Live More
AUTUMN 2020
RESIDENT
wellbeing through specialized, on-site therapy programs
Introducing an exciting, new choice coming to Cedar Community!
Cedar Ridge Homes 113 Cedar Ridge Drive | West Bend
Learn more about the new Cedar Ridge Homes being constructed on Cedar Community’s Cedar Ridge Campus. The nearly 1,700 square foot homes feature two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, den, two-car garages, basements, and upgraded finishes. Home reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to reserve your new home and maintenance-free lifestyle today! You can even pick out your new home finishes including cabinets, flooring, paint, and more!
To schedule a personal appointment, call Cathy, 262.338.4615, or Abby, 262.338.4617! cedarcommunity.org
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Live More
featuring...
Editor’s note Our response to COVID-19 | 4
Pretre wins Milwaukee Business Journal’s Chief Marketing Officer of the Year Award A well-deserved award | 5 Up on the Roof Cedar Ridge’s rooftop patio undergoes a remodel | 6–7 Resident profile Meet Barbara Kasper | 8–9 Lighting the bridge Donation shines on the covered bridge | 9 Celebrating outstanding team members Meet Jessica Lucas and Darcie Heberer | 10–11 Every day is Friday for you An article by Mary Paul | 12 Summer Concerts 2020 Elkhart Lake sponsors summer concerts | 13 Washington County Insider takes another ride Judy Steffes out and about | 13 Resident wellbeing through specialized, on-site therapy programs Many benefits offered | 14–15 Unexpected joy comes with a move to assisted living Meet Flo | 16 Remodeled apartments offer spacious living Tour Cedar Community’s assisted living | 17 Volunteer highlight Meet Jim and Lorraine Bahr | 18–19 Making the move to a retirement community Learn what Cedar Community has to offer | 20–21 May prayer guide us today and always Words from our reverend | 22 Donations to help Head Start Gather your wool | 23 2020 Butterfly Release Thanks to everyone who made it special this year | 24–25 Every Step Seminar POSTPONED but join our webinar | 26 Leaving your legacy What to do next | 27
Enjoy, explore, and embrace your best life! Live More is published for the neighbors of Cedar Community. If you would like to add a neighbor’s name to our mailing list, please contact us at 262.338.2819. To view Live More online, visit cedarcommunity.org/ news-events/publications. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Nicole Pretre MANAGING EDITOR Carrie Sturn ART DIRECTOR Cyndi Frohmader
ON THE COVER JoAn Brasch receives therapy on her shoulder at Cedar Community’s independent living apartments. OUR MISSION To model Christ’s love for humanity by creating life-enhancing relationships, services, and environments.
Editor’s note :
As we enter the eighth month of our lives being upended by COVID-19, we have seen some opportunities to begin sociallydistanced outdoor visits for residents in assisted living and skilled nursing. Unfortunately, we have also had to periodically suspend those visits due to a small number of positive team member COVID-19 test results. With mandated testing by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), we may continue to see some positive results, but we are working diligently on our infection control standards to do our best to protect residents and team members. We will continue to update residents and families, and update our website as our situation changes, sometimes daily. An incredibly important part of our team also includes the family members of residents and team members. Our ability to fight the coronavirus, especially as we enter the double whammy of the flu season, is thanks to all of those who have been patient and understanding with the many restrictions we have endured. We are all members of the Cedar Community family, and we will fiercely protect our family members, even when it can get downright frustrating. Thank you so much for the support you have shown to all. When we go to print with this issue of Live More, which will be in a few weeks after I finish writing this, who knows what our next challenge will be, or what we are facing as we are reading this today. But we will meet those challenges with determination and grace. As we head into the fall of this turbulent year, we pray that we will see progress in the development of a vaccine, and an easing of the unrest in our society. And, as we begin to enter the holiday season, we have hope that we will all be able to share in the peace and joy of the season, even if it looks and feels quite different than in years past. “Once you choose hope, anything is possible.� - Christopher Reeve Stay hopeful, stay safe, and have a blessed holiday season.
Nicole Pretre Executive Editor, Live More
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Pretre wins Milwaukee Business Journal’s Chief Marketing Officer of the Year Award Nicole Pretre, Vice President of Development at Cedar Community, has been named among the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 2020 Chief Marketing Officer of the Year award winners. The award recognizes the important work of those in senior marketing positions in southeastern Wisconsin. Pretre is the executive leader of the marketing, sales, and fundraising teams of Cedar Community, where she and her teams have transformed the vision and messaging of Cedar Community’s brand proposition. Under her leadership, the marketing team has won six national Aster Awards for marketing and advertising over the past three years, as well as a national Telly Award for video content. “Nicole’s creative vision and strategic acumen, combined with her broad industry experience has been invaluable to Cedar Community,” says Lynn W. Olson, Chief Executive Officer. “Nicole is truly a 360-business professional who understands how to creatively, strategically, and effectively craft and deliver messaging to propel and support revenue goals across key functional areas.” Within the greater West Bend community, Pretre serves on the Board of Directors for both the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Washington County. She is a 2014 graduate of the West Bend Leadership program and has continued to be active in various volunteer and mentorship roles in the community. Additionally, she was awarded the 2017 Champions of Change Emerging Leader Award through the Volunteer Center of Washington County. Pretre, who is also a Credentialed Professional Gerontologist, is regularly consulted as an issue expert and thought-leader in senior living, and is a local, state, and national speaker and educator in senior living and healthcare. Prior to her professional career in long-term care services, Pretre was an Emmy-nominated television journalist and producer, who holds numerous awards from the Associated Press, the Wisconsin Broadcaster’s Association, and the Milwaukee Press Club.
