Wichita Community Matters – June 2024

Wichita Presbyterian Manor announces Art is Ageless® winners

Wichita Presbyterian Manor is excited to announce the winners of its recent Art is Ageless® juried competition and exhibit.

“We’re honored that local seniors allowed us to exhibit and judge their wonderful works,” said Amy Watson, life enrichment director. “Art is Ageless is unique because it only features the works of artists who are 65 and over. Our artists prove it’s never too late to create art, in any form.

Wichita Presbyterian Manor hosted a reception for the winning artists listed here:

Best of Show amateur: Vera Davis, “Sunset on the Farm”

Best of Show professional: Naomi Ullum, “Peonies - Sunlit Luminescence”

People’s Choice overall: Dennis McKay, “Depression”

Christmas amateur: Sandra Shryack, “Bringing Home the Tree”

Christmas professional: Phyllis Provost-Saas, “Merry Llarry Llama”

Drawing amateur: Debra Ryan, “The Sentry”

Drawing professional: Patt Sharpe, “Cacuts”

Fiber Arts amateur: Liz Hicks, “Determination Afghan”

Fiber Arts professional: Donna Bates, “A Whale’s Tale”

Mixed Media/Crafts amateur: Karen Funcheon, “Aunt Mildred”

Mixed Media/Crafts professional: Judi Michelis, “Summer’s Splendor”

Needlework amateur: Paulette Mattingly, “Giraffe Fabric Collage”

Painting amateur: Mary McNeil, “Rivets and Rails”

Painting professional: Lisa Kellerby, “Cowgirl Cuddle”

Photography amateur: Gary Stahl, “Naptime”

Photography professional: Chester Bernat, “Almost Forgotten”

Quilting amateur: Nancy Kreibach, “Refractery”

Sculpture/3-D professional: Deb Thomas, “The Healing Power of the Drum”

Compassion drives direction of work

If you’ve visited with our new Assisted Living and Memory Care Director Zanette Brooks since she took on her new role in March, you probably found out that she prefers the name “Z.”

“It’s been going really well,” Z said. “It’s a new job so you learn a lot. But everyone has been very supportive.”

Z helps lead and direct the day-to-day management of the Assisted Living staff, as well as working to ensure the negotiated service agreements are in place and up to date. The work, she said, is varied and interesting.

She brings to the role more than 30 years of experience in nursing and more than 2 years of experience as a director.

“The staff has been inviting and eager to teach me anything I don’t know,” Z said. “The residents have been very kind and encouraging and welcoming as well. Across the board, it’s been great.”

In her time away from work, Z said she enjoys spending time with her familywhich includes three children, and nine grandchildren ranging from 4 months old to 14 years old. She also enjoys reading and staying busy with work in her yard.

“I’m really compassionate and passionate about what I do,” Z said about her work at Wichita Presbyterian Manor. “I love what I do.” u

“Sunset on the Farm”

“Peonies - Sunlit Luminescence”

Move to manor good for many in the family

When Jennifer Ross reflects on the events of the past few years, she is struck by God’s mercy, grace, and intervention in her family’s lives.

“Soon after my dad moved to Wichita Presbyterian Manor, my brother’s health had been failing for some time. He suffered from several maladies and was living by himself. Things became very, very bad. We thought we were going to bury him. But Glory to God, and lots of praying - we said we’d like our brother David to come here. That was two years in the planning.”

Today, David lives next door to his father, Charlie, in Assisted Living.

“He’s building confidence,” Jennifer said. “We’re not just grateful. We’re beyond grateful. We’re ecstatic. There’s no other place we could put him. We did our research and we know from when we placed mom that Presbyterian Manor had all the needed resources.”

The Ross family - siblings Jennifer, Steve, and David - along with their father Charlie worked together for the best outcome. It’s something their mother Nancy would’ve enjoyed witnessing. She passed away in 2019.

Nancy and Charlie met at the New York Theological Seminary, then spent the better part of the next 40 years serving as missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They eventually settled in Wichita.

Nancy moved into WPM in 2014, and Charlie moved into the manor in 2021.

“My dad was at home and visited her

every single day,” Jennifer said. “It was beautiful. My father was getting older, but thought he was independent because we had people who would do things for him. He was getting more frail. He didn’t know how to cook or keep the house because Mom did that for him, and then I did that for him.”

After several hospitalizations, the family decided a move was in order.

“He is very involved. He prays with people, and continues his pastoral work in that way.”

It wasn’t long after their father’s move that the siblings began to understand the gravity of their brother David’s health battles.

“He had all of these issues,” Jennifer said of her brother, who lived in California at the time. “We were talking to Z (Zanette Brooks) in Assisted Living, and making sure we were all talking. It was so complicated. We weren’t sure he could handle the pressure of flying. My brother went out there twice - once to get the lay of the land and the second time to pack him up and bring him out here. I kept praying to St. George, to Jesus all the time.”

“God really made a way for him to be right next to Dad,” Jennifer said. “He was still working on walking and feeding himself, and now he’s doing all those things he’s been wanting to do. He’s enjoying all the amenities. He started using the pool and he’s so happy about that. There’s now weekly

shopping, and using the scooters at the stores.”

Her Dad is excited about the recent developments. “He’s elated to have his son by him,” Jennifer said. “It’s good therapy and good medicine for both of them.”

