Following the Montessori for Aging and Dementia Program, the community’s memory care program creates a homelike environment of safety, familiarity and caring assistance. Residences are private and easy to navigate, and living areas are full of comfortable features, such as living rooms, kitchens and ample space outdoors to enjoy the southern Florida sun. The neighborhood is designed with pleasing colors and wayfinding signage throughout, and registered nurses are available 24/7 to assist with daily tasks and offer compassionate companionship. Daily schedules are arranged with independence and engagement in mind and focus on listening to residents and their needs in the moment. Personalized wellness programs include exercise and fitness, educational lessons for brain fitness and ample time to socialize with friends and neighbors. What Residents Are Saying Residents and their families applaud the community for its dedication to caring, especially the warm, personal treatment of memory care residents. One family member says, “The memory care center is a very special and rare resource for family members with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementia-related disorders. A real home-like environment with specialized care and programming.” Reviews: 4.72 out of 5 stars; 45 reviews Phone: (305) 267-2700 Address: 5617 NW. 7th St., Miami, FL 33126 Web: https://residentialplaza.com/en/ Palace Renaissance & Royale is a senior living community devoted to residents living with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. The community is gated and kept safe via 24-hour operated security systems. Residents live in private studio apartments that feature emergency call systems, spacious and safe bathrooms, and plenty of space for favorite personal belongings. Trained staff are on hand 24/7 for personalized assistance, including sensory stimulation, medication management and specialized health services from trained therapists and physicians. Daily activities that stimulate body and mind include secured walking trails and daily fitness groups, music therapy and creative workshops for arts, crafts and hobbies. Daily happy hours and community parties such as ice cream socials and movie nights provide socialization, and intriguing classes teach residents new skills and talents. What Residents Are Saying Residents and their families commend the community’s devotion to memory care, praising the staff. One family member says, “The property is amazing, and the staff even more so. I couldn’t ask for a more caring environment for my mother. I can’t think of a better, safer place for a loved one.” Reviews: 4.53 out of 5 stars; 191 reviews Phone: (305) 270-7000 Address: 11355 SW. 84th St., Miami, FL 33173 Web: https://www.thepalace.org/palace-renaissance.html The Sheridan at Cooper City is a senior living community focusing on assisted living and memory care. The Embrace Memory Care Program is designed around a secured neighborhood-style setting with purposefully designed amenities and features such as alarmed doors and a homelike atmosphere. Daily schedules are based on residents’ choices in the moment, which help enhance memory formation and recollection, with structured programming such as technology classes for mental stimulation and increased connection with family, community parties for socialization and hobby clubs to showcase skills. Daily care is personalized to each resident, ranging from friendly task reminders to assistance with all daily tasks as cognitive abilities decline. Additionally, on-site therapy and physician services ensure care without having to leave. The pet-friendly community offers plenty of open spaces just for pets, including secured walking paths and a landscaped courtyard. What Residents Are Saying The community is praised by residents and their families for its inviting atmosphere and its staff of compassionate, dedicated caregivers. One family member says, “The Sheridan at Cooper City has a wonderful staff and is a fabulous facility. The amenities are second to none.” Reviews: 4.34 out of 5 stars; 47 reviews Phone: (954) 451-0073 Address: 2580 Pine Island Rd., Cooper City, FL 33024 Web: https://www.seniorlifestyle.com/property/florida/the-sheridan-at-cooper-city/ Oakmonte Village of Davie is a luxury retirement community located on 10 acres of land that offers seniors many assisted living, independent living and memory care options. To meet their individual needs, residents can choose from a variety of modern and spacious one and two-bedroom apartments, in addition to cozy studio spaces. Its memory care program provides a safe and secure homelike setting for those living with dementia and similar types of memory loss. In addition to mind-stimulating activities, the trained care staff helps seniors with everyday needs such as eating, bathing, dressing and grooming. The pet-friendly community features amenities that include a heated pool with beach entry, a cabana area, common areas, fitness classes, educational programs and local outings. Gourmet chef-prepared meals are served on a daily basis in the restaurant-style dining area. Other services available at Oakmonte Village include housekeeping, laundry, scheduled transportation, wellness checks and building maintenance. What Residents Are Saying Oakmonte Village is often praised for its friendly staff and and exceptional variety of care options. One grandson