Beatitudes Community

Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day

Many Native Americans and their supporters like myself recognize the importance of celebrating the history and contributions of ALL AMERICANS, but there has to be a better way to honor Italian Americans, without associating them with Christopher Columbus.
I hope that we could find a reasonable compromise to satisfy all parties involved moving forward.

We Will Do All We Can to Protect Our Beatitudes Family

Beatitudes Campus mission commits all of us to a model of service for our residents – to inspire purpose and vibrancy in all that we do. Our mission compels us to do all we can so that we do no harm to the ones we love and serve. We are so grateful to our Beatitudes Strong staff, particularly in the last 19 months, who have lived out our mission and worked hard to protect our Beatitudes family and ensure the safest environment possible.

Below is a letter I sent to every staff member, informing them of the policy.

I want to thank all of you for your steadfast support and flexibility throughout the past 19 months of this pandemic. I hope that you and your families are doing well despite the many challenges we have collectively faced and continue to experience because of the pandemic.

Over the past month, much has happened both nationally and locally within life plan communities, such as Beatitudes Campus, regarding COVID-19 vaccines and requiring staff to become vaccinated. As we have always said, we will follow the science, and the science overwhelmingly points to the vaccine’s critical role in protecting our residents, our community and each other from this deadly disease.

We carefully deliberated and reviewed recommendations from scientists and the medical community and the requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and we have made the decision to require all Beatitudes staff and contractors to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by no later than November 15, 2021. Concomitant with this decision, on August 18, 2021, the White House announced an initiative to increase vaccination rates in America that included mandatory vaccinations for long-term care workers in nursing homes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) followed quickly with an announcement of forthcoming regulation mandating vaccinations for all staff working in nursing homes. On September 9, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order that included the provision that 17 million health care workers at all facilities, hospitals, home health providers, dialysis centers and other health service providers that receive funds from Medicare and Medicaid be fully vaccinated.

This decision was not an easy one to make. We know that this requirement will affect a portion of our staff. But as COVID-19 variants emerge and proliferate, it is critical that we protect everyone who lives and works at Beatitudes Campus. Our campus mission commits us to a model of service for our residents that promotes soundness of mind, spirit and body. We chose to work in the field of aging so that we could serve some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, and we owe it to them to take every measure possible to ensure the safest environment possible. Our residents and staff expect to be safe at Beatitudes Campus and we need to do everything we can to protect our Beatitudes family. We have a unique and special responsibility to keep the campus as safe as possible to protect our residents and staff, especially as the risk environment rises, as it has during this pandemic.

We understand that this may be a heavy and emotional issue for some staff. There will be a very limited allowance for exemptions for our staff from being vaccinated. Those exemptions will be for legitimate, fully documented medical reasons as well as fully documented long-held religious beliefs. We also understand that some Beatitudes staff will choose not to be vaccinated who do not qualify for one of the rare exemptions. We urge those employees to reconsider based on facts and science. We are all in this together. Together we serve our residents and together we have a collective responsibility to keep them as safe as possible. We encourage you to talk to your manager or director, or, alternatively, we will have our spiritual life team of Rev. Peggy Roberts and Rev. Andrew Moore as well as our nurse educator, Karen Mitchell, who can talk with you confidentially.

Beatitudes Campus policy for a vaccine requirement has been distributed, as well as the forms should you seek an exemption.

Please take a moment to reflect on why you chose to work at Beatitudes Campus and with the seniors who live here. The campus would not have a 56-year history of success without the contributions of a dedicated staff. Throughout this pandemic you have demonstrated your dedication and bravery in the face of unprecedented and challenging circumstances. The residents you love to serve, the residents you help to live their best, most successful and engaged life, are enriched by the Beatitudes team. They deserve to live in the safest community possible. We must do everything possible to deliver a safe environment for them.

We are Beatitudes Strong! Thank you.

