Corner Stone PT & Wellness Center November 2017

Corner Stone PT & Wellness Center November 2017

November 2017

CORNERSTONE Monthly

77 Brant Avenue Suite 101, Clark, NJ 07066

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www.cornerstoneptnj.com

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732.499.4540

THANKFUL FOR 12 YEARS IN BUSINESS THE BLESSINGS THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE

Cornerstone PT Patients

I know we should be grateful every day, but Thanksgiving offers a special time to reflect on our blessings. As I do so, I feel grateful for the past and hopeful for the future. I also count our blessings at our practice. This month, we’re celebrating our 12-year anniversary at Cornerstone Physical Therapy Health and Wellness Center. I can’t describe how grateful I am for the last 12 years and everything that happened to get us here. Before opening Cornerstone Physical Therapy Health and Wellness Center, I was a corporate physical therapist in Linden. During that time, I developed relationships, worked with a great mentors, and learned important skills in a controlled environment. But the more I learned, the more I knew I wanted to open my own practice. So, in November 2005, with the support of my wonderful wife, I opened an office in Clark. It was a small, 2,100-square- foot space. The first few years were some of the most difficult, as they are for any small business. But we kept going, and by the time our lease expired in 2010, we were able to move to our current facility, which is more than twice as big. “Overall health is a diversified experience, and I wanted my practice to reflect that. Now, I’m grateful to say that it does.” The additional space was a blessing because I wanted to broaden our focus. Physical and massage therapy is central to what we do, but I wanted to focus on overall wellness. The extra space meant we could provide a yoga class, pediatric physical therapy, and pediatric occupational therapy. Overall health is a diversified experience, and I wanted my practice to reflect that. Now, I’m grateful to say that it does. Of course, none of that would have been possible without our patients. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know many wonderful individuals. I’ve even gotten to know entire families, from children to grandparents. I know it’s a consequential decision to trust us with your entire family.

VIP Referral Patient of the Month!

SANDRA SPINELLI

My family is the most important element in my life, and I imagine it’s yours too. When we started our first practice, it was in a tiny 2,100-square-foot space. Now, we’re twice that size! My staff has also been top-notch. It’s easy to work with people you trust, and I’d trust my staff with my life, let alone my business. They are compassionate and remarkably empathetic to our patients, and finding a team with those qualities isn’t easy. I’m thankful for my family’s support throughout the years. I went from having complete job security to going out on my own while having two young children. My wife was up for the challenge, and I couldn’t have done it without her. If I was still in the corporate world, I’d have corporate stability, but I wouldn’t be in a family environment like I am now. I get to treat people as one individual helping another rather than representing a corporation. I can foster better relationships and have a schedule that makes it easier to be there for my kids. I’m so glad I took the plunge and grateful it worked out. This Thanksgiving, I’ll look forward, as always, to family time and whatever remarkable dishes my mother and mother- in-law make in the kitchen. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, too, full of gratitude and delicious food.

The best compliment we can receive is to have one of our patients refer a friend or family member to our practice. If you refer someone and we are able to take them as a patient, you and the person who was referred

Thank You! will be entered to win a $25 gift card! It’s just our way of saying

– David DeLaFuente

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IT’S PAYBACK TIME …WITH MONEY TRANSFER APPS

From left to right: Alin M. George (PT, DPT) and Cornerstone graduate Patricia Weber

How You Can Finally Get Cousin Joe to Split the Bill

“I came in unable to walk well. I was limping on my right side. The injury was due to falling down a hill in Norway, and I could not start therapy until I returned three weeks later. Therapy helped with movement in my leg. The pain progressed from my pelvis to my hip to my front muscle. Dave gave me inserts for my shoes, which helped immediately. The staff is excellent and very attentive. I’m leaving here with the understanding that I can return if the home exercises are not helping with my total recovery. At the present time, I am at 90 percent and very happy!”

It’s the most wonderful time of year, when family reunites for meals, festivities, and nostalgia. You get to see loved ones a lot during this special time — sometimes too much. Between family dinners, gifts, and parties, there’s also a lot of money exchanged. Do your relatives always manage to get you to pick up the check with the promise that they’ll “get you next time,” except they never do? If you relate a little too much to “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’s” family dynamics and are one waiter’s tip away from blowing a fuse, a money transfer app is what you need. Check out the pros and cons of these tools to avoid the awkward conversation and make getting your money back easy. PAYPAL One of the original money transfer sites, Paypal offers a user-friendly platform that thousands of businesses already use. Set up an account in a few steps and Paypal is ready to get you your money. It has a “Request Money” tab to send a friendly reminder to Cousin Joe that you’re waiting on the $50 you footed at Olive Garden. One drawback? If the person you request money from doesn’t have an account, they’ll have to set one up, which could be a deterrent to already reluctant debtors. VENMO Download Venmo on your phone, and after several account setup steps, you can add friends and send and receive payments. Venmo is fast, but not without cons. For one, there’s an automatic public setting that makes transactions viewable to anyone on Venmo — almost like a Facebook post of who is paying whom for what. You can make this information private; just be sure to change your settings. SQUARE CASH Square Cash functions similarly to Paypal and Venmo, but you don’t have to have an account, which makes it potentially the best option to get procrastinators to send your money. No account, no excuses. The bottom line: While all these money transfer tools can make payments easier, they still don’t guarantee people will follow through. To avoid stress and conflict this holiday season, have conversations upfront about how the bill will be paid, whether it’s taking turns paying the sum or Venmo-ing each other when the check arrives. We all have our phones with us, so encourage tab-averse family members to hit download so they go to dinner with the mindset that they’ll get you this time.