writes, “Oakmonte Village has been great. My grandfather has never been happier. They always have different options available for food and they have a menu every day. Everybody is friendly and helpful.” Reviews: 4.20 out of 5 stars, 26 reviews Phone: (954) 982-2323 Address: 8201 Stirling Rd., Davie, FL 33328 Web: https://royalseniorcare.com/oakmontevillagedavie/ Located in Davie, FL, Victoria Villa is a safe and purposefully designed community for seniors living with memory care disease. Spread over 10 acres, the community encourages residents to live as independently as possible through various daily activities and socialization opportunities. The trained nursing staff is available 24/7 to assist with any day-to-day needs, and physicians visit every other week to ensure continued wellness. Accommodations are furnished with favorite personal belongings to create a feeling of home, and regular housekeeping services keep them tidy and safe. Living areas include private bathrooms, and common areas are designed for familiarity and comfort. Daily schedules are structured for cognitive and physical stimulation, including music and animal therapy, supervised community outings and secured walks through the numerous courtyards and gardens. What Residents Are Saying Residents and their families praise the care provided by the staff. One family member says, “Such a great place for a loved one. The staff is excellent and the owner was a pleasure to deal with. I go and visit all the time and it has such a relaxing appeal.” Reviews: 4.50 out of 5 stars; 52 reviews Phone: (954) 791-8881 Address: 5151 SW. 61st Ave., Davie, FL 33314 Web: https://www.victoriavilla.com/ Five Star Premier Residences of Hollywood makes senior living vibrant and comfortable through its wide range of amenities. Well-appointed private accommodations are complemented by restaurant-style dining, a full-service barber and beauty salon, library and free parking. A safe and nurturing environment awaits seniors living with various forms of cognitive conditions. Residents benefit from the community’s award-winning Bridge to Rediscovery memory care program, helping them thrive through social engagement, intellectual stimulation, emotional support and physical strengthening. Medical resources are readily available within the community, and health and personal care services are tailored to individual needs. Dining at Five Star creates opportunities for connections and celebrations, with residents enjoying the flavorful creations of celebrity chefs. The culinary team is also mindful of seniors’ nutritional needs, ensuring that menus adhere to doctor-recommended dietary requirements. What Residents Are Saying Family members like that the Five Star team works well together to meet residents’ needs, with one saying, “The staff, the nursing, the administration, the environment, the food, the apartments, the activities, and the demonstrated commitment to a resident-centered culture at Premiere Five Star has transformed my parents in the highest and best ways. Every employee puts the resident first.” Reviews: 4.52 out of 5 stars; 168 reviews Phone: (561) 899-5951 Address: 2480 N. Park Rd., Hollywood, FL 33021 Web: https://www.fivestarseniorliving.com/communities/fl/hollywood/five-star-premier-residences-of-hollywood Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale is a senior community located near the beach and surrounded by a variety of retail shops and local entertainment. It provides a safe and secure environment for seniors living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive impairments. An on-site licensed nurse and care staff are available 24/7 to assist residents with daily living activities, medications and therapies. Seniors with mild to moderate memory loss can take advantage of the community’s Circle of Friends program that offers activities for maintaining their cognitive functions. Belmont Village’s Whole Brain Fitness program focuses on nurturing seniors’ minds through proper nutrition, brain-healthy activities and stress reduction exercises. Memory care residents can enjoy chef-prepared meals in Josephine’s Café, an on-site beauty and barber shop, free scheduled transportation, weekly housekeeping and a fitness center. Short-term respite care is also available for those recovering from a stay at the hospital. What Residents Are Saying Belmont Village has a caring staff with plenty of activities. The relative of one resident wrote, “From top to bottom, the entire management and staff is highly trained, kind, caring and motivated. Wonderful creative activities, exquisite gourmet healthy cuisine, incredible attention to detail.” Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 stars; 20 reviews Phone: (954) 780-5627 Address: 1031 Seminole Dr., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 Web: https://www.belmontvillage.com/locations/fort-lauderdale-florida/ The Preserve at Palm-Aire is a senior living community located in Pompano Beach, FL. The Evergreen memory care neighborhood provides a secured and specialized environment for seniors with varying levels of cognitive decline. Trained staff members are on hand 24/7 for assistance with daily tasks and personal needs, creating meaningful relationships with residents to learn life stories and interests. Homelike residences are kept tidy and safe through routine maintenance and housekeeping services, and community living areas are designed with comfort and ease of navigation in mind. Daily activities offer daily engagement and stimulation in a controlled, therapeutic setting. Additionally, daily exercise classes ensure continued physical wellness, with plenty of sensory therapy to promote calm. The grounds are secure, featuring many pleasing amenities, including landscaped gardens with walking paths and an outdoor pool and spa. What Residents Are Saying Residents and their families consistently praise the community and its caring staff. One family member says, “The nurses and aides are all professional and caring. They take a personal interest in my husband and treat him with tenderness and respect. I always know that he is well taken care of.” Reviews: 4.13 out of 5 stars; 226 reviews Phone: (954) 970-2600 Address: 3701 W. McNab Rd., Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Web: https://www.arborcompany.com/locations/florida/pompano-beach-preserve-at-palmaire Pacifica Senior Living Forest Trace is an award-winning senior living community located in Lauderhill, FL. Its Legacies Memory Care program revolves around residents’ personal needs and choices. Personalized care plans ensure targeted care and assistance for health care needs and daily tasks, and the trained staff is on hand 24/7 to provide friendly, compassionate care. The secured memory care neighborhood is easy to navigate and separate from the rest of the community for continuous security and monitoring. Activities are designed to bolster memory retention and recollection, using programs such as Music & Memory, sensory therapy and peaceful outdoor activities such as gardening and walking clubs. The 73-acre grounds offer beautiful lakeside views and plenty of nature watching, and the spa delivers therapeutic relaxation and pampering. What Residents Are Saying Residents praise the inviting community and its caring staff. One resident says, “I am excited and thrilled with my decision to move to Pacifica Forest Trace. The buildings and grounds are beautiful. My newly renovated two-bedroom apartment is gorgeous. All of the executives and staff are superior.” Reviews: 4.54 out of 5 stars; 131 reviews Phone: (954) 793-4723 Address: 5500 NW. 69th Ave., Lauderhill, FL 33319 Web: https://www.pacificaseniorliving.com/fl/lauderhill/pacifica-senior-living-forest-trace/index.aspx Atria Willow Wood offers community members a safe, engaging lifestyle no matter what level of care is needed. Two objectives of the Life Guidance memory care program are to provide opportunities for physical exercise and to let residents engage in social connections. Activities for physical well-being include stretching and low-impact aerobics. Connections with peers and staff are encouraged with music of different themes that are sure to bring back happy memories. Virtual tours such as scenic drives and places of interest keep residents connected to the outside world. The furniture in communal living and dining rooms encourages conversation. Indoor and outdoor spaces are secure to enhance a sense of freedom and independence. Each resident has a memory board outside their apartment to help them get back safely. What Residents Are Saying Reviewers are happy with the overall running of this community. A family member says, “All departments and the staff treat residents like family. They keep us informed with conference calls and announcements.” Another relative comments, “Beautiful place, clean, always upbeat and positive staff. The staff are very involved with each resident all day, providing wonderful activities.” Reviews: 4.27 out of 5 stars; 169 reviews Phone: (954) 739-4200 Address: 2855 West Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 Web: https://www.atriaseniorliving.com/retirement-communities/atria-willow-wood-fort-lauderdale-fl/ Pacifica Senior Living Sunrise is an award-winning senior community that provides a serene and home-like setting for people dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Its trained memory care staff are available 24/7 to lend seniors a hand with bathing, grooming, eating and other daily living activities. Licensed nurses are also on-call to assist with diabetic care and medication management. Registered dieticians design dementia-friendly menus that are familiar and appealing to residents while nurturing their health. For added peace of mind, Pacifica Senior Living has a 24-hour security system to keep residents safe. A wide range of cognitively stimulating activities is available, including bingo games, reading in the cozy library, watching movies and enjoying tea with other residents. Weekly housekeeping, an on-site beauty salon, a pool and scheduled transportation are other services offered. What Residents Are Saying Pacifica Senior Living ensures residents are given the care they need. A family member wrote, “Our family could not be more satisfied with the love and care our loved one receives from the entire staff. Everyone goes above and beyond to ensure my dad is maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle.” Reviews: 4.10 out of 5 stars; 105 reviews Phone: (954) 633-8849 Address: 4201 Springtree Dr., Sunrise, FL 33351 Web: https://www.pacificaseniorliving.com/fl/sunrise/pacifica-senior-living-sunrise/index.aspx HarborChase of Tamarac is a warm and welcoming senior living community that focuses on the needs and challenges of those facing Alzheimer’s, dementia or other memory-related impairments. Its memory care program is designed to stimulate and encourage residents to engage in daily nature walks, memory enriching games, fun activities and low-intensity exercises. 