Beatitudes Community

Celebrations, Celebrations, Celebrations!

The month of May saw three separate but equally beautiful candlelit celebrations in honor of our Golden Anniversary year.

The first gala, on May 15, the campus hosted 140 friends, board members, and business partners as we honored our past, present and future, and heard words of inspiration from our legacy leaders, Rev. Dr. Ken Buckwald and Peggy Mullan. That evening we also launched the Culver H. Nelson Founders award. This award will be given annually to a community leader or organization who is making a difference in the lives of seniors or is contributing significantly to the advancement of aging services. The inaugural award fittingly went to our sponsoring church, Church of the Beatitudes, for its visionary founders and 50 years of mission support through time, talent and treasure.

The second event hosted by our marketing team welcomed many people interested in calling the Campus home. Each table was hosted by our resident ambassadors who shared stories of campus life while Dr. Buckwald and I had the opportunity to speak to our 50-year journey and future. The last of the galas was the Blue and Gold theme dinner and dance. Over 200 of you, our residents, celebrated with your friends, family and staff as we highlighted innovative programs, Auxiliary and volunteers, and the many, many amazing resident-driven groups and initiatives.

One such group was recently acknowledged by LeadingAge Arizona, our state association of non-profit aging services providers. The Back-to-School Sewing and Knitting Group won the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award at this year’s awards banquet for their dedication to providing new school clothes to children in the Phoenix area who desperately need them. The group makes dresses, skirts and tops, purses, hats, scarves and pillowcases toBeatitudes Campus Peace Pole hold treasures. Then, the group matches accessories to go with the clothing – things like hair scrunchies, bracelets, toys in every pocket, flower pins, scarves and headbands. Last year alone they made over 1,070 hand-made items! Every July, the group sends their clothing and accessories to the “Back to School Clothing Drive” distribution center so that high-need children throughout Arizona can start the school year off with a new outfit.

I am so incredibly proud of the work, initiatives, support, and passion that is shared throughout our campus community, and I am delighted that the celebrations of our 50 years of service will continue throughout this year! In September, the Beatitudes Campus Peace Pole, which was unveiled last month outside the Town Plaza, will be officially dedicated during the International Day of Peace program. And, in September, we will celebrate Beatitudes Campus Auxiliary’s Golden Anniversary too. You will read more details about that celebration, but, knowing this group of highly devoted and passionate people, it will be an event you won’t want to miss!

Australia’s oldest man likes to knit mini sweaters for injured penguins

Australia’s oldest man has spent a lot of his days knitting sweaters for penguins.

Alfred ‘Alfie’ Date spoke to 9 Stories about how his inability to say ‘no’ to favors got him into making the miniature animal clothes. Mashable touches on this inspirational story of Alfie, who, at age 109 (!), is still making an amazing impact on the world.

For the full story, read on…

Source: Australia’s oldest man likes to knit mini sweaters for injured penguins

Arizona Science Center IMAX D’Day

June 6, 1944: The largest Allied operation of World War II began in Normandy, France.

Yet, few know in detail exactly why and how, from the end of 1943 through August 1944, this region became the most important location in the world. Blending multiple cinematographic techniques, including animation, CGI and stunning live action images, D-Day 3D: Normandy 1944 brings this monumental event to the world’s largest screens for the first time ever. Audiences of all ages, including new generations, will discover from a new perspective in breathtaking IMAX® 3D how this landing changed the world. Exploring history, military strategy, science, technology and human values, the film will educate and appeal to all. Narrated by Tom Brokaw, D-Day 3D: Normandy 1944 pays tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom. A duty of memory, a duty of gratitude. Not rated. Runtime: 45 min.

The Unique Benefit of Group Social Activity for Older Adults | InvestigAge

A new study indicates that group social activity offers unique cognitive benefits to older adults, more so than one-on-one social activity.

This new study indicates that group social activity offers unique cognitive benefits to older adults. Therefore, we suggest getting involved! Beatitudes Campus offers many group events for you to explore interests, or to learn something new. Be sure to visit our calendar for a look at all available options today!

Source: The Unique Benefit of Group Social Activity for Older Adults | InvestigAge

Physical activity may protect older people from brain damage – Medical News Today

A new study has demonstrated that older people who remain physically active could be protecting themselves from brain damage associated with movement difficulties.

Source: Physical activity may protect older people from brain damage Medical News Today

As part of our Success Matters program, we find interesting articles across the web, which demonstrate how active older adults may continue to be successful and live longer, healthy lives.

The Garment of Jesus

In the ancient Roman world, when a man had been found guilty and was condemned to die, the centurion assigned four soldiers to carry out the execution. One of the benefits for the soldiers who were appointed to such a task was that they were given the clothes of the victim once he had been crucified.

