Since last Friday’s letter, two fully vaccinated Patio Home residents (living together) have tested positive for COVID-19 and one fully vaccinated staff (support staff in the Health Care Center) has tested positive, bringing our total active cases this week to six people, (3 residents and 3 staff) with two people recovered.
Dear Beatitudes Community,
Beatitudes Campus is in Week 3 of our phased-in re-opening. I can’t tell you what joy it brings our residents and staff to regain social connections and have a life full of ordinary moments – coffee with a neighbor, a game of bridge, a long walk around campus. After a year of disruption, the very ordinary moments have become extraordinary. For Independent Living residents, the re-opening guidelines for the coming week are the same as the past week. We have done well and protected each other during the current phase. We will be expanding our re-openings at the end of this month, so watch for details. Of course, we require mask wearing in all areas (except for resident apartments) and ask that you stay physically distant from others who are not part of your group.
For our licensed areas, re-openings are regulated by state and county health departments. For our assisted living areas (Plaza View and Early Memory Support), we have received guidance for a controlled re-opening. Residents may leave their buildings and walk outside and enter certain buildings throughout campus. Communal dining in Plaza View and in the Bistro are now available if reservations are made; meal deliveries will still be available. Up to two visitors, seven days a week can visit residents in assisted living, indoors or outdoors. It is with such joy that I saw an assisted living resident ready to start his daily walk – with a bottle of water and a granola bar in hand, he could feel the fresh air and feel the warmth of the sun. For our health care center, we are able to have indoor and outdoor visitation for our residents in Sierra Springs (3rd floor), but for Vermilion Cliffs (4th floor), our advanced memory support area, we are in outbreak status until March 26, as a direct care worker tested positive for COVID-19 a week ago. This means that the residents cannot have visitors, except for compassionate care.
Visitor Guidelines can be found on our website (https://beatitudescampus.org/beatitudes-family/) and clicking on Visitor Guidelines. Independent Living Guidelines can also be found in the Roadrunner (current issues are posted on our website (https://beatitudescampus.org/beatitudes-family/) and clicking on Information for Residents). If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected].
We continue to follow our staff testing regimen and this week, again, all tests are negative for COVID-19 (we administered a total of 394 tests this week). We do feel that testing is an important step in stopping/slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Right now, we have one direct care worker in the Health Care Center who tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday and is quarantining at home.
We are so grateful that our residents and staff have had the opportunity for getting the vaccine, either at the campus clinics or at the county and state PODS. Next week, March 23, is our last vaccination clinic at the campus with CVS. This clinic is primarily for residents/staff who received their first dose of the vaccine last month (February 23). If, however, you have been unable to get your first dose of the vaccine yet, you may use this clinic to get your first dose! The staff at the clinic will help you schedule an appointment for your second vaccine, which will be off-campus.
I want to thank all of you for your strength and leadership in adhering to public health guidelines and recommendations. We would not have gotten this far at the campus without your support. Please stay well!
My best,
Michelle Just, President and CEO
After Wednesday, March 10th, Assisted Living/Early Memory Support residents will be able to start walking outside on campus. On Tuesday, March 9, we will be reopening our amenities for Independent Living residents – Backstreet Boutique, Gift Shop and the Salons. During two staff and resident testing sessions, we received all negative results! We will continue testing staff in the near future, as testing is key in mitigating the spread of the virus. We have no new cases of COVID-19 on campus as of March 5th.
Feb. 19th – We have some good news about vaccine rates here at the campus. Nearly all residents in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living have been vaccinated. (Those in Skilled Nursing received their second dose last month and those in Assisted Living will receive their second dose next week.) Our Independent Living residents have a vaccination rate of 85%. We are still compiling the statistics for the rate of vaccination among staff. I want to thank all who chose to be vaccinated. Fighting this pandemic is a team effort. We are protecting ourselves, our co-workers, residents, families and our community.
Beatitudes Campus continues to see an increase in cases, which has doubled last week’s number of cases. As of today, we have 31 cases on campus – 20 staff and 11 residents. The individuals infected are across all campus areas. We continue to aggressively test staff and residents in our licensed areas as it is one of our tools to mitigate the spread.