24/7 care staff are trained in the latest memory care techniques and therapies to assist seniors with daily living requirements and ensure they stay healthy and safe. HarborChase also provides short-term respite care for older adults when their caregivers need to take a break. On a daily basis, chef-prepared meals are served in the intimate dining area. Friends and family can join in celebrations, community events and weekly group outings to foster a lasting relationship with their loved ones. Housekeeping, cleaning, laundry and beauty services are also offered in this pet-friendly community. What Residents Are Saying HarborChase makes residents feel welcome and loved. One relative states, “HarborChase has been AWESOME. The staff are caring, and show such patience for loved ones suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s. I can’t thank them enough for making us family and taking great care of my dad” Reviews: 4.45 out of 5 stars, 57 reviews Phone: (954) 703-1391 Address: 6855 NW. 70th Ave., Tamarac, FL 33321 Web: https://www.harborchase.com/harborchase-tamarac/ The Meridian at Waterways is a homelike senior living community that features spacious studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments, floor-to-ceiling water views and beautiful artwork. Its Montessori Moments in Time is a memory care program offering those with Alzheimer’s or dementia a secure place, thoughtful care and meaningful social interactions. Trained and compassionate nursing staff assist residents with bathing, dressing, grooming, medications, meals and ambulation. Seniors at the pet-friendly community can enjoy restaurant-style dining prepared by an executive chef, the luxury spa, surround sound theater and a variety of life-enriching activities. The Meridian’s respite care program provides a short-term place for residents to get well after coming out of a hospital, rehabilitation clinic or health care facility. Weekly housekeeping, rooftop patio, waterside seating, scheduled transportation and apartment maintenance are other amenities and services that the community also offers. What Residents Are Saying Residents of The Meridian feel that they are cared for by a dedicated staff. One wrote, “Residents are well taken care of and entertainment is offered to them on a daily basis. I recommend this retirement home.” Reviews: 4.40 out of 5 stars, 51 reviews Phone: (754) 212-3251 Address: 3001 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 Web: https://www.meridiansenior.com/senior-living/fl/fort-lauderdale/e-oakland-park-blvd/ Conveniently located one block from University Hospital and Medical Center, Wickshire Tamarac is a vibrant, Medicaid-approved community where seniors can enjoy chef-crafted daily meals, maintenance-free apartments, tailored ADL support and person-centered memory care. Its staff members implement Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care techniques and undertake Wickshire Senior Living’s proprietary dementia care training program called Artistry of Moments. They’re available 24/7 to help seniors with Alzheimer’s or unique cognitive ability impairments make new connections, find purpose in life and enjoy moments of joy each day. They encourage residents to share their talents and wisdom by participating in intergenerational activities and volunteer opportunities at an elementary school located opposite the community. Community amenities include a wellness center, movie room, crafts studio, scenic courtyard and 24/7 on-call nurse. What Residents Are Saying The family-like environment, dedicated caregivers and friendly, knowledgeable directors at Wickshire Tamarac impress reviewers. One writes, “The staff is fantastic! They truly care about the residents’ well-being… The place is super clean and the food is both good and varied. Mom has a special diet, and they bend over backwards to accommodate her.” Another explains, “Every time I visit I see the same loving people caring for residents.” Reviews: 4.60 out of 5 stars; 112 reviews Phone: (954) 982-8690 Address: 7650 N. University Dr., Tamarac, FL 33321 Web: https://www.wickshireseniorliving.com/communities/tamarac/ VIP Care Pavilion is a dedicated memory care community located in Margate, FL. Trained to meet any level of memory impairment, the staff is on hand 24/7 to assist with each resident’s personalized needs, from moderate care such as assistance with mobility and community navigation to full support with every daily need. The community is kept safe through 24-hour monitored security systems that utilize cameras and audio systems to ensure resident safety. Additionally, the secured grounds allow internal community doors to remain unlocked, thus promoting a comfortable, familiar setting. Ample outdoor space features comfortable patio seating and safe walking paths through the lush community grounds. Daily activities are designed for stimulation and include hobby workshops to highlight resident skills and talents, therapeutic massages and plenty of socializing through parties and community celebrations.	https://www.memorycare.com/hialeah-fl-facilities/
