Around the world with Atlas - February 2025 - Iceland
Resident's Birthdays
Independent Living
Bert Amidon 2/1
Tim Seiger 2/3
Emma Wright 2/10
Memory Resident
Kathleen Ducan 2/1
Peggy Williams 2/1
Robert Frownfelter 2/16
Clara Taylor 2/23
Donna Webb 2/27
Month's Celebrations
2/14 Valentine’s Day
2/17 Presidents Day
Events Spotlights
2/11 Wine Down & Winterized Your Health with Right at Home
2/14 All Shook Up, Luncheon with Elvis
2/18 Banana Pudding Contest
2/27 Birthday Bash with The Barbershop Quartet
Spirit well-being message
A “spirit well being message” could be something like: “Take a moment to connect with your inner self, find peace in the present, and nurture your sense of purpose and meaning in life.”.
Key elements of a spirit well-being message:
1 Focus on inner connection: Encourage reflection and introspection to understand your values and beliefs.
2 Positive affirmation: Remind yourself of your resilience and ability to overcome challenges.
3 Meaning and purpose: Highlight the importance of finding significance in your life.
4 Mindfulness and gratitude: Practice being present and appreciating the good things in your life.
Icelandic Vibes
Alexa, play
“Svefn-g-englar” from Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós, is the iconic Icelandic band that weaves ethereal soundscapes and transport listeners to the beauty of their homeland. Known for their haunting melodies and atmospheric textures, their music feels like a journey through Iceland’s glaciers, volcanic fields, and aurora-lit skies.
The album “Ágætis Byrjun” from 1999, gained international recognition and was famously featured in the film Vanilla Sky (2001), perfectly encapsulating the film’s dreamlike and introspective tone.
*The Icelandic phrase
“Svefn-g-englar” translates to “sleepwalkers” or “sleep angels”
Love Yourself
“If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. And that makes you so happy.” – Kristen Chenowith
Why is it so difficult to love ourselves? Basically, the short answer to this question is that we were raised in a society that didn’t teach us about self-love. This may not seem very important to some, but self-love is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Loving yourself provides you with self-confidence, self-worth, and in general, you feel more positive. If you can learn to love yourself, you will feel happier and will learn to take better care of yourself.
Looking in the mirror, most of us see a lot of different flaws and remember too many past experiences and failings to love ourselves. The less you love yourself, listen to yourself, and understand yourself, the more confused, upset, and frustrated you will be in life. When you begin to love yourself and continue to love yourself more and more each day, things slowly will be a little bit better in every way possible.
Unfortunately, self-love isn’t always easy.
Accepting the pain and allowing yourself to be honest with who you are is a big step to loving yourself. Forgive yourself for past actions and things you are ashamed of doing.
Carrying a lot of negative emotions like jealousy, disgust, and rage can have a negative impact. We need to learn how to accept not only the emotions that create love, joy, and happiness but also the ones that cause fear, insecurity, and anger in our lives.
While we need to learn how to acknowledge and accept the pain with the love, another step is reconciling with a cold and unopened heart. Asking yourself if you fully love yourself can be very difficult because you must accept your flaws and faults.
Love is something we choose, the same way we choose anger, hate, or sadness. We have the power to forgive someone who has hurt us in the past. We can learn to finally heal from something when we can forgive. We can always choose love.
Learning to love yourself leads to better self-care. Examples of this could be taking a break from time to time and accepting that no one is perfect and things happen.
Another example could be saying no to others when you really don’t have the time or energy to say yes. We often do too much for other people because we want to please everyone. We can forget to look after ourselves and then we become overwhelmed.
Today is the day you can love yourself completely with no expectations. Making the choice right now to choose your own love is the most powerful healing force you have.
BY YOUTH FIRST
Iceland
Around the World with Atlas
Iceland’s dramatic landscape is shaped by its active volcanism and vast glaciers. It is home to over 130 volcanoes, including Eyjafjallajökull, and Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull.
During summer, Iceland experiences the Midnight Sun, with almost 24 hours of daylight. In contrast, winter brings long nights, creating the perfect setting for Northern Lights displays.
