Aberdeen Village
JUNE 2020
Cassandra Everett blends passions with her career at Aberdeen Village For Cassandra Everett, licensed practical nurse, her role as medical records coordinator at Aberdeen Village blends her desire to care for others and to exercise the creative problem solving required of a businesswoman.
Pat Zeller gives a royal wave in preparation for her Mother’s Day glamour shot.
Aberdeen Village staff creative, innovative in pandemic response
“Growing up, I always liked to take care of people, but I wanted to be a businesswoman, too,” Cassandra said. “My dad was a teacher, and my mom was a nurse. I have many family members in the medical field, so you can say it’s in my blood. I was going to college for something else but wasn’t Cassandra Everett really happy with my choice. My dad kept telling me for years go to nursing school. I finally listened to him and in 2009 became a nurse. I’m very happy I listened to him.” The nurse in her appreciates the opportunity to help meet residents’ needs and provide tangible assistance in their day-to-day lives. The businesswoman appreciates the part of her job that allows her to be innovative and manage problems. “The role of the nurse is to advocate for the be-t interests of the resident and to maintain the resident’s dignity throughout their care and treatment. The resident is the first priority of the nurse,” Cassandra said. “Nurses are teachers, advocates, caregivers, critical thinkers and innovators who make a difference in people’s lives every single day. You can see that especially now with what is going on in the world dealing with COVID-19.” EVERETT - continued on page 6
The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the globe has forced public health measures not seen since the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Terms such as “social distancing” and “stay-at-home order” have become commonplace in an era of a novel virus for which there is no treatment or vaccine. Communities such as Aberdeen Village have been forced to reevaluate protocols to protect residents, who face increased threat of contracting the virus RESPONSE - continued on page 3
Aberdeen Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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Residents remember significant historic events Each of us passes through historic moments throughout our lives.
While shared nationally or globally, we often remember these times through the filter of our personal experience. From a global pandemic or the assassination of a president to the biggest snowstorm in memory—these experiences are both widely shared and uniquely ours. Below are a few memories of residents who offered their own “I remember where I was when.…” stories. Name: Beth Riner Significant Event: 9/11 attacks Our phone in Merriam, Kan., rang at 11 p.m. “Mom Beth, just wanted you to know we’re at home and we’re OK.” Me: “OK from what?” The story unfolded. From our daughter-in-law’s window at work, she saw the second plane as it hit the second tower. Our son was nearby at law school, so they were able to find each other and head toward the train station. Crowds of confused people were looking for companions, transportation, or places to give blood. We ended the call. My mind rolled back years to a birthday dinner in “the first tower.” We sang, then blessed the food. Now I knew — it was time to pray again!
Name: Carolyn Wilken
headed for the USA.
Significant Event: John F. Kennedy assassination
The US border was closed to truck traffic, and we were stuck in traffic I was in the junior high school gym, miles from the border. A police car going in the opposite direction playing dodge ball, when someone stopped and asked where we were came and told our teacher, and he going. We explained that we were told us. We didn’t know if the vice trying to get home to the US. He president was killed, too. No one, said to follow him. We pulled out of not even our teachers, knew the order of succession beyond the vice the line of trucks and soon we were taking numerous back roads. We president. Everyone just went and eventually ended up at the border sat down on the bleachers, scared crossing. We handed our passports that someone could be killed like to the border guard and after being that. So blatant. questioned he handed them back Name: Evelyn Bergmann to us and welcomed us back to the USA. Hilda and I were so relieved Significant Event: 9/11 attacks to be back. Glenn and I were on a tour of Name: Duane White Boston when 9/11 happened. They closed Boston, and it was really Significant Event: Tornado of hard to find our way back to our 1951 campground. We went in our motor home, and our campground I was in high school on a farm five miles East of Caldwell, Kansas, a organized the Boston tour. We half mile north of the Oklahoma never got to finish our tour. border. It was hot and we did not Name: Ed Duman have air conditioning. I slept on a cot outside. In the middle of Significant Event: 9/11 attacks the night, my dad came out to get When 9/11 happened, my wife me as the sirens of Caldwell were Hilda and I were visiting family in sounding, indicating bad weather. Toronto, Canada. We were shocked On the way to the house, I heard by what we saw on the TV. We had many bad and loud noises. I was to make a decision — do we stay carrying my cat, but my dad told in Canada, or do we pack up and me to let it go. The next morning, head home to the USA. There were we still had our house, barn and reports that the border was going to EVENTS - continued on page 5 be closed. We loaded up the car and Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.