Nicole Pretre Vice President of Development
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To be eligible for the award, candidates had to be based in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Walworth, Washington, Ozaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties and held their current role for at least two years. Candidates were selected from a nomination process with judging conducted by an independent panel.
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Up on the Roof “When this old world starts getting me down And people are just too much for me to face I’ll climb way up to the top of the stairs And all my cares just drift right into space On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be And there the world below don’t bother me” (“Up on the Roof,” written by Carol King and Gerry Goffin, performed first by The Drifters, and later by James Taylor)
It was a little over a year ago when we began remodeling our pool and spa at our independent living apartments. During the course of that project, we discovered the roof above the area had problems. It was determined the entire roof would require replacement. In years past, the rooftop area above the pool doubled as an outdoor patio, although it was seldom used at that time. With the roof in need of Lynn W. Olson replacing anyway, we saw this as an opportunity CEO, “Coach of an Excellent Organization” to do something special with the space. Resident feedback provided a variety of reasons as to why the area was not used, with a key factor being there were no organized activities that would entice residents to utilize that location. Last summer we did a test party to see if residents would utilize the space if we organized the fun. While several residents did come out to the party, the feedback we received was that the area needed more shade, attractive surroundings, comfortable furniture, and a different walking surface that better accommodated people of all abilities. We also researched what other apartment buildings had done with rooftop areas to make them more inviting to residents. The resident feedback, along with our own research, led us to completely reimagine what the space could look like. We enlarged and improved the shaded area of the patio, installed elevated wood flooring on half of the deck, and artificial turf (complete with putting green) on the balance of the roof. The turf area also serves as a bag toss and bocce ball court. Our woodwork shop pitched in by building new tables and a bar, and new furniture was purchased. The main goal in revitalizing the rooftop patio was to encourage socialization between residents, one of the things that we do best at Cedar Community. This summer we have held a series of resident get-togethers on the new rooftop patio that have been accomplished in a socially distanced, safe manner. The smiles on residents’ faces is all we need to know that the investment has been a good one!
Thank you Cedar Ridge residents Don and Julia Stettler for their gifts to help cover costs of the lovely furnishings and the storage pieces produced by the Cedar Community Woodwork Shop. 06
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Martha Gressen practices on the putting green.
Ron Zarling enjoys a cocktail on the new patio.
RESIDENT Barbara Kasper
PROFILE Thinking of all the places she has lived, Barbara says Cedar Community is “home.” Barbara and her husband, Roland, lived at Cedar Community’s independent living apartments for 20 years until she moved to assisted living a couple months ago. She also worked at Cedar Community for five years. Barbara was born and raised in Milwaukee, the oldest of three, with a younger brother and sister. She finished high school, attending part time as she had to work to help supplement the family income. Her father was very ill and unable to work. She met Roland in the summer of her senior year in high school while attending junior Red Cross camp. He was helping at the camp with his college fraternity. They were married June 4, 1955, and had four children, a son and three daughters, with eight grandchildren. Roland passed away three years ago. Roland worked as a salesman for the telephone company’s Yellow Pages. His job transfers required them to move often during his career. She said they lived in 19 houses in suburbs of Milwaukee and various cities in Wisconsin, including Waupun, where she worked in activities at a nursing home. They also lived in Nashville and Knoxville, Tennessee. The longest they lived in one place was eight years. She kept her days very full. Besides taking care of their children and getting reestablished in a new neighborhood, she was a party planner for Tupperware and Sarah Coventry jewelry parties. She said it was hard for the children having to change schools so often. While they lived in West Bend, Barbara worked for five years at Cedar Community in the activities department. She started at the same time as Steve Jaberg, Cedar Community’s former CEO. She told stories of Cedar Community’s history. She shares about how at Cedar Bay West, originally Friendship House
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for memory care, the basement was set up like a museum to replicate the very early days in health care. She said the “pole barn” (one of the maintenance buildings) was full of donated antiques. She worked with other volunteers to wash and clean the furniture, and helped organize the Heritage House Museum and Ye Olde School on the Cedar Lake Campus. There is an old pump organ in the Heritage House that Cedar Community resident Juanita Ruh played, and she remembers seeing mice run away as she pumped. After the Kaspers retired, they moved to Florida for 10 years until they came back to West Bend to live at Cedar Community’s independent living apartments. During the winters they lived in Lillian, Alabama for 10 years. Barbara and her husband were both active volunteers and got to know a lot of people at Cedar Community, helping with activities in the skilled nursing and assisted living. Roland drove the van
to shuttle residents shopping and to appointments. They took many bus trips with tour groups to places in the United States. She couldn’t pick a favorite place, but decided she particularly liked the seasons in Tennessee as their average winter snowfall is only seven inches. She enjoyed time with her family, doing crafts, and sewing, but as the family grew up, she enjoyed volunteering, and doing activities with and getting to know the residents. She looks forward to continuing to volunteer after the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Being with people brings her the most joy. Gladys Sachse Resident, Cedar Community Independent Living
Lighting the bridge
Independent living residents Dave and Jan Braby generously donated funds they inherited from a relative to light up Cedar Community’s covered bridge located at the Cedar Lake Campus. They felt it was a great way to honor that friendship.
