Topeka Presbyterian Manor
JULY 2019
Environmental Services appreciation It takes a team
Staff and residents celebrate Nursing Home Week with special, fun activities
Stacey Backer Stacey Backer says an “amazing” staff works together to keep residents safe and healthy. When it comes to her position as environmental services supervisor, Stacey says it’s all about the residents she and her staff serve. “Overall cleanliness and safety for our residents is what’s most important,” she says. “We want them to have a clean room, heating and air and clean laundry.” It takes a team to keep Topeka Presbyterian Manor in tip-top shape, and Stacey appreciates hers.
Laurie Selby in activities poses with independent living resident Margaret Phillips in their mismatched gear for Mismatched Day! Residents and staff at Topeka Presbyterian Manor enjoyed theme days, a cookout, ice cream and other special activities during National Nursing Home Week May 12-18. -Nursing, continued on page 2
“We have an amazing staff,” she says. “They go way above and beyond for our residents.” Staff members work together to tackle problems and make sure residents have a safe, healthy and happy living environment. “They have great teamwork and do a lot -Appreciation, continued on page 4
Topeka Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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-Nursing, continued from page 1
The purpose of Nursing Home Week each year is to shine a light on the important work being done at senior care centers and celebrate staff and residents. The theme this year was “Live Soulfully,” and Topeka Presbyterian Manor staff and residents certainly did that. “This year’s Nursing Home Week was a blast!” said Chelsea Watgen, marketing director. Each day was filled with special theme-related activities. Chelsea’s favorite day was Thursday—Pie in the Face Day. All employees and residents had an opportunity to smash pies into department managers’ faces. “It was a crazy mess and a wonderfully fun time,” she said. “We all didn’t quite know what to expect but seeing the joy on the residents’ and employees’ faces was more than worth it. We will have to do that again some time for sure!” Chelsea said Nursing Home Week is a great time to celebrate life at Presbyterian Manor as well as honor all of the hard work that goes into taking care of residents. It’s also a time to bring everyone together. “We strive to include residents as well as staff in all of the festivities,” she said. Other special theme days and activities included:
Carol Wilson, a Topeka Presbyterian Manor resident, enjoys mismatched day every year. She says that it is her favorite day and she went all out this year! • Monday: Mismatched Day, where dessert. The residents partook all residents and staff could wear in this for their noon meal. Staff mismatched clothes. There also was received a hand-held fan and an ice cream float featuring root Sterling Emerson, maintenance beer that day for all residents and director, grilled all of the meat for staff. the staff. • Tuesday: Fresh, homemade cookies for all shifts for employees. • Wednesday: Campus-wide cookout with burgers, hotdogs, baked beans, potato salad and all the fixin’s, and fudge bars for
• Thursday: Pie in the Face Day. • Friday: Annual visit by the ice cream truck. All employees and residents got to choose their ice cream from the truck for free, provided by Presbyterian Manor. ◆
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TOPEKA Presbyterian Manor
785-272-6510 ◆ Fax: 785-272-0496 4712 S.W. Sixth Ave. Topeka, KS 66606-2284 TopekaPresbyterianManor.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | July 2019
Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Topeka Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizaton.
To submit or suggest articles: cwatgen@PMMA.org Heather Pilkinton, executive director Chelsea Watgen, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
The department managers stand in a messy group after the festivities. We were such a mess! Sterling Emerson, environmental services director, smiling in his I Promise shirt and cowboy hat after he was pied for the first time. Sterling Emerson, environmental services, Danica Loftin, health care marketing, Heather Pilkinton, executive director, Laura Ortiz, life enrichment director, and Linda De La Rosa, human resources, pose together in the calm before the storm.
Laura Ortiz, activity director, covered in whipping cream.
Chelsea Watgen, marketing director, and Heather Pilkinton, executive director, pose for a selfie after wiping off a pie to the face. That did not last long! Topeka Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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TOPEKA Presbyterian Manor
4712 S.W. Sixth Ave. Topeka, KS 66606-2284 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.
- Appreciation, continued from page 1
of projects together,” Stacey says. “There’s not a job that they can’t handle.” Stacey has worked for Presbyterian Manor for nearly 10 years. She started as a housekeeping and laundry supervisor and was promoted to environmental services supervisor six months ago. She said she enjoys the diversity of her position and that she’s learning new skills every day. “I’m always on my toes,” Stacey says. “There’s new challenges every day to figure out. It’s not the same routine job. It’s like one person being in three different positions, and that’s really good for me.”
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | July 2019
Stacey and her team support residents, and Presbyterian Manor supports them. “It’s a really good company,” she says. “The benefits are really good.”
Stacey says it is always the people who make the job most fulfilling. “You come here to make a difference,” Stacey says. “It seems like the whole company is making a difference together.” ◆
In Presbyterian Manor’s ongoing commitment to customer satisfaction, we have partnered with Pinnacle Quality Insight. This company will periodically contact the people we serve via telephone to conduct an interview regarding their impression of our service. We use this feedback as a tool to continually improve our quality of care and enhance our relationships. When you are contacted to participate in the survey, they will always identify themselves specifically as being with Pinnacle Quality Insight. All state and federal confidentiality laws are met in Pinnacle’s service. We greatly value your opinions and encourage you to be frank and honest when contacted.
Thank you
in advance for your participation.