The Jews normally wore five articles of clothing: sandals, a belt, a head covering, an undergarment, and an outer robe. Because there were four soldiers and five articles of clothing when our Lord was crucified, each soldier chose one article, leaving a final article to be divided: Jesus’ undergarment. The undergarment was woven in one piece, which meant that it was of some value, but not if it were torn into four pieces and evenly divided among the execution squad. Therefore, lots were cast to see who would get it. As John 19:23-23 says, “The garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. [Let’s not tear it, they said to one another. Let’s decide by lot who will get it.]”

In the early church, Origen taught that the seamless garment was a reference to the wholeness of Christ’s teaching. Cyprian thought it symbolized the unity of the church. Cyril believed it explained the virgin birth. In more recent times it has been understood as pointing to Christ’s perfect righteousness. While Christians can agree on the wholeness of Christ’s teaching, the unity of the church, the virgin birth, and Christ’s perfect righteousness, nevertheless, I believe John is teaching us something else in his gospel account. John wants to show how the prophecies of God were coming true and that scripture was being fulfilled in Jesus. John 19:23-24 quotes directly from Psalm 22:18: “This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, [They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.]”

John wants us to understand that all scripture is pointing to Jesus Christ. The Bible is much more than just a record of true historical events – it’s about salvation! It’s announcing to the hurting world that victory was accomplished for us at Calvary, for salvation is found in none other than the one who hung on that cross and whose victory over death we celebrate at Easter!

Join Me!

It has bubbled up in more than just a few places as a great idea. First, from residents reflecting upon their first days at the campus and remembering feelings of awkwardness or not knowing how to fit in, especially when hoping to enjoy our many dining opportunities. “How do you get to know people?” “If you are single, everybody seems to be sitting together and you have no option but to sit alone.” All consistently expressed. And, then, it is often heard, and I mean often, from seasoned residents, “How do we get the new folk to join us at our tables, we would love to meet them.” Now I know some are extraverts and will plop themselves down anywhere knowing they are family already – and they are. And others enjoy people, but a tad more introverted and prefer a quiet meal alone or while reading a book. So is there anything for the one’s in the middle?

Your resident Communications Committee has developed a perfect way to help all of us make the most connections possible for anyone looking for a dining conversation. You do not need to be new, you can be here 20 years, and you do not need to be single, couples like company too. It is so simple. As you place an order in the Bistro, or are being seated in Buckwald’s, the excellent staff will ask if you would like to have someone join you or if you would like to join someone yourself. If you would like to have someone join you, then you will be given a “Join Me” card to place on the condiment stand and everyone knows they are welcome at your table. If you would be open to joining someone else who has an open table waiting for you, then all you need to do is pull back a chair at the table and get ready for a perfect dining experience getting to know another of our finest. If you prefer to dine privately that is perfect anytime everywhere.

Our campus is all about radical hospitality to one another and to all. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to help breakdown some unintentional barriers that may be out there. As we do so, one thing is for certain, our community is going to be closer and stronger than ever.

Mindset – What’s Yours?

Back by popular demand from residents who participated in her previous three workshops on Joy, Wendy White, M.C., will present “Mindset – What’s Yours?” Wendy has asked Jan Whohlers, our wonderful Yoga instructor, to assist her in presenting this informative and fun workshop, which is bound to increase your joy and positive outlook on aging. The workshop will follow our Chair Yoga class on March 19th in the Motion Studio at 2:00PM. This presentation will be limited to 20 people. Please sign up at the desk in the Motion Studio.

Looking Towards a Bright Recreational Future

Have you heard? The Recreation Department is looking to bring our community recreation programming to its highest level yet! But first, with all new visions coming with the new people and preparation for new opportunities, we have been doing a little remodeling so, when complete, we will be ready to start climbing. During this transition time, however, some misperceptions have arisen that we would like to address and, hopefully, create some clarity. One example is a revamping of our staffing and trying to create the most efficient structure to maximize our potential. Where we previously had one part-time driver and one one part-time Recreation Coordinator positions that we were looking to fill, after only receiving a couple of applications, the Transporation and Recreation Departments got together and came to a conclusion of offering a full-time, dual responsibility, position. This position will have dedicated hours for both being a driver and being a Recreation Coordinator. These hours may vary, but Jeff Mathison, Transportation Director, and Didi Cruz will be working together to ensure this new position is successful for the employee and our community.

