The Good Samaritan magazine Vol. 46 No. 2 by Darren Matthes

90th

A publication of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

Happy anniversary! Society holds on to 90 years of sharing God’s love

Also in this issue: New award winners

Two physicians join fellows program

in this issue

4 1 from the president

Commitment to a future of meeting your needs

2 firm foundation

A celebration of 90 years

4 award winners God’s love in action

7 fellowship program Two physicians welcomed

8 project outreach

Residents make blankets for mission hospital

9 board of directors

Five begin new terms of service

11 alzheimer’s walk

Team gathers funds for research

12 social accountability Grants to benefit community

14 society snapshots

Sensors an option for assisted living

16 from the foundation

On the cover: The first residents were mostly children. They are photographed in front of the original Good Samaritan Society house in 1923.

Notice: The Good Samaritan Society will

not publish a winter edition of The Good Samaritan Magazine. We are evaluating

the publication to refine our message and better define our audience.

Endowing those who care

board of directors

Chairperson Patricia Haugen, Sioux Falls, S.D. 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2 The Good Samaritan magazine is published three times a year by: The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society 4800 West 57th Street • P.O. Box 5038 Sioux Falls, S.D. 57117-5038 www.good-sam.com

our mission

Through this publication, we hope to promote our mission to “share God’s love in word and deed by providing shelter and supportive services to older persons and others in need, believing that ‘In Christ’s Love, Everyone Is Someone.’ ” Comments and questions should be directed to Mark Dickerson, director of communications, at (605) 362-3234 or mdickers@good-sam.com. Executive Editor

Mark Dickerson

Managing Editor

Doris Haugen

Creative Director

Erin Solko

First Vice Chairperson Neil Gulsvig, Wausau, Wis. Member – Executive Committee Christopher Johnson, Stillwater, Minn. Member – Executive Committee Rev. John Holt, Albert Lea, Minn. President and Chief Executive Officer David J. Horazdovsky, Sioux Falls, S.D. Al Brown, Dunnellon, Fla. Lori Bussler, Winthrop, Minn. Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, Park Ridge, Ill. Michael Deuth, Baxter, Minn. Theodore Grindal, Minneapolis, Minn. Kari Berit, Red Wing, Minn. Teresa Hildebrandt, St. Peter, Minn. Michele Juffer, Wagner, S.D. Jack Moorman, Los Gatos, Calif. Joanna Randall, Olathe, Kan. Sharon St. Mary, Roseville, Minn.

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society

is the country’s largest not-for-profit provider of senior care and housing services. Our 22,000 staff members serve the needs of more than 27,000 people in 240 communities across 24 states. Founded in 1922, our organization is committed to providing high-quality senior care and services while sharing God’s love in word and deed. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society provides housing and services to qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or other protected statuses according to applicable federal, state or local laws.

from the president

Celebrating 90 years of mission and ministry

ear friends,

Ninety years of sharing God’s love in word and deed! What an honor it has been to serve our Lord through the mission of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.

David J. Horazdovsky President and Chief Executive Officer of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society

Through those years our work has changed, our locations have changed and the types and ways of providing services have changed. But our commitment to sharing God’s love with people in need has not changed. This is the great accomplishment of the Society for these past 90 years. However, while we celebrate the past, we also must prepare for the future. There is no greater time than the present to meet the needs of the approximately 10,000 people turning 65 every day in our country. The Good Samaritan Society is committed to being the leader in providing for their well-being. We will do this through new models and ways of service. We will meet people’s needs where and how best suited for them. We have an opportunity to take God’s love and touch people’s lives, including their families, in new and innovative ways. As we do this, the Good Samaritan Society continues to need, as it did when we were founded in 1922, your prayers and support. I am very thankful to all who make the Society a very special and valued place both for those of us who serve and for those served. In Christ,

David J. Horazdovsky President and CEO

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celebrating 90 years

“If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you are.”

– James Burke, science historian

Society celebrates 90 years E very company, every church, every club, every organization comes from somewhere. They all have a starting point and a collection of events, people and beliefs that lead to the present. They all have a history. But not every organization values it. Some try to bury the past because of unfortunate events or decisions. Some try to look only to the present and the future, thinking that looking back only wastes time. Some aren’t even around long enough to have a past to remember. But there are organizations that realize the past is a treasure trove of knowledge and experiences. Past unfortunate events and decisions are remembered as learning moments. The successes of the present and the excitement of the future are only made possible by the hard work, strong ethics and embraced beliefs of the past.