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 | June 2020
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) organization.
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.
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due to the nature of campus-style living arrangements. During this time, normal access to visitors and trips outside the community have necessarily been restricted. Yet this current reality has sparked compassion and creativity in staff. They have worked to find new ways to ensure residents stay in contact with friends and family, despite the need to remain socially distanced from one another. “There is a wide variety of people in different departments stepping up,” said Liz Miller, social worker at Aberdeen Village. “Everyone is going above and beyond. It’s not just one department. Different things are happening at different levels of care.” Some examples include: Patio time: During the week, staff is taking time to escort assisted living residents outdoors to enjoy a number of activities, such as walking and bird watching. “A variety of people are taking it upon themselves to take residents out,” Liz said. “It happened beforehand, but it’s much more intentional now. I took someone out to go bird watching today because the resident is an avid birdwatcher.” Patio time can also be as simple as enjoying some sunshine and warm spring air. Residents remain far enough apart to achieve appropriate social distancing. Additional person-centered care: While Presbyterian Manor always takes a resident-centered approach to care, Liz said recent challenges have augmented that frame of mind in positive ways.
“The guy I was talking about, the bird-watcher, we realized the way his room was set up made it sort of hard for him to see out the window,” Liz said. “So we rearranged it so he could see outside. It might seem like a small thing, but it was a big thing for him. It improves his quality of life, and it was really insightful of staff to notice.” The stress of the pandemic has prompted staff to really “hone in” on getting to know residents, to understand their likes and dislikes, and to do everything possible to help residents achieve their preferences. “We are getting to know what they like — maybe it’s to play piano, or do crosswords, gardening, or reading. We go out of our way to make sure that happens.” Pop-up dance parties: A Bluetooth speaker and open hallways work together to get residents moving with impromptu dancing. These breaks both encourage exercise and provide a few moments of lighthearted fun. “The residents will come out of their rooms and dance with us,” Liz said. “We have the room to space out, and it helps them remember that we are in a social environment. It’s really fun and the residents enjoy it.” Daily scripture: Each day, the chaplain takes a few moments to lead the community in a morning prayer, song, and a few words of scripture. The prayer lasts only a few minutes, but sharing a common experience has proven to be a nice way for residents to begin their day. Additionally, Aberdeen Village has begun offering virtual communion and rosary for Catholic residents,
A resident gets prepared to have her glamour shot taken. Glamour shots were taken and shared with families for Mother’s Day. gathering a few residents at a time to participate with others, albeit at a safe distance from one another. Activities: Through Aberdeen Village’s in-house cable channel, the activities staff has created exercise and activities for residents. At 9 a.m. every morning, residents can tune into the channel and continue their exercise routine from the comfort of their rooms. In addition to exercise, the channel offers movies, bingo games, reruns of Johnny Carson, and even travel content that allows residents to take a virtual tour of a museum or some faraway vacation spot. Dining services: Thanks to creative thinking, the dining services department has created a minimart on campus to meet residents’ needs and eliminate the need to travel off-site for supplies. “Instead of placing an order out to a store, if they need some essential products they can buy them directly from the mart,” Liz said. “It’s stocked by the dining services staff, using the ordinary kitchen RESPONSE - continued on page 4
Aberdeen Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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supply company. It’s all in-house, and it removes the need for them to leave and cuts down on the number of items coming in. “It’s providing a world of good for our independent living folks.” In addition to the market, the dining staff has worked hard to create fun food-centered events for residents, including ice cream socials, banana split days, and afternoon coffee and snacks. Mother’s Day: This year, the staff at Aberdeen Village went all out for Mother’s Day with a “Glamour Shot” event for residents. “We glammed everyone up, created a back drop and took glamour shots,” Liz said. “We did hair, makeup, everything for every single woman. Since family members weren’t able to come in by then, we’ll send the photos to family members.” Liz extended her appreciation to the staff, including Activities Director Sandy Barnes and Dining Services Director Norma Kester, for their energetic and creative approach to what is otherwise a challenging time.
