May 2014 • Issue 549
NEW REALITY
—
Daryl L. Martin, Executive Director
During the past few years Swiss Village has been experiencing increased softness in demand for all levels of care. This is a reality very different from our first three decades when dem an d r eq u ir ed continual growth. There are likely several contributing factors. But the most obvious reason appears to be rooted in the actual demographic trends for the 85+ age group within Adams and adjacent counties. The number of residents in this age group actually decreases throughout the current
decade, except in Allen County where the growth plateaus. One of the consequences of the Great Depression was a significant drop in the birth rate. That Great Depression generation is now reaching into their 80s. The birth rate drop in the 30s is now creating a downward tilt of the trend line of the 85+ age group. It is this age group that most requires the services Swiss Village provides. Throughout Swiss Village’s history the trend line for the number of persons in
this group was always pointing upwards. That trend line is now headed down and will not reverse until 2020. At that point it will again start its upward slope. So what does this mean? It means as an organization we will need to stay at the top of our game to remain competitive. Not just in terms of quality but also in terms of efficiencies. Soft census translates into reduced revenue. As a not-for-profit we have to find ways to do more with less. At the same time our Cont. on page 2
SWISS VILLAGE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND BOARD MEMBERS Executive Team: Daryl L. Martin Executive Director Alma Ahmetovic Director of Healthcare Services
Board of Directors: Kent Liechty, President Tom Muselman, Vice-President Linda Eicher, Secretary
Derick Bailey Director of Resident Services
Ted Lautzenheiser, Treasurer
Joe Burkhead Director of Information Services
Andrew Briggs
Margie Dougherty Director of Human Resources
Paul Zuercher, Immediate Past President Mark Settlemyre
Michelle McIntosh Director of Marketing
Sharon Sprunger Wulliman
Roger Young Controller
Greg Meyer Nancy Subler
Inside this issue: New Residents
2
Singles & Separates
2
Saturday Night at the Village-Ken & Mary Turbo
4
Kinder Haus
4
Residential & Healthcare 4-5 Activities South Campus Wellness & Wellness Pavilion
6
Staff News
7
Swiss Village Mission Statement: Swiss Village Retirement Community is a not-for-profit corporation, committed to providing quality and affordable retirement living facilities and services in a Christian environment that enhances life with dignity, meaning and appropriate care for the senior adults from the surrounding community without regard to race, religion, sex, or handicaps that can be accommodated within our delivery system.
WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS
NEW…
Swiss Village Residents and Staff welcomed Ermal Amstutz on April 7, 2014. Ermal is a former employee of the Fort Recovery School system where she worked as a middle school teacher and principal. She attends First Missionary Church in Berne, and likes to read, work on jigsaw puzzles, and spend time with family. "The people are so nice here, and the food is very good," said Ermal.
organizational values dictate that we maintain an innovative service delivery of care that meets and exceeds the expectations of the residents we serve and the employees we engage. The challenge is real, but Swiss Village is dedicated to meeting the task, while maintaining our commitment to excellence.
IN MEMORY Swiss Village experienced the loss of several residents who called Swiss Village home. Condolences go out to the family and friends of Nola Ellenberger who passed away March 29 at the age of 86. Nola came to Swiss Village in March 2014. Duran Balyeat was at the age of 84 when he passed away on April 7. August 2011 was when he came to Swiss Village. We express our sympathy to the family and friends of Duran. On April 11 Kae Linnet Sprunger passed away at the age of 76. Kae had been at Swiss Village since April 2009. Our condolences are with Kae’s friends and family. Condolences go out to the family and friends of Shirley Augsburger who passed away April 25 at the age of 85. Shirley came to Swiss Village in April 2009.
(Cont. from pg. 1)
CONTRIBUTIONS Jeanelle Gerber Gertrude Monroe Memorial: Doris Cheeseman. Annabelle Dubach Memorial: Nancy Yoder. Kae Linnet Sprunger: Jimmie & Rebekah Sprunger, Barbara Lou Sprunger, Terry & Margie Dougherty, Anna E. Sprunger, Leroy & Carolyn Sprunger, Judy Dye, Larry & Jean Rupp. In Honor of Bob & Miriam Liechty’s Wedding Anniversary for the Walking Path: Emily Graber, Peter & Mary Graber, Nathan & Ellen Graber-McCrae, Kevin & Naomi Leery, John & Clara. Walking Path: Millard & Janean Moser. **All memorials and/or gifts given in honor of an individual(s) will go towards the Samaritan’s Endowment Fund unless otherwise designated.