And some organizations are fortunate enough to find themselves in the same place as The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, which is celebrating 90 years of memories and milestones. In September 1922, a parish pastor in North Dakota, the Rev. August Hoeger, filed paperwork to incorporate the Good Samaritan Society. Rev. Hoeger didn’t have a grand plan at the time; he merely knew that there were people in the small town of Arthur, N.D., who needed a place to stay and caring people to help them. And most important, he knew that God had called him to help create that place. Today — from that simple start in a rented six-room house — the Good Samaritan Society’s presence has grown to more than 240 locations

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Society founder the Rev. August “Dad” Hoeger and his wife, Amelia.

in 24 states, and more than 22,000 staff members serve more than 27,000 individuals every day. Looking back on 90 years, one thing that makes the Good Samaritan Society so relevant today is its foundation in its past. Its mission of sharing God’s love in word and deed rings as true today as it did 90 years ago when the Rev. Hoeger started each day asking, “Lord, what would you have me do today?” At the Good Samaritan Society, the importance of mission and recognition of the past is lived out across the country by Good Samaritan Society staff members every day. It is present as staff members share devotions, pray with those they serve and strive to emulate the path of Christ in their thoughts and actions. Newsletters were an important way to communicate. The newsletter “Sunshine” was printed in both German and English.

The original Articles of Incorporation

celebrating 90 years “I like to think about Good Samaritan’s past as a stepping stone,” said the Rev. Greg Wilcox, vice president for Mission Effectiveness and senior pastor for the Good Samaritan Society. “It provides a solid place — time tested values, a legacy of sacrificial caregiving, and a profound commitment to God — to stand on in the midst of the shifting currents and trends of popular culture. And the fact that it is a solid place to stand also allows us to step confidently into the future.” Rev. Hoeger believed the Society could always rest securely in the grace and the power of God’s providence. This trust in God was the critical key to the Society’s success, not his own work and what he had created and built.

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. ‑ Proverbs 22:28 The Society recognizes the importance of honoring the past, including those faithful servants who were there at the beginning. Yet the Society is planted firmly in the present and its gaze is set to the future, a future in which each person the organization touches will feel loved, valued and at peace. Ninety years is a long time. But the heroes, the stories and the accomplishments have kept those years alive and vibrant. In the following pages we hope you, too, will be inspired by the care and compassion staff members, residents and community partners are still — 90 years later — continually giving and receiving. 

For more historical photos and a virtual tour of the restored History House, go to www.good-sam.com.

Residents Clarence and Cecil Chambers in front of the original six-room house in Arthur, N.D. Above: Cecil’s original admittance form from 1923. He was one of the first residents.

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Augusta Award

2012 award winners

Three honored with top awards for dedication and service By Aubrey Gilbert, Good Samaritan Society – National Campus

Each year, the Good Samaritan Society honors three individuals who demonstrate commitment to the organization’s mission of sharing God’s love. Awards include the Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year, the Volunteer of the Year, and the Augusta Award, which honors the organization’s staff member of the year.

Tracey Torola, Augusta Award Her humor and contagious laughter is a gift to all who come in contact with Tracey Torola as she cracks jokes and banters with residents at Cedar Lake Village senior living community in Olathe, Kan.

During her 25 years with the Good Samaritan Society, Tracey’s compassionate spirit has comforted residents in her care. She often refers to the 200 seniors who live at Cedar Lake Village, where she serves as director, as “hers” and takes ownership and responsibility for everything that affects them.

“I am always so impressed by how personally [Tracey] knows the residents, their families and her staff.” – Joanna Randall 4

“I am always so impressed by how personally she knows the residents, their families and her staff,” says Joanna Randall, executive director of Good Samaritan Society – Communities of Olathe. “In addition to being extremely sensitive, compassionate, energetic and a great comfort to those around her, Tracey is just plain fun,” Joanna says. “She has a fantastic sense of humor and uses that gift abundantly.” Tracey began working at Good Samaritan Society – Communities of Olathe in October 1986. She has served as a certified nursing assistant, activity director, marketing director and resource development coordinator. In 2011, she was named senior living director of Cedar Lake Village. One of the Cedar Lake Village residents shared this about Tracey,

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Tracey Torola

“She has become my true friend during the last four and a half years I’ve lived here. She is always available to listen to a problem, give a great hug and also pray with a resident.” Tracey is a leader who gives her heart to all those around her, says Joanna. She leads by example and empowers others to lead the way. One of her primary strengths as a leader is showing appreciation to others and helping them feel valued.

