AgingIn NOLA

MISSION STATEMENT RespondingtothecalloftheGospel,ChristopherHomes,Inc.strivestoprovidedecent,affordablehousingtovulnerablemembersofourcommunity. AllwhoareassociatedwithChristopherHomes, Inc.havetherighttorespect,dignityand a sense of well being. Therefore, through the service and commitment of our staffandvolunteers,wewillenableour residents togrowspiritually, socially,and intellectually,empoweringthemtodeveloptheiroptimalpotential. ChristopherHomesisaseniorlivingministryoftheArchdioceseofNewOrleans.

AgingIn NOLA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 HealthHabits

3 WelcomeAboard!

SpotlightonSuccess

GivingHopeGala

4-5Gratitudeand Thanksgiving!

6 HonoringOurVeterans

InMemory

WynhovenRiverCruise

Alzheimer’sWalk

RouquetteLodge 60sParty

7 WhatisAdvent?

8 Fromthe Deacon’sDesk

December 2019

Youknowthattostayhealthyyouneedtokeepyourbodyactive.Butdoyouknowit’simportanttokeepyourbrainactive,too?Takingcareofyourmindandemotionsarekeytofeelingyourbest.

Ourbrainstakeininformationandhelpusmakesenseoftheworldaroundus.Whenwehavenewexperiences,braincellscreatepathwayswithotherareasofthebrain.Thesepathwaysmakeupourmemoryandabilitytothink.Whenwedon’tlearnnewthingsforlongstretchesoftime,ourbrainslowsdown.

Tokeepyourmindsharp, cha l lengeyourself to learnand do new things.Tr y so m e of t h eseactivities:

Read,playgamesanddopuzzlesListentodifferentkindsofmusicKnitorcrochet

Exercise is another great way tochallenge your brain. It can alsoboost your mood, which plays abigroleinyouroverallhealth.Feelingworriedordownheartedforlongperiodsoftimeaffectsyourmentalandphysicalhealthandcanevenputyouatriskforsomehealthissues.Talktoyourdoctoraboutwaystokeepyourmindsharpandtomanageyouremotions.Ifyoufeelstressedandanxious,yourdoctorcansuggesttreatmentsandwaystocope.

2

Healthhabitsbroughttoyouby

KEEPING BRAIN HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS IN MIND

TofollowtheHealthHabitsblogonlineheadtowww.christopherhomes.org.You’llfindthisarticleaswellasprevioushealth-relatedarticles.

Also,followChristopherHomeson: Facebook:@christopherhomesano

Twitter:@chi_archno

Instagram:@christopherhomesinc

Natashaisacalmingandtrustedpresencethatdoesanimpeccablejobofassistingourresidentswhilecompassionatelyholdingthemaccountable.Sheisalwaysgoingaboveandbeyondtoservetheresidentsandassistmanagement.HerdedicationtoherroleisshownthroughhereffortsinprofessionaldevelopmentandherreceiptofherProfessionalServiceCoordinatorCertificate.

Congratulations Natasha!

3

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS

December Employee of the Month

WELCOME ABOARD!

MylaOubreManagerWynhoven

Natasha BaxterServiceCoordinator

WynhovenApartments

DawnBoldenActivityCoordinatorSt.JohnBerchmans

GIVING HOPE GALA Lastmonth,ChristopherHomeswasproudtosponsortheHopeGalaingratitudeforourpartnershipwiththeGivingHopeFoundationandthemealstheyprovidetoseveralofourproperties.ChristopherHomesstaffandresidentsenjoyedaneveningofdiningandentertainment.

4

Itwaswonderfultoseethejoyandfellowshiplastmonth

“ThesecretofhappinessistolivemomentbymomentandtothankGodforwhatHeissendingus

Gratitude and

5

aseachpropertyheldtheirThanksgivingcelebrations!

Thanksgiving!

everydayinHisgoodness.”St.GiannaBerettaMolla

Due to the support from ourresidents, staff and friends ofChristopher Homes, we raised$70,804 during #iGiveCatholic.Thecontributionswillgotowardsfundingmealprograms,activitiesand basic necessities for ourresidents.Weappreciateallyourefforts to raise awareness andfundsforourministry!ThankYou!

6

HONORING OUR VETERANS NineveteransfromVillaSt.MauricejoinedenjoyedacomplimentarydinnerattheGoldenCorralinKenner.Ourveteranspicturedhererepresentseveralbranchesofthemilitary-AirForce,AirForceReserve,Army,NavyandtheNationalGuard-andover48yearsofservicecombined.TheirtransportationwasdonatedbyRev.DonaldJeanjacquesofTrueVineMissionaryBaptistChurchinNewOrleans.ThankyoutotheseveteransandallourveteransthroughouttheChristopherHomescommunitiesfortheirservice!

ROUQUETTE LODGE 60’S PARTY

IN MEMORY

WYNHOVEN RIVER CRUISE

ALZHEIMER’S WALK

ChristopherInnresidentscelebratedthelifeofbelovedvolunteer,Ms.LaurieL.Bazin,withaMassofMemorial.

