Connections Fall 2023

Beacon Hill

Connections

CULTIVATING CARE AND COMMUNITY

FALL 2023

3 “There MUST Be a Better Way Gifts that Reduce Taxes

6 Navigating Change, Cultivating Support Celebrating Success in Dementia Care BEACONHILLGR.ORG/FOUNDATION

4 Preserving the Mission Three Generations Find Love, Care and Support at Beacon Hill.

While the physical space and staff members have changed over the years, the core values remain intact.

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CONNECTIONS FALL 2023

“

Everything must change Nothing stays the same Everyone will change No one stays the same The young become the old and mysteries do unfold ‘Cause that’s the way of time Nothing and no one goes unchanged…

…There are not many things in life You can be sure of, except Rain comes from the clouds Sun lights up the sky And hummingbirds do fly… ’cause that’s the way of time”

”

Dear Friends, The lyrics from a Quincy Jones song, circa 1974, bubbled up in my mind as a memory from my senior year in high school when I was considering my address to you. It was one of our theme songs that year.

It is true, everything must change. But I always tell my kids that change is an opportunity. For them it might be a relationship, a job, or a move. For you it might be something else.

For the Beacon Hill Foundation, we have embraced new ways to meet our mission of “Cultivating Care and Community” through grants and donor partnerships as well as community engagement. This has been an intentional shift to focus on opportunities that improve the quality of life in our Beacon Hill family.

Your contribution to our mission builds on our success and we want to thank you for your leadership as we look toward new opportunities. Enjoy the following stories of flourishing residents and staff who met the challenges of change.

Gratefully yours,

Andi Allen Foundation Director

BEACONHILLGR.ORG/FOUNDATION

“ There MUST Be a Better Way!”

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When you give stock, real estate, business interests or other appreciated assets to the Beacon Hill Foundation you can increase your impact and reduce your taxes.

But wait, there’s more! Giving appreciated assets may also help you:

GIFTS THAT REDUCE TAXES

• Support this ministry in a substantial way without restricting your cash flow.

• Eliminate hassles by giving things you no longer need or care to manage.

• Reduce taxes or complications for loved ones by giving assets now rather than leaving them in your estate.

It’s the pivotal moment of every classic infomercial. Frustrated by their current way of living, a melodramatic actor pines: “There MUST be a better way!”

Giving appreciated assets is smart, simple and powerful — and we’d love to show you how.

Well, at the risk of sounding theatrical, here’s something you should try. If you’ve always given from your wallet or bank account, there IS a better way!

TO LEARN MORE, contact Andi Allen, Foundation Director, by emailing andi.allen@ beaconhillgr.org, or call 616-608-8285.

Generosity in Action: LET US THANK YOU NOW! Have you ever considered making a gift to our ministry in your will?

Joining the Beacon Hill Legacy Society is easy.

How can you make it possible?

Some of our supporters tell us that their legacy gift paints a picture of their values for their children. A picture of generosity. A picture of their interest in ministry and mission. Thanks to these families, our work continues.

• A Gift in your Will

You can make a difference to the Beacon Hill at Eastgate community and future families along with us by joining the Legacy Society. Imagine their gratitude. The world is a warmer and safer place. And you are a beautiful part of the story.

• Life Income Gift (e.g. Charitable Gift Annuity) • Refundable Entrance Deposit Fee • Designated Beneficiary: IRA, Stock, Life Insurance You may find that there are tax advantages to you too! We suggest that you consult your financial advisors and if you have questions or ideas for us, please contact us at 616-608-8285.

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Preserving the Mission: T H R E E G E N E R AT I O N S F I N D LOVE, CARE AND SUPPORT AT B E A C O N H I L L

Some things remain steadfast, such as the spirit and mission of Beacon Hill at Eastgate.

While the physical space and staff members have changed over the years, the core values remain intact. Just ask resident and Benevolent Care recipient Karl Pike. His parents, Ann and Ernie Pike lived at Beacon Hill when it was known as Michigan Christian Home. Ann’s mother, Grace VerBerg, was one of the first residents. And incredibly all three generations were cared for by Sandy Hancock, CNA. “Beacon Hill has been in our lives for three generations,” says Karl’s daughter, Kimberly Cederquist.

Plymouth Apartments and stayed with my grandma for lunch and dinner,” says Kimberly.

“If she didn’t want the meal offered to her, he would pack her a sandwich and eat her meal. He always looked after her. She was his whole world.” Ernie later moved into Beacon Hill himself for a short time, until he left to be with the Lord in 1999. He made regular use of the entire community, reserving space to host Christmas with the entire family, and for family time in the community room on the first floor.

