Emporia Community Matters August 2016

Commun ty Matters Emporia Presbyterian Manor

August 2016

PMMA rebalances portfolio with sale of Kansas City campus In the more than six and a half decades Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America has provided care for and advocated for the aging in Kansas and Missouri, the senior retirement landscape has changed dramatically. PMMA remains committed to our mission of providing quality senior services guided by Christian values and to meeting the ever changing needs of today’s seniors.

Seniors want a full continuum of care, with an emphasis on active living and wellness. Out of this demand, the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) model was born. This model provides for a large independent living level with smaller levels of assisted living and health care/ skilled nursing.

During the past two decades, PMMA has been slowly moving its system toward the CCRC model. Even though we have made significant strides, our system still remains imbalanced in the world of CCRC’s.

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30 year anniversaries Looking back on 30 years at Presbyterian Manor When Emporia Presbyterian Manor celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, a pair of its employees did, too.

Debbie Burris and Jeannie Williams came to Presbyterian Manor in late 1985. They had been working together as labor and delivery nurses at the hospital, and when they heard Presbyterian Manor was opening, both women thought it sounded like a good opportunity.

“I wanted to be in on a new venture like Presbyterian Manor,” said Debbie, now director of assisted living.

Early in her nursing career, Debbie said, she had no interest in working in a senior living community. But as she grew older, her perspective changed. “When I came to [Presbyterian] Manor, my children were older, and I enjoyed working with the other end of the spectrum,” she said.

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Upon a careful analysis of our properties, it became clear that the Kansas City campus, with its predominantly health care focused model, could not easily convert to a CCRC campus. After much analysis, deliberation and discussion with the senior leadership team, the Board of Trustees approved the sale of KCPM.

Debbie was an LPN when she started, and her supervisors at Presbyterian Manor always encouraged her to advance her career. She went on to earn her RN, going to school part time over the course of five years. She helped set up the original home health department, which eventually became assisted living, and then became its director.

While saddened by the idea of selling KCPM, PMMA was and is confident that we are leaving our residents in good hands. The sale of Kansas City Presbyterian Manor to Riverbend, an operating subsidiary of The Ensign Group Inc., was completed and the campus transferred, on July 1.

Jeannie is now health services supervisor on the night shift. Unlike Debbie, she had some experience in long-term care when she came to Presbyterian Manor in 1985. It was her first job while she was still in high school. She said she enjoyed the diversity of her work at the hospital, but she was ready for a change when Presbyterian Manor opened. It turned out to be a great fit.

Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Emporia Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org.

Susan Siepelmeier, executive director Crystal Holly, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Crystal Holly, marketing director, cholly@pmma.org.

Telephone: 620-343-2613 Fax: 620-343-9195 Address: 2300 Industrial Rd., Emporia, KS 66801-6636 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

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Community Matters August 2016

“There’s something amazing about these people,” Jeannie said.

“They have so many stories and inspiration.

I like to hear about the time in history they went through.

There’s so much packed into those years.”

Jeannie said she likes working overnight.

When her four children were young,

it was a good fit for their home life.

Now, she likes how peaceful it is most nights, allowing her to take care of paperwork, and then spending time with residents when they wake up.

“We’ve come a long, long way in caring for people,” Jeannie said. “We used to do rounds every two hours on the dot to get everyone turned. Now there’s an emphasis on letting people live life as normally as possible, and letting them get their rest.”

Debbie said she’s watched many things change over three decades, but she has always been proud of Presbyterian Manor’s mission and the way it’s carried out. “I like the way they treat the residents,” she said. “I’m a great fan.” We’re grateful for the longevity and dedication of employees like Debbie and Jeannie, too!

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This summer’s heat waves are more dangerous than you think of us can succumb to Heat waves tend to be underestimated hot weather.” as natural disasters because they lack the destructive power of hurricanes or The Risks Associated earthquakes. We shouldn’t, however, With Heat overlook their lethal capabilities.

Waves During a week-long heat wave in Chicago in July 1995, temperatures Heat in that city reached as high as 106 exposure with a heat index of 120. At least 739 can lead people died — 651 of them 85 or to several older. Most were living alone, without dangerous power or air conditioning. conditions, grouped under the umbrella term hyperthermia. The Four years later, when another heat opposite of hypothermia, these wave hit, the city took aggressive conditions are characterized by an action, sending police to check on abnormally high body temperature isolated seniors and offering free caused by a failure of the heatbus service to cooling centers. Still, regulating mechanisms of the body 110 people died. And during a to deal with hot weather. Most catastrophic three-week heat wave people who die from hyperthermia in Europe in August 2003, when conditions are over 50, and those who temperatures produced the hottest have poorly working sweat glands season in five centuries, an estimated — or heart, lung or kidney disease 70,000 people died, a fifth of them in — are especially vulnerable. So are Paris alone. Again, elders living alone people who take diuretics, sedatives, were most vulnerable. tranquilizers or certain heart and

By Gary Drevitch

As parts of the United States, particularly in the Midwest, struggle with one of the hottest, driest summers on record, the country needs to be aware of the health risks of high temperatures. (In fact, the nation as a whole appears to be experiencing one of the three hottest summers since 1950.)

And while seniors face the greatest danger, they aren’t the only ones at risk. According to Dr. Basil A. Eldadah, program officer with the Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology of the National Institute on Aging, “heat-related injuries can affect all ages, the middle-aged as much as the older population.You may not feel as susceptible as your elderly parents, but even the best Like us on Facebook

high blood pressure medication, such as beta blockers, which can impair the body’s ability to cool itself by sweating. People who are overweight are also at greater risk than others.

Here are some conditions to watch out for:

• Heat syncope is sudden dizziness that may happen when you exert yourself in high temperatures. People with heart conditions who take beta blockers are especially susceptible to feeling faint in the heat. Staying hydrated, sitting with your legs elevated, and spending time in a cool place should bring on recovery.

• Heat cramps in your stomach, arms or legs can result from hard work or exercise in the heat. Cramps are one way your body tells you that it’s too

Credit: Ingram Publishing I ThinkStock

hot. When you cramp up, go where it’s cool or find shade and hydrate.

• Heat edema, the swelling of ankles and feet due to heat, should be relieved by elevating your legs. If the swelling doesn’t pass soon, is warm or red to the touch, or you have a fever, see your doctor immediately.

• Heat exhaustion can arise when your body cannot cool itself, and as a result you feel thirsty, dizzy, weak, uncoordinated and nauseated.

Your skin may feel cold and clammy and your pulse rate may go up. Get yourself to a cool spot and drink fluids.

• Heat stroke is a potentially lifethreatening emergency condition to which an elderly loved one in your care may be particularly susceptible.

(In the Chicago heatwave, all of of those who died were 55 or older.)

Heat stroke can occur when the body, overwhelmed by heat, cannot control its temperature, which may rise above 104 degrees. Heat stroke is usually associated with a temperature of 105 degrees. It can be characterized by fainting, confusion, staggering, a rapid or weak pulse, an inability to sweat, flushed skin or even coma.

Seek immediate emergency medical attention for a person with any of these symptoms.

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Emporia Presbyterian Manor 2300 Industrial Rd. Emporia, KS 66801-6636 Return Service Requested

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Dining Services We will focus on dining services in an upcoming issue of Community Matters.

What foods do you connect through your memories? How has food shaped your life and recollections?

If you’ve got a story to share, contact Marketing Director Crystal Holly and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.

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Community Matters August 2016

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