This does not mean we will have our drivers be fully responsible for off campus events. It is quite the opposite. 90% of our off campus events will have both a driver and a staff/volunteer to make sure that tickets, meals, attendance and your experience is a great one! We do make some decisions where there may be only a driver. These will primarily be trips that only include a drop-off and pick-up at a location (such as a casino). The reason for this is we feel our trip participants to certain off campus venues are fully capable of being independent while enjoying their time off campus. This also allows our Recreation Staff still on campus to provide engaging programming to the other 450 plus residents who do not attend these trips.

Speaking of on campus programming, let’s talk about Theme Dinners. We hear you, and are thankful for our residents who take the time to express the good, bad, ugly and everything in between about community sponsored programming. As you read this, the Recreation Committee members are brainstorming different ways for you to share ideas on what the themes will be moving forward. The on campus and off campus programs that Didi has put on have come directly from residents’ suggestions, and we are so happy that community members share those ideas with her. In the meantime, Didi is working on a suggestion box outside her office and always please bring suggestions/concerns directly to Didi. Thank You!

Online Education: Dementia Dialogues Webinars

As a caregiver of someone with dementia, your time is precious and sometimes traveling to receive ongoing education is simply not possible. Join us for Dementia Dialogues, where we bring dementia education to you online! Dementia Dialogues offers a different, pertinent webinar topic each month. Tune in from the comfort of your home or office and learn from experts in dementia care!

Dementia Dialogues are meant to provide a caregiver with helpful information and tools to better understand and care for loved ones living with dementia. The series will be fully accessible from anywhere at any time with full lecture information available online and in accompanying audio versions.

Webinars will be hosted on the third Wednesday of each month from Noon to 1PM in the Admin Conference room. Every month, a new topic surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia care will be discussed by experts and guest caregivers. Limited space is available in the Conference Room so please come early, if we outgrow the space we will look to move to a bigger area.

The Topics that will be covered on the Webinar are:

  • Planning for Care Across the Stages of Dementia (March 18th);
  • Alzheimer’s Medications: What They Are, What They Aren’t and What You Need to Know (April 15th);
  • Planning Successful Travel (May 20th);
  • Men as Caregivers (June 17th);
  • Understanding Psychosis (July 15th);
  • Maintaining Realistic Expectations as Dementia Progresses (August 19th);
  • Best Lessons from Powerful Tools for Caregiving (September 16th);
  • How and When to Execute Powers of Attorney (October 21st);
  • Preparing for Holidays (November 18th);
  • The Gift of Presence (December 16th).

The Lenten Journey

On Wednesday, the season of Lent begins, and we are invited again on a journey to refocus our spiritual selves for inner renewal and reconciliation with God and others. The Lenten journey is a time of self-examination when we are encouraged to slow down, take a deep breath, and take stock of things. In the words of Pope Francis, “The purpose of Lent is to adjust your life.” We often associate Lent with giving up something, however, why not do something positive, too, instead of just removing the negative? Maybe this year resolve to spend more time volunteering, take time with your family, or write a letter to a dear friend.

lent wordThe 40 days begins this Ash Wednesday as you are invited to come and receive the imposition of ashes upon your forehead—a sign of humility that we all are in need of God’s grace. There are two opportunities to receive the ashes: Rosary and Communion in the Plaza View Lounge at 10:00AM, or anytime between 10:00AM—3:00PM, the Life Center will be available as a space for prayer and reflection with your Campus Chaplains offering the opportunity to be marked with ashes. Throughout the Sundays in Lent, worship opportunities are Catholic Mass at 10AM and the campus Vespers services at 3 and 4PM when the Chaplains will be preaching on the theme of “Characters of the Cross.”

There was Peter who denied Jesus three times, Judas who betrayed him, Pontius Pilate, the judge at Jesus’ trial, Barabbus, whom the crowd chose to be released instead of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene, who experienced the power of forgiveness. Or perhaps you might hear a reflection on one of the soldiers who mocked Jesus and took his clothes, or the two thieves who hung on the cross beside Jesus at the crucifixion. Then we come to Holy Week which will be marked by special services on Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. On Good Friday, the Life Center will be beautifully set up with the Stations of the Cross. And the culmination of it all, of course, is Easter Sunday, which celebrates the promise of the empty tomb as we meet our Risen Lord once again! Our Sunrise Service is at 7:00AM on the west walkway outside the Plaza Bistro, followed by a continental breakfast Catholic Mass is at 10:00AM, and there is a service led by the Chaplains at 3:00PM in Plaza View. Join us in this journey of Lent as we take time to be holy!

What’s in a Name?

What’s in a name? The founders of Beatitudes Campus thought a lot about the name of the campus fifty years ago. At first, the campus was called “North Congregational Retirement Home,” paying tribute to our roots. But, within a few years, they decided that the name just didn’t fit this active community and wasn’t descriptive enough. Our residents and our grounds seemed more like a college than a “retirement home.” Our residents were active, social and lifelong learners. After much reflection, our name was changed to Beatitudes Campus to reflect the lifestyle and the purpose.