Sincerely,
Michelle Just, President and CEO

From the President & CEO | July 17

As of this morning, we currently have 19 active COVID-19 cases on campus – 6 residents and 13 staff. Thankfully, 46 individuals have recovered – 16 residents and 30 staff. We have lost 9 residents to COVID-19 and no staff. Our hearts prayers go out to the families and the individuals for healing and peace in this uncertain time.

The Blame Game

The Rev. Brad Munroe, the Executive Presbyter of the local denominational body of which I am a part (part of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A), has rewritten the Serenity Prayer for the 21st Century. 

God, grant me the serenity to accept that others
may misunderstand, misinterpret, and misjudge
my motives when hearing the narratives I speak,
the courage to listen with grace, humility, and compassion
for other’s motives when hearing the narratives they speak,
and the wisdom to know when to speak and when to listen,
always seeking charity, clarity, and conviction from all.

In a recent article, Brad writes about the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAR) which is a term psychologists use to describe the phenomena of attributing ill motives to others while assuming pure motives for oneself. For example, if someone cuts us off while driving, our first thought might be “What a jerk!” Conversely, consider the last time you were suddenly honked at for drifting into a different lane.  You may have had an immediate alibi (e.g. the sun was in my eyes, my kids were distracting me) that explained your behavior based on a situation.  You didn’t immediately come to the conclusion that you were an inconsiderate or incompetent driver. Because of the Fundamental Attribution Error, we tend to believe that others do bad things because they are bad people. We’re inclined to ignore situational factors that might have played a role. 

A particularly common example is the self-serving bias, which is the tendency to attribute our successes to ourselves, and our failures to others and the situation. You might have noticed yourself making self-serving attributions at times. How often do we judge others harshly while letting ourselves off the hook at the same time by rationalizing our own unethical behavior? The Fundamental Attribution Error is so pervasive that I guarantee you will see it in action over the next week if you keep your eyes open.   If we were to add up how many times the FAR is made in the meetings we attend, the gatherings we go to, the conversations with family and friends, we would likely find reasons why our life together needs an injection of “the courage to listen with grace, humility, and compassion.”

Some helpful remedies and things to consider are:  watch out when you make generalizations and don’t be too quick to draw conclusions about the character and capabilities of others, assume the good will of the other person, and envision yourself in the shoes of the other person and imagine their challenges. Unquestionably, there are genuine jerks and incompetent people we run across in life.  Given our inherent tendency to ascribe negative traits quickly, we will be better off by considering alternate explanations before we jump to conclusions.  Those folks that are truly deserving of negative labels will have ample opportunity to validate our suspicions!

One Wild and Precious Life

Much-loved poet, Mary Oliver, died recently at her home in Florida at the age of 83. She lived for many years in Provincetown, Mass., with the love of her life, the photographer Molly Malone Cook. Oliver got a lot of her ideas for poems during long walks — a habit she developed as a kid growing up in rural Ohio. She wrote about one such walk in her poem “The Summer Day”:

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean-

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

A friend of Oliver’s described her as “a visionary poet, and she’s also the quintessential tough old broad who finds traces of awe in, for example, scooping out the shining wet pink bladder of a codfish, or getting down on all fours with her dog out in the woods and, for an hour or so … see[ing] the world from the level of the grasses.”  What I particularly appreciate about Mary Oliver is that she knew the rewards of paying attention.  As Jesus encouraged, she seriously considered the lilies of the field how they grow. Her essay called “Staying Alive,” is about escaping from her difficult childhood into nature and literature.  Her work speaks directly to us as human beings in lines such as: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” In her poem, When Death Comes, she beautifully says, “When it’s over, I want to say all my life I was a bride married to amazement.” Writer Ruth Franklin says her work is infused with a deep spirituality. “The way she writes these poems that feel like prayers, she channels the voice of somebody who it seems might possibly have access to God. I think her work does give a sense of someone who is in tune with the deepest mysteries of the universe.”  As we move into the dog days of summer, I look forward to reading more of Mary Oliver.  What will you be reading?