Finding a way to increase intelligence can therefore be seen as the holy grail of human success, at both micro and macro levels. So what is the evidence in terms of ways to increase intelligence? First off, let’s start with a refresher on intelligence, and its measurement. Intelligence and cognitive ability are captured by the measurement of the intelligence quotient (IQ). Based on the Cattell-Horn theory of intelligence, general intelligence can be broken down into crystallized (Gc) and fluid (Gf) intelligence. Gc can be likened to an accumulated body of knowledge and is improved through formal education and self-learning. You could argue that Jeopardy champions will have a very high level of crystallized intelligence. On this basis, one of the easiest way to increase intelligence is to stay in school longer and to pursue higher education and to remain intellectually inclined over one’s lifetime. So improving Gc is actualy fairly straightforward. Increase intelligence – the fluid kind Based on Cattel-Horn theory, fluid intelligence (Gf) relates to our ability to solve novel problems – as in, problems that you will never have encountered before. You could argue that Gf is the ‘purest’ form of intelligence and can be liked to the raw processing power of the brain. Individuals with high Gf have the raw brain power to be able to invest in their Gc. So Gf is really the pillar behind individual intelligence. Gf is believed to be innate and cannot be improved through formal education. In 1990, Kyllonen argued that working memory capacity was highly correlated to fluid intelligence. Working memory, which is often used interchangeably with short term memory, can be likened to a mental scratch pad / or mental blackboard, where one can process mental calculations which are necessary for the effective solving of fluid intelligence problems. Because working memory and fluid intelligence are highly correlated, the theory goes that any exercises that would improve working memory would in turn boost fluid intelligence. Dual N-Back to increase intelligence The n-back task is a continuous performance task that is commonly used in neuroscience as an assessment in for working memory. The subject is presented with a sequence of audio and visual stimuli (i.e. a physical visual position of an object on a grid as well as a spoken / audio letter or number). The stimuli come sequentially and the test taker must remember the position of the visual stimuli or audio stimuli n-steps previously. The load factor n can be adjusted to make the task more or less difficult. In other words, you may be shown boxes appearing on a grid in North, East, South or West positions (including intermediary positions), whilst simultaneously hearing numbers being called out. The name of the game is to remember what the visual position and corresponding sound being called out were n steps back. So if n=2, you would need to remember the position of the box and the sound two tries back. A 2008 paper by Jaeggi et al. argued that practicing dual n-back improved working memory and that practicing dual n-back led to improvements in fluid intelligence (Gf) across a number of IQ tests. Although the results of this study are subject to controversy, this is the closest evidence that it is possible to increase intelligence – and fluid intelligence. I have practiced dual n-back and have noted a definite improvement in my working memory and short term memory. There are plenty of resources on the web providing users access to dual n back training. Although free n-back resources are available, IQ Mindware (www.iqmindware.com) offer a variety of paid-for apps which are specifically designed to help improve working memory and fluid IQ test results. Regular training will help increase intelligence by boosting your working memory capacity. The latest version of the program includes ‘interference control’ which the developers argue enhances IQ transfer. The relevance of this feature is explained here. Train regularly to increase your intelligence and assess your IQ gains by taking our web-leading fluid intelligence tests here.	https://iq-brain.com/increase-intelligence/
Obedience, in human behavior, is the quality of being obedient, which describes the act of carrying out commands, or being actuated. Obedience differs from compliance, which is behavior influenced by peers, and from conformity, which is behavior intended to match that of the majority. Humans have been shown to be surprisingly obedient in the presence of perceived legitimate authority figures, as demonstrated by the Milgram experiment in the 1960s, which was carried out by Stanley Milgram to discover how the Nazis managed to get ordinary people to take part in the mass murders. The experiment showed that obedience to authority was the norm, not the exception. A similar conclusion was reached in the Stanford prison experiment. Definition - I. In general uses. - 1. a. The action or practice of obeying or doing what one is bidden; the fact or quality of being obedient; submission to the rule or authority of another; compliance with or performance of a command, law, etc. Freq. with to. See also passive obedience n. at PASSIVE adj. and n. - 2. a. The fact or position of being obeyed, or of having others subject to one's authority (usually in a political or ecclesiastical context); jurisdiction, authority, rule. Now hist. - 3. Homage or submission to a person, thing, quality, idea, etc.; a formal gesture or salutation expressing this; a