Mountain Vista Newsletter - Fall 2017

Life AT MOUNTAIN VISTA

Assisted Living and Memory Care at Mountain Vista Spiritual Care In the Community The History of ABHM

FALL 2017

Mountain Vista Staff Support Programs

Today’s employers are continually searching for ways to attract and retain good employees. At Mountain Vista we strive to be the employer of choice in senior health care and are fortunate to have a number of employees who have been with us many years. For example, all of our department directors, myself included, worked quite a few years before moving into their current position. In fact, one of our registered nurses didn’t even start in nursing, but rather worked in a number of different position at the community before eventually finding her home in the nursing department.

One of the many benefits staff members receive at Mountain Vista is career development opportunities. American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, along with a generous

gift from former resident Harold W. Kleinpaste, created the Harold W. Kleinpaste Nursing Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship program was launched four years ago and provides financial support to employees seeking to advance their education in the field of nursing.

Thanks to many generous donations two Mountain Vista employees have been awarded the Scholarship and completed their RN program. It is our hope that many more staff members will take advantage of this great scholarship opportunity.

Another financial benefit offered to nursing staff members is our Loan Repayment Program. This program reduces the financial burden on staff members by helping them pay off student loans. At present we have several nurses who are taking advantage of this program.

These programs, along with a great team atmosphere, fun events and wonderful residents are a few examples of what Mountain Vista has to offer, and what makes us a great place to live and work.

~Mary Sawyer-Winters, Mountain Vista Administrator

Mary Sawyer-Winters, Mountain Vista Community Administrator

Memory Care at Mountain Vista “What a blessing it was to find such a caring and secure place for my mom. A place she now calls home.”

The Memory Care Program at Mountain Vista is designed for those who are experiencing memory loss and associated concerns due to Alzheimer’s and related memory issues. To best serve residents and families, Mountain Vista has designated its own memory care center that offers residents a safe and comforting environment.

As in other areas of the community, the individual resident apartments are both appealing and specifically designed for this unique group of seniors. Thoughtful layout is complimented by subtle colors and textures specifically selected for those dealing with memory loss.

The memory care center also offers a spacious great room with fireplace and a large enclosed outdoor patio and garden area to encourage and support a sense of freedom found only out-of-doors.

FALL :: 2017

To meet the needs of each resident, personalized care plans and specialized activity programs are developed by our specially trained staff. Programs consist of a wellness component based on the “whole person” concept and address the emotional, spiritual, social and physical needs. Families can be assured their loved one is safe and living to their greatest potential as a resident of Mountain Vista Memory Care Center.

For more information about our memory care center please call Heather at 303-421-4161.

303-421-4161

Encouraging Independence Through

Assisted Living

We all want to live an independent and fulfilling life, but it becomes a more pressing issue as we age.

Studies show that there are many health benefits associated with an independent lifestyle amongst seniors. To help seniors remain as independent as possible and provide the services they need, Mountain Vista offers a comprehensive assisted living program.

Assisted living apartments at Mountain Vista feature all the details, finishes, and unique touches required to provide the comforts of home while caring for a resident’s needs. These lovely apartment homes are uniquely furnished by residents allowing each person to express their style. The tea kitchen includes a refrigerator and ample kitchen cabinets. Each apartment offers an open floor plan to allow for any adaptive equipment you may need and we have made every effort to provide personal services and community spaces that encourage independence and respect for the individual.

Programs & Services Our assisted living program serves residents who are looking for a little extra help with daily activities while retaining as much independence as possible. Each resident has an individual care plan customized to meet their specific needs. Services include daily medication management, assistance with bathing, and other day-to-day activities that have become challenging for the resident to perform alone.

Assisted Living Services:

• Full dining service (three meals each day) • Medication management

have easy access to the full range of services available in the Mountain Vista health center, Memory care, or short-term rehab therapy.

• Individualized care and nursing services

• Recreational events and special programs

• Spiritual care

• Weekly bed linen service

• Housekeeping services

• Wellness/fitness program

• Maintenance services

• All utilities (except phone and internet)

• Emergency call service, plus a personal pendant Mountain Vista offers “Peace of Mind” knowing that you or your loved one is in the capable hands of our professional medical staff, available 24/7. Should healthcare needs change over time, residents

303-421-4161 303-421-4161

Assisted Living Apartment Floorplan

To learn more or schedule a tour, call 303-421-4161 and ask for Heather.

MountainVista.net MountainVista.net

A

merican Baptist Homes of the Midwest, parent company of Mountain Vista, was founded in a Baptist tradition. Today, our mission has broadened to “Creating healthy Christian communities that empower older adults by providing choices for housing, services, and technology that enrich body, mind, and spirit” for seniors of all faiths and backgrounds.

ABHM’s spiritual care programs are inspired by a philosophy of care shared across all our communities. Our spiritual leaders seek to uplift, encourage, and offer compassion to everyone involved with the community. Spiritual services at ABHM are interfaith and open to all residents, families, and staff members.

Each community employs a full-time chaplain who serves as the spiritual leader, including Barry Hadley at Mountain Vista. The chaplains work with residents, families, and staff to meet the unique spiritual needs of the community through worship services, bible

Spiritual Care Pro A Mission of E studies, devotionals, hymn singing, personal visitation, and prayer support.

The Importance of a Spiritual Community According to Mountain Vista’s Chaplain Barry Hadley, “each day I take time to visit residents who are living in the Mountain Vista memory care center.

Opened in the past two Mountain Vista years, the memory care Chaplain Barry Hadley building is designed to provide the best setting for those living with Alzheimer’s or other forms dementia and provides a secure environment to ensure residents remain safe.”

While residents live at Mountain Vista we encourage family and friends to visit regularly and participate in activities taking place at the community. These visits also help residents remain connected to family, memories and personal identity which can offer comfort during difficult times.