The Songs We Are Called to Sing

Later this month, the parliament of Uganda is due to debate, and potentially pass, proposed laws designed to censor some of the country’s most prominent artists. The proposed regulations include vetting new songs, videos and film scripts prior to their release.  Musicians, producers, promoters, filmmakers and all other artists will also have to register with the government and obtain a license that can be revoked for a range of violations. Not surprisingly, the proposals have been condemned as an intrusion into artistic freedom, and interestingly, the proposed legislation has inadvertently sparked a global recognition of the actual influence of what they are seeking to restrict. It is nothing new for the arts to make those in positions of power and control feel uncomfortable, and yet the power of what is sung, and what we ourselves sing, is easily overlooked. It can give a voice to our deepest emotions – and it can help shape our whole approach to life. The Old Testament psalms reflect almost every human condition – anger, grief, despair, illness, desertion, betrayal, and often a deep desire to see justice done. But alongside the lament, we also find praise, thanksgiving and celebration. All life is seen in light of a God whose ways might be beyond our recognizing, but who is to be found even in the darkest of our days.

It was this ability to keep on singing about a liberating God which helped sustain many slave communities in this country during the evil of slavery. Their voices blended in harmony to reach out beyond the drudgery and the misery to a promised land ‘Way over Jordan’. The singing encouraged, motivated, and articulated an important truth which these people had grasped, and were eager to declare with robust passion. What song are we called to sing? Are we singing it, or have we been silenced into submission by those who would prefer not to hear? The Ugandan government might succeed for a while in controlling what’s to be sung. But the song of truth won’t be silenced forever. As Sam Cooke wrote; ‘There have been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long, but now I think I’m able to carry on. It’s been a long, a long time coming but I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will’. May we all find in God the words to our songs, and the strength to keep singing.

 

Hope is What Makes Us Strong

Last week, we hosted a special guest, The Very Rev. Tracey Lind, who came to speak about the spiritual insights and lessons she has gained from a life complicated by dementia. Tracey is a newly retired episcopal priest who for the last 17 years served as Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland. On Nov. 8, 2016, Tracey was diagnosed with early stage Frontotemporal Dementia. In what some might consider a cruel twist of fate, the type of FTD Lind has, Primary Progressive Aphasia, affects the neurons in the part of the brain that involves communication and language. The woman who in 2004 wrote and published the book “Interrupted by God,” who wrote and delivered weekly sermons for nearly three decades, who could converse and joke as easily with a homeless woman as with a corporate CEO, was going to be robbed, gradually, of her ability to write, read, speak and understand what others are saying. As she spoke it was clear that the deep and abiding faith that has inspired this gifted preacher and teacher throughout her life continues to sustain her as she meets the challenges of the years ahead supported by her wife of 18 years. Tracey’s message was filled with honesty, courage, faith, and hope.

At lunch Tracey shared with us a blog she is writing using the story of Pandora’s box and how she had found new meaning in it. Of course, Pandora is well recognized as the Greek mythical character, the first woman, created by Zeus. Upon her creation, the gods gave her many gifts – beauty, charm, wit, artistry, and cunning; the last gift was curiosity. Included with the gifts was a box, which she was told to emphatically, “Never open the box.” She even hid the box deep in the ground but the pull of curiosity was too strong. Finally, she could hold back no longer, she lifted the lid, and out flew all the evils of the world, such as toil, illness and despair. That’s how most of us remember the end of the story, but wait, at the bottom of the box, the last creature that she let loose was HOPE. Pandora’s last words were: “HOPE is what makes us strong. It is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” The Very Rev. Tracey has preached about hope for years and now she is living it out in a new way. The diagnosis hasn’t stopped her from fully immersing in what life has to offer — and what she has to give.

Off To Chicago!