V o l u n t e e r o f t h e Ye a r

C N A o f t h e Ye a r Chad Nosbusch Claudia Johnson

Claudia Johnson, CNA of the Year

In her work as a certified nursing Joanna says Tracey is dedicated to assistant, Claudia Johnson, changes making the environment at Cedar the atmosphere of those around her Lake Village one where God is present with her contagious energy level by supporting and assisting with and deep commitment to excellent spiritual programs. care. Residents and staff members at Good Samaritan Society – Lovington Tracey is a beacon of light to others, in Lovington, N.M., are drawn to inspiring them to keep on going even Claudia’s easy-going demeanor. And when times are tough. As a cancer her smile quickly makes anyone feel survivor, she shares her personal comfortable. testimony with others about how she draws strength from the Lord. Claudia, who began working at the center more than 11 years ago, is known Tracey and her husband, John, have for her service to and love for others. three children: Abbey, Morgan and Tyler; and one grandson, Oliver. “Being a compassionate person can

2012 award winners

“[Claudia] is 100 percent there with the residents when she is working.” – David Stewart

mean a number of different things, but Claudia’s compassion is demonstrated through the little things she does each and every day for the residents,” says David Stewart, administrator at the center. “She is 100 percent there with the residents when she is working. Claudia talks with them, laughs with them, and, above all, treats them with the dignity and compassion that all people deserve.” Those at the center are amazed at the detail in which Claudia knows her residents. She can tell you precisely what time her residents like to get up in the morning, what they like to eat, and the names of any of their visiting family members. Claudia has the ability to sense residents’ needs before they even ask for anything. She is truly their advocate as she takes the time to get to know each of them, David says. Claudia believes that, above all, she is at the center to meet the needs of residents as if they were members of her own family, providing the loving and attentive care that all residents deserve. She also understands that her work requires a great deal of patience, flexibility and the ability to work effectively with others. Claudia’s supervisor says her initiative is second to none. “If she notices something needs to be done, she takes it upon herself to see to it that

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2012 award winners it gets taken care of appropriately and timely — she takes care of business.” Even when faced with a cancer diagnosis in the past year, co-workers never heard Claudia complain or ask, “Why me?” She went for treatments, continued to smile, showed up for work and put others first. Many of her co-workers look to Claudia for help, guidance and support, David says. “She has the ability to step back and look beyond problems, develop a game plan and anticipate potential roadblocks to success. Claudia understands that being part of a team means doing whatever is best for everyone.” Claudia, who has earned the nickname “dimples,” is known for her love, joy and enthusiasm. Co-workers say her presence instantly makes a person feel better about whatever it is they have going on in their lives. Claudia and her husband, Michael, have four children: Kayla, Kendra, Tre-Anthony, and Michael Johnson III.

To hear more from the award winners, go to: www.good-sam.com/awards2012

Chad Nosbusch, Volunteer of the Year

Each Wednesday for the last 11 years, Chad Nosbusch has been a friend to many residents at Good Samaritan Society – Inver Grove Heights in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Chad serves as a one-to-one companion and visits with two residents each week. Through the years, he has been paired with residents who have varying needs. “He has a great skill for understanding person-directed care,” says Pam Schultz, administrator at the center. “As he engages with his residents, he is always at their level, sitting closely, listening attentively, never correcting them, but providing reassurance and showing genuine care.”

attitude and leaves everything at the door before he enters. When he is with a resident, he is fully present, taking time to cater to their emotional, social and spiritual needs. “He truly goes above and beyond the expectations of any volunteer,” Pam says. “It always amazes us how his residents’ eyes sparkle, and they smile from ear to ear when he comes to visit.

Many residents have benefited from the close friendships they’ve formed with Chad. He listens to those who have difficulty expressing themselves, and he is patient as they share their thoughts, words and wisdom.

“He has been present for our families by providing extra visits when the family is on vacation or out of town for the winter months,” Pam says. “He is there when a resident is ill or dying, not only to support the resident, but also the resident’s loved ones. Our families who have had the opportunity to share their loved one with him have come to love him as a part of their family.”

Once Chad has been assigned to a resident, he takes time to learn about the person and what is important to him or her. As they meet each week, Chad engages the resident in activities that are meaningful to them.

Chad has the gift of being with a person through their dying process. He has comforted all of his residents — sitting right next to them, holding their hand, talking with them gently and lovingly.

Pam says Chad has a joyful, loving, gentle and compassionate presence. He truly understands how important it is to show up, visiting weekly without fail. Residents can depend on his frequent visits.

He is exceptional in his role as a one-to-one visitor. He adapts to residents’ personalities, whether they are more introverted and enjoy time in their room, or are more outgoing and want to be roaming the building or outdoors. He accepts them for who they are. Center staff members say they wish they could duplicate him. 

Staff members say Chad comes into the center with a smile and positive

“[Chad] truly goes above and beyond the expectations of any volunteer.” – Pam Schultz

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fellowship recipients

Geriatrics fellowship welcomes two By Emily Thompson, Good Samaritan Society – National Campus

geriatrics fellowship program sponsored in part by the Good Samaritan Society welcomes two new physicians: Dr. Oluma Bushen and Dr. Farzin Farajzadeh. The fellowship will provide the physicians with one year of specialized training in how to meet the unique healthcare needs of older adults. Both men developed an interest in gerontology after observing gaps in the primary care of older adults.

From left: Dr. Oluma Bushen, Dr. David Sandvik and Dr. Farzin Farajzadeh. Bushen and Farajzadeh will spend two years in specialized training to learn how to care for older adults.

