Commun ty Matters Emporia Presbyterian Manor
March 2019
Resident Arlo Bell at the Lyon County History Center during a bus trip in 2018.
Arlo Bell found the perfect fit Before Arlo Bell moved in to independent living on campus, he made a scale drawing of his apartment and drew in his furniture to ensure it would fit how he liked. Now that he’s settled into his place, everything is just right. “My favorite thing about my apartment is the compact nature of it. It is easy to maintain and get around,” said Arlo. Drawing things to scale isn’t something new for Arlo. As a former newspaper man, Arlo’s office moved two or three times during his career and each time he would make a scale drawing of the new office and draw in the BELL, continued on page 3
Jen Moran, life enrichment director, and residents tended to a variety of plants on the healthcare patio last year. We also enjoyed the birdhouse, made by one of our residents.
Green thumbs unite—it’s spring! March is finally here, and that means it’s time to start thinking about our outdoor pots and gardens. To help, student volunteers from Emporia State University are stopping by this month to help us with our gardens. “We haven’t done anything like this since I’ve been here, and I’m really excited to get to participate in it,” said Jen Moran, life enrichment director. “At that time, I think we’ll also plan what we’ll be doing in our healthcare patio. My goal is to make the patio an even more special and beautiful place. We enjoyed keeping the raised beds and pots weeded throughout the summer, but I feel like there’s even more we can do, as a community, with the space.” Last year, cherry tomatoes, marigolds and petunias were planted in addition to one surprise. “I found what I later learned was morning glories,” said Jen. “We also have a huge patch of honeysuckle, which is delightful when it blooms.” SPRING, continued on page 2
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Love on display: March 20th Join us for a staff art reception featuring all the things we love on and off the job from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. From poetry to art to photos and more, all staff will exhibit a variety of mediums in the atrium gallery.
In addition to the outdoor gardens, plants have always been an important feature around the community. They add a home-like quality to the environment and have are proven to improve air quality, which is helpful during the winter months.
resident’s favorite vegetable is or what flower they most like to smell.”
Working with the plants has proven benefits to all of us, too.
“Many of our ground-floor residents have cultivated their own gardens. It’s fun to chat about their plants in the spring, when everything is coming up. It’s also helpful to me, on a personal level, to get advice about my own garden.”
“It’s relaxing and rewarding to watch the plants grow,” said Jen. “It provides a tactile experience for those who enjoy working in the soil or pruning their plants. Plants are also a nice topic for reminiscing about our past. I often ask residents about what kinds of plants they or their parents used to raise in their gardens. This can lead to discussions about how to grow, can or cook veggies, or even what a
While Jen doesn’t claim to be the best gardener, she does have a lot of friends in the community with “lovely green thumbs” that she enjoys learning from.
Stay tuned to see what plans will developed on the Jones Health Care patio. “I’m excited to work with the residents to determine what we’ll plant this spring. I’d love to start a big strawberry patch.”
Johny Patwary dishes on dining services Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Emporia Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Susan Siepelmeier, executive director Crystal Stock, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Crystal Stock, marketing director, cstock@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
The food service program on campus is about more than just preparing nutritious and delicious meals. It’s also about creating an enjoyable dining experience.
We also provide a side menu called ‘Chef’s Corner.’ It is a restaurant-style menu that we created for residents who want to try something different. This menu is very creative and attracts residents wanting something unique,” said Johny. Johny Patwary
“Our goal is that we prepare food and provide service that creates memories and pleases all the senses of our residents and their families,” said Johny Patwary, dining services director. Johny and his team accomplish this in a number of ways. “We update our menu every six months so we can keep it seasonal.
