Montecedro Initiates Masterpiece Monday Program to Educate Seniors on Healthy Living

In honor of April being National Stress Awareness Month, MonteCedro, a new planned Episcopal Communities & Services (ECS) Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Altadena, Calif., is holding educational workshops to enlighten San Gabriel Valley area seniors about stress as a part of its Masterpiece Monday series.

Masterpiece Monday’s are a series of workshops, presented by Rebecca Gruett, Director of Life Enrichment at MonteCedro, that are held every Monday through out the year. The program educates MonteCedro’s future residents about the types of activities that will be available at the new seniorliving community, encourages personal growth and promotes a sense of community.

“At MonteCedro, we believe that to achieve a successful aging lifestyle it is important to learn how to handle stressful situations,” states Gruett. “People experience stress in one form or another throughout their lives. By learning how to identify stressors and react appropriately it creates a sense of control in your life, which is the core of this four week Masterpiece Monday series.”

The April stress series, will inform the community about acute and chronic stress, and demonstrate ways to become stress free. Attendees are learning about why stress occurs and tips to stop and reduce it, which include:

• Incorporate time management and organizational skills into daily life by creating lists and scheduling adequate time for task completion and planning
• Practice breathing techniques and meditation activities like yoga, gardening or creating artwork
• Surround yourself with soft, soothing colors such as blue, violet, pink, green and grey
• Engaging in social activities and exercising also help reduce stress

Previously during the month of March, Gruett led seminars on Neurobics, which are mental exercises that promote successful brain aging and memory.

“Senior living communities are not just about the amenities and grounds, it is about a sense of belonging, continued personal growth and maintaining independence without the worry of household responsibilities,” states Peggy Buchanan, Director of Sales and Marketing at MonteCedro. “By offering our future residents the opportunity to participate in the Masterpiece Monday program now, we wanted them to feel apart of the community and achieve personal development before MonteCedro’s construction is complete.”

On May 14, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., MonteCedro will present a Neurobics class to the San Gabriel Valley area community at the Altadena Public Library to raise awareness about memory and aging. This two hour class will reveal memory strategies and outline the connection between challenging your mind and aging successfully. Seating for this event is limited. To register, please visit www.montecedro.org/info or call (877) 282-1584.

About MonteCedro

MonteCedro®, a planned Episcopal Communities & Services (ECS) Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), will be located in Altadena, Calif. As the first CCRC in the San Gabriel Valley area in more than 25 years, it will offer 186 apartments and villas for adults 60 years and older, and provide health care services that will allow them to transition seamlessly from independent living to in-home care, assisted living and memory support. The community will also feature a fitness center, heated swimming pool, home health services, and the Masterpiece Living® wellness and enrichment program. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Summer 2013.

For more information about MonteCedro, please contact Peggy Buchanan, Director of Marketing and Sales for MonteCedro at 877-282-1584 or visit www.montecedro.com/info For more information about Masterpiece Living®, please visit www.mymasterpieceliving.com.