Dr. Oluma Bushen, an Ethiopian native, spent the early part of his career studying infectious disease and AIDS, and helping build hospital and medical schools to treat these diseases in Africa. He’s now interested in returning to direct patient care. Bushen says older adults are not the same as adults, and medical treatments should not be the same. Specializing in gerontology is about getting into the details of seniors’ care in order to better meet their needs. Dr. Farzin Farajzadeh enters the fellowship program after completing his residency program in internal medicine. Prior to his training in the U.S., Farajzadeh worked as a medical doctor in Iran, his home country. “In internal medicine, the majority of our patients are over 65,” says Farajzadeh. “There are many things that are overlooked, such as how a certain medication might interact with others. It’s important to study how to keep older adults out of the hospital and help them be comfortable — the ultimate goal of geriatrics.” Throughout the next year, Drs. Bushen and Farajzadeh will have the opportunity to work within two Good Samaritan Society nursing homes, the Sioux Falls Center and Luther Manor, and within Good Samaritan Society – Home Care, to study how various care settings work together to help keep residents out of the hospital and focus on wellness and prevention. They also will give consultations at the hospital level, lead lectures, and work in rehabilitation and geriatric psychology.

The goal of gerontology is to keep older adults at the highest level of independence. – Dr. David Sandvik

The South Dakota Geriatrics Fellowship is a collaboration between the Good Samaritan Society, the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, and The Royal C. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center, all in Sioux Falls. Dr. David Sandvik, director of the fellowship program, says the Society and the fellowship program are a good match. Both are committed to keeping people well and in the place they want to be. 

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project outreach

A mother and child are treated at Karanda Mission Hospital. Blankets, like the ones donated by the Good Samaritan Society, are placed on the beds for patients.

Zimbabwe, Africa

ociety collects blankets for African hospital

By Jessica Trygstad, Good Samaritan Society – National Campus

enters and campuses from across the Good Samaritan Society brought approximately 600 blankets to the Society’s Annual Meeting in Sioux Falls, S.D., for the Karanda Mission Hospital in Zimbabwe, Africa. The hospital is one of three global organizations that the Society supports through its Project Outreach. “There were piles upon piles of blankets,” said Greg Wilcox, vice president for Mission Effectiveness and senior pastor for the Good Samaritan Society. Throughout the three-day meeting in June, administrators and other representatives brought their blanket donations.

Margaret Reimer and her daughter, Diane, residents at Good Samaritan Society – Olathe and members of the center’s sewing club, give quilts and blankets to Administrator Bryan Pippitt for the Good Samaritan Society’s Project Outreach.

by Good Samaritan Society residents, staff members and volunteers. They were shipped to Africa with the help of the Orphan Grain Train, a not-for-profit organization that specializes in helping with disasters and human relief both in the U.S. and internationally.

Bryan Pippitt, administrator for Good Samaritan Society – Olathe in Olathe, Kan., donated blankets and quilts made by residents in a sewing club at the center. Members of the sewing club make quilts and donate them to various charities in the Olathe community, such as the Crisis Pregnancy Center and Bread of Life Ministries.

After receiving a partial donation, the Orphan Grain Train asked the Good Samaritan Society for donations to fill a container so that it could be shipped. The Good Samaritan Society learned that in addition to the blankets, the hospital needed Shona/English Bible studies and medical supplies. With the blankets, the items were shipped to Karanda Mission Hospital this summer.

When they learned the Society was asking for blankets to send to Zimbabwe, they were happy to help. Many of the blankets donated during Annual Meeting were made

Later this year, the Society will plan fundraisers to purchase equipment for setting bone fractures at Karanda Mission Hospital. 

Read more about Project Outreach online at www.good-sam.com. 8

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2012 board of directors

New Board members elected A

Q&A

Michael Deuth

Good Samaritan Society executive director, a technology consultant and an attorney are the newest members of the Good Samaritan Society Board of Directors. Elected during the Society’s Annual Meeting in Sioux Falls, S.D., the new members are: Michael Deuth, Jack Moorman and Theodore Grindal. Re-elected to the board were Neil Gulsvig and Teresa Hildebrandt. (Read a Q&A with these five members on the following pages.)

Education: Bachelor of Science, Psychology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D. Employment: Executive director for the campuses of Good Samaritan Society – Bethany, Woodland, and Pine River in Minnesota.

Q: Why are you interested in serving on the Society’s Board

Other members of the Good Samaritan Society Board of Directors are:

of Directors?

A: For the past 26 years, my life has revolved around the

1. David J. Horazdovsky, of Sioux Falls, S.D., the Society’s president and chief executive officer.

Good Samaritan Society. God has truly blessed me by leading me to this organization. To that end, I am interested in serving on the Society’s Board of Directors as a means of giving back to an organization that means so much to me and has given so much to me.

