Harrogate

On a Holiday when most restaurants have long waits and crowds galore, the Harrogate family was treated to a glorious and relaxing Mother’s Day celebration.  Decorated with fresh Lilacs and matching linens, our guests and their Mom’s were treated to a delicious menu that included:  Rack of Lamb, Stuffed Veal and Lobster Raviolis.  The menu itself was as beautiful as it was delicious!

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi, former Green Bay Packers head coach

Recently, we celebrated our 22nd annual employee service award ceremony at Harrogate to honor the commitment and loyalty of long-standing employees. Among those were 20 plus year veterans Clyde Sutton of Millville, N.J., Janice Matonis of Toms River, N.J. and Judy Casillas of Lakewood, N.J., and 16 year employee Valerie Jacoby of Toms River, N.J.

“We are honored to have an extremely dedicated and caring staff,” states Don Johansen, Executive Director of Harrogate. “Our experienced group of professionals assist Harrogate daily in fulfilling its mission statement, exceeding the expectations of the residents, and going above and beyond to help and mentor their fellow employees.”

Clyde Sutton, who has been employed at Harrogate for 21 years started his tenure in April 1992 as the Director of Food and Beverage Services. In 1996, Sutton was named Associate Executive Director and Health Center Administrator. He has served on many board of directors’ leadership positions in professional affiliations and has also been active in civic organizations. Sutton is a Millville, N.J. native, and prior to joining Harrogate, he served as an Administrator of Support Services at Millville Hospital in New Jersey.

Janice Matonis, a 40 year Toms River, N.J. resident, began her tenure at Harrogate in 1992. Since then, she has held the position of Evening Front Desk Receptionist, and in this role, she provides exceptional customer service to new and existing residents and families. Additionally, Matonis is in charge of directing residents and guests around the campus, providing customer service to all, and completing miscellaneous administrative duties that are essential in operating a senior living community. Prior to joining Harrogate, Matonis gained relative experience as a receptionist for another retirement community in the Ocean County area in 1990.

Patterson, N.J. native, Judy Casillas, began her journey at Harrogate over 20 years ago in 1992 as a temporary Bookkeeper. After a year in that position, she was promoted to her current position as Accounting Assistant. Casillas currently resides in Lakewood, N.J. with her family.

Valerie Jacoby, a native of Edison, N.J., began her 16 year career at Harrogate as a part-time employee in 1997. In 2006, Jacoby was promoted to Life Care Consultant, and has held that position for the past seven years. She specializes in working with seniors and their families to help identify options and solutions as they research and consider moving to a senior living community. Additionally, she is an ambassador for the community and produces the Harrogate Blog. Prior to Harrogate, she worked at Johnson & Johnson as the Secretary to the Director of Marketing Services and Director of Market and Consumer Research. Jacoby currently resides in Toms River, N.J. with her family.

Additionally, employees who have served five and 10 years of service were recognized as well, which included:
- Linda McCarthy of Brick, N.J.
- Cindy Hollywood of Brick, N.J.
- Antonio Wei of Toms River, N.J.
- Andrew Crawford of Brick, N.J.
- Barbara Hauser of Brick, N.J.
- Joseph Alonzo of Bayville, N.J.
- Haja Koroma of Lakewood, N.J.
- Marion Gerlach of Toms River, N.J.
- Dolores Bianco of Manalapan, N.J.
- Pamela Thomas of Manchester, N.J.
- Darien Seward of Toms River, N.J.
- James Rivera of Manchester, N.J.
- Karen Crisafi of Brick, N.J.
- Marilyn Kirton of Lakewood, N.J.
- Steve Cannata of Brick, N.J.
- Maya Forde of Lakewood, N.J.
- Laura Varian of Lakewood, N.J.

Recently, Harrogate honored these employees for their years of service and dedication to the senior-living facility during its 22nd annual employee service award ceremony.

Many people believe that memory loss is inevitable as they get older. However, health experts say ‘NO.’

According to Dr. Paul Nussbaum, author of Save Your Brain, a 70-year-old brain has the same amount of neurons as a 20-year-old brain, and can continue to build brain reserve (synaptic density) by maintaining physical activity, socialization, mental stimulation, spirituality and nutrition.

