Clay Center Community Matters – December 2023

Clay Center Presbyterian Manor

DECEMBER 2023

New role provides chance to help and comfort friends Alicia Paul recently took over the role of Senior Living Sales Specialist for Clay Center Presbyterian Manor where she’s tasked with helping guide aging adults through the process of finding a community that can accommodate their needs.

Alicia Paul

As Senior Living Sales Specialist, Alicia is the start of the conversation about how to make the transition from one’s home to Clay Center Presbyterian Manor. It can be an overwhelming and emotional process, but Alicia does what she can to ensure people are comfortable and informed.

“Part of my job entails finding a place for senior citizens to call their new home,” Alicia said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do home visits and start the process of helping guide these families through the confusing road of finding someone to care for their loved one.”

Before working with Clay Center Presbyterian Manor, Alicia spent seven years with the local newspaper performing every role that exists in the hometown publication. Her experience and dedication for Clay Center has carried her throughout her life - and beyond.

Alicia and her three children at Disney.

The holidays are full of family, fun and tradition, but for some caregivers and people living with dementia, this season can also be incredibly stressful.

Here are our top tips to help you and your loved one get through the holidays.

But really, Alicia views the work as helping the friends in her community she’s known her whole life.

“I was born in Clay Center, and I’ve lived here most of my life,” Alicia said. “Family is big in this community, and I’ve known these families throughout my life.

Some of them don’t know what to ask, so it’s giving me a sense of giving back.”

Tips for Caregivers during the holidays

“I have three kids - 13, 14, and 17 - and it was really important to me when I became a mom that I raise my kids in Clay Center,” Alicia said. “This has always been a very wholesome community, the way everyone treats each other and has each other’s backs. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and Clay Center is a really good village to have on my side.” u

1. Avoid crowded and noisy places: Loud or crowded places can further confuse or frustrate someone living with dementia.

Too many people or too many noises can be overstimulating.

Instead, try to choose smaller and more low-key events that would not add to confusion or stress.

2. Designate a quiet room: If you are planning on having family or friends over, choose a room in the house that’s only for your loved one to go to if things become too hectic and overstimulating.

Explain to your guests beforehand that the identified room is a safe haven from stress for the person living with dementia.

3. Join a support group: The rate of depression increases during and after the holidays so if you or your loved ones experience any signs of depression, contact a health care professional.

Tips – continued on page 2

Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at ClayCenterPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.

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Tips – continued from page 1 4. Maintain routines: This can be challenging when parties and holiday preparations disrupt our routine. Try however to keep your loved one’s routine unchanged.

Some people living with dementia become confused or agitated in the evenings (sundowning). Consider celebrating earlier in the day to work around this.

5. Prepare out-of-town guests: The holidays are a great time to get families together but can be challenging for caregivers and guests alike. Let visiting family and guests know that their loved one may not remember them and explain any known behavioral issues. If the person is in the early stages of dementia, relatives and friends might not notice any changes. But the person living with dementia may have trouble

following conversations or tend to repeat things. Make sure guests understand that changes in behavior or memory are caused by the disease and not the person.

6. Trust your instincts: You know more than anyone else how much you and your loved one can handle without feeling overwhelmed. If an event or group of visitors may be stressful or troublesome give yourself permission to reschedule or decline. It is okay to say “no”. u

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Community Matters 785-632-5646 u Fax: 785-632-5874 924 Eighth St. Clay Center, KS 67432-2620 ClayCenterPresbyterianManor.org

is published quarterly for residents and friends of Clay Center Presbyterian Manor

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

To submit or suggest articles: apaul@pmma.org Amy Hoch Altwegg, executive director Alicia Paul, senior living sales specialist

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

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Be on the lookout If you didn’t already know, we love a good scavenger hunt here at Presbyterian Manor and the holidays bring some seasonal fun to the challenge.

Our life enrichment team has been organizing these hunts for a while, usually with a fun theme from “The dog days of summer” to “Back to

school” to “Thanksgiving Turkey.”

“Our assisted living residents love to walk the halls and look for these,” says Stacia Guy, life enrichment director.

The team tries to hide the clues while the residents are sleeping.

Keep your eyes peeled for Christmas and New Year’s clues in December. u

There’s a clue.

Finding fun, fitness, and community

To some, the gathering of Clay Center Presbyterian Manor residents might have seemed like a normal morning routine - and a chance to get a little exercise.

But for one special Unicorn, the morning Sit and Be Fit classes seemed more like an intense training regimen designed to prepare contestants for the toughest of competition.

“Our Sit and Be Fit class helped our Unicorn prepare for the local Java Junkies T-Rex race,” said Alicia Paul.

“Everyone had so much fun with

that - and we did a video with an Eye of The Tiger feel to it.”

Nearly every morning, Monday-Friday at 9:30 the Sit and Be Fit class gathers in an open community area - generally near windows so residents can enjoy sunshine and a view to the outside.

“The activity director leads a very easy aerobic-style class with very light weights,” Alicia said. “There’s a lot of fun music involved, and it’s something that gets residents out of their rooms, around each other, so it’s a social activity with exercise elements.”

Both the social and the physical components provide immeasurable benefits.

“The motion and movement are so important,” Alicia said. “Getting them all together and getting them moving in a fun, energetic setting, for me, that’s really fun to see. A lot of people don’t want to do physical therapy and that sort of thing, but they’ll do this because it’s a good way to get that movement, and you get to do it as a group.” u

The new 2024 Art is Ageless® Calendar has arrived!

Visit ArtisAgeless.org for information on how to order. There you can also learn more about the program, meet the artists, even send an e-card. u

Clay Center Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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924 Eighth St. Clay Center, KS 67432-2620

Clay Center Presbyterian Manor shares customer service survey responses Clay Center Presbyterian Manor continues to seek customer feedback through monthly telephone surveys.

Each month, residents and their representatives are randomly selected to participate in telephone satisfaction surveys conducted

by Pinnacle Quality Insight.

respect, showing personal care as well as for the move-in process and communication.

We greatly value the opinions of our residents and their representatives about the care and

The graphic highlights some of the survey results. All scores are given on a 5-point scale, with 5 being the highest score and 1 the lowest score. Between September 2022 and August 2023, Clay Center Presbyterian Manor residents and their families gave the community high scores in for demonstrating dignity and

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services we provide, and we encourage them to participate honestly when contacted by Pinnacle Quality Insight. All state and federal confidentiality laws are met in Pinnacle’s service. u