Check bcampus.org for a current updated list of available amenities for residents.
This past week marked a significant milestone for our Beatitudes community, as family visits began. I am so happy for our residents and family members to have the opportunity to enjoy in-person visits again!
Out of 245 tests, four came back positive (1.6%) and all are asymptomatic and in quarantine at their homes. Today, residents on the third and fourth floors in the Health Care Center will be retested. We are now getting the results from retesting 13 Early Memory Support residents from last week – two residents tested positive; both are asymptomatic and are moving to the Isolation Unit in the Health Care Center. Nine residents tested negative and two results are still pending.
346 staff tested negative and nine tested positive. Eight of those nine staff remain asymptomatic and show no symptoms of COVID-19; however, because they carried the disease, they could spread it. These staff are currently in quarantine at their homes and monitored daily. Yesterday, July 23, we continued our weekly testing of approximately 245 direct care staff and support personnel, and plan to do that weekly at least for the next few weeks. We will continue to do biweekly mass testing for all campus staff and the next testing date is next Thursday, July 30.
338 staff tested negative and eight staff tested positive; all eight staff are asymptomatic and are in quarantine at home; nine results are still pending. This situation highlights why testing and quick turnaround of testing results are so important. With the screening that we instituted four months ago, before anyone steps foot on campus – temperature checks and symptom checks – we are never able to catch the asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals without routine testing and a 24-hour turnaround of results.
It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that we lost one of our own last week, Melissa Buljubasic.
One of the favorite moments in our presentations to those considering residency at Beatitudes Campus is when Jim and Marlene Plaster talk about the letter they wrote to their children alleviating them of the responsibility to make decisions for them as they progressed toward their “third act” in life. You can usually hear a “pin drop” as they tell of the series of decisions that led them to the campus. (By the way, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate the Plaster’s willingness to help us along the way…..Jim is our Residents Council President Emeritus, but they have also selflessly allowed their patio home to be the “model” for the future project over 220 times!)
“It’s the best gift my parents could have possibly given us at this stage of life.” Comments like this are common among adult children whose parents live in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), sometimes referred to as life plan communities.
Research reveals that family members who care for an aging loved one often experience clinically significant signs of depression, have less time available to spend with friends and other family members, and sacrifice financially by taking time away from their careers or retiring early.
It’s no wonder then that those whose parents are happily living in a continuing care retirement community consider it a gift. A study of 3,700 family members of CCRC residents revealed that 93% feel that the CCRC is providing good services to their loved ones and 77% would be likely or very likely to consider a CCRC for themselves in the future.
Cited as the most important features of the community were transportation services, availability of a fitness center, housekeeping services, walking paths, emergency call systems, and the availability of assisted living and healthcare services.
Of course, we always tell our prospects that whether you are considering a CCRC for yourself or a loved one, finding the right fit requires doing proper research and due diligence. Generally, that includes speaking with our Resident Ambassadors who have been through the very same evaluation process. Contract details and pricing can vary dramatically from one provider to another. It is important to be sure that the community you are considering is a good match for your lifestyle, finances, and cultural preferences, and that it is well-managed, both operationally and financially.
One of the very best parts of my job is making sure we connect folks about these considerations. With over 30 years in senior living services, I have had wonderful options to provide, but none as comprehensive and “resident-centric” as this campus. How proud I am to let our standards speak for themselves through the authenticity provided by our Ambassadors and so many more.
Thank you for always giving a warm welcome to those visiting campus and letting them know why living here is restorative, powerful, fulfilling, purposeful and exciting (some of your “B” words on your badges)! By the way, we will be working with your building reps to get everyone’s name badges updated with the new logo and your “B” word in the next few months—stay tuned for the updates coming in the next few weeks.
What an exciting time it is for the campus! Our new patio homes are under construction with twenty-nine committed, our Promenade Residences priority B V.I.P. membership program has over 75 members and the campus redevelopment program is comprehensive and a testament to listening and planning for the best in senior living. I am so proud to be a part of this process!
