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As the rest of us struggle to figure out how to shed that winter weight, Johnathon continues his steady pace of weight loss without a second thought.

Far too often, we assume there has to be some magic pill or secret weapon we just need to find in order to reach our ideal weight. But John knows that there is no simple solution to weight loss; it takes an entire lifestyle change.

With the earnest efforts of his direct support staff, and a lot of dedication on his part, Johnathon has learned the value of portion control, healthy eating and plenty of exercise.

“Johnathon was a very picky eater, so it was difficult to find foods that he would enjoy that were good for him. He’s opened up to more foods now, and we really focus on portion control,” said Ron, who works with Johnathon.

Johnathon’s favorite foods were from McDonalds and other fast food joints in the area. He preferred to eat out, and wasn’t all that interested in cooking at home. The support staff that works with Johnathon helped him find ways to recreate healthier versions of what he had been accustomed to eating.

He was skeptical at first about his new diet, but he quickly learned that these healthier options were still just as delicious as anything he could find at a restaurant.

Through these combined efforts, Johnathon has been able to lose 172 pounds over the past three years and has almost completely eliminated many of the weight-related health issues he was facing!

In addition to changing his diet, Johnathon has also added exercise to his daily routine. Doing simple things like walking at the mall with friends makes it easier for Johnathon to stay interested in exercising. Because he is doing something he really enjoys, like talking to friends, it hardly seems like exercise.

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When Woodhaven began serving Gary in 2009, his weight was severely impacting his quality of life. He and his support staff recognized the need for a major change to his routine.

For Gary, the key to his success was changing how he thought about taking care of himself. His attitude toward his body made it difficult for him to get excited about eating healthier or working out.

But by getting more involved in preparing and cooking his own meals (as opposed to eating out), Gary found that he could have more control over what he was eating. Because he enjoyed being involved in the process, he focused on the act of cooking instead of on the act of depriving himself of McDonalds. He, like Johnathon, also learned to focus on portion control.

Gary and his staff also worked on finding ways for him to exercise with a partner, so that the focus was on working together, instead of on the work itself. What a great lesson for the rest of us! Stay focused on the positive things you’re getting out of your life changes, instead of the changes themselves.

To help Gary stay on track, he and his staff make sure to celebrate even the smallest victories. The positive reinforcement helps him keep his head in the game.

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For most of his life, John has been tall and lean. He has always had an active lifestyle, so weight gain didn’t seem to be as big of an issue for him when he was younger.

But as he aged and his lifestyle started to slow down, he began to struggle more with maintaining a healthy weight. While living on his own, he had gotten into the habit snacking while watching television to unwind after work. Because he spent all day on his feet at work, he wasn’t all that interested in working out in the evenings.

Years of this lifestyle took its toll on his waistline, but it wasn’t until he reached 240 lbs. that he realized something needed to change in a big way.

After moving a few years ago, John started working with his new staff toward making some positive changes in his lifestyle. Together they focused on making healthier food choices and staying active, even if only in small bursts, throughout the day.

When weather permits, John walks the short distance from his home to work every day. He’s also joined a Zumba class at a local church to add a little variety to his routine.

The small change that John says had the biggest impact on his weight was eliminating most of the snacking he had been doing throughout the day in between meals and especially at night.

He cooks all of his meals from fresh ingredients and avoids eating pre-packaged foods that are overly filled with preservatives and salt. He says the fresh foods keep him fuller longer so he doesn’t feel as inclined toward snacking.

John says the best way to lose weight is through a steady process because rapid weight loss can be bad for your health.

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When Steve began working on losing weight, he says he started by counting every calorie. By literally watching everything he ate, he was able to get a better idea of how much he was really eating.

Now that he’s become familiar with what his portion sizes look like, he’s stopped counting, but he still pays close attention. By using strict portion control, Steve can still occasionally eat some of his old less-healthy favorites while still sticking to his calorie plan.
One important part of Steve’s diet is preparing his meals from scratch. “We eat fresh foods as much as possible, instead of making things from a box,” Steve said. Making his meals from scratch has helped him be more conscious of what he is eating.

As he’s aged, staying active has become more important than ever to maintaining his mobility.

Steve says he’s added exercise in a major way. “I do some form of exercise every day – whether it’s walking on the treadmill, playing on the Wii or walking outside. Every little bit helps.”

You don’t need to spend two hours a day at the gym to stay in shape, even just 10 minutes a day can help. Steve started small, slowly adding little things here and there to get his stamina up. Now that he can handle longer and slightly more physical exercise, he attends a Zumba class with John at a local church.

“Eating right is important,” Steve said, “But exercise is also important.”

As a new year begins, we once again take the time to reflect on where we’ve been in the past year and start to think about how we want to improve ourselves in the year to come. Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes when we talk about our nominees for Team of the Year, it’s easy to get caught up in describing what we have done for the individuals in that home. We like to talk about how we’ve improved their lives and given them the support they need to be successful. While these are both incredibly important pieces of our work, they are not the determining factors for Team of the Year.
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Every year, it is our extreme pleasure to organize a Christmas party for the individuals we serve. There is nothing that brings us greater joy than getting to do something for them that really makes their day, especially when it gives them memories they’ll treasure for years to come.
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Woodhaven has been awarded Affordable Housing Assistance Program (AHAP) tax credits of 55% to help raise funds to make two homes more accessible so that the adults with developmental disabilities living there can maintain their independence while aging in place.