2. Lori Bussler, of Winthrop, Minn., Good Samaritan Society administrator at Winthrop and Lafayette in Minnesota.

Q: What skills and experience do you bring to the board?

3. Joanna Randall, of Olathe, Kan., executive director for Good Samaritan Society – Communities of Olathe in Olathe, Kan.

A: I have worked in small facilities as well as large campuses

throughout my career. Additionally, I believe I have a gift of being able to work well under pressure, work well in teams, and find creative and innovative ways to solve problems.

4. The Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, of Sioux Falls, S.D., former bishop of the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Q: What challenges do you expect the Society will face in the

5. Kari Berit, of Red Wing, Minn., author, speaker and radio show host

next three years?

6. Al Brown, of Dunnellon, Fla., a retired Good Samaritan Society regional director and administrator.

goal will be to control costs. This has the potential to affect us in devastating ways if we don’t have a voice at the table as these decisions are being made and if we are not prepared to deal with the changes once they are made.

A: As our nation’s healthcare system continues to reform, the

7. Michele Juffer, of Wagner, S.D., administrator for Good Samaritan Society – Wagner. 8. Sharon St. Mary, of Roseville, Minn., executive director for Good Samaritan Society – University Specialty Center in Minneapolis, Minn., and Good Samaritan Society – Stillwater in Stillwater, Minn.

10.

9. Patricia Haugen, of Sioux Falls, S.D., an independent patient advocate and a retired IBM executive. 10. Christopher Johnson, of Stillwater, Minn., vice president for Optum Insight Business Transformation. 11. The Rev. John Holt, of Albert Lea, Minn., pastor at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.

11.

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

board of directors Q&A Teresa Hildebrandt

Theodore Grindal

Education: Bachelor of Science, Health Service Administration, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, S.D.; Master of Science, Health Service Administration, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, Wis.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Communiations, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minn.; Juris Doctor, University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minn.

Employment: Administrator for Good Samaritan Society – St. Peter and Good Samaritan Society – Waterville, both in Minnesota.

Q: Why are you interested in serving on the Society’s Board of Directors?

A: I am just completing my first term on the Society’s Board of Directors. It has been a great learning experience for me. I have gained so much, both personally and professionally. I would like to continue to build on that by completing another term on the Board. Q: What skills and experience do you bring to the board?

A: I have been an administrator with

Good Samaritan for more than 24 years. During that time, I have served in rural areas and can appreciate the challenges that sometimes brings. Like many other administrators, my locations have also struggled with census, staffing and financial issues.

Q: What challenges do you expect the

Society will face in the next three years?

A: We will need to be able to keep

pace with the ever-changing face of technology — be ahead of those changes and not behind them. We need to be innovative and willing to take some risks.

Employment: Attorney and partner in charge of government relations at Lockridge, Grindal and Nauen.

Q: Why are you interested in serving on the Society’s Board of Directors?

Neil Gulsvig Education: Bachelor of Science, Public Administration, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D. Employment: Chief executive officer for Align Health, former chief executive officer and president of My InnerView Inc.

Q: Why are you interested in serving on the Society’s Board of Directors?

A: I have had an opportunity to work

A: God has a plan for each of us and serving others is part of His plan and part of our vocation on earth. I have prayed about the time commitment and the challenges (of service) and believe it is something that fits my personal mission and goals of service.

with and dialogue with the current leaders of Good Samaritan, and I have been impressed with the integrity, commitment, and forward thinking of those individuals.

Q: What skills and experience do you

A: The insights, skills and knowledge that I have gained in (previous) experiences build a platform from which I believe I could make important contributions to the Board and to the Society.

bring to the board?

A: My prior service on nonprofit boards, my practice as a healthcare attorney and lobbyist, and my prior representation of the Society makes me an asset to the Board. I am familiar with long-term care issues and the public policy challenges for the industry and the Society. Q: What challenges do you expect the

Society will face in the next three years?

A: I believe the future challenges for the Society will be similar to many of the current challenges. It is going to be critical for the Society to grow its philanthropic efforts to buttress the continued loss of government funding.

Q: What skills and experience do you bring to the board?

Q: What challenges do you expect the

Society will face in the next three years?

A: Some of the challenges: Medicare pay for performance, regulation of assisted living, reimbursement challenges, change in customer expectations, workforce challenges, organizational leadership equipped with the right skills and knowledge, continued focus on the ability to provide alternative service models.

The Q&A excerpts were taken from resumes submitted by candidates before their election to the 2012 Good Samaritan Society Board of Directors.

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fulfillment

alzheimer’s walk

Jack Moorman Education: Bachelor of Science, Ceramic Engineering, University of Illinois; Master of Science, Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business; Sloan Fellow sponsored by Intel Corp. Employment: Independent management consultant, Saratoga Technology Associates.

Q: Why are you interested in serving on the Society’s Board of Directors?

