As part of American Artist Appreciation Month in August, The Legacy Willow Bend is honoring the artists who call the senior living community home. Artists such as Ruth Litwin, 85, and Artyce Colen, 88, both enjoy the benefits of creating something uniquely their own. For Litwin, it's the peaceful process of painting or the power found in creating a sculpture, and for Colen the joy found in the concentration of cutting a design into a piece of wood. Litwin's work has been featured around the world most prominently on display in U.S. embassies. Today she continues to paint or sculpt at her leisure, in addition to work as a print maker, finding joy in the simplicity of creating for herself. Like Litwin, Colen is accomplished in her own right as her work has been displayed in galleries across the country, and continues to create at her personal studio, where she can be found three times a week working on her next creation. By sharing their stories of success, these talented artists hope to inspire others to try something new and highlight the fact that anyone can become an artist at any age.

Litwin calls herself a late bloomer because she didn't pick up a paintbrush until nearly age 40, but she had a lifelong desire to try painting. Litwin began her artistic journey by jumping right into a painting class, before moving on to classes for sculpture and picking up private lessons to hone her skills. Litwin saw her work displayed in galleries and U.S. Embassies around the world when she was part of the Art and Embassy program in Washington D.C. for eight years. Additionally, she sculpted the "Eternal Light" displayed in the sanctuary at The Legacy Willow Bend. The Dallas Holocaust Museum Center for Education and Tolerance will soon display her art as well. The piece was commissioned in remembrance of those lost in the Holocaust, and as a promise to ensure a better world for future generations. The sculpture, titled "Grasping for Life," is a deeply personal piece for Litwin that the museum will showcase.

"I've worked very hard to achieve the success that I have," said Litwin. "It's been a joy over the years, and I can't imagine not having art as part of my life. Art was something I always wanted to pursue but never had the time for while raising a family. When I started, it was like a piece of myself had finally found what it was looking for. Art provides me with a sense of well-being that allows me to create and express myself. There's an incredible sense of pride in making something and seeing others enjoy it, and every single piece that's left my studio over the years brings me a sense of pride and fulfillment."

Similarly, art has provided Artyce Colen with joy since she was a little girl, though she's come quite a long way from coloring books and childhood drawings. Colen majored in art during college, but like Litwin, she waited until her kids were grown before picking up her paintbrush again. She began with oil painting and took classes to get back in the habit, and it wasn't long before she started working in her own studio again. Like many artists, Colen's preferred mediums have changed over the years, and she now finds her true passion in woodworking. After deciding to begin woodworking, she signed up to take classes to learn the fundamentals and proper use of the tools. She was one of just a few women in the classes, and her classmates endearingly made comments when she collected bits and scraps of wood to take home for practice. Today, Colen can often be found at her studio designing various pieces that range from elaborate hanging pieces to small decorative boxes and other designs. Recently, she started painting them to further expand on the overall design.

"When I'm working on a piece I block out the world," said Colen. "I get lost in time and lose track of what's around me as I concentrate on the piece in front of me. More than a few times my husband called the studio to remind me that I have to come home. I go to my studio a few times a week, mostly because I have the overwhelming need to work. I cut and paint each piece myself and insert the screws that hold the bigger ones together. It's quite the undertaking, and it provides an immense sense of pride knowing that I've made something that will last beyond me. It's difficult to give it away, but I know that if I didn't then no one would be able enjoy it as much as I have."

"At The Legacy Willow Bend, we believe strongly in the importance of the arts and the benefits they can provide in our lives," said Laura Levy, executive director of The Legacy Willow Bend. "Having accomplished and talented individuals such as Ruth and Artyce as a part of our community is incredibly inspiring, and we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments. Art means something different to all of us and offers a sense of connectivity with the world, and by celebrating those who bring it into the world. Ruth and Artyce are prime examples of two amazing ladies who have accomplished their dreams. We love seeing many of our residents participate in art classes, even if it's the first time to try it. We hope that these ladies' stories inspire others who thought of picking up a brush or learning to mold clay to try something new."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 735,000 Americans will have a heart attack this year. Commonly thought of as a man’s disease, heart disease is the leading cause of death for one out of every four women. Many women are unaware of the symptoms – especially for a heart attack – and don’t understand how they can be affected. A sobering statistic, and as a result, The Legacy at Home - the largest not-for-profit home health provider in Greater Dallas - is working to ensure the successful implementation of heart-healthy practices for those they serve in their homes through home health and private duty caregiving. The team works daily to help clients not only implement the plans put in place by their physicians, but to better their understanding of how they can further improve their health. This is particularly beneficial for female clients who are often unaware of how heart disease can affect their health for the long-term. It is interactions such as this that Karen Webb, LVN for The Legacy at Home, knows well as she interacts with clients daily.

