Aberdeen Village
MARCH 2020
Aberdeen Village Art is Ageless® exhibit and reception features senior artists Linda Mwanzi
Assisted living director’s career began in the dining services kitchen
Assisted Living Director Linda Mwanzi is a long way from where she began.
As a teenager in Kenya, Linda decided to leave the life she had known as a child to begin anew in America. “I started my career journey in the kitchen at Aberdeen Village when a sincere resident’s voice spoke to me and asked if I had plans to go back to school to do something else,” Linda said. “I thought of those words for quite some time and wondered why a stranger would believe in me.” In 2004, those words became action, and she stepped into work as a certified nursing assistant. By 2005, she was working as a certified medication assistant, and by 2007 began working as a licensed practical nurse. In 2014, she completed her bachelor of science in nursing, became a registered nurse, and was promoted to director of assisted living. She’s still advancing, however, and will graduate this May with dual master’s degrees in business and nursing. “My favorite inspirational Bible quote is Proverbs 16:3: ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and all your plans will succeed,’” Linda said.
Local senior artists will be celebrated March 27 through April 30 at Aberdeen Village, as the community hosts its annual Art is Ageless® exhibit and observes the 40th anniversary of the Art is Ageless® program. Art is Ageless is a trademarked program of Aberdeen Village’s parent company, PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica). The program offers senior artists the opportunity to share and display their artwork and reaffirms the agelessness of human creativity. “It’s inspiring to see the beautiful pieces these seniors have created,” said Stephanie Oehlert, marketing director at Aberdeen Village. “The joy it brings to them and others is wonderful, and that’s something we want to celebrate and share with the entire Olathe community.” The first Art is Ageless calendar
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She also believes that her work as a nurse fits in with her call to ministry — in her employment, her community and internationally. “The compassion of caring for others and putting other people’s needs first is the kind of life that I was introduced to, up until my teenage life,” Linda said. “It takes a special heart full of compassion to become a nurse and that is what nursing is all about. Caring hands and hearts are what attract people to nursing.” That compassion and dedication to residents — and putting them first — is part of the reason Linda has served at Aberdeen Village since 2003. She has seen over the years the ways in which the staff works to elevate patient care, comfort, and well-being above all else.
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was published in 1981, featuring art from Presbyterian Manor community residents. Since then, the program has expanded to include a juried art competition open to all seniors age 65 and older. The Art is Ageless exhibit will be open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. March 27 through April 30 and feature
“Aberdeen Village is not just a health care center like any other, but it is a community that the majority of residents identify with as home,” Linda said. “It has a special place in my heart in so many ways. Staff in Aberdeen Village put patient care needs first. I have had numerous compliments internal and outside Aberdeen Village of how great our care is towards our patients. Nursing is all about caring.” The year 2020 is also the year of the nurse — a time to recognize the contributions nursing has made to the health care delive¬ry system, as well as a way to mark the 200th birth anniversary of legendary nurse Florence Nightingale. “It is important to take out time this year to recognize the important role of nursing, and the care
works from local artists. The public is welcome to visit the community to view the exhibit of acrylics, oils, photography and various other mediums, ranging from amateur to professional levels. Winning pieces at the community level move on to a masterpiece level judging to determine which pieces are featured in the annual calendar and note cards.
nurses in Aberdeen Village have provided,” Linda said. “I just want to acknowledge the outstanding, challenging work that each one of the nurses have performed to make our residents happy and safe.” Linda says the nurses at Aberdeen Village work to build trust among each other and with the residents, and they tirelessly work to use their knowledge and skills to help residents. “Aberdeen Village is a unique community that is blessed with wonderful nurses,” she said. “I am proud to be associated with such a great community.” Linda says she enjoys her hobbies of travelling and missionary work, but she most enjoys spending time with her family. “I am looking forward to spending more time with them,” she said. ◆
In addition to the exhibit, Aberdeen Village will honor local senior artists during a reception at the community at 3 p.m. May 1. The deadline for entries is March 20. For more information about Art is Ageless, visit ArtIsAgeless.org. For more about Aberdeen Village, visit AberdeenVillage.com or contact Stephanie at soehlert@pmma.org or 913-599-6100. ◆
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ABERDEEN VILLAGE A PMMA COMMUNITY
913-599-6100 ◆ Fax: 913-599-3810 17500 W. 119th St. Olathe, KS 66061-9524 AberdeenVillage.com
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Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Village by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizaton.
