Commun ty Matters Rolla Presbyterian Manor
March 2017
Ready to answer the call By Allen Teal, Rolla Presbyterian Manor chaplain
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle.All will share alike.” – I Samuel 30:24b, NIV Thousands at his bidding speed And post o’er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait. —John Milton, (1608-1674), selection from “On His Blindness” In his sonnet “On His Blindness,” John Milton struggles with blindness at the age of 42. Mr. Milton was a prolific writer and a gifted public servant. Suddenly, the loss of his sight altered his life. He questions whether God expects a high level of service from one without light. Patience responds to his questions and concludes: “They CALL, continued on page 2
Meet Val Eades, social services designee For more than six years, Valerie Eades has helped take care of residents’ medical needs in our health care neighborhood and Tranquility House memory care. Now, she’s looking after the social and emotional wellbeing of residents and staff at Rolla Presbyterian Manor. Val took over as our social services designee at the end of last summer. She has been a certified nursing assistant and medication aide, and she never considered working in social services until a co-worker suggested she apply for the opening. “She said, ‘You’d be really good at it,’” Val recalls. After just a few months on the job, she said, “I like that I have a closer relationship with people. I feel that I get a better sense of who they are and of their families.” March is National Social Work Month. In a senior living and long-term EADES, continued on page 4
Fighting ageism and unfair treatment in health care to enrich our society and culture. And for those of us at The John A. Hartford Foundation, it is critical to the broader effort to improve care for older people.
By Terry Fulmer for Next Avenue
Everyone deserves equal treatment — in the broader society and in our health care system. Today, older people are often not treated fairly and do not get the care they deserve, simply because of their age. While one of our great success stories in the 20th century was the stunning gain in human longevity, recent research from The Frameworks Institute, funded by my group, The John A. Hartford Foundation, and others, has found that the majority of us still don’t recognize ageism or its deleterious
effects. They call it a “cognitive hole,” a mental blind spot.
Research during the last two decades has implicated ageism in the As 10,000 of us turn 65 each day, it under- and over-treatment of older is critical that we shine a bright light patients, as too many clinicians on this insidious prejudice. It is a mischaracterize organic medical matter of simple fairness and justice. conditions as normal aging. Others It is a way to honor the priceless ignore pain, anxiety and depression and irreplaceable contributions as unavoidable as we get older or that older adults make every day AGEISM, continued on page 3 CALL, continued from page 1
also serve who only stand and wait.” Service takes many forms.
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
Rolling up your sleeves and getting to work is probably the most immediately rewarding type of service. Unfortunately, not everyone serves in this way. Lack of skill, training and physical ability limits what many can do. In order to serve, they must find other ways to serve.The mottos of three organizations speak to this. Boy Scouts of America: “Be Prepared” A loose interpretation of this motto would be: always have what you need. Preparation is important. Service opportunities are missed when the required training and materials are missing. Look ahead, decide what type of service interests you, and prepare yourself to serve. U.S. Marine Corps: Semper Fidelis, “Always Faithful”
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Community Matters March 2017
The dangers of ageism
Having chosen a way to serve, stay focused. Being faithful means that you will stay with the task until completion. People need to be able to count on those who serve to finish the job. Sometimes this involves being where you are expected to be when you are needed. U.S. Coast Guard: Semper Paratus, “Ever Ready” Always be ready to answer the call.This implies a willingness to serve.You are not only prepared to serve, but you are anxious for the opportunity. It is the feeling a dog has when its master throws a stick and gives the command to stay.Waiting to serve is rarely easy. When you are required to wait, use that time to prepare and get ready. Hold your place faithfully until you are called. In I Samuel 30:24, David reminds us that even those who stay behind to guard the supplies will be rewarded. Like us on Facebook
Senior artists invited to enter Art is Ageless® exhibit Rolla Presbyterian Manor is accepting entries for the 2017 Art is Ageless competition and exhibit through March 15. Artists may submit works either for the juried competition or for display only. Artwork will be on display 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 20-23 in our
Community Room. A reception with the artists will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 23.
AGEISM, continued from page 2
A classic example is the underdetection of elder mistreatment, when, for example, clinicians ascribe bruises to anticoagulants instead of making an effort to ensure there is no family violence. Another — the assumption that all older people become confused and forgetful, when, instead, a brain tumor may be the real problem.
professionals into geriatrics and gerontology. The result: our health care workforce often lacks the knowledge and experience to treat a group of patients who make up 35 percent of all hospital stays and 27 percent of all doctor’s office visits. And though nearly four in 10 older people take five or more medications, clinical trials generally exclude older patients with multiple chronic conditions, so we may misjudge drugs’ efficacy (and even dangers) with this important patient population.
These negative and inaccurate views of older people consistently hamper our ability to recruit nurses, doctors and other health
Even our own views of aging can have important influences on health and well-being. Researchers note people with more positive
unconsciously view older people as less worthy or less important than their younger counterparts.
For more information, contact Joelle Freeland, 573-364-7336, or lfreeland@pmma.org.
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儀甀愀氀椀琀礀 漀昀 匀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀
刀䔀匀䤀䐀䔀一吀 匀唀刀嘀䔀夀 䴀愀爀挀栀 ㌀ ⴀ ㌀Ⰰ ㈀ 㜀
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expectations about aging live longer, experience less stress and have a greater willingness to exercise and eat better. Conversely, negative perceptions of aging — inadvertently supported by unhelpful and negative stereotypes in popular culture and the media — can reinforce self-defeating behaviors that make us more vulnerable to disease and disability. Developing an age-friendly health system During the last century, our health care system has consistently demonstrated an impressive ability to adapt and to find innovative solutions to challenging problems. Looking ahead, we need an intensive effort to create an age-friendly health system where all older adults and their families feel that the care they receive is the care they want and that they feel respected in the process. We need health care suffused with aging expertise, devoted to personand family-centered care, and able to provide coordinated services in the hospital, clinic and the community. This work is neither simple nor easy. Raising awareness about, and addressing, ageism throughout the health care system — and throughout our society — will be critical to delivering the care all of us want and deserve as we get older. Rolla Presbyterian Manor
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Rolla Presbyterian Manor 1200 Homelife Plaza Rolla, MO 65401-2595 Return Service Requested
EADES, continued from page 1
care setting, social work focuses on helping people cope with life changes, conflicts and relationships. Val has found that it’s important to earn trust and keep confidences in order to serve the people who come to her. “People will come in and open up, and they have to know what they say is not going to go any farther,” she said. “I can be outspoken when
I need to be an advocate. I have no problem expressing a concern if I feel like someone is not being treated fairly.” As the mother of four children, Val said she’s a pro at helping people resolve their conflicts and find a compromise.
She is seeking family members of residents to participate in a new family council. The small group will be empowered to bring concerns to the staff and administration, but Val also hopes it will be an opportunity for family members to connect with and support each other.
To find out more about the family Already Val is looking for ways to council or to volunteer, contact Val improve the way Presbyterian Manor at veades@pmma.org or 573serves everyone in the community. 364-7336.
Fitness routines 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, 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 2017
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