Beatitudes Community

June Town Hall Recap

David Ragan, Sr. Vice-President of Resident Services, called the meeting to order at 2:15PM, welcoming the residents in attendance and congratulating two residents who were at Town Hall for the first time. David said that he had always had a fascination for Dick Van Dyke and he showed a video of Dick, at age 90, enjoying a dance routine. The active, spry Dick Van Dyke is an inspiration to us all.

Barbara Carpenter, Residents Council President, reported on the May Council Meeting. David Ragan urged residents to stay hydrated during the summer; asked that problems or issues in a building be reported to the building representatives; noted that 17 patio homes are under contract; and asked residents to be respectful of our staff people. Community Relations Chairman, Gene Lefebvre, reported that 5 students from Washington High School were awarded $500 scholarships thanks to the great support of residents. Marc Adelman, Chairman of the Communications Committee, said his committee continues to evaluate a better hearing system and will be discussing mailbox options for the independent living buildings. Health and Wellness Chairperson, Ruth Crowley, said that the second spring seminar was well attended and important issues were addressed. Life Enrichment Interim Chairperson, Sherwin Block, urged residents to check the Community Channel and the Roadrunner for the many activities coming up this month, and he outlined a plan for expanded transportation services for residents through the transportation subcommittee. Paul Kelley, Spiritual Life Chairman, presented heartfelt thanks from our resident theologians, Michael Down and Connie Barlow, for a wonderful month with us. Welcome Committee Chair, Char Telleen, explained how her volunteers make new residents welcome by partnering for lunch, tours and information, and she encouraged residents to attend the monthly Welcome Coffee. Senior Area Representatives, Lois Pfau of Plaza North, Robert Berry of Central Park West, and Martha Trout of Central Park North/Patio Homes, reported on their current building activities. Residents asked about logos for our buses which are coming, and were advised that the Life Center is available for walking from 6:00 to 8:00AM daily. Dogs on leashes are permitted. Please see Barbara Carpenter or any of the committee chairs for more information or join a committee and make a difference in the Beatitudes community. The next Residents Council Meeting will be on Wednesday, August 8th, at 2:00PM in the Life Center.

Rod Bailey, Sr. Vice-President of Sales & Marketing, said that as of today, 20 out of the 34 patio homes have been sold. He noted that the atmosphere of camaraderie here at Beatitudes Campus is important to prospective new residents and sets us apart from some of the other communities. Beatitudes Campus Resident Referral Program is back in business with the opportunity for residents and family members to earn $1,000 for a first referral, $1,250 for a second referral, and $1,500 for a third referral. Call marketing at x18467 about any prospective residents and be sure to fill out a referral form.

Josephine Levy, Resource Navigator for Success Matters, talked about the seminars being held every Tuesday through July 3rd, at 2:00PM in AGR. The seminars cover Policies and Resources, Levels of Care, and a Q and A panel of Assisted Living and Health Care team members to address questions that may not have been answered in previous sessions. Josephine advised that residents should not be concerned about the need for a new AZ Travel ID Card as these cards will not be required until October 1st of 2020, 28 months away. Residents and family members who would like to receive the Success Matters email Newsletter each month should call Josephine at x16117 or email her at [email protected].

Joe Kane, Dining Services Director, said that Executive Chef, Brian Rocco has left the campus and we welcome back as our new Executive Chef, Cosmin Barbu. Chef Barbu worked here for 15 years, left to become a Sous Chef and now returns as our Executive Chef. He will be introduced to residents at the August Town Hall meeting. Joe reported that more feedback is being received from the Kiosks. They are mostly self-explanatory, but instructions on their use are available on the in-house video. Residents were urged to type in comments on the feedback to help dining staff understand why a thumbs down was given. Kitchen tours are still being given every Saturday at 2:00PM through October. Sign up for a tour in the Bistro and have a good look behind the scenes.

David reported that after careful research of all the providers, DirecTV has been chosen, and the transition will be coming in August. Beatitudes Campus will provide DirecTV’s top tier service level, including all of the movie channels like HBO, STARZ, TMC, and SHOWTIME. We will provide for two hookups per apartment and the DirecTV boxes. This will all be included with your monthly service fee at no additional cost to you. DVR’s will also be available for those who want them for approximately $10 per month. It should result in a significant monthly savings if you are currently using more services from our current provider.

