Commun ty Matters Emporia Presbyterian Manor
December 2014
‘Believe’
Susan Siepelmeier
As I look forward to the holiday season, one word is key to this season: “believe.”
Susan Siepelmeier had a blank slate when she started working at Emporia Presbyterian Manor. It was 1986, and the community was less than a year old when she was hired as the first activities director.
By Bruce Shogren, Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America president and CEO
I truly believe in three key people: Jesus Christ, Santa Bruce Shogren Claus and the employees of the Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America system. What could be more important than Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ? I grew up in a church in which every Sunday we would state our belief by reciting the Apostles’ Creed. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of theVirgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of CEO, continued on page 2
Executive director committed to ‘community’
“It was very enticing to me, to start the program from the ground up,” Siepelmeier said. “It was a very progressive step at that time to be a continuous care retirement community. There was a lot of anticipation. When I applied for job, I thought, I would love it if I could just work there.” Siepelmeier liked it so much that she never left. In 2000, she moved from activities to human resources. Then this fall, she was named Susan Siepelmeier executive director, succeeding Roger Closson in the role he’d held for 20 years. She knew she wanted to stay in long-term care and administration was the next step. “Fortunately, Roger was a good mentor,” Siepelmeier said. “And knowing most of residents and staff is such a plus. I’m very fortunate to have that.” Emporia Presbyterian Manor now has 110 residents and 125 employees. The relationships Siepelmeier developed with staff as HR director are helpful in her new role, and she’s looking forward to developing stronger relationships with residents and their families. Most of Siepelmeier’s own family is in Nebraska, where she grew up and attended college. She earned her bachelor’s degree in human development COMMUNITY, continued on page 6
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sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen. This belief statement says it all for me and has been the guiding statement throughout my life. It has given me the ability to believe in the power of prayer, which has really been needed daily as my wife was healing in the hospital and at home. This Christmas season, I pray you reflect on that night long ago when Jesus was born and you continue to realize the impact his birth has had on all our lives.
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Emporia Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Susan Siepelmeier, executive director Ken Hanson, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Ken Hanson, marketing director, khanson@pmma.org.
Telephone: 620-343-2613 Fax: 620-343-9195 Address: 2300 Industrial Rd., Emporia, KS 66801-6636 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. EmporiaPresbyterianManor.org
My second key belief is in the spirit of Santa Claus. Santa has always been a big part of my family’s Christmas celebrations, dating back to when I was a little one. Santa has always come out of the fireplace in the house I grew up in in Lindsborg, Kansas. It is quite the spectacle to see the Jolly Old Elf come out of PaPa Har’s (my dad’s) fireplace to deliver gifts to all the good girls and boys of the Shogren family after losing his pants once again. “Har, when are you going to fix your chimney,” Santa states every year to the delight of all in the room.You have to be there to really experience it and believe it. But the actual thrill in believing in the spirit of Santa Claus is to be a “Santa Helper.” To see the joy in the eyes of a child when he or she sits on Santa’s lap, to experience a surprise appearance by Santa is unforgettable whether it is to children or adults, to give an unexpected and thoughtful gift which says “I know you” is pure happiness for the giver, the receiver and those watching, and the best is when someone will ask with a wink and whisper in Santa’s ear, “Who are you, really?” and Santa gets to tell them the truth: You are really Santa Claus. Priceless! Finally, my third and final belief is in the employees of the PMMA system in providing the care and services to you. Being on the side of receiving care in the past year by a caring hospital nursing and health care staff, I appreciate even more the PMMA staff throughout our system that daily provide the health care, friendship, caring and a whole lot more to you, our residents. Please join me in thanking your community’s staff for their commitment to our mission, providing quality senior services guided by Christian values. As I close my letter, let me wish that you know the blessing of being a child of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the joy of caring for others, and that you still hear the bell ring and truly believe. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Sara’s desserts
Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread By Sara Samford, director of dining services, Emporia Presbyterian Manor
Bread ingredients 1 large egg 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup liquid-state coconut oil (may substitute with canola or vegetable oil) 1/4 cup cup sour cream (light is OK; may substitute with plain Greek yogurt) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda pinch salt, optional and to taste
Cream cheese filling 1 large egg 4 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened (light is OK) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour Total: 75 minutes | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: about 48 minutes, plus cooling time | Yield: about 10 slices 3
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray one 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside. 2. Bread - In a large bowl, add the the first 10 ingredients (through ground nutmeg). Whisk to combine. 3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix. Set aside. 4. Turn about two-thirds of the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary; set aside. 5. Cream Cheese Filling - In a large bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine or mix with a hand mixer. 6. Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary. 7. Top filling with remaining pumpkin batter, smoothing the top very lightly with a spatula as to not disturb cream cheese layer, and pushing batter into corners and sides as necessary. 8. Bake for about 48 minutes or until the top is domed, golden and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Note this is tricky because the cream cheese never gets totally solid so the toothpick test isn’t the most accurate. 9. Tip: tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped over it at the 35-minute mark if you feel the tops and sides will become too browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of pumpkin and cream cheese, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock. 10. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Serve with Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze (AverieCooks.com). Bread will keep airtight at room temperature up to 1 week and in the freezer up to 6 months.
