Congratulations to Marianne Warren, Education Community Outreach Coordinator of Agape Senior of the Lowcountry! Marianne has been selected to serve on the Lowcountry Senior Network board as Membership Chair. Marianne does an incredible job of educating the citizens of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties and is our event expert in the Lowcountry area! She serves both Agape Senior and Agape Hospice with her expertise and is now serving the LSN with their membership! Way to go Marianne!

I would be surprised if I could find anyone my age (or close to it) who has not at least thought about what people would say about them at their funeral. Today I attended a funeral of an Agape Hospice patient and those exact  thoughts crossed my mind once again. Funerals really makes you stop and think about what really is most important in life.

This patient, who is also the brother-in-law of two of my dear friends, impacted many, many lives...this was apparent by the packed church which overflowed into a second room with video feed. The person doing the eulogy reflected on the man's life, a life that ended at the young age of 62 after being diagnosed with cancer just 6 short weeks ago.

The recurring theme throughout the service was one of relationships...the importance of relationships...his relationships with so many friends, relationships with his family, and his relationship with God. This man intertwined his life with so many others that it literally defined him. It was obvious that he had some hard knocks in life. But it is the way he responded to those events, and the way he continuously emphasized OTHERS over everything else that gave so many people a reason to celebrate his life today.

The minister finished the beautiful sermon by pointing to the casket of a dear, dear man and saying, "My friends, we are all going to be here one day. What will people say about you and your relationships?" Definitely food for thought - we never know when our day will come.

I walked out of the service, not only glad I got to celebrate this wonderful man's life, but honored that Agape Hospice played such a special role in his final days. It is indeed a privilege to care for so many wonderful people as their life journeys come to an end. I am quite certain that the caregivers in our Charleston office and throughout the state already know the incredible impact and value of these special relationships. After all, relationships ARE what's important in life!

Agape Hospice of Hartsville conducted a Dementia Training Seminar for the Hartsville Police Department last month at Byerly Park's conference room. Marcia Jones and Lee Tillman conducted the seminar for the officers from the Hartsville Police Department. The officers were very appreciative of the seminar and had several questions pertaining to Dementia and they told us about some of the situations that they have come into contact with.

Get ready Charleston-area residents! Our own Ken Burger, award-winning author and speaker is scheduling an appearance at The Palms in Mt. Pleasant, SC in mid-January! Baptized in Sweet Tea, his latest book and speaking topic, will be fun for everyone fortunate enough to attend! Look for date to be announced soon!

The event will be sponsored by Agape Senior and The Palms. Agape Senior has a Lowcountry Hospice office at 9301 Medical Plaza Drive in North Charleston, just across from Trident Hospital. Also part of Agape Senior is Agape Senior Primary Care with Dr. Stephen Murk, who specializes in senior health care. He sees patients at his office located at 3100 Tradition Circle. For more information on Agape, please call our office at 843-553-7122.

It's a quote you hear at least once in your lifetime, and one well worth considering...

Today I had the chance to talk with a sweet and talented Agape Hopsice co-worker in another part of South Carolina. She is one who is always upbeat and always looking for ways to help others. While we were talking, she disclosed a new battle she and her family are facing. It reminded me that no matter how people appear, they are most likely facing a battle of their own and doing their best to get through them.

Obvious battles surface while helping families through hospice admissions or senior care challenges that Agape employees deal with on a daily basis. What's not so obvious is the receptionist who gives you a not-so-welcome greeting, the physician who is just too busy today, or even the billing coordinator who is always smiling while hiding the battle she is facing at home or work. You may be the ONLY one to share a smile with them...so, be that kind of person!

Bottom line...be kind to EVERYONE you encounter. Share Agape...God's unconditional love. Share Agape with EVERY person you meet today, tomorrow or next week.

It's a reminder we can all use more than once in a lifetime!

1. Increase Vegetables and Fruits: Overall, the fiber, vitamins, and enzymes present in fresh plants are best for all of us. Steaming the vegetables so that they are softer for those with dental issues is easy to do. For those who have no trouble chewing, cut up raw vegetables with a tasty dip as a snack or a small meal.

2. Make Lunch the big meal of the day: Often by dinner, seniors are too tired to finish meals. Also, some seniors can have more digestive problems that interfere with a good night’s sleep. We all actually need more calories earlier in the day.

3. Stay Hydrated: Remember to maintain fluid levels. It is important for all bodily processes to sip some liquids throughout the day. The more fruits and vegetables in our diets, the more naturally hydrated we are.

4. Go for the Grain: when making decisions about which breads to choose, always go for the one higher in whole grains. Some people dislike the taste or texture at first. One way to work toward more whole grains is to mix whole grain pasta with regular pasta and gradually increase the whole grain levels.

5. Don't Skip Meals: Skipping a meal usually makes someone eat more at the following meal and can drop blood sugars causing dizziness. If not hungry, it is better to eat a little than to skip.

By: Sage Life Technologies

God grant me the serenity,
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as you did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
Trusting that you will make all things right
if I surrender to your will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with you forever in the next.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Agape Senior is serving free coffee to seniors every Thursday morning from 5:30-11:00am at the Rock Hill, SC Hardee’s. The address is 188 South Herlong Avenue Rock Hill, SC. Please join Agape Senior for BINGO from 8:00-9:00am at the same location.

The Grand Strand Agape Team was proud to participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer's!

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s unites the entire community — family, friends, co-workers, social and religious groups and more --- in a display of combined strength and dedication in the fight against this devastating disease.

I recently met a 99 year old man. I asked him what he liked best about being 99.

He simply replied “ No peer pressure”.