Community Matters Aberdeen Village
March 2015
Giving is a hallmark of PMMA’s history
Generous donations and local relationships are the hallmarks of Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica. We often recall the story of Alice Kalb, who at 90 traveled to a 1947 Presbyterian Synod of Kansas meeting to ask for a retirement community in Kansas. According to Edwin Shafer, senior vice president of development, what Mrs. Kalb basically told the Synod was: “If I give you all the money I have, will you build a home for the aging?” Her heart-felt offer symbolized the plight of a growing number of seniors in need of the church’s help. Kalb’s initiative led a farmer from Wakarusa, Kan., to bequeath his farm to the new project. The sale of that land upon his death provided the funds for the first building of Newton Presbyterian Manor. Today, philanthropy at PMMA is evidenced through community partnerships, capital campaigns, Good Samaritan Program giving, special projects campaigns, and planned giving through wills, trusts and charitable gift annuities. Many of PMMA’s 18 communities were opened with the help of local fundraising campaigns. GIVING, continued on page 5 CEO, continued on page 4
Ready for your Lenten journey? By the Rev. Dr. Larry Thornton, Aberdeen Village chaplain
The 40 days of Lent began on Ash Wednesday with the sign of the cross in ashes on the forehead and hearing the words, “Turn away from sin; be faithful to the gospel.” The church encourages us to have a time of self-examination, rethinking and reordering of our life: I can choose to be a grumpy grouch. I can choose to wilt and then wither away. I can choose to lament and languish. I can choose to grow older with all the kickin’ and screamin’ that’s left in me. Pain is inevitable but misery is a choice. Or I can choose to age with a gentle heart, alive in the Spirit of the living God, full of his grace in Jesus Christ, with the power of God still at work in me regardless of my advancing years. Psalm 92:12-14 says it so well. “ The righteous flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord. They flourish in the courts of our God. They will bring forth fruit in old age.” What do you want to be? May our Lenten journey be a time for retrospection, for looking back across the hills and valleys of our existence and noting where God has intervened in our path, lifting a burden here and introducing a surprise there. We need to trace our journey — write our autobiography — and realize how wonderful the God of the covenant has been. In retirement, we have more time to be with the Lord. To practice the Presence. To experience the indwelling Spirit. To be in touch with God! The gift of time is nothing else than a gift of God, a precious package of life sent to us by our Lord, individually gift-wrapped and with our name on it … to give us the time that never seemed to be ours when we were younger. What a wonderful gift this is! Time for grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Time for prayer. Time to read the great books. Time to visit old friends. Time to think, to reflect, to love and laugh and listen to music. Time to exercise. Time to work on our own projects. Time to calibrate our spiritual compasses and get the priorities of life in proper order. I am no longer young, but I am not too old … to grow and change and flourish in the love and grace of God!
A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America
Beyond just bird-watching, birding
March 8, 2015
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Village by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at: PresbyterianManors.org. Tim Allin, executive director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Suzanne Willey, community relations director, swilley@pmma.org. Telephone: 913-599-6100 Fax: 913-599-3810 Address: 17500 W. 119th St., Olathe, KS 66061-9524 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
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Community Matters March 2015
At Aberdeen Village, you’ll see quite a few patios strewn with wild bird seed and feathered friends of many varieties enjoying their dinner. These scenes have hatched an enjoyable pastime for many, who appreciate taking in nature right from their window view. During the winter months in Kansas, some birds you may see are the crimsoncolored cardinals, the white-bellied junco, bright blue jays and jet black grackles. For one resident, simply observing birds from the comfort of his residence is not enough. “If you’re serious about birds, you go birding, not just bird-watching,” said Bill Killam.
sighting at Wyandotte County Lake Park, where thousands of geese and waterfowl were spotted,” said
Bill. “We dress for the cold and set up our telescopes for long-range sighting. We certainly stay in our vehicle more than ever now though when the weather’s extreme.”
If you’re interested in learning more about birds, Bill suggests consulting “Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North Bill is one of thousands of Americans America.” And of course, Bill is open who enjoy birding, which is to questions. actively seeking birds in their native environment. He and a friend While he may be known as the “bird venture out once a week to locations man” of Aberdeen Village, Bill is up to 100 miles away to take in the quick to point out that he’s not an sights and sounds of spectacular bird expert, he’s a resource. sightings. “I’ve been enjoying birds for a long “There’s a hotline I tune into every time, since I was 10 years old,” he night online. People report in hot said. “I’m 90 now. So I guess it’s stuff. For instance, the latest was a been awhile.”