Their son (and current resident), Karl, served as a pastor for 18 years at the First Baptist Church in Howard City. He became a regular fixture at Beacon Hill while his parents lived here, providingErnest chapel services when needed. His and Ann Pike and Grace VerBerg wife, and Kimberly’s mom, Irene Pike, would visit and play the piano for the residents.

Karl and Irene moved into Beacon Hill Assisted Living themselves in 2017, and when Kimberly’s mom Irene passed away in 2019, her father Karl needed additional care and moved into Skilled Nursing. That’s when Kimberly met Sandy Hancock, CNA, who knew her mother Irene as well as dad’s parents. “Sandy said ‘Oh I know your family!’” says Kimberly. “When my Dad moved in, Sandy would come in and tell us how she knew Great Grandma Grace, my grandparents Ann and Ernie, myand mom, Graceand VerBerg Karl Irene.” and Irene Pike Karl and Irene Pike

Kimberly remembers visiting her grandparents Ernie and Ann at Beacon Hill. She recalls how Ernie cared for Ann at home but as her advancing dementia became increasingly challenging, they decided to move her into Beacon Hill at Eastgate. “My Grandpa Ernie went every single day to visit from the

Ernest and Ann Pike

Ernest and Ann Pike and Grace VerBerg.

BEACONHILLGR.ORG/FOUNDATION

Having so much familiarity with her family reassured Kimberly about her dad’s care. Sandy will talk about Irene with Karl. “She knew who my mom was, and that’s pretty sweet,” says Kimberly. “He needs that connection.”

Sandy knows the entire family, beginning with Great Grandma Grace, and remembers, “I used to go to the dime store to buy wigs for Grace. She had them long before others did, she was a fashion trendsetter.” Sandy started at Beacon Hill in 1987 after seeing the Michigan Christian Home sign in her neighborhood.

When asked why she continues in this line of work, she says she was inspired at a young age. Adopted as a young child to older parents, she took care of them as they aged, until ages 92 and 84. “Not enough people treat the elderly with dignity and respect,” she says. “I pass along that same message to my daughter, too.”

Sandy loves giving residents treats and some say she spoils those in her care.

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“I just treat them the way I want to be treated,” she says. “That’s always what my mom told me. And I love hearing all the things they’ve been through and the things they’ve seen.”

Sandy recently helped Karl with his cell phone, amazing him with all the things he could do with it.

“I love the families and I often stay in contact with family members of residents here. The resident families trust me and they say, ‘you’re my eyes and ears’ because they know I’ll tell them how their loved one is doing even if they can’t get here,” says Sandy.

Kimberly is grateful for the exceptional care her family has received over so many years at Beacon Hill. “My dad knows he’s going to be taken care of,” she says. “When Sandy says she’s going to be back, she’s going to be back. She’s been a good, faithful worker to Beacon Hill.”

Her family has witnessed many changes over time, including a name change and a new building. Yet, the quality of care and intentional mission remain the very same. Kimberly jokes about continuing her family’s legacy and her own future at Beacon Hill. “I’ve known Sandy for so long, and she’s taken care of my family for so long. I told her, ‘Sandy, you and I may share a room, but you won’t have Ann Pike to take Ernest care and of me!’”

Left top: Ernest and Ann Pike celebrating an anniversary; Sandy Hancock, CNA in 1992; Below: Karl and Irene Pike, also celebrating a wedding anniversary with family.

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Navigating Change, Cultivating Support In one meeting with resident donor Mary Grant, you find that her sparkling eyes and calm demeanor cannot hide her heartfelt compassion for people. It’s this same heartfelt compassion that drove her to advocate for a Dementia Support Group for caregivers here at Beacon Hill. Having experienced the personal loss of her husband through Alzheimer’s disease, Mary is passionate about supporting others who are faced with caregiving responsibilities.

Mary was open to sharing her personal experiences and family background, demonstrating compassion through each decision she made as her life and family circumstances changed.

Retirement from a position as a marketing manager for an insurance company in the Minneapolis area allowed Mary to pursue her interest in Stephen’s Ministry.* This experience led her to pursue a position as guardian ad litum, a court-appointed guardian of children common in divorces, child-neglect cases, child abuse cases, paternity suits, contested inheritances, etc. Serving in this way used her gift of encouragement and was life-enriching.

