Arkansas City Community Matters February 2020

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor

FEBRUARY 2020

The label of love

By Bill Bowles, chaplain

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35 New International Version (NIV) Key ideas:

David Messenger honors his late father Paul Messenger

• A new commandment

Families reflect and remember with Celebration of Life tree

Jo Carolyn Chambers, former director of social services for Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor, created the vision of the Celebration of Life approximately 20 years ago.

“We started [the celebration] as a way to remember and honor those that we served and loved as well as the impact they made in each of our lives,” she said. “Many residents become like family and having the Celebration of Life provides that special time of reflection and gratitude for the way that our lives were touched. For the families, the Celebration of Life allowed them a chance to also reflect and remember as well as share with the caregivers.”

The Celebration of Life tree remains lit at the front of the chapel for the entire holiday season. It is not unusual for individuals to stop in

• A new standard of love • A new test of religion Action step: • Transform your concern and good feelings for others into action.

Do something besides thinking to talking good thoughts; prove your love by caring for specific persons.

Prayer: Lord, I hope to be identified as a disciple of Christ today by the way I treat everyone I meet. ◆

TREE - continued on page 2 Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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TREE - continued from page 1

during the day, simply to look at the ornaments on the tree. The first ornaments used were gold stars,

each with the name of a resident who had passed. Now, Presbyterian Manor uses ornaments that have a picture of each resident.

If you ask the Presbyterian Manor family, the Celebration of Life tree is most precious tree in our community. â—†

Top left: Kimberly Walton honors her late mother Barbara Orman Above: The chapel is decorated for the Celebration of Life.

Left: Ornaments on the tree are created in memory of residents who have passed during the year.

ARKANSAS CITY Presbyterian Manor

620-442-8700 â—† Fax: 620-442-8224 1711 N. Fourth St. Arkansas City, KS 67005-1607 ArkansasCityPresbyterianManor.org

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | February 2020

Community Matters

is published monthly for residents and friends of Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor

by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizaton.

To submit or suggest articles: spage@PMMA.org Sarah Griggs, executive director Sean Page, marketing director

OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.

Preparing for the unexpected death of a spouse

By Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell for Next Avenue

When my husband, Dale, passed away at age 57 from a sudden, massive heart attack two days before Thanksgiving in 2018, the last thing on my mind was the finances. This quickly changed, however, when I realized that as a relatively young widow of 54, I had just lost our second income.

To exacerbate my situation, due to my age and not having dependent children at home, I was ineligible to draw even partial Social Security income until turning 60. Nor could I withdraw from our retirement funds without heavy penalties and taxes until age 59 ½. On top of all that, my sole income from my freelance writing business would be subject to the higher single-payer tax bracket the following year.

However, I had learned an important life lesson from my parents when I was just 17; it proved invaluable after Dale’s death and could help you if you’re married and under 60.

When I was 17, my father also died suddenly of a massive heart attack at 58, and my mother was thrown into a similar situation. So, when Dale and I got married, 32 years before he died, we bought term life insurance policies. And we always carried extra life insurance through his job.

Those decisions saved me financially.

An emotionally draining time According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average age of widowhood in the United States is a

surprisingly young 59. That means there are many women who fall into the “donut hole” of not being able to draw Social Security benefits and who may have lost an income that had been essential for paying the bills.

Women are more likely than men to lose their spouse. And due to income inequality, they’re also typically more apt to be in a worse financial position if their spouse dies before they’re eligible for retirement benefits.

“Losing a spouse is a horrific event and if it happens unexpectedly, there is absolutely no time to plan,” said Michelle Brownstein, a Certified Financial Planner and vice president of private client services with Personal Capital in San Francisco.

One of the key ways to plan for this tragic possibility is to ensure both spouses have life insurance.

“Life insurance can really be that income replacement,” said Brownstein. She recommends owning term life insurance. “The earlier you purchase it, the better term life policy you can get and this will allow your spouse to continue to pay the bills without changing his or her lifestyle.”

Understanding the household finances Another key component to being financially prepared in case a spouse dies: ensuring that each person in the relationship understands the couple’s finances and the way the household is run.

“After a marriage, one person typically takes the lead,” said Brownstein. “If that person passes, and the other doesn’t understand how the household functions day to day, it can make a very stressful time even more stressful.”

Rachel DeCarolis, wealth manager for Northstar Financial Planning in Windham, N.H., said although it may be an uncomfortable topic, spouses also need to discuss how the finances would change if something unexpected happened to either of them.

“Talking about how the income would change and how expenses would change could mentally get you in a good place,” said DeCarolis. ◆

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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Annual Christmas Tea

Sean Page gets in the holiday spirit.

Sheila Riedl and Sarah Griggs

Art is Ageless® call for entries underway Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held March 30 – April 3, 2020. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 40th anniversary Art is Ageless calendar in 2021.

Artists may choose to enter the exhibit only. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years (since January 2015). There are nine categories, as well as designations of amateur or professional. Works entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Manor by March 25.

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The Art is Ageless® program encourages Presbyterian Manor residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year.

Local competition winners will join winners from 15 other PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America) communities to be judged at the systemwide level.

Entry forms and information can be picked up at Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor, 1711 N.

COMMUNITY MATTERS | February 2020

Fourth Street, Arkansas City, or by contacting Sean Page at 620-4428700 or spage@pmma.org. Or go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view rules, download an entry form or enter online. ◆

Annual Christmas Tea shows appreciation, celebrates employee accomplishments The Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor Christmas Tea is a time for staff and residents to come together in celebration not only for the holidays but also for the Presbyterian Manor leadership to show their appreciation to our staff with recognition and awards.

We recognize service anniversaries, educational achievements and hand out door prizes.

This year we celebrated the following individuals for

educational accomplishments:

Camri Gage, Certified Nurse Aide

Samantha Stewart, Home Health Aide

Krystal Conklin, Home Health Aide

Gabriela Ramos, Certified Restorative Aide

Jaden Jacobs, LPN

Janelly Ambriz, Certified Restorative Aide & Social Service Designee/Activity Director Course

Haleigh Howcroft, Certified Nurse Aide Carlos Leyva, Restorative Aide/ Home Health Aide

Ryan Reimer, Certified Medication Aide

Samantha Yeary, Certified Medication Aide

Tiffany Jones, Certified Medication Aide & Home Health Aide

Roxana Linears, Certified Medication Aide

This year we celebrated the following individuals for their length of service with Ark City Presbyterian Manor: 1 Year

Tiffany Jones

Del Sparks

Miki Struthers

Brandi Barrett

Summer Whitted

Bianca Enriquez

Trudy Ochoa

10 Years

20 Years

Tresia Streeter

Brailee Hand

Chebon Brown

Kelli Curtis

Javani Carranza

Christi Sherman

Lance Team

Chris Armstrong

Juana Castro

Samantha Stewart

Gisselle Ambriz

Stephanie Williams

Ryan Reimer

3 Years

Sara Gilliam

15 Years

Kevin Kenemore

Gabby Ramos

Brooke Peters

Bea Followill

35 Years

Marina Elwood

William Bailey

5 Years

Lori Peters

Connie Bruner â—†

Inez Tauscher Sheila Riedl Lexie Tennant

Chris Armstrong, Stephanie Williams, Kelly Rommel and Cammy Boone For additional images, see page 4.

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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ARKANSAS CITY Presbyterian Manor

1711 N. Fourth St. Arkansas City, KS 67005-1607 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.

February birthdays Carrie Elbrader Ruth Harris Iris Magnus Lawrence Pike Carolyn Ray Lottie Williams Zora Weir Shirley Young Beverly Yarbrough

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | February 2020

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