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Celebrating
outstanding team members Every quarter, Cedar Community recognizes team members who go above and beyond their everyday tasks for our residents, families, volunteers, and their fellow team members. Cedar Community is proud to announce our team members of the quarter award winners: Jessica Lucas, CNA, and Darcie Heberer, Life Enrichment Therapist
Jessica Lucas, certified nursing assistant, worked retail for a while and then as an in-home caregiver helping a client with cooking, cleaning, and eating, among other household tasks. “I really liked it and felt that I was making a difference in someone’s life,” says Jessica. She didn’t start out thinking the healthcare field was for her. In fact, she was on quite the opposite spectrum and attended Marquette University as a political science and English major. After two and a half years, she switched gears. Today, Jessica works in Cedar Community’s skilled nursing care, working the Baylor shift, 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday. While it can be difficult to do things during the day, working nights is what she enjoys. “I like the pace of nights and I am a night owl anyway,” says Jessica. She also tries to pick up additional nights during the week. Jessica has worked at Cedar Community for five and a half years. She is content in her role and doesn’t really feel the desire, just yet, to continue on for her licensed practical nurse or registered nursing degrees. “Working as a certified nursing assistant allows for more hands on and one-on-one time with each resident, and helping them live their best life,” says Jessica. She appreciates the interactions with residents and learning their life stories. Jessica also enjoys the relationships and closeness with her team members. “All of us who work with Jess appreciate her for more than just her work. It’s her calm demeanor and her honesty, along with being reliable, flexible, and the positive effect she has on others,” says Pam Duschene, RN, nurse supervisor. When Jessica is not at work, she likes to attend festivals, go thrifting, and watch old movies. Winning the Employee of the Quarter award for Jessica was quite humbling, who tends to be quite shy. Her team members think otherwise and said, “Jessica is one of the most caring CNAs I know. She is kind to all she comes in contact with, especially the residents.” “Jessica is always flexible when having to move to another household. She makes the best of every situation.” “She always shares what is good in a challenging situation.” “Jessica is soft spoken with a huge heart and everyone loves working with her.”
To learn more about the rewarding opportunities available at Cedar Community, visit our careers page at cedarcommunity.org. 10
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Darcie Heberer, Life Enrichment Therapist, wanted to be a veterinary tech after high school. While meeting with her high school guidance counselor and taking the aptitude test that helps students navigate a career path, she learned she was best suited for something in health care or therapy. She took that to heart and changed the course of her future plans, attending Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton for occupational therapy assistant. She also wanted to stay close to her home in Lomira. She was very close to her family and didn’t want to go too far away. So, she moved to Appleton and came home often on the weekends. Part of her associate’s degree program was participating in two internships. Her first experience was at an adult daycare center in Beaver Dam, and her second brought her to Cedar Community. While at Cedar Community she was able to experience both geriatric and pediatric populations, as Cedar Community had clinics specializing in pediatrics at that time. “I really enjoyed working with older adults assessing a rehab need, creating a therapy goal, and getting people better than when they first came in,” says Darcie. Upon graduation, she took a job at a retirement community in Milwaukee with a position that was half occupational therapy and half activities. She found she enjoyed the activity part more, and when a position opened up in 1992 at Cedar Community, she jumped at the opportunity. The job was full time in activities, now known as life enrichment. “When I came back, therapy was short staffed so I also filled in where I could for a couple of years,” says Darcie. At Cedar Community, Darcie is responsible, along with her life enrichment team, for creating activities based on resident and patient personal interests. A life enrichment team member meets with every new resident and rehab patient to assess and evaluate what they like to do and what keeps them active and interested. “We even work with families learning about resident and patient needs. We also maintain that active line of communication with residents who have lived at Cedar Community for several years to continue to keep them actively engaged and learn if there are new things they would like to try,” says Darcie. Darcie enjoys the variety of activities and each day is never the same. She likes being able to think on her feet, coming up with creative new ways to engage residents while making their lives more comfortable and enjoyable. “It feels like family here. I was close to my grandparents growing up and losing them was hard. Now I have 30 grandpas and grandmas. My kids grew up at Cedar Community too, visiting with residents and volunteering their time, as well as my husband. One of my kids even worked here,” says Darcie. “Darcie is extremely creative! She is always coming up with new and exciting programming ideas and is willing to pitch in and help whenever needed. The residents are always her top priority,” says Erin Faust, Resident Experience Director, Life Enrichment. Darcie doesn’t see herself ever leaving. She feels valued for her ideas and encouraged from fellow team members, while offering enjoyable and engaging opportunities for residents. Darcie’s team members who nominated her for the award share why they feel she is a great team member: “Darcie goes out of her way to help the residents and their families.” “She has done so much during COVID-19 with our Cedar Community channel for residents to stay engaged.” “Darcie helps wherever she can and is a true team player.”
