Jessica Alyea

Oct 21, 2024 | todaystransitionsnow.com | Jessica Alyea |Melissa Donald

Ideas for sensory-friendly activities: a continuation from the article 'What Do Your Senses Need? - Our Sensory Systems Important Role'Whether your challenge is combating sensory decline or toning down sensory overload, the good news is that there are many simple activities you can do that will attend to your and your loved one's sensory needs.

Oct 1, 2024 | todaystransitionsnow.com | Jessica Alyea |Melissa Donald

Breathe these in: Your mom's cinnamon rolls. A hot shower. A meaningful conversation. The vibrant autumn leaves. It's our senses that enable us to experience these joys of life - and be connected to the world. Our ability to see, touch, taste, smell, and hear what's around us is something we usually take for granted. But like so many of our body's systems, our sensory system can decline with age, leading to challenges that leave us struggling to engage.

Sep 19, 2024 | todaystransitionsnow.com | Jessica Alyea |Melissa Donald

The broken windows gaped on the decaying house in Butchertown. The paint and siding were peeling off, pieces falling on the overgrown grass. In the crumbling garage sat an abandoned 1948 Lincoln Zephyr, its bare wheel discs flat as pancakes from the years of neglect. Most people would look at this property at 1027 East Main Street in Louisville and think, "What an eyesore. Why doesn't anyone tear that down?"Oliver Ardery saw something else.

Aug 7, 2024 | todaystransitionsnow.com | Jessica Alyea

During his long tenure as pastor of Northside Christian Church in New Albany, Indiana, George Ross would regularly take a spray bottle full of M&Ms and offer them to congregants in the lobby. "I'd come up to people and say, 'Just a little blood sugar check here,'" George recalls. "To me all that was was just a segue into, 'Hey, how are you doing?'" Now a year out of retirement, George is still doing the same thing: Handing out small kindnesses and avenues of connection to everyone he meets.

Jul 11, 2024 | todaystransitionsnow.com | Jessica Alyea |Melissa Donald

The practice of hospitality is a primordial one. The ancient Greeks called it xenia, the generous receiving of guests as decreed by the gods. Offering a place to stay, a meal, or a kindness to another was thought to create a bond deeper than friendship. When we open our guest room (or our couch) to a visitor today, we continue that ethic of hospitality that's echoed through the centuries - and maybe we really do experience that special bond that only forms between host and guest.