Arkansas City Community Matters May 2020

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor

MAY 2020

The undefeatable truth before you

By Bill Bowles, chaplain

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

—Romans 8:28-39 New International Version (NIV) More than conquerors

Bethany Tackett

Staff spotlight: Bethany Tackett It’s been just seven short months since Bethany Tackett joined the Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor staff as the new director of administration services, but according to her, she already feels right at home in the community.

Chances are you have already met—or at least seen—Bethany around the campus, but we thought we would sit down and ask her a few questions, so that we could all get to know her a little better.

What brought you to the Presbyterian Manor?

I really believe it was God who led me to this position and blessed me with this job. Since I was a little girl, I have always loved interacting with the elderly. My mom told me when I was young, I would never sit in TACKETT - continued on page 6

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written: CHAPLAIN - continued on page 5

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor announces local Art is Ageless® competition winners Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor recently hosted a reception for the winning artists in the annual Art is Ageless® juried competition.

People’s Choice (amateur): Wilda Buffo, “Dresden Flower Gardens”

“We are honored to exhibit artwork by area seniors,” said Sean Page, marketing and admissions director. “Art is Ageless is unique in featuring only the works of artists age 65 and older. Our artists prove that art, in any form, is an ageless ambition.”

Christmas (amateur): Donna Eastman, “Christmas Tree”

Winners in the Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor Art is Ageless juried competition were: Best of Show (amateur): Claudia Ehlers, “A Journey Through Time”

Judge’s Choice (amateur): Eldon Eastman, “Nature’s Bounty”

Drawing (amateur): Marjorie Swaim, “Waiting for Spring” Drawing (professional): Virginia McConnell, “Happy Day” Mixed Media/Crafts (amateur): Janice Hale, “Peacock” Painting (professional): Jean Swanson, “Kern Valley, CA Horse Ranch” Painting (amateur): Eldon Eastman, “Nature’s Bounty” Quilting – Machine Stitched (amateur): Claudia Ehlers, “A Journey Through Time” Quilting – Hand Stitched (amateur): Pat Powell, “Drew’s Blanket” Sculpture/3-D (amateur): Dr. Steve Swaim, “OSU Cowboy Alumnus”

“Dresden Flower Gardens” by Wilda Buffo wins the People’s Choice award.

“Drew’s Blanket” by Pat Powell wins first place in the amateur quiltinghand stitched category.

Local competition winners will join winners from 16 other Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America communities to be judged at the masterpiece level. Winning entries at the masterpiece level are selected

for publication in PMMA’s annual Art is Ageless calendar and note cards. The 2021 calendar marks the 40th anniversary for the Art is Ageless program.

Art is Ageless is a copyrighted program of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years. Started in 1980, Art is Ageless is an extension of Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica’s wellness programs, which focus on mental, physical, social and spiritual health.

Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica’s Art is Ageless program encourages Arkansas City 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. ◆ View additional photos on page 5.

ARKANSAS CITY Presbyterian Manor

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

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | May 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.

April 15, 2020

Dear Residents and Family,

We continue to “Stay the Course” despite the challenges of restricting all visitors to our PMMA communities. It has been a key prevention measure in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 virus across the United States. In addition, the CDC guidelines and the emergency “Stay-at-Home” orders for the general public in Kansas and Missouri and the guidance to social distance issued by almost all of the states, has helped our employees to protect those entrusted to our care.

Just last week, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released revised models that included a strong statement as to what social distancing is doing to decrease the number of expected cases of COVID-19.

The revised projections simply indicate that the policy of social distancing is working to reduce both hospitalizations and deaths, not only in the U.S., but also around the world.

What does this mean for all of the senior living communities in the PMMA system? It means that taking the stance to implement these extreme measures by the PMMA leadership, but one required by CDC guideline, remains the right thing to do to keep all our residents and employees COVID-19 free.

To this point, PMMA has a resident population of approximately 2,400 that are – as of today – COVID-19 free.

In addition, we have had only one non-direct care employee out of almost 2,500 total employees that tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and appropriate steps were put in place to assure no other employee or resident was affected. It is difficult with these outcomes, to argue with the PMMA System success due to the key prevention measures implemented in March.

I sincerely thank you for your cooperation, patience and grace during this pandemic and please let me end with a personnel experience I had this past Easter weekend.

Most Easter mornings, I usually attend a Sunrise service at my local church. Unfortunately, this opportunity was not available due to the “Stay at Home” orders in Kansas. Therefore, I sat in my driveway, looking at the cloudy morning and listening to a Christian podcast of the readings from all of the gospels of the very first Easter morning. At the end of the podcast, the presenter read the following chorus from the Hymn, “Because He Lives.” The words were very reassuring to me in this very trying time. I hope this speaks to you also.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow Because He lives all fear is gone Because I know He holds the future And life is worth the living just because He lives God’s Blessings, Bruce H. Shogren President/CEO Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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Coronavirus in the news: Separating fact from fiction

By Julie Pfitzinger for Next Avenue

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., the 24/7 news cycle has transformed into an even more rapidly changing landscape of information, and in some cases, misinformation.

Now more than ever, it’s important to have a discerning eye as we all attempt to process updates surrounding everything COVID-19 from statistics to social distancing, both on a national and a local level.