As you read this article, Chaplain Andrew and I will be in Chicago at the 7th International Conference on Aging and Spirituality which began in Canberra, Australia in 2000 and until the 2015 Conference, all were held in countries of the British Commonwealth: Australia, New Zealand, England and Scotland.  This is the second time it will be held in the United States and Andrew and I are excited to attend. These conferences include voices from many parts of the world, voices from the domains of the academic and the aging services, voices from various faith traditions and voices representing the “spiritual, but not religious,” and they include a mixture of keynote speakers, workshops and papers of interest to those coming from a faith based approach and to those approaching spirituality from a secular viewpoint.

We will be meeting at the historic campus of Concordia University, Chicago which has a Center for Gerontology (the study of aging and older adults). The conference theme is “Transition and Transcendence: Transforming Aging through Spirituality.” Together we will explore navigating the transitions of aging, how transcendence is experienced in times of change, and how the experience of aging and our understanding of it can be transformed. “How do we, as persons who are growing older ourselves and who serve older adults, encourage ourselves and encourage them to find the spiritual paths and practices that will sustain them – and us – through hard change and loss?  And how does our spirituality help us to move from focusing on our own needs and pains to seeing ourselves as part of a wider world, where, in spite of limitations, there is still much we can offer and needs we can meet? How do we engage the wider cultures in which we live in conversation about the possibilities and promises of aging in the midst of all these transitions? In short, how can we harness the power of the spirit available to all of us to transform aging wherever we live?”

It is exciting that Andrew is one of the presenters speaking on: “The Road Goes Ever On – Viewing Aging As A Step On Our Spiritual Pilgrimage.” In his presentation, Andrew will be using the experiences of many people here at the Campus to demonstrate how beneficial it is to see aging not as a dilemma, but rather as an essential and beneficial part of our life-long quest for self-understanding and spiritual growth.

Having never been to Chicago, I am looking forward to seeing new sights and learning new insights.  Plus, I’ve heard they have some pretty good pizza!  Look for a future article in which we will share about our experience.

*By the way, the word “ageing” in the title is not a typo.  The Conference comes from other parts of the world, where they spell it as “ageing” rather than how we spell it here in the United States – “aging.”

Lead An Active Life

I was reading about inspirational living the other day and was drawn to an article by Dr. Art Hister, an award winning physician, educator and media personality from Vancouver.  Most seniors want to live longer, but even more important, they want to enjoy a good quality of life. We hear this a great deal as we tour prospective residents and their families around Beatitudes Campus.  It’s really those types of factors that make the difference – our fitness center and incredible training staff, our top flight Center for Life Long Learning and the host of other clubs and organizations in which residents can immerse themselves.

Dr. Hister tackles this issue directly and I’m sufficiently convinced we should listen since it appears that he has more than a bit of credibility.  He is currently a health analyst on The Morning News on Global TV in BC. He is also the author of two Canadian bestsellers, Midlife Man and Dr. Art Hister’s Guide to a Longer and Healthier Life, as well as numerous articles for publications such as Reader’s Digest, The Globe and Mail, and The Medical Post.

“Quality of life is really important,” says Dr. Art. “I want to enjoy the rest of my years, especially with my grandchildren. I want to walk on the beach with them, not have to sit waiting for them to visit me.”

“The single most important thing you can do,” he advises, “is to be more active. Just keep going. The more active you are, the better. There is less chance for your body to deteriorate. Being mobile and active is more important than diet or other factors.” Dr. Art doesn’t like to use the word “exercise” preferring to say “keep moving, keep active.”

“Furthermore, it’s easy. There’s nothing to prevent you; simply make up your mind to be more active. Sadly, our culture does not encourage us to do exercise, quite the opposite.” One only has to look at the parking lots, cars, elevators, and escalators all around us to see that Dr. Art is right.

“Numerous studies have shown that when previously sedentary people become more active, their health improves,” he says. He describes how living a healthier life has several almost immediate benefits including sleeping better, having more energy, having lower stress, and suffering less anxiety. Long-term benefits include living longer, being happier, and reducing the negative effects of chronic diseases. That last benefit is particularly significant, isn’t it?