We have had some leadership changes within the last few month in the Health Care Center as well as our Assisted Living and we are happy that the changes are familiar faces since we promoted from within.
The first change to take place at the beginning of January is Teresa Borton, RN became the licensed Health Care Administrator of our Health Care Center. Teresa began an Administrator in Training (AIT) program in April of 2018, completed the 6-month program in September, and then passed her State and National exams in November and December. Teresa, prior to her AIT program was our Director of Nursing since April of 2015. Teresa had always expressed an interest in Administration and we are pleased we could assist her.
Prior to joining us at Beatitudes, Teresa was the Director of Nursing at Grandview Care Center. Teresa became an RN, mid-career after spending over 20 years in the dental field. She shared that growing up she always wanted to be a nurse and she made that dream come true. When Teresa is not at work, she is home enjoying time with her husband, Steve. Teresa also is the proud mom to Danielle and Josh and the beloved Grama to Hunter and Dean who she shared are the “lights of her life”! Teresa loves coming to work each day to have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.
The second change in Health Care Center management is Suzanne McLaughlin taking over as the Director of Nursing. Most recently, Sue was the Director of RAI (Resident Assessment Instrument) which oversees the process for submitting resident assessments to Medicare for payment. This is a very detailed process and Sue even holds a certification to ensure the RAI’s were submitted accurately and timely. Medicare and the Office of the Inspector General have been auditing and tightening down on skilled nursing facilities for unnecessary overpayments from Medicare. Beatitudes has not been found to have any unnecessary overpayments. For a couple years prior to her transfer to the Director of RAI position, Sue was our Assistant Director of Nursing supporting Teresa as the Director of Nursing. Now these two are back together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. There is no relationship in skilled nursing as trusting and strong, or as necessary as the Director of Nursing and the Administrator. Sue and Teresa have worked together for years and balance each other well.
When Sue is not working, she, too, is spending time with her love, Steve. Sue also shares her love with her 4 children, 5 wonderful grandchildren, her crazy puppy, Louie, and her 2 furry felines, Stewart and Oliver. Sue will likely retire within the next couple of years to Minnesota as she has another important job awaiting her there as Gramms. Sue said the Beatitudes has been her favorite place of all to work because “of the kindness, caring, compassion and friendliness that embraces our campus.”
The third and final change for our Health Services management team is that of Zeus Del Rosario becoming the Director of Assisted Living and Memory Support. Zeus was hired as the Nurse Manager in September of 2018. We soon found out that Zeus’ compassion, leadership and relationship building was what we were missing in Assisted Living and Memory Support leadership. Zeus completed his Assisted Living Manager certification training and became licensed by the State of Arizona in February. Zeus has made great strides in his couple of months of day-to-day operations and residents and families have expressed how impressed they are with him and his leadership. Prior to coming to Beatitudes, Zeus worked as an LPN in skilled nursing and long-term care as well as his family has a group home in Gilbert, AZ.
Zeus grew up in a Filipino family-oriented culture which “respects and treasures our elders, which I believe is what influenced my drive to be in geriatric care.” When not at work, Zeus enjoys playing basketball, baseball, soccer, football and working out and he is a big comic book fan, especially Marvel comics.
In closing, I would like to share how proud of Teresa, Sue, and Zeus, I and the Administrative team are. These three have chosen stressful, highly regulated jobs and are on call almost 24/7 and they do it out of love, because they love our residents, our staff and our mission. I would also like to thank the staff, residents and families that support Teresa, Sue and Zeus as they work to fulfil our mission daily. Please know that they are there to assist you, answer questions and provide resources as needed. Please join me in congratulating Teresa, Sue and Zeus in their well-deserved and hard-earned promotions.
Mark your calendars for a special series of presentations and discussions coming to you Tuesday afternoons, starting June 5th, at 2:00PM in the Agelink Great Room (AGR). Sponsored by the Health and Wellness Committee, this five-part series examines situations and solutions that arise when living and working in a Life Plan Community such as Beatitudes Campus. It results from months of planning and collaboration among staff from Resident Services, Success Matters, and Comfort Matters.
