Sheltering Arms Foundation Giving Power Fall 2022

The Sound of Music Therapy

A new program brings new possibilities

While the sound of music is beautiful, music therapy is, in fact, a goal-focused approach to a patient’s recovery. This program helps support a patient’s pain management, speech goals, and movement. Brianna Kilmartin (Brie), Program Manager of Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI) Brain Injury Recovery Center, explains, “Music is stored in a different part of the brain

than language. Patients who have trouble talking can be assisted to communicate through song/music to have their basic needs met.” Songwriting is a cognitive experience, allowing individuals to creatively express themselves and their emotions. Thanks to recent grants from the Emily and Coleman Hunter Trust and the Walter W. and Maria

Teresa Regirer Foundation, SAI began a music therapy program for patients who have experienced brain injury, stroke and other injuries/illnesses.

Audrey Weatherstone, a Board-Certified Music Therapist, is passionate about her work for Sheltering Arms Institute where she provides music therapy two days per week. “Everything we do is grounded in research. This is an evidence based clinical practice, not just entertainment.” Audrey plays the cello and guitar; her favorite genres to play include folk music and classic rock. In the therapy experience, she particularly enjoys playing guitar and singing. “I like doing songwriting with patients. People express themselves so beautifully and authentically.”

In both group and individual sessions, Audrey tailors the sound experience based specifically on a patient’s goals. These sessions align with

Maria

von Trapp

“Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.”

Audrey Weatherstone, Board-Certified Music Therapist

the larger framework of an individual’s recovery. Audrey explains that she always asks specific questions about how someone is feeling, then carefully dives deeper into their emotions. Sometimes she will use a printed lyric sheet to help patients think of a color or a specific memory for their lyrics. This collaborative process yields results.

Audrey successfully worked with Viktorr at SAI who co-wrote lyrics about his physical rehabilitation experience. She says, “I always gear my sessions towards what a patient is working on. I let the patient direct where the song goes.”

Viktorr’s sister, Tammy Thornton, was thrilled with his rewarding experience. “It was amazing to see how well he’s progressed, and to even write a song and put together the words!! For the family, we are very grateful to have him back and to see him in the video!”

According to the American Music Therapy

Song, “Brand New”

Association (AMTA), music therapy with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) has been demonstrated to help negative moods, overall quality of life, cognitive recovery, physical performance including walking and talking as well as communication outcomes. Audrey adds, “I would like to see the SAI program grow, so patients can have greater access to music therapy. The opportunity to have multiple sessions per week could provide more long-lasting results.”

This new program has already produced outstanding outcomes. Brie explains, “Music gives patients time to bond in a safe space. In a group, everyone is doing it together in a lighthearted way. It allows patients to participate in something that is familiar and fun. It’s important for patients to be able to do something with family and friends after an illness or injury. Music provides this opportunity. People can participate in musicbased activities together, even when they have cognitive or physical limitations.”

To learn more about supporting SAI music therapy or other programs, please contact Tricia Ambler, 804-342-4321 or tambler@shelteringarms.com. learn

Music therapy interventions help with a

variety of healthcare goals:

• Improve communication

• Promote physical rehabilitation

• Express feelings

• Alleviate pain

• Enhance memory

Rehabilitation has got my frustration I can’t do what I used to do But I’m here to feel brand new You gotta have determination To get to your destination

You gotta learn the right coordination And have lots of motivation

It takes patience in these challenging situations.

Viktorr’s

Viktorr and Audrey perform the song, “Brand New.”

The Spirit of Sheltering Arms Creating space

The Interfaith Chapel at Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI) follows a long and treasured history. Behind the scenes, Johnnie Lou Terry and Anne Lower have been a guiding force for the past 50 years! Countless volunteer hours dedicated to the preservation of the Chapel are exemplary, and so are the results. Their story resonates with kindness and an unwavering devotion to Sheltering Arms which comes straight from the heart.