7 easy ways to build strong bones, inside and out By Linda Melone
Bone building reaches a peak during adolescence but then slows after age 25. In addition to this natural bone loss, we’re less likely to perform high-impact, bone-stimulating exercises (such as jumping) after age 50. This adds up to an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone breaks and fractures. Fortunately, you can build stronger bones at any age.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion shows that people who jumped 10 times twice daily increased bone density by .5 percent compared with those who didn’t and lost about 1.3 percent. (Note: the study did not include women with osteoporosis; jumping is not recommended in cases of weak bones.) Experts offer these seven easy tips for men and women to keep bones strong throughout their lives: 1. Snack on yogurt and other calcium-rich foods. Including yogurt, cottage cheese and other low-fat dairy foods adds bonestrengthening calcium to your diet. “In addition to dairy products,
choose fish with bones such as salmon, sardines or whitebait,” says registered dietitian Laura Jeffers. For additional benefits, serve these foods with a side of dark leafy green vegetables or broccoli, which also contain calcium. Other bonebuilding snacks include almonds, dried figs, calcium-fortified tofu and, if you prefer non-dairy, soy milk. 2. Take a hike. Try to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, by jogging, brisk walking or aerobics — at whatever level of ability, says Susan Randall, of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). “As you build stamina, increase the duration and intensity of your exercise,” she says. BONES, continued on page 4
March Madness memories from the past Resident Bob Butler was at the 1957 national championship game between Kansas and North Carolina. The game was held at Municipal Auditorium. On that day, Bob and his parents decided to go to the game. They had no trouble getting tickets at the box office. The tickets were only $5 each. My how times have changed! After three overtimes, the Tarheels came out on top. That year, legendary basketball player Wilt Chamberlain played for KU, under the direction of Coach Dick Harp. Even though Bob often sports his alma mater Nebraska gear, he still likes the Jayhawks!
March Happenings We will be host to about 35 Road Scholars for a luncheon March 5. This group, formerly known as Elderhostel, comes out each year for a lunch and program. It’s a great opportunity to show off our community. We will host an open house on Saturday, March 28. While we normally have events during the week, we would like to offer prospective residents the opportunity on a weekend to see our vibrant community. Aberdeen Village
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BONES, continued from page 3
To see real improvements in bone density, you need to push your intensity, says Cleveland Clinic physical therapist Maribeth Gibbon. “Increasing your pace for short intervals or going up and down hills will place appropriate forces on your bones.” Alternate higher-intensity exercises two to three days a week with lower-intensity activities four to five days a week for best results. 3. Lift weights. “All women begin to lose bone mass after menopause,” says Randall, “so the stronger the muscle and the stronger the bone mass before menopause, the better.” Men should lift weights, too. Resistance exercise requires muscular strength, which improves muscle mass and strengthens and supports bone. Examples of resistance training tools include free weights, wrist weights, weighted vests, exercise bands and resistance machines found at gyms and health clubs. Strive for two to three resistance training workouts a week. 4. Consider a supplement.Your calcium needs increase with age, making it a challenge to take in enough calcium through food alone. The U.S. recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 mg a day during your 20s, 30s and 40s. After menopause, most women need 1,000 to 1,500 mg a day unless they take hormone therapy, says Jeffers. Men between 50 and 70 years old need 1,000 mg a day; men over 70 need 1,200 mg.
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Community Matters March 2015
“And since your body absorbs only 500 mg of calcium at a time, divide your dosages out over the course of the day,” Jeffers says. Check with your doctor before starting supplements to find out what amount is right for you. 5. Take a daily “D.” To help absorb calcium, most adults need 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, says Dr. Andrea Sikon of Cleveland Clinic. “Combined calcium-vitamin D pills usually do not meet this requirement. And most of us who live north of Atlanta do not get enough vitamin D the oldfashioned way — from the sun. Taking a vitamin D supplement ensures you meet your daily needs.” Even if you take medications such as bisphosphonates (e.g. Fosamax), you still need vitamin D and calcium as building blocks, says Sikon. 6. Stomp your feet. Similar to the noted benefits of jumping for bone density, simply stomping your feet can also help increase bone density in your hips, says Gibbon. “Do four stomps on each foot twice a day with enough pressure to crush a can,” she says. Make it a habit to stomp on cans before you toss them into the recycle bin. Gibbon recommends performing exercise that is site-specific, meaning it must target the areas most prone to fracture: spine, hips and wrists. Push-ups and
planks work the wrists and the NOF recommends these exercises to target the spine. 7. Stretch it out. Round out your workouts with stretching to help avoid a hunched-over posture down the road. “Posture, balance, flexibility, and spine strengthening exercises can help you with better alignment of your body now and in the future,” says Randall.