Someone stopped me in the Bistro the other day and told me he often uses the articles that I have been putting in the Roadrunner to share with friends who are considering a move to Beatitudes Campus. That was a much appreciated compliment and it occurred to me today (New Year’s..) one of those reflective times when I am thinking of a lot of plans for 2018) that it might be worthwhile for all of you to have a bit of a tool to use when speaking to family or friends about their potential move to our Life Plan Community.
That’s really one of the best points – “Life Plan.” When you made the decision to live at Beatitudes, you did yourself the favor of taking one of the most important steps in planning for your “senior” years. If your friend or a loved one is considering their senior living options, they likely have begun doing research on retirement communities. With all of the choices available, it can be a lot to take in so the decision process can take some time, depending on the situation. Some senior living decisions are needs-based and move much quicker, while others are more preference-based and can take months or even years.
The timing conundrum
Ideally, one should not wait until the day they need to move to begin planning. If for no other reason, this can be problematic because of the very subject I am addressing here—there could be a wait list for the living setting you prefer. But one of the challenges of planning ahead for long term care housing needs is that it can be hard to foresee exactly when you will need it. It could happen slowly with the natural aging process or the progression of a degenerative disease, or it can occur quickly with an illness or injury. So it is advisable to get on the waiting list if you are looking at the Beatitudes for yourself or a family member; this way, when the time comes and your house sells or situation changes, you will hopefully be near the top of the list and, most importantly, you will be able to enjoy the many, many benefits of independent living on the campus while you can.
We are taking reservations right now for the new patio homes that we’ve announced and will begin “pre-sales” (deposits) in mid-February. Our priority program has reached 56 members with 47 who have paid their initial placeholder deposit for a chance at one of our 34 patio homes. One of the additional benefits that has also occurred during the last few months as we have presented the opportunity to hundreds of interested prospects has been that some are deciding to move into our present residences rather than wait! If your friends or family are eyeing a continuing care retirement community (CCRC, also known as a Life Plan Community) another consideration is that many communities require new residents be able to “walk in,” that is, they must be relatively able-bodied when they first move to the community. In fact, many Life Plan Communities have a very active base of residents such as we do who live independently today, but want to be someplace where care is available to them on-site when needed. Most Life Plan Communities maintain an assisted living and/or health care center in addition to offering independent living such as Beatitudes Campus. We are blessed to have such highly rated licensed care options here for eventual needs as well as supplemental care options (Beatitudes Home Health and Beatitudes at Home) to extend independence.
How waiting lists work
Many Life Plan Communities have wait lists—yet, these lists are not necessarily just for assisted living or skilled nursing. When applicable, wait lists are often also associated with an independent living residence. When adding your name to a wait list, you’ll typically specify which type of unit you desire, e.g., a patio home, one or two-bedroom apartment, etc. When a resident in your desired unit type moves out (often because their needs have progressed and they are transferring into the on-site assisted living or healthcare facility) then the unit becomes available to you.
Once you’re on the wait list, retirement communities may offer a variety of perks to future residents—maybe unlimited use of their pool and exercise facility, or access to other community events and activities. We have begun our L.A.F.F. (Lifestyle, Activities, Fun and Friendship) Club to facilitate that very type of relationship to the campus. In fact, a growing number of Life Plan Communities are beginning to call their wait list a “membership” just like ours. I would encourage residents-to-be to take advantage of this benefit as it allows you to begin the process of assimilating into the community and meeting future neighbors, even before you live there. We do have some club members who have not put their names on the wait list, but many do so in order to have good familiarity with the campus when the time is right.
It is also good to be aware that some communities will have an internal waiting list such as we do. If you find yourself in a situation where you need (or want) to move into the community and your preferred unit is not available—forcing you to settle for your second or third choice–you can go ahead and move in but stay on the internal list and wait for your desired unit-type to open up. Existing residents will typically get priority over non-residents, so you may be able to get your preference more quickly. Adding your name to the waiting list is one of the ways you can plan for your future. This step can give you and your loved ones a level of security, knowing that you will be well-cared for in the future.