A: For the past few years I have been

working in the area of aging-in-place. My interest in this area was prompted by the illness of my father in the early 2000s and his death at home in 2006. Our family was exposed to and challenged by the difficulties in keeping Dad at home.

Q: What skills and experience do you bring to the board?

A: I have an undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of Illinois and more than 40 years of experience in high technology with 13 issued U.S. patents. It would be an honor to help the Society continue its good works and to provide a light for other organizations to follow in ways to deal with the aging crisis. Q: What challenges do you expect the

Society will face in the next three years?

A: For 90 years, the Good Samaritan

Society has thrived based on a model that emphasizes skilled nursing care. The demographics of the baby boom generation, however, suggest that this model will continue to be challenged by seniors’ preferences to live independently and to focus their attention on personal health and well-being. 

Alzheimer’s Association Annual

Walk to End Alzheimer’s S ince 2000, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society has participated in the Alzheimer’s Association Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Staff members have walked, raised money and donated to the event to raise awareness of and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

In 2011, the Good Samaritan Society took a more active role in the annual event as a corporate sponsor, raising more than $8,700. The team is made up of staff members from the Society’s National Campus in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Good Samaritan Society communities in Sioux Falls. Proceeds from the walk are used to support a wide range of Alzheimer’s programs for the thousands of families and caregivers affected by the disease in southeast South Dakota. The 24/7 Helpline, Safe Return®, educational classes, care consultation and support groups are some of the services made possible through these funds. Alzheimer’s disease is currently the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death, and it affects approximately 19,000 people in South Dakota and 5.4 million total Americans. The 2012 walk was Sept. 15 at Sertoma Park in Sioux Falls. To learn more about this event and how to become involved throughout the year, visit www.alz.org/walk.  The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

social accountability

Grants awarded to projects that help our T

hanks to a grant from the Good Samaritan Society, seniors in Canton, S.D., now have a place to go on weekends for a good lunch, the company of friends and lively conversations. In Stillwater, Minn., Good Samaritan Society staff members teamed up with others in the community to pack more than 18,000 meals for children in need. And in Devils Lake, N.D., the Good Samaritan Society helped sponsor a lecture series to help people in the community deal with financial and other stress stemming from flooded farmland. These projects are examples of how the Good Samaritan Society invests in the communities it serves. They each received funding through the organization’s Social Accountability program, which provides grants for projects and programs that address a community need and reflect the Society’s mission of sharing God’s love. The food packing program in Stillwater, which received a grant of $3,420, provided nearly 20,000 meals for the Kids Against Hunger Program. The meals will feed 52 children for one year.

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In addition to providing weekend meals, the grant received by Good Samaritan Society – Canton also helped the center offer Senior College, a series of free educational courses for seniors. The lecture series on stress was offered to staff members and community members. In the last several years, the Devils Lake area has been devastated by flooding. High water has devoured farmland and damaged roads and homes. The lectures were also offered to staff members at a Good Samaritan Society sister campus 30 miles away in Lakota, N.D. This year, 37 grants totaling more than $100,000 were awarded through the Society’s Social Accountability program. During the most recent round of grants, distributed in June, 21 grants totaling $47,000 were given out.

social accountability

communities Good Samaritan Society locations receiving grants during the most recent round of the Social Accountability program are: Backpack Programs (providing food for students) • New Hope, Minn., $4,500 • Le Mars, Iowa, $2,500 • Loveland, Colo., $4,000 • Syracuse, Neb., $1,700

Community Food Programs • Hastings, Neb., $1,250 to The Open Table, a local not-for-profit organization providing food to the hungry • Valentine, Neb., $1,000 to local food pantry

Community Health and Wellness

Stuffed animals for abused children and Christmas gifts for needy children in other countries were helped funded by Social Accountability grants.

Other • Prescott, Ariz., $2,500 to purchase stuffed animals for residents to give children at a local abuse shelter for women and children

• Arthur, N.D., $700 to provide weights for a community-wide Bone Builders class

• Sioux Falls, S.D., $1,400 to fund resident participation in Operation Christmas Child, a program providing gifts for needy children in other countries

• Oberlin, Kan., $1,800 to purchase materials and equipment for community training in first aid and CPR

• Mountain Home, Ark., $1,500, to provide a keepsake book that is distributed to families after the death of a loved one

• Forest City, Iowa, $3,000 to fund Together All Generations, a community program that seeks to understand the needs of seniors and implement appropriate services

• Kearney, Neb., $3,400 for educational and other opportunities for seniors

• Howard, S.D., $2,000 for renovating a community tennis court, adding basketball and sand volleyball courts

• Scribner, Neb., $2,500 to support a community program that offers transportation, housekeeping and other services to seniors

• Larimore, N.D., $1,800 for a community wellness center and an enlarged therapy area for residents

• Socorro, N.M., $1,800 to fund a water conservation and scenic walkway project

• Las Cruces, N.M., $4,000 to provide funding for Juntos Por La Vida, a diabetes management program sponsored by a local clinic

• Waconia, Minn., $875 to fund a one-day educational seminar to help clergy identify and cope with stress

• Kaneohe, Hawaii, $3,000 to provide support for a walking program offered by the Arthritis Foundation

For more information about the Good Samaritan Society’s social accountability efforts, visit www.good-sam.com. 

