Pondering the connections between breathing and the divine certainly helps us, in turn, to remember that breathing, that most natural and essential of impulses, is also an engagement with something beyond ourselves.
Yvonne Olivier Bechet, 83, was one of the first women to pass through the New Orleans Police Department’s academy. She describes how the stigma against women at the time challenged her just as much as the rigorous physical requirements she faced, but she kept her drive. After 22 years on the force, Bechet retired in 1990 as assistant superintendent. She now looks back fondly on the experience that she said made her feel like a superwoman.
“We’ve all been given life, and in living it, you have a story,” Bechet said.
I recently read about how Bechet told that story to an interviewer, as part of a national project to hear from retirement community residents and to record tales of their lives. It reminded me of some coffee table books that Rosey and I bought a number of years ago that were about “A Day in the Life of America.” There was actually a huge amount of history behind most of the pictures. It led me to think about the incredible histories that I hear as we meet many prospects considering a move to Beatitudes Campus.
A few years ago, a wonderful history of many Beatitudes Campus of Care (as it was then known) was published called Goals, Gumption and Grit. I know that often those with a fascinating history are most excited to hear the stories of the other residents with whom they live. One resident recently told me, “That’s a lesson in itself, that we can all learn from each other still.”
I also read about a project, called “These Eyes Have Seen,” that was started by a senior living organization in Florida and it made me think about all of the rich histories that I have been privileged to hear throughout my career. Are there those of you who would be willing to share some of your stories that we could publish as we prepare for a new business year starting in October? Watch for an announcement – we will be putting together a jazz brunch and photo shoot in the fall where we will record the stories that made you who you are. I wanted to give you an advance notice so that you can begin to think how you’d like share your narrative and then we’ll formulate the interviews.
Thanks again for the opportunity to share a bit of life together. I am indeed a far richer man than I deserve for the wisdom that has been shared with me over my career in senior living. My job has allowed me to meet seniors who have traveled the world, penned calligraphy for the White House and captained steamboats without ever learning to swim. I’ve met someone who came to Phoenix on an “orphan train”, one lady that as a child she didn’t know butter was a solid (think about that one – pre-refrigeration), the stories of the first two women members of the Arizona legislature and the friendship they extended to me imparting behind the scenes, unique perspectives and a Basque sheepherder who detailed for me the path from the high country down the Mogollon Rim to the valley and how it all meshed together with emerging urbanization. I have been so amazed by the American and Arizona history I’ve been able to experience first-hand.
I can’t wait for the weather to cool and we’ll get outside for this event to again showcase what I believe is one of the most fulfilling life plan communities anywhere!
As the temperatures in Phoenix continue to climb well over 100 degrees, it is particularly important for older adults to stay hydrated. Water represents an average of 55% of our body weight, and it assists in countless important bodily functions including: regulating our temperature and blood pressure, lubricating and cushioning our joints, and ridding our bodies of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.
Older adults can be at particular risk of dehydration for three key reasons:
How can you tell when you’re dehydrated? While we’ve all been told we should drink 8 glasses of water a day, the actual amount of water each individual requires varies based on weight, external temperatures, how active we are, and a variety of other factors. As a general rule of thumb, if your urine is dark yellow, you should be drinking more water. Pale/light yellow urine typically indicates adequate hydration. It may also be a sign of dehydration if you get dizzy standing up, if you’re unusually confused, if you are constipated, if you have a headache, if you are experiencing dry mouth, or if you have muscle spasms.
Following these tips can help ensure you are well hydrated this summer:
With these tips in mind, you’re sure to have a happier, healthier, hydrated summer!
With warmer spring weather arriving, we are all enjoying the welcoming temperatures of the season and spending more time outdoors. But with spring comes higher pollen counts and an increase in allergic symptoms. In Arizona, allergens cause more severe and prolonged allergy symptoms due to the extended growing seasons. Phoenix residents also endure more air pollution in the form of soot, dust, aerosols and emissions than most large cities, which can exacerbate allergy symptoms, as well as other lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Allergies, asthma, and COPD combined affect over 56% of the population, and COPD, in particular, has a higher rate of occurrence among older adults. But breathe easy…we’ve got you covered.
Better Breathers is a group sponsored by the American Lung Association, which meets every 2nd Monday of the month at 4PM in the Motion Studio. This group supports individuals with various lung conditions and provides valuable insights and tools for lung health. Under the thoughtful leadership of resident, Barbara Carpenter, the Better Breathers hosts speakers and regularly addresses topics, such as:
Like many residents on campus, participants in Better Breathers are committed to living their lives to the fullest, despite physical challenges that may arise. Through peer support and education, Better Breathers helps residents and community members learn proactive ways to face lung conditions head on and embrace life!
