
Pumpkin Shrimp Recipe

Alexander Gardens Community Services Director
“Camarão na moranga” is a typical dish of the Brazilian south coast, delicious and impressive for special occasions. The recipe was created in 1945 in Ubatuba, a town along the northern coast of state of São Paulo.
Pumpkin is a Central American vegetable very common in Brazil. It is versatile and is used to make a infinite number of sweet and savory recipes.
Ingredients
- 5lbs flat pumpkin (sweet pumpkin)
- For the prawns in cream sauce:
- 2 lbs medium prawns
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- salt and ground pepper or chilli pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups cheese cream
- Garnish:
- large sized prawns
- salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 shot cognac
Preparation method
Preparation of the pumpkin:
1. Wash the pumpkin and cut the “lid” to make the pumpkin into a “bowl”.
2. Scrape the inside with a spoon to remove seeds.
3. Bake the pumpkin at 250° for about 1 hour, until the pulp is soft.
Preparation of the prawns in cream sauce:
1. Sauté the onion and the garlic finely chopped in oil and butter.
2. Add the tomato sauce, the bay leaf, salt, black pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the peeled prawns and cook a few minutes.
4. Dissolve the flour in a little of coconut milk or whipping (heavy) cream.
5. Add the whipping (heavy) cream, the coconut milk and flour dissolved to the mixture, a little at a time, and stir frequently until the cream is thickened.
6. Season with salt and black pepper; remove and discard the bay leaf.
To assemble the dish:
1. Fill the baked pumpkin with the prawns in cream sauce and the cheese cubes.
2. Bake the filled pumpkin at 350° until the cheese has melted. It takes about 15 minutes.
3. Decorate the filled pumpkin with prawns sautéed with olive oil and garlic and flambéed with cognac.
4. Pumpkin is not only a bowl but is part of the dish so, serve the pulp of the pumpkin with the prawns in cream sauce. Serve with white rice.
Yield: 4 – 6 servings.
5 Reasons to Join a Book Club When Living in Assisted Living

The Book Club at Alexander Gardens Assisted Living is one of the many life-enriching activities offered to our residents. We understand leading a full and meaningful life is important at any age but when seniors move to an assisted living community a good life enrichment program will improve the quality of their lives.
Staying active in an Assisted Living community is vital in reducing depression and isolation, and book clubs are a great way of staying connected and engaged. Research shows that reading helps in retaining long term memory, focus, and concentration.
In her article, Being a Lifelong Bookworm May Keep You Sharp in Old Age, Marina Koren talks about giving our brains a workout. Reading and retaining words require more mental energy than, watching TV or playing Solitary on an IPad. According to Koren, “In particular, people who participated in mentally stimulating activities over their lifetimes, both in young, middle and old age, had a slower rate of decline in memory and other mental capacities than those who did not.”
No matter your age it’s important to read and these are some of the reasons seniors should join a book club.
1. Socialization, in addition to giving your brain a workout, a book club can be social. It brings together residents in a group environment to share their ideas about the book they are reading. They may have so much fun and meet someone new.
2. Expanding resident’ horizons beyond the walls in assisted living. Reading brings the outside world to the resident’s world without leaving the building. Books offer a glimpse into the lives of other people, different cultures, and current events.
3. Practicing effective communication skills in a book club helps residents clarify what they have read in the book. Residents will question each other about ideas and opinions. In addition, they will provide feedback to each other when discussing characters and plot.
4. Setting goals for reading is a good thing for residents.
Sometimes residents get over whelmed if they feel pressure to join an activity or group especially if they were not social when living in their home. But reading is an individual activity and can be done at one’s own pace. Whether the resident chooses to join the conversation or sit and listen it’s up to them, but both are better than staying in their room.
5. Getting out of their comfort zone. Sometimes residents get comfortable and won’t try new things. When they commit to joining a book club they may have to read books that they ordinarily would not read. And they may have to discuss topics they are not exposed to on a regular basis.
Improving long-term memory in seniors through the book club is just as important as exercising. The mental challenge of reading and retaining information helps delay the onset of dementia. A science advisor Dr. Zaven Khachaturian, to the Alzheimer’s Association published an article in USA TODAY, states, “ brain-challenging activities build a reserve of neuronal connections, making it take longer for the Alzheimer’s process to destroy enough neurons for symptoms to emerge.” As the residents read and discuss the material in the book they are retaining the information and helping the brain stay young. Reading no matter what your age is good for your brain. It helps improve concentration, focus and thinking skills. Coupled with a book club makes reading a positive and rewarding experience for seniors living in assisted living.
If you are looking for a book for your book club try reading, Happy for No Reason, by New York bestselling author, Marci Shimoff. Why not start your year off right and learn how to reset your happiness button. Take the Happiness Quiz from Happy for No Reason Questionnaire.
According to Aristotle, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim, and end of human existence.” Make this the year of the book and join the club.
5 Cost Free Gifts How to Give the Gift of Love

