Salina Community Matters December 2016

Commun ty Matters Salina Presbyterian Manor

December 2016

Mary’s musings “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 Christmas was my very favorite holiday. I loved decorating my house, baking loaves and loaves of banana, pumpkin, cranberry, and other assorted breads to share with family and friends. Every other year my siblings and I would gather at my parents’ house in Russell.We all lived in Kansas, and it was easy to gather. We were a house full with the six siblings and spouses and the 21 grandchildren. What wonderful memories I have of those gatherings.

The food, the laughter.

Each year I made a new Christmas ornament for my children and their friends, and each of my great-nieces and nephews. After Christmas, I MUSINGS continued on page 4

Christmas traditions and celebrations Christmas is a special time of the year for remembering what the season is really about, spending time with family and friends, and continuing and making new traditions of the holidays. We have many traditions here.

1. The lobby Christmas tree is decorated the Monday after Thanksgiving.

2. While residents and employees decorate the tree we have cookies and mulled cider.

3. The resident Christmas dinner is the largest event of the year. The TRADITIONS, continued on page 2

TRADITIONS continued from page 1

bus picks up townhome residents to bring them to the dinner.

4. Residents in each apartment neighborhood decorate their lounges. Many of the apartment neighborhoods also have a party during the season.

5. A nativity scene is installed outside the entrance to the main building, and lights decorate the covered entry and bushes.

6. Residents ride our bus for the Christmas lights tour. Part of that is visiting the Georgetown Santas, a group of men who stand outside in the cold every year providing popcorn, candy and Christmas

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. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org.

Bradley Radatz, executive director Kim Fair, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Kim Fair, kfair@pmma.org.

Telephone: 785-825-1366 Fax: 785-825-6554 Address: 2601 E. Crawford, Salina, KS 67401-3898 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

SalinaPresbyterianManor.org

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Community Matters December 2016

greetings to all who come. One Santa is the husband of one of our employees. They are always very, very good to us, climbing on the bus and wishing us a Merry Christmas.

7. Chaplain Mary provides special services over the Christmas holiday.

The lobby tree across from the entry door is also the Angel Tree.

The Angel Appeal each year is an opportunity to honor or remember special persons in our lives while making someone else’s life better.

Funds raised by the Angel Appeal go to the Good Samaritan program to enable residents who have run out of funds through no fault of their own to continue to have a home with us.

Who are you going to be an

angel for this holiday season?

Give your gift today.

Make a difference in the lives of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America seniors who no longer have the resources to care for themselves. Every gift to the Good Samaritan Program remains local and helps residents who are living right here in our campus. To make your gift, visit the front desk, go online to PresbyterianManors.org/GoodSam or call us at 316-685-1100.

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Things to do in December Cathy Boos has planned a busy month for us with many opportunities to enjoy Christmas festivities. Activities with an asterisk (*) will take place at Presbyterian Manor. *Dec. 6:

Christmas Dinner & entertainment by Trilogy

*Dec. 7:

Salina South Christmas Choir

*Dec. 9:

Salina Central Christmas Choir

Dec. 13:

“G.I. Holiday Jukebox” at Great Plains Theater in Abilene

*Dec. 14:

Presbyterian Church Children’s Choir

Dec. 14:

Mystery Travel & Taste Dinner – residents traveling to an unknown destination for dinner.

*Dec. 15:

Assisted Living Christmas Pot Luck

*Dec. 17:

Christmas Flute Quartet

Dec. 18:

Salina Symphony Christmas Festival at Stiefel Theater for the Performing Arts

Dec. 21:

Salina Christmas Light Tour and Georgetown Santas

Dec. 22:

Salina Christmas Light Tour and Georgetown Santas

Please sign-up for the outside activities at the podium.

Health care happenings December means favorite holiday foods are on the menu. We will explore the cookies of Christmas. Who doesn’t like Christmas cookies and the wonderful smell of them baking? We plan to make our own cookies of the world including recipes from Germany, Sweden, England and Norway, as well as American cookies.

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Neighborhood trees and resident doors will be decorated by residents and employees early in the month.

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Jean Kennedy will play Christmas jazz on Dec. 9, and all are invited to attend.

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Gift bingo will reward resident winners with a wrapped gift of their choice.

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A day is set aside for caroling with our favorite Christmas songs.

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We will experiment with some unusual cocoas throughout the month.

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A NewYear’s Wish Party will be on Dec. 30.

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MUSINGS continued from page 1

Now the wise men tell a beautiful story

shopped the sales for Christmas items, Describing the glory of a baby boy then I searched for the perfect pattern and I began making the ornaments for Hope has hands the next year. It was a perfect way to Freedom has feet make Christmas last all year.