SINGLES AND SEPARATES SUPPORT GROUP Are you experiencing the loss of a loved one or have a spouse who is living in long-term care, or suffering from dementia or another illness? The Arthur & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion would like to invite you to attend a support group with Chaplain Mike Wertenberger called Singles and Separates. Members of the support group will form friendships and bonds with others who are facing similar situations, and gain valuable resources to help rebuild their life. The support group will be held the first Wednesday of each month at the Arthur & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion. Our next meeting is scheduled on May 7th at 2 p.m. Non Members and Members of the Wellness Pavilion are welcome to attend this free support group. For more information contact Sarah Conrad, Director of the Wellness Pavilion at 260.589.4496. The Arthur & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion is located at 1201 Emmental Drive in Berne.
Page 2
May 2014
VILLAGE MELTDOWN ANNOUNCES WINNING TEAM
The Arthur and Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion/Swiss Village Inc. and the Berne Tri-Weekly News partnered up to offer the sixth Annual Village Meltdown, a contest awarding prizes to the top three teams and a cash donation given to a charity chosen by the overall winning team. The contest began with an initial weigh-in on Monday, January 13th and concluded with a final weigh-in on Friday, March 21st. Teams of two competed for 10 weeks to log the highest percentage of weight loss. Team Less Than Moser’s, Kyle White and Eric Lehman, won first place in the contest with a total team weight loss of 14.48%. Less Than Moser’s will receive a six month membership to the Arthur & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion in efforts to maintain their weight loss efforts. By achieving 1st place, they were also able to choose a local charity to donate competition entry fees to. White and Lehman chose to donate money to the Youth for
Page 3
Christ Program at South Adams Middle School. A total of $370 was presented to the local organization. Second place team was Buffet Busters, consisting of Grant Moser and Heath Moser, with a total of 14.28% weight loss. They will each receive a one month’s membership to the Arthur & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion and duffle bags. Receiving third place was Country Boys, consisting of Mike Lipscomb and Steve Henry, with a total loss of 13.68%. They will each receive a T-shirt and duffle bag from the Wellness Pavilion. A big congratulations goes out to all participants of this year’s Village Meltdown competition. You worked hard and it shows! This year marked the 6th year of offering the Village Meltdown contest. During the last 6 years, participants have lost a total of 5,085.5 pounds! Thank you for letting our staff be a part of your weight loss goals as we hold you accountable and encourage you along the way.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES MAY 27 Howard & Gyneth Luginbill (69 Years) 31 Clarence & Jaculin Torkelson (45 Years)
CHAPLAINS
Chaplains from four area retirement communities recently met at Swiss Village to discuss ministry approaches and strategies for the residents in their respective locations. Pictured above are Gerald Moreland Heritage Pointe in Warren; John Follett - Woodcrest in Decatur; Mike Wertenberger - host, Swiss Village in Berne; and Jerry Qualls - River Terrace in Bluffton. Plans were made for more meetings in the future to allow for continued dialogue.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RESIDENTS MAY
1 9 10 13 14 15 16 18 20 20 20 21 27 28
Helen Franze Janean Moser Ardythe Flueckiger Alice Sprunger Brice Fennig Donald Crots Dorothy Wagley Ella Sprunger JoAnn Balyeat Alice Baumgartner Emma Sprunger Richard Zeigler Thaddeus DeWolf Helen Mazelin
May 2014
Saturday Night at The Village
RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITIES — Jamie Kittle
Swiss Village presents Saturday Night at the Village. Fun free entertainment will be provided the second Saturday of every month from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Saturday, May 10, 2014 Ken and Mary Turbo Accordions
Express will be performing. The program will feature a Lawrence Welk theme titled "Milestones & Memories". With over 40 years of experience this band has been performing from Quebec to Florida. Enjoy a sneak preview of this group who will be back in July to perform on the downtown stage at Swiss Days. Saturday Night at the Village is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. For more information about Saturday Night at the Village contact Michelle McIntosh, Marketing Director at 260.589.3173 or visit www.swissvillage.org. See you at Saturday Night at the Village, May 10, in Swiss Village's Auditorium.