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Every day is Friday for you A conversation about the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement. About a year after my retirement, I had lunch with my former boss. She and I were catching up on all the changes at work, when she looked at me and said, “What do you care, every day is Friday for you!” For some reason, that comment has stuck with me for several years. It occurred to me her remark was how she perceived what retirement must be like. In other words, she, and probably many other working people, think retirement is a collection of endless days of leisure filled with countless playful activities with little or no responsibility and just taking it easy.
Mary Paul Mary Paul LLC
Certainly, our lives might seem like a long awaited vacation for a few months after we retire, but then, the business of living as a retiree begins to set in. In several national studies, retirement is listed as one of the top ten major life transitions, and in a couple of studies, retirement is in the top five major life transitions, right up there with marriage, kids, divorce, and even death of a loved one. For those of us who associated much of our own self worth with our jobs, retirement can at times seem to be more of a loss than a gain. My presentations do not cover the financial aspects of retirement, I’ll leave that to the financial experts. The discussions I facilitate focus on the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement that often are not spoken about. How we reflect upon our emotional desires for retirement and how we navigate achieving those goals can make a huge difference between a fulfilling retirement and a retirement where we feel something is missing. In addition, throw a global health crisis into the mix, and we all have a new reality that was not part of our retirement plans. So many of our daily activities are being impacted by the pandemic. Our social needs, our desires to see family and friends, the ability to travel, the opportunities to participate in senior and community activities have all been altered.
Join our webinar on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 at 4 p.m., and share in a discussion about ideas and possibilities to rediscover ourselves and enhance the possibility for fostering a healthy retirement amidst so many complications. It doesn’t matter if you are considering retirement, recently retired, or like me, been retired for several years; we’ll enjoy discovering possibilities and sharing experiences during our time together.
JOIN US ON ZOOM! Transitioning into Retirement, Rediscovering Your True Identity! https://bit.ly/2GT8DLS 12
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Cedar Community was proud to sponsor the patio concerts at Generations in Plymouth
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
2020
Polka · 50s and 60s Hits · Jazz · Classic Acoustic
Washington County Insider takes another ride Judy Steffes recently pedaled the townships of Washington County raising money for Cedar Community’s resident entertainment programming. Starting her journey with 15 maps, she began in the Town of Wayne and then headed to the Township of Farmington making stops in Boltonville, Fredonia, Waubeka, and then on to Addison and St. Lawrence. She shared stories of forgotten churches, schools, cemeteries, and businesses, focusing on the history of family farms. Thank you, Judy for your support and dedication to the residents of Cedar Community!
Elkhart Lake
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cover story
RESIDENT
wellbeing through specialized, on-site therapy programs
One of the many benefits of Cedar Community’s full array of amenities and services is the experienced rehabilitation team of physical, occupational, and speech therapists with special training and expertise in treating older adults. Services are contracted through our partner Concept Rehab, and all therapies are offered in either the therapy gym at the Cedar Lake Campus or within the therapy spaces located at Cedar Community’s independent living apartments and assisted living communities. Scheduling is convenient and appointments are easy to make. Charlene Jones, DPT, sees residents and patients at Cedar Community’s independent living apartments, memory care, and assisted living. She holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a doctorate in physical therapy from Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia. She chose a career path in physical therapy due to an injury her sophomore year, and her experience of going through a rehabilitation program. After graduating, she took a year off to
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help her family, and then spent two and a half years as a traveling therapist in Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Charlene ended up in Wisconsin to be near her loved ones, and started working with Cedar Community’s residents a few months ago. “I enjoy working with the senior population and being able to listen to their life stories,” says Charlene. “Many also want to physically improve and put in the time and effort to help maintain their lifestyle.”