He also emphasizes you’re never too old to change your habits. Studies show that even 80-year olds benefit from becoming more active and embracing these recommendations.  A resident told me recently that he had never really embraced fitness or involvement in a number of social activities, but that in giving it a try, he was astounded at how much improvement in life in general was being experienced.  This was actually in a conversation which involved his daughter and she chimed in rather immediately, stating rather amusedly that she wasn’t exactly sure who these folks were posing as her parents.  “I pretty much have to book an appointment with them—always on the go and more social than I ever knew them to be.  I keep telling the story to my friends for their folks.”

I am always thrilled to hear reports like these.  In fact, we are always anxious to have our family members share the Beatitudes Campus story.  Did you know that the Friends and Family Referral Program also extends to sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or cousins that recommend a prospect to the campus?  We will be hosting two informational sessions later this month to explain how your family member can earn just like our residents by referring qualified prospects to the campus.  Rewards are paid out after three months for those successful placements.  Be sure to let your family know – we will announce the times and place in the Roadrunner soon.

In the meantime, we remain as excited as ever to continue the progress on campus.  These are exciting times!

From Physical Therapy to Personal Fitness

Graduating from physical therapy is a good reason to celebrate and there’s no better time to start a fitness program, even if you’ve never been physically active. Regular exercise will help you maintain your therapy results and will keep you feeling good for a long time. Create a plan to stay active and fit, even when you don’t have a therapist watching your every move.

Start Smart

Physical therapists usually discharge patients with home exercise instructions. Before you finish therapy, ask any questions you have about exercises you should and shouldn’t be doing. You should have a clear understanding of which exercises to do, how to do them, how often, for how long, at what level and how you should feel while exercising.  As you begin exercising on your own, go easy. Follow your therapist’s instructions to increase your exercise level to avoid injury and discourage setbacks.

The benefits of exercise last only as long as you stay active, so keep a copy of your exercise plan where you’ll see it every day. Track your progress to keep yourself honest. Otherwise, you may end up right where you started, with pain, limited function or injury.

At Home

Beginning your post-rehab personal fitness program at home is a great idea for convenience, privacy, and affordability. Set up your home exercise space with safety in mind. Clear your floor of slipping and tripping hazards and make sure you have a stable surface to sit, stand or lie on and something to hold onto for balance.

Gym Time

You may wish to exercise at a local gym or recreation center, especially if you already belonged to one before you underwent physical therapy. If your home exercise plan calls for using exercise equipment or machines, working out at a gym is a convenient way to go.

Step It Up

When you’re ready to move beyond your post-rehab exercise program, schedule a few sessions with a certified personal trainer specializing in post-rehab training. Doing so decreases your risk of injury and pain as you continue to build strength and fitness.

Speak Up

Once you begin your personal fitness program, you may have some questions. You might try some of the exercises and realize that for some reason, they don’t feel right to you. Instead of ditching the entire plan, contact your physical therapist or trainer. Some simple adjustments to your routine could make all the difference.

Legacy Left Behind

There are many reasons we should honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy.  Not only was he a transformational spokesperson for nonviolent activism during the Civil Rights Movement, he was an inspirational leader whose legacy continues to help pave the way to inclusion which we hold near and dear to us here at Beatitudes Campus.  He was a visionary who was persistent, who knew when to push forward and when to pull back, and was someone who knew how to show compassion to those very people who were fighting against him. Below are a few excerpts from Jeff Goins’ blog entitled 5 Lessons from MLK on Living, Leading, & Communicating at http://goinswriter.com. Jeff blogs what many of us think and feel:

“Martin Luther King, Jr. left us a legacy, teaching us as much through what he did as what he said. Maybe more. One of the many lessons Dr. King exemplified was the effectiveness of a life lived out loud, one in which a person’s words and dreams are backed by considerable action.  He showed us our lives must be lived intentionally and without regret, that words mean something and we must speak up in the face of injustice. He taught us that it is one thing to say you have an idea and quite another to act on it. And the man’s courage still inspires millions of people today.

