You At Your Best

12 | YOU AT YOUR BEST | NWADG.COM/YOUATYOURBEST FEBRUARY - THE HEART ISSUE | SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018 BY SARAH HANEY NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Village House, of Bella Vista, has been helping provide respite care with their adult day program for nearly 30 years. Village House is a 501(c)3 non-profit program providing social, recreational, educational activities, and caregiving for participants. The program's goal is to maintain and enhance the quality of life for both the participant and the caregiver. Village House provides assistance and supervision for adults who have some type of disability, which could be anything from a special needs, traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, developmental disabilities, blindness, or deafness. By providing these services, Village House is able to give a break to caregivers. Participants at Village House are able to interact, engage, and socialize with other adults who also have some life changing illness or condition, and it enhances their quality of life. Activities at Village House include games, educational programs, music, crafts, and daily exercise programs. The program is designed to maximize the abilities of each participant and has on staff a certified dementia practitioner, certified nurse assistants (CNAs), and life enrichment professionals. Since Village House is a non-profit organization, it relies on the generosity and donations of groups and individuals to continue to function. Currently, the program can serve up to 30 clients per day. Village House currently has a capital campaign going on to raise the funds to pay for a remodel. Once the remodel is complete, the program will be able to accommodate up to 50 clients per day. A recent donation of $10,000 was made to Village House by an anonymous caring couple. This same couple has pledged to match up to $40,000 to be raised in the current capital campaign. Village House's goal is to provide an atmosphere for adults with special conditions to be able to engage in activities that improve their quality of life while also providing affordable respite care for caregivers. Clients enjoy the social engagement these activities foster and benefit greatly from them. Many view Village House as more of a senior "club," because of the variety of activities and opportunities for social interaction available. In 2018, Village House will offer a "Lunch 'N' Learn" Program. "We want to offer free services, education, and a lunch to the public, to say 'thank you,' as well as get more people into our building who otherwise wouldn't be," noted Village House Director Sara Scott. Home Instead will be providing free safety assessments and adjustments to any medical equipment you bring from home on March 6. On May 1, pharmacy services will be featured at the "Lunch 'N' Learn." Encompass Home Care will provide free fall screens and teach fall prevention techniques on July 3. On Sept. 4, Blue Wave Hearing will be offering free hearing aide cleanings, and on Nov. 6, Springwoods Behavioral Health will offer free depression screenings, as well as other behavioral health services. All sessions will be at Village House, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Please call Village House to reserve a spot a week prior to the scheduled date for an accurate lunch count. Village House will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2018, having been open since 1988. The adult day program is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located in the lower level of Highlands Crossing Center at 1801 Forest Hills Blvd., Suite 206, in Bella Vista. For more information about the program, contact Village House at (479) 855-4449. Village House is recipient of generous donation Patricia Ayers (Village House Fundraising and Outreach) and Village House Director Sara Scott accept an anonymous donation of $10,000. Village House Board Member and Treasurer Lisa Singleton presented the check. METRO CREATIVE SERVICES According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, increasing stomach fat is associated with worsening heart disease risk factors, including high blood pressure. Research into fat and its connection to heart disease is ongoing, but evidence suggests that fat in the abdominal cavity is particularly dangerous. Why is belly fat so dangerous? Belly fat does not include just subcutaneous fat, or the layer of padding just below the skin. One of the biggest threats posed by belly fat is that it also includes visceral fat that surrounds the internal organs. Harvard Medical School notes that visceral fat lies deep inside the abdominal cavity, padding the space between a person's abdominal organs. This type of fat has been linked to metabolic disturbances and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. What contributes to belly fat? The term "beer belly" might suggest that only men who drink excessive amounts of beer are at risk of developing unhealthy amounts of belly fat. While drinking too much beer is unhealthy and will result in more belly fat, beer is not the only culprit. The Mayo Clinic notes that aging can play a role in the development of belly fat. Men, especially those who are not physically active, naturally lose muscle as their bodies age. That loss of muscle mass decreases the rate at which the body uses calories, which can make it more difficult to maintain healthy weights and prevent belly fat from developing. A poor diet also can contribute to belly fat. When choosing protein sources, men should forgo red meat, which can be high in saturated fat, in favor of fish and low-fat dairy products. Harvard Medical School notes that other healthful sources of protein include chicken, turkey, nuts, beans, and whole grains. But even the healthiest diets won't do much to reduce or prevent belly fat if men also don't control their portion sizes. When dining out, men can share plates or decide in advance to eat half their meals and take the rest home. When eating at home, men should not feel obligated to fill or empty their plates. Feeling full or uncomfortable after eating is indicative of overeating. Avoid that feeling and cut down on belly fat by eating healthy portions of healthy foods. How is belly size determined? Men concerned about belly fat can measure their bellies and discuss belly size with their physicians. The Mayo Clinic offers the following guidelines to measure belly size: • Stand and place a tape measure around your bare stomach, just above your hip bone. • Pull the tape measure until it fits snugly around you, but doesn't push into your skin. Make sure the tape measure is level all the way around. • Relax, exhale and measure your waist. Do not suck in your stomach. A waist measurement greater than 40 inches indicates an unhealthy amount of belly fat that can increase a man's risk for heart disease. Belly fat might mistakenly be viewed as a cosmetic concern, but the consequences of excess belly fat affect far more than a man's appearance. Belly fat is no mere cosmetic concern

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