Charlene is responsible for initial patient evaluations; creating care plans for patients including assessing balance, pain management, and establishing an exercise plan; evaluations midway through therapy; and final evaluations prior to discharge from rehab. When patient volume is high, she will also oversee a patient’s full course of treatment. Residents also work with Deb Carstens, a physical therapy assistant. Once residents are discharged, oftentimes a wellness
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Charlene Jones, DPT, is on-site to provide rehabilitation services to residents and the greater community.
program is recommended to maintain the progress achieved in therapy. Patients in the wellness program usually schedule two maintenance visits a week. Those visits are often right in residents’ home environments. Specialized rehabilitation services are another benefit for residents living at Cedar Community. Onsite rehabilitation programs are quite comprehensive and include falls risk management program, Parkinson’s programs, arthritis programs, vestibular programs
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for dizziness and balance problems, lymphedema program, Kinesio® taping, urinary incontinence program, and massage therapy. The occupational therapy (OT) program, supported by April Jung, OTR and Valerie Kurtz, OTA, focuses on restoring your ability to perform day-to-day tasks. As we are all unique individuals, those tasks can vary from person to person and the OT department works to individualize and meet the needs of each patient. Some
residents may need support to restore their ability to perform basic activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, when injuries occur, or pain becomes a limiting factor. Additionally, occupational therapy also works on high-level activities that occur in or around the home. April is also a certified lymphedema therapist, specially trained to work with patients experiencing side effects from lymphedema. Residents also benefit from a speech therapy program which is able to address patient needs that may include difficulty swallowing, support with verbal communication and/ or expression, and other cognitive functions. Together, Janice DeSmidt, SLP, and Candace Anderson, SLP, oversee this component of the program. These specialized rehabilitation programs are helping Cedar Community’s residents enjoy, explore, and embrace their best lives, through convenient, expert care whenever it may be needed.
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UNEXPECTED JOY COMES WITH A MOVE TO ASSISTED LIVING A bout of pneumonia at age 100, and a fall and broken hip at 102, led Florence (Flo) McHugh to Cedar Community’s short-term rehabilitation, and eventually to assisted living. She lived in her own home up until that point, a little Cape Cod on one acre just outside of Newburg. It was the home in which she had lived since the 1950s. Several family members and neighbors would check in with her quite often and enjoyed looking after her. The move to assisted living was not one Flo was initially thrilled about, but with the extra care she needed, it was one the family knew would be best for her at that time. Flo was willing to give it a try. “We were so fortunate with the location of her apartment. In her home, she had a small table in the kitchen that overlooked the yard,” says Barbara McHugh, Flo’s daughter. “We were able to replicate that in her apartment and she can still enjoy watching the birds, deer, and turkey. She even has bird feeders right outside her window that I fill for her,” says Barbara. Flo enjoys being in touch with nature and has always been an avid gardener. In fact, she was never one to really sit down much and was often referred to as the “Energizer Bunny.” Cedar Community’s assisted living affords her the opportunity of enjoying the privacy and comfort of her own apartment, while being able to go for daily walks on the scenic grounds, participate in activities and exercise classes, and meet new friends. “There is no stopping her,” says Barbara. Moving to assisted living, Flo thought her life was over. She has since been surprised how much she really enjoys it. “I love meeting new people and have never had a problem striking up a conversation with anyone,” says Flo. She also enjoys time to herself embroidering tea towels, working on jigsaw puzzles, and reading. Flo recently turned 103 and feels she has lived a great life. She noted that she is the only one in her family who has ever lived that long. “I feel comfort and peace knowing she is well taken care of and I don’t have to worry about her living alone anymore,” says Barbara. Flo laughs and adds, “Now they can relax.” Nothing seems to stop Flo from living and enjoying life. She is very savvy with social media and often posts on Facebook, keeping in touch with family and friends. Flo has seen quite a lot during her lifetime, and she has always gone with the “Flo.” “She is sticking around as long as she can, because she wants to know how the story ends,” says Barbara.
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REMODELED APARTMENTS OFFER SPACIOUS LIVING If you or a loved one may be considering assisted living, Cedar Community offers a variety of apartment options, including studio and one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Our remodeled, private, one- and two-bedroom assisted living apartments include a bedroom with walk-in closet; bathroom with a roll-in shower; kitchenette with refrigerator, stove, and microwave; individual climate control thermostats; weekly housekeeping and linen service; free basic cable television, highspeed internet and telephone bundle; and utilities are included (electric, heat, air conditioning, and water). · Live independently in your own apartment, furnished with your own personal belongings, along with all the support you need to live comfortably. · Assistance is available when you need it, providing peace of mind for you and your family. · Receive a private, personal health assessment from our nursing team with a tailored care plan to fit your personal needs. À la carte service options allow you to pay for only those additional services you may need. · Enjoy three delicious meals daily served restaurant-style. · A variety of life enrichment and wellness programs allow you to be as involved as little or as much as you like. The activity program is designed to meet a wide range of interests.
