Commun ty Matters Parsons Presbyterian Manor
Parsons Presbyterian Manor’s Art is Ageless exhibit and reception features senior artists
They are teachers, farmers, veterans, homemakers, entrepreneurs and nurses, among many others. Some have resumed art after putting it aside for a career, others have been creating beautiful pieces throughout their lives, and others never picked up a brush until after they retired, but all are now expressing themselves through art.
These diverse lives intersect at Parsons Presbyterian Manor this month with the Art is Ageless® program, which reaffirms the agelessness of human creativity. Studies show seniors who are involved in the arts report better health, have more positive attitudes and are more active.
“It’s inspiring to see the beautiful pieces these seniors have created,” said Marketing Director Terry Lillie. “The joy it brings to them and others is wonderful, and that’s something we want to celebrate and share with the broader Parsons community.” The Art is Ageless exhibit will feature works from local artists who are 65 and older, including a few
ART IS AGELESS continued on page 3
Fitness screenings for seniors
February 2015
Parsons Presbyterian Manor sponsors free event
Older adults in the Parsons area are invited to a free fitness screening event Feb. 11, sponsored by Parsons Presbyterian Manor. The event will be held at the Parsons Senior Center, 1800 Belmont.
Presbyterian Manor’s rehabilitation therapy provider, RehabCare, will conduct physical assessments for strength, agility, flexibility and balance. Labette Community College School of Nursing will conduct screenings for weight, height and body mass index. Parsons Presbyterian Manor staff will offer glucose testing.
The Senior Fitness Screening will begin at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Parsons Senior Center. No reservations are necessary. For more information, contact Presbyterian Manor Marketing Director Terry Lillie at 620-421-1450 or tlillie@pmma.org. The special event is part of Parsons Presbyterian Manor’s Just Ask series, a free, ongoing lifelong learning program featuring information from local and regional experts on topics of interest to older adults and their families.
Longing to belong: The sacrament of baptism By Pastor Alex Knott
We had a baptism in my church recently. As I’m still in the beginning of my vocation as a pastor, I’ve only given the sacrament of baptism twice. Both times they were
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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Parsons Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of
501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Maegen Pegues, executive director Terry Lillie, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Terry at tlillie@pmma.org. Telephone: 620-421-1450 Fax: 620-421-1897 Address: 3501 Dirr Ave., Parsons, KS 67357-2220 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. ParsonsPresbyterianManor.org
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what we call “believer’s baptism,” which is a bit unusual for us Presbyterians. The people being baptized were adults. This isn’t very common in my tradition because we typically baptize infants. Parents make promises on behalf of their children in those cases. In the case of our recent baptism, the person made promises for himself.
He acknowledged for himself that he is claimed by God and belongs to God. I’ve been thinking about baptism a lot lately and about what it means to belong to God. We all belong to God, you see. We have belonged to God since before the foundation of the world. Take a moment to think about that astonishing truth. And all faith traditions have a way to acknowledge this truth. In the Christian faith we baptize. We acknowledge that we belong to God and have belonged to God since
before we were born. When we baptize we say “yes” to God and become a part of the family of faith. As human beings, we have a deep need for belonging. We want to be a part of something. We want to feel welcomed and accepted and loved. We want to belong.
Sometimes we spend large portions of our lives trying to find acceptance and a sense of belonging. Sometimes we feel lonely because we’re afraid we don’t belong. The truth, though, is that we belong to God. We belong to God before we belong to anybody else.
There is comfort in that. There is peace in that knowledge. There will always be days when we feel out of place or lonely. Those days come in life. But the foundational truth is that we have a place in God’s own heart. And we have a place in the family of God.You belong to God.You matter to God. It is an eternal promise. May you hold that truth in your heart.
New community arises from growing senior need
This month, we continue to look back at 65 years of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America with the birth of Aberdeen Village in Olathe, Kan. In 1996, Presbyterians in Johnson County were convinced there was a need for a new Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America campus in the Greater Kansas City area, and specifically in Johnson County. At the time, there were no Christian-based non-profit senior living communities A sign announces Aberdeen Village is coming soon. offering the full continuum of care in Johnson County. A 37-acre tract of land just east of West 119th Street and Ridgeview Road in Olathe was donated for the project. Dr. Robert Meneilly steered a committee of PMMA CEO Bill Ward speaks at the local and church leaders in the “Building dedication of Aberdeen Village. for Our Future” campaign for Aberdeen “Be of Good Cheer” committee Village. members honoring The project included a three-story building the work of Dr. Bob for 90 independent living apartments, 44 Meneilly. assisted living suites in a two-story building, and a 60-bed health care center with 15 spaces reserved for seniors with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Construction began in 1999. Aberdeen Village opened its doors in May 2001 as the 17th campus for Presbyterian Construction of Aberdeen Village began in 1999 and continued Manors of Mid-America. through 2000.
The Art is Ageless program has been encouraging creativity in seniors for Parsons Presbyterian Manor residents. more than 30 years and is sponsored The public is welcome to visit the by Presbyterian Manors of Midcommunity to view the exhibit of America, a nonprofit organization that acrylics, oils, photography and various owns and operates 18 senior living other mediums, including amateur and communities in Kansas and Missouri. professional levels. The exhibit is open Each year the organization publishes March 24 to 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. an Art is Ageless calendar, featuring In addition to the exhibit, Parsons works by senior artists. Proceeds from Presbyterian Manor will honor local the sale of calendars are reinvested senior artists during a reception at 6 p.m. into new art programs and March 24. opportunities for PMMA residents. ART IS AGELESS continued from page 1
CALLING ALL ARTISTS If you or someone you know is interested in submitting artwork for Art is Ageless, now is the time. The entry deadline is March 18. Entry forms and rules may be found at ArtIsAgeless.org. The exhibit will take place March 24 to 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The reception will be Tuesday, March 24, at 6 p.m. For more information, call Terry Lillie at 620-423-5892.
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5 Tips to Find Meaning and Purpose in Later Life By Ed Merck for Next Avenue
Here are five tips that will hopefully ease your passage into a purpose-filled later life 1. Identify the activities that provide you with a sense of purpose.
2. Create a brief statement that ties together the interests that provide you with a sense of purpose.
Answer the question: How do I want to invest my precious and limited life energy?
Here are a few examples: “Do everything for the benefit of others.” “Love and appreciate what I already am.” “Make my life an offering to (spirit, God…).” “Exercise no judgment, just unconditional love.” 3. Strengthen your inner landscape. Learning to live your purpose is essentially a spiritual exercise, and thus an “inside” job. We have the opportunity to develop new skills that are typically more reflective.
4. Learn to be still.
We must (at least partially) go from moving to standing still; from managing to accepting; from doing to being. And that’s just the beginning.
5. Explore what it means to create. Explore how and what gives you that feeling of deep connection to yourself.
Finding meaning and purpose in our lives is both the most important and the most difficult endeavor we pursue. Enjoy the journey, and have fun doing it!
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Coming up in Community Matters:
Community Matters will be looking forward to the change in seasons to spring and preparing for Easter. We’re looking for residents with a story to tell. • What’s your favorite March Madness memory? • Who’s your favorite baseball team? Why? What’s your favorite baseball memory? • What does spring mean to you? What do you remember about spring as a child or adult? • What’s your favorite Easter memory? If you have a story to tell, contact Terry Lillie to share your idea.Your story may be selected for the next issue of your community newsletter. 4 COMMUNITY MATTERS FEBRUARY 2015