Wichita Presbyterian Manor
MARCH 2022
Wichita Presbyterian Manor welcomes new director of nursing Please join us in welcoming Laci McCartney, the new director of nursing for health care services at Wichita Presbyterian Manor. Prior to joining Presbyterian Manor, Laci worked at Reeds Cove Health & Rehabilitation for more than four years. She began as a licensed practical nurse and became a registered nurse during her time there, working her way up to unit manager, assistant director of nursing, infection preventionist, wound nurse and acting director of nursing.
Chaplain provides spiritual ‘backup’ for Presbyterian Manor residents Chaplain Greg Spring’s job at Wichita Presbyterian Manor is to support the spiritual health of the community. Along with physical, mental and emotional health, it is an important part of leading a balanced life, he says. In order to do his job well, Greg focuses on building relationships. “I really work to meet all the residents as they move in,” he said.
Laci McCartney
Her new role is a homecoming for Laci, who worked at Wichita Presbyterian Manor as a certified nursing/medication assistant earlier in her career. She also worked on the nursing team at Newton Presbyterian Manor. Laci studied to become an LPN at Wichita Area Technical College (now WSU Tech) and she earned her associates degree in nursing from Hutchinson Community College. u
Greg has worked at Presbyterian Manor for the past five years. Prior to that, he served in local church ministry for most of his career. He also spent some time as a hospice chaplain. That varied background means that he knows many of the pastors in town, including some who lead churches that residents belong to. It’s one way he establishes a common bond with many residents. “Around here at Presbyterian Manor, the mission is that we’re guided by Christian values,” he said. “We seem to attract a lot of folks who have been active in their
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Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at WichitaPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.
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Wichita Presbyterian Manor receives Customer Excellence Award Wichita Presbyterian Manor is a recipient of Pinnacle Quality Insight’s Customer Experience Award™. To qualify for the award in health care and assisted living, Wichita Presbyterian Manor had to display a continued dedication to providing best-in-class senior healthcare services.
open-ended questions, as well as the opportunity to rate Wichita Presbyterian Manor in specific categories. Every month, Wichita Presbyterian Manor has gathered its real-time survey results to gain a better understanding of the residents’ needs and make improvements when necessary.
“Our mission to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values is the foundation of everything we do at Wichita Presbyterian Manor,” said Courtney Wolfe, executive director. “These awards are a reflection of the value our residents and their families place on our mission and the care they receive at our community.”
By qualifying for the Pinnacle Customer Experience Award™, Wichita Presbyterian Manor has satisfied the rigorous demand of scoring in the top 15 percent of the nation across a 12-month average.
Throughout its 52-year history of serving the community, Wichita Presbyterian Manor has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the individual needs of every resident are met. Over the course of 2021, a sampling of Wichita Presbyterian Manor’s residents and their families have participated in monthly telephone interviews that include
In addition, assisted living residents and their families rated the community highly in activities, cleanliness and meeting transportation needs.
Health care residents and their families rated the community in the top 15 percent in activities, cleanliness and dining service.
A customer satisfaction measurement firm with 25 years of experience in
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post-acute healthcare, Pinnacle conducts over 150,000 phone surveys each year and works with more than 2,500 care providers in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Wichita Presbyterian Manor has served Sedgwick County since 1970 with independent and assisted living, Alzheimer’s care, long-term care and short-term rehabilitation. Learn more at WichitaPresbyterianManor.org. For more information about Wichita Presbyterian Manor, contact Cherree Hudspeth, marketing director, at 316-942-7456 or chudspeth@pmma.org. u
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316-942-7456 ◆ Fax: 316-941-3806 4700 W. 13th St. Wichita, KS 67212-5575 WichitaPresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters
To submit or suggest articles: awatson@PMMA.org
is published monthly for residents and friends of Wichita Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Amy Watson, life enrichment dir. Courtney Wolfe, executive director Cherree Hudspeth, health care sales and marketing
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2022
Director of therapy services helps residents improve their quality of life Crystal Balthazar has a message for Wichita Presbyterian Manor residents: therapy works. The director of therapy services works with a team from Aegis Therapies® to provide personalized physical, occupational, aquatic and speech therapy services to the Presbyterian Manor community. “(Residents) have to have that desire to be better,” Crystal said. “If not, it’s our job to encourage them and explain the benefits of the therapy. We can really help with quality of life between all the services we provide.” What kind of therapy residents receive depends on their needs. Physical therapy generally focuses on lower-body strength and the skills it enables, like walking and balancing. Speech therapy deals with everything from cognitive issues like word finding to diet and swallowing. Occupational therapy focuses more on the upper half of the body and everyday skills. Occupational therapists also spend time evaluating a patient’s environment. Aegis therapists work with residents at every level of care, so the services look different based on what the resident needs and what their goals are.