Lengthening tight muscles reduces back pain and promotes good spinal mechanics and posture, says Gibbon. Muscles that are commonly tight include those you use to arch your back (spinal extensors); raise and rotate your shoulders (shoulder elevators and external rotators); lift your knees (hip flexors) and pull your feet toward your body (ankle dorsiflexor). Perform stretches slowly and smoothly, “to a point of stretch, not pain,” Gibbon advises. For maximum benefit, do stretches once or twice a day, holding each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Copyright© 2014 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television Inc.
GIVING, from page 1
There were donations of land for the Clay Center, Fort Scott, Olathe and Topeka locations. In addition, coalitions of citizens, churches and business leaders raised money for buildings in the Dodge City, Emporia, Parsons and Rolla. Through the years, capital campaigns have enabled PMMA communities to continue expanding services and remodeling campuses. Over the past eight years, Shafer said, there have been four capital campaigns. Ark City added a memory care assisted living neighborhood, and Clay Center added health care rooms and space for dining and activities. Newton
created several neighborhoods at the health care level, and Rolla added assisted living rooms and a community meeting room. Good Samaritan Program PMMA’s Good Samaritan Benevolent Care Program provides close to $4 million a year to touch the lives of nearly 400 residents, Shafer said. Mailings are sent throughout the year to enlist support from friends. The Good Samaritan Program allows residents to remain in their apartments even after they have exhausted their financial resources. A similar mail solicitation is conducted in late summer/early fall
to benefit the Employee Scholarship Fund, which reimburses employees for tuition for approved classes. Some campuses have special event fundraising programs. For example, a couple of months ago, Lawrence’s soft-serve ice cream machine, donated to the Manor 15 years ago, could no longer be repaired. To meet this need, residents kicked off a campaign to raise the money for a replacement. In a matter of two weeks, they reached the $15,000 goal. For more information about planned giving, contact Ed Shafer at eshafer@pmma.org or 800-336-8511.
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Missouri gets new campus; Wichita campus is reborn This month, we conclude our look at the history of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America as we celebrate the organization’s 65th anniversary. In 2006, SSM Health Care of St. Louis moved its St. Joseph’s Hospital from a site in Kirkwood, Mo. As part of this hospital relocation, SSM Health Care issued a request for proposals to determine what to do with the old hospital campus site. Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica’s proposal for a continuing care retirement community was selected as the project to be constructed on the old hospital site.
campus. The project would encompass nearly two-thirds of the grounds by replacing existing independent living cottages and the assisted living and health care areas with new buildings, completed in two phases.
The first phase encompassed new assisted living apartments including 24 assisted living memory care suites and a new health care neighborhood with dedicated PMMA’s 18th senior living short-term rehabilitation suites and community known as Aberdeen new common areas for all levels Heights opened in September 2011. of care. The amenities include a Upon completion, Aberdeen Heights new chapel, bistro, beauty salons would include 243 independent for independent, assisted living living apartments, 30 assisted living and health care areas and a new apartments, 15 residential-style kitchen for the entire campus. The memory care rooms and 38 private first phase was completed in late nursing rooms. Aberdeen Heights 2014 with health care residents is PMMA’s fourth senior living moving into their new building in community in Missouri, joining the November, and the assisted living communities in Farmington, Fulton residents moving into their new and Rolla. residences in December. In August 2012, PMMA announced plans for a major repositioning of its Wichita Presbyterian Manor
Phase II of the repositioning of the Wichita campus will include 90 independent living apartments in
Aberdeen Heights, PMMA’s fourth senior living community in Missouri.
A beautifully appointed sitting room at Wichita Presbyterian Manor.
a new three-story building known as The Westerly. This second phase began in December 2014 with demolition of the previous health care and assisted living buildings. The Westerly is slated to open in late 2015.
Coming Up in Community Matters Community Matters will focus on Older American’s Month in an upcoming issue. The 2015 theme is “Getting into the Act.” How were you involved in your community? Did you serve in public office or otherwise participate in civic government? What was your experience like? If you have a story to tell, contact Community Relations Director Suzanne Willey to share your idea.Your story may be selected for the next issue of your community newsletter.
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Community Matters March 2015
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