After a very interesting N C A A tournament this year, congratulations to resident Art Habegger and employee Dale Sprunger for winning the NCAA tournament bracket standings! April has been an eventful month! We were inspired by the Alley Kats, a senior tap dance troupe from the Fort Wayne Community Center! The oldest member was 92, and she certainly wowed us with her tap dancing ability! We also visited Wicks Pie Factory in Winchester and Cont. on page 5
Kinder Haus —
Heidi Schoeneman
The infants have been busy moving all over the room and exploring every square inch! They go to the big room and we hear such excited squeals! Many are sprouting teeth! The toddlers have been busy making Easter crafts, they decorated eggs and baskets, and even the Easter Bunny himself! While the kids have not been able to go out on the playground for the past week due to the reroofing, the toddlers have found it entertaining to see the men working. One toddler exclaimed, “They
Page 4
made a mess!” The 2 year olds have enjoyed making chocolate bunnies and painting with real carrots. The 3 year olds have been talking about rain, thunder, and lightening! They made shaving cream rain clouds and even learned a song and dance about the BOOM and CRASH of the storms. We also talked about what to do if we are afraid such as going down to the basement or playing with our toys inside. The 4 & 5 year olds have had fun learning about signs of spring. They have learned how trees are
starting to grow their leaves b a c k a n d how we c a n hear the birds singing again. T h e y also have enjoyed playing kickball outside and playing in the sandbox with friends.
May 2014
HEALTHCARE HAPPENINGS — Karen Rowell
ALPENROSE —
Although the weather has remained quite variable, we all agree that spring has sprung! We have kicked off our bus ride season, and have even been able to sneak in a few outdoor wheelchair rides. Our residents had a great time this month stuffing “goody bags” of Easter treats and sharing them with groups of children from both Kinder Haus and the Berne Nursery School. We also enjoyed an afternoon of dying Easter eggs … some of which the children used in races! Calvary Bible Church came one evening to sing for and with our residents, and Chester Longenberger and Fred Walker rounded out our month with more great music.
The month started off being a colder April than we are used to, but that doesn’t stop us from having fun!!! Some of the happenings this month were: We had special visitors from the Berne Nursery School. The children sang several songs and played a game, which made the residents laugh and smile. On Fridays we continue to have our Bible studies with Chaplain Mike. On Good Friday we discussed the great sacrifice that God made, when he sent his only son to die on the cross. We compared this to the love that a grandparent has for a grandchild, but much bigger. This is a lot of love. Talking about love, we loved taking our first bus ride. It was so nice to get out after a hard winter and go for ice cream.
BLUMENGARTEN ACTIVITIES —
Donna Stout
Cole Rupp
It appears winter is almost over and it is lovely to see the green grass and some blossoms on the flowers and trees! Just like the seasons we go through yearly, we go through seasons in our lives, some lasting a lot longer than others, full of challenges we have never experienced before! That is why Swiss Village is such a great community of residents and staff! We, the staff, are here to encourage our residents through the seasons and the residents are also a huge encouragement to each other! We are like a big family through thick and thin! We are thankful for family involvement and also the many volunteers that assist and encourage us! So, go take a walk, enjoy the "green" ness of spring and be encouraged as we have made it through another season of growth!
RESIDENTIAL…
(Cont. from pg. 4)
enjoyed learning the history of the company as well as watching the process of making pie crusts during our visit, followed by a lunch stop to Mrs. Wick's restaurant. Our first spring craft bazaar was a success, and a big thank you goes out to our residents who spend so much time in the crafts and ceramics rooms each month....we couldn't do it without you!
Page 5
May 2014
SOUTH CAMPUS WELLNESS —
Emily Arnold & Rachel Rosswurm
In April, we took at trip to Bluffton, IN. All those who participated in the Winter Wellness Journey “Prayers in the Bible” were invited to attend. We had a great time and a beautiful day for our trip. We toured two historic churches in Bluffton and went out to eat at the Corner Depot. We even had time to drive through the state park on our way home. We were pleased that Chaplain Mike was able to come along and be our official Bluffton tour guide! We had an Earth Day Education Session that all residents and employees were invited to attend. In May we will offer our annual assessments of balance, strength and flexibility.
