Fort Scott Community Matters November 2019

Fort Scott Presbyterian Village

NOVEMBER 2019

Bravo of the month: Evan Winder

Put your creativity and decorating skills to work to win some extra shopping money at the annual Fort Scott Presbyterian Village Christmas tree decorating contest.

This fun event allows groups or individuals to compete for the most uniquely designed Christmas tree. Contestants can bring in their own artificial, traditionally decorated, nontraditionally decorated, or themed Christmas tree. Presbyterian Village will have a limited number of trees available to those who need them.

How long have you worked as a caregiver? I started working as a CNA in a longterm care community seven years ago. Then three years ago I became a certified medication aide. I also work as a home health aide for another company. I have done that for the past six years, along with a full-time job.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three trees. First place will earn $150, second place $100, and the third-place winner will receive $50.

What do you enjoy about the work? I have always enjoyed this line of work. You learn so much from the seniors you take care of. They always have amazing stores to listen to.

Tell us about your family: Evan Winder, our “Bravo of the month.”

I am a mother of three children, two boys and one daughter. They always keep me on my toes, along with my best partner, Joe. What are your hobbies and what do you do for fun? I enjoy working, spending time with my family, fishing, and I am very involved in the community I live in because I love helping out others when an opportunity arises.

How long have you been with Presbyterian Village? I have worked for Fort Scott Presbyterian Village for one year, and I think it is an amazing place to work. Presbyterian Village has a great team of staff, and the tenants are the best. “I wish I had come here sooner!”

If you would like to be part of our team apply online at www.FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org.u

Christmas tree contest kicks-off at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village

The decorated Christmas trees need to be delivered to Fort Scott Presbyterian Village between Nov. 18 and Dec. 2.

The trees will be on display at Presbyterian Village, and winners will be announced on Dec. 13.

To join in the fun, pick up an entry form at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, the Chamber of Commerce or by emailing gnance@pmma.org. u

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Don’t need to downsize yet? Great. Start now.

By Ellen Ryan Jane and John Doe knew they would trade in their four-bedroom family house someday for a smaller, more manageable home. But the couple put off downsizing until after retirement … then after their youngest’s wedding … then after a big vacation … then ….

Then John had a stroke. Suddenly Jane faced not just the immediate health crisis, but having to move their entire decades-old household into a one-level apartment within three weeks.

By going through my office myself, averaging an hour or two every week, I make my own decisions, save cash that might otherwise go to a home organizer or downsizer and find things I can sell, give away or use in the meantime.

Why no names on this story?

Because it’s so common.

This is a task that takes longer than you expect at every turn, but offers benefits to those who persist.

8 Reasons to pre-downsize Pre-downsizing pays off for a wide range of reasons: strategic, physical, emotional and financial. Here are eight of them: 1. Starting early shows you how much you own and hints at how much is ahead. “People forget what’s in their homes,” says Melanie Gibbons, co-owner of Cull & Tend, a Washington, D.C., home and move management service. They don’t see what’s hidden, such as under-the-bed boxes, under-theeaves storage, out-of-season clothing and everything stashed in the attic or cellar.

FORT SCOTT Presbyterian Village

2. You can avoid working under extreme deadline pressure. My own bugaboo is paper. I’ve got shelves and drawers and boxes of notes, copies, contracts, photos and media. And while entire files can often go into recycling, in other cases every single sheet is a separate decision.

3. You can work on the downsizing while you’re physically up to the job — which also allows more control.

“We have clients who can’t sort and organize, or reach the top of a closet, or sit down and work for long periods on a project without taking a nap,” says Gallagher.

4. You can conserve valuables while there’s still time. Family photos or linens in the attic may become infested with moths. In the basement? With mildew. In the garage? With mouse droppings.

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620-223-5550 u Fax: 620-223-7800 2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | November 2019

5. You’ll pass less burden on to loved ones. The average U.S. home contains more than 300,000 items, says Lawrence. If you become incapacitated or worse before making progress on all that, where will this leave your spouse or partner and children, if you have them? Most of Lawrence’s client homes take at least three to four weeks of six-to-eight-hour days for full emptying and disposal.

