Aberdeen Heights
SEPTEMBER 2020
Pandemic provides lessons, opportunities The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced many changes throughout the world, as people have been asked to navigate daily tasks of life with exceeding care and caution. Few places have been as affected as congregate living communities, and few people have been asked to do more than the residents and employees of the PMMA family. Aberdeen Heights’ box turtles enjoy a buffet set out by Carol McSweeney.
‘Turtle whisperer’ doesn’t slow down One might call Carol McSweeney the turtle whisperer. Despite her skill in taming the community’s wild turtle population, there’s not much else that’s slow about this 89-year-old Aberdeen Heights’ resident. “I’m so tickled with my turtles,” Carol laughed. “I had them as a kid in Kirkwood, so I thought I’d see if I could train them like I saw on TV.” Carol explained that she’s a big fan of the show “Aquarium.” She watched how workers on the show train stingrays to come to a designated feeding area by beating a regular pattern on the aquarium wall. “That happened to be the same day I saw a big box turtle by the patio out back,” she said. “I had some lettuce, berries, and veggies left from lunch. It’s TURTLES - continued on page 3
As the pandemic continues into autumn, we asked Aberdeen Heights Executive Director Rick Cumberland to talk about the lingering effect of the coronavirus, and about the way in which employees and residents have worked together to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone. “Constant encouragement for the team has been a critical factor,” Rick said of his approach. “Open communication has helped. Our team has banded together to develop communication programs, exercise programs, family online chats, outside concerts, LESSONS - continued on page 2
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etc. Basically, no new idea has been rejected, and the team has been extremely creative. Our life enrichment team even distributes ice cream and popsicles to the door of all independent living residents once a week. The response of the residents has been overwhelmingly positive.” Yet months of limits on outside visitors have created a new set of challenges that are intertwined with the physical health concerns of the virus. As the months go on, it’s harder to keep morale high for both residents and employees. “In addition to the clinical challenges of COVID-19, the increasing challenge is the psychosocial needs of our residents. Isolation and depression are taking their toll even on independent living residents who are not in strict isolation,” Rick said. “Along with all the clinical and psychosocial challenges, the sparsity of employees and inability to secure replacement staff has been extremely difficult.” In recent weeks, talk has begun of taking a slow, phased approach to opening up communities to help residents connect with family and resume some sense of routine and normalcy. Doing so, however, will require a great deal of strategy and care. “Challenges in reopening are
one, finally getting permission to do it; two, keeping residents and families patient with the gradual, phased approach after such a long prohibition period; and three, maintaining safety as we try to increase enjoyment. Communication has been ramped up considerably and remains a primary concern,” Rick said. “Is it enough, is it frequent enough, are we reaching everyone we need to reach? We meet regularly as a team and are taking a very organized and disciplined approach to program the reopening stages. We are also communicating weekly, in person as well as in writing, with residents and family regarding what is currently happening (charts, stats, testing, etc.) and what is coming up in the next stages of reopening.” Despite the extraordinary level of planning and communication, we’ve learned that something like a pandemic follows its own path and its own timeline. The need for flexibility and adaptability is paramount as the number of cases outside the community rise and fall nearly daily, requiring quick changes to any reopening effort. “We are planning every stage and phase for each discipline and area — reviewing constantly and rewriting to accommodate any new regulatory changes, meeting frequently, and keeping an open communication platform for questions and readjustments,” Rick
said. “We attend all of the industry and health department webinars and calls with PMMA to continue to help us know of new information and statistics.” The pandemic has also given the Aberdeen Heights community an opportunity to learn and use that knowledge to better prepare for whatever comes next. Some of the learning will help employees better prepare if cases surge again, and some helps team members and management provide more personalized care for residents. “Our team has a strong sense of responsibility and commitment,” Rick said. “We have learned that we never want to do this again. We also are learning the importance of continuing safe measures; we have learned not to rely on testing and to value quarantine and safety measures as a more reliable tool than testing. We are also learning the devastating impact of isolation and conversely the importance of relationships and gatherings — relationships with residents as well as with team members. We have learned more solidly that one cannot be successful without others. Our team has always been an extension of our residents’ families, and in fact, many families are reaching out to us to extend their feelings and well wishes to their residents. The difficulties of COVID-19 have served to deepen those connections.” ◆
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ABERDEEN HEIGHTS A PMMA COMMUNITY
314-909-6010 ◆ Fax: 913-599-3810 505 Couch Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122-5536 AberdeenSeniorLiving.com
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | September 2020
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.
To submit or suggest articles: llandy@PMMA.org Rick Cumberland, executive director Lily Landy, health care administrator David Evans, life enrichment director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
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like a big buffet. I set it outside my door, then hit the sidewalk with my wooden spoon five times and went back inside.” When she looked back outside there were three box turtles “already scarfing up the vegetables.” Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see up to eight turtles enjoying Carol’s breakfast offering — including several baby turtles that come out from time to time. “I consider myself a turtle trainer,” Carol said. “It’s been a lot of fun. Most people are really enjoying it. Anyone who walks down the hallway down to the dining room can see them. Everyone gives me an update on what they’ve been seeing.” Turtle feeding has become a morning ritual that takes place around 8 a.m. when Carol is done with breakfast. She hasn’t named them, and doesn’t try to “get too friendly” with them. She sometimes peeks her head around the corner to make sure they’re doing OK — which can be enough to startle the gentle creatures.
Carol McSweeney keeps busy volunteering with several things around campus, including this outdoor, socially distanced painting class. “I can’t sit around watching TV all day,” she said. “I can’t read because my vision is going. But I’m full of ideas of things to do.” Those include helping Life Enrichment Director David Evans hold an outdoor painting class where a group of residents tried their hand at pastels. “I sort of became David’s helper. He set everyone up really well,” Carol said. “He provided a picture of a tree for everyone to copy, and I just gave them tips and suggestions.”
“I’m having a ball,” she said. “I’m a nature person, and I used to feed turtles at our old house out in the woods. That was 25 years ago.”
Carol said she’s also working with David to plan a sensory garden, similar to one she helped plant as a volunteer with an organization serves blind children.
While Carol’s claim to fame might be turtle training, it’s just one of the many things she does to keep herself busy.
“I happen to have a blind child, and I found out 65 years ago there were no services for blind children,” she said. “A sensory garden has flowers and
herbs that smell, along with a couple of wind chimes for sound and a bowl of water to splash in. I’ve found my list of flowers, and we need to have a dish in it with white sand — because that’s the only way a butterfly can get a drink — and a bigger dish for birds to splash and take a bath in. It’s hilarious to watch. I haven’t talked to David about that, but I’m sure we’ll get it done.” She also has ambitions to spearhead an effort to enter a Lego building contest, and she has already ordered her first batch to one day get this project off the ground. “I have just been inspired by some of the things you can build with Legos,” she said. “Anyone can do it, and it’s great for autistic children. But I ordered my first set and it’s intimidating—it’s the skyline of London.” ◆
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.org/covid-19. ◆
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ABERDEEN HEIGHTS A PMMA COMMUNITY
505 Couch Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122 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.
Residents enjoy July Fourth celebration Residents and staff gathered (outdoors and socially distanced, of course) to celebrate the Independence Day holiday on July 4. The fun event featured sparklers and patriotic beads, hats and headbands. We even enjoyed a round of patriotic tunes belted out on the piano. It was a great way to spend a few moments remembering and celebrating the origins of the United States of America. â—†
Phyllis Hippenmeyer
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | September 2020
Lolita Manring