Brookdale Dining Services Director, Joe Sciarrotta (far left) and Brookdale Business Development Coordinator Leanne Messer (far right), welcome Samford students to the Senior Living center in Homewood.
Sometimes, everyday responsibilities leave little or no time to talk with others face to face. When time is set aside to spend with others and connect over something as simple as a shared meal, it can be rejuvenating and enlightening. Samford University students put this idea into practice when they recently visited Brookdale University Park Senior Living in Homewood, Ala. The students are majors in Human Development and Family Science. Their visit to Brookdale was part of a Human Development class, specifically focused on middle and late adulthood. The students, under the leadership of their Professor, Dr. Clara Gerhardt, had breakfast with the residents. During breakfast, the students and residents connected over the meal and exchanged stories and memories.
Brookdale University Park Senior Living residents and Samford students enjoy a morning together.
The students as well as the residents expressed how much they enjoyed the social time spent together! One resident told Dr. Gerhardt, “These three young ladies were sitting at a table for four and they asked me if I’d like to join them and I thought, why don’t I do this? And I sat down, and it was the joy of the week. I had the nicest time! Of course, I did all the talking, which is unusual for me. These students were such a breath of fresh air; it was emotional for me. Thank you for bringing them. It was a joy!” †
I am Amy Phillips, Marketing Specialist with Birmingham Christian Family Magazine. I know that you are all celebrating with me the fact that summer is here. Longer and warmer days, sunshine, birds singing and a great economy in our country are just an of the few things that are putting consumers in a good mood, translating to what we believe will be positive business flow coming your way. I wanted to take a moment and share some ideas for a that are designed to increase traffic through your doors no matter the type of business that you operate.
Summertime is a great time to open your doors and invite the public to take an up close updated and personal look at the products, services and programs that your business offers. Pick a date and consider sending invitations to your best customers via email, promoting on social media and inviting customers in person at your location.
1. Give everyone that attends a swag bag filled with something useful with your logo and contact info on it, brochures about your business, and coupons to bring them back at a later date.
2. For that day choose a few of your best products, services and programs to highlight, promote and offer deals on.
3. Celebrate those patrons who come through your doors during this time with prizes. Reward the 1st, 10th, 25th and so on, customers who come through your door during the open house with a special something themed to your location and a customized grand prize for the 50th or promote ahead of time the first (25) guests during this time will receive X. Be creative since you would be surprised what people will stand in line for.
4. Offer refreshments. Nothing keeps people hanging around for conversation like a good snack.
5. Be sure and collect contact information from all who attend to add to your preferred customer list. A good way to do this is with an Open House Drawing.
6. Focus on Special Holidays coming up to bring them back through your doors. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day 4th of July etc.
7. Have a suggestion box set up and ask customer about things that they might be looking for in your specialty. Here is one example: what improvements do they feel will earn their loyalty in the future?
8. Schedule a new launch on this day and debut something exclusive for the attendees.
9. Promote a picture contest. Everyone is taking pictures with their phones. Have a special prize for those who send pictures to your social media using (X) from your business. These will make the best testimonials for the future.
10. Have them take pictures from your location and # your business on social media inviting their friends and families to come and enjoy your business as well.
Thank you for your time. These are not new ideas, but we do believe are timeless in setting up networking opportunities with loyal customers and new prospects. God bless you!
-Amy Phillips
Marketing Specialist
Birmingham Christian Family magazine
Seen here with husband, John, the Phillips live in Hayden, Ala. and are the proud parents of three sons.
Living an overcomer lifestyle does not happen by accident. It requires intense intentionality, fierce faith and a purposeful plan. To live the overcomer lifestyle, we must prepare for victory early and often. That means beginning the day with prayer and Scripture study. But it also includes being proactive about plotting a course for our expectations. One of the best ways I have found to accomplish this is to recite a daily anthem.
The dictionary describes an Anthem as “a piece of sacred vocal music, usually with words taken from the Scriptures.” As overcomers, we too must pronounce sacred words and sentences from the Scriptures over our lives. We too must have sincere devotion towards the promises God has already spoken over us. Creating and reciting a daily anthem is a great way to keep our heart and mind in agreement with the divine plans and purposes God has for us. It also fuels our faith to maintain a spiritual posture of hope and encouragement.
As a Christian Life Coach, I frequently encourage my clients to create a daily anthem. I suggest they write down verses and promises from Scripture that resonate with where they want to be and how they want to live. Daily anthems can be in the form of pocket size flash cards or a mural displayed in a prominent location in your home or office. Finally, I recommend reciting the Anthem every single day, preferably first thing in the morning, out loud and with sincere devotion.
My daily anthem is a mural strategically placed on the door to my garage. I call it “my door to the world.” Each morning, without fail, I begin the day by reciting my anthem. I consistently speak words of victory, faith and encouragement to myself. This allows me to establish my attitude and expectations for the day, no matter what comes my way.