6. You’ll have time for necessary conversations. Ones like deciding whether those heirloom holiday ornaments should go to your daughter in Vermont. Or will you keep, auction, consign or donate them?

Some conversations that should happen, experts say: The kids/our siblings finally need to get their belongings out of our storeroom.

Mom’s china/Hummels/antiques are Downsize – continued on page 3

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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village

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

To submit or suggest articles: gnance@PMMA.org Ginger Nance, executive director

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

Giving thanks November is filled with happy memories of giving thanks over dinners that have been served around a table filled with laughter, love, family and friends.

long), hygiene items, drink packages (for water bottles), snacks (Jerky, trail mix, granola bars, snack cakes, candy), Christmas cards, stationery and stamps. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Simhiser 620-

215-1005 or Ginger Nance 620-2235550.

Let’s show our thanks and brighten the lives of those fighting for our freedom, while they are away from loved ones during the holidays.

Sadly, not everyone can be together for the holidays. Many of our armed forces are deployed during the holidays. Presbyterian Village and the Fort Scott Community College Student Nurses Organization have joined together to remember our troops during this time of thankfulness with a drive for supplies for our troops stationed overseas.

Presbyterian Village will be a collection site through Nov. 15 for items for troops such as laundry detergents, socks (black or white Downsize – continued from page 2 not going to fund our retirement; now what? What people, groups or museums would be interested in these yearbooks, photographs or collections? Are there ways to recycle mattresses, appliances and medical equipment?

Don’t forget to account for conversations with yourself.

“People tend to get emotionally attached to belongings,” says Middel. That adds to the time, whether it’s a DIY project or a paysomeone project.

7. You save money, Gallagher notes: “By doing this early, you can hold a garage sale rather than pay companies to come out and make a lot of stuff go away. People in my industry charge $50 to $100 an hour.” He cites a four-bedroom

house with a basement where clean-out, trash removal, donation disposal and the like came to $15,000.

You pay a premium for those junk-hauling companies, which can charge more than $1,000 to fill a dumpster. Tackling a room at a time yourself — taking big items to the dump; tagging furniture to donate and clothes to consign — spares your wallet and frees up space so you feel great about continuing.

8. You may even like the results so much, you’ll stay longer to enjoy them before moving. Decluttering breathes life into your home, says Gibbons. Her clients often say, “We should have done this years ago!”

“Just having a clutter-free,

organized home is a lot less stress for people,” Lawrence points out. “As long as they have the discipline not to fill it up again, when they do eventually move on, whatever’s left behind will be much easier for them or their loved ones to deal with.”

A Right Age to Downsize?

Is there a right age to downsize? It’s never too early to start, experts agree.

But there is a wrong age, and that’s when you’re too frail, too unwell or too overwhelmed to do the job adequately.

On the other hand, “in forty years, maybe downsizing won’t be such an issue,” Gallagher muses. Kids today are buying from Goodwill and practicing minimalism. If all that holds, the next generation won’t have much to consider paring down. u

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FORT SCOTT Presbyterian Village A PMMA COMMUNITY

2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701

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OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided

by Christian values.

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All veterans invited to join in celebration on November 1 1 Presbyterian Village will host a Veterans Day celebration on November 11 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Community Room.

Pins will be provided by Integrity Hospice. Chaplin Dennis Uchtman will present a program called “We Honor Veterans.� Chaplin Uchtman is chaplain and bereavement coordinator for Integrity Home Care + Hospice in Fort Scott. He is an ordained minister and has been in the ministry for more than 40 years. In 1997, he formed the non-profit Caring Connection to better help those in immediate need.

Thank you for serving and protecting our country. Please come out and enjoy the ceremony along with cake and punch.

If you are a Veteran, please RSVP

by Nov. 4 if you plan to attend by calling 620-223-5550. u

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | November 2019