Two opportunities to attend this not-to-be-missed presentation

DAVENPORT, IA (June 18, 2015) - Senior Star at Elmore Place is pleased to host national speaker and author, Jolene Brackey, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30 and 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1 at 4500 Elmore Avenue.

Eager to help those in an Alzheimer's caregiving role navigate the journey and challenges they face each day, Brackey established the company, Enhanced Moments.  Her presentation, "Creating Moments of Joy" delivers a message of hope and encouragement, along with generous doses of humor that has been warmly embraced by family members and professional caregivers alike.  Attendees will be inspired to look beyond the challenges of Alzheimer's disease and focus more energy on creating moments of joy.

Brackey's presentation parallels Senior Star's trademarked Purposeful Moments®philosophy which is inherent to their mission of providing a community lifestyle that inspires people to embrace senior living.  "Our residents are here because we are more than caregivers ... we are caregivers to the human spirit," said Marc Strohschein, executive director of Senior Star at Elmore Place.  "Assisting our residents in fulfilling their desire for a sense of purpose influences everything we do.  Bringing in speakers such as Jolene also reinforces our internal programs that support caregivers' needs."

Quad City community members are encouraged to attend this uplifting presentation filled with practical advice.  In addition to Brackey's insights, Senior Star associates will also be available for personal discussions with anyone who wants to see how the retirement community is designed to create those Purposeful Moments® in daily life for its residents.

Both events are free to the public.  Refreshments will be served at the June 30 presentation and lunch will be provided for those attending on July 1.  Please call 563.359.0100 by June 28 to reserve your spot today and indicate which presentation you would like to attend.

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to schedule a tour, call 563.359.0100 or visit the website at www.seniorstar.com.

About Senior Star at Elmore Place

Senior Star at Elmore Place, a Senior Star community, features 236 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 20 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information, visit www.seniorstar.com.

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DAVENPORT, Iowa - June 15, 2015 - For the second consecutive year, Genesis Health System is the recipient of an Iowa Healthiest Employers® award.

The award was presented June 12 at the Iowa Association of Business and Industry Conference, held at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf.

The Healthiest Employers of Iowa award program, a co-initiative of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, Business Record Iowa and Business Record, recognizes companies throughout the state that have committed to creating a healthy workplace for their employees. Genesis was chosen as the Large Employer recipient, and as one of three award winners, for Eastern Iowa.

Finalists were selected from each of three categories: small employer, 2-99 employees; midsize employer, 100-249 employees; and large employer, 250 employees or more. Winners were then chosen from three separate regions through the state: Eastern, Central and Western Iowa.

"Our employees are the core of our success," said Renee Stolmeier, Director of Compensation & Benefits. "Statistics show healthy employees are happier, more productive, less stressed and higher performers. Healthy employees also save the organization money in fewer benefit claims and absenteeism, so we all win."

Genesis has encompassed wellness into its benefits design to promote healthy lifestyles. For the first time this year, employees and their spouses had to have a biometric screening in order to be eligible for Genesis' traditional, benefit-rich insurance plans - a requirement that increased screenings from 70% to 93%. (Those who did not undergo a screening were eligible only for a high-deductible plan with high out-of-pocket costs.) Premium discounts ranging from $45 to $90 per pay period are tied to wellness results.  In addition, the program includes a $20 tobacco surcharge per employee or spouse for each pay period.

Genesis' voluntary wellness program focuses on all aspects of a healthy life, including stress, diet and exercise. Through Genesis insurance, employees and spouses can receive support with the help of several weight-loss programs and diabetes management, smoking cessation and stress-reduction programs. A voluntary WellPower program for employees focuses on making health strides with the opportunity to earn gift cards.

To encourage exercise, Genesis employees can purchase bicycles and exercise equipment at discounted rates and use payroll deduction for their purchases each April.

Free online tool available for Iowa businesses, schools and communities

(DES MOINES) - Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced the launch of the Healthiest State Initiative's new free assessment tool that allows Iowa businesses, schools and communities to measure and study their overall well-being. The tool assesses factors beyond physical activity and nutrition by looking at other factors impacting overall well-being, including tobacco and substance abuse, dental health, community engagement and emotional health. Upon completion of the assessment, the school, workplace or community will receive immediate feedback with access to resources and tools to implement change. The assessment is now available at http://www.iowahealthieststate.com/assessment-program.

"Our goal to become the healthiest state in the nation is rooted in our belief that Iowans must take ownership over their own health and health care decisions for our state to truly become a leader in well-being," said Branstad. "We recognize that making progress toward a healthier Iowa is not only critical to the economic vitality of our state, but also to the quality of life for all Iowans."

"Making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation is about vitality - our economic vitality and the vitality of our citizens," said Reynolds. "This assessment tool is a great resource for those who wish to seek change and impact the health of our state."

The development of the assessment was led by Tim Kintner, Executive Vice President at Bankers Trust along with committee members representing the Iowa Department of Education, Lutheran Services in Iowa, Meredith Corporation, Midwest Dairy Council, Montgomery County Memorial Hospital and Siouxland District Health Department.  In addition to the committee members, there were a number of pilot sites who tested and verified the tool, including Red Oak Senior High, Marshalltown High School, Southview Middle School in Ankeny, Indianola Middle School, Shell Rock Elementary, Hubbard-Radcliffe Elementary, RDG, CDS Global, ACT, Rockwell Collins, Van Meter Industrial, Wesley Life, Rassmussen Group, Houghton State Bank and the Iowa League of Cities.  The assessment is supported by sponsorships from Holmes Murphy and SpinUTech.

"I challenge you to be the first to assess how your school, workplace or community is doing to support a healthy lifestyle for Iowans and make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation," said Jami Haberl, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Executive Director. "By working together to maximize our state's well-being, Iowa will become the leader in health and wellness."

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