The Glen At Aberdeen Heights Community Matters October 2015

Community Matters The Glen at Aberdeen Heights

Diamond distinction

Even though Aberdeen Heights is a relatively new Presbyterian Manors of Mid America (PMMA) campus, that didn’t stop the staff and management team from recently winning a major award from Greystone Communities, the company that manages the campus for PMMA. At its recent annual meeting, Greystone awarded Aberdeen Heights with the Greystone Diamond Award.

“The Greystone Diamond Award is only awarded to the top performing communities and is considered a true mark of excellence,” said James “Jamie” Kneen, who became executive director at the campus in February. “It is similar to PMMA’s Emerald Awards.”

There are seven core standards or criteria upon which each campus is evaluated for the Diamond Award: • A first-impression survey • Financial performance • Hospitality initiatives

October 2015

Art is Ageless®

Local artist receives posthumous honor Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America has announced the winners of its annual, system-wide Art is Ageless® competition, which features entries by artists age 65 and older throughout Kansas and Missouri.

One winning artist’s piece in Aberdeen Heights’ annual Art is Ageless® juried competition will join nearly 50 winning entries from Kansas and Missouri in the 2016 Art is Ageless calendar and note cards.

“Autumn on the Meramec” by Emmett Kaelble.

The winners of the masterpiece level competition are featured in the annual Art is Ageless Calendar and notecards.

“Autumn on the Meramec,” a photo by the late Emmett Kaelble, will appear in the 2016 Art is Ageless Calendar.

Art is Ageless, open exclusively to people age 65 and older, is a copyrighted program of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years.

Artists not interested in competition were invited to enter the Art is Ageless exhibit only.

The Art is Ageless program includes art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions on

• Task force participation DIAMOND, continued on page 2

A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America

ART, continued on page 2

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PMMA campuses throughout the year. To be eligible for PMMA’s masterpiece level competition, artists entered a juried competition at one of 18 Presbyterian Manor communities in Kansas and Missouri.

The 2016 Art is Ageless calendar and notecard artwork will include amateur and professional entries selected from winning entries in nine categories.

For more information about Art is Ageless, visit ArtIsAgeless.org.

Bruce Shogren, PMMA CEO; Rick Cumberland, senior vice president of management services and operations for Greystone Communities; Doug Yoder, consultant for PMMA; Jamie Kneen, executive director at Aberdeen Heights; and Dave Keaton, vice president of operations management services, pose with the Diamond Award presented to Aberdeen Heights.

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• Professional employee growth survey • Licensure survey compliance • Community accomplishments

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.

Telephone: 314-909-6010 Address: 505 Couch Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

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Community Matters October 2015

“What was particularly special for us is that it is very unusual for a relatively new community like ours to win the award,” Kneen said. “There are a lot of factors, particularly financially, that need to fall into place to even be considered for the award. To actually win is a huge testament to the team at Aberdeen Heights.”

Two representatives from Greystone Communities recently presented the award to Kneen at the Aberdeen Heights campus. Rick Cumberland, senior vice president of management services and operations, and Dave Keaton, vice president of operations management services, work closely with Aberdeen Heights.

The Diamond Awards feature four tiers of exceptional difficulty, ranging from a score of a minimum 84 to a maximum of 95+ points. For its exceptional performance, Aberdeen Heights received a One Diamond Award. While the Diamond Awards are not an end to themselves, they do help communities deliver on service excellence and provide the very best senior living management services.

“On behalf of the entire PMMA senior leadership team, we are so very proud of Jamie Kneen and the entire Aberdeen Heights’ team for this outstanding achievement,” said Bruce Shogren, PMMA chief executive officer. “I salute the Aberdeen Heights team members because they continue to shine in service excellence and outstanding management—and in my book­—that equates to a first-class performance by a first class team.”

FALSLTIVAL FE

Saturday, October 3, 1:30 to 3 p.m.

• Musical entertainment • Cake walk, kiddie fish pond, bean bag toss and other games • Face painting • Petting zoo for the little ones • Hot dogs, soda, chips • Funnel cakes and more!

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE Support Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Today by Donating a Vehicle!

We’ll pick up at no cost and you get a tax deduction.

Dates

TO REMEMBER

Breakfast with Santa: Saturday, Nov. 28,

10 to 11:30 a.m.

Grab the kids, grandkids or neighbors and come on over for some Christmas cheer, food and crafts for the kids. Don’t forget your camera!

Christmas Party for residents and families:

Thursday, Dec. 10, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

This is our time to shine and say THANK YOU to our families and residents!

Just call (844) 490-GIVE for information The Glen at Aberdeen Heights

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Cards that offer better words for a serious illness

By Emily Gurnon for Next Avenue

Among the potentially offensive comments: referring to cancer as “a journey.”

If you have ever had cancer or another serious illness, you can probably make a long list of unhelpful things that friends, family and well-meaning acquaintances have said to you.

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“With time and distance, some people do come to that conclusion on their own that this … feels like a journey,” McDowell told NPR. “But a lot of people really feel like ‘If this is a journey, I’d like my ticket refunded.’”

Coming Up Empty

Courtesy of Emily McDowell Studio

“I read about this miraculous new treatment on the Internet!”

“Oh, I knew someone who had that same thing and they died.”

Emily McDowell, a cancer survivor, has heard them all.

In response, the Los Angeles graphic designer came up with a set of eight “Empathy Cards” to be used when traditional “get well” cards just don’t work.

She launched them May 2015. Another set is due out in December 2015, she told NPR’s Ina Jaffe in an interview. Cards are available at EmilyMcDowell.com.

A Terrifying Diagnosis McDowell learned 15 years ago, at age 24, that she had Stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.

To be fair, it is hard to know what to say. When we see friends and loved ones suffering, we want to help. But most of the greeting cards in stores either make a joke of illness or suggest that someone “get well” when the recipient is terminally ill.

McDowell said she knew there was a need for what she was doing. She calls empathy cards “the most important things I’ve designed so far.”

Many Can Relate The cards’ sentiments have clearly hit a nerve. In more than 200 comments posted below the story on NPR’s website, readers gave example after example of “helpful” remarks they found offensive in the face of a serious or terminal illness.

Several said sentiments made them angry; others said they appreciated offers of prayer and took others’ comments to heart.

“I’ve heard, ‘You’re so brave’ a million times,” another wrote. “As if I have any choice.” © Twin

Cities Public Television—2015. All rights reserved.

Everyone has a story to tell Christmas will be here before we know it, and we’ll be talking about celebrations and traditions in an upcoming issue of Community Matters as we celebrate the holidays. Does your family have a special tradition? Is there a song that immediately conjures up memories of Christmases past? Do you have a memorable Christmas story to share? Contact Health Care Lifestyle Coordinator Loretta Cutler, and your story may be selected to appear in an upcoming Community Matters.

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Community Matters October 2015

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