Both Johnnie Lou and Anne were originally inspired by the generation of women before them whom they admired. They explained their strength and commitment made a difference in the community. Anne says, “I believe then and now that there were women and men who genuinely wanted to give their services to those in need.” Johnnie Lou adds, “In short, they were givers, not takers.” In the 1970’s, they were also heavily influenced by Dr. Henry Betts, a pioneer in the field of rehabilitative medicine; his expertise provided invaluable support when Sheltering Arms converted from a medical hospital to a rehabilitation facility. His strong message of advocacy for individuals with disabilities resonated, motivating Johnnie Lou and Anne.

“Sheltering Arms Hospital was a chapel in and of itself,” says Johnnie Lou. “Each time, we went there and saw the care and devotion given all patients, regardless of their circumstances, we felt as though we had been to church.” The allocation of space for a chapel at Sheltering Arms Hospital (SAH) took time and considerable thought.

The creation of a chapel along with a full

for spiritual health

time chaplain became a tangible focus of the hospital in the early 1990’s. According to Johnnie Lou, “Having a dedicated place at Sheltering Arms where patients, staff, volunteers, and visitors could meditate, pray, or just be quiet, and where groups could gather for services was an inspiring goal for the hospital.” The Chapel was blessed with gifts large and small—of time, talent and treasure—given by countless donors. For example, the original stained-glass windows were a gift from Kings Daughters Circles, led by the Sheltering Arms Circle (still a strong force today); the altar, lectern, chairs, organ, communion services, symbols and books of faith, hymnals, kneelers, candlesticks, vases and book of remembrance were given by supporters near and far.

The colored glass windows in the SAI Chapel welcome visitors with their reverent beauty. Johnnie Lou explains, “Etched in the borders of the stained-glass windows, signifying openness and inclusiveness, are symbols of known faiths and an empty field for faiths unknown; for those who have not yet found a faith and for seekers.”

Dr. Gloria White Flowers fondly recalls playing piano as a volunteer at church services at adjoining Richmond Memorial Hospital in the 1980’s, which may have led to her decision to become a Chaplain. When the position became available at Sheltering Arms, Reverend Gloria Flowers put in her application on a large 9 x 12 pink sheet of paper which caught everyone’s attention. It was, in fact, Johnnie Lou and Anne who took part in the interview process for the position. Gloria says,

“I’ll never forget it. Mrs. Terry said that they all had a special feeling about me which is why I was hired.” Over the years, Johnnie Lou and Anne attended her services regularly and their friendship blossomed. Some may call this collaboration fate, but there is no arguing with the outstanding results that these women have achieved by working together to heal those in need. For over twenty-five years, the Reverend Dr. Gloria White Flowers has provided services that respect the integrity and religious traditions of all. She praises the spirit of volunteerism. She notes, “Johnnie Lou and Anne have both carried out the welfare of the Chapel so that everything is always in proper order.”

Johnnie Lou says, “Since its inception in 1889, Sheltering Arms has sought to provide quality healthcare and financial assistance to those who need it. This reflects caring, serving and giving. This is the spirit of Sheltering Arms.” The new chapel at Sheltering Arms Institute welcomes all. Chaplain Flowers explains, “The Interfaith Chapel is an inclusive and equitable space for a diversity of faiths. It provides a safe place of respite and renewal.”

To learn more about supporting our spiritual programs or volunteering at any area of Sheltering Arms Institute, please contact Michael GreeneRussell, 804-342-4327 or mrussell@shelteringarms.com.

Anne Lower and

Terry were selected as the 2022 Volunteer Impact Award recipients by the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Central Virginia Chapter. They will be honored on November 15, 2022 at National Philanthropy Day. This award recognizes their combined century of volunteer service to Sheltering Arms. Through the years, they have served in various volunteer positions with us. Their work through the years has helped our patients find their Power to Overcome.