Reciting a daily anthem does not mean we won’t encounter difficulty. It simply means we determine ahead of time how we will respond. It means we are being proactive to live an overcomer lifestyle. It means we are expecting and planning for victory early and often.
To learn more about this and other ways to live an overcomer lifestyle, visit www.Overcome4Good.com. You can also sign up for a free Life Coaching Consultation. Remember, your future is bright. Your future is worth coaching for!
Brookdale University Park’s new Executive Director, Michael Vickers brings with him more than 23 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including senior care facilities.
Brookdale University Park Welcomes New Executive Director
Brookdale University Park is pleased to announce that we have a new Executive Director, Michael Vickers. Michael brings with him more than 23 years of experience in the healthcare industry in a variety of settings including HMO companies and senior care facilities. “I am thoroughly enjoying my new role as Executive Director of this beautiful campus that offers a multitude of services for senior adults,” says Vickers. “My favorite thing about this particular community is our locale, being situated in the heart of Homewood near medical facilities and social opportunities for our residents. And of course, we have some of the best people in the business working here!” Vickers and his wife, Sandra, have lived in the Birmingham area for more than 16 years. They attend Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover and have one son, Andrew.
As a part of the “Movers for Moms” campaign, Brookdale University Park hosted a networking breakfast last year to offer outside guests and referral partners an opportunity to donate to First Light, a center for homeless women and children in Birmingham. Join Brookdale residents and staff this month in collecting for this year’s drive.
Brookdale Residents & Staff Engage in Community Service
Brookdale University Park has enjoyed partnering with Two Men and a Truck’s “Movers for Moms” campaign for the last few years. Always near Mother’s Day, this effort engages the community to gather needed items for mothers at First Light, a center for homeless women and children in Birmingham. If you would like to be involved in this year’s collection, email [email protected].
An Invitation to Experience Brookdale
Residents of Brookdale University Park enjoy an engaging lifestyle with a selection of care options to meet changing needs. The community conveniently located off Lakeshore Drive offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Call Leanne Messer at 205-613-0688 or email [email protected] to connect with one of our team members who would be delighted to help you plan your personal visit, www.brookdale.com.
Halle Patterson and Josh Suddeth participate in First Priority at North Jefferson Middle School. Learn more at www.firstpriortyal.com.
In 2011, with the culture changing and fewer students attending church, First Priority Greater Birmingham began working with parents and local churches to establish campus clubs in elementary and intermediate schools that would expose children to the Biblical teachings of what “Jesus Said.” FPKids is a strategy for churches and parents to partner together around schools to empower elementary and intermediate students to influence their school with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. FPKids is taking God’s Word and putting it into action on campus.
Over 45 schools and nearly 4,000 students across the Greater-Birmingham Area currently participate in FPKids. Our goal with FPKids is to reach students at a younger age and our prayer is that their faith will stick with them throughout middle and high school and after graduation. Below is just one example of the impact FPKids is making on our younger generation. We are seeing the fruit of FPKids as students are attending and leading First Priority clubs once they begin middle school.
Local First Priority Student Leader Joshua first participated in FPKids four years ago as a 4th grade student at Warrior Elementary School. Joshua remained faithful as an FPKids student throughout elementary school and now serves on the First Priority student leadership team at North Jefferson Middle School.
With the help of teacher sponsors and local campus coaches, students have many great opportunities to train and prepare to meet with their fellow classmates on Thursday mornings for First Priority. Throughout the week, students have opportunities to meet with their peers and encourage each other to reach their campus for Christ.
Joshua recently told his mother that the girls have a Bible study group that meets every Wednesday morning before school and that he wanted to start one for boys. Joshua took the initiative and started a Thursday morning Bible study group for boys that helps prepare them for First Priority. “I’m so proud of my son and his classmates that have the desire to share Jesus with others and grow closer to Him together,” said Candice, Joshua’s mother.
This is just one of the many stories of the fruit of FPKids in our local community. FPKids helps lay the groundwork in elementary schools that is inspiring students to be leaders in middle and high school. We would like to thank Joshua for being a true inspiration! FPKids is making a difference.
Do you want to be a part of this movement to reach the next generation for Christ? There are multiple ways you can be involved. Contact us today to learn more about FPKids and how you can help: [email protected] or 205-871-8886.
Both Bible Memory apps are available for download on Apple, Android and Kindle devices. You can even start memorizing online at www.BibleMemory.com. Here’s also QR Code you can use to download the app.
