Farmington Community Matters - December 2022

Farmington Presbyterian Manor

DECEMBER 2022

Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we regularly feature a column from a PMMA® chaplain in our newsletter.

This month’s column comes from Greg Schmidt, chaplain at Newton Presbyterian Manor.

Christmas Devotional

By Greg Schmidt

Grinch with Christmas tree

’Tis the season for parties and programs

Each holiday season, Farmington Presbyterian Manor’s Activities Team goes to great lengths to ensure that there’s a smile on every face and the Christmas spirit is in every heart within our community.

And this year will be no exception.

From beautifully decorated Christmas trees – at least 21 and counting! – to appearances from our very own Grinch, you never know what surprises will await you.

Mark your calendar with the following activities: • First week of December – fresh baked cookies made by the managers • December 2nd – Christmas movie and popcorn at 2 p.m. in the fellowship center • December 6th – cookies and hot cocoa in the RCF dining room • December 7th – cookies and hot coca at 2 p.m. in the fellowship center with healthcare residents and at 3:30 p.m. with memory care residents • December 8th – snowman treats at 2 p.m. in the fellowship center • December 9th – candy making; residents bring your own recipes!

• December 12th – Mike and Thera Christmas music in the fellowship center Look on page 2 for more events!

When my three boys were little, we looked forward to participating in our church’s Christmas Eve program and then racing home to Greg Schmidt open presents! We lived only a block from the church, so as soon as the “Amen!” was offered, the boys would sprint to the house rather than mess around waiting for their pastor-father and gracious mother to say, “Merry Christmas!” to all the parishioners who had attended the service and drive the car home.

As if they hadn’t already shaken them a thousand times trying to guess what was inside of them, the boys couldn’t wait to rip away the beautifully and carefully wrapped packages containing what my wife and I hoped would be exactly what they wanted.

We seldom missed the target. It wasn’t until the oldest two were in their early 20s that we began hearing, “Um, did you keep the receipt?” and we knew it wasn’t quite what they were hoping for. But that’s a story for another article!

I wonder sometimes if God contemplated the excitement that

Chaplain –continued on page 2

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

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Mark your calendar – continued from page 1 • December 13th – candy making with residents at 2 p.m. in the healthcare activity room • December 14th – memory care ornament making • December 15th – cookie baking with RCF. Bring your own recipes in activity room ALF. • December 16th – memory care decorating Christmas cookies at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m. decorating in healthcare. Christmas movie in RCF dining room.

Chaplain – continued from page 1 would be generated with one special gift? Or did He, like us, get concerned with whether the gift would be accepted? Cherished?

Used?

The present and presence of Jesus continues to shock me. Why would He leave the perfect throne room of heaven to identify with the grit and grime of my world? Why would He allow his mind and character to be soiled with our self-serving, perverted way of thinking or to be forced to communicate with our ridiculous and often confusing ways of thinking and talking?

I have to believe God/Jesus intentionally chose at least two things: First, to demonstrate just what love looks like. I know I follow better if I have an example! And

• December 19th – Christmas caroling ALF/RCF • December 20th – singing Christmas carols in memory care • December 21st – Christmas church service at 10 a.m.; memory care family Christmas Party at 5 p.m.

• December 22nd – healthcare Christmas party at 2 p.m.

• December 23rd – RCF Christmas Party at 2 p.m.

Throughout the month there will be visits from church groups and Girl Scout Troops visiting, taking residents to see Christmas lights, and a Christmas cake walk. u

second, to demonstrate what giftgiving and gift-receiving looks like.

Again, the example!

There are times in our lives when running “home” to rip open a “present” is still so invigorating!

We know our “Father” prepared it for us, and we can’t wait to see what it is and how it will work!

I’ve run “home” to discover my children…a new job opportunity…a story from one of my kids, their wives or my grands…a new plant that someone delivered so I could add it to my ever-growing flower garden collection! And I’ve run “home” because my in-laws, my dad, and some of my dearest friends took their last breath… sometimes naturally, sometimes not. Or because one of my kids was in tears because they’d

experienced their worst day ever, or someone received news of a challenging diagnosis and feared the impending surgeries or procedures that would follow.

And in both cases, you know what I’ve discovered? A Father who needed me to open the “present” and realize it was given in love and intended to strengthen my life, even if it wasn’t exactly what I’d asked for.

Throughout this holiday season I want to cherish, accept and use ALL of the “gifts” God has wrapped and laid under my tree. I still don’t always get why Jesus wanted to come here and identify with me.

But I know He very much wanted to do so, and that I benefit so greatly because He did. And so do you! After all, God NEVER misses the target. Merry Christmas! u

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Community Matters 573-756-6768 ◆ Fax: 573-756-6014 500 Cayce St. Farmington, MO 63640-2910 FarmingtonPresbyterianManor.org

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | December 2022

is published monthly for residents and friends of Farmington Presbyterian Manor

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

To submit or suggest articles: kjameson@PMMA.org Jane Hull, executive director Keely Jameson, marketing director

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

Angel Tree supports local seniors in need You make it possible for residents to remain in their home through the Good Samaritan Program.

To make a contribution, please visit the front desk or go online to

giving.presbyterianmanors.org/ angel-tree-campaign. In recognition of your generosity, we will hang an ornament in your honor on our community’s Angel Tree. u

Today, more than 345 PMMA residents depend on PMMA’s Good Samaritan Program. The program provides funding to assist residents who outlive their financial resources through no fault of their own, and we’re proud that no person has ever been asked to leave one of our communities based on their inability to pay.

To help provide peace of mind to seniors in need, please consider making a gift to Presbyterian Manor’s annual Angel Tree campaign. Every gift raised supports PMMA residents who can no longer afford care and services.

Farmington Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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500 Cayce St. Farmington, MO 63640-2910 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Farmington Presbyterian Manor shares customer service survey responses Farmington 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.

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 August 2021 and September 2022, Farmington Presbyterian Manor residents and their families gave the community high scores for demonstrating dignity

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | December 2022

and respect, cleanliness, and for the professional therapy offered. They also said they would recommend the community to others.

“I feel like they do care deeply,” said one family about the staff, adding they would recommend the community to others. “I don’t think they could find a better place in the area. We’re very well satisfied here.”

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