Rolla Presbyterian Manor
Chaplain’s Corner
MARCH 2022
The joy of the unexpected discovery
By Greg Schmidt, chaplain, Newton Presbyterian Manor
Rolla Presbyterian Manor welcomes new activities director Robert Garcia took over the position of activities director at Rolla Presbyterian Manor in January. “I found my niche,” said Robert. “I think this is it. Everybody here is so wonderful. They are a blessing to work with.” But as wonderful as his coworkers are, “it’s all about the residents,” he said. “They keep me going, keep a smile on my face and keep me inspired to do new and better things.”
Robert Garcia
Robert began working in the senior living industry when he joined the housekeeping staff at another community. There, he had the opportunity to move into a position as an activities assistant and he found that he loved the work. He worked at both Silverstone Place and St. James Living Center before taking the activities director position at Rolla Presbyterian Manor. Since he arrived at Presbyterian Manor, Robert has made a few adjustments to the activities routine, although he doesn’t plan to introduce too much change at once. One new thing is the publication of a monthly activities calendar so that residents and their family members can see what’s coming and plan ahead. He has also introduced some new activities around two things he loves: cooking and painting.
Activities director – continued on page 2
Editor’s Note: We continue to share chaplain messages from sister PMMA® communities in a nod to our roots in the Presbyterian Church. This month, we feature Greg Schmidt, chaplain at Newton Presbyterian Manor. Do you love the spring as much as I do? I hope so! The thing I enjoy most about spring is discovery. I love watching plants begin to poke their little “heads” up through the soil. I love watching little buds as they emerge from barren branches. And I can’t wait to buy the first of many flats of annuals and perennials and begin planting in the 25 or more pots I have around my house. In the same vein, I love discovering “new” things about “old” stories. For instance, all I’d ever enjoyed about St. Patrick’s Day was searching for three- and four-leaf clovers. As a child my friends and I would walk and crawl over tufts of grass in search of a three-leaf clover … always secretly hoping to find a fourleaf one. Why? Just to be that lucky one who finds something few others can discover. A few years ago I began to search for
Joy – continued on page 2
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Activities director – continued from page 1 Robert’s “In the Kitchen” program allows residents to help make a special dish. Sometimes the activity is tied to the day. For example, residents recently decorated cupcakes on National Cupcake Day. Another new activity is painting on canvas. That’s a natural activity for Robert to lead, as he runs an “on-the-go” sip-and-paint business. Instead of operating out of a storefront, he and a friend will take their paint night concept to churches, private
Joy – continued from page 1 the meaning behind the day and the person so many celebrated. What I discovered was a beautiful, faith-building story of a Scottishborn boy named Maewyn Succat … turned captive of Irish raiders at the age of 16 … turned slave shepherd … turned Christian convert on the run from the law … turned Catholic Priest who was known as Patrick … turned sometimes imprisoned Catholic bishop … turned missionary to Ireland who used the three-leaf shamrock to teach about the Holy Trinity … who ministered for 30+ years … who one day died on March 17 in 461 A.D. Whew! While I don’t know for sure, I choose to believe St. Patrick was spiritually driven by Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus is recorded
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2022
clubs and people’s homes. At the end of the evening, everyone takes home a new work of art. He also enjoys crafting, painting and drawing. He is an illustrator who is working on a children’s book. In his free time, Robert also enjoys the occasional glass of wine and making food for friends. “I like feeding people and I enjoy surprising people with food,” he said. Some of his specialties are taco dip and chili, although he also
as having said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Did you know 2,000+ years ago, the later an idea came in the structure of a sentence, the more important the thought or teaching? That would mean “… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you …” was the most important teaching Jesus offered in this set of commands. I believe St. Patrick knew that. Teaching Irish converts became his greatest passion. It drove his life with little or no thought given to his personal comfort. Spending time in prison, for St.
enjoys making cakes and cookies. Robert was born and raised in the Detroit area, but has lived in Rolla for more than 30 years. He and his ex-wife moved to be closer to her relatives when their two children were small. “Best move ever,” said Robert, who loves the Rolla community. The children who were little ones when Robert moved to Rolla are in their early 30s now, and Robert has four grandchildren. u
Patrick and someone long before him, namely, the Apostle Paul, was understood to be a part of the process, not the problem. God used that life, that priest-bishop, that testimony, to transform the Irish people who had once enslaved him. What an unexpected and mercydriven “pay back!” We should all long to pay back our enemies with love, kindness and compassion. Sounds like something Jesus would do, doesn’t it? Perhaps forgetting self in order to serve others is exactly what becoming the luckyone-who-finds-something-few-otherscan-discover is what our faith is all about. Humble yourself before the Lord … and crawl … or walk bowed … into the presence of the Almighty. And discover God discovering those at your doorstep who need to obediently follow His commands. u
Rolla Presbyterian Manor receives customer experience award Rolla Presbyterian Manor is a recipient of Pinnacle Quality Insight’s 2022 Customer Experience Award™. Qualifying for the award for its health care center in 10 categories, Rolla Presbyterian Manor displays a continued dedication to providing best-inclass senior health care services. “This recognition demonstrates that our residents and their families continue to have trust in the care that we provide,” said Ann Caudill, executive director. “Every day, I see our staff carry out our mission to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values, and this shows that our residents and their families see it, too.” Throughout its 48-year history of serving the community, Rolla Presbyterian Manor has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the individual needs of every resident are met. Over the course of 2021, a sampling of Rolla Presbyterian Manor customers and their families have participated in monthly telephone interviews that
the top 15 percent with best-inclass ratings in overall satisfaction, activities, admission process, demonstrating dignity and respect, meeting individual needs, nursing care, overall customer experience, professional therapy services, response to problems and a willingness to recommend to others from residents and their families in the health care center.
2022
include open-ended questions, as well as the opportunity to rate Rolla Presbyterian Manor in specific categories. Every month, Rolla Presbyterian Manor has gathered its real-time survey results to gain a better understanding of the residents’ needs and make improvements when necessary. By qualifying for the Pinnacle Customer Experience Award™, Rolla Presbyterian Manor has satisfied the rigorous demand of scoring in the top 15 percent of the nation across a 12-month average. Rolla Presbyterian Manor scored in
A customer satisfaction measurement firm with 25 years of experience in post-acute healthcare, Pinnacle conducts over 150,000 phone surveys each year and works with more than 2,500 care providers in all 50 US states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Rolla Presbyterian Manor has served Phelps County since 1974, now with Alzheimer’s care, independent and assisted living, long-term care and short-term rehabilitation. To learn more about Rolla Presbyterian Manor, contact Joelle Freeland at 573364-7336 or lfreeland@pmma.org.u
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Community Matters 573-364-7336 ◆ Fax: 573-364-7495 1200 Homelife Plaza Rolla, MO 65401-2595 RollaPresbyterianManor.org
is published monthly for residents and friends of Rolla Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: lfreeland@PMMA.org Ann Caudill, executive director Joelle Freeland, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2022