respectful acknowledgement, as a bow or curtsy. Esp. in to make (one's) obedience. Cf. OBEISANCE n. 2 , OBEISANCE n. 3. Freq. with to. Now arch. and regional. - II. In religious uses. - 4. The vow of submission to proper authority taken by a member of a religious order; the action or fact of keeping this vow. Now chiefly in vow of obedience. - 5. An office, duty, or position of responsibility in a religious house or order, esp. as assigned to a particular member by a superior; the room or place relating to such a duty, etc. Also: the written order by which a religious superior communicates instructions regarding such duties. Forms of human obedience Forms of human obedience include - obedience to laws; - obedience to social norms; - obedience to a monarch, government, organization, religion, or church; - obedience to God; - obedience to self-imposed constraints, such as a vow of chastity; - obedience of a spouse or child to a husband/wife or parent respectively; - obedience of a vassal to his lord, in feudal societies; - obedience to a dominant, in BDSM; and - obedience to management in the workplace. Cultural attitudes to obedience Obedience is regarded as a virtue in many traditional cultures; historically, children have been expected to be obedient to their elders, slaves to their owners, serfs to their lords in feudal society, lords to their king, and everyone to God. Even long after slavery ended in the United States, the Black codes required black people to obey and submit to whites, on pain of lynching. In some Christian weddings, obedience was formally included along with honor and love as part of a conventional bride's (but not the bridegroom's) wedding vow. This came under attack with women's suffrage and the feminist movement. Today its inclusion in the wedding vow practiced by some Christian sects has fallen out of favor. As the middle classes have gained political power, the power of authority has been progressively eroded, with the introduction of democracy as a major turning point in attitudes to obedience and authority. Since the democides and genocides of the First World War and Second World War periods, obedience has come to be regarded as a far less desirable quality in Western cultures. The civil rights and protest movements in the second half of the twentieth century marked a remarkable reduction in respect for authority in Western cultures, and greater respect for individual judgment as a basis for decisions. Obedience training of human beings Some animals can easily be trained to be obedient by employing operant conditioning, for example obedience schools exist to condition dogs into obeying the orders of human owners. Obedience training seems to be particularly effective on social animals, a category that includes human beings; other animals do not respond well to such training. Learning to obey adult rules is a major part of the socialization process in childhood, and many techniques are used by adults to modify the behavior of children. Additionally, extensive training is given in armies to make soldiers capable of obeying orders in situations where an untrained person would not be willing to follow orders. Soldiers are initially ordered to do seemingly trivial things, such as picking up the sergeant's hat off the floor, marching in just the right position, or marching and standing in formation. The orders gradually become more demanding, until an order to the soldiers to place themselves into the midst of gunfire gets a knee-jerk obedient response. Experimental studies of human obedience Obedience has been extensively studied by psychologists since the Second World War -- the Milgram Experiment and the Stanford Prison Experiment are the most commonly cited experimental studies of human obedience, while the Hofling hospital experiment was an early field experiment. The Milgram experiment The Milgram experiments, the first of which was carried out in 1961, were the earliest investigations of the power of authority figures as well as the lengths to which participants would go as a result of their influence. Milgram's results showed that, contrary to expectations, a majority of civilian volunteers would obey orders to apply electric shocks to another person until they were unconscious or dead. Prior to these experiments, most of Milgram's colleagues had predicted that only sadists would be willing to follow the experiment to their conclusion. Studies that predated the Milgram experiment placed very little emphasis upon the participants' responses to authority and focused more upon general fields of human behavior. Despite the fact that relatively little direct work had been done on the subject of obedience, Milgram himself had already conducted several studies, which had shown that obedience tended to increase with the prestige of the authority figure. In these studies, an undergraduate research assistant posing as a [Yale professor had a much greater influence than did someone of lesser status, regardless of the prestige of the institution in which the study was based. Despite the significance of the Milgram experiments, they were regarded as tainted by their breach of ethical standards, in that the participants' right to abdicate was removed. It is worth noting, however, that those being shocked were in reality actors and the shocks were simulated. The Stanford prison experiment Unlike the Milgram experiment, which