Topeka Presbyterian Manor
MARCH 2021
Presbyterian Manor issues call for entries in Art is Ageless® competition Heather Pilkinson, Presbyterian Manor executive director, presided over a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of our major renovation. She was joined by Curtis Sneden, the president of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce.
Presbyterian Manor celebrates remodel with ribbon-cutting Topeka Presbyterian Manor celebrated its “grand re-opening” with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 27.
Curtis Sneden, president of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, joined members of the Presbyterian Manor leadership team for the event, which was broadcast live on the Greater Topeka Partnership Facebook page. The ribbon-cutting took place in the library, which has been renovated “from floor to ceiling.” It’s just one aspect of the $1.6 million renovation, which includes a new assisted living dining room and a greater level of privacy for health care residents. REMODEL - continued on page 2
Artists age 65 and older are sought to enter Topeka Presbyterian Manor’s annual Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held April 19–23, 2021. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 2022 Art is Ageless calendar. The exhibit continues the 40th anniversary of the Art is Ageless program, celebrated with the 2021 Art is Ageless calendar. Due to the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibit will be open to residents only at the campus, and a virtual exhibit will be posted to Facebook ART - continued on page 3
Topeka Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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“Topeka Presbyterian Manor has been here since the early 1960s, and I find that personally meaningful in my work here because there’s a great heritage of those we’ve served,” said Heather Pilkinton, Presbyterian Manor executive director. Environmental Services Director Sterling Emerson supervised the project, which was executed by Harbin Construction. “It’s been a challenging year full of all sorts of unforetold and
unforeseen events, but it was a joy to come in each day and see the progress,” Sterling said. “This is a shining moment in a year of clouds.” Heather wielded a giant pair of scissors for the ribbon-cutting, and Curtis presented her with a framed, “renovated” certificate of membership. “It’s a way of reaffirming our partnership,” said Curtis, who noted that many residents and staff members have only recently been able to see the change in person. Heather said she has enjoyed
hearing happy chatter in the hallways again. “Seeing this renovation and the highlights we’ve been able to make to this whole building has been really fun,” she said. The Greater Topeka Partnership serves as the umbrella agency for eight distinct efforts that includes the Greater Topeka Chamber, GO Topeka, Momentum 2022, Downtown Topeka Inc., Visit Topeka Inc., Forge Young Professionals and Entrepreneurial and Minority Business Development. ◆
How to reclaim your independence after a health crisis By Jonathan Su for Next Avenue
After the hospital: feeling weak and fatigued
Delores Godbold, who turned 90 in May and is a patient of mine, has an important message for older adults experiencing weakness and fatigue after a hospitalization or health crisis: Get moving and start exercising immediately to rebuild your strength and reclaim your life.
“I’ve been going there for more than 25 years; it was my second home,” says Godbold. “I’ve been active all my life and I was in pretty good shape.”
In March, two months before her 90th birthday, she was hospitalized for four days as a result of a serious urinary tract infection. “I had chills, I was trembling and I had a temperature of 103.5. I didn’t know if this was coronavirus. It was the worst I’ve ever felt,” says Godbold, a retired speech therapist who lives in Oakland, Calif. Before that, Godbold went to the gym three times a week.
But the health crisis quickly and dramatically altered Godbold’s strength and function. She came home from the hospital feeling a level of weakness and fatigue she had never experienced. “My strength left me,” says Godbold. “I couldn’t make it from the bed to the toilet in the hospital. When they put me on that walker, I’ll never forget it. That was a disturbing part of my life.” For nearly two months after her hospitalization, Godbold attempted to get back to normal, but daily walks didn’t seem to HEALTH - continued on page 3 help her condition. Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.
Community Matters 785-272-6510 ◆ Fax: 785-272-0496 4712 S.W. Sixth Ave. Topeka, KS 66606-2284 TopekaPresbyterianManor.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2021
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) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: dloftin@pmma.org Heather Pilkinton, executive director Danica Loftin, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
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for friends of the program on the Topeka Presbyterian Manor Facebook page. The community will host a residents-only reception on April 23, with a winner announcement on the community’s Facebook page.