Resident of the Month
Lucy Wilson
Lucy was born on May 18, 1953, in Russellville, Alabama, in Franklin County, proudly continuing her family’s legacy as the fourth generation in that beautiful town. After marriage, she embraced a new chapter in Athens, where her twin boys were born and later thrived at Auburn University. As a grandmother to five wonderful grandchildren—three boys and two girls—Lucy treasures her family.
With a degree in Foods and Nutrition and Institutional Management from the University of Alabama, Lucy dedicated herself to serving others, working at Athens Medical Center and the Lurleen Wallace Center. Balancing motherhood and work after her twins’ arrival, she briefly worked at a senior living home while nurturing her boys. Later, she took on the role of a city carrier in Athens, showcasing her commitment and resilience.
Driven by a passion for knowledge, Lucy returned to school to earn a degree in Biology and Education. She joyfully retired from the post office in 2013, cherishing the freedom to enjoy life. Now living at Monark, she relishes being close to her son while embracing a carefree lifestyle free from cooking and cleaning, a testament to the fulfilling life she has crafted.
Winterized Our Health
Winterizing your health involves taking steps to strengthen your immune system and mental health, and to protect your heart. Here are some things you can do:
1 Exercise: Get moving with moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes per week. You can also try online exercise classes, or volunteer to shovel snow or walk a neighbor’s dog.
2 Eat well: Eat a healthy diet and get enough vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body fight off viruses and other germs.
3 Sleep well: Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
4 Stay warm: Dress in layers to protect yourself from the cold and sweating.
5 Stay safe: Check the weather forecast and avoid being outside during severe weather. Make sure your smoke alarms are working and keep batteries fresh.
6 Get a health check: Consider getting a health check and getting any necessary vaccinations.
7 Take supplements: If you’re deficient in vitamin D, you can ask your doctor about taking a supplement.
Healthy and nutritious foods
Healthy and nutritious foods provide the body with the nutrients it needs to survive and stay healthy.
Healthy foods:
1 Sweet potatoes
A good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and some B vitamins.
2 Almonds
High in fiber, vitamin E, protein, and antioxidants, which may help with heart health and blood pressure.
3 Curry
A versatile and filling dinner option that may help reduce risk factors for heart disease.
4 Hummus
Made from chickpeas, which are high in fiber and may promote gut health.
5 Tofu
A good source of protein, calcium, manganese, iron, and vitamin A, and also contains isoflavones, which may have health benefits.
6 Broccoli
A good source of calcium and vitamin K, which are both important for bone health.
7 Cheese
A good source of protein, fat, and calcium, and eating dairy products may be linked to a better overall diet.
Veterans Day
More Articles
Rediscovering Love After 70s, Love Doesn’t Retire
Many people assume that romance naturally slows down with age, but research suggests otherwise. According to a study published in The Journals of Gerontology, older …
Five Steps to Feel Truly at Home in Senior Living
Share our good news:
Recipe of the Month
Kjötsúpa: Icelandic Lamb Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder or thick chops
1 medium onion, sliced
1/3 cup brown rice, or rolled oats
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 head cabbage, coarsely chopped
3 medium carrots, 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup diced rutabaga
1 cup cauliflower florets, optional
4 medium potatoes, 1/2-inch dice
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 1–2 minutes without browning. Add lamb and brown on all sides.
Stir in onion, sauté briefly, then add rice and water. Bring to a boil, skimming off froth, and boil for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, add thyme and oregano, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.
Add cabbage, carrots, rutabaga, cauliflower (if using), and potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Remove meat, chop coarsely, and return to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, serve, and enjoy!
Associate of the Month
Tara Johnson
We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Tara Johnson for being selected as our Employee of the Month for February. Tara, a native of Detroit, MI, relocated to Florence, Alabama, where she completed her education at Coffee High School, graduating with the Class of 1992. She has earned an Associate’s Degree in Health Science and made her way to Madison, Alabama, in 2009.
With 30 years of valuable experience in senior living, Tara is a remarkable asset to our team. Outside of work, she cherishes the time spent with her two sons and three grandchildren. In her leisure hours, Tara enjoys immersing herself in a good book or watching a captivating movie.
Jólabókaflóð
(Icelandic Christmas book flood)
A Love for Literature:
Iceland boasts the highest number of published authors per capita. The Icelandic tradition of gifting books during Christmas, known as Jólabókaflóð (Yule Book Flood), reflects their deep connection to storytelling and literature.
Collaborators
Julie Campbell