Mary and her husband Guy Grant also raised a daughter and two sons. Guy was a career

Mary Grant and Deb Snow

engineer who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for nine years. Mary made the decision to move closer to one of their sons in Ohio so Guy would enjoy family time and Mary would have additional support. She was able to get involved in a bridge group, church, their condo association and, for a time, continue to provide her guidance as a guardian ad litum. After Guy passed away, Mary had another decision to make and chose to be close to her sisters here in Grand Rapids.

The three sisters have enjoyed a lot of special time together, and living at Beacon Hill allows Mary the opportunity to spend cherished moments with her family.

Mary pushed to re-establish a dementia support group at Beacon Hill as she watched other community members suffer the agony of change from the care needs of a spouse with dementia. The changes experienced can be physical as well as social for the caregiver.

Mary told me that the biggest benefit of the support group is reminding caregivers of people experiencing various forms of dementia that they must take care of themselves. That means pursuing activities or some social outlet to relieve the pressures of care whether it is a book discussion group or bridge.

“ If I had not had strong emotional support, navigating my family’s journey with my husband and their dad, I would have completely broken down,” Mary says.

BEACONHILLGR.ORG/FOUNDATION

Our community is grateful for Mary Grant’s advocacy as the group now meets once each month to share and support one another, made possible by the Beacon Hill Foundation.

Please connect with us for more information about the program.

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* Stephen Ministers are lay church members trained to provide one-to-one care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or relocation.

Building a Brighter Future: C E L E B R AT I N G I N N O V AT I O N S I N D E M E N T I A C A R E For a subject matter that sounds impossible to conquer, it has been a surprising and exciting year reviewing the approach to dementia care. It’s heartwarming to see the excitement from our staff around the tools and strategies we’ve implemented for our residents.

Grant Four: Acquire a state-of-the-art gaming system to support activities and relationships for families and care givers. These therapeutic games target the lack of interest and apathy often found in dementia patients as well as creating opportunities for physical activity.

The Beacon Hill Foundation has been an instrumental force this year behind refreshing approaches and embracing innovations in dementia care. The board approved multiple grants to pursue current therapies, learning the latest methods and collaborating with other teams to focus on serving our whole community in dementia care.

Board chair Micki Benz says “The Foundation Board always welcomes opportunities to support our staff through grant-making. Our nurses and social worker recently introduced us to a new game which engages patients and their caregivers to great benefit. We approved the grant request and are pleased that our staff brought this to us.”

Grant One: Initiate a new professionally led dementia support group. This group now meets monthly to support residents and family members.

You might also be pleased to see that our donors have made these grants possible through the Spiritual Care Fund, the Employee Scholarship Fund and the Community Enhancement Fund — a trifecta in our mission of “Cultivating Care and Community.”

Grant Two: Engage a dementia consultant to assist in redesigning and building on our dementia care program to enrich the lives of residents at Beacon Hill and those families and staff who are affected by dementia care responsibilities.

Grant Three: Send staff to a professional conference to learn about the latest innovations and education opportunities around dementia care.

NO MATTER if it is a spouse, a neighbor, a parent or friend, life is not the same for the person faced with dementia and their surrounding supporters. Donors like you have played a pivotal role in turning the challenges faced by families into rays of hope for brighter days, and the entire community deeply appreciates your financial support.

1919 Boston Street, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Beacon Hill Foundation Board Micki Benz Chairperson

Mary McLoughlin Trustee

Cheryl Blair Trustee

Jim Rauwerda Trustee

Carl Dufendach Trustee

Christine Visner Trustee

Jeffrey Huegli President

Susie Wisler Trustee

Skip Knapp III Treasurer

Beacon Hill Foundation Staff Andi Allen Foundation Director

Mission Ensuring that Beacon Hill at Eastgate continues to meet the physical, social and spiritual needs of its residents, has adequate resources for development of its campus and facilities, and remains an integral part of the Eastgate neighborhood.

CULTIVATING CARE & COMMUNITY

Through the Arts Thank you, donors! Your gifts have enabled the Beacon Hill Foundation to bring world-class talent to our campus for our community to enjoy. Our “Celebrating the Arts” fund supports the summer outdoor concerts, our rotating local artist galleries, and our music series in the Community Auditorium. We want to continue to offer performances right here on our campus so watch our website for upcoming events.

Join our community of support today!

Contact us Beacon Hill Foundation 1919 Boston Street, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-608-8285 bhfoundation@beaconhillgr.org

BEACONHILLGR.ORG/FOUNDATION

Tax ID 30-0856751