Art & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion — T h e Arthur & Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavilion will be hosting a picnic and nature walk at Ouabache State Park for any senior 55+ on Friday, May 9
THERAPY —
at 11:00 a.m. The cost is $6 per person and includes a sack lunch and transportation. Members and Non-Members are welcome to attend this event. Join us as we journey through the beautiful trails and scenery that Ouabache has to offer. Come enjoy this time spent with family, neighbors,
acquaintances and meet new friends. Please sign up by noon, Friday, May 2 at the Wellness Pavilion Front Desk. Payment is due at time of sign up and is nonrefundable. For more information contact Sarah Conrad, Wellness Pavilion Director at 260.589.4496 or visit www.swissvillage.org.
gravelly resulting in increased fall risk. Be sure to pay close attention even to familiar pathways. Make use of the benches placed in various areas around the grounds. Know your limits and rest as needed to ensure safety on the entire walk. Walk with a friend. This is important in case one of you
would need assistance. Only walk with good footwear. Be sure you have sturdy shoes with rubber soles to encourage safety during your walk. No heels or “dress” shoes! Remember getting fresh air and sunshine can improve your spirits.
Tara Farlow
As the warm weather is starting to arrive, people will be tempted to start walking outside more. Hear are a few tips to keep in mind as you start walking outside more. Check out the walkways to make sure they are level. Sometimes over winter, the sidewalks can get cracks or
Page 6
Andrea Miller
May 2014
FROM THE DESK OF MARGIE — Margie Dougherty
46 Years—46 Dollars Yes, I want to give to help the financially needy at Swiss Village. Enclosed please find my tax-deductible gift of: ____$2300 ($46 x 50) ____$1840 ($46 x 40) ____$460 ($46 x 10) ____$230 ($46 x 5) ____$46 ($46 x 1)
$__________Other
______________________________________________________ Name ______________________________________________________ Address Pictured for the celebration are l-r front row: Jo Stauffer, Ruth Stetler, and Sharon Craig; l-r back row: Bonnie Blythe, Penny Wiseman, Margie Dougherty, Mike Wertenberger, Steve Sommer, and Barbara Benya.
There are 9 employees who were all born in 1949 and have or will be celebrating their 65th birthday in 2014. It is unusual to have that many active 65 year olds in employment. We decided to have a “1949ers club” and celebrate 65 years with cake and ice cream on April 16.
NEW EMPLOYEES Swiss Village welcomes a new employee this month. Becky Bryan is a new receptionist at the front desk.
______________________________ City, State, Zip
__________________ Date
Check if you would like information on: ______Wills or ____Charitable Gift
HAPPY BIRTHDAY STAFF MAY
14 Christine Bailey
2
Sydney Arnold
18 Crystal Lutes
3
Carla Clary
18 Joye Thompson
3
Michaela Smith
19 Amanda Mikesell
5
Patricia Schindler
20 Sean MacDonald
5
Sarah Biberstine
22 Aaron Macklin
5
Lyle Evans
22 Carol Tonak
6
Angela Chamberlain
22 Janice Ringger
6
Jenna Wilson
23 Gerri Toland
6
Hannah Moore
23 Benjamin Lehman
9
Vickie Michel
26 Kinzie Beitler
9
Debra Stevens
29 Alyssa Keller
10 Glenna Kelsey
29 Morgan Haines
10 Lynnette Hummel
29 Esther Kile
12 Caleb Weaver
30 Karen Timmons
13 Elizabeth Luginbill
31 Laura Fifer
Village News compiled by: Tammy Seffernick
Page 7
May 2014
Swiss Village, Inc.
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Berne, IN 46711 Permit No 71
1350 W. Main St. Berne, IN 46711
Visit www.swissvillage.org and click on the Facebook Like button on our website.
UPCOMING EVENTS May Event 9 Ouabache State Park-11 am Saturday Night at the 10 Village-Ken & Mary Turbo Accordions Express 7 pm
Be sure to check the Swiss Village Website at www.swissvillage.org for the complete listing of this months Residential and Healthcare Activities.
CHARITABLE GIVING NEWS — Jennifer Lehman It's hard to believe that Swiss Village will be turning 46 this month. On May 27, 1968 we opened our doors to the first residents. That day, and all we have been able to accomplish since, would not have been possible without the loyal support of our donors, board members, community members, and staff. Your donations, hard work, and prayers have helped us to reach this moment. We can't thank you enough for assisting us in reaching our 46th year of service. With your help we look forward to offering you many more years of exceptional services. You can help us celebrate our birthday by making a donation in commemoration of Swiss Village. All gifts will be designated for the Samaritan's
Endowment Fund unless otherwise specified. You can make your gift unique to our anniversary by giving in multiples of $46. You can also personalize your gift by selecting an amount that coincides with the number of years you or your loved ones have benefited from Swiss Village. All gifts received will go towards furthering and continuing to live out our mission. Thank you for all you have helped us to accomplish and for helping us to reach 46 years!