How to Give the Gift of Love
5 Cost Free Gifts
By Mary Brook
If you are an average American consumer then you are expected to spend $942.00 on holiday gifts this season. 37% of Americans say they will spend $1,000 or more and 16% say they will spend less this year than last year. These are all record amounts of spending for this average holiday season. According to a Gallup Poll initial, it should be a good spending season for retailers.
But if you are senior or live on a fixed income these numbers can be overwhelming. How do you find a gift that won’t break the bank? What is the best gift you can give this year that doesn’t cost a dime? I believe it’s the gift of love. Love comes in all shapes and sizes and it may or may not be wrapped up and put under the Christmas tree. Love has different meanings to different people. But the true meaning of the holidays is sometimes forgotten. Take a moment to remember it’s not about buying presents but about giving.
What is the best gift you can give this year that doesn’t cost a dime? The gift of love. Love comes in all shapes and sizes and it may or may not be wrapped. Love has different meanings to different people. The Oxford dictionary defines the word gift, “as a thing given willingly to someone without payment, a present.
“The true meaning of the holidays is not about buying presents
but about giving.”
I hear again and again from seniors the number one gift they want for Christmas is to spend time with their family. Sharing your time, energy and unconditional love with no strings attached is celebrating the true meaning of the season. Visiting family because you want to not because you have to create good feels for everyone. Anyone can go to the store and buy a present, but if you take the time to visit with family it will mean so much more. The time you spend together will be a memory for that last throughout the year.
5 Cost Free Presents!
The Gift of Time: One of the hardest things to do is slow down and take the time to connect. Put down the cell phone, and listen to what the other person is saying is a gift of love.
The Gift of Nature: Take a walk together when you are outside with your loved ones it is a refreshing change of pace. Getting out of the house and into nature is good for everyone. The loving feeling of being together in nature will create a memory that will last.
The Gift of Play: Play a game together and have some fun. One of my favoritesScattergories, a creative-thinking based game that can be played in teams. There is a lot of laughter and a lot of conversation when you play together.
The Gift of a Handwritten Letter: Instead of buying a card that says I love you. Write a letter to your loved ones. Put into words your feelings and let that person know why you care about them. A letter is something they can keep and look at throughout the year.
The Gift of Kindness: Being kind to others costs you nothing but a smile or a few kind words. The effect of kindness makes you feel better and will let the other person know you care enough to connect. Being kind to strangers standing in line at the grocery can lift the spirits of everyone in line. When you ask someone how they are doing it may be their only social connection that day. For some seniors who live alone, it means a lot. Especially when they don’t expect it.
It’s challenging not to get caught up in the spending spree that has become part of the holiday season. But what will your family remember two days after Christmas? The store-bought presents or the time you spent engaging in meaningful activities and connecting. To give the gift of love at the holiday season is the best gift of all.