Staff members from Good Samaritan Society – Stillwater pack bags of food.

• Kearney, Neb., $1,800 to fund free fun nights for families facing economic, social or physical barriers

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

society snapshots With more than 240 locations nationwide, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is the nation’s largest notfor-profit provider of senior care and services. The stories below provide a glimpse into life and activities at some of the Good Samaritan Society’s campuses and at the organization’s headquarters in Sioux Falls, S.D. For more stories, go to the Society’s Web site at www.good-sam.com and type a location in the search box.

Name changes for non-medical services

New specialized center to open in Minnesota

The Good Samaritan Society’s private duty home care is now called Services@Home.

The Good Samaritan Society – University Specialty Center in Minneapolis, Minn., is moving to a new building in a new location. Minneapolis

Services@Home provides non-medical services to people 18 and older who need assistance to remain independent. The primary goal of Services@Home is to help individuals retain their highest level of health and success in their activities of daily living.

The new center, to be renamed Good Samaritan Society – Specialty Care Community and relocated to Robbinsdale, Minn., will feature 96 private rooms organized into six neighborhoods. Lounge areas for activities and visiting, outdoor patios and decks, a chapel and a fitness and therapy center will also be part of the campus. University Specialty Center has served thousands of residents since it opened in the early 1970s. It has specialized in care for people with Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, traumatic brain injuries and chemical dependencies.

Services may include: relief and respite for caregivers, assistance with light exercise and walking, companionship, medication reminders, memory exercises, light housekeeping, personal hygiene and grooming, laundry, errand services and dressing, appointment escorts, assistance with shopping and meal preparation. The following Good Samaritan Society centers offer Services@Home: Good Samaritan Society – Home Care in Sioux Falls, S.D., Good Samaritan Society – Services@Home in Hot Springs Village, Ark., and Good Samaritan Society – Services@Home in Loveland, Colo. For more information, visit the Good Samaritan Society’s Web site at www.good-sam.com and type Services@Home in the search box.

Artist rendering of the future building at Good Samaritan Society – Specialty Care Community.

New garden space planned for Oregon center Brookings

In Brookings, Ore., Good Samaritan Society – Curry Village is raising money for a new garden space that will be accessible for residents who use wheelchairs.

The garden will feature raised flower and vegetable beds, and include a gazebo, sitting areas, native vegetation and a Koi pond. Residents and their families will have a private place in the garden to rest, visit and view the Pacific Ocean. The raised beds will open up new opportunities for local students to learn from residents about gardening.

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

Artist rendering of the future garden space at Good Samaritan Society – Curry Village.

society snapshots

Kissimmee

Flights, finger art keep residents active New group activities are helping residents at Good Samaritan Society – Kissimmee Village in Kissimmee, Fla., stay active, learn new skills and make new friends. The Flying Fools meets each week to fly remote-controlled airplanes. Group leaders say they love to introduce others to the hobby. The group is open to residents, their children and grandchildren. Those interested in knitting, crocheting and embroidery have formed a group called Nimble Fingers. Individuals work on projects of their choosing. Experience and expertise vary, members say. One member, a knitter and spinner, wanted to learn how to crochet, so another member taught her to crochet the ripple pattern. Another resident who hadn’t knitted in 20 years, rekindled her interest by working on a scarf.

Telehealth, sensor program advances A service aimed at enhancing care through telehealth and motion sensor technology is being deployed in all Good Samaritan Society assisted living centers. The service is offered through the Society’s new LivingWell@Home program. Sensor technology tracks a client’s activity level, sleep patterns and gathers other kinds of information about wellness. The system does not use cameras or microphones. With

telehealth services, a client is able to monitor his or her vital signs at home. The goal of the LivingWell@Home program is to provide tools that help seniors live more independently in their homes. Through its LivingWell@Home project, the Good Samaritan Society has been conducting research since June 2010 to study the effects of combining sensor technology, personal emergency response systems and telehealth services as a proactive approach to healthcare for seniors.

Fundraiser supports staff scholarships In Blaine, Wash., a flock of pink flamingos is showing up on the lawn at Good Samaritan Society – Stafholt. An invasion of the plastic birds is part of a campaign to replenish the staff scholarship fund. One flamingo is added to the lawn for each donation of $15. A donation of $60 translates into five flamingos and $120 brings in 12.

A lonely flamingo waits for a flock on the lawn at Good Samaritan Society – Stafholt.

