Commun ty Matters Rolla Presbyterian Manor
March 2016
Art is Ageless® exhibit and reception features local senior artists Since the beginning of time, creative expression has brought joy to both its creators and those who experience their art. The Art is Ageless® program offers senior artists the opportunity to share and display their artwork and reaffirms the agelessness of human creativity. 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. This month, their works are on display at Rolla Presbyterian Manor. “It’s inspiring to see the beautiful pieces these seniors have created,” said Joelle Freeland, marketing director. “The joy it brings to them and others is wonderful, and that’s something we want to celebrate and share with the entire Rolla community.” ART IS AGELESS, continued on page 2
Civil service a calling for resident Paul Stigall For Paul Stigall, it was a never a question that he would serve where he was needed. Paul, a resident of Rolla Presbyterian Manor, joined Kiwanis in 1971, shortly after becoming an assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T). He served on many committees at the university and advised student groups. And he’s always been active in his church. Around Rolla, Paul is also known for his long tenure on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He stepped down in December after 22 years as a commissioner and, often, as chairman. “I feel it’s important to volunteer,” Paul said. “I’ve always tried to do my part.” Paul thinks the spirit of service unfortunately has faded over the last few decades. He has seen Kiwanis membership drop and fewer people volunteering at church. It’s good for the community at-large when people give their time, he said, and it’s also good for us individually. STIGALL, continued on page 5
ART IS AGELESS, continued from page 1
Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Rolla Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org Ann Caudill, executive director Joelle Freeland, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Joelle Freeland at lfreeland@pmma.org. Telephone: 573-364-7336 Fax: 573-364-7336 Address: 1200 Homelife Plaza, Rolla, MO 65401-2595 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. RollaPresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters March 2016
The Art is Ageless exhibit will feature works from local artists who are 65 and older, including a few Presbyterian Manor residents. The public is welcome to visit the community to view the exhibit of acrylics, oils, photography and various other mediums, ranging from amateur to professional levels. The exhibit is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 21-24. In addition to the exhibit, Presbyterian Manor will honor local senior artists during a reception at the community at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 24.
sponsored by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America (PMMA), which is a nonprofit organization that owns and operates 18 senior living communities in Missouri and Kansas. Each year the organization publishes an Art is Ageless calendar, featuring works by amateur senior artists. Proceeds from the sale of calendars are reinvested into new art programs and opportunities for PMMA residents.
The Art is Ageless program has been encouraging creativity in seniors for more than 35 years, and is
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When should you ‘talk’ differently to someone with dementia? By Eileen Beal for Next Avenue If you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, you will notice that as the condition worsens, so does your loved one’s ability to initiate or participate in conversations; understand and process information; and communicate wishes, wants and needs. Behavior changes, such as forgetfulness and confusion, mood swings, frustration or anger are red flags that they have reached the “moderate” stage of dementia. They are also red flags telling you that you need to change the way you’re communicating and interacting with your loved one. “The old ways aren’t going to work anymore,” explains licensed social worker Crystal Wallace, the assistant director of the Adult Day Program at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, “so it’s up to the caregiver to change the way they communicate—their behavior, their attitude, their approaches—to accommodate a loved one’s changed communication needs. “Don’t think of this as manipulating them,” she adds. “Think of it as providing a positive and supportive environment where they are comfortable and can and will have good experiences.” Talking without words Probably the most important change caregivers need to make is in their body language. “Non-verbal communication —an open, accepting smile, a gentle, reassuring touch, not grimacing when they say something
inappropriate—is very important at this stage,” says Wallace. “It doesn’t just improve communication. Since it may be the only ‘communication’ they understand, it reassures a loved one, affirms who they are and makes them feel loved.” Listening to music or participating in activities (drawing, knitting, paging through a photo album) are also powerful communication resources. “These kinds of activities,” says Wallace, “can help calm and reassure them because they are attached to memories of good times.” Enable positive experiences Non-verbal communication works in almost any setting, says Wallace, but it works best when you are both in a quieter, less-stimulating environment. “Closing a door, moving chairs to a quieter corner of a room, or turning off the TV will make it easier for both of you to ‘be present’ and for communication and experiences to be positive,” she adds. To help create those positive experiences, Wallace shares the following tips: • Always approach from the front, and where possible, make sure to make eye contact. • Enter your loved one’s world because they don’t have the ability to come into yours.