Both units included in this project are around 30 years old and have been home to individuals served by Woodhaven for 15 years. Woodhaven plans to renovate the kitchens and bathrooms in both homes to make them accessible for wheelchairs and more energy efficient. These upgrades will allow the residents living in the homes to age in place comfortably as their mobility needs change over time.

“Many of the people we serve will be facing age-related mobility issues in the near future. Improving the accessibility of some of our homes now fulfills many needs for Woodhaven, the community, and most importantly, for these adults with developmental disabilities,” said Mark Palmer, Chief Executive Officer of Woodhaven.

AHAP credits allow eligible donors to claim a state tax credit of up to 55% of the donated amount. Woodhaven has been awarded $21,300 in tax credits for this project and is seeking AHAP-eligible donations totaling $38,727 between now through April 30, 2012. Credits can only be used by donors subject to Missouri tax from business activities. They may be claimed in the year the gift is made or carried forward up to 10 years, or transferred to another individual or entity upon approval by the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

If you are interested in more information about eligibility or in making a donation please contact Jaime Freidrichs by phone at 573-876-7326.

Check out the story in the Columbia Daily Tribune->>
Check out the KOMU story->>
Read the Project Fact Sheet->>

On a chilly December day, the Adaptive and Senior Bell Choirs teamed up to bring an afternoon of laughter and Christmas music to the residents at Candlelight Lodge. Decorated in festive sweaters, funky hats and bright smiles, each member of the choir welcomed the residents warmly as the program began.

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Throughout the month of December, our Community Connections program will be participating in a wide variety of Christmas-themed projects and events. We were very pleased, today, to kick off the month with an ornament making party.

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As we walked up the sidewalk toward the building rising before us, the cool of the morning sent chills through us. Sculptures stood around us, commanding our attention. The majestic stone capitol building captured our imagination as we pulled open its heavy doors. A wave of stale air swallowed us as we slipped inside. A great hall led us to the rotunda, where chairs and a podium sat waiting for an important speech.

A tour guide met us enthusiastically. With his portable microphone hanging off his collar and a speaker strapped to his belt, he led us through the ornate halls. A master of the history of this building, he explained the significance of each painting and sculpture we passed.

He led us up the widest and tallest set of stairs in the world, explaining that when they were designed, an extra step was added for that purpose. At the top of those great stairs, sculptures of famous/great Missourians lined the walls. There are a lot of awesome people who called Missouri home. Actors and actresses, inventors and successful businessmen stared at us with bronze eyes.

Because the House was not in session, he let us stand on the House floor and check out where our state legislators meet to discuss bills. Wooden desks with old chairs filled the room, each outfitted with an ancient black laptop. It was quite the sight, this ornate room filled with antique furniture and century-old paintings, set off by five-year-old laptops. Though, in laptop years, that’s almost 100, right?

After our tour at the capitol and lunch, we had the extreme pleasure of making a visit to Central Dairy. For those of you who are not familiar with this place, just know that there are more flavors of homemade ice cream than you could ever name. Everyone was able to find a favorite, or try a new one.

After a delicious date with Central Dairy, we all climbed back into our vehicles and headed to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Museum. The museum was less majestic than the state capitol, but was filled with some interesting treasures from Missouri’s history. As we entered the building, the happiest police car in existence greeted us with a friendly smile.

Displays highlighting major achievements for the department, and ridiculous weapons and drug paraphernalia found on perpetrators line the walls. The center of the room showcased several more famous and notable police cruisers through history. This part of the trip was Tim’s favorite. As we approached each vintage cruiser, his smile grew and his eyes lit up. While not everyone loved the cars like Tim, there was definitely something for everyone to explore at the museum.

Check out more photos from our adventures in the state capital below.
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Tour Guide

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As the first bars of “Monster Mash” started, we were still hanging cobwebs on the windows. The sun was warm, shining through the windows, and the room smelled like cupcakes and frosting. Some of the Tri Sigma volunteers from Stephens College carefully laid out supplies for the crafts on a few of the back tables, while others set up games along the back wall.

With a relatively small budget to work with, the donation of the space for our party was a huge blessing to the individuals we serve at Woodhaven. Parkade Plaza was so gracious in donating a room, with a kitchen and accessible bathrooms for us to use for the night!

After all of the hard work put into planning, it was finally coming together. Looking out over the room, we knew it was going to be a great evening.

When the first guests arrived, we were blown away by their costumes! In walked a woodland fairy, a cowgirl, and Lucille Ball! The evening was already getting off to a great start.

As the rest of the guests slowly trickled in, a jovial glow filled the room. Old friends greeted one another as they compared costumes. They took turns decorating cupcakes and making decorative bags. Several individuals enjoyed dancing to the Halloween-themed tunes playing throughout the night.

All in all, it was a great night of fellowship for all of us at Woodhaven. Everyone seemed to find something cool to do, good food to munch on, and great friends to talk to.

Check out all of the great photos from our awesome evening of spooktacular Halloween fun!
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Volunteer from Tri Sigma

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As we continue our exploration of central Missouri farms, we drove out to Peach Tree Farm in Boonville, MO. Like many of the farms we’ve already visited this fall, they raise animals in addition to their specialty crop. Peach Tree Farm specializes in peaches during the summer months, but during the fall the focus is on pumpkins.

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