In a recent story in Stanford News, Jeff Hancock, a Stanford University communications professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences and founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab, said there are telltale signs to determine whether coronavirus stories you’re seeing are based in truth.

“Compared to real news, fake news tends to include information that is more surprising, upsetting or geared to trigger anger or anxiety.

Any information that fits that (and a lot of coronavirus news can) should be double-checked.

Other cues that raise suspicion include unknown sources, unusual numbers of endorsements (or likes) and memes that focus on partisan topics,” he said.

Coronavirus news: hoax or no?

Recently, Buzzfeed published what they called “a running list” of hoaxes being promulgated about coronavirus; it’s a list the editors plan to update regularly.

You may be surprised to learn that the “sources” to which incorrect information is being attributed include reputable entities such

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as the United Nations and the Pentagon.

Other hoaxes featured in the Buzzfeed piece spotlight claims which, in calmer times, might not gain traction, but in this period of heightened anxiety, are attracting attention. There’s a YouTube video encouraging people to inhale hot air from a hair dryer to cure coronavirus and another “home remedy” purported to kill the coronavirus — drinking excessive amounts of water to activate stomach acid — which offers what the article calls “very bad advice,” according to many medical experts.

Or this fallacy: no, in fact, there isn’t any proof that taking ibuprofen can worsen coronavirus symptoms.

The power of mal-information Why do hoaxes like these surface in a time when it’s more important than ever for people to have confidence the information they are seeing is accurate and in their best interests?

According to Hancock, the reason is often deeply rooted in commerce and financial gain for those who definitely don’t have the best interests of anyone else in mind.

“Because media business models are based on attention economics, bad actors create mal-information (which includes fake news, misinformation and disinformation) about the coronavirus in order to get people to attend to their content, and ultimately make money from that attention. Money is the primary motivation,” he said.

But, Hancock added, there are

other factors lurking behind the fake news.

“A second motivation is partisanship, and partisans try to lay blame for the crisis with political opponents. The third main motivation is seeking to disrupt and confuse the public. This was the Russian election interference motivation for mal-information and remains their objective along with some other hostile state actors,” he said.

Our fragile emotional state In an article published on Next Avenue in April 2019, called Who Shares Fake News? (We Know it Wasn’t You), contributor Andrew Lapin addressed the issue of which age group is generally more prone to believe, and share, fake news.

As Lapin reported, there are many factors and not a definitive answer about the ages of those who spread fake news stories.

However, in this time of a pandemic, the role of our collective emotional state no matter our age is a contributing factor in susceptibility to fake news.◆

Art is Ageless® winners

“Waiting for Spring” by Marjorie Swaim wins first place in the amateur drawing category.

“Christmas Tree” by Donna Eastman wins first place in the amateur Christmas category.

May birthdays Viola Lauck Linda Lewman Denese Lineback Betty Elrod Bob McClure Ron Tousley CHAPLAIN - continued from page 1

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither

“Kern Valley, CA Horse Ranch” by Jean Swanson wins first place in the professional painting category.

“Nature’s Bounty” by Eldon Eastman wins first place in the amateur painting category and is the Judge’s Choice.

“Peacock”

by Janice Hale wins first place in the amateur mixed media/crafts category.

angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Key ideas: God’s purpose for our good; God’s gifts to us through

“Happy Day” by Virginia McConnell wins first place in the professional drawing category.

“A Journey Through Time” by Claudia Ehlers wins first place in the amateur quilting-machine stitched category and is named Best of Show.

“OSU Cowboy Alumnus” by Dr. Steve Swaim wins first place in the amateur sculpture/3D category.

Christ; God’s love never lets up Action step: Deliver your personal word of hope about God’s persistent love in tough times to someone in sorrow or suffering.

Prayer: Lord, I will hold firm in my faith in You today because I know You will hold me even though my doubts, depressions, and defeats. ◆

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.

TACKETT - continued from page 1

church with my age group of kids, I would sit with the elderly and that I always gravitated to them because I cared about them and loved to serve. God knows the desires of my heart and has put me here to serve others in a new way.

What do you like most about your job?

Oh, my gosh, everything really. I love this atmosphere, and I sound corny, but I’ve been through some rough experiences in workplaces before and this one is my safe haven. I am truly grateful for this place. Even on the somewhat

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stressful days, it has been enjoyable because of the staff I get to be around on a daily basis.

definition of teamwork, and that’s something I have never had before in a workplace.

What do you enjoy about working at the Presbyterian Manor?

How do you like to spend your free time?

The staff and residents are my favorite part of working here, hands down. The residents really treat you like family, they love talking and they are just enjoyable to be around.

It’s also amazing how the staff all get along and that when they see a coworker having problems with something or just having a bad day, they don’t blink an eye to go help, listen or just ask you if you are okay and they really mean it. They are truly genuine. They really know the

Reading my Bible, playing with my dogs, running with my husband and singing in our praise band at church.

Tell us about your family.

I have a husband of three years, Ryan and we have four fur babies— all Labrador Retrievers—Nash who is 11, Maverick who is 3, Hudson who is 2 and Diesel who just turned 1. ◆