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Community Matters March 2019
But before anything on the menu is rolled out, plenty of preparation goes into the process. “We do a huddle called ‘Showtime’ where we meet before our meal and go over each dish and their ingredients to make sure servers understand what is made and how it is made so they can educate the residents when they have questions. Then, after the meal, we do a ‘post service’ meeting where we all meet again and talk about how the meal went if there were any DINING, continued on page 4 Like us on Facebook
Art is Ageless® right around the corner Emporia Presbyterian Manor has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held April 10 to 30, 2019. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 2020 Art is Ageless calendar. Artists may choose to enter the exhibit only. For the competition,
works are to have been completed in the past five years (since January 2014). There are nine categories, as well as designations of amateur or professional. Works to be entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Manor by April 5. Entry forms and information can be picked up at Emporia Presbyterian Manor, 2300 Industrial Road, or by contacting Crystal Stock at 620-343-2613 or emailing cstock@pmma.org. Go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view
rules, download an entry form or enter online. Works will be on display from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends April 10 - 20, at Emporia Presbyterian Manor, 2700 Industrial Road. In addition to the exhibit, Emporia Presbyterian Manor will honor local senior artists during a reception at the community at 3:30 p.m. April 26. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m.
March 26: Smart Phone 101 Wondering where the photos go after you take them on your smart phone? Curious how to update your contacts? Or are you looking for an answer to a specific question about your smart phone or mobile device?
and applications associated with smart phones and tablets followed by a one-on-one question and answer session.
Raise your smart phone IQ with our smart phone event on campus at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26. Lunch will be provided following the presentation and Q&A session.
Navigating Your Smartphone is part of Presbyterian Manor’s ongoing Just Ask lifelong learning series focusing on issues of interest to seniors and their adult children.
In this 40-minute presentation by PMMA’s Jenn McClanahand, she’ll explain the many different features
Space is limited. RSVP by March 22 to Crystal Stock at 620-343-2613 or cstock@pmma.org.
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equipment to make sure it would all fit. It was in these offices that Arlo worked as a type operator during the letterpress days and he wrote a column that required researching old newspapers and talking about previous events and articles. Today, Arlo still takes the newspaper and enjoys the columns. But he does so from the comfort of his apartment. “It is quiet, peaceful and comfortable Like us on Facebook
here,” said Arlo. “The staff are good and helpful, too.” Arlo enjoys reading, watching TV and enjoying a good breakfast every morning in the dining room. He also likes to sit by the window and watch the geese fly around or the rabbit on the property when it shows up. Living at Emporia Presbyterian Manor means he can be comfortable and feel secure. Life here offers Arlo convenience in that he utilizes the
services he needs to get his groceries on the weekly shopping trip.Are you, or is someone you know considering a move to campus? If so, Arlo suggests talking with other residents to get their opinion about living here. “I would suggest to anyone that they look over the apartments and see if it fits their needs,” he said. Arlo thinks they’ll find it to be the perfect fit, too. Emporia Presbyterian Manor
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Emporia Presbyterian Manor 2300 Industrial Rd. Emporia, KS 66801-6636 Return Service Requested
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comments, suggestions or concerns,” said Johny. Feedback from residents is highly encouraged. “Residents’ feedback has a big influence in our menu design. We created a platform called ‘Johny Time’ where I, or a member of my management team, sit with residents and go over the current and upcoming menus, listen to suggestions and discuss service. “It is open to any residents. We also do a monthly resident’s council where residents share their point of view and suggestions, and we have comment cards available. Every week we go over the comments and acknowledge the suggestions, comments and constructive criticism. We try our best to execute most of them, and follow up in future meetings,” said Johny. There are some new, non-menu items that you may have noticed recently, too. “We have introduced a new program called ‘Teaching
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Kitchen’ where we do a cooking demo with residents and they get to participate making a dish with us. It is very simple cooking with fresh ingredients where Chef David Paine and our Nutrition Care Manager Emily Prouse help residents create the dish and understand the function of each ingredient they are utilizing.” Johny continued, “We recently upgraded our platewares and service program to create a casual bistro feeling in the dining room. We are sourcing our produce locally through our vendor to make sure we are getting seasonal products and designing our menu accordingly.” Curious which dish is a favorite among residents? “The beef stew, due to the fact that is a comfort food and very familiar.” As we celebrate National Nutrition Month in March, we hope you enjoy every meal the dining services team dishes out for you. Be sure to share your feedback with them, too! Like us on Facebook