The Glen at Aberdeen Heights Community Matters May 2015

Community Matters The Glen at Aberdeen Heights

May 2015

Older Americans Month 2015: ‘Get into the Act’ Older adults are a vital part of our society. Since 1963, communities across the country have shown their gratitude by celebrating Older Americans Month each May. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Get into the Act,” to focus on how older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact in the lives of others.

By promoting and engaging in activity, wellness, and inclusivity, more Americans than ever before can “Get into the Act.” While Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica campuses provides quality senior services guided by Christian values to older adults year-round, Older Americans Month offers an opportunity to emphasize how older adults can access the home- and community-based services they need to live independently in their communities. It is also an occasion to highlight how older adults are engaging with and making a difference in those communities.

Throughout the month,The Glen at Aberdeen Heights will be conducting activities designed to highlight the contributions of seniors to the greater community.

Neighbor of the Month:

Meet former teacher Doris Phelan Doris was born in St. Louis on March 9, 1928, to Dennis and Mary Ann Phelan. She was raised in the Kirkwood area on Jewel Avenue with two brothers. Her family owned Phelan Ice and Fuel in Kirkwood.

After college, Doris became a school teacher and later worked for an architect. She also had a very interesting job working for the Department of Labor. Her assignment was to create a dictionary of occupations. This required her to learn definitions of every occupation of the United States.

Of course, she couldn’t do it alone, so she was assigned certain types of work to concentrate on, such as sewing machine occupations.

Doris loved to travel and has visited Europe, Italy and Ireland, to name a few. Doris is devoted to her family and loves spending time with them.

She has been spending her spare time on a computer trying to find out some facts about her ancestry.

We are pleased to have Doris as our Neighbor of the Month!

A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America

Memorial service

There will be a memorial service on May 2 at 1 p.m. in the multipurpose room to celebrate the lives of residents who have passed away from Nov. 1, 2014, through April 30, 2015.

Reservations are encouraged to call Suzanne at 909-6000 or Sharon at 909-6010.

Easter Egg Hunt After a few days of stormy weather, the sun came out and warmed up the courtyard for a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday before Easter.

All baskets were filled with eggs full of treats, and we even had a special guest appearance of the Easter Bunny!

Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Heights by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at: PresbyterianManors.org.

James “Jamie� Kneen, executive director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Loretta Cutler, health care lifestyle coordinator, lcutler@pmma.org.

Art is Ageless

Telephone: 314-909-6010 Address: 505 Couch Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122

Be sure to join us for the grand opening reception on Wednesday May 6 at 9:30 a.m. in the hall next to The Glen. While you explore the beautiful pieces of art be sure to partake in the early morning Mimosas and tidbits that will be offered.

Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

2

Community Matters May 2015

Stop by and view our Art is Ageless exhibit from Wednesday, May 6 to Thursday, May 7. Then join us for the art reception at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 8 in the Multipurpose Room for the announcement and presentation of the awards.

5 steps to combat and prevent elder abuse 5 million Americans are affected by some form of elder abuse each year

By Liza Kaufman Hogan

Not long ago, my aunt, who is in her 80s, was the victim of financial exploitation by an in-home health aide. It started with trips to the drugstore and small loans. Before long, the caregiver was regularly taking my aunt and her credit card to department stores to purchase clothes and other items — not for my aunt.

Eventually, a clerk noticed what was going on and alerted security and our family. By then, however, my aunt was out hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars. No charges were filed, but the caregiver was dismissed.

According to The Elder Justice Roadmap, a report just released by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, my aunt is one of 5 million Americans affected by some form of elder abuse each year (physical or mental abuse, neglect or financial exploitation). Most families, like ours, don’t report such abuses to authorities; only one in 24 do, according to the study.

A Widespread Problem The Elder Justice Roadmap is intended to help people and organizations recognize, prevent and address the abuse and exploitation of older adults. One in every 10 people over 60 who lives at home suffers some form of abuse, neglect or exploitation, the report says.