Remember that, as a Beatitudes resident, if you refer a prospect who becomes a priority program member, you’ll earn $100. If that prospect does sign a residency contract and move into Central Park or a Patio Home, you’ll receive a $1,000 bonus after they have lived on campus for four months. Your second successful referral is worth $1250 and the third earns $1500 – that’s a possibility of $3750 a year! The only requirements are that the prospect is not already in our marketing database and that you do register the name with the sales staff prior to their initial tour.
These are indeed exciting times here and we are equally as excited to see all of the progress being made!
Rev. David W. Ragan, Sr. VP of Resident Services
David Ragan (@dragan), Sr. Vice President of Independent Living opened the meeting at 2:15PM with a forecast of truly melting weather. Close to 100 residents braved the heat to attend the meeting and find out “what’s new” at Beatitudes Campus. There were no new residents at the meeting, but David intends to corral all the new residents in September and bring them to the meeting.
First on the agenda was a heartwarming story of a grandmother who could not afford the birthday cake her little granddaughter had picked out at the grocery store. The young man in line behind them bought the cake and convinced the grandmother to accept it as he had been the recipient of a similar kindness when he was seven years old. When the little girl showed her grandfather the cake and a message that the young man had given her, it became apparent that the grandfather was the man who had bought the cake for the seven year old boy many years ago. The story summed up by saying that a simple act of care creates an endless circle.
Or as David put it—you never know what impact the little things you do today might have and the blessings that come back to you in so many ways.
Remember the Welcome Coffee coming up this month on Wednesday, June 28th at 2:00PM in the Life Center. Come and meet your new neighbors!
Michelle Just (@mjust), President and CEO, complimented Mim Hoover (@mimhoover) and Dosia Carlson (@dosiacarlaol-com) (pictured at right) on the wonderful job they did in their Lifelong Learning Program Workshop at the Annual Meeting of LeadingAge Arizona, an organization of not-for-profit senior living communities. They were the only resident presenters at the meeting, and their presentation generated interest in starting similar programs at other communities. Michelle also celebrated two awards that were presented to Beatitudes Campus by LeadingAge Arizona. The first was for Innovation in Environmental Design and it went to Patty’s Garden, the healing garden honoring and named for Harriet Ivy’s mother. Beatitudes Campus was fortunate to be chosen to receive funding for this garden. Tena Alonzo (@talonzo), Director of Comfort Matters, noted that the garden provides a sensory experience for residents who may not think like they once did, but retain their feelings. The garden has a positive impact on their quality of life. It was built using solar power, LED’s, low water usage, color that does not attract bees and overall low maintenance. The second award went to the Success Matters Program, led by Jessica Meyer (@jmeyer), Director, and Josephine Levy (@jlevy), Resource Navigator. There is nothing else like this program in our peer group here in the Valley. The program seeks to keep residents independent as long as possible and make the most of each resident’s individual potential. They strive to make each resident’s quality of life as great as possible, and perhaps make life greater than when the resident moved to our community. Mim Hoover said she was given the confidence to feel that she could still do things as well as feel that life is still good. Michelle asked that residents join her in celebrating the Success Matters and Comfort Matters teams. She is incredibly proud of these two Innovation Awards. Congratulations also go to Tara Bethell (@tbethell), Sr. Vice-President of Human Resources and Risk Management, who was named to the Class of 2017 Forty Under Forty by the Phoenix Business Journal. She finished in the top ten!!