If you’ve been thinking about a move, now is the time, before the winter weather is upon us. Call Michelle at 262.306.4299 to schedule a private tour. You can also visit our website for more information, including pricing, at cedarcommunity.org. cedarcommunity.org
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volunteer highlight 18
Making a difference at Cedar Community Jim and Lorraine Bahr (Sophie and Luka, too!) When she peeks her head through the door residents immediately recognize her face. Her name is Sophie and she visits with residents twice a month for two hours each time at Cedar Community’s assisted living. Sophie brings with her Jim and Lorraine Bahr, her owners and handlers. Sophie is a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix otherwise recognized as a Chiweenie. She is eight and a half years old and was rescued from Georgia. | AUTUMN 2020
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Jim and Lorraine were previous dog owners and decided after they lost their last dog, they would not get another and instead, spend the time traveling. But Jim’s health issues changed their travel plans, so Lorraine began a search online for a rescue dog. They rescued Sophie when she was less than two years old. Sophie’s personality and trainability were recognized by a local doggy daycare who suggested the Bahrs take her to Pets Helping People for pet therapy training. Sophie went through a rigorous training program and earned her certification as a therapy dog. Jim and Lorraine also had to successfully complete a training program to become certified handlers.
In addition to the Cedar Community visits, Jim and Lorraine also provide pet therapy services to Aurora Hospital in Hartford, and Lorraine and Sophie have also participated in the “Read to Rover” program at the Germantown Library for the past several years. “These two dogs are really special and we are so thankful we can share them with others,” says Jim. Lorraine appreciates the visits, spending the time and getting to know the residents. “My favorite part of providing pet therapy is seeing the joy on the residents’ faces when they see us and the dogs,” says Lorraine. Jim agrees, “We want each visit to be a quality visit. We truly enjoy our time with the residents and team members.”
The Bahrs also adopted a rescue Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix they call Luka, from an Alabama shelter. Although he was unable to pass the pet therapy certification, he is an enthusiastic participant in the resident visits. During the COVID-19 restrictions, the Bahrs have been sending pictures of the dogs to Bonnie Amerling, Cedar Community’s volunteer coordinator, which she shares with residents to brighten their day.
When they are not involved with volunteering, Jim keeps busy by working around the house while Lorraine enjoys quilting. She has made comfort quilts for Hartford Hospital, and during COVID-19 she has been busy sewing masks.
Volunteering is not new for the Bahrs. Jim retired in 2001 after 25 years as a chief financial officer, and had been actively involved with Habitat for Humanity. He also volunteered with The Threshold and Workforce Development, earning Volunteer of the Year in 2005. Today, he is actively involved with his church, organizing meals for Serenity Inn, a transitional living facility for men in addiction, and he also enjoys meals with the men. Jim also leads the church’s Lend a Hand work group that maintains the physical facility inside and out, provides set up for events, and other tasks as needed. Lorraine retired in 2009 after 34 years of teaching in the Mequon school district. During that time, she was an active member of Special Olympics for 10 years, serving as the Volunteer Coordinator securing volunteers for events, sometimes requiring 100 to 150 people. Jim also volunteered with the organization due to Lorraine’s involvement. Lorraine also volunteers in her church office and helps with coordinating and delivering the meals for Serenity Inn.
Lorraine and Jim are hopeful the “safer at home” requirement for COVID-19 will resolve itself soon so they can once again provide their pet therapy visits for the residents of the Cedar Community.
To learn more about the many volunteer opportunities available at Cedar Community, contact Bonnie Amerling, Volunteer Coordinator, 262.306.4218.
Cedar Community Hospice team members will support you and your family, ensuring comfort, dignity, and the highest quality of care.
home health & hospice 262.306.2691 | cedarcommunity.org
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Making the move to a retirement community A recent survey conducted by Bruce Nemovitz, senior real estate specialist with Realty Executives, asked seniors who were planning on moving to a retirement community in the future several questions about their decisions. Here are the results:
Over 65 percent of those surveyed said COVID-19 did not affect their plans to move.
When choosing a retirement community, the most important factors were cost and location, followed by safety.
Over 70 percent were considering a move due to the overwhelming task of home maintenance, followed by health reasons.
The greatest concern about selling their home was having to downsize and what to do with all their “stuff.�
Cedar Community understands these concerns and continues to work with potential residents to make the transition as comfortable as possible. Our sales team works with each individual or couple, addressing all aspects of making the move, and offering sound advice based on many years of experience and expertise in the field. As Baby Boomers reach retirement age, many are looking for larger retirement
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homes and apartments. Cedar Community continually listens to the needs of retirees, watching trends, and adjusting to the needs of the greater community. Almost 70 percent of those surveyed by Bruce were looking for a minimum of two bedrooms and over 1,000 square feet. In 2020, to further accommodate these needs, Cedar Community broke ground on the new Cedar Ridge Homes located on our Cedar Ridge Campus in West Bend.