I’m glad Dr. King spoke up and then acted. The world is a better place because of it.

Telling the truth is dangerous

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

There is nothing safe about being honest, nothing comfortable about doing the right thing. If anything, when you are committed to saying what needs to be said, it will likely get you into trouble.  But the fruit is worth the pain.  You’re the one who has to decide this, though. Choose wisely before opening your mouth, and be aware of the consequences. Because as with MLK, this may cost you your life.  But of course, if you don’t speak, it could cost you something far greater.

The first person you need to convince is yourself

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

MLK often spoke about the importance of believing in yourself before trying to convince others to do so. He knew that if we doubt ourselves, so will others. He also knew human beings cannot act according to their identity until they believe it about themselves.  In the field of creative disciplines, we see this to be especially true. “A writer is a writer when he says he is,” says Steven Pressfield.  There’s something about the power of declaration via our voices that forces our hands to act. This may be the most important lesson Dr. King taught us: we are what we are when we decide to be it.

May we honor MLK’s memory by boldly being and believing who we are, then acting on it.”

 

Set Intentions, Not Resolutions

One of the last minute gifts I gave to our daughter Maddie this year is a bracelet with one word on it.  I was attracted to this website the week before Christmas because Chris Pan, founder of MyIntent.org, is asking the world “What’s Your WORD?”  His mission is to be a catalyst for meaningful conversations and positive energy. Your WORD is something you want to have more of in your life or a challenge you want to overcome.  He says: “We believe there is purpose inside each of us and we want our efforts to encourage people to share more truth and inspiration with each other.  We are not a jewelry company – we are an intentions project. When you choose your word it is hand-stamped into a wearable bracelet or necklace as a daily reminder and conversation starter. Ok, I know this could easily be a gimmick, but the thing is I asked Maddie “What’s your WORD? and she said, “THRIVE.”  I asked “Why thrive?” and she said that she wants to thrive and not just survive.  That was a catalyst for a conversation and information about my daughter that I wouldn’t have known otherwise.  The WORD that I chose is “JOY” because it is meaningful in my life and my faith and has deep connections to my father who died years ago.  I asked my husband what his WORD was and he said he didn’t want a bracelet.  Ok, it’s not for everyone.  I am inspired to think of my WORD as my intention, not my resolution, as I go into this New Year.  One of the makers of the My Intent project posted this:  “Guess what, you are perfectly imperfect just the way you are and there is nothing “wrong” with you, nothing that needs fixing…what you can do is love yourself a little more a little deeper.  Surround yourself with people who inspire you and push yourself to be an expanded version of who you already are.  Do things that set your soul on fire and fill your heart with love.  Expand your mind, experience new things, connect on a deeper level with those around you.  So instead of creating a “resolution” or asking yourself what needs “fixing”….set an intention for what you are CREATING in the world and who you are committed to BEING.  Find what makes your light shine and do more of that. Shine brighter in the new year.”  May it be so.  What’s your WORD?

‘Tis A Gift

Processed with MOLDIV

Gifts arrive on birthdays, at Christmas, on Hanukkah, anniversaries, retirements and on so many other beautiful occasions throughout our life’s journey.  We celebrate great events and individuals who are extra special to us by offering something of ourselves in the form of a gift that reflects our gratitude and appreciation.  Some of you might have figured out that I try to send a birthday card of appreciation to all of you and begin writing them just before the new month.  Not a card goes by that I do not find myself reflecting on what a gift to the Campus, and to me, the particular individual is to whom I am writing.  We give gifts, but the greatest gift is not the gift itself but the giver and receiver themselves.  They make for the true treasures in life. And like all gifts, with time, they are all meant to be shared and that is what makes our Campus so beautiful.  The sharing is abundant!