To submit or suggest articles: soehlert@PMMA.org Tim Allin, executive director Stephanie Oehlert, director of sales and marketing
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Try these time-tested St. Patty’s Day favorites With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, we thought it would be great to share some favorite recipes. Stephanie Oehlert, sales and marketing director for assisted living and health care, offered these two recipes that are a tradition in her family. Oven braised corned beef & cabbage 4 cups beef broth 1 corned beef brisket with seasoning packet, 3 to 4 pounds 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 large onions, peeled and cut into quarters
1 teaspoon salt
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into thirds
4 tablespoons butter (preferably Irish butter), cut into small pieces
6 small red potatoes, quartered
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 head green cabbage, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons lemon juice*
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the broth and the contents of the seasoning packet in a roasting pan. Place the beef into the pan fat side up. Spread the mustard on the beef, then sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cover the pan and bake for 2 hours. Arrange the onions, carrots, potatoes and cabbage around the beef in the pan. Bake uncovered for one hour or until the beef and vegetables are fork-tender. Let stand for 10 minutes. Place the beef and vegetables into a serving dish. Strain the broth mixture and serve with the beef and vegetables. Irish soda bread 4 – 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 2/3 – 1 3/4 cup milk *Skip the lemon juice and milk and just use 1 3/4 cups buttermilk if you have it. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk together 4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal or crumbs. Place lemon juice in a two-cup glass measuring cup and fill up to the 1 3/4 mark with milk. Let milk sit for several minutes to sour. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the beaten
egg and soured milk to the well and mix with a wooden spoon. Once the dough is too stiff to stir, dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add in a little additional flour. Shape dough into a round loaf. The dough will be a little sticky and quite rugged looking. Do not over-knead! Work it just enough so that the flour is moistened and the dough barely comes together. Rough and shaggy is good. Overkneading will result in a tough loaf of bread. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an “X” shape. Bake until bread is golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35–40 minutes. Remove sheet from oven, let bread cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes, then briefly cool on a rack. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted. ◆
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Social services director does a ‘little bit of everything’ at Aberdeen Village March is social worker month, and the theme is “Social Workers: Generations Strong.” We visited with Social Services Director Janelle Erickson to learn more about the work social workers do and how they help serve the residents of Aberdeen Village. How long have you been a social worker, and how long have you worked at Aberdeen Village? Since 1990, and I have been at Aberdeen Village for eight years. Tell us about your role as a social worker at Aberdeen Village. As social workers we do a little bit of everything — from Medicare paperwork and assessments to conducting family and neighborhood meetings to investigating concerns/complaints from residents and family members. I tell our residents and families to come to me if they have any questions they don’t know who to ask or concerns they have. If I don’t know the answer, I can either find out for them or let them know who they need to talk to. What do you enjoy about your work at Aberdeen Village? My favorite part of the day is spending time with the residents. I love visiting with them and learning about their pasts. If I’m having a stressful day, I will go to one of the neighborhoods to spend time with the residents. I also enjoy knowing that hopefully I am making a difference for them at this time of their lives and let them know that they are still valued. What important service/role do social workers play in the lives
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of residents at Aberdeen Village? One important role we have is to be a consistent face to the residents, especially our residents with dementia. It helps them to feel safe to see the same faces daily. It’s also helpful for the residents and families to know us so they are comfortable coming to us with any concerns they might have or if they just want to Janelle Erickson talk. I try to be as accessible as possible to not only residents but their families and staff. What sort of things do you do that are hard for people to see — or that are behind the scenes — yet help make life better or easier for residents? Our residents have had a lot of losses by the time they move into assisted living or health care. Many realize that this will be their last home. I try to do things that help to make their lives as normal and comfortable as possible. I develop personal relationships with the residents so they feel comfortable talking to me about those losses and any grief they may feel.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I have been married for 30 years. I have a son who owns a lawn management business and a daughter in grad school in Colorado. We have two dogs and one cat. I enjoy reading, spending time with my family and traveling to the beach as often as possible. Anything others should know about life as a social worker in a senior living community? Unfortunately, I think there is still a stigma with many people about working with older adults. I wish everyone knew how rewarding it is. If you take the time to get to know them, older adults are fascinating and fun to be around. ◆
Social worker is ready to help residents, no matter the need For social worker Liz Miller the mission of her job is quite simple.
“My approach to social work is ‘see a need, fill a need,’” Liz said. “If something or someone is in need of help, I will do my best to assist. My hope is that all residents, regardless of where they live in our building, recognize me as a resource and advocate and someone who’s willing to accompany them in life.” However, what it takes, and the detail required, to achieve that mission is anything but simple. “Social workers can play so many roles in the lives of our residents,” Liz said. “My favorite role is to advocate for residents when they are trying to reach a challenging goal. I am often a liaison for their family members and even to other Aberdeen Village staff.” She also serves as an “information broker” by sharing knowledge about senior concerns and challenges, such as how to navigate Medicare and Medicaid, care options, how to find additional help or resources, as well as endof-life choices. Additionally, social workers handle a number of complaints, concerns, and suggestions from residents and work with the entire team to troubleshoot difficult scenarios and develop effective solutions.
been with Aberdeen Village for nine months. She said she enjoys the approach staff take to care for residents.
“I really enjoy the teamwork approach in all we do at Aberdeen,” she said. Liz Miller “Social workers, nurses, therapists, marketing, life enrichment, dietary staff, administrators, et cetera, all work together to help our residents live their best life. We are a very interdisciplinary team, which helps things run more smoothly for our residents and provides support to me in my role here as well.” Though much of her work is behind the scenes, it’s a critical, underlying piece of the puzzle required to ensure residents get what they need in order to have the best care possible.