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The beautiful, new Cedar Ridge Homes offer full access to all of Cedar Community’s services and amenities. The homes are situated in a private setting on the north end of the 50-acre campus. There are 15 duplexes, for a total of 30 ranch homes. All of the nearly 1,700-square-foot ranch homes feature two bedrooms, a den, two and a half bathrooms, and a two-car garage. Making the move to a retirement community offers many benefits that most people don’t realize until after they make the move. In fact, over 58 percent in the survey say they wish they would have moved sooner. This is a common response Cedar Community hears often from new residents. Moving to a retirement community when the choice is yours and not one driven by a health crisis, affords an individual the opportunity to enjoy the various programs and amenities offered by the retirement community. It also allows for new, meaningful relationships to form with your peers. By engaging in what retirement communities offer, you have the chance to focus on your overall health and wellbeing, while
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forgoing all the worries and stressors of home maintenance, further reducing anxiety and worry. Oftentimes, a move to a retirement community can save you money versus staying in your home. Consider, for some, a monthly mortgage or rent payment, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, sanitation expenses, utilities, outdoor maintenance, and especially the cost of maintaining a home from repairs to replacing appliances, along with other miscellaneous expenses that may come along. Most of all, a move can offer peace of mind to you and your family. Knowing a variety of care levels are available as your needs change is invaluable when it comes to enjoying, exploring, and embracing your best life during retirement. At Cedar Community, services are offered based on your needs and goals for aging from independent living, to assisted living, to skilled nursing care. To learn more about the variety of living options, and what home or apartment best suits your needs and finances, visit our website, cedarcommunity.org.
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Pandemic and protest. These words might very well capture the essence of 2020. They certainly dominate the news cycles. They continue to affect our daily activities. And they weigh heavily on minds and hearts and factor into thoughts and conversations of people all over the globe. Cedar Community has been in the thick of pandemic precautions, restrictions, and mandates since early March. We have worked diligently to safeguard the residents we serve while tending to physical, emotional, and spiritual needs under highly unusual circumstances. We have introduced proactive measures to care for team members who have labored heroically under very stressful conditions.
Julie Jennings Vice President of Ministry
May prayer guide us today and always
As the protests added inspiration and intensity to ongoing conversations and planning around diversity at Cedar Community, the Board of Directors pushed us to consider what lasting steps we could take to bring about positive change and increase diversity within Cedar Community. As a result, we are empaneling a task force of board members, team members, and residents to examine our current representation and support of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout our agency. The task force will also recommend strategies for increasing DEI in staffing, resident population, and overall operations. While the events of 2020 have certainly informed all of these actions, our response is rooted in a couple of other words lodged deep within our collective faith story.
Prepare and protect. Ancient prophets of the Hebrew and Greek scriptures have long admonished us to “prepare the way” for God’s realm to come about more fully on earth. And those scriptures repeatedly tell us God’s realm reflects protective care for the vulnerable and those most at risk, welcome to the stranger, justice for the oppressed, and peace among all peoples. There is a final word that guides us during these tumultuous times: prayer. Prayer is not just about petitioning God. It is also about listening. In our response to the pandemic and reaction to the protests, in our preparations for today and tomorrow and our protection of self and others, may we listen for the needs that exist and emerge, for the voices we have yet to hear and the ones we have stopped hearing, that we might enhance the lives of the people we serve, the people we serve with, and those yet to be among us.
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Donations help local Head Start
Cedar Community’s Mission Quilters have generously donated hundreds of quilts to the local community over the years. They have recently expanded their reach to include knitting and will be providing knit hats and mittens for West Bend’s Head Start program, which serves low-income families. They will help provide these much-needed items to 100 children enlisted in the program. If you would like to help, the group needs 4 ply acrylic worsted yarn. Donations of yarn are appreciated and can be dropped off at the main reception desk of Cedar Community’s independent living apartments, 113 Cedar Ridge Drive, West Bend.
SAVE THE DATE Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, Jan. 18, 2021 Look for details on cedarcommunity.org closer to the event date. cedarcommunity.org
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2020 Butterfly Release
For the past 10 years, Cedar Community has honored and remembered the loved ones of friends and neighbors through our annual Butterfly Release and Celebration of Life. This year looked a little different—but we DID celebrate!
Thank you to the friends and sponsors who helped us take the celebration to members of the Cedar Community family. Life-size butterfly wings (courtesy of our friends at Horicon Bank), butterfly cookies, crafts, and uplifting ministry messages were shared on each of our campuses.
“Even though you flew away, in my heart you will forever stay.”
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Thank you to our 2020 Butterfly Release sponsors and donors! Presenting Sponsor BSG Maintenance, Inc.
Supporting Sponsors
Joseph and Diane Carlson Drexel Building Supply Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Horicon Bank Kenneth and Karen Liepert Moore Construction Services Lynn and Rene Olson Phillip Funeral Home Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren, S.C. Taylor-Made Floors Wetterau Homestead, Inc.
