Commun ty Matters Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor
July 2016
Start painting ... at any age! By Heidi Raschke for Next Avenue
Megan Jackson is the kind of person people describe as an old soul. “It’s hard for me to really connect in my own age group, and that’s always been the case,” says the painter who created an untitled work selected for publication by Next Avenue (see page 4). “I’ve always had older friends.” Before Jackson created this work of painting and collage, she wasn’t familiar with the terms “artful aging” or “creative aging” — which refer to the practice of engaging older adults in participatory, professionally run arts programs with a focus on social engagement and skills mastery. But she knew many people who were living it. “Anyone — anyone — can be an artist.You hear people all the time say, ‘Oh, I don’t have any artistic talent,’ which is not true,” Jackson says. “You just have to do it whether you think you have talent or not, you have to get out there and try it.” Jackson offers two tips on how you, too, can let go of the pressure and get started doing art: ART, continued on page 4
Last year’s Presbyterian Manor team, which raised about $2,000 to benefit Alzheimer’s disease awareness and research.
Presbyterian Manor is teaming up Join us in raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Walk The Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor team is going all out to double the amount of money it raises at this year’s Alzheimer’s Walk. Between bierocks, T-shirts, wine tastings and lip sync competitions, marketing director and team captain Tara Clawson said she doesn’t plan to take second in the county for the fourth year in a row. “This is my third year as team captain,” Tara said. “I’m so competitive, and second place just doesn’t work for me.” The team’s goal is to raise $4,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association through the Cowley County walk, which takes place Sept. 10 at the Arkansas City Senior Center. The team easily made its goals in the $2,000 range for the last few years, Tara said, so it was time for a challenge. TEAM, continued on page 2
Happy Birthday! Virginia Burkett
Joan Newport
John Gage
Jimmy McFarland
Dorothy Griffith
Martha Snyder
® ®
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) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Sarah Griggs, executive director Tara Clawson, marketing director Lori Peters, activities director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact tclawson@pmma.org. Telephone: 620-442-8700 Fax: 620-442-8224 Address: 1711 N. Fourth, Arkansas City, KS 67005-1607
Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
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Community Matters July 2016
TEAM, continued from page 1
This summer, team members have been hard at work on multiple The fundraiser T-shirt design. fundraising projects. In June they took orders for bierocks, aiming to sell 100 dozen of the savory meat-andcabbage stuffed rolls. T-shirt sales will continue through the summer, with a different shirt for sale in June, July and August for $20 each. But the team wanted to create something for people to do, as well as buy. They’re planning a lip sync battle event with Wheat State Winery, as well as wineand-food pairings with other local winemakers. In August, look for a cookout and a “you paint it” event. “It’s something that’s fun and enticing, and it lets us partner with big names that can help us advertise,” Tara said. The countywide goal is to raise $20,500 for Alzheimer’s research and awareness. Sarah Standerfer, co-chair of Presbyterian Manor’s walk team, sees the toll Alzheimer’s takes every day on the residents she cares for as charge nurse in memory care. Sarah immerses herself in research on dementia and Alzheimer’s, she said.
And while there are some recent breakthroughs, there is also the disheartening news that Alzheimer’s is striking people at a younger age, and that it is developing in cultures where it hasn’t been seen before. “It cannot be slowed, and it cannot be stopped,” said Sarah, whose grandmother also suffers from the disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the disease now affects more than 5 million Americans and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2016, Alzheimer’s and other dementias are projected to cost the nation $236 billion. At that rate, Sarah adds, some fear that it threatens to bankrupt Medicare. Presbyterian Manor has room for 16 residents in its memory care unit, and offers respite care and adult day services to support Cowley County residents caring for a loved one with dementia. They receive a lot of individual attention. “Our staff get very close to our residents, because it’s a small unit,” she said. For details on Presbyterian Manor’s fundraising events for Alzheimer’s, contact Tara Clawson at tclawson@pmma.org or at 620442-8700. Like us on Facebook
Inspirational message: The power of a bridge By Wayne Rector, Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor resident
Hello there! This is Wayne Rector. I have two friends, both are farmers, and they are next door neighbors so to speak. That is to say that one’s farm lies just west of the other’s. The boundary line separating the two farms, however, is the Wayne Rector Arkansas River! And to pay a call on one another requires a drive of several miles using the nearest bridge. Many roads lead down to the rivers, but only one bridge takes you across. Similarly, many roads lead to the cross, but only the cross leads home. Every church that preaches salvation points to the cross. The life of every professing Christian is a signpost pointing to the Hallowed cross of Jesus Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and
the life; no one comes to the Father except thru me.” In Romans 3:23, Paul says “We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Additionally, 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When Jesus willingly endured the cross for our sakes, He built a bridge that stretches across the chasm that separates man from God.
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We will focus on healthy aging in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. What are your secrets for staying healthy as you age? What advice do you have for others? Have you faced a health crisis and made life-altering changes as a result? If you’ve got a story to share, contact Marketing Director Tara Clawson, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters. Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor
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Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor 1711 N. Fourth Arkansas City, KS 67005-1607 Return Service Requested
ART, continued from page 1
1. Color and doodle “This whole coloring book craze is huge right now, because it’s already there for you and you can put your creativity in with your color and design. Painting can definitely be the same thing,” Jackson says. “People think that I must be an excellent drawer. I’m not. When I take my pencil, I’m scribbling. I’m not doing refined drawing.” She suggests trying this exercise, which encourages you to take a bit more of a risk than filling in a prefab coloring page: Take a black Sharpie and draw an abstract image using one continuous line — don’t lift up the pen. Then color in the shapes. “You’re basically making your own coloring page,” says Jackson. “There’s freedom because you’re making your own shape, but then there’s that structure of, ‘Oh, now I just get to color in.’” Untitled painting and collage by Megan Jackson 2. Make art a daily practice “I did have to discipline myself and I did have to paint every day, even if it was literally for five or 10 minutes during nap time,” Jackson says. “You just have to keep practicing and revising and learning from past pieces and works. I took that practice into play with my painting which really allowed me to open up and to paint bad things.” © Twin Cities Public Television 2016. All rights reserved.
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Community Matters July 2016
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