Those with dementia are far more likely to be abused or neglected by caregivers.

Contrary to popular belief, older

adults are more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of their own family members than by a paid caregiver, according to Laura Mosqueda, a geriatrician and director of the National Center on Elder Abuse at University of California Irvine who served on the Elder Justice Roadmap steering committee.

Family caregiver abuse can stem from stress or financial motives. Mosqueda hopes the report will lead to more attention being paid to the factors that can lead to abuse and neglect at home.

“As a provider, I’ve seen families come in on the cusp of abuse and they are good people,” she says. She hopes public awareness of elder abuse will rise to the level where families can get help before it’s too late.

5 Steps for Combating and Preventing Abuse The 40-page report, based on interviews with more than 750 experts and professionals who work with older adults, recommends specific action in five areas: 1. Awareness The report calls for an increase in public awareness of elder abuse — a multi-faceted problem that requires a holistic, well-coordinated response in services, education, policy and research.

2. Brain health It also wants to see more research into brain health, with an enhanced focus on cognitive

capacity (and incapacity) and mental health. These are critical factors both for elder abuse victims and for perpetrators.

3. Caregiving There should be better support and training for the tens of millions of paid and unpaid caregivers who play a critical role in preventing elder abuse, the Elder Justice Roadmap says.

4. Economics The authors want to see the costs of elder abuse quantified, particularly because this national problem includes huge fiscal costs to victims, families and society.

5. Resources The report says the nation needs to strategically invest more resources in services, education, research and expanding knowledge in order to reduce elder abuse in America.

How to Recognize Abuse Beyond its recommendations for the future, the report has already produced immediate benefits. The Department of Justice has created training modules to help attorneys ABUSE, continued on page 4 The Glen at Aberdeen Heights

3

ABUSE, continued from page 3

recognize and address potential financial exploitation of older Americans. Also, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is developing a voluntary national adult protective services data system to capture and analyze reports of abuse.

Mosqueda says healthcare providers and social workers need training to recognize the signs of abuse in their patients and clients. “So many age-related changes can mimic or mask signs of elder abuse — a fracture, bruise or pressure sore or burn — a lot of it is missed,” she notes.

“Turning the tide against elder abuse requires much greater public commitment, so every American will recognize elder abuse when they see it and know what to do if they encounter it,” said Kathy Greenlee, HHS’ assistant secretary for aging and administrator of the Administration for Community Living, in a statement.

Toward that end, The National Center on Elder Abuse has developed an instructive Red Flags of Abuse Factsheet listing the signs of and risk factors for abuse and neglect.

The Administration on Aging says if you suspect that someone is in immediate danger of being an elder abuse victim, call 911 or contact your local adult protective services agency, which can be found through the National Center on Elder Abuse website or by calling 800-677-1116.

“We must take a stand to ensure that older Americans are safe from harm and neglect,” said Associate Attorney General Tony West in a statement. “For their contributions to our nation, to our society, and to our lives, we owe them nothing less.

Copyright© 2014 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

Tulips help grow Good Samaritan Program Colorful paper tulips – each representing a gift to the Good Samaritan Program for Benevolent Care – are adding to the spring decorations at PMMA’s senior living communities. Prior donors received a mailing in April, inviting a gift in honor or tribute to a special woman in their lives. A paper tulip was included.

The tulip may be returned with the gift to the PMMA campus of the donor’s choice. Tulips will be displayed through May. The Good Samaritan Program assists PMMA residents who have run out of funds through no fault of their own. To make a gift and hang a tulip, contact your local PMMA campus.

Coming Up in Community Matters In a future issue of Community Matters, we will be focusing on summer travel.

Were you a summer traveler? Do you have a great vacation story or travel story to tell?

Contact Health Care Lifestyle Coordinator Loretta Cutler with your story, you may be selected to share in an upcoming Community Matters.

4

Community Matters May 2015

Receive our newsletter by email. Message smay2@pmma.org and ask to have the newsletter delivered to your inbox. It’s that easy!