However, even in the darkness of this as yet unexplained illness families and friends of those

ograms at ABHM: Empowerment living with memory issues can take comfort knowing, even though their loved one seems to have separated from so much in this life, there is one thing from which they can never be separated, and that is the love of God. A shining example of this can be seen when I pray with a group of memory care residents and we say “Lord’s Prayer.” The moment I begin to pray, “Our Father who is in Heaven…” these people, who have forgotten so much, will slowly, one by one, join in a chorus of prayer, remembering word for word this prayer to their Lord. Even as their memories fade, it is still evident that the roots of spirituality are deep and strong. I believe this is God’s reminder to the families that their loved one is still connected to God. God spoke through Isaiah a long time ago saying, “I will not forget you – See, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands.” (Isaiah 49: 15, 16)

Expanding Spiritual Support Mountain Vista recognizes the importance of offering spiritual care and supporting residents however, we also want to support the families of residents and staff as they experience and manage life changes. To address this broader need, and include family members and staff, we started “Coffee Talk”, a bi-monthly support group meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to provide a time for reflection and thoughtful conversation in forum where attendees can express, learn and discuss, a variety topics that contribute to our emotional and spiritual health.

The meetings begin with a short period of quiet

meditation, focused on breathing and reducing stress. This helps people relax and forget about daily demands. Recently a family member commented, “This process seems to really help everybody relax.” The chaplain then introduces a topic for the meeting and the discussion begins.

Topics can range from front page news, to understanding family dynamics and how to manage grief and loss.

In a recent meeting we discussed “mindfulness,” a new word that expresses an old principle. The Bible talks about taking “captive every thought.”

The idea that if we pause to identify our thoughts and feelings, then we will better control them, instead of being controlled by them.

In many ways mindfulness is one of the overall reasons for creating “Coffee Talk.”

To learn more about spiritual care at Mountain Vista, contact Chaplain Barry Hadley for more information at 303-421-4161.

ABHM The Early Origins of

W

hen the Great Depression hit the Midwest in 1929, it had a drastic impact on not only working and economic conditions, but family life as well.

The origins of Mountain Vista’s parent company, American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, emerged from the hardships of this period.

Seniors in Crisis During the Depression The elderly population was hit particularly hard by the challenges of the Great Depression. Those who were close to retirement or had already retired watched a lifetime of savings disappear before their eyes. Many weren’t capable of returning to work, or were unable to find jobs that would allow them to rebuild their lost savings.

As a result, many elderly people became dependent on their families for shelter and care.

Unfortunately, young families were facing their own struggles. There were seldom enough resources

for them to adequately provide for their own children, let alone their parents.

Finding Hope in a New Beginning

In 1930, a small group of Baptist gentlemen living in Minnesota and Iowa recognized the serious need to provide shelter and care for the elderly population of the Midwest.

These five gentlemen decided to take action and formed a not-for-profit organization they called the Northwest Baptist Home Society. The original mission of the Northwest Baptist Home Society was “to provide Christian homes for aged and dependent men and women, and to provide for their physical and spiritual comfort.”

The five founders did not wait long to involve others in their efforts to relieve the suffering they saw in their communities. To expand their initiative, they joined with the Northern Baptist Convention of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Baptist congregations in these states helped to support the Society’s early efforts.

From the Founders to Today The first ABHM community opened its doors on

1958

1964 1965

ABHM’s first location in Winnebago, MN, the Winnebago Old People’s Home, was originally a dormitory at now-defunct Parker College. The community was later renamed Parker Oaks Retirement Community.

August 29, 1931. It was housed in a former men’s dormitory belonging to Parker College (a nowdefunct Baptist school) in Winnebago, MN, that had sat vacant for many years before being given to the Society and converted into a residence for seniors. The community was originally named the “Winnebago Old People’s Home” and later renamed Parker Oaks Retirement Community.

The ABHM mission has evolved over time, but remains true to the original values of our founders. Dave Zwickey, ABHM President and CEO states, “Our mission today is to create healthy Christian communities that empower older adults, families, and people with disabilities.

We provide choices for housing, services, and technology that enrich body, mind, and spirit.”

In the following 18 years, the Society’s mission and footprint grew as they opened seven additional “Old People’s Homes” in Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. Meanwhile, another Baptist association for the elderly was growing in Colorado, called the Baptist Home Association of the Rocky Mountains, (BHA).

In the past several years, ABHM has expanded the services offered at a number of locations across the Midwest. Our communities provide a full continuum of senior living and healthcare services that include skilled nursing, rehab care, assisted living, independent living, and memory care, along with housing and programs for the developmentally disabled and subsidized housing for seniors and families. Our communities are located in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

BHA was chartered in Denver in 1949 with the mission to provide “facilities for care, comfort, health, recreation, and general welfare of aged people.” In 1994, the two organizations joined forces to continue a joint mission to serve those in need under the ABHM banner.

1972 1973

1982

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Owned and operated by AMERICAN BAPTIST HOMES OF THE MIDWEST, a not-for-profit provider of senior health care since 1930.

14850 SCENIC HEIGHTS RD, STE 125, EDEN PRAIRIE MN 55344

4800 Tabor Street Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 www.MountainVista.net

AT MOUNTAIN VISTA

FALL 2017

Mountain Vista is a faith-based, not-for-profit senior living community. Our mission is to create healthy Christian communities that empower older adults. We provide choices for housing, services, and technology that enrich body, mind and spirit.

There’s still time to support the Kleinpaste Nursing Scholarship Program at Mountain Vista. Ask for details at the front desk or visit www.MountainVista.net

Take a fly-thru VIDEO TOUR of the community at MountainVista.net!