The Benefits of Having a Roommate in Assisted Living
The Benefits of Having a Roommate in Assisted Living
Roommates in assisted living can have several advantages that you should consider when choosing a room. Having to decide to share living space with another person, often someone you have never met can be difficult for both the resident and the family. Here are some valuable benefits to consider:
- Saving Money – The most obvious of the benefits of sharing a room is sharing the cost of accommodations. The savings are approximately 30-40% on average.
- Easing Transition– Having a roommate promotes socialization. Having a roommate can provide the first person you get to know Your roommate can give you advice on how to better navigate within the community’s unique culture.
- Decreased Loneliness – Too much seclusion is not a good thing. It is easy for loneliness to set in. Many seniors will stay in their rooms most of the day sleeping or watching television. This lack of socialization can sometimes contribute to loneliness and worse, depression. A roommate can dramatically diminish the feeling of isolation and/or loneliness.
- Additional Monitoring – You should consider the benefit of the additional monitoring that a roommate provides. Because they see each other every day, roommates can be the first to notice changes that occur in the health or ability of a senior. There is great value in noticing a pattern early that might otherwise go undetected for a longer period.
- Longer Life Expectancy – A variety of social studies confirm that social relationships augment one’s quality of life and extend our life expectancy. Having a source of consistent companionship in the form of a roommate can increase mental and emotional stimulation and therefore contribute to overall health and longevity.
Roommates aren’t just for starving students or young people but can be beneficial for people of all ages.
When choosing a room in assisted living there are many options to consider, and a shared room or private room is worth considering.
Joseph Newlan, LVN, Associate Executive Director, Alexander Gardens Assisted Living
Exerts from Starlight Homes Assisted Living 2019
Comfort Foods and Cook Books

Comfort Foods and CookBooks
A Winning Combination in Assisted Living
By, Mary L Brook, Associate Executive Director
Baby Boomer Burnout

Baby Boomer Burnout
The 5 Best Cures for Baby Boomer Burnout!
by Mary Brook Associate Executive Director
- You wake up every day with an empty feeling in your heart and mind, or feeling totally exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally.
- You feel like you have nothing left to give to your family and those around you, and you don’t care about anyone or anything.
- You are not motivated to go to work, clean the house, or take care of yourself.
- Your vision of the world is heavy and dark, your fatigue blinds you and you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
- You feel like there is nothing to look forward to in your life because your cup is empty, not even half full.
- When you reach the point of burnout you feel like you don’t know how to fix it.
- You wake up in the morning and the only thing you think about is wanting to feel better.
- You just want to get your life under control and get rid of everything that is causing you pressure.
- Let go. Quit trying to take care of everything by yourself. Ask for help. Ask your family, friends, church, work, neighbors, social workers, and anyone who can lend an ear or a helping hand. Don’t be afraid to let go. It will always work out in the end.
- Eat how you want to feel. Eating a healthy diet will make you feel better and lighten your mood. If you are stressed and eat candy, cookies, and cake you will feel heavy and sluggish. Making little changes in your diet over time will make a big difference in how you feel. Remember to take one day at a time.
- Exercise on a regular basis. Exercise doesn’t have to be an hour at the gym every day. It can be a walk outside or working in the garden. The feeling of being outdoors is freeing and invigorating. Park your car at the end of the parking lot and walk briskly to the door. Stand up at your desk if you have been sitting for a long time. Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
- Mind your P’s and Q’s. Saying please and thank you can change the way you feel. When you are polite and on your best behavior you can trick your mind into believing you feel better. It’s mind over matter. Every day you have a choice when you wake up. Chose to feel better and do everything you can to make it happen.
- At the end of the day congratulate yourself and be grateful for what you did do versus what you didn’t do. Feeling grateful makes you appreciate what you did for yourself. If you take care of yourself you can take care of others.
Honoring 30 Years of Care