Herb Komnick, Residents Council President
Herb Komnick (@hkomnick), President of the Residents Council, reported on the May Residents Council Meeting. David Ragan welcomed everyone to the meeting, congratulated the Lifelong Learning Program and announced that Mim Hoover and Dosia Carlson would be speaking at the Arizona LeadingAge Workshop, and Success Matters is receiving the Innovative Health and Wellness Program Award. The Security-focused Town Hall was a success with residents learning firsthand about emergency procedures here on campus. Holleran 2017 Resident Engagement Surveys should have been completed and turned in between May 12th and May 27th. The Community Channel is now available to all residents on channel 1966. Pat Dellisanti, Dining Services Committee Chairman, announced the Luau which was held on June 8th as part of the Marketing Program. New menus are being prepared for the Health Care Center, Plaza View and Buckwald’s. A Lifelong Learner’s class will be offered to include kitchen tours. Sunday Pizza will return when the football season arrives. Barbara Carpenter, Interim Chairman of the Employee Appreciation Committee, outlined several Committee activities including letters to new residents, all residents, groups who use campus facilities and friends of the campus; relocated Tip Boxes; possibly adding a statement on menus; and a dinner being planned for August 17th. Gerald Roseberry, Environment Committee Chairperson, reported that leak testing for all resident buildings except Plaza View and the Health Care Center has been completed with the information provided to Scott Mardian (@smardian). Roger Benson, Facilities Committee Chairman submitted a report stating that Mitch Bradshaw (@mbradshaw) had been informed of complaints about the area around the dumpster at the Northeast corner of the campus. Roger was advised that vehicle traffic between Central Park North and the Garden Apartments was necessary for resident moves and appliances stored in the Garden Apartments. Kim Shull, Grounds Manager and Color Coordinator, has resigned. Residents are requested to help keep the campus looking neat by straightening chairs, etc., that are disarranged and calling in work orders for any obvious problems they observe. There was no unfinished business. Under New Business, a motion to appoint Sue Lefebvre as Parliamentarian was approved; the Holleran Resident Engagement Survey forms were given to Council members for distribution; and Don Tamuty reported he had received a request to keep the 17th Drive gate open for a longer period of time during the summertime (Herb reported that since the meeting, he has been informed that because of Security concerns, this request was denied.) Bette Henriques, Senior Area Representative for Central Park North and Patio Homes; Don Tamuty, Senior Area Representative for Plaza South; and Sybil Eppinger, Senior Area Representative for Central Park South reported on the various activities that have taken place and those that are planned for their buildings. Residents asked questions concerning window washing, use of plastic bags in dining venues, recycling procedures, and locating recycling containers near dining venues. Jeremy was complimented on his excellent work in emptying the recycling bins. Residents were reminded not to feed the feral cats. The next Residents Council meeting will be on Wednesday, June 14th in the Luther Life Center at 2:00PM.
Rod Bailey,
SVP of Sales & Marketing
Rod Bailey (@rbaileybeatitudescampus-org), Sr. Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, reviewed the referral award program in which residents can earn up to $3,750 for bringing new residents to the campus—people who have not been in the system or contacted previously. He also unveiled a new summer program that will be available through September 30th. Residents who just fill out a referral card will receive a dinner for two at Buckwald’s. If the referral card results in a move-in, the resident will receive three different dinners for four at Elaine’s Fine Dining in addition to the monetary award.
Congratulations were extended to Michelle Just for being elected to the Board of Directors of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. The Beatitudes is the only senior living organization that has a presence at the Chamber.
Ruth Crowley, Residents Council Chairman of Health and Wellness Committee
Ruth Crowley, Chairman of the Health and Wellness Committee, noted that the response had been so positive in the spring that three additional workshops have been planned to expand on the topics presented earlier. The first workshop, “What’s in Plaza View” was held on Thursday, June 15th at 3:00PM in the Life Center. Cheryl Knupp, Sr. Vice-President of Health Services, and her team from Plaza View, focused on assisted living at Beatitudes. It was suggested that you review your contract with Beatitudes prior to the meeting so presenters can provide more specific information in answer to your questions. In July, a workshop on Dementia and Skilled Nursing is planned, and in August there will be a workshop about the services available in independent living to help residents stay in their apartments when health issues arise.