Truth will stand Time passes and families continue to The Word will speak change. My Christmases are much simpler these days. My family is much The holy and lowly will finally embrace smaller, and they are scattered far and wide. Gatherings are smaller, and For love has a heartbeat it’s hard to get everyone together at And grace has a face the same time. As I reflect on those Compassion has a tear Christmases past and Christmases to come, I have discovered while I loved Joy has a laughter the baking, cooking and gathering, the And here ever after peace has a smile most important part of Christmas is what lives in my heart. The best part Redemption’s blood has veins to flow in of Christmas is that it allows me to celebrate hope, joy, peace and the love A temple to glow in that came down that first Christmas in Light is a child Bethlehem.

Love has a heartbeat The lyrics of this beautiful song, “Hope Has Hands,” sum up Christmas And grace has a face” and its meaning.

Advent is a season observed in many “In search of a child they travel so far Led by a star to a place of joy

Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity

of Jesus at Christmas. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning “coming.” This year the Advent season runs from Nov. 27 to Dec. 24. Many are familiar with Advent calendars that help count down this time of waiting.

The four Sundays of Advent focus on love, peace, hope and joy.

This year at Presbyterian Manor, we will celebrate Advent several ways: Each day I’m asking residents and staff to bring one item from, but not limited to, the following list: canned fruit, canned veggies, canned meat, peanut butter, jam, pasta, sauce, soup, as well as bars of soap, shampoo, baby wipes, diapers, detergent, toilet paper, Kleenex boxes, etc. These will be delivered to the Salina Food Bank as our gift to those less fortunate.

Boxes to collect these items will be placed throughout Presbyterian Manor.

I will also have available this year Advent devotions, “Names of Jesus,” for those who want to use them. They may be picked up in the Chapel or my office.

Nativity scene This nativity is one of many charming Christmas decorations found throughout the Salina Presbyterian Manor. This nativity is part of the collection of resident Jean Hamilton.

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Community Matters December 2016

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Kim Fair retires as marketing director It was a call from a former boss that postponed Kim Fair’s first retirement.

Kim joined our staff as marketing director in 2007 after retiring as director of Hospice of Salina. She had worked as a nurse in the Salina hospital system for 40 years, and she wasn’t looking for a new job.

But then Fran Paxton, who was the then-executive director of Salina Presbyterian Manor, called to see if Kim wanted to come work for her again.

Kim said the job was a good fit for her at the time because she could use her nursing assessment skills to focus on what a potential resident wanted and needed.

“What I loved about this job is meeting people, getting them comfortable, finding common subjects and connections, and ultimately moving them in,” she said.

Kim is proud that the apartments are almost always occupied and that there aren’t many vacancies in other neighborhoods. Whenever she talked about Presbyterian Manor to the public, she emphasized that it’s the only continuing care community in the area. “I have so much to work with here because it’s such a very good place. It’s very residentcentered, and I get to be involved with people,” she said.

relationships by taking the time to understand what they were looking for. “It has to be a relationship first, and then when you bring them in as residents, they know it’s a good and friendly place to be.”

December 31 will be Kim’s last official day on the job. Once she’s retired — again — she plans to embark on a few road trips throughout the United States, visiting friends and family along the way. When she comes home, it will be to Salina Presbyterian Manor. “I liked it here so much I moved in last year,” she said.

At first, other residents were so careful not to bother Kim that she almost felt ignored when she was off the clock. The first time someone knocked on her door, it was to borrow an egg. “That’s not an intrusion, that’s being neighborly,” she said.

When people came for tours or just to ask questions, she could have just promoted the Don’t let Kim be lonely! Be a good maintenance-free lifestyle and neighbor and wish her a happy other amenities. But the most important thing to Kim was building retirement.

Gina Lee’s art class is growing Gina’s art class continues to grow and to challenge us.

October was the month for a still life painting, but those who didn’t want to tackle that could do pumpkins. About half did pumpkins with black cats, witch hats and other Halloween-themed items.

We all had fun and learned new techniques as well. The Like us on Facebook

resident gallery remains on first floor to showcase our painting efforts. Many thanks

to Gina for her creativity, but mostly her patience, smiles and encouragement.

Salina Presbyterian Manor

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Employee of the Month

We respect the privacy of residents and ask that you respect their privacy, too.

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If your photograph, video or Snap includes residents who are not a relative, don’t post it to social media.

The Employee of the Month for November was Maggie McClanahan, who has worked as an LPN at Presbyterian Manor for a year and a half. When Maggie isn’t working, she likes to read, go to the park and spend time with her grandson. She describes him as “a lifetime hobby.”

Her ultimate goal is to open a home for children with health issues and to teach their parents how to care for them so they can be reunited.

Enriching lives with art We will focus on art and how it’s used on our campuses to enrich life in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. How do the arts help you stay sharp? How do you exercise creativity? How does your campus support your exploration of the arts?

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

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Community Matters December 2016

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