Donors
Paul and Rae Bauman B-E Controls LLC Lucille Becker Gloria Calkins Edith Doorley Markus and Rosemary Frank Julie and Peter Gabelmann Elizabeth Goldberg Lois Held Cheryl Kaminski Elizabeth Keller Charles and Sharon Linstrom Charlene Metzger Ellen Seefeldt Doris Yach Walter and Ann Zube  Â
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Every Step
with Cedar Community
LEAVING YOUR LEGACY POSTPONED Cedar Community’s seminar series on planning for your financial and family legacy will be postponed for the fall of 2020, and early 2021. We hope to bring you the Leaving Your Legacy series again in the fall of 2021, when Elaine Shanebrook, retired attorney, presents a special six-part Every Step with Cedar Community series on estate planning. This educational series will help you understand your options for estate planning, while also considering your values, your family, and the legacy you would like to create for future generations. All of the sessions will have a short presentation, and allow for group discussion and questions. None of the seminars will be a solicitation for financial gifts, nor will they offer legal or tax advice. They are informational and educational only.
Continue to check out our website, cedarcommunity.org, for the latest updates regarding COVID-19 and scheduled events.
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LEAVING YOUR LEGACY So, what’s next? You are likely not alone in asking yourself this question. And given events of the past eight months, I think it is safe to say that no one else on this earth really knows, either. And that can be unsettling. In addition to the unknown FUTURE, there have also been a lot of changes in our lives, TODAY. There have been changes in how we worship, how we shop, and how we interact with one another. There have also been changes in retirement income rules and regulations. The new CARES Act made substantial changes to the 2020 distribution requirements, as well as to the long-favored Stretch IRA option. And, given even more uncertainty looking toward the upcoming elections—no one really knows what’s next regarding taxes, Social Security, or market performance.
So, what’s a person to do? First, if you have not done so already this year, please reach out to your financial planner or advisor. They will be aware of the impacts of recent legislative changes and will be able to offer guidance and encouragement to help you weather the future. Second, if you are concerned about the demise of the stretch IRA, capital gains taxes, and want to talk about securing income for the long term, you may want to explore a Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT).
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A CHARITABLE REMAINDER UNITRUST? Once established, the benefits of a CRUT for you and your heirs are substantial: · Receive income for life, for a term of up to 20 years, or life plus a term of up to 20 years for you or the recipient of your choice · Avoid capital gains on the sale of your appreciated assets. Receive an immediate income tax deduction for the charitable portion of the trust · Establish your legacy of philanthropy to the non-profit of your choice
HOW DOES A CHARITABLE REMAINDER UNITRUST WORK? Working with your qualified nonprofit organizations, the steps are pretty simple. · Make your gift. Donate IRA assets, cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other appreciated assets and receive a partial tax deduction. The income tax deduction is based on the type of trust, the term of the trust, the projected income payments, and IRS interest rates that assume a certain rate of growth of trust assets. · Determine who will receive the income and for how long. Based on how you set up the trust, you or your stated beneficiaries can receive income annually, semiannually, or quarterly. Per the IRS, the annual payments must be at least five percent, but no more than 50 percent of the trust’s assets.
Sarah J. Malchow Director of Philanthropy
· The qualified non-profit administrates the trust based on your decisions, and, after the specified timespan or the death of the last income beneficiary, the remaining assets are distributed to the designated charitable beneficiaries. When the CRUT terminates, the remaining assets are distributed to the charitable beneficiary—leaving your philanthropic legacy and supporting their mission.
If you would like to learn more about Charitable Remainder Unitrusts or if you have other questions about planned and estate giving, please contact me, 262.338.4625. It would be my pleasure to help! cedarcommunity.org
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Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID West Bend, WI Permit No. 24 5595 County Road Z | West Bend, WI 53095
CEDAR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTORY Independent Living West Bend · Cedar Ridge Apartments · Cedar Ridge Homes · Cedar Lake Village Homes 262.338.4615 or 262.338.4617 Elkhart Lake · Elkhart Lake Village Homes 920.876.4050 Assisted Living West Bend · Cedar Bay East · Cedar Bay West · The Cottages (memory care) 262.306.4299 Elkhart Lake · Cedar Bay Elkhart Lake 920.876.4050 Short-term Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing · Cedar Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center 262.306.4240
Outpatient Rehabilitation 262.306.2150
Philanthropy 262.338.2819
Home Health & Hospice 262.306.2691
Cedar Community Salon & Spa Services · Cedar Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center 262.306.4281
Restaurant and Catering · Top of the Ridge Restaurant and Catering 262.338.2812 Cafés · Market Café (Cedar Ridge Campus) 262.338.4614 · Cedar Lake Café (Cedar Lake Campus) 262.306.2100, ext. 4128 Resale Shops · Cedar Treasures (Cedar Ridge Campus) 262.338.8377 · Cedar Closet (Cedar Lake Campus) 262.306.2100, ext. 4119 Volunteers 262.306.4218
· Cedar Ridge Apartments 262.338.2813 · Cedar Bay West 262.306.2130, ext. 4429 · The Cottages 262.365.6500, ext. 5405 Cedar Community Main Number 262.306.2100 Careers cedarcommunity.org
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