Courtesy of ThinkStock
• Be aware of their non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, anxiety levels. • Don’t rush things. Slow your speech, give lots of time for responses, use gestures and be patient. • Limit options to encourage decision-making. For example: “Do you want to go out to eat tonight at Restaurant A or Restaurant B?” rather than “Where do you want to eat tonight?” • If decisions need to be made, phrase questions to elicit simple “yes” or “no” responses. • When you are just chatting, stick to topics from the past, such as family, pets, travel or a former job. Above all, don’t focus only on a person’s declining condition. “There’s a whole host of medical conditions that contribute to communication problems,” says Wallace, “but the three worst are hearing and vision loss and arthritis.” Rolla Presbyterian Manor hosts a Caregivers Support Group at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. All are welcome. Rolla Presbyterian Manor
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Recent happenings at Rolla Presbyterian Manor
Jean McFarland visits with University of Missouri S & T students during a scrabble game.
Above left: Richard McCauley and Richard Williams are serious about a card game with Missouri S & T students. Above: Louise Leonard and Glee Harvey have a good chuckle during the Senior Sit & Sew. Left: What better way to spend a cold winter day then being the judge of a Soup/Chili cook off. Far left: George Karr completes a Senior Sit & Sew activity. Left: The chili/soup cook-off winners include first place winner Joy Parker, center, with hashbrown casserole soup, second place Hilda Tavenner, right, with chili, and third place Swee Stevenson with taco soup. Left: Endless Circle of love! Former resident Garmal Sanders received great enjoyment making and giving his beaded bracelets to residents and staff during his time at Rolla Presbyterian Manor.
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Far left: Rolla Presbyterian Manor’s resident council set January 20th as a day to were their beaded bracelets in memory of Garmal Sanders. Community Matters March 2016
STIGALL, continued from page 1
“When I first came as young faculty member, people just worked it into their schedule, but now it’s very difficult,” Paul said. “People just don’t want to get involved like they used to.” It was 1993 when the mayor asked Paul to serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Over the next two decades he oversaw some controversial issues, like the city’s south side annexation plan. But he also recalls times that the board helped negotiate good outcomes for the city and residents both. “Any time that we had a rezoning issue that worked out in everybody’s favor, that was always good.” A native of Missouri, Paul earned his bachelor’s degree at UM-Rolla in 1962. He went on to get his PhD at the University of Wyoming, where he met his wife, Mary. They were married in Wyoming, then returned together to Paul’s home state, where they raised two daughters. Paul worked briefly for McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis before coming back to his alma mater in 1970; he was a member of the engineering faculty until he retired in 2002. In his later years at the university, Paul noticed the trend of young adults being required to do service work. While it might encourage them to volunteer more, he said it’s most meaningful when people find the desire to help others within themselves. “I think it has made my life fuller,” Paul said.
Embrace the storm By Allen Teal, Rolla Presbyterian Manor chaplain
Be still sad heart and cease repining Behind the clouds the sun is shining Thy fate is the common fate of all In every life a little rain must fall Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Rainy Day, 1841
not immediately needed for survival. Viewing the ship through the lens of raging winds and seas made it easy to see what needed to stay and what needed to go.
Tree limbs lay broken in yards. Scraps of paper and bits of cardboard litter the ground. The remnants left behind by the storm are obvious. It is time to pick up the up the pieces. Spring storms are fierce. Their power brings a sense of awe.
Lives pass through times of turmoil and adversity.
Storms have a cleansing effect. Strong winds purge the trees of weak and dead branches. Rising waters wash away accumulated debris from ponds, creeks, and rivers. Wind and rain combine to scrub the grime and dust from the leaves of plants and the roofs of houses. The passing storm brings a cleaner more efficient world. “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” Acts 27:20 (NIV) In Acts 27, the Apostle Paul is on a ship in an awful storm. The experienced seamen manning the ship knew that in a storm even the cargo affects the ship. The crew threw anything overboard that was
These help people to focus on life’s important things. The clutter can be moved out and left behind as storm moves through. Sickness, grief, and other troublesome things qualify as a storm. These can be opportunities to rebuild old bridges, forgive grudges, and release toxic relationships. Like the tree that is forced by the wind to surrender dead branches, hard choices can become clearer during a storm. Don’t fear the storm. Embrace it. God will not let an unbeatable spiritual storm come into our life. He uses storms to remove things from our life that impede spiritual progress. Throughout every storm, God is standing with us. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV) Face the storms with confidence knowing that God uses the good things and the bad things for our benefit.
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Rolla Presbyterian Manor 1200 Homelife Plaza Rolla, MO 65401-2595 Return Service Requested
Everyone knows fitness is important How have you taken steps to be fit? What’s your regular fitness routine? If you’ve started a fitness routine late in life, what advice would you have for others? How do you think you benefit from regular exercise? If you’ve got a story to share about getting or staying fit, contact Marketing Director Joelle Freeland, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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Community Matters March 2016
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