Commun ty Matters Salina Presbyterian Manor
February 2019
Mary’s Musings
In the spotlight: Anthony DeLaurentis
By Mary Bridges, chaplain Salina Presbyterian Manor
Say hello to the community’s new environmental services director, Anthony DeLaurentis. Anthony joined the team in November 2018 and has been staying busy ever since.
Love came down at Christmas time! One of my favorite new Christmas songs is “Hope has Hands,” written by Phil Cross. It speaks in very personal terms about what Christ brought into our world, and its words speak to me year round. “Hope has hands, freedom has feet Truth will stand, theWord will speak The holy and lowly will finally embrace For love has a heartbeat, and grace has a face.” Here it is January2019, and another year has passed, leaving in its wake the good, the bad and the ugly. Our hearts are filled with much love and holes of sadness, and I must confess, fear of the unknown of what this new year will bring. Our granddaughter, Kira, returned to Kansas from Florida, and our grandson, Cody, returned to Kansas from Boston. Very good! Now all three grandchildren, along with our great-grandson, Chef Jackson, live close to us. While this may seem unimportant to many, it is huge for Kenny and me. Kenny came from a family of 12 and I came from a family of six. We grew up and raised our children MUSINGS, continued on page 4
“My role here is to oversee the maintenance, housekeeping, laundry and grounds departments. I also make decisions on renovations needed in townhomes and throughout the tower, hiring contractors, getting bids and overseeing projects to Anthony DeLaurentis with his two-yearcompletion,” said Anthony. old yorkiepoo, Coco. While that may seem like a lot of work on his plate, Anthony wouldn’t have it any other way. “I am a custom cabinet maker by trade, but also knowledgeable in electrical, plumbing, drywall and taping, ceramic tile work and painting. I recently received my certification as a home inspector. This was something I had an interest in doing with all my experience in building maintenance, and may be something to keep me busy after retirement,” said Anthony. For now, Anthony is happy right where he is. “I enjoy my new position. There’s always lots going on and I have a great team here in all departments,” said Anthony. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Anthony moved to Great Bend, Kan., in 1991, where he started his journey in health care maintenance. He moved to Salina in 1996, where he was hired as maintenance supervisor at Holiday Resort and met his significant other, Joyce. The couple has two children, Vincent and Emily, and a puppy, Coco. Anthony enjoys boating, fishing, hunting and camping with friends and family.
Heath care Happenings We will have a program on picking your own name, a group of activities on Fables and Folktales, celebrate Valentines, and talk about the presidents. Some of the things we will cook are potato skins for Potato Lovers Day, cinnamon rolls, soup day and gumdrop bread. Judy will be making a special cat chow treat for the Cat’s Meow.
Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Salina Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Desi Flerlage, executive director Jenni Jones, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Jenni Jones, jjones@pmma.org. Telephone: 785-825-1366 Fax: 785-825-6554 Address: 2601 E. Crawford, Salina, KS 67401-3898 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. SalinaPresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters February 2019
Salina Presbyterian Manor’s Art is Ageless® call for entries underway Salina Presbyterian Manor has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held March 19 and 20, 2019. Artists will be recognized at a final exhibit and reception at 5 p.m. March 21. 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 March 8.
The Art is Ageless® Program encourages Presbyterian Manor residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year. Local competition winners will join winners from 16 other Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America communities to be judged at the systemwide level. Entry forms and information can be picked up at Salina Presbyterian Manor, 2601 East Crawford, Salina, or by contacting Jenni Jones at 785825-1366 or jjones@pmma.org. Or go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view rules, download an entry form or enter online.
Employee of the Month: Elizabeth Couch Congratulations to our Employee of the Month for January, Elizabeth Couch. Elizabeth has worked for Salina Presbyterian Manor for nearly six years. She has worked as CNA and CMA, and is now an LPN.
and riding motorcycles with her husband.
When asked what most people would not Elizabeth is married to Daniel Couch know about and has five children, Ashley, Ambree, her, she said Aneisha, Andrue and Brett. Elizabeth there isn’t anything left also has four grandchildren, Kian, that is a secret! Elizabeth is working Karmello, Julius and Jeovahni. on prerequisites now in order to In her spare time, she likes become a registered nurse within a spending time with her children couple of years. We are so proud she and grandchildren, and dancing is part of our team. Like us on Facebook
Two women doing their part to keep residents well read When she was in high school, Carolyn Eland took an aptitude test that said she should look into becoming a librarian. She disagreed. “I thought it was a crazy result because at the time I was interested in math, and had decided I was going to be a math major,” said Carolyn. Although Carolyn did eventually go on to study math and become a teacher, an opening in Presbyterian Manor’s in-house library about a year ago proved that maybe there was something to that aptitude test’s results. “Fast forward about 60 years and I find myself being a librarian and discovering that what that test picked up on is that I really get pleasure out of sorting things and getting them in order,” said Carolyn. While she enjoys the work, Carolyn’s time in the library generally only amounts to about 10 minutes a day restocking the shelves due to the library’s loose check-out procedure.
