Commun ty Matters Manor of the Plains
July 2016
Start painting ... at any age! By Heidi Raschke for Next Avenue
Megan Jackson is the kind of person people describe as an old soul. “It’s hard for me to really connect in my own age group, and that’s always been the case,” says the painter who created an untitled work selected for publication by Next Avenue (see page 4). “I’ve always had older friends.” Before Jackson created this work of painting and collage, she wasn’t familiar with the terms “artful aging” or “creative aging” — which refer to the practice of engaging older adults in participatory, professionally run arts programs with a focus on social engagement and skills mastery. But she knew many people who were living it. “Anyone — anyone — can be an artist.You hear people all the time say, ‘Oh, I don’t have any artistic talent,’ which is not true,” Jackson says. “You just have to do it whether you think you have talent or not, you have to get out there and try it.” Jackson offers two tips on how you, too, can let go of the pressure and get started doing art: ART, continued on page 4
A previous performance at Manor of the Plains’ fundraiser. Please see page 3 for additional information.
You’re invited
Annual fundraiser on Aug. 1 Manor of the Plains’ annual Southern Gospel Concert and Taco Dinner will be Aug. 1 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe Social Center, 3231 N. 14th St. The taco dinner is a fundraiser for the senior living community’s Good Samaritan Program, and the concert is a part of the Dodge City Days festival. A taco and tostada meal with Mexican wedding cake is from 5 to 6:15 p.m. at the cathedral’s social center. The meal is $6 per person. A Dodge City Days lapel pin is the admission for the 6:30 p.m. Southern Gospel Christian Concert. A free-will offering will be collected. Manor of the Plains’ Good Samaritan Program assists campus residents who have outlived their financial resources through no fault of their own. For more information about the concert or dinner, contact Marketing Director Kurt Lampe at 620-225-1928 or klampe@pmma.org.
Nurse creates shadow boxes for every new resident Everyone who comes to live at Manor of the Plains is welcomed with a personalized shadow box that incorporates their favorite colors and pictures of the hobbies, teams and interests they enjoy. And every one of them is made by Tracy Millershaski. Activity Director Lisa Montoya brought the idea back from a training she attended about four years ago. Now, Lisa and Jacque Soltero interview every new resident to gather ideas and information for the boxes, then pass that on to Tracy. It takes Tracy about
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Manor of the Plains by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org.
two hours to make each box, which is much like a framed scrapbook page devoted to each resident.
other embellishments on adhesive paper. She also incorporates the themes of the halls in health care, hand painting trees onto the “They’re all pretty appreciative,” said frames for Cottonwood Lane or Tracy, who works part time at the stamping a bird image onto those for manor as a CNA, CMA, and home Meadowlark Lane. health aide. “They look forward In the beginning, she made 50 boxes to it, once they get the interview for the current health care residents done.” and 20 for assisted living. With new The boxes were intended as people coming in regularly, she conversation starters, placed outside estimates she has created another each resident’s door. It’s helpful 100 since the first batch. She’s when they’re new to the manor, and working on a set of six new boxes when volunteers they don’t know now. well come to visit. “It just gives me a way to give back Scrapbooking was already one of to the residents. I treat them all like Tracy’s hobbies (in addition to my grandmas and grandpas, and I crocheting and sewing), and when think about how I would want to be she heard about the project she treated at that age. It’s a way to give believed she could make them both them something that’s a piece of attractive and cost-effective. She me,” Tracy said. “It always feels good uses her computer and a Cricut to give something away that you’ve machine to make the letters and made.”
Jerry Korbe, executive director Kurt Lampe, marketing director Lisa Montoya, activity director Jacque Soltero, health care activity director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Kurt at klampe@pmma.org. Telephone: 620-225-1928 Fax: 620-225-3982 Address: 200 Campus Dr., Dodge City, KS 67801-2760
Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. ManorofthePlains.org
Tracy Millershaski and a shadow box she created for a new resident.
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Community Matters July 2016
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Manor of the Plain’s Post-Acute To Home (PATH®) program isn’t just about getting you home— it’s about getting you back to your life. Call 620-225-1928 today to schedule your personal appointment and tour.
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Southern Gospel Concert Taco and Tostada Dinner begins at 5 p.m. Southern Gospel Concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 3231 N. 14th, Dodge City, KS A free-will offering will be collected during intermission. All proceeds will benefit the Good Samaritan Program.
For information, contact Kurt Lampe at 620-225-1928 or klampe@pmma.org | ManorOfThePlains.org
Manor of the Plains
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Manor of the Plains 200 Campus Dr. Dodge City, KS 67801-2760 Return Service Requested
ART, continued from page 1
1. Color and doodle “This whole coloring book craze is huge right now, because it’s already there for you and you can put your creativity in with your color and design. Painting can definitely be the same thing,” Jackson says. “People think that I must be an excellent drawer. I’m not. When I take my pencil, I’m scribbling. I’m not doing refined drawing.” She suggests trying this exercise, which encourages you to take a bit more of a risk than filling in a prefab coloring page: Take a black Sharpie and draw an abstract image using one continuous line — don’t lift up the pen. Then color in the shapes. “You’re basically making your own coloring page,” says Jackson. “There’s freedom because you’re making your own shape, but then there’s that structure of, ‘Oh, now I just get to color in.’” Untitled painting and collage by Megan Jackson 2. Make art a daily practice “I did have to discipline myself and I did have to paint every day, even if it was literally for five or 10 minutes during nap time,” Jackson says. “You just have to keep practicing and revising and learning from past pieces and works. I took that practice into play with my painting which really allowed me to open up and to paint bad things.” © Twin Cities Public Television 2016. All rights reserved.
Share your secret to staying healthy We will focus on healthy aging in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. What are your secrets for staying healthy as you age? What advice do you have for others? Have you faced a health crisis and made life-altering changes as a result? If you’ve got a story to share, contact Marketing Director Kurt Lampe, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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Community Matters July 2016
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