Throughout the entire process, Jennifer said friends - old and new - have lent their hands to make lighter work. “My aunt Barbara was instrumental in helping David get stronger to help him get out here,” Jennifer said. “And Gail, a friend from church. She helped advocate for him. It really was God’s mercy. We didn’t know how bad it was.”

Since the move the family has been grateful to the care of the WPM staff. “Staff is so wonderful,” Jennifer said. “They are stars. They all should get a huge, huge raise. David alone takes over 10 medications, multiple times a day. Everyone has been so helpful.” u

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Community Matters

316-942-7456 ◆ Fax: 316-941-3806 4700 W. 13th St. Wichita, KS 67212-5575 WichitaPresbyterianManor.org

is published quarterly for residents and friends of Wichita Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

To submit or suggest articles: awatson@PMMA.org

Amy Watson, life enrichment dir.

Jenna Beilman, executive director

Lisa Fetter, senior living sales director

OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

New resident Janice Pyle enjoys her new neighbors’ stories

There are a number of activities that Janice Pyle enjoys to keep her mind busy and occupied. But few things are more enjoyable than doing the work she’s loved to do for more than 50 years.

“I’m still working as a bookkeeper for my church,” Janice said. “That’s what the majority of my work has been. I have worked for my church off and on since 1972. I started as a volunteer then became a paid employee…I like brain fitness tasks, but more so the work.”

Her hobbies, however, include reading books about World War II and the Holocaust.

“I find new and interesting things. I read about the Norwegian side of the war and had never done that. I also read a book about some high school students in Southeast Kansas had a project, and girls there found some survivors of the war in Poland who had freed Jews by writing notes that they put in little jars - and they got to meet one of those women.”

Before coming to Wichita Presbyterian Manor, Janice lived in Wichita. She came to the area in 1972, when her husband, Don, took an engineering job at Boeing. Before the move, she lived in Joplin, Missouri, until Don’s education took them to Columbia, Missouri. Don passed away in 2018. Janice moved to WPM in February and has found the transition to be seamless.

“It’s wonderful, oh my goodness,” she said. “Every meal you can sit down and talk about different things. Three or four ladies that are in independent living, they’re nearly 100 years old. I talk to them, and I listen for cues on things they say and then start asking them questions. One lady, she is smart and animated. Sometimes she’ll say something about WWII, and that she worked at Boeing on the B-29s, and she was 25 years old. I’ll ask her, ‘Did you meet Rosie the Riveter?’ She said, no, but that she knew that Rosie was on the same floor she was. Then I’ll tell her that I had met her during an event for the restoration of the Doc.” (the famously restored B-29 bomber used in WWII.)

Janice and Don had three children, and now have nine grandchildren ranging in age from 7 to 25.

“It’s interesting, I can look out my windows and see the first house that we bought over 50 years ago,” Janice said. “It’s kind of interesting to land a block from where we lived.”

Janice said she’s appreciated a number of things about her move to WPM, including the attention to detail and the way everything is so well organized in her apartment.

We’re thrilled to have Janice as part of our Wichita Presbyterian Manor family. u

Manor

“Summer’s Splendor” “Giraffe Fabric Collage” “Rivets and Rails” “Cowgirl Cuddle” “Naptime” Almost Forgotten” “Refractery” “The Healing Power of the Drum”

“Bringing Home the Tree” “Merry Llarry Llama” The Sentry” “Cacuts” “Determination Afghan” “A Whale’s Tale” “Aunt Mildred”

4700 W. 13th St. Wichita, KS 67212-5575

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Volunteer of the Year blends friendship with service

Wichita Presbyterian Manor wouldn’t be the same place without the help and dedication of all the volunteers who share their time and their lives with our staff and residents.

Each year, we celebrate our volunteers and present our Volunteer of the Year award. This year’s winner is Ann Murray, an Independent Living resident who has spent countless hours working to make our home a better community.

“When I started out, they wanted me to straighten the Assisted Living Library,” Ann said.

She gladly went to work, and quickly moved on to other needs in the community. When a visually impaired friend moved into assisted living, Ann

asked if she could read to her. That grew into helping her friend - Mary Kleinwrite and send more than 600 cards each year.

“Her passion was sending anniversary and birthday cards,” Ann said. “We’d get together and I did all the envelopes. She would try to write a message. We did that for a year and a half - that was a lot of fun.”

Over time, as more friends moved from independent living to assisted living, Ann has focused on making the rounds to ensure everyone feels comfortable and connected.

“When I was in Assisted Living, I thought I should go see this person or that person,” Ann said. “When Mary moved to the healthcare unit, I saw all sorts of people I knew. So I started visiting them.”

She tries to visit all of them every day.

In addition to her work at WPM, she also volunteers at Wesley Medical Center, where she cuddles babies in NICU.

Ann has volunteered for the entire six

and half years she’s called WPM home.

“I just love it. I love people and love getting to know them and that’s one of the main reasons I do it,” Ann said. “Some people get their lunches and go home. I moved here because I had eaten by myself for eight years and I was tired of it.”

Ann said she was surprised when she was told that she was chosen as the Volunteer of the Year. But she was happy to accept the award with her grandson. “There are lots of people who do a lot of things, but I appreciate it very much.” u