–Patricia Webber

From left to right: David De La Fuente (PT, DPT), Cornerstone graduate Christine DeJianne, and Christopher DaSilva (PT aide)

“I’m so thankful for the staff at Cornerstone. I came in hardly able to walk, and now I’m running out of here! The staff is so caring and yet demanding. Thank you for getting me back to normal. You are all amazing!”

–Christine DeJianne

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A 3 WAYS TO STAY ACTIVE This Winter dults should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. That becomes more difficult during a cold New Jersey winter, but your muscles, joints, and respiratory system pay no mind to the changing seasons. They need activity 12 months out of the year to stay healthy.

So how do you stay active when it’s cold outside? Here are a few ideas.

1. Find places to walk indoors. Mall walking has become such a regular winter activity (and is also popular during the hot summer months) that it has its own Wikipedia page. Malls are comfortable and temperature-controlled, and they offer accessible bathrooms and drinking fountains. If you work, try replacing your breaks with a walk around the building. 2. Exercise in the home. Believe it or not, regular cleaning counts as light exercise. Wipe down the kitchen or bathroom. Clean out the closet or the attic. Meanwhile, you could try replacing one of your TV shows with an exercise tape or YouTube video. 3. Winter sports. If you’re up to it, you can have a lot of fun in the snow. Sledding is ideal because it requires a regular walk up the hill. Skiing is as healthy for you as it is fun. When it’s not too cold, resist the urge to curl up inside and go for a walk instead, especially when there’s new fallen snow.

have something regular to look forward to. Purchase a light home exercise apparatus and commit to using it daily.

We also recommend trying healthier options in the kitchen. Did you know that oranges are in season during the winter? Chestnuts, kale, and pomegranates also peak during these months. Embrace a few seasonal delights and try replacing your regular hot cocoa with a sugar-free blend.

4. Try new things. A change of seasons is the perfect time for this, especially when the new year rolls around. Try joining an indoor exercise class. You’ll meet new people and

ROASTED PARMESAN PESTO POTATOES

It only takes 3 ingredients to make these crispy, flavorful potatoes. They’re the perfect side dish for any meal.

INGREDIENTS

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2 pounds red potatoes, quartered

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2 tablespoons basil pesto

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Salt and pepper, to taste

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3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In large bowl, combine potatoes and pesto. Toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 20 minutes and remove from oven. 3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes and put pan back in the oven. Roast for additional 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crispy. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Recipe courtesy of TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com.

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77 Brant Avenue Suite 101 Clark, NJ 07066 732.499.4540 www.cornerstoneptnj.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

INSIDE This Issue

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Thankful for 12 Years in Business

Patient Success It’s Payback Time ... With Money Transfer Apps

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3 Ways to Stay Active This Winter Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes

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Iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons

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ICONIC MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE BALLOONS

Thanksgiving is a holiday full of traditions, from turkey and stuffing to football and naps. Since 1924, the Macy’s Parade has grown to become not only a Thanksgiving staple but also the world’s largest parade. Over 3.5 million people attended the parade last year, with another 20 million tuning in from home. The main attraction is always the massive character balloons, which first graced the skies in 1927. Over the decades, some of these balloons have become nearly as famous as the character they depict. FELIX THE CAT When the Felix the Cat balloon appeared in 1931, it set the standard for all characters to follow. Sadly, the original balloon got tangled in wires and caught on fire, so it has been lost to history. Felix’s influence on the parade is so immense, however, that when Macy’s brought him back in 2016 for the parade’s 90th anniversary, they recreated his original design. Without Felix’s debut, the parade might look a lot different today. SNOOPY When it comes to balloon characters, none is more famous than the classic “Peanuts” beagle. His first balloon floated through the sky in 1968, and he’s been a regular fixture ever since. Charles Schultz’s famous pooch holds the record for most variations in a parade (eight) and most total appearances (40). Though Snoopy doesn’t come out every year, he usually closes the show when he does.

PIKACHU The Pokémon mascot didn’t appear until 2001, but he’s become a star attraction, showing up every year since. Bright, expressive, and impossible to miss, Pikachu checks off all the boxes for a successful balloon character. For 16 years, those who predicted that Pokémon was just a fad have gotten a big, yellow reminder of just how wrong they were.

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