Jessica Meyer, Director of Success Matters at Beatitudes Campus
Jessica Meyer (@jmeyer) announced that the Success Matters team is hosting a farewell for Rich and Mitch. They will be finishing their clinical rotation on June 23rd and residents can thank them for their contribution to the Beatitudes and wish them well in the Bistro on June 22nd from 12:00 to 1:00PM. Free cake as well!
Jon Schilling, Director of Life Enrichment at Beatitudes Campus
Jon Schilling (@jschilling) advised that planning is underway for the 2017 Active Aging Week. Residents interested in helping plan for this event should contact Jon at x10333. Jon reported that Anthony Farias, formerly in Transportation, is now working as a Life Enrichment Specialist in the Health Care Center. Jon reminded residents to bring suggestions for activities on campus and off campus to the Life Enrichment Committee. The Life Enrichment Team does their best to make things happen for residents. Mike Smallwood (@msmallwood), Fitness Specialist, provided a fitness report on the BrainSavers Class which is in the 6th week of the 12 week Quarter. Mike has made some significant adjustments to the program and has received positive feedback from the residents. Angie Moore, Manager of the Program, observed the class last week and approved of the adjustments that were made to accommodate the needs of seniors. The second Quarter is scheduled to start the 1st week in August. Starting Monday, June 12th and continuing through October, there will be Indoor Morning Walks in the Life Center. Residents were reminded of the importance of staying hydrated during these hot summer days. Residents were also reminded of the many fitness classes available, including Tai Chi, Chair Yoga, Zumba Gold, Zumba Exercises, Memory Maker Yoga as well as Fitness Foundations, Functional Fitness, Water Exercise and Sit and Be Fit. The June B-Fit Winner of a $50 gift card is Tom Denny. Winners have not been present at many of the Town Hall Meetings, and Mike suggested that you might have a better chance of winning if you don’t come to Town Hall!
Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialist
Monica De La Rosa (@mdelarosa), Life Enrichment Specialist, reminded residents that there are suggestion boxes in the Life Center Lobby and the Information Station in the Plaza Bistro. Please use them to call attention to events, performers and off campus activities that are of interest to residents. Wednesday, July 5th is the last day to sign up for the Wednesday, July 26th baseball game between the Diamondbacks and the Braves.
New menus for Buckwald’s, Plaza View, and Elaine’s Fine Dining will be out in July. Look for the changes on the Community Channel, in the restaurants and in the Roadrunner. David assured residents that hot dogs and baked potatoes will not be taken off the menu. Apparently, keeping them available was a lesson learned the hard way.
David noted that the Beatitudes Auxiliary Backstreet Boutique is in need of volunteers who can help in the Furniture Annex, moving furniture, etc. The Annex plans to reopen in September. Talk to your children, grandchildren and friends about this rewarding volunteer activity.
The Community Channel #1960 is now available across the Campus. Make sure you tune in and see what is going on. Through this Channel, residents will receive updates on last minute changes as well as ongoing information in an emergency. If you have input to make the channel better, let David or Korry Nelson (@knelson) (x18493) know about it.
There will be a Hootenanny every Wednesday night, beginning at 5:45PM. Tell your neighbors and enjoy the enthusiastic music. It’s free! Wednesday, June 20th, from 2:00 to 4:00PM in the Bistro, enjoy another freebie, a frozen yogurt sundae. Just come for the treat or share your thoughts with Dave every third Community Wednesday.
David reminded residents to take staying hydrated seriously, and to have a great June. He looks forward to seeing residents at all of the events. There will be no Town Hall in July and the next Town Hall will be held at 2:00PM in the Luther Life Center on August 2nd.
It is critical that Senators Flake and McCain hear from all of us! I ask that you share the information above and encourage them to oppose changing Medicaid to block grants or per capita caps when our senior population across the nation is rapidly growing. It is the wrong policy at the wrong time.
At this month’s Resident Town Hall, I had the opportunity to provide attendees an update on the campus’ master planning work. You’ve heard for months now our team is working on the future campus redevelopment, yet I often get asked “when are we going to put a shovel in the ground?” Well, just because you aren’t seeing dirt diggers here, please know that there is significant and detailed work going on behind the scenes!