“Sandy has a whole team of people on activities,” Liz said. “So many of them are doing things behind the scenes and unnamed, but they’re creating some semblance of normal.” It’s critical to ensure that residents remain emotionally connected to others during this time, and Liz said the staff is thinking of new ways to maintain some sense of normal in what are abnormal times. “Our ideas are just free-flowing right now,” Liz said. “So long as it’s not an infection control issue, we’re pretty open to just about everything. The reality is that right now, we are our residents’ families. We love them and care for them like our own loved ones. With the stay-at-home orders, people haven’t
All images: Staff served residents a buffet of Mexican food for Cinco De Mayo, observing social distancing in line. been able to leave their homes. That burden really does fall to us, and in a lot of ways it’s a privilege.” ◆
COVID-19 updates continue
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, you can count on regular communication from your PMMA community and PMMA leadership. PMMA’s President and CEO Bruce Shogren’s latest letter to residents and families are posted to your community website, AberdeenSeniorLiving.com/covid-19. Get the latest information about visitation and restrictions on deliveries and learn more about PMMA’s infection control efforts to contain COVID-19 across the PMMA system. ◆
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outbuildings, but we lost an empty granary, machine shed and many trees. We found my cat that I was carrying 1.5 miles north on one of our farms. I will always remember that night. Name: Carolyn McCaul Significant Event: 1951 Flood in Bottoms of Kansas City, Mo. My husband, Don, and his partner, Red, worked in downtown Kansas City, Mo., and when they heard the “Bottoms” in Kansas City were devastated by a sudden rain storm, mixed with flooding by the Kaw river, they left work. The Bottoms not only had heavy industry and their famous stockyards; people lived there, too. So Red went home and got his fishing boat. He and Don spent the afternoon rescuing people from the buildings. That evening we met friends at the outdoor Starlight Theatre and enjoyed performances under the stars. All day I wasn’t watching TV or listening to the radio, so I did not hear what Don was doing until his secretary called and told me.
Kansas City flood, 1951 Name: Esther Minter Significant Event: Space shuttle Challenger explosion I was taking my fifth grade class
View of Crowd in Olathe KS 1935 at a presidential whistlestop. Larry Blake is in the front row. to lunch. My kindergarten teacher friend greeted me with “Have you heard the news? The Challenger has exploded!” I had lesson plans from NASA to follow the flight and observe Halley’s Comet for six days. My fifth-grade class had made a big bulletin board for all classes to follow the progress of the Challenger. Christa McAuliffe was the first teacher to go into space 34 years ago, January 28, 1986. The explosion was only 73 seconds after launch from Kennedy Space Center. All seven members of the crew died. It was hard taking down that bulletin board.
FDR in 1935 at a whistlestop in Olathe, Kansas. Name: Larry Blake Significant Event: 1935 presidential campaign in Olathe, Kan.
I was standing in the middle of the Santa Fe Rail Road tracks at the Name: Mary Lou Niebling Santa Fe Street crossing in Olathe, Significant Event: Beginning of sometime during the summer/ war with Japan, December 7, 1941 fall of 1935. I was standing at I was sitting in a large movie theater the end of the observation car listening to the campaign speech of in St. Louis with my parents and brother. The movie was interrupted, Franklin Roosevelt, who was on the the lights were turned on, President platform with his wife, Eleanor. The photographer also took a picture Franklin Roosevelt spoke on the facing away from the observation movie screen and announced the car platform showing me dressed in US was at war with Japan. The bib overalls on the front row. Can lights were left on and everyone exited the theater. you find me? ◆ Aberdeen Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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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.
EVERETT - continued from page 1
In 2012, she became the medical records coordinator, which carries a lot of responsibility to ensure that records are maintained in an orderly manner. That role has allowed her to better blend her passions. “My mom then told me that I finally got my childhood dream of taking care of people and being a businesswoman,” Cassandra said. “She was right, I got the best of both worlds.” Cassandra, who joined Aberdeen Village in 2003 — six years before she became a nurse — said that she’s drawn inspiration from others in her life who have offered encouragement. She’s thankful for those interactions, as well as
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the constant reward she gets from working on behalf of residents. “All the opportunities, education, advancement, people you meet and the difference you make in someone life. It’s a wonderful path to follow,” she said. “I think nursing is as much of a calling as it is a career path. Nursing is an in-demand occupation, it has constant excitement and challenges.” When she’s not helping others, she enjoys spending time with her family. Cassandra is a
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granddaughter, daughter, and aunt to six “kids” ranging from ages 3 to 30. She said she likes going to plays, singing with her family, and recently got “hooked” on going to Planet Comicon in Kansas City. She also likes watching “skoolie” videos, in which people convert old school buses into mini mobile homes. “I enjoy helping out my family and friends,” she said. ◆