studied the obedience of individuals, the 1971 Stanford prison experiment studied the behavior of people in groups, and in particular the willingness of people to obey orders and adopt abusive roles in a situation where they were placed in the position of being submissive or dominant by a higher authority. In the experiment, a group of volunteers was divided into two groups and placed in a "prison," with one group in the position of playing prison guards, and other group in the position of "prisoners." In this case, the experimenters acted as authority figures at the start of the experiment, but then delegated responsibility to the "guards," who enthusiastically followed the experimenters' instructions, and in turn assumed the roles of abusive authority figures, eventually going far beyond the experimenters' original instruction in their efforts to dominate and brutalize the "prisoners." At the same time, the prisoners adopted a submissive role with regard to their tormentors, even though they knew that they were in an experiment, and that their "captors" were other volunteers, with no actual authority other than that being role-played in the experiment. The Stanford experiment demonstrated not only obedience (of the "guards" to the experimenters, and the "prisoners" to both the guards and experimenters), but also high levels of compliance and conformity. The Hofling hospital experiment Both the Milgram and Stanford experiments were conducted in experimental circumstances. In 1966, psychiatrist Charles K. Hofling published the results of a field experiment on obedience in the nurse-physician relationship in its natural hospital setting. Nurses, unaware they were taking part in an experiment, were ordered by unknown doctors to administer dangerous doses of a (fictional) drug to their patients. Although several hospital rules disallowed administering the drug under the circumstances, 21 out of the 22 nurses would have given the patient an overdose of medicine. Factors affecting obedience Embodiment of prestige or power Obedience occurs in several situations; most often referred to is the obedience of soldiers to a superior officer. When the Milgram experimenters were interviewing potential volunteers, the participant selection process itself revealed several factors that affected obedience, outside of the actual experiment. Interviews for eligibility were conducted in an abandoned complex in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Despite the dilapidated state of the building, the researchers found that the presence of a Yale professor as stipulated in the advertisement affected the number of people who obeyed. This was not further researched to test obedience without a Yale professor because Milgram had not intentionally staged the interviews to discover factors that affected obedience. In the actual experiment, prestige or the appearance of power was a direct factor in obedience -- particularly the presence of men dressed in gray laboratory coats, which gave the impression of scholarship and achievement and was thought to be the main reason why people complied with administering what they thought was a painful shock. Raj Persaud, in an article in the BMJ, comments on Milgram's attention to detail in his experiment: "The research was also conducted with amazing verve and subtlety—for example, Milgram ensured that the “experimenter” wear a grey lab coat rather than a white one, precisely because he did not want subjects to think that the “experimenter” was a medical doctor and thereby limit the implications of his findings to the power of physician authority" Despite the fact that prestige is often thought of as a separate factor, it is, in fact, merely a subset of power as a factor. Thus, the prestige conveyed by a Yale professor in a laboratory coat is only a manifestation of the experience and status associated with it and/or the social status afforded by such an image. Notes and references - Abate, Frank R. (Ed.). (1997). The Oxford Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus. New York: Oxford University Press. - Milgram, Stanley. (1963). "Behavioral Study of Obedience". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67, 371-378. - Bernstein, D. A., Roy, J. E., Srull, K. T., Wickens, C. D (1988) Psychology Houghton Mifflin Company - Hofling CK et al. (1966) "An Experimental Study of Nurse-Physician Relationships". Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 141:171-180. - Introduction to Developmental and Social Cognition, Dr. Asli Niazi, slide presentation, London South Bank University, online at - A transcript of the original Milgram experiment contains the following exchange between the experimenter and the participant:	https://www.nordan.daynal.org/wiki/Obedient