How a hospital stay weakens muscles
Non-juried artists of all ages are welcome to exhibit. Senior artists also may choose to exhibit only. For the competition, works are to have been completed in the past five years (since January 2015). There are nine categories, as well as designations of amateur or professional. Complete rules may be found online at ArtIsAgeless. org. Works to be entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Manor by April 16. Contact Danica Loftin at dloftin@pmma.org or call Danica at 785-272-6510 to make arrangements to drop off artwork at the community, 4712 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka. The Art is Ageless® program encourages Presbyterian Manor residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year. Local competition winners will join winners from 14 other PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica) communities to be judged at the systemwide level. Entry forms and information can be obtained by contacting Danica Loftin at 785-272-6510 or dloftin@pmma.org, or access the information and entry forms online at ArtIsAgeless.org. ◆
Muscle loss is medically referred to as sarcopenia, a term derived from the Latin words “sarco” for muscle and “penia” for wasting. The prevalence of sarcopenia in 60-to-70-year-olds is as high as 13 percent, while it can be as high as 50 percent in people over 80. The biggest risk factors for sarcopenia include age and level of physical activity. After 50, we start to lose 1 to 2 percent of our muscles every year if we don’t take steps to prevent it. Recovery from injury and illness can mean enforced periods of muscle disuse. Even short periods of disuse can contribute to rapid muscle loss and negative health consequences such as frailty, decreased function and falls. Don’t resist resistance training Resistance training appears to be most effective in fighting against the loss of muscle mass, strength and function in hospitalized older adults. A study carried out on 128 hospitalized patients over 65 demonstrated that resistance exercise continuing for 24 weeks after discharge resulted in significantly fewer hospital readmissions and doctor visits as well as greater improvements in quality of life. Godbold did not receive in-home rehabilitation immediately after her hospital discharge in March because of the pandemic. In early May, I made my first in-home physical therapy visit with her. At that time, she was still using a walker and was unable to get upstairs to her second-floor bedroom. What worked wonders for her was exercise instruction twice a week focusing on her lower body strength, followed by daily practice over several weeks. “After my second visit, I was beginning to feel like a different person. After the third visit, I never picked up my walker again,” says Godbold. “That was amazing to me!” In four weeks, Godbold was walking up the stairs on her own. In eight weeks, she was feeling stronger than even before the hospitalization. She continues to perform the exercises each week. “I’ve been doing them about once to twice a week. I’m feeling good. As long as I exercise, I feel good,” says Godbold. “If I lay off the exercise for three or four days, I don’t feel good. I feel tired, I feel like my body is going off kilter. I have to have my exercise.” ◆ Topeka Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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4712 S.W. Sixth Ave. Topeka, KS 66606-2284 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
COVID-19 updates continue Get the latest updates on visitation status, ongoing safety measures and PMMA’s response to COVID-19 on your community website at TopekaPresbyterianManor.org/ covid-19. Visitation status is updated weekly on Mondays and as needed as our COVID status changes. You can also send a message to any resident with the Art is Ageless® e-greeting cards. Find a link on the COVID-19 update page. Vaccine distribution has begun in our community. Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community atlarge. PMMA strongly encourages our families, employees and residents to carefully consider obtaining a vaccine for themselves as well as their loved ones. ◆
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | March 2021
PEOPLE GIVING TO PEOPLE
An update on how gifts are changing lives in PMMA communities
IN HER LIFETIME A donor's story
Recently, a longtime friend of PMMA, we’ll call her Agnes, was concerned about burdening her sister with financial decisions and responsibilities when she passes. In order to eliminate the burden for her sister, Agnes wanted to get all of her affairs in order now, but also wanted to accomplish her wishes of helping others. After sharing her thoughts with her advisor and visiting with PMMA’s regional development director, Patti Christen, Agnes was able to spare her sister the task and put her gift to work now.
Agnes made a gift from her donor advised fund for the benefit of the Good Samaritan Program - a program she has supported and appreciated for more than 30 years. She wanted to see the gift in action while she was living. Thanks to Agnes, so many residents have the assurance of the PMMA mission of quality senior services guided by Christian values.
“I’m so thankful for the blessings I have received in my lifetime. It’s my obligation to share it with others. And, I’m so glad my sister doesn’t have to worry about this when I die,” said Agnes, 84. (not her real name to ensure her anonymity)
Spring 2021
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BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE by Barbara J. Braa, CTFA, MBA
“It is better to give than to receive.” Why does this old saying still ring true? Isn’t it because the gift giver takes pleasure in seeing their gift in action? That pleasure may cause a donor to give too much. Sometimes donors give too little, cheating themselves out of the pleasure of giving because they fear running out of money and don’t know their true capacity to give or their giving options.
In the old days, frugal folks made gifts from items at hand, like a quilt from fabric scraps or a dress from flour sacks. Today, a knowledgeable, trusted advisor can help you develop a gift giving budget and help you explore alternative methods for your charitable giving. You may find your ability to give during life may be more than you think! Barbara J. Braa, CTFA, MBA
If you were taught to never touch your invested assets you may be surprised to learn there are strategies to help maximize your donations by using those investments. For example, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is a tax-advantaged way for those over 70
½ to
donate IRA dollars directly to charity and avoid taxation on the IRA withdrawal. Or, you might benefit from donating appreciated non-retirement assets, like stocks and mutual funds and when you transfer those assets directly to a charity, neither you nor the charity pay capital gains taxes on the appreciation.
Seeking advice on a charitable budget and/or utilizing one of the strategies above may help you increase your gift giving ability and your pleasure in seeing your donations in action. Plus, if you budget your donations correctly, you won’t need to revert to giving or wearing a flour sack dress or shirt!
The information in this article is not presented as personal financial or legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for obtaining advice specific to your situation. Please seek advice from a trusted financial, tax or legal advisor. Barbara J. Braa, CTFA, MBA is a Vice President & Relationship Officer with Central Trust Company in Lawrence, Kansas. Contact Barbara at 785-865-1065 or Barbara.Braa@centralbank.net.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: 316-685-1100
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