As the Holidays approach, and as much as gift giving is on many of our minds, it is a strange phenomenon whereby individuals forget just what an amazing gift they genuinely are.  This time of the year can be especially painful for the one who just cannot see the truth and beauty about themselves.  In that we shine when it comes to gifts that keep on giving, I want to encourage you to make an extra special effort to keep an eye out for a neighbor who might very well be struggling and needing a special word or a little affirmation from you.

You are a gift! There might not be a more perfect time than now to share the gift you are by inviting someone you have not seen for a while to join you for dinner or a Campus event.  Or when you notice that fellow resident a few tables down eating alone consider checking and seeing if they might be open to some company.  They will be gifted by the amazing individual that is in you and I am willing to bet you will receive a beautiful gift in return in the gift they are as well.

The “Grit Scale”

It was my great privilege and pleasure to attend the national LeadingAge conference last week in Indianapolis, Indiana. There were more than 6,500 like-minded professionals there to listen, learn, share best practices and validate many of the ideas and programs about what makes senior living the career that I love. It was incredibly valuable for me to hear about how other life plan communities are approaching social media, their “digital profile” and how they are creating new formulas for more successful senior living. I was particularly impressed with listening to Dr. Angela Duckworth talk about the subject of “grit.” Do you remember that movie—True Grit? At the time, we knew that John Wayne was the essence of what our folks had told us it took to get through tough times and last through the challenges. But that was a western—and a movie. Plenty of you have had to demonstrate real life “true grit” to succeed in careers, raise children, sustain through hard economic times and persevere when family has passed away or maybe passed us by.

Before she was a psychology professor, Angela Duckworth taught math in middle school and high school. She spent a lot of time thinking about something that might seem obvious: The students who tried hardest did the best, and the students who didn’t try very hard didn’t do very well. Duckworth wanted to know: What is the role of effort in a person’s success?

Now Duckworth is an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and her research focuses on a personality trait she calls “grit.” She defines grit as “sticking with things over the very long term until you master them.” In a paper, she writes that “the gritty individual approaches achievement as a marathon; his or her advantage is stamina.”

I found that very interesting in light of what I know from many seniors over the years of my profession about how they have succeeded in spite of anything and everything. Many of you here on the Beatitudes Campus have been educators, and skilled professionals with life’s ups and downs—challenges, joys, highs and lows. And you are here—you got through it all with aplomb and became heroes to admirers like me.

Duckworth’s research suggests that when it comes to high achievement, grit may be as essential as intelligence. That’s a significant finding because for a long time, intelligence was considered the key to success.

Intelligence “is probably the best-measured trait that there is in all of human psychology,” says Duckworth. “We know how to measure intelligence in a matter of minutes.”

But intelligence leaves a lot unexplained. There are smart people who aren’t high achievers, and there are people who achieve a lot without having the highest test scores. In one study, Duckworth found that smarter students actually had less grit than their peers who scored lower on an intelligence test. This finding suggests that, among the study participants (all students at an Ivy League school) people who are not as bright as their peers “compensate by working harder and with more determination.” And their effort pays off: The grittiest students—not the smartest ones—had the highest GPAs.

Duckworth went on to tell us about her “Grit Scale.” Someday I think we’ll form a lifelong learners class solely dedicated to this very interesting measurement and topic.

Duckworth has developed a test called the “Grit Scale.” You rate yourself on a series of 8 to 12 items. Two examples: “I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge” and “Setbacks don’t discourage me.” It’s entirely self-reported, so you could game the test, and yet what Duckworth has found is that a person’s grit score is highly predictive of achievement under challenging circumstances.

At the elite United States Military Academy, West Point, a cadet’s grit score was the best predictor of success in the rigorous summer training program known as “Beast Barracks.” Grit mattered more than intelligence, leadership ability or physical fitness. This time of the year, I think of the more than 100 veterans who live on this campus and I see the result of authentic grit.