Honoring 30 years of Caring!
Lupe Vargas embodies the values and principles that provides a higher standard of care at Alexander Gardens Assisted Living. She has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant, at the Alexander Gardens community for the past 30 years. When she started at Alexander Gardens, Ronald Regan was President and a gallon of gas was 97cents. The Average Cost of new house $120,000.00, Average Income per year $27,450, Average Monthly Rent $420.00, Average Price for new car $15,350.00.
Things have changed since 1989, but Lupe remains steadfast in her loyalty and dedication to the Alexander Garden’s residents. Her responsibilities reach beyond the residents as she helps train new caregivers to the gold standard of lifestyle at Alexander Gardens. Lupe always arrives to work on time and ready to begin the day with positive energy. She is a support for the staff and families in times of need.
Lupe’s presence is felt throughout the community and can be seen in her Flora arrangements. The residents and staff enjoy the beautiful flowers each week and appreciate her arrangements in the offices and main living areas of the house.
Her attention to detail is felt in the resident’s room. When she makes a bed she you know Lupe has made it. It would pass with flying colors any class A inspection. As she hangs her resident’s clothing she takes her time and handles with care. She always wears her name badge and is dressed professionally at all times. Her integrity is a role model for others. Her talents and efforts help others achieve excellence throughout the community. The residents appreciate her as well as the staff and families.
In addition to her Alexander Gardens family, Lupe takes care of her family, a husband of 30 years, two grown sons and a teenage son, and grandchildren. She shares her love with all the residents.
Lupe’s vision for the residents is “nothing is impossible.” “ I want everyone to look nice and feel good about themselves.” Lupe gives her best with loving care in every aspect of their lives. Thank you, Lupe, for your 30 years of caring!
Senior Fraud and Cyber Security
That’s Amore
That’s Amore!
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What does Love mean to You? By Mary Brook
(In Napoli where love is king and when boy meets girl here’s what they say)
Dean Martin
When you pick a life partner the words “I Love You” have different meanings for each of you. Love isn’t always easy and many times it’s tough. But as time goes by love changes and evolves. It takes you in different directions, challenges your determination and makes you stop to think about what love really means. What type of love do you need for a full and meaningful life? Your love language may not have the same meaning to your life partner and understanding your partner’s love language is paramount to creating a long- lasting relationship.
Love can only take you so far until you realize as the years go by love can look and feel different. Love is different at every age, according to my daughter who is in her 30’s, Love is “a period of time when you change how you think, you start from the I then change to the we.” Your love grows to include a life partner and children. After 38 years of marriage to the same person this is what I’ve learned about love.
My husband and I don’t talk the same love language but what keep us together is more than love. When time passes and love gets blurred our values shine through the gray area of love and help us focus on what is important in life at the present
time and in the future.
Our support and appreciation of each other’s strengths and weaknesses are the glue that bind us together. When times get tough we are there for each other. We let go of the small stuff and forgive the big stuff. The respect and encouragement of our separate life goals as well as our goals together and working towards those goals work for us.
Audrey Van Petegam, contributor to The HuffPost, 2/13/14 talks about the book, The Five Languages of Love, by Gary Chapman,” The Secret to Love That Lasts”, 5 Languages of Love. “The premise of the book is that we all feel and know that we are loved by how people relate to us. There are five love languages that we can fall under that make us feel truly loved. They are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service and Personal Touch. We, of course, will fall into more than one category but one will resonate more than the others.”
Finding the right language is the key to helping a person feel loved. Love is not just for a spouse, partner or lover. There are other relationships that are filled with love, like love for a parent, girlfriend or child. ”
During this month of love stop and ask your friends and family what does love mean to them. You will be amazed at the different answers.
These are some of definitions of love from my co-workers, friends and family.
Joseph, “Truly loving someone means that their happiness and well being are just as important to you as your own.”
Ghita-“Love our Dreams”
Dalia- “Love is fulfilling, a journey and the key to life. If you have love you have it all.”
Jackie- “ Love is family, my daughter is the love of my life”
Bruce- “That one is easy. Love is something you give to receive.” Mitch- “ Love is peace and contentment”
Luciana-“Love, to me, implies connection. I believe we all have an inherent need to build connections, whether they are connections to a person, an animal, a place, or an ideal. Loving connections define us, anchor us, nurture, and sustain us. A person without love wanders in eternal search for his own soul.
And love is fluid, changes with us as we grow older, changes with time and distance. The fluidity of it makes every loving relationship even more precious and deserving of attention — although love is so strong that even a long forgotten and neglected love can be brought back to life within an instant, like a candle that lights itself back up again after it’s been blown off. Love keeps us out of darkness.”
Mary- “ Love is a feeling that brings passion to everyday life. It’s not a fleeting moment but a deep internal drive that keeps you moving forward.”
Love is: a physical attachment, someone’s inner beauty, closeness between family, friends and people, love is life and life is everything.