Blaine

In 2011, Good Samaritan Society – Stafholt awarded $2,600 in scholarships so staff members could continue their education. Many staff members go through the center’s nursing assistant program and then continue their education by earning a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse degree. 

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

from the foundation

Celebrating, endowing those who care By Charles Hiatt, Ph.D., Executive Director, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Foundation

A challenging moment

Do you remember the moment – that moment? Do you recall the moment when you stopped being a caregiver and became a family member again? Many have faced the challenge of caring for a parent or sibling who needs more care as they struggle with the activities of daily life. Most of us make promises to ourselves or to these loved ones that can be impossible to deliver such as, “we will keep you at home so you’ll never need to go to a nursing home or hospice.” As the weeks of caregiving turn to months, we attempt to physically and emotionally deliver on that promise. We can become drained while our family relationships become strained. Gratefully, someone finally offers a sense of objectivity by saying, “you can’t keep doing this” or “you are worn out and need to make a change.”

A holy moment of relief

When we are at that moment we are pleasantly surprised to know there are people in the right places who can do all of what we were struggling to do for our loved one. Nurses, aides, medication technicians, volunteers and a myriad of other people in roles at a typical Good Samaritan Society campus make a difference. When that staff person comes to our home or we take Mom or Dad to a campus, those who have struggled in the caring role find the relief they need. The staff member’s caring concern graciously enables our return to the role of son or daughter.

A celebration moment

For 90 years, the Good Samaritan Society has been blessed with people who can do what needs to be done to make a huge difference for your mom or dad. While much focus is placed on what the Society does and why we do it, I am grateful that we pause each year at our Annual Meeting to publically thank three strongly-committed people and honor them with the employee, certified nursing assistant and volunteer of the year awards. Through their stories of service to our residents and fellow staff members, Annual Meeting attendees cry with compassion and laugh with celebration.

Photos on these two pages are of past award winners. Read more about 2012 award winners on page 4.

The Awards Banquet this year had all of those elements. Plus, one surprise for me was that the award winners were all relatively young. It is powerfully reassuring to know that a younger cadre of volunteers and staff members is strongly engaged in doing the right thing for those we love. What they do is important. Learning about their hearts and souls during our Awards Banquet makes for an impressive celebration marked by touching moments.

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

A giving moment

At the June 2012 Annual Meeting, we launched the celebration of the Good Samaritan Society’s 90th anniversary. When Society President and Chief Executive Officer David Horazdovsky and I were brainstorming about ways to celebrate the anniversary with a fundraising project, we quickly settled on the power and warmth of the Awards Banquet. We know this is the highlight of Annual Meeting for many who attend. An important ongoing cost of the Awards Banquet is the cost of travel and lodging for the award winners and the family members they wish to have present during the dinner. To help with these costs, we have established a goal of $90,000 to start the Award Winners’ Endowment Fund. Earnings from this fund will help pay for the travel and lodging cost of award winners and their families each year. Good Samaritan Society staff members have been asked to make gifts or pledges toward this endowment fund, and thanks to the generosity of US Bank, the first $15,000 in gifts made to this endowment fund will be matched. To help us meet our goal, please review these giving options, which are based on multiples of 90 in celebration of our anniversary: • One-time gift of $90 • One-year pledge of $9 per week or $468 • Two-year pledge of $37.50 per month or $900 • Another amount of your choice Please use the response coupon on this page to indicate your response. Or go to the Good Samaritan Society’s Web site at www.good-sam.com to make a secure online gift. You may access the Web site by using your smart phone or iPad to read the QR code on this page. Your gift today will join gifts from many others to help the Good Samaritan Society permanently endow an important part of celebrating the caregiving relationships that are so important in our work. Your gift today will make a difference for staff, residents and volunteers. May God continue to give you grace as you care for those in your circle of influence. Remember, we are here to help you and your loved ones feel loved, valued and more at peace.

Yes, I want to help support the Award Winners’ Endowment Fund 1. Choose a payment method:

2. Please fill out the information below:

 Check: I am enclosing my gift for $__________________.

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 Online: I will make an online gift at www.good-sam.com.

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3. Cut out this panel card and mail it and your gift to:

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The Good Samaritan Foundation PO Box 5038, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5038

The Good Samaritan • 2012 • Vol. 46 • No. 2

Your gift is tax-deductible within IRS regulations.

4800 W 57th St Sioux Falls SD 57108

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PERMIT NO. 697 SIOUX FALLS, SD

ith LivingWell@Home, wellness is state of mind, state of body and state of the art.

LivingWell@Home is about knowing how well someone may be eating or sleeping. How active they are. If theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a fall or if there is a change in vital signs. Healthcare professionals monitor these activities daily. So our caregivers can respond to developing medical conditions before they become problems. Instead of waiting for something to happen, LivingWell@Home helps prevent it.

To learn more, visit www.good-sam.com.