On March 25th, members of the Better Breathers group will be making a special trip to the LUNG FORCE Expo. The LUNG FORCE Expo is a program designed for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers to learn more about the latest trends, resources and research surrounding lung conditions. Speakers from a variety of fields will present current medical information on topics that have the most impact on those whose lives are touched by these conditions.
If you’re interested in learning more about Better Breathers or attending the LUNG FORCE Expo, join us Monday, March 13th at 4PM in the Motion Studio or catch us next month on April 10th.
A few of us from campus were privileged to attend a very enlightening presentation this week on the 2017 economic outlook sponsored by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. It was encouraging to hear that, we can expect a continuing good business environment and that, compared to the rest of the country, we rank 6th in our position in the recovery, up from a 20+ position a few years ago. Nonetheless, the recovery is weak compared to others, but is actually the second longest in history since 1928.
Elliott Pollack, nationally renowned as a veteran Arizona economist, informed us that education and health services should continue to boom and are not expected to be cyclical, but rather steadily increase despite market fluctuations. In fact, one of every eight new jobs will be in the healthcare industry as the Phoenix metropolitan area continues to develop as a national center of medical expertise. Employment in the health industry has actually risen 156% since 2008.
Construction is doing well as evidenced by the substantial amount of home building as well, apartments and our unemployment rate is at a historically low level. Significantly, for those of us in the senior living industry, we are more in a seller’s market than any time in the last eight years with values up and inventory slightly less than demand. Sales of existing homes are on track to finish 2016 as the strongest year since 2008 and prices of homes should continue to rise. That is good news for those exiting home ownership to come to a campus such as Beatitudes. Most interesting, was Mr. Pollack’s observation that there will be a “tsunami of eligible buyers in five years as bankruptcies fall off of credit reports.”
Despite all of the good business environmental factors, we continue to look for ways in which we provide opportunities for our campus to thrive in other ways which make a difference in, not only the quality of life of our residents, but our community as a whole. I recently read an article by Debra Wood, R.N., that highlighted that giving time to improve another person’s life, or the greater community, offers benefits far beyond the good deeds done by volunteers. It creates feelings of self-worth in those doing the giving and can improve their outlook and well-being.
“Volunteering gives us another reason to get out of bed in the morning, because we look forward to getting together and doing this,” says Carol Jenkins, a resident at Parker and McCarrick in Somerset, NJ, and secretary of its Living with Purpose Club. “It makes us feel good helping others.”
I had the pleasure of watching this in action this past Friday evening, October 7th, at the Open Door Fellowship Church which hosted the formal kick off of the 19 North neighborhood association group. Jim Elliott and his wonderful group of campus volunteers have been an integral part of taking an idea surrounding completion of the light rail on 19th Avenue, and potential concerns about the development of the neighborhood, to a solid coalition of stores, shops, restaurants, city recreation centers, churches, hospitals, schools and us, as the sole senior living provider, to a movement solidly committed to strengthening our one-of-a-kind community. 19 North is encouraging each to take pride in our area and make it better by contributing ideas, energy and passion……..and interacting with each other in meaningful ways.
It was a privilege to set up our booth and talk with hundreds of interested community members, many of whom expressed interest in learning more about Beatitudes Campus. But the true joy was seeing so many of our residents in action – speaking, working at the display, interacting with other members of the coalition and formulating plans for additional volunteerism in churches, schools and community services. That is a significant demonstration of our vision and one of the great ways in which Beatitudes Campus becomes more than just a place to live, with a solid business environment. We are now advertising in the Sunnyslope Plus newspaper which is being retooled with entire 19 North pullout. What a thrill to be on the ground floor of something so significant for our neighborhood and to work with such a committed group of volunteers! Once again, I have to observe “my cup runneth over!”
The City of Phoenix has won a major federal grant to hire 50 more firefighters over the next two years. With this $9 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, Phoenix has brought home more than $36 million in federal funds in the past five years to support the Phoenix Fire and Police department’s capabilities to prepare for and respond to a host of threats to our community’s safety. This is in addition to more than $28 million in regional homeland security funds Phoenix has won for the city and its local partners.
I have had the honor to advocate in Washington D.C. several times since 2012 for our city’s fair share of funds to hire more first responders. Our federal advocacy is working, and I pledge to continue efforts in the capital to fight for funds to support our Police and Fire departments. I will be in Washington soon to personally thank Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) representatives for approving our grant and to immediately begin discussions on the next round of funding.
I want to thank Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner for her continued leadership and advocacy on our SAFER grants, my colleagues on the council, our city staff and representatives in Washington for working together. This $9 million grant comes less than a month after Phoenix received the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) award for $591,726 to provide regional Incident Safety Officer System (ISOS) training for 100 company and command officers from Phoenix Fire and 50 attendees collectively from Buckeye, Glendale, Scottsdale and Tempe.