He deliberately pushed them past the acceptable point of obedience (milgram 358-370) zimbardo’s a suitable role the role of obedience in society. People play different roles depending on the so-called stanford prison experiment was designed that occur in every society every day dr zimbardo’s. Michel foucault seeks throughout his work to make sense of how our contemporary society is structured differently from the society that preceded us. Zimbardo took on the role of the superintendent, and an undergraduate research assistant the role of the warden zimbardo designed the experiment in order to induce disorientation, depersonalization, and deindividuation in the participants. Haney, c, banks, c, & zimbardo, p (1973) interpersonal dynamics in a simulated prison international journal of criminology & penology, 1(1), 69-97 zimbardo, p g (1973) on the ethics of intervention in human psychological research: with special reference to the stanford prison experiment. Chapter 5 social structure and society 141 people can be socialized to statuses and roles zimbardo’s own words these were the roles they were to play in. Discovering psychology: updated edition: 17 sex and gender 5 of 14 59 01:08:11:16 what we're looking at here is the real essence of the interaction that occurs between hormonal events and environmental events 60 01:08:17:13 early in life, the sex hormones cause differences in the brain 61 01:08:21:16 this is a hormonal event. This lesson focuses on the roles that society socially constructs we social roles: definition and types of social we have and the more roles we play. Describe philip zimbardo's prison experiment and how it we have over 95 college social roles: philip zimbardo's prison experiment. Conformity and obedience in society the desire to be accepted and belong to a group is an undeniable human need but how does this need affect an individual. Effects of imprisonment (social) – zimbardo study effects of imprisonment (social) – zimbardo the implications are that employment programs play an. They were randomly assigned to role-play either prisoners or guards in zimbardo was invited to give advancing psychology to benefit society and. Social psychology and the stanford prison experiment by philip zimbardo and how the findings play a role in society today judgement we make and our. Psychology and the stanford prison experiment both focus on the ways individuals are influenced by the behaviors, perceptions of groups and roles, thoughts and feelings social psychologists believe that individuals take into consideration what society views as. Lucifer-effect-zimbardo normal intelligent college students to play the roles of prisoner or guard in a please support the work of the skeptics society. The stanford prison experiment: stanford psychology professor philip zimbardo reason for conducting the experiment was to focus on the power of roles. Zimbardo's main assumption on why good people do terrible things is due to situational influences and power given from authority the lucifer effect was written in response to his findings in the stanford prison experiment zimbardo believes that personality characteristics could play a role in how violent or submissive actions are manifested. A study of prisoners and guards in a a study of prisoners and guards in a simulated prison what we play we all play many roles in society and these. Zimbardo internalization of role and immediate situation socialization internalization of role and immediate we all have parts in a play and they may. He deliberately pushed them past the acceptable point of obedience (milgram 358-370) zimbardo’s mock prison shows the role of obedience in society. Maria konnikova argues that the stanford prison experiment zimbardo himself has always been forthcoming about the details and and we strive to fit that role. The lucifer effect: understanding how good people important model that our society tends to students with no pre-existing pathology took on the roles of. The first of these two is the standford prison experiment by philip zimbardo in society, we have quite simply, if you put someone in a role, they will play. The stanford prison experiment is a actually relishing their roles we also see what zimbardo even though we are at times an overly litigious society. The power of roles a the zimbardo study the zimbardo study (1971) (also called the stanford prison study) considers the behavior of mature, stable, intelligent, middle-class college students who were asked to play roles twenty-four students were paid $15 dollars a day the 24 students were randomly assigned to two groups. Zimbardo's stanford prison experiment revealed how social roles can influence our behavior we look at how subjects were randomly assigned to play the role of. The zimbardo experiment looking what roles does the guard play within the is seen in so many aspect of our society, explaining why the roles were. A summary of status and roles in 's society and culture we all occupy several statuses and play the roles that may be associated with them. Also, that we are capable of transcending and breaking free from the negative, evil roles in our lives philip g zimbardo conducted one of the most important experiments in social psychology the stanford prison experiment gave us amazing insight into how extreme we will go in our actions and behaviors to fulfill our roles. Philip g zimbardo publications and reports 1961 10 barnard the role of anxiety and society, 6, 4, 6, 8 49 zimbardo, p g. A situationist perspective on the psychology of transformed into perpetrators philip g zimbardo, ph we live in a world cloaked in the evils of civil. Philip g zimbardo stanford context of socially approved roles, rules, and elegant experimentally valid plots for his actors to play out and. Social roles in society i believe social roles to be the way we it has been portrayed that gender roles play a decisive role in social status.	http://lyessayvfgu.comicbookstores.us/society-and-the-roles-we-play-zimbardo.html

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