- PMMA: With a little help from a Wichita area sign-maker, PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America) has shown the love to their team members at all 16 of their communities (14 in Kansas and 4 in Missouri) with large “Heroes Work Here” banners now proudly displayed outside the communities across Kansas and Missouri. Staff received brightly colored t-shirts proudly saying “Never underestimate a PMMA employee who braved the COVID-19 pandemic.” Team members are proudly sporting the shirts all over the PMMA system.
- PMMA Communities: When a resident’s family came by for a “socially distant” visit at Aberdeen Village, a PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America) community in Olathe, Kan., they took the opportunity to lend their voices to everyone in the senior living community. They sang several songs while walking along the community’s pond pathway by the independent living building and gave a short performance at the main entrance. The music drew residents out onto their balconies and patios.
- Local elementary students shared their artwork with Clay Center Presbyterian Manor, Clay Center, Kan., residents recently. The artists, all third grade or younger, put together bio sheets and brought pieces they had made to the campus. The bios and artwork were hung on the outside of the windows of the common living room and residents were able to walk by individually to enjoy the show. The community has had visits from local daycare children, and a staff member brought her children and baby goats for an entertaining afternoon as well
- Residents at Wichita Presbyterian Manor have been busy since the Coronavirus pandemic hit. An independent living resident, who has been posting memes he finds on Facebook outside his door for months, has posted numerous memes about the pandemic to bring a light-hearted moment to his fellow residents. Among our favorites are “I don’t think anyone expected that when we changed the clocks earlier this month we’d go from standard time to the Twilight Zone.” Staff have taken happy hour to residents in their rooms, led live exercises and the YMCA dance on the community’s internal TV channel, led the bunny hop with residents in the outdoor courtyard.
- Independent living residents in the cottages and duplexes at Newton Presbyterian Manor have taken on the challenge of social distancing with creativity and perseverance. Several residents are calling assisted living and health care residents to check in on them. One resident is writing a newsletter, “The Cottages and Duplexes Sequester” to share what’s happening. Residents aren’t letting social distancing keep them from meeting in driveways to sing happy birthday to each other or visit for a few minutes each day.
- Salina Presbyterian Manor is leaning on its technology resources to keep residents connected, and discovering unexpected benefits. Life Enrichment Director Lacey Burhle said one of the things residents missed most were their exercise classes. She’s now offering classes with video on the internal TV station. “People who have never exercised before are using it,” Lacey says. She plans to continue the broadcasts even after the social distancing rules are relaxed. In addition to exercise, they are offering a feature movie weekly and delivering popcorn to residents during the feature.
- An assisted living resident at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor has a big birthday coming up. Instead of the big party planned, they’ll have a drive-by parade for the birthday. Separated by COVID-19 and CMS visitation rules, the two meet up frequently at the entry to assisted living to have chats through the glass doors. Their story was recently featured in the Kansas City Star and other related newspapers.
These articles are part of our 50 Good Stories Campaign. We would love to have you submit your good stories. Send them to dana@leadingagekansas.org
