Salina Presbyterian Manor
AUGUST 2020
Real life or... science fiction?
Resident writes short story By Neola O’Neal
Our residents and employees agree that we are living through a strange time in our history. The novel coronavirus inspired resident Neola O’Neal to write a short story in April. She shared it with Chaplain Mary Bridges, who submitted the story for publication in our newsletter.
Salina Presbyterian Manor health care center has zero deficiencies on focused infection control survey The health care center at Salina Presbyterian Manor had zero-deficiencies in a focused infection control survey conducted on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) this week. The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) conducts the surveys on behalf of CMS, the federal agency that sets licensing and quality standards for nursing facilities. CMS announced in March that priority would be given to focused infection control surveys and gave states until July 31, 2020, to complete the surveys. In order to complete infection control surveys, annual surveys are delayed in an effort to ensure nursing homes are prepared to respond to the threat of SURVEY - continued on page 2
I’m at the library looking for something to read. Science fiction section! I hardly ever read that stuff. Too far out for me. Hmm, “COVID-19.” Now that’s a catchy title. They have to get readers somehow. No idea who the author is; never heard of him. Guess I’ll sit down and take a look. The preface—I always read that. Kinda gives you an idea what the book is all about. So. In a dark corner of the earth, something new is developing. A tiny little orb with things sticking out of it in all directions. It’s not really alive, but it can multiply and float around. It is so small that it cannot be seen. SCIENCE - continued on page 2
Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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SCIENCE - continued from page 1
What kind of story is this? No alien invasion. No monsters that shriek and stomp buildings and grab people. Good grief. Chapter 1: Life on the planet is normal. On one continent, people are living like they always do. They go to work, drive cars, take kids to school, have weddings, go to movies, take vacations, graduate from college. Everything is normal. For now. But people have no idea what is coming. Chapter 2: The little orbs are multiplying, getting ready for their deadly mission. The intent is to invade the planet. Big ambition, l’d say! They will smack people in the face, roll up into their eyes, up their noses, and into their mouths. SURVEY - continued from page 1
disease caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Zero deficiencies means Salina Presbyterian Manor met all the standards for infection control in the community’s health care center. “Our employees go above and beyond every day to provide the best care to our residents,” said Christian Gilbert, executive director. “These survey results are tangible proof of our employees’ commitment to providing quality senior care and services based on Christian values. This is an
They will attach not only to faces, but also smooth surfaces. The orbs are sneaky. They will make some people sick. Their temperatures will rise. They will cough and find it hard to breathe. But get this: some people won’t even know the orbs have attacked them. They will go around like normal, carrying the little orbs with them. Chapter 3: It’s a slow start at the beginning. A few people get sick. Some walk around not knowing they carry the orbs. Some people recover, but some people die! Then things speed up. More and more people, old and young, are attacked. Carriers travel. They go to work, fly to visit relatives, go on cruises. The sick go to hospitals for help, but some hospitals fill up and do not have room for everyone. Oh my especially significant recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Focused infection control surveys hone in on a nursing facility’s adherence to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and CMS guidance for infection control practices to prevent disease at the community. Communities are assessed on staff and resident education on hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette, cleaning, screening of employees and residents, effective transmission-based precautions, proper use/discarding of personal protective equipment and signage at entrances and resident rooms.
gosh, the orbs are winning. These stupid little things that no one can see are taking over! Does the author, whoever he is, expect me to believe that this is possible? Chapter … Whoa, a gust of wind just grabbed my book and took it away! I should never have brought it outside. Now I’ll be charged for a book I haven’t even read. Darn. I won’t ever know how it ends. Well, I didn’t buy into that little orb thing anyway.◆ Surveyors also examine the facility’s policies and emergency preparedness related to a pandemic or outbreak. Senior living communities are surveyed annually by their licensing agency for compliance of regulations established by the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) and CMS. These regulations are designed to ensure a standard of care is met. By meeting this standard, senior living communities are able to renew their licenses and continue to provide care.◆
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SALINA Presbyterian Manor 785-825-1366 ◆ Fax: 785-825-6554 2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 SalinaPresbyterianManor.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | August 2020
Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Salina Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: mmccoy@PMMA.org Christian Gilbert, executive director Melissa McCoy, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Residents have fun from a distance Presbyterian Manor celebrated Spirit Week June 15 through 19, which coincided with CNA Week. Above: On Clown Day, Jean Hamilton got into the spirit with harlequin-patterned pants, cuffs and a dramatic stocking cap. Left: Resident Barbara Knight poses in front of a tropical photo booth with a sno cone. Above left: On Hawaiian Day, sno cones were served by Social Services Director Grecia CastaneaTorres and Life Enrichment Director Lacey Buhrle.
Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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COVID-19 updates continue As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, you can count on regular communication from your PMMA community and PMMA leadership. PMMA’s President and CEO Bruce Shogren’s latest letter to residents and families is posted to your community website, SalinaPresbyterianManor.org/ covid-19. In this issue of Community Matters, you’ll find an explanation of the phases of reopening and a flow chart showing all the entities contributing to our reopening plans.◆
Birthday treat
A staff member brought resident Marilyn Hunt a beautiful cake as a birthday treat.
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | August 2020
Decades-old grave connects resident to Afghanistan In the 1950s, Ruby McBee’s husband Charles was working in Kandahar, Afghanistan, as a soil scientist. Ruby and their daughter, Marilyn, joined him eight months into his contract, after a harrowing journey that took two weeks. “I didn’t think it would take that much trouble to get there, that’s for sure,” Ruby said. She and her daughter had never been on a plane before. Marilyn was a bright child who was able to speak the local language after living in Afghanistan for eight months. “She was going to be very smart, like her dad,” Ruby said. At the age of 10, Marilyn died suddenly from a rare type of polio. The McBees buried her in the small cemetery at Menzel Bagh, the compound where MorrisonKnudson employees lived. In 1955, a year after Marilyn’s death,
scientists introduced the polio vaccine.
of a longtime friend was working in the U.S. Embassy in Kandahar.
“Looking back, I don’t know how I endured it, but I did,” Ruby said. She and Charles visited the grave every day until they returned to the U.S. a year later.
One of his colleagues visited Menzel Bagh and took photos of the grave, now missing its headstone.
She thinks their friends and their faith may have helped, too, but “I don’t really know,” she said. Leaving their daughter behind only added to their anguish. “We couldn’t bring her back,” she said. “It’s just something you had to accept and move on.” As the years passed and the war dragged on, Ruby wondered if the grave was still there. “I had tried to find it before,” Ruby said. “A nephew was over there in the service, but they wouldn’t let him roam the country looking for a grave or even ask questions.” She got her answer in 2013. The son
After their time in Afghanistan, Charles McBee worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the couple adopted three children. Charles died in 1983 at the age of 59. In 1990, Ruby married Raymond Eichler, and the couple spent 20 years traveling around the U.S. and Canada in a motor home. Ruby, who will celebrate her 97th birthday this year, has been an independent living resident at Presbyterian Manor for a decade. She spends her days quilting by hand and reading, often books she borrows from the community library. She is looking forward to the time when she can resume playing bridge with friends.◆ Ruby McBee’s daughter Marilyn was buried in a small cemetery in an Afghani compound. She died of polio shortly after her 10th birthday.
Though the cemetery is overgrown and the headstone has been removed, as of 2013, Marilyn McBee’s grave had not been otherwise disturbed. Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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SALINA Presbyterian Manor
2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Our Mission: to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.
July Employee of the Month: Joyce Drummond Congratulations to Joyce Drummond, Salina Presbyterian Manor’s July Employee of the Month.
Joyce has served as an administrative assistant for more than two years. She and her husband Loren have four children, and she also has three stepchildren. Joyce enjoys traveling with her family, and especially her grandkids. She also attends Scrabble tournaments and shops estate sales with her brother. Joyce jokes that she graduated from the “School of Hard Knocks,” which she attended from 1955 to 2000 as a self-professed “late bloomer.” One thing you might not know about Joyce is that she was painfully shy when she was a child. We are very happy to have Joyce on our team! Please say congratulations when you see her.◆
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | August 2020