At the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the grittiest contestants were the most likely to advance to the finals — at least in part because they studied longer, not because they were smarter or were better spellers.

Here’s a very interesting dichotomy. The charter schools which have really taken hold here in Arizona have succeeded in providing strong academic preparation. Most of their students go to college. Yet the students graduate from college at lower rates than would be expected based on their academic preparation.

The charter schools want to know why that is. Angela Duckworth wants to know if grit has anything to do with it.

These are complicated questions, and the answers aren’t in yet. I suspect that there are a number of things to think about before jumping to the conclusion that students who don’t finish college aren’t gritty. What I do know is that whenever I need a little grit boosting infusion, I go to the Bistro and engage in conversation with some of the grittiest people I know—you inspire, you teach, you gently coax me with sometimes praise, sometimes suggestions, sometimes just pure friendship.

I would love for us to focus on the populace here at Beatitudes Campus with that “grit spotlight” and really examine the factors that led to success in spite of what many of you have disclosed were significantly tough times through careers, family rearing and economic challenges. I believe there is much to be learned from each other and I am so glad that we hold that as a core value here—life-long learning that inspires, challenges and sustains. We are indeed so rich when we allow each other in the fellowship that so obviously thrives on this campus.

By the way, we’ve had enough grit to wait through the process of our First Impressions/Operation Welcome upgrades to finally play out. All of the new furniture, accessories and case goods will be delivered to campus on December 7th – 9th. It will be quite a “ballet” as we move existing items around, send some to the Backstreet Boutique and retire other pieces. Thanks for hanging in there as we have worked through the process!

The Courage of Hope

Browsing through a British newspaper the other day, I came across an article online entitled “My Future Self.” Over a dozen young girls were asked what they wanted to do when they grow up. Each had then designed her own photo-shoot, posing in the role that she hoped to one day have. “Ever since we studied the solar system in primary school,” said Haja, “I would imagine myself up in the sky, discovering new things, and so I want to be an astronaut.”

I remember asking one of my nieces that same question “What do you want to do when you are older?” She thought about it for a moment, and couldn’t come up with an answer, but then at 9 she seemingly has all the time in the world to discern her future. She will do so living in a country at peace, with food, clothing and shelter, education and security.

In contrast Haja and her friends have, in the understatement of the article, “directly experienced conflict.” The girls questioned in the article were Syrians living as refugees in the North of Jordan. “Many people told me a girl can’t become an astronaut,” Haja continues, going on to say that she hopes, in the future, she will be able to “tell girls with dreams to not be afraid, to be confident and know where you want to go.”

Architect, surgeon, lawyer, photographer; the list of ambitions springing forth from these young people in such difficult circumstances is inspiring, but what is so very poignant about each of these girls is the vibrancy of their hope. We can barely imagine what trauma these girls have endured and what miseries they still face, and yet their dreams soar.

Hope might sometimes be misunderstood as irrational, or even lazy—merely buying a Lottery ticket and crossing your fingers! Hope might also be maligned and neglected- ‘Be realistic!’ says the sceptic—”Don’t get your hopes up. Manage your expectations.”

Remarking on recent world events, John Kerry said; “it’s all enough to make some people want to climb back into bed, pull the sheets over their head and wish that everything would disappear. But that’s not how you solve anything, folks, except maybe a hangover.” We have all felt the temptation to pull the sheets back over our heads, and for many people, hope in a brighter future seems to be founded on something pretty unlikely.

And how likely is it, on the face of it, that Haja will become an astronaut, and her friends become architects and lawyers and movie stars?

But there are two things we can say for sure about Haja’s aspiration. Firstly, it’s not impossible is it? Who dares say she cannot reach the sky? Secondly, her dream is far more likely to be realized if she puts her trust in the hope that a better day will dawn—just like the rest of us. ★