How many Bible verses do you have memorized? A similar question posed at a church service in Tuscaloosa, Ala. sparked a desire in Brett Golson, owner of Birmingham based Millennial Apps and creator of The Bible Memory App, to have more than “John 11:35 ESV – Jesus wept,” memorized. After seeing several prayer warriors still standing when the guest speaker asked if anyone had 500 verses memorized, Golson left the church service challenged to commit more Scripture to memory. Golson explains, “I left realizing that I was missing out on a foundational part of the Christian life.”
As he began memorizing, he shares that he discovered several tricks that made the process easier. He began repeatedly typing out verses and writing them on business cards. In 2008, Golson married his wife, McKenzie, who shared his passion for committing Scripture to memory. When they first met, she led a small group centered on Scripture memorization!
Brett Golson shares that McKenzie is the Bible memory champion in their home. She has memorized more than 1,800 verses so far!
In 2011, McKenzie was required to buy an iPad for her job. Golson explains that the idea of creating a Bible memorization app came to him after becoming familiar with the device. The couple followed the Lord’s prompting and dedicated their time and energy into creating the free mobile app which currently has more than 680,000 downloads.
Why memorize Scripture? Golson shares, “The number one reason is people want to grow closer to God. Bible memorization is a wonderful way to deepen your personal relationship with God.” The app has a three-step process of memorization. Golson explains, “By step three, you kind of surprise yourself by, within a couple of tries, being able to recall the whole verse,” explains Golson. There is even a Bible Memory Kids app ($2.99) available for download that includes illustrations and songs that coincide with key passages. The app was designed with the Golson’s sons, ages 7, 4 and 2, in mind. Church congregations can also use The Bible Memory App as a tool to encourage Scripture memorization. Golson suggests offering Bible memorization small groups, integrating memorization into existing small groups, and having a church wide memorization challenge. Learn more by visiting the church tab on www.BibleMemory.com.
In 1974, a group of concerned parents formed The Arc of Shelby County as an advocacy organization with the initial purpose to serve as a support for parents of children with intellectual disabilities. Over the past 45 years, The Arc of Shelby County has grown from a small support group into an advocacy agency that serves more than over 1,500 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families each year. The mission of The Arc of Shelby County is to provide services and support that empower individuals with developmental disabilities and delays and their families throughout their lifespan to live happy, successful and productive lives within a community of their choice.
In 1988, the organization opened an early intervention program to serve children with developmental delays. Today, the Early Intervention program serves over 400 children under the age of three with a 25% delay in cognitive, communicative, physical, adaptive, or social/emotional development or with a diagnosis or a condition that likely will result in a delay in development. With a team that includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, special instructors, and service coordinators, The Arc of Shelby County supports families in finding the best opportunities to promote their child’s growth and development.
The Arc of Shelby County serves individuals with developmental disabilities and delays and their families throughout their lifespan, free of charge.
In 1999 the organization launched a supported employment program to meet the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. The Arc of Shelby County’s Employment Program assists individuals with developmental disabilities in achieving their career goals and assists community employers in finding eager employers looking for meaningful work. Employment specialists focus on an individual’s unique strengths and abilities and provide a tailored approach to success that includes assessment, job search assistance, and job coaching. The program also offers Project SEARCH, a transitional program partnership between The Arc, Shelby County Schools, Brookwood Baptist Shelby Medical Center, and The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, for high school students between 18 and 21 years of age who are in their last eligible year of high school.
The Arc Community Living Program was created in 2004 to provide individuals and families with disabilities access to full lives in the community. This program provides Short-Term Assistance and Referral (STAR) services, personal care and supported employment services, school-age advocacy and support for families, and assistance with the application process for Medicaid/Medicare and Social Security.
All of The Arc of Shelby County’s programs are community based and are provided at no charge to families. To learn more and join with us in celebrating The Arc of Shelby County’s 45th Anniversary, visit www.thearcofshelby.org or www.facebook.com/thearcofshelbyco.
Every day I meet with clients and their families who tell me they never thought they or their loved one would need a living option outside of their home. They had planned to stay in their home until they passed. In a perfect world, that is usually the case. But what if it is not and they need help in choosing the right community for them. That is where Senior Placement Services can help. We can guide you through the often complex process of finding the right fit for both your care needs, and your budget.
Our team has over thirty years of combined experience working in the senior housing industry. We are more than just an operator on the phone, and our clients are more than just a voice on the phone. Many of our clients are our friends and neighbors, fellow church members, or people who have been referred to us by someone in the senior housing industry. We treat each of our clients with care and respect and educate them on the different options available to them. We know the questions to ask because every situation is unique and we seek to understand so that we can help our clients make an informed decision.
Throughout our entire process our only goal is making sure you have the best outcome for you and your loved one. Best of all, our services are FREE to you and your family. We have partnership agreements with over 30 communities in the Birmingham and surrounding area who allow us to not charge a fee for our services. You get the benefit of the experience of the Senior Placement Services team in your search at no cost to you.