Throughout the course of this series, we will explore ways to maintain and/or improve cognitive abilities as you age.

Gaming

Playing games are not just for children. According to a Wall Street Journal article, researchers are finding that adults who participate in video games increase their creativity, decision-making and perception. The article went on to state that people who played action-based video and computer games made decisions 25 percent faster than others without sacrificing accuracy.

Additionally, Fredric Wolinsky, Professor in University of Iowa’s College of Public Health, just released research, which found that people who played 10 hours of a specially designed video game that focused on improving the speed and quality of mental processing abilities were able to delay the natural decline of a range of cognitive skills up to seven years.

As a continuing care retirement community, Harrogate actively seeks out how to implement new activities and programs to encourage its residents to maintain an active lifestyle. In 2008, the senior living community introduced programming around video games with the Wii Fit. For this, Harrogate residents held mini-competitions against one another once a week.

In 2012, the senior living community hosted its first Jeopardy tournament against local high school seniors. For this tournament, teams utilized a video console to provide their answers and compete in the Jeopardy game. During the first competition, Harrogate residents proved that younger minds are not always quicker by dominating the game and winning the tournament.

Harrogate residents continued to train and play against one another throughout the following year to prepare for the next tournament. However, during the second annual Senior vs. Senior Jeopardy tournament, one of the high school teams rose to the occasion to win the competition.

Check out the gallery below to view pictures from the 2013 Jeopardy Tournament.

Harrogate was fortunate once again to have George Wesner perform in our own Clark Auditorium.  George is the principal Organist from Radio City Music Hall in New York City and has played over 4,000 shows for more than 23 million people.  He has appeared with the American Symphony Orchestra and world premiere film events for Disney, Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox, The Grammy Awards and PBS television.

George currently appears in the Top of the Rock documentary celebrating the diamond anniversary of Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall.  The Harrogate program was called “April Showers” and included a variety of musical selections that included both our baby grand piano and our organ.  He managed to make our humble instrument sound as grand as that of Radio City!

Here is a sample clip from his performance: George Wesner Performance Footage

The audience was enchanted with music for a spring day, which included all time favorites such as “Singing in the Rain”; and music from the Cinema and Broadway such as “Annie” and “Les Miserables”; and the  timeless classics “Hallelujah” and “1812 Overture” — to name just a few.

The performance was closed with requests from the audience, called “Harrogate Family Favorites…”

Creamy Parsnip Soup

Recipe yields 12 servings

Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
3 ½ quarts boiled water
1 cup red onions, chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 ½ lbs. peeled parnsips, chopped
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
½ c. brandy
1 ½ cups croutons

Preparation Method
- Heat water to slow boil in large pot.  Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter then sauté onions until soft (about 5 minutes).    Add parsnips, garlic, and thyme.  Continue to sauté for a few minutes to release the flavors.
- Remove saucepan with vegetables from heat, add brandy to pan, and stir to mix all ingredients.  Add contents of sauce pan to pot of boiling water.  Add in the bouillon cubes and brown sugar.
- Lower heat to simmer and cook for 1 ½ hours.
- Remove from heat, blend all ingredients with an immersion blender until consistency is smooth.
- Stir in heavy cream and continue to simmer until heated through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls.  Garnish each with croutons.  Enjoy!

Slow Roasted Mardi Gras Pork Tenderloin

Recipe yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients
2 pork tenderloin, appx 1 lb each
Non- stick cooking spray
1 Tbsp dried thyme
2 cups apple cider
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 red onions, sliced
1 Tbsp cumin
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 red peppers, sliced
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp seasoned salt
1 Tbsp paprika
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

Preparation Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl combine all dry herbs together with brown sugar. Generously rub the pork tenderloins down with this herb mixture. Place pork tenderloins in pan and roast in oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, add apple cider. Return to oven and continue roasting for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven, place pork on cutting board and let rest. Reserve cooking liquids in roasting pan.
- In a separate pan, add butter and sauté onions, garlic, and peppers. Cook over med-high heat until vegetables are soft. Add reserved liquids from pork and continue to cook until liquid is reduced by half.
- Slice pork tenderloin and arrange on serving dish. Pour onion and pepper sauce over.   Enjoy!

by Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, LDN, CPT nutritionist and author of “Belly Fat Diet for Dummies”

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2010), more than one-third of older adults aged 65 and over were obese in 2007-2010.

