Parsons Community Matters May 2020

Parsons Presbyterian Manor

May 2020

Charge nurse found her calling in solving problems, caring for people When Jane Swezey enrolled in nursing courses, she viewed them as a means to an end.

We are in this together – apart!

“My original plan was to become a nurse so I could put myself through veterinary school,” Jane said. She grew up with animals, including the barrel horses she learned to train.

To Jane’s surprise, nursing suited her.

“I’ve always liked figuring out what was wrong with people and helping them to feel better,” Jane said. She discovered she was good at it, too.

Jane works as the day charge nurse at Parsons Presbyterian Manor and also serves as a nurse practitioner for hospice. She joined the nursing team two years ago, after more than 20 years as a nurse practitioner.

She received her associate’s degree in nursing from Fort Scott Community College and her bachelor of skilled nursing from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Her master’s degree is from Graceland University in Iowa.

Resident Dorothy Jacobs talks to her daughter Mary on the phone, separated by a window. Friends and family members are keeping up with residents of Parsons Presbyterian Manor by scheduling “window visits.” It’s the next best thing to chatting in person, given the distancing precautions Presbyterian Manor has taken to protect our community.

Jane’s favorite thing about working at Presbyterian Manor is taking care of the residents

SWEZEY – continued on page 2

Parsons Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

1

SWEZEY – continued from page 1

and “letting them know someone cares for them,” she said.

When off the clock, Jane likes to relax by watching animated narratives on Disney+. One of her favorites is the 2007 film “Meet the Robinsons.”

She lives on a farm and raises cows with her husband, Scott, who is an insulin-dependent diabetic. They have three children: twin daughters Ryleigh and Montana, 18, and son Wyatt, 13. u

Jane Swezey

The Parsons Presbyterian Manor annual art auction to benefit the Good Samaritan Program is tentatively scheduled for June 11 at the Carnegie Arts Center, 17 South 17th Street, Parsons.

If you have a piece you would like to donate, contact Alex Peak, marketing director, at apeak@pmma.org or 620-421-1450.

The Good Samaritan Program benefits Presbyterian Manor residents who have outlived their financial resources through no fault of their own.

Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.

PARSONS Presbyterian Manor

620-421-1450 u Fax: 620-421-1897 3501 Dirr Ave. Parsons, KS 67357-2220 ParsonsPresbyterianManor.org

2

COMMUNITY MATTERS | May 2020

Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Parsons Presbyterian Manor

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

To submit or suggest articles: apeak@PMMA.org Maegen Pegues, executive director Alexandria Peak, marketing director

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

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

PARSONS Presbyterian Manor 3501 Dirr Ave. Parsons, KS 67357-2220 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided

by Christian values.

SIGNS of

4

Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.

Spring

COMMUNITY MATTERS | May 2020