Commun ty Matters Topeka Presbyterian Manor
March 2017
Fighting ageism and unfair treatment in health care 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. As 10,000 of us turn 65 each day, it AGEISM, continued on page 3
Celebrating social workers March is National Social Work Month, an “opportunity for social workers across the country to turn the spotlight on the profession and highlight the important contributions they make to society. Our nation’s more than 600,000 social workers have amazing tenacity and talent.” (from naswmc.org) Tenacity and talent are indeed fantastic words to describe our very own social worker at Topeka Presbyterian Manor, Bonnie Snowden. She’s been providing social work expertise here for 11 years. Previously she held various positions in the medical field at other senior living communities SOCIAL WORKERS, continued on page 2
SOCIAL WORKERS, continued from page 1
before obtaining her social work degree from Washburn University. “I love helping people. And I worked in a behavioral unit once with a great social worker, who showed me just how beneficial this person can be in a community. I like connecting people with resources and helping everyone to be as successful as possible,” said Bonnie. While Bonnie wears many hats and no two days are alike, her typical duties include: • Interview new residents for social history • Fill out MDS paperwork
• Participate in the PEAK project for facility improvement • Serve on the resident council for healthcare, independent and assisted living
recently received additional training on dementia treatment and grief support.
“When I tell people I’m a social worker, they’re usually surprised that I don’t work with children. • Visit with residents daily to They have no idea that the elderly connect and learn how they’re doing population benefits from social workers, too,” said Bonnie. • Coordinate care plan meetings When she’s not busy helping • Do evaluations for Assisted Living residents at Topeka Presbyterian to determine if it’s meeting resident Manor, Bonnie enjoys spending time abilities and needs with her 11 grandchildren. In addition to the degree she had to earn to become a social worker, Bonnie is also required to take 40 hours of continuing education classes every two years. She has
We appreciate everything Bonnie does to help our residents enjoy their best life possible, and we celebrate social workers everywhere!
Senior artists invited to enter Art is Ageless® exhibit Since the beginning of time, creative expression has brought joy to both its creators and those who experience their art.
Heather Pilkington, executive director Chelsea Watgen, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Chelsea Watgen, marketing director, at cwatgen@pmma.org.
The Art is Ageless program offers senior artists the opportunity to share and display their artwork and reaffirms the agelessness of human creativity. Topeka Presbyterian Manor is accepting entries for the 2017 Art is Ageless competition and exhibit now through March 20. Artwork will be on display from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. March 24, with winners announced at 2 p.m. The Art is Ageless program has been encouraging creativity in
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Community Matters March 2017
seniors for more than 35 years, and is sponsored by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. It is open exclusively to artists who are 65 and older. Artists may enter as amateurs or professionals in many categories. For more information, contact Danica Loftin at 785-272-6510 or dloftin@pmma.org. Like us on Facebook
clinicians ascribe bruises to is critical that we shine a bright light anticoagulants instead of making an effort to ensure there is no on this insidious prejudice. It is a matter of simple fairness and justice. family violence. Another — the It is a way to honor the priceless assumption that all older people and irreplaceable contributions become confused and forgetful, that older adults make every day when, instead, a brain tumor may be to enrich our society and culture. the real problem. And for those of us at The John A. Hartford Foundation, it is critical to These negative and inaccurate views of older people consistently the broader effort to improve care hamper our ability to recruit for older people. nurses, doctors and other health The dangers of ageism professionals into geriatrics and gerontology. The result: our health Research during the last two care workforce often lacks the decades has implicated ageism in the under- and over-treatment of knowledge and experience to treat older patients, as too many clinicians a group of patients who make up mischaracterize organic medical 35 percent of all hospital stays and conditions as normal aging. Others 27 percent of all doctor’s office ignore pain, anxiety and depression visits. And though nearly four in as unavoidable as we get older or 10 older people take five or more unconsciously view older people as medications, clinical trials generally less worthy or less important than exclude older patients with multiple their younger counterparts. chronic conditions, so we may misjudge drugs’ efficacy (and even A classic example is the dangers) with this important patient underdetection of elder population. mistreatment, when, for example, AGEISM, continued from page 1
Even our own views of aging can have important influences on health and well-being. Researchers note people with more positive 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.
夀漀甀爀 伀瀀椀渀椀漀渀 䴀愀愀攀爀猀 䌀漀洀瀀氀攀琀攀 琀栀攀
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
We need health care suffused with aging expertise, devoted to person- and familycentered 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. Topeka Presbyterian Manor
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Topeka Presbyterian Manor 4712 S.W. Sixth Ave. Topeka, KS 66606-2284 Return Service Requested
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 Chelsea Watgen 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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