Namestorm-Ledger LeadingAge, the national membership organization for not-for-profit continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) like Beatitudes Campus, has embarked on an initiative to find a new name for a continuing care retirement community—one that actually resonates who we are. According to Larry Minnix, president and CEO of LeadingAge, “It’s about the ‘R’ word – retirement – and the ‘C’ word – care.” These two words and the perceptions surrounding them are the reason LeadingAge is spearheading an effort to develop a new name for a continuing care retirement community.

Continuing care retirement communities like Beatitudes Campus are different from other senior living options because they combine an active and robust community where you can live independently with additional services available should the need arise. Yet, the name that we have been using to describe communities—Continuing Care Retirement Community – focuses mostly on care. We want to develop a name that focuses more on the unique living experiences that we have.

Beatitudes Campus residents, families and staff have been chosen by LeadingAge to help in this initiative, called “CCRC NameStorm.” LeadingAge is asking that our residents complete a short, 10-minute survey and be part of shaping the future of CCRCs. The survey is anonymous. It will ask a few general questions and will give you 11 different names and will ask you some questions about each name. The website address for the survey is www.researching.com/namestorm. We encourage you to complete the survey online, either on your own computer or in the Computer Lab on Tuesday the 10th or Thursday the 12th from 10 to 11:00AM. We will have volunteers there to help you complete the survey. We have a very limited number (about 40) paper surveys available at the Welcome Center.

I encourage all of you to participate. Your ideas and input on the survey will spark a new conversation about living as an older adult. Your input will help determine what name best describes the expanding possibilities that can be experienced in a CCRC.

Watch the Community Channel or look for flyers for more specific information about the survey. Thank you for participating in this most important endeavor.

Success Matters!

It started 50 years ago when a new community opened its doors promising the highest quality of life and opportunity for successful aging. Until those doors opened, the chances for truly successful living, in what were mostly “nursing homes,” were close to none. They were simply a place to exist day in and day out with no real belief in lifestyle choices and options that can strengthen physical and mental outlooks.
jamie-lee-curtis-quote

What the founders of this new community knew was that offering only day to day existence was beyond an insult because learning, living and growing takes place all the days of our lives no matter what level of physical or mental capability. Fifty years later, Beatitudes Campus continues its mission of offering its residents, at every level in its community, the opportunity to access the highest quality of life and success each day and to embrace those tools that will help create it. And just like fifty years ago, it is our mission to continue to discover new and innovative ways to achieve success for every resident whom we have the honor to serve.

At Beatitudes Campus, success matters – your success matters! No one can force success on another. But we know that if we can offer our residents the insights, tools and programs, that for what others are convinced is inevitable when it comes to aging, our residents can redefine and thrive instead.

What does success look like? It might look like waking up one day realizing that getting out of bed and standing is getting harder and harder – and then going to the Fitness Center and looking for new ways to strengthen those legs and keep them lifting you for years to come. It might look like realizing that your sense of balance is changing – and then instead of waiting for “the fall”, checking with your doctor and taking Fall Prevention classes and balance exercises all aimed at keeping you upright for all those times you want to be. It might look like observing that you have been staying home and even ordering dinner in not only getting out less but socializing less becoming the recipe for depression – and then pushing yourself into the Bistro or Buckwald’s and joining in some activities. By the way, it is not too late to register for a Lifelong Learning class. And it might look like awakening to the fact that days are feeling more sad than happy, and motivation to do anything is slipping away – and then talking to your doctor or pharmacist about medicines that might be causing those feelings – or seeing our excellent counselor in the Wellness Center – or talking to our Chaplains – or pushing yourself back out and surrounding yourself with friends to expose you to some of the most inspiring people right here in your midst. The fact is doing all of the above is part of a recipe for success that you can start cooking up any day you choose. It is the beginning of successful living.

Success matters – your success matters. That is why we are still discovering new ingredients and cooking up new ways to do all we can to be a part of your success. In the next few months, be watching for Resident Services to unveil what we think has been a missing ingredient to our being able to offer you a complete recipe for your mind, body and spirit’s success. We think we have found it and we can’t wait for you to have a taste. Success matters, your success matters at Beatitudes Campus.

Fifty years later this campus is still dedicated to your learning, living and growing – your success – and if you dare to embrace success it is yours. And fifty years later we are still researching and dreaming up innovative approaches and tools to offer, so as to have the greatest potential for achieving the most success at every level. That’s success.

Stay tuned and remember: Your Success Matters to us.