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Independent living drives expansion plans This month, we continue to look back at our history as Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America celebrates 65 years of the art of life. The desire for more independent living drove expansion for Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America in the late 1980s. Duplex or apartment projects were approved for the campuses in Sterling, Wichita, Topeka, Parsons, Arkansas City and Lawrence. Existing spaces were renovated in Sterling, Arkansas City, Kansas City and Newton, and a new health care center was constructed in Newton. Wichita received funds for and constructed a chapel. Community interest and persistence led to the development of a campus in Emporia. Ground was broken on May 22, 1984, and Emporia Presbyterian Manor campus opened in 1986. Construction started on a new campus in Dodge City in a joint venture with the CSJ Health System of Wichita, Kan. The new campus, adjacent to St. Mary of the Plains College, was named Manor of the Plains. In conjunction with the closing of St. Mary of the Plains campus in 1992, Presbyterian Manors Inc. acquired CSJ Health System’s joint venture interest in Manor of the Plains and became the sole owner. PMMA’s dream of providing services for severely physically handicapped adults became a reality when Hutchinson Heights opened in 1986. The 1980s also brought serious conversations about the relationship between Presbyterian Manors of Mid-
America and the synods of the Presbyterian Church as well as increased competition in the senior care market. Board minutes from 1986 demonstrate PMMA’s desire to keep the ties with the Synod of Mid-America and individual Presbyterian churches strong. In 1989, the original United Presbyterian Foundation of Kansas Inc. (Newton), and the other separate Kansas Manor corporations, (Arkansas City, Clay Center, Emporia, Kansas City, Lawrence, Manor of the Plains, Parsons, Salina, Sterling, Topeka and Wichita) and Presbyterian Manors of Missouri Inc. (Farmington, Fulton and Rolla) were merged to form Presbyterian Manors Inc. In 1990, an office building was constructed in northeast Wichita and the headquarters of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc. moved from Newton to Wichita.
Seeking ‘angels’ for Good Samaritan Program Christmas angel ornaments – each representing a gift to the Good Samaritan Program for Benevolent Care – are adding to the holiday decorations at Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s senior living communities.
Donors responding to the annual Christmas Angel Appeal letter mailed in November include paper angel ornaments with their gifts. Each ornament will then be displayed at the PMMA community designated by the donor. During the past two years, angel donors have given more than $94,000 to the Good Samaritan Program, which assists PMMA residents who have run out of funds through no fault of their own. 5
Emporia Presbyterian Manor 2300 Industrial Rd. Emporia, KS 66801-6636 Return Service Requested
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and the family from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and her gerontology certification from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She is the mother of a 12-year-old daughter whom she adopted from China. Over nearly 30 years at Presbyterian Manor, Siepelmeier said she’s been pleased to see long-term care shift toward a person-centered model, giving residents more choice and empowerment. She wants to continue cultivating a family like atmosphere, adding that it starts with employees who treat Presbyterian Manor more like a home and less like a facility. “I see the mindset changing as people come into this stage of their life,” Siepelmeier said. “If you love where you work and you love where you live, those two things come together to create to community we’d like to see.” 6
Bravo of the Month Marcia Taylor always provides “little extras” to my mom’s day. Her caring manners can be seen throughout the day with all residents. She is an excellent nurse who truly makes a difference in the lives of the resident.