Johnnie Lou

Johnnie Lou Terry

“Etched in the borders of the stained-glass windows signifying openness and inclusiveness, are symbols of known faiths and an empty field for faiths unknown; for those who have not yet found a faith and for seekers.”

“It’s the expressive side that excited me,” says Elizabeth (Liz) Creasman, who spearheaded the expressive arts program which involved a partnership between Sheltering Arms Club Recreation Program (Club Rec) and The Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VisArts). For more than twenty years, Club Rec has been a day recreation program for adults with disabilities or physical limitations. It incorporates a holistic care approach, promoting healthy living after an injury or illness. In 2021, Club Rec received a grant, from the David S. Walker, Jr. Foundation, which provided the funds to start an expressive arts program. Recreation Therapy Manager Rhonda Riggleman explains, “Our programs really fill an important gap in people’s lives. There’s a lot of research on the benefits of social interaction. That human connection is critical to a person’s daily life.”

Liz enjoys watching how well this collaboration works for both teachers and students. The partnership has been a learning and sharing process for both organizations. Many Club Rec members have mobility issues and the teams have worked together to create special grips, adapted easels or colors described to accommodate each individual. Liz notes, “Club Rec participants have been introduced to new mediums and techniques including felting, glass, neurographic art, and gelli plate printing.”

An abundance of innovative craft projects helps to inspire and delight students of all abilities. Community Arts Program Teacher Tori

Qualls handles a wide range of ages in these art classes. The youngest student is thirtysomething and the eldest is ninety-something. Careful preparation and providing plenty of options for personal customization are keys to success. “I do the finicky details which gives plenty of options for materials on a particular craft project. I’m a super materials nerd.”

Tori is excited about creating an environment where everyone can express themselves through artwork. For example, in the winter months, there was an emphasis on creating crafts reminiscent of springtime. The class made stained glass windows out of cardboard boxes that were painted white. With balloons as the artistic tool, students designed a swirling pattern to replicate stained glass. “It was really fun! I asked my students to trust me,” explains Tori who coordinated these makeshift “windows” with hand-made potted plants.

“I’m passionate. I think it’s so good to see my students have confidence in their own creativity.” The goal is always to inspire. “I want to remove the frustration from creativity which involves a series of slight modifications. It feels like a math problem at times. How do I come up with a project that is super cute and works for everyone?” To this end, Tori does not use glue sticks and favors glue in littles dishes with Q-tips because they are much easier to grab. A choice of multiple textures is an important component for students. They say, “Art is about choosing what you like.”

To learn more about supporting Club Rec and its programs please contact Lisa Resch, lresch@shelteringarms.com or 804-342-4326.

Art Changes Lives The expressive power of Club Rec

Liana Elguero, the VisArts Community Programs Manager, praises this successful art collaboration with Club Rec. She says, “It’s been such a good fit. There is this wonderful sense of community. We see arts as a component of health and well-being. When we arrive, the students are cheering.” She adds, “Art reduces stress and brings people together. It can also help improve motor skills if a student is doing a step-by-step project. There’s great energy and enthusiasm which is why Club Rec is one of our favorite places to teach.”

The positive energy continues to flow thanks to this collaboration. Liz explains, “This program coming to fruition is such a fulfilled dream. It is helping Club Rec members express themselves through art, while minimizing their frustration and building their confidence. They are all artists and creators with a message to share through art. I want them to proudly show their artwork and confirm that they are capable.” Creativity knows no bounds as participants learn and grow in an engaging environment. The collaboration between Club Rec and VisArts combines the strengths of each organization to create an outstanding program that provides infinite possibilities. Rhonda concludes, “At Club Rec, we show them that you can have a great life!”

Community Arts

In a typical community arts class, the instructor will demonstrate a technique and participants will then work on their own to complete the project. The VisArts teams have adapted their instruction for Club Rec by providing directions one at a time or repeating those directions multiple times.