“With better awareness, women can take the necessary steps to improve their heart health,” said Webb. “Diet and exercise are always the most important factors, and making the necessary changes can have a dramatic impact, especially for patients with a history of heart disease. At The Legacy Senior Communities, parent organization of The Legacy at Home, we do what we can to equip our clients – male or female – with the information they need to learn more about the disease and how they can be impacted. We do this by providing informational pamphlets, personalized diet plans, and information on symptoms.”

Webb finds that as they continue to educate clients and their families, it’s important for female patients to be at least aware of the potential dangers of decisions related to their health. According to the American Heart Association, while heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., the majority of women affected often credit their symptoms to less life-threatening conditions. As a result, it’s more important than ever to know the signs of a heart attack in women. Here are the most common symptoms:

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. The pain may last more than a few minutes, or go away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort, but women are more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Women who experience any of these signs should call 911 and get to a hospital right away.

“The Legacy at Home is dedicated to ensuring our clients are surrounded by a team that is constantly working towards their success,” said Charlene Bishop, administrator of The Legacy at Home. “Many of those we work with have a prior history of heart problems, and because of this we find it necessary to take an aggressive approach to making sure our clients are successful. It’s with this in mind that The Legacy at Home has extended our awareness and prevention efforts to include team members of The Legacy Senior Communities. Those we serve look to us as an example and we hope to show them how important we take this topic. Recently, we even organized and ran blood-pressure checks and exercise classes for team members across the organization and plan to continue initiatives which will benefit associates in the future.

The Legacy Senior Communities, a not-for-profit charitable organization, is proud to announce the kickoff of the public phase of its philanthropic capital campaign to build The Legacy Midtown Park. After raising $13 million of the $15 million goal, the organization is launching this grassroots campaign by asking everyone to join this historic endeavor. This is the largest capital campaign in the history of the organization’s 65 years of serving seniors and their families. The community is expected to begin construction in June.

As a not-for-profit rental continuing care retirement community, The Legacy Midtown Park will provide a connection to the community, a contemporary standard of living and exemplary care. The community will have 184 independent living apartments and the highest quality of care in 50 assisted living apartments, 36 memory care suites, and 54 patient rooms for short-term rehabilitation or long-term care. In an urban setting with multiple dining options, a farm-to-table concept, cutting-edge programming and amenities around every corner, The Legacy Midtown Park will be a contemporary place for people to enjoy. The Legacy at Home, the organization’s not-for-profit home health care agency, will also provide home health care and personal care for residents if needed.

“My husband Steve and I are extremely thankful to longtime supporters, families and friends who have donated to our campaign, but now it is time for the public to stand with us and make this community a reality,” said Carol Aaron, co-chair of the capital campaign committee and chair of the board of directors of The Legacy Midtown Park. “A community is judged by the way it cares for its elders, and it is our collective responsibility to build a campus for seniors where they will have a wonderful independent life and the highest quality of care if they need it. No donation is too small, and we want everyone to have the chance to say, ‘I helped build the future for seniors and their families in Dallas.’”

The Legacy Midtown Park capital campaign committee members include Carol and Steve Aaron, co-chairs; Marion and Bennett Glazer, co-chairs; Sharon and Chuck Levin, vice-chairs; as well as Jack Baum, Ken Bruder, Charlie Corson, Sandy Donsky, Robert Goldberg, David Eisenberg, Mark Zale, Marc R. Stanley, Maddy Unterberg, Jerry Rasansky and Andrea Statman, director of development for The Legacy Senior Communities.

“Today’s seniors are living longer, and they deserve a community in Dallas where they can come together, worship together and surround themselves with the traditions and vibrant lifestyle they’re accustomed to living,” said Marion Glazer, co-chair of The Legacy Midtown Park capital campaign committee. “My husband Bennett’s family was one of the original founders of Dallas Home for Jewish Aged on the Golden Acres Campus, where The Legacy Senior Communities started caring for seniors. We want to re-establish that same sense of community, which includes a commitment to excellence, quality, tradition and engaging environments. We feel that it is the responsibility of everyone in the community to step up and help ensure that we build The Legacy Midtown Park to serve seniors today and well into the future.”

The Legacy Midtown Park will be a not-for-profit senior living community built on 10 acres in the Midtown Park development in North Dallas between Meadow Road and Royal Lane just off North Central Expressway. The community will be the only Jewish-sponsored rental retirement community in Dallas, but people of all faiths will live there. The community will serve a broad demographic of seniors and be a safety net that offers security and peace of mind.

