SEPTEMBER 2020
State of the community By Sarah Griggs, executive director
There have been many challenges over the last several months—some big, some small. However, I am so proud of my team when facing each and every one of them.
The true and living God By Bill Bowles, chaplain
An excerpt of Acts 14:11-17, from the New International Version: “When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
A couple of the biggest challenges came in the very beginning when CMS issued their guidelines in mid-March. My team approached each challenge by thinking outside the box, asking themselves what they can do to stay in compliance with CMS, but also help residents and families adapt to the new situation along with having the best quality of life as possible. Restricting visitation was probably the most impactful to our residents and families. Several residents and family members were used to daily and weekly visits that had to cease with no advance warning. With this challenge, we needed to increase our psychosocial support for not only our residents, but our families as well. We embraced adapting to different forms of communication. With the addition of iPads throughout the departments, all staff have been empowered to establish communication between residents and their loved ones at any time. Window visits have also been popular amongst all levels of care. In addition, we have been blessed to discover in healthcare, that we have the perfect set up for “fence visits.” Families and residents have been able to visit outside within certain guidelines that have allowed them to still see and speak to each other, while remaining safe. My team has also increased written communication updates via email to family members. As an example, we opened the beauty salon at the end of July. We tried to snap quick pics of the residents as they finished their services and sent those pics to families via email or text.
“But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.’” CHAPLAIN - continued on page 2
GRIGGS - continued on page 2 Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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