TheBridges
The Bridges at Ankeny * 3510 NW Abilene Rd. Ankeny,IA50023* 515-963-9815
/ Exercise Your Brain
When exercise is discussed we are often times referring to our body parts from the neck down. We all know that our brain plays a very important part in our daily lives, we sometimes forget that it needs exercise too!
There is new evidence emerging suggesting that there are steps that we can take to keep your brain healthier as you age reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of Dementia.
Besides eating healthy and staying socially and physically active, you should stay mentally active as well. Research has found that keeping the brain active seems to increase its vitality.
Ways to Exercise Your Brain:
- Stay curious and involved – commit to lifelong learning
- Read, write, crosswords and other puzzles
- Attend plays and lectures
- Enroll in courses at your local adult education center, community college, or other community groups
- Play games
- Remember and repeat groups of words. Memorize your grocery list or your to-do list
- Learn new words and definitions from a word-a-day calendar or dictionary
- Try some memory exercises. There is a lot of online resources such as and
Missing Anything?
We know your stuff is important. That is why we are asking to kindly label your loved one’s clothing items to ensure we get it back to the right person. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
Fall Fun for Everyone
Fall’s cooler weather makes it a perfect time to enjoy some outdoor activities. Try one of these outdoor events and really enjoy what autumn has to offer.
- Apples – In addition to the opportunity to pick your own apples, many apple orchards also have a cider mill you can tour. Be sure to take home plenty of the fresh fruit and try your hand at some apple desserts. Store any unused fruit in a cool, dry place.
- Pumpkins – A trip to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin is fun for all ages. Get a few extra to decorate your home. Some pumpkin patches also offer hayrack rides and a corn maze.
- Take a tour – Many parts of the county offer beautiful views of colorful fall foliage. Go for a drive and take a camera to record nature’s beauty. Consider spending a day in a town you have never visited. Pack a picnic or stop a t family owned restaurant for a one-of-a-kind meal.
- Friday Night – Go to a high school football game and cheer for the home team. The atmosphere and excitement may bring back some fond memories from your own high school.
- Fair – Get a head start on your holiday shopping with a trip to a local craft fair. You will be sure to find unique gifts for family and friends.
Cook the Books
If you’ve got an idea for a cookbook, it may be the time to publish it. Remember, the cookbook industry is competitive, and you need an original idea. For example, the cookbook Manifold Destiny, which includes recipes for cooking on your car engine. Feeling blue? The Happy Baker cookbook provides recipes to pick you up after a romantic breakup. Mini-Mart à la Carte is a cookbook for people who do their shopping at gas stations. And of course there are cookbooks not for humans, but for our pets. A more traditional route might be to gather your friends and compile a homemade cookbook out of all your favorite recipes.
Enjoy this autumn snack – Heath Bar Toffy Cookies
3C flour 1t baking soda
1t salt 1C butter
1 ½ C br. sugar 2 eggs
2t vanilla 2C finely chopped Heath Bar
2/3 C coarse pecans
*Cream together butter and br. sugar. Add vanilla and egg to dry ingredients then candy and nuts. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Food for Thought
Did you know that there are certain foods can help you sleep while others might keep you up at night? If you want to have a peaceful rest, choose something to eat such as oatmeal, almonds, herbal teas, cherries and dark chocolate. Foods that can leave you restless include caffeine, alcohol, smoked and processed meats, spicy foods, and milk chocolate.
Pet Policy
We all love our pets and certainly encourage them at The Bridges. We ask that your please review our pet policy and obtain necessary paperwork for our file.
- Annual examination and updated immunizations
- Pets must be on leashes or in pet carrier while in all common areas of the facility
- Please clean up after your pet if needed