Rhonda Riggleman, Therapeutic Recreation Manager SAC Club Recreation Program

“human connection is critical to a person’s daily life.”

A Nightmare Ends in Triumph

How Tameca & Larry survived and thrived

The nursing staff at Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI) is a powerful force in the recovery of its patients. Larry Moses went through an odyssey of health issues requiring extensive care and fortitude to overcome. Thanks to newly minted nurse Tiara Blair, he lived to talk about them and share his story of being determined to fight back, and a young nurse who saved his life.

Larry Moses and Tameca Day still talk about that 7-Eleven Store on Chamberlayne Road where they met. Tameca explains, “I used to get off work late at night and he would always have hot coffee waiting for me.” Larry, who was working the night shift, felt their connection immediately. Their relationship blossomed and they fell in love. In 2017, Tameca and Larry welcomed a beautiful daughter, T’Lyra (a combination of their names).

Larry woke up one March night in 2020 finding it hard to breathe. Having suffered very few health issues in his life, he was not one to seek out medical care. “I knew immediately I had to go to the hospital,” recalls Larry. Tameca, remembers thinking that something was very wrong.

COVID had launched its ugly spread in this country, so VCU Medical Center had adopted strict protocols to ensure the safety of staff and patients. That night, Tameca says, “I had to release him to the care of someone else. I could not care for him, and it was frightening. He couldn’t have any visitors!” At VCU Health, Larry was diagnosed with pneumonia, then suffered a blood clot which affected his liver and kidneys. It was a whirlwind of health issues that happened all at the same time. During the following weeks, Tameca was unable to see Larry or check his progress in person due to the pandemic’s restrictions. Tameca recalls how

hard it was on their family. “I’d make little signs like ‘We Love You Daddy’ and stand on the street with our daughter so he could see us and know how much we missed him.” Thankfully, he recovered and went home. Another health set-back occurred eight months later.

Larry was at his desk when something went wrong — again. “I felt extremely tired, and half my body went limp. I’ve never been sick like that. One of my co-workers asked if I was okay. My boss called an ambulance.” He adds, “I didn’t feel any pain, but felt really tired.” Larry didn’t realize at the time that he was having a stroke, which led to another lengthy hospital stay; afterwards, Larry was taken to Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI). Larry knew he was weak from the stroke, but he was determined to get better.

Tiara Blair, a recent graduate of Henrico County Public School St. Mary’s Hospital School of Practical Nursing, she was hyper-focused on helping patients. Tiara remembers the first time she checked on Larry in his room; he appeared weak and lethargic. She recalls, “I asked his technician and his therapists if this was normal behavior for him. They told me that this was not like him.” Tiara adds, “Later on in my shift, I noticed that he was not breathing well. There was a lot of wheezing. In my gut, I knew he needed to go to the Emergency Room.” Larry was immediately taken back to VCU Health. Tiara was right. Larry had contracted pneumonia a second time.

When Larry Moses returned to SAI to recover, Tiara was his nurse. She recalls how he immediately recognized her, then thanked her for saving his life. It was a deeply meaningful moment in her new career. “I cried because sometimes as a nurse you don’t know the impact you have on your patients. And that

everything I do hasn’t gone unnoticed. Someone is better because of me!”

Larry credits the SAI nursing team for helping lift his spirits during this final round of healing. He says, “I am a proud guy. I have a family and I want to work. I decided that I’m not going home in a wheelchair. Every day I gave it one hundred percent.”

For many patients the journey is only beginning once they are discharged from an inpatient physical rehabilitation facility and Larry was not an exception. He continued his physical therapy at SAI’s Hanover Outpatient Center and, he was very motivated to get better. Kierstan Gastrock, a board-certified neurologic clinical specialist, recalls how he set specific goals for himself. “Every session was about making things super functional for him. When he was going to take his daughter to the park, we worked on how to handle different situations like walking on soft surfaces or stepping up on a curb.”