If you are considering making a move to a senior living community, please contact us and let us assist you in your search.
The Downside of Downtime. These days, summer seems different for kids—and parents. Because these are different times.
Young people today face more temptations and risks. Negative influences are the everyday norm of their television experience such that we hardly notice them anymore. Parents are oblivious of what their kids view on the internet. Social pressure and temptations are as close as the cell phone in their pocket, and drugs are readily available from kids they know at school.
During summer, more downtime offers more freedom and choices. And young people often make those choices based on what their friends are doing, how they can have fun, and what’s easily available. That may be television, social media, and the internet. Or the cool new drugs their friends are trying.
Countering the Downside of Downtime. But what should parents do as summer approaches? Doing nothing is a choice, but normally not a good one. Instead, parents should be proactive, and they need to build a plan.
A proactive summer plan involves keeping kids occupied with positive activities a good bit of the time. Certainly, that can help limit the downside of downtime. But, ideally, parents can use the summer not only to keep their kids out of trouble, but to also prepare them for life, by striving to:
1. Maintain Balance in Your Kids’ Lifestyle
Personally: In at least one area, encourage them to develop knowledge and experience that will lead them to competence and confidence.
Emotionally: Help them develop a comfortable sense of self from being engaged in positive activities they like to do.
Spiritually: Be their mentor and example and utilize whatever works for them such as family prayer, talks, age-appropriate books, a church youth group, or simply enjoying God in nature.
2. Remain Aware of What Your Kids Are Doing
Set summer expectations and boundaries early and remain consistent, even when they whine.
Be aware of what they are doing, which is harder if you’re at work. If you feel any need to, consider using car GPS trackers, laptop software, checking in periodically, or whatever works.
3. Help Your Kids Stay Connected to Others
Work with them to be intentional about initiating and investing in good relationships.
Plan events for them to be around friends and others who are a positive influence.
4. Teach Your Kids to Manage Their Time Well
Set boundaries on their use of digital devices and television.
Each day ensure a good bit of their time is scheduled with positive activities.
5. Encourage Your Kids to do Something with Purpose
Help them get a job or assign them regular chores to earn money.
Have them do something with meaning, like helping their grandparents or volunteering.
Our goal as parents is not relentless activity or meaningless busy-ness for our children. Instead, we want to help our kids stay engaged in positive activities that will prepare them for life. And, by so doing, limit the downside of downtime.
It used to be that conventional and FHA/VA mortgage loans allowed for a partial pre-payment of principal, without a penalty, which shortened the remaining term of a loan but did not reduce the amount of the monthly Principal and Interest(P&I) payment. New rules have gone in to affect this year which allow a borrower to pay down the principal and reduce the amount of the P&I payment. This is known as a pay down and re-cast of the loan. Previously, this could only be accomplished by a complete refinance of the existing loan and the associated closing costs.
An example: A $200,000.00 mortgage loan at 5% interest rate for 30 years would have a P&I payment of $1,073.64 per month. Say after 3 years one was able to pay $50,000.00 on the balance. Previously this was possible (with no penalty) but it didn’t lower the scheduled payment. It did, however, shorten the term of the loan down to just under 16 years. Now it could lower the P&I payment to around $755.24 and while it does not shorten the term, it does increase cash flow by $318.40 per month.
Some rules do apply. Re-cast is not available from all lenders. It is not available on FHA/VA loans. There is a minimum amount, usually $5,000 and there is a fee charged by the lender, typically $250-$500.
Is this a good idea? Like most financial decisions, it depends on your individual situation. Points to consider:
Cash paid down on your mortgage loan becomes very illiquid, i.e. locked in to the equity of your home and only released at time of sale or refinance.
If current interest rates are lower then your current rate, it might make sense to refinance and inject the cash to pay down the balance to be refinanced. Forget about the outdated “2% rule”. If your current rate is lower or close to available market rates, the paydown and re-cast could make more sense.
Consider your expected tenure in the house. The longer it is, the more sense it could make to paydown and re-cast. It also might make sense to simply pay the principal down, thus keeping the P&I payment the same and pay the house off sooner.
This option can eliminate the need (and expense) of a bridge loan when buying one house before selling an existing house.
This is a wonderful option that many lenders are now making available and allows the lowering of a P&I payment without incurring the expense of a refinance.
Our homes are one of our largest assets and decisions about the principal paydown re-cast option should involve input from a mortgage professional, your financial advisor or both.
Advisory services offered through Investment Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisor and a division of ProEquities, Inc. Securities are offered through ProEquities, Inc., a Registered Broker Dealer and Member FINRA & SIPC. Vision Financial Group is Independent of ProEquities, Inc. Securities and insurance products offered are not bank deposits, have no guarantee, are not FDIC insured and may lose value.
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