“We don’t keep an inventory of what we have and who has it, it’s strictly on the honor system—they can keep it as long as they want to,” said Carolyn. “It’s very informal and very easy for anybody to read whatever books they find they’re interested in.” Carolyn’s real-world counterpart is Lori Berezovsky, outreach librarian for the Salina Public Library, who visits the community to help keep residents connected to the library’s resources regardless of their ability to visit it in person.
Carolyn Eland enjoys keeping our community’s library in order.
“I love getting to know the residents and learning their reading tastes. “Once a month, Presbyterian Manor When I find a new book by their favorite author I get just as excited as provides me with a couple of tables they do,” said Lori. “I learn so much in the lobby where residents and from the residents and I’m so glad staff can check out books, update their library account, request specific that we can make their lives a bit titles, make new library cards, answer easier by providing access to books.” reference questions and more,” said Lori will make her next Library Lori. Lobby Stop at the community on February 14 from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Having held other positions in In the meantime, the community’s the library during her 24 years of employment, Lori says she especially on-site library is open 24 hours a day, enjoys the personal relationships she seven days a week. Or as Carolyn puts it, “The door is always open and is able to build through her current job. the light is always on.”
February Activities “You don’t stop having fun when you get old, you get old when you stop having fun!” These are words we live by at Presbyterian Manor. We have tons of activities this month for everyone to enjoy. February 4 Coffee Club to Blacksmith Coffee Shop – Lindsborg
February 5 Ladies Breakfast
Steak House
February 6 Annual Valentine’s Dinner
February 12 Wine & Cheese Birthday Social
February 7 Kansas Star Casino – Mulvane February 11 We Care Support Group
February 11 Travel & Taste – February 4 6th Floor Manor Mingle Valentine’s Dinner at Longhorns Like us on Facebook
February 13 Grief and Loss Support Group February 14 Smoky Hill Museum – Notorious Exhibit ACTIVITIES, continued on page 4 Salina Presbyterian Manor
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ACTIVITIES, continued from page 3
February 17 Salina Community Theatre – “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” February 18 Ladies Lunch Club – Chuck’s Bar
In Presbyterian Manor’s ongoing commitment to customer satisfaction, we have partnered with Pinnacle Quality Insight. This company will periodically contact the people we serve via telephone to conduct an interview regarding their impression of our service. We use this feedback as a tool to continually improve our quality of care and enhance our relationships. When you are contacted to participate in the survey, they will always identify themselves specifically as being with Pinnacle Quality Insight. All state and federal confidentiality laws are met in Pinnacle’s service. We greatly value your opinions and encourage you to be frank and honest when contacted.
February 19 Literary Ladies – Large Print Book Club February 20 Men’s Breakfast February 22 Cancer Support Group February 26 Gina’s Art Class February 28 Blood Drive – Lower Level **Activities subject to change
Thank you in advance for your participation.
MUSINGS, continued from page 1
surrounded by the love of big family gatherings. Now when our family is together, there are seven of us, so if even if one is missing, there is a huge hole. The bad: Our only child, Lisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. She has undergone chemo and is currently preparing for surgery. She has done very well, and we are so proud of the courageous way she has handled this. The ugly: Our best friend, Richard, died very suddenly on Easter Sunday at age of 71. Spending New Year’s in Russell, we celebrated with a sad heart and tried to move on. We have wonderful memories of our times together, but the hole in our hearts is slow to heal.
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Community Matters February 2019
I sit here wondering what this coming year will bring.
We get stuck in negativity and our ego will not budge!
After the struggle of Lisa’s surgery, our family will host a huge celebration of my husband Kenny’s 80th birthday on February 23.
Experiences, good and bad, will always come and go,
I am truly thankful that I do not know what the future holds. I know with all my heart that love will get us through. This poem says it all… ‘Love is Important’ Love is so important in everything we do. Love brings out the very best in every point of view. It’s easier to be loving than to hold on to a grudge.
being able to love regardless is how our spirits grow. Love works in mysterious ways to soften any concern. Giving love away freely reaps loving rewards in return. Let’s turn all negative thinking into positive, loving thoughts by spreading love, joy and peace as, for thousands of years, we’ve been taught. —Poem is by Jean Kay, and is courtesy of www.inspire.com Like us on Facebook