Crystal says that therapy for residents of independent living often focuses on balance, safety and addressing pain. For example, a resident who is having trouble opening and closing upper cabinets can receive help to increase the range of motion in their shoulder. Assisted living residents receive care for the same reasons, but often therapy is targeted to help with everyday activities, such as getting dressed, walking and toileting. The aim is to prevent a decline in function that would mean the resident needs 24-hour care. Therapists help memory care residents by creating visual cues that help them remember things such as the correct way to use their walker. A lot of repetition is involved, as residents may be able to retain some instruction. Therapy for PATH (Post-Acute to Home®) residents focuses on rehabilitating the body, often after an injury or surgery. “The main focus is getting them safe to go home, either with home health or family support,” Crystal said. One of the elements of providing therapy services for short-term residents is a home visit before discharge. A therapist will spend 45 minutes to an hour in the resident’s home,
Crystal Balthazar
going through their daily routine and making adjustments to ensure they can safely navigate their home environment. Fall prevention is a big focus for residents who require long-term care. A therapist will create a functional maintenance program for the resident, and a restorative aide on the Aegis team works with the resident six times a week to ensure that they maintain the gains they have made in therapy. Whatever the circumstance, Crystal said some of the best advice she can give is to reach out when you notice something is becoming more difficult, whether that is walking, getting dressed or swallowing. “It’s better to get therapy sooner rather than later,” Crystal said. The key is to know your own body well enough to notice when you’re experiencing a decline in function. u
Wichita Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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Library ‘important part’ of Westerly community
Independent Living at the Westerly residents enjoy access to a well-appointed library, which is maintained by volunteers who live in the community.
One thing is certain: thanks to its vast library and dedicated volunteer crew, residents of the Westerly will never want for reading material. The library was established shortly after the independent living residences opened in 2015, and residents Deb Derber and Lyle and June Koerper have been sorting and re-shelving books there ever since. “I wanted to be involved with some volunteer activity, and I enjoy reading—it’s a favorite activity of mine,” Lyle said. Deb got involved for the same reason. “Each one of us has our own idea of what makes good reading,” said Deb, who says she “reads for entertainment, not for learning.” She particularly likes Christian historical fiction and historical fiction. Lyle is partial to mysteries and westerns as well as history. Instead of using the Dewey Decimal
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2022
System, volunteers separate the books into broad categories, such as fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Everything is alphabetized by author, so residents can find different titles by their favorite writers. DVDs are also available, as well as coffee-table-style picture books, which residents will often look through while seated in one of the library’s comfortable armchairs. Check-out is on an on-your-honor system. There’s no recordkeeping, no time limits and no fines. When a borrower is done with a book or DVD, they simply drop it in a basket in the library. Volunteers regularly re-shelve the volumes. “I’d tell a new resident to spend some time browsing and see what we have,” Lyle said. “If they have books they are finished with and want to share, they can make a donation.” That’s how the Westerly library expands its collection.
“We have had so many wonderful books donated to us when people downsize their homes,” Deb said. “No one likes to get rid of a good book.” Every few months, volunteers weed out older books and refresh the shelves with new donations. Surplus books are passed along to the Union Rescue Mission. Clients who are learning computer skills there will list the books to sell online. Lyle says he can tell the library gets a lot of usage because of how many books he and his fellow volunteers have to put back on the shelves. “A lot of people borrow books, so I would say the library is an important part of our community,” he said. It’s also a great place to exercise your imagination. “Reading is a really great activity,” Deb said. “It sends you into another location. u
Wichita Presbyterian Manor seeks work by local senior artists Calling all artists age 65 and older! Wichita Presbyterian Manor is now accepting entries for the annual Art is Ageless® juried exhibit and competition at the campus, 4700 W 13th Street. The exhibit is scheduled for March 14-31. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 2023 Art is Ageless calendar.
The Art is Ageless program encourages 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.
Local competition winners will join winners from 14 other PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica) communities to be judged at the systemwide level. Entry forms and information can be obtained by contacting Amy Watson at 316-942-7456 or awatson@pmma.org, or access the form online at ArtIsAgeless.org. u
Due to the uncertainty created by COVID-19, Wichita Presbyterian Manor plans to hold a virtual awards ceremony via Facebook live on March 31st at 2 pm to announce the winners of the competition. All art will be able to be viewed on our Facebook page from March 10th until March 31st. Artists may choose to enter works for exhibit only. For the competition, the artist must have been 65 at the time of creation and have completed the work in the past five years (since January 2017). There are nine categories, as well as designations of amateur or professional. Works to be entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Manor by March 10. To arrange drop-off of artwork, contact Amy Watson at 316-942-7456 or awatson@pmma.org. Wichita Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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4700 W. 13th St. Wichita, KS 67212-5575 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Backup– continued from page 1 church for much of their lives.” Some still attend their home church, which Greg encourages. The chapel at Presbyterian Manor offers in-person and virtual services on Sundays and Wednesdays, but he considers these a “backup” service for residents who are unable to make it to their home church. Before the pandemic, one of his favorite events was the annual pastor’s breakfast, an opportunity for local ministers to enjoy a meal and fellowship with the Presbyterian Manor community.
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2022
Greg enjoys talking to residents about their experiences in their own congregations, and he says many residents remain active in outside churches. One thing that changes with age is the capacity for service, which is a big part of many Christians’ lives, Greg says. People who are active in the church get used to being helpful by teaching classes, caring for the property or engaging in volunteer work such as feeding the homeless, he said. With age, some of those things are no longer possible and “that’s
a thing they miss,” he said. Still, many residents remain spiritually active through worship, singing, the study of scripture, and prayer. A popular devotional text is “Our Daily Bread,” which the community provides in both regular and large-print editions. When residents need help in their spiritual lives, Greg is available to talk things through. “There’s definitely needs that come up and we try to meet those needs,” he said. u