Remember ME - You Me and Dementia

April 19, 2012

USA: Active Aging fair provides seniors with plenty of healthy information

DECATUR, Illinois / Herald-Review.com / Life/ April 18, 2012

Office manager Ann Rohde of Renew Total Body Wellness Center aligns a teeth whitening device to Maxine Koenig at the business’s table during the Active Aging Fair in the Imboden Creek Gardens assisted living facility





By ALLISON COPENBARGER - H&R Staff Writer


Barbara Young, 79, of Decatur closed her eyes and tried to recall a good memory, a time when she felt relaxed and accomplished.
She took a deep breath and tried to conjure up the sights, smells and emotions of the memory so she could recreate that good feeling.
She was participating in a hypnotic exercise instructed by Julie Lauper-Cook of Bright Skies Hypnotherapy at the first Active Aging Fair held at Imboden Creek Gardens on Tuesday. The fair, free and open to the public, included several services and presentations for elderly health.
Young said she has suffered from depression since she was in her 20s and wandered into the hypnotherapy presentation, intrigued by the alternative approach.
“I think it’s important to come to events like this to keep up to date,” she said.
The hypnotherapy exercises all aimed to connect the mind to the body and to replace negative experiences with positive emotions. The 30-minute presentation was intended to alleviate chronic physical or emotional pain through mind exercises.
“Hypnotherapy is not a mystery, it’s just relaxing.” Lauper-Cook said. “It’s not meant to replace a doctor’s opinion, but to supplement it.”
There were also other presentations on zumba, holistic health, estate planning and prescription medication. Vendors were available to give free massages, blood pressure tests and other services.
Jennifer Born, Imboden Creek Gardens director, said they had the vision to do something different from other health fairs, something more active.
“It’s too early to say if we’ll do it every year, but I think even if we only touch one person it will be a success in my book. It has brought people into our facility, and we’ve made community connections.”

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