Kierstan points out that Larry was willing to trust her and try new things that would aid in his recovery. She played an integral part in supporting Larry’s return to a more normal life. “I really like helping people try to regain function after a catastrophic event. It’s meaningful work. Every time I saw Larry, he was doing something different or better.”

Larry and Tameca are like a dynamic duo of love and support for each other. Today, they are moving forward with their lives. Larry is grateful for the care he received at SAI. He is now living his best life. “I have a few drawbacks but I’m getting there.”

To learn more about supporting Sheltering Arms Institute and its continuum of care please contact Kyle Amey, kamey@shelteringarms.com or 804-342-4131. learn

Tiara Blair

“I cried because sometimes as a nurse you don’t know the impact you have on your patients. And that everything I do hasn’t gone unnoticed. Someone is better because of me.”

Making gifts from your IRA

Current Sheltering Arms Foundation board member, Barbara (Barbie) H. Dunn, PhD, RN, PNP has been involved with Sheltering Arms for more than a decade. Barbie is passionate about the organizations she supports and knows how she wants to give.

Barbie regularly supports the annual fund and the Campaign for Convergence. And she has made a planned gift. She wants to make

sure any money remaining when she dies is distributed to organizations of her choice and that others are not choosing for her. She says (tongue in cheek), “if the decision is left to my husband the contributions might all go to University of Richmond Athletics!”

Barbie began making qualified distributions from her IRAs to Sheltering Arms at the required age 70 ½ (these were made directly from her

legacy gifts give

IRA custodian). Starting this year she has a checkbook for each IRA and can write the check directly, making it even easier to give from her IRA. Sheltering Arms Foundation is also an IRA beneficiary. When she dies, a percentage of her remaining IRAs will go directly to Sheltering Arms Foundation. Directing this gift at her death allows her to make a bigger impact than she can during her lifetime. Barbie also receives tax benefits by giving through her IRA.

If you are interested in helping to provide hope, dignity, and self-respect to future patients by including Sheltering Arms Foundation in your estate plans, please contact Kelly del Campo Merricks at kmerricks@shelteringarms.com or 804-342-4132.

Mark your Calendar

learn

To learn more about any of these events, please contact Sheltering Arms Foundation team at 804-342-4141 or foundation@shelteringarms.com.

September 9, 2022

from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Game Day at Club Rec * at Sheltering Arms Midtown

September 16, 2022

10:00 am

Adaptive Golf Clinic* at Bogey’s Sports Complex

September 21, 2022

celebrate our inaugural Ability Day supporting Project Gratitude

September 23, 2022 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

Game Day at Club Rec * at Sheltering Arms Midtown

September 29, 2022

Interested in becoming a Sponsor of the Bal du Bois?

The Junior Board of Sheltering Arms is hosting a Bal Recruitment tea for parents at the Country Club of Virginia.

Through October 23, 2022

support Sheltering Arms Foundation by making a gift through Birdies for Charity

To learn more, www.shelteringarms.com/birdies-for-charity

October 28, 2022

join us for Sheltering Arms Institute Community Research Symposium

March 29, 2023

Power to Overcome (P20) * celebration at the Hilton Short Pump

* Event has registration cost and requires RSVP.

Your contributions of time, talent, and treasure are changing lives and creating a better community every day.

Your past support has helped patients like Larry find his power to walk again, helped patients like Viktorr find their voices through music, helped Club Rec members find the creativity to express themselves through art and made our Interfaith Chapel available to everyone. These are just a few of the stories that are possible because of you.

Your Giving Power helps central Virginians find their Power to Overcome injuries and illness and for that we thank you.

With appreciation,

Mac, Kelly, Tricia, Lisa, Michael, and Kyle

140 Eastshore Drive, Suite 200

Glen Allen, VA 23059

804-342-4141

shelteringarms.com/foundation

SPECIAL THANKS

Contributing Writer: Kathleen Reid

Graphic Design: Polychrome Collective