“Our organization has always been on the leading edge of innovation, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of the community. As the silver tsunami is coming and the number of seniors in our city continues to rise, we are excited to launch this public phase of our campaign. We are calling on everyone to help us make a difference in the lives of countless seniors and their families,” said Andrea Statman, director of development for The Legacy Senior Communities. “We have a responsibility and an obligation to give seniors the best care, as well as the dignity and respect they deserve. This is your opportunity to help. We are thankful for every person who has supported our capital campaign, and we ask those people who haven’t contributed to please join us and help us build this wonderful community for seniors.” 

The Legacy Senior Communities established a solid foundation of caring for seniors and their families 65 years ago. The organization currently serves seniors through The Legacy Willow Bend, Plano’s only not-for-profit life care retirement community, and The Legacy at Home, the largest not-for-profit home health care agency in Greater Dallas with Medicare-certified in-home health care, private duty nursing and personal assistance with daily living. The Legacy Midtown Park will help the organization better meet the needs of seniors in Dallas.

All gifts will be recognized in an honor roll of giving, and there are a variety of naming opportunities beginning at $25,000. If you are interested in learning more about the capital campaign, contact Andrea Statman, director of development for The Legacy Senior Communities, at 972-468-6161 or astatman@thelegacysc.org

During the recent solar eclipse, the senior residents of The Legacy Willow Bend in Plano were anxiously awaiting the moment when the first total solar eclipse in 99 years would move across the continental United States. As the moon made its move to block out the sun, the residents of The Legacy Willow Bend were among the millions viewing the event. The senior living community even hosted a viewing of the eclipse for residents to commemorate the event so that everyone was able to get in on the fun. At the viewing party, attendees used NASA-approved eclipse glasses or pinhole viewing devices to safely watch the sun disappear.  For resident Dr. Roger Rian, the moment was of particular interest as he viewed a solar eclipse for the first time. With a lifelong interest in astronomy, the former radiologist even led a presentation in advance of the eclipse, to provide fellow residents with background information about the astronomical event and what it means scientifically. Rian believes the eclipse will incredibly impactful for the scientific community, and he’s excited to see what discoveries and observations were made. He explained that the sun’s corona was visible for almost two hours as the path of totality moved across the country. That’s an astounding amount of time for scientists to make observations about the sun which they normally don’t have the opportunity to see. 

With the arrival of spring, residents in the Healthcare Center at The Legacy Willow Bend retirement community recently participated in a day of gardening at the community along with volunteers from the Junior League of Collin County. Residents, team members and volunteers worked together to fill raised planters in the Healthcare Center’s three patio gardens, which will provide relaxing spaces where residents can easily access the plants and garden while appreciating the outdoors. Gardening is known to have therapeutic effects on seniors, especially those with disabilities and individuals battling a chronic illness. The Legacy Willow Bend strives to engage the whole person – including the mind, body and spirit – in a positive way, and gardening is a beneficial activity which improves dexterity and promotes a sense of satisfaction. In the garden, residents can socialize, interact with each other and stimulate their minds in a calm environment.

“We were thrilled that the Junior League of Collin County selected us for a service project, and we were honored to have their volunteers visit our community,” said Rivae Campo, volunteer coordinator at The Legacy Willow Bend. “Seeing everyone work together to create a beautiful space for our community was heartwarming and a fulfilling interactive event. We know that the garden will have a long-lasting positive impact on the residents and everyone who visits.”

The special day of service was part of the Junior League of Collin County’s 40th anniversary.  To celebrate, they selected 40 projects to complete in one day throughout Collin County. A total of 14 volunteers helped residents fill two raised gardens with flowers and soil donated by Home Depot.

“As we were planning our 40th anniversary, our goal was to make a significant impact in the community,” said Maria Moffatt, president of the Junior League Collin County. “We were particularly excited to work with a large variety of organizations in a hands-on capacity.  The Legacy Willow Bend was a perfect combination of working side-by-side with seniors, but also creating not only a beautiful garden for the residents and leaving behind a therapeutic tool. The Junior League of Collin County has a long history of impacting the community through gardening, when it initiated the Plano Community Garden in 2005 that provides over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce annually to community food pantries. The Legacy Willow Bend gave our members a rewarding experience and opportunity to share our mission of volunteerism.”

“At The Legacy Willow Bend, we are dedicated to providing our residents with ways to enhance their lives,” said Marilyn Israel, executive director of The Legacy Willow Bend. “This project engaged the whole person by allowing our residents to feel a sense of satisfaction from planting the garden, sharing the experience on a social level with volunteers and strengthening their hands in the process. The benefits of the gardens will continue as the residents enjoy the flowers and admire the beauty they add to our community.”