“We help our residents determine and reach their goals,” Liz said. “We are a support system for residents, and we help them and their families navigate the intricacies of health care and many of the challenges that come with aging.”
“We are point-people for checking in on residents’ overall mental and emotional health and well-being (psychosocial health). We visit with residents in all parts of the building to ensure their quality of life is the best it can be,” Liz said.
Liz has been a social worker for more than seven years and has
If any resident ever faces a difficult challenge or has questions about
nearly anything, Liz is not only ready, she’s eager to help. “We can provide help as needed or refer people to the help they need,” she said. “Please never be afraid to reach out. We are happy to help!” Outside of work, Liz enjoys spending time with her husband and 3-year-old. “My favorite thing in the world is spending time with my family,” she said. They often take their canoes out on local lakes and enjoy camping, eating ice cream, working out and making quick trips back to Liz’s hometown of St. Louis. She’s lived in Kansas City for the past seven years. Liz studied social work and Spanish at Creighton University. She’s a fluent Spanish speaker as well. She achieved her master’s in social work from Louisiana State University. ◆
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ABERDEEN VILLAGE A PMMA COMMUNITY
17500 W. 119th St. Olathe, KS 66061-9524 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Our Mission: to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.
Change to compliance hotline
PMMA’s corporate compliance program provides a mechanism for the organization to guard against misconduct by employees, service partners, volunteers and others who are regularly in PMMA’s communities in compliance with federal and state laws governing providers of health care services. It is everyone’s responsibility to report suspected misconduct without fear of retaliation or retribution. PMMA uses a third party provider to manage the compliance hotline to ensure anonymity of those who report suspected misconduct. This company recently made upgrades to its system, which have changed the way people can report suspected misconduct, offering both telephone and online options. The new toll free number is 1-844-973-0049. A new web portal offers the ability to make a report via the internet at www.pmma.ethicspoint.com. ◆
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YOU MATTER A Special Insert Highlighting the Efforts of PMMA Donors and Volunteers
FARMERS INSURANCE PROVIDES COMFORT ITEMS TO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS Employees of Farmers Insurance sprinkled joy and shared gifts with residents over the holidays. It was an unexpected blessing when Monica Way, accounting analyst, inquired about visiting Aberdeen Village and bringing gifts for residents. “We have been neighbors for years, but we are excited to build a friendship with the wonderful employees at Farmers (Insurance),� stated Executive Director Tim Allin. On December 16, Farmers Insurance employees visited and delivered 87 gift bags and cards to share with residents in health care center and assisted living neighborhoods. The gifts of soaps, lotion,
socks and treats were greatly appreciated, but the smiles and new friendship are so meaningful. Together, we are making positive differences in the lives of seniors.
ABERDEEN VILLAGE FUNDRAISING DASHBOARD
Gifts received in 2019 were restricted in the following program areas. Every gift will be used here in your community.
MARCH 2020
THE FAQS ON THE SECURE ACT The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was enacted Jan. 1, 2020. With it came many questions for those who are planning for retirement, retired or who are retiring in the near future. Passed as part of a spending bill, the SECURE Act brought with it the most significant changes to retirement plans since 2006. While some changes impact you, others will impact the people you name as a beneficiary. Changes to Know
1. You can contribute to your IRA longer. Previously, you could not contribute to your IRA after reaching the age of 70½. However, more and more people are working past that age. The SECURE Act repeals this age limitation, allowing you more time to save. 2. The required minimum distribution (RMD) age changed. The SECURE Act changed the age at which you must start taking RMDs from your retirement account from 70½ to 72 for those who were born July 1, 1949, or later. This change allows you additional time to grow the funds in your account before you have to start withdrawing from it. 3. IRA beneficiary rules have changed. Prior to the SECURE Act, beneficiaries could take distributions throughout their lives. This offered tax savings for the beneficiary. The SECURE Act preserved this option for beneficiaries who are spouses, but repeals it for non-spousal IRA beneficiaries. They will now have 10 years to withdraw the entire amount. What Stayed the Same
If you’re 70½ or older, you can still make a tax-free gift to a qualified charitable organization. You can transfer any amount up to $100,000 per year directly to a qualified charitable organization without paying income tax on the distribution. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions. Your gift will also be put to use today, allowing you to see the difference you’re making. Please contact Sarah Oenning at soenning@pmma.org to discuss your benefits. Review Your Plans If you have questions about the impact of the SECURE Act on your retirement plans, be sure to make an appointment with your financial advisor. They can review the plans you have in place (including your beneficiary designations) and help make sure you are still on the right track.
Learn all the ways friends and family make PMMA
better by visiting giving.
presbyterianmanors.org. Want to talk one on one? Call us at 316.685.1100.
Sarah Oenning Vice President, Department of Giving soenning@pmma.org Patti Christen Regional Director of Giving pchristen@pmma.org Regina Barger Stewardship Manager rbarger@pmma.org Fran Pack Donor Information Specialist fpack@pmma.org