Fort Scott Presbyterian Village
DECEMBER 2022
Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we regularly feature a column from a PMMA® chaplain in our newsletter. This month’s column comes from Robert “Bob” Giffin, chaplain at Topeka Presbyterian Manor®.
Saying goodbye to one in our family
“Tis the Season”
This summer, we lost a longtime friend to Fort Scott Presbyterian Village.
Christmas gifts, trees, décor, shopping, love, peace, joy, hope, family, friends, Santa, “White Christmas”, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Ernest Saves Bob Giffin Christmas”, “Jingle Bells”, “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”, white chocolate covered pretzels, ham, eggnog, and a partridge in a pear tree! Wowser! Tis the season when our lives go from busy to busier.
Betty Jean Barnes passed away on August 5, 2022. She was 90 years old. She was born in Fort Scott in 1932, graduating from Fort Scott High School in 1949. In 1953, she graduated from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree, and in 1956 with a Master of Science Degree. Betty taught mathematics in Bonner Springs, returning to Fort Scott in 1966, where she worked as a high school counselor until her retirement in 1993. Throughout her life, Betty was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church. She served God and the church in a number of ways, including service as an elder. In 1999, she became a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church. Betty Barnes Additionally, she lived at the Presbyterian Village and volunteered in the office, and shared her love of music and animals with all of us for more than 28 years. Betty served as a friend, neighbor and family member to all! Even after her passing, Betty continued to help her Presbyterian Village family by asking that memorials be sent to the Good Samaritan Fund. You can find her obituary at https://fortscott.biz/news/obituary-of-betty-barnes.
In the midst of our busy lives, let us be reminded that ‘tis the season of “Advent.” The term “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus which means “coming.” Advent is about the “coming” of Christ. Hundreds of years beforehand, the Prophet Isaiah foretold that he would: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
Chaplain –continued on page 3
Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org/covid-19.
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Chaplain – continued from page 1 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6, NIV). CHRISTmas is Jesus! Jesus truly is the reason for the season of Christmas. On the Christian calendar, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day mark the season of Advent. They serve to remind us of the wonderful gifts of hope, peace, joy and love we have received from Jesus. And we, in turn, are to share those gifts with others. The season of Advent is a sweet opportunity to treat others the way you’d like to be treated. Here’s some ways to do that which will cost you little, if anything, but will be of immeasurable value: ✱ Call a friend you haven’t spoken with recently ✱ Visit a neighbor who lives alone ✱ Deliver a meal or a dessert to someone – make it a “May Day” gift in December! ✱ Make a contribution of time, food, clothing or money to one of your local charities ✱ Say a prayer for a different person each day
✱ Give a random act of kindness – a sincere compliment, an encouraging note… Plan to do it. First, make yourself a note, put an alert on your phone, do whatever it takes to remind you to be a blessing to someone else. Be spontaneous too. Look around for unplanned opportunities right in front of you to share hope, peace, joy and love with others. You’ll see them in the grocery line with the cashier who’s been on their feet all day; at the convenience store with the clerk who is perhaps working a second job to make ends meet; at a school where the custodian feels obscure; next door or across the hall – just look around and you’ll see many opportunities to share hope, peace, love, and joy. Second, do it. Tis the season!
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Community Matters 620-223-5550 ◆ Fax: 620-223-7800 2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | December 2022
is published monthly for residents and friends of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: gnance@pmma.org Ginger Nance, executive director Taylor Bailey, director of marketing and human resources
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Angel Tree supports local seniors in need You make it possible for residents to remain in their home through the Good Samaritan Program. To make a contribution, please visit the front desk or go online to
giving.presbyterianmanors.org/ angel-tree-campaign. In recognition of your generosity, we will hang an ornament in your honor on our community’s Angel Tree. ◆
Today, more than 345 PMMA residents depend on PMMA’s Good Samaritan Program. The program provides funding to assist residents who outlive their financial resources through no fault of their own, and we’re proud that no person has ever been asked to leave one of our communities based on their inability to pay.
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village shares customer service survey responses Fort Scott Presbyterian Village continues to seek customer feedback through monthly telephone surveys. Each month, residents and their representatives are randomly selected to participate in telephone satisfaction surveys conducted by Pinnacle Quality Insight. The graphic highlights some of the survey results. All scores are given on a 5-point scale, with 5 being the highest score and 1 the lowest score. Between August 2021 and September 2022, Fort Scott Presbyterian Village residents and their families gave the community high scores for demonstrating dignity and respect, providing safety and security, and fulfilling transportation needs. They also said they would recommend the community to others. “I appreciate the quality of care I get,” said one resident. “I appreciate the people I live with. I enjoy living here. I like all of the employees, they
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | December 2022
are wonderful people.” Another resident said “we have wonderful nurses and aides, they’re outstanding.” We greatly value the opinions of our residents and their representatives about the care and services we provide, and we encourage them to participate honestly when contacted by Pinnacle Quality Insight. All state and federal confidentiality laws are met in Pinnacle’s service. ◆