A person 65 years old and older with weight problems can experience major health issues including heart disease. With heart disease the number one cause of death in both men and women in the United States, it is important to maintain a “heart healthy diet.”

By simply changing one’s diet, a person can combat heart disease, and decrease inflammation and belly fat; lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar; reverse insulin resistance; and increase the flexibility of arteries.

Here are some tips to consider when planning your next meal.

1.) Combine Foods For a Healthier Heart

• Apples contain a high level of quercetin, which is an anti-inflammatory substance that has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease. Dark Chocolate contain catechins, which can help decrease the risk of hardening arteries. When eaten together, these two foods can help reduce the stickiness of blood platelets.

• The Omega-3 fat that is found in hummus assists the absorption of carotenoids, which are found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables like carrots. Carotenoids are organic pigments, which the body can turn into vitamin A, and are powerful antioxidants that can help prevent some forms of cancer and heart disease.

• Tomatoes, which have the compound lycopene, have been found to help lower the risk of a stroke by more than 50 percent. A recent study found that combining tomatoes with healthy fats, like Olive Oil, increases the absorption of antioxidants (lycopene) by as much as two to 15 times.

2.) Super-foods and Super-seasonings Trim Waistline and Risk For Heart Disease

• Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, a kind of omega-3 fat, which has been found to lower LDL “bad cholesterol” and reduce the risk of sudden death from abnormal heart rhythms.

• Three servings per week of Blueberries can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 33 percent. Additionally, this fruit can help decrease visceral (belly) fat, insulin resistance and triglyceride levels.

• Turmeric is an orange-colored spice in the ginger family that is used in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asia foods. This spice has anti-inflammatory properties and may help ward off heart attacks in people who have had recent cardiac bypass surgery.

3.) Positives of a Produce-Heavy Plate

• By increasing the daily intake of fruit and vegetables, a person can decrease their risk of a heart attack or stroke by 30 percent and metabolic syndrome by 30 – 34 percent.

• A fruit and vegetable dominate plate will also help to decrease calorie intake and help trim the waistline.

4.) Shop Savvy

• Prepare a grocery list in advance of the foods you need.

• Don’t shop hungry. It will help limit the amount of impulse food purchases.

• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where fresh foods are located.

• Limit the amount of processed and prepared foods.

• Read labels. Avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils, refined/processed grains and breads with large amounts of added sugars.

Erin Palinski-Wade is a registered dietician in New Jersey and author of several books including the newly released “Belly Fat Diet for Dummies.” She has appeared and contributed her nutritional expertise on a variety of national and regional media including The Doctors, The Early Show, CBS News, Prevention Magazine, Consumer Reports and Fitness Magazine.

Palinski-Wade presented a version of this article to Ocean County area seniors at Harrogate Retirement Community in New Jersey on March 28, 2013. For more information about similar events at Harrogate, please visit www.harrogate-lifecare.org/news or call 877-493-3165.

by Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, LDN, CPT nutritionist and author of “Belly Fat Diet for Dummies”

As one of the most vital organs in the human body, a healthy heart pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood throughout the body a day, which carries nutrients to cells and helps remove waste products. However, many people don’t live a “heart healthy lifestyle,” which can lead to costly medical conditions including heart disease.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides the following staggering stats about heart disease in the United States:

• Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in both men and women in the United States;
• 935,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year;
• Coronary heart disease alone costs $108.9 billion each year.

So are you at risk? Here are some tips on how to asses your heart health.