PHOENIX – Throughout the development of the Transportation 2050 (T2050) plan, Phoenix residents spoke about wanting more service hours – and we listened.
The Phoenix City Council approved a major milestone in the future of the city’s transit landscape today, which adds bus service hours and frequency when scheduled service changes take effect this October.
“We heard loud and clear from Phoenix residents that they want the option to catch a bus later in the evening just as they do with light rail, and they want more frequent service to reduce wait times at bus stops,” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. “Providing more options for working families and residents is what our long-term transportation plan is all about, and that’s what we are going to deliver.”
The improvements equal a 20 percent increase in service miles, from about 17 to 20 million. This means more service hours and shorter wait times for Phoenix bus riders.
In 2014, the Phoenix Public Transit Department went directly to the public to ask what they wanted from the voter-approved Transportation 2050 plan. Among the many suggestions the public gave during early outreach was longer bus hours that match the light rail schedule, and more frequent bus service.
The $17 million improvements include extending the service day by three hours every day of the week for Phoenix’s 44 local fixed bus routes and Dial-a-Ride. In addition, those same routes will have a frequency of 30 minutes or less, seven days a week – in particular during off-peak hours and the weekend.
“Last year Phoenix residents voted to approve a transportation plan that would include enhanced bus service,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams who chairs the City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. “Today, the Phoenix City Council voted to approve a plan for more hours of service and increased frequency—improved service that was a direct result of input from our residents. Transportation infrastructure with bus service that connects residents to their destinations and attracts economic development is what our residents asked for and it is what Phoenix is committed to deliver.”
This is just the first step in this service expansion.
In April, Phoenix Public Transit Department is proposing the expansion of bus service to match light rail hours seven days a week, another 1.3 million service revenue miles. The two-phase implementation allows the city’s two bus service providers to hire and train the 200-plus employees it takes to drive and maintain the buses for this service improvement. The total miles to be added to the system in both October and April is nearly 4.5 million miles.
T2050’s impact on Phoenix transit has just started. Other improvements transit riders can look forward to in the coming months are new shade shelters throughout the city, construction of bus bays and more new buses and Dial-a-Ride vehicles.
Check out what some of our transit users have to say about the service upgrades:
English – https://youtu.be/dIZk0jbdY9I and Español – https://youtu.be/xJ7av2iG8Bo
| Bus Service Hours | |||
| Current | Oct. 24, 2016 (approved) | April 24, 2017 (proposed) | |
| Monday – Thursday | 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. | 4 a.m. – midnight* | 4 a.m. – midnight* |
| Friday | 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. | 4 a.m. – midnight | 4 a.m. – 2 a.m.* |
| Saturday | 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. | 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. | 5 a.m. – 2 a.m.* |
| Sunday | 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. | 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. | 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.* |
* – Matches light hours
Routes adding frequency: 0 – Central Ave., 1 – Washington Ave./Jefferson Ave.*, 3 – Van Buren Road*, 12 – 12th St.*, 13 – Buckeye Rd.*, 15 – 15th Ave., 16 – 16th St., 17 – McDowell Rd., 19 – 19th Ave., 28 – Lower Buckeye Rd., 29 – Thomas Rd.*, 39 – 40th St., 41 – Indian School Rd.*, 43 – 43rd Ave., 44 – 44th St. Tatum Blvd., 50 – Camelback Rd., 51 – 51st Ave.*, 52 – Roeser Rd., 59 – 59th Ave., 67 – 67th Ave., 75 – 75th Ave., 83 – 83rd Ave., 106 – Peoria Ave.,122 – Cactus Rd.*, 138 – Thunderbird Rd., 154 – Greenway Road, 186 – Union Hills Dr./Mayo Blvd., Valley Metro operated routes in Phoenix 30 – University Drive, 77 – Baseline Rd., 108 – Elliot Rd./48th St.
* – includes weekday frequency improvements, all other Saturday and Sunday improvements.
About the Phoenix Public Transit Department:
The Phoenix Public Transit Department provides Phoenix residents a variety of transit options and is the largest member of the Valley Metro regional transit system. Services range from local and commuter buses to alternative transportation for senior citizens and special needs. The city of Phoenix funds transit, and other transportation improvements, through Transportation 2050 (T2050) – a local sales tax approved by Phoenix voters in 2015 – as well as county and federal funds. T2050 allows for enhanced bus service, transit-related technology improvements and fare media upgrades under the leadership of the Citizens Transportation Commission. Visit us at phoenix.gov/publictransit or follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
For more information, please visit: https://www.phoenix.gov/news/publictransit/1361