MetairieManorstaffandresidentsshowedtheirsupportintheWalktoEndAlzheimer’sheldatAudubonPark.

WynhovenresidentsenjoyedabeautifulfalldaywithacruisedowntheMississippifollowedbyavisittotheFrenchMarket!

CheckouttheGROOVYfun!

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WHAT IS ADVENT?

AdventiscelebratedintheCatholicChurchduringthefourweeksleadinguptoChristmasDay.Itisatimeforustoreflectonwhoweare,whatwearedoing,andhowwearefittingJesusintoourlives.

EachweekduringAdvent,wefocusondifferentaspectsofourpreparationforJesus:hope,peace,joyandlove.Belowaresomebriefprayersthatfocusoneachofthese:

Source:Dynamiccatholic.com

Week 4

DearJesus,maythelightofyourlovealways

shine in our hearts. As Christmas draws closer,

wemarvelatyourgreatloveforus.Letyourlove

transform every aspect of our lives and touch

everyone we encounter. Our hearts are open to

you,Jesus.Amen.

Week 3

Dear Jesus, help us focus on you during

this busy season. May we stay aware of the joy

you bring into our lives. We want to find you in

theeverydaymomentsandcomewithheartsof

gratitudetoyourmangeronChristmas.Amen.

Week 2

DearJesus,youenteredourworldonChristmas

asthePrinceofPeace.ThisAdvent,aswestrive

to become the-best-version-of-ourselves, fill us

withadeepandabidingpeace.Helpussharethat

peace with everyone we encounter, especially

thosewhoneeditmost.Amen.

Week 1

Dear Jesus, you are the hope in our messy

world. This Advent, help us slow down, listen to

yourvoice,andfocusonwhat’sreallyimportant.

Weplaceourhopeinyouasweprepareourhearts

tocelebrateyourbirthonChristmas.Amen.

FROM THE DEACON’S DESK

DearResidentsandStaff,

“ForGodsolovedtheworldthathegavehisonly-begottenSon,thatwhoeverbelieves

inhimshouldnotperishbuthaveeternallife.”John3:16

WehaveenteredAdvent(whichtranslatesfromLatinmeaning“Comingor

Arrival”),ourliturgicalseasonthatcallseachofustopreparefortheSolemnities

ofChristmas.WearecalledtoremembertheFirstComingofChristintotheworldandaswe

continuallyprepareourselvesforHisSecondComing,welookaheadtotheChristmasseasonand

consideritsmeaningforourlife.

St.BernardspeaksinanAdventsermonofathirdcomingofourLordbetweenthefirstand

last.Hewritesthatthisintermediatecomingisa“hiddenonewhereinweseetheLordwithinour

ownselves,andwearesaved.”Hecontinues,“Becausethiscomingliesbetweentheothertwo,it

islikearoadonwhichwetravelfromthefirsttothelast.Inthefirst,Christwasourredemption;

inthelast,hewillappearasourlife;inthismiddlecoming,heisourrestandconsolation.”

OurLordisalwaysnearus.Heisthelightthatguidesusthroughoutourlife,leadingusout

ofthedarknessthatpervadesourworld.ThechallengeofourhumanityistoremainneartoHim.

TheverseabovefromJohn’sGospelspeaksofthegreatestofgiftsbestoweduponhumanity;

theFather’sgiftofhisSonofferedtoeachofusforourredemptionandtoprovideusthechance

toreceivehiseternalgiftofHeavenlyGlory.Itistheultimategiftofjoyandpeace,andasSt.

Bernardsays,“restandconsolation.”

ItisfromtheultimategiftoftheNativityoftheLordfollowedbytheEpiphany,thevisitof

theMagi,bearinggiftstotheChristchild,thatwehavethetraditionofChristmasgiving.While

Christmashasbecomemuchtoocommercialized,thetraditionandtruemeaningofChristmas

presentsisonebaseduponGod’sloveoftheworldanduponthatsecondofthegreatest

commandmentswhichourLordgavetous,“youshallloveyourneighborasyourself.”

Godcallseachofustogiveofourselvesandtogive,asweareabletohelpourneighbor.Our

givingshouldcomefromthatwhichwereceivefromourGod,ourtime,talent,andtreasure.

Wehavejustcompletedour#iGiveCatholiccampaignon#GivingTuesdayandwearemost

gratefulforthewonderfulgenerosityshownbymanybenefactors.TheirChrist-likecharityallows

ustocontinueprovidingmealsandservicestoresidentsinneed.Forourstaffandresidentswho

workedhardinthiscampaignweareveryproudandhappyfortheireffortstoraisethesemuch-

neededfunds.

WeareintheseasonofgivingandweoffertoallwhorecognizethegiftofChristopher

Homes’ministryandmission,oursincerethankyou,ourprayers,andbountifulblessingsfrom

ourfamilytoyours.MayyouenjoyaBlessedAdventandaveryMerryChristmas.

MayGodblessyouandkeepyou.

DeaconDennisF.Adams

ExecutiveDirector,ChristopherHomes