1.) Know Your Numbers

• Blood pressure, which is the force of blood against the wall of the arteries, should be less than 120 mmHg systolic (as the heart beats) and less than 80 mmHg diastolic (as the heart relaxes between beats).
• LDL Cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol that causes blockage in arteries, should be less than 100mg/dL.
• HDL Cholesterol, the good cholesterol that removes the bad cholesterol from the arteries, should be 60 mg/dL and above.
• Blood Sugar/Blood Glucose measures the amount of sugar that is transported through the bloodstream to provide energy to the cells. This should be below 100 mg/dL.

2.) Numbers Leading to Heart Disease

• Amino acids are known as the building blocks of proteins. The body can make 10 out of the 20 amino acids needed for it to function. The others are found in eating the right foods. When a person doesn’t have a healthy diet, the body has high levels of homocysteine, which is an amino acid that makes protein and maintains tissue. The normal range for homocysteine is 4-17 mcmol/L.
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a protein that appears in higher amounts when there is swelling in the body. For someone experiencing heart issues and narrowing coronary arteries, there will be an increased amounts of CRP in the blood stream. Those who are at the lowest risk for heart disease is when hs-CRP levels are less than 1.0 mg/L.

3.) Know Your Measurements

• Increased belly (visceral) fat can increase your risk of heart disease. Optimal waist circumference for women is under 35 inches and under 40 inches for men.

In part 2, we will explore how to use food to combat heart disease.

Erin Palinski-Wade is a registered dietician in New Jersey and author of several books including the newly released “Belly Fat Diet for Dummies.” She has appeared and contributed her nutritional expertise on a variety of national and regional media including The Doctors, The Early Show, CBS News, Prevention Magazine, Consumer Reports and Fitness Magazine.

Palinski-Wade will present a version of this article to Ocean County residents at Harrogate Retirement Community on March 28, 2013. For more information about similar events at Harrogate, please visit www.harrogate-lifecare.org/news or call 877-493-3165.

Harrogate’s Executive Chef, Joe Alonzo, wowed the crowd at this year’s “Chef’s Night Out” event.  This annual event is put on to benefit the Ocean County Vocational technical High School. Joe and his team featured his Winter Squash Lobster Bisque with Crabmeat Bread Pudding. Harrogate was the only retirement community with a table at this event filled with high end restaurants, caterers, and eating establishments throughout Ocean and Monmouth Counties.

To accompany this delicious soup, Chef Joe prepared a salad made up of radicchio, exotic marinated mushrooms, caramelized baby onions, tear drop tomatoes, candied pecans, and topped with a dirty martini vinaigrette dressing.

It wasn’t surprising that so many of the attendees asked how they could come to our life care community to experience a full course meal!!

As we kick off our 25th Anniversary, Harrogate hosted our Fall Festival on October 27th.  In the calm before the storm, as Hurricane Sandy approached the Jersey Shore, we were able to celebrate with games of chance, food, fresh popped popcorn, cotton candy, funnel cakes, a petting zoo, horseback rides and hayrides.  There were thirty antique cars on display at our front entrance and even with the clouds, the hundreds in attendance had a wonderful afternoon.  Any and all proceeds from the event went toward Breast Cancer Awareness and  the enhancement of the Harrogate Walking Trail.  More to follow as the celebration continues!!

Once again, Harrogate has joined forces with the fight against breast cancer during the month of October.  The Staff each donated to the cause on Wednesday the 17th in order to wear pink for the day.  That same day, a bake sale was held in our lobby with all donated baked goods and proceeds added to Harrogate’s donation.  The special menu for the day in our Dining Room, which was also adorned in pink and white linens, was filled with items such as:

Pink Lemonade Muffins

Pink Creamy Tomato Soup 

Chef Joe’s Thin Crust Pizza

German Style Saurgraten with Gingersnap Gravy

Paprika Roasted Beer Can Chicken

Broiled Flounder with Red Pepper and Crab Sauce

Pink Frosted Cupcakes

Blondie a la Mode — Strawberry Ice Cream with Strawberry Sundae Toppings

On Sunday, the 21st, Harrogate’s Staff and their families participated in the Making Strides Walk on the Point Pleasant boardwalk, joining the thousands who walked to support this noble cause.

More to follow with our upcoming Fall Festival this weekend… another terrific fundraiser!!

For more photographs, please double click on the main picture.