Speaking for the Life Enrichment Committee, Sherwin Block, said the Life Enrichment Committee meets for an hour each month to plan events. Let Didi or Monica know if you would be interested in working with this committee.

David reminded residents of the opportunities for service available through the Beatitudes CAREcorps. Volunteers can walk dogs, feed pets, change cat litter, hand out flyers, host events, help neighbors, etc. There are many opportunities for service that encourage inclusivity and inspire purposeful aging. Call Didi or Monica to join CAREcorp and start volunteering. David also reminded residents of the opportunity to be VIP Guides or to be a guided person. Volunteers can take residents to and from campus activities, giving their regular caretakers a needed break to run errands or just take a nap. To sign up, call Monica at x18526 or stop by the office to fill out a form.

Tena Alonzo, Director of Comfort Matters, introduced Evelyn Sowell, LeadingAge Arizona Volunteer of the Year. Evelyn has contributed more than 6,000 hours of service to the Comfort Matters Dementia Care Education program and has served as a mentor to the Comfort Matters team. Tena said that Evelyn has helped to create wonderful curriculum that is used across the nation and throughout the world. She has spent much of her career guiding teachers on the best ways to teach others. Evelyn told residents that the Comfort Matters staff was easy to work with and her advice for everyone is to find something to love and do it. David noted that the campus would not be where it is today without volunteers.

Bob Telleen, LifeLong Learning Committee member, said that there would be a LifeLong Learners Film Festival on August 23rd and 24th in the Life Center. Movies will show at 9:30AM and 1:00PM. Cost of the movies is free, but residents will soon be able to purchase buffet lunch tickets for each day if they wish to. More publicity will be coming soon.

Mike Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, reported that the LeadingAge Arizona Fitness Challenge for Seniors would be Wednesday, November 7th this year. Mike hopes to add the corn hole toss and darts to the list of challenges which include basketball bounce, competitive walking, obstacle course, and Wii bowling. More specific details will be available at future Town Hall meetings. The Tai Chi Class meets with Jack Mathews every Wednesday at 4:00PM in the Recreation Room. The Life Center is open from 6:00 to 8:00AM daily through October for morning walks. The B-Fit winner for June is Nils Larson. Residents were treated to an inspiring video of Ida Keeling, a 102-year-old runner who defies age to set world records. She is the 2018 Fitness Award recipient. Her advice is for everyone to be active and get up and do something!

Keep watching the Community Channel 1960. All the latest information is posted there, so be in-the-know!! Also, our free WiFi is now accessible by using the password—“bcsummer” and will change on the first day of each new season to the season itself—bcfall, bcwinter and bcspring.

David thanked Gregory’s Market for bringing nutritious produce for residents and staff to purchase. We are grateful to them for their service.

There will be no Town Hall in July. We will take a little breather and come back rejuvenated on August 1st.

Community Town Hall Recap – May 2017

Below is a summary of information and news discussed at the May Town Hall meeting.

Town Hall Informant – March 2017

David Ragan opened the Town Hall Meeting at 2:15PM. noting that today was special with our own athletes, The Beatitudes Bombers, competing in a Senior Challenge Day that included twelve other senior living communities.

Residents and guests were treated to two very heartwarming videos. One video followed a deaf man, Muharrem, as he walked around town and everyone he met talked with him in sign language. He was pleased and surprised at this unusual happening and very touched to learn that the intent was to give him one day with no barriers. The Samsung ad proclaimed that a world without barriers is their dream as well. The second video began with boys playing basketball. When one boy was retrieving the ball, he noted a boy in a wheelchair looking longingly at the game. The boys left a basketball for the disabled boy to find. When he returned it to the game, he found that all the other boys were playing without using their legs, in wagons and other wheeled contraptions. He happily joined the game. In keeping with the spirit of these videos, David expressed his confidence in the inclusiveness of the Beatitudes Community; the desire of both residents and staff to continue to tear down the barriers and make this a better place to live.

There were close to 100 people in attendance at the meeting with two new residents joining us for the first time. The Welcome Coffee will be held on Wednesday, March 22nd, and all residents were urged to come and meet their newest neighbors.

Tara BethelL, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources and Risk Management, was happy to announce the Employee Shout Outs which went to Desiree Van Egmond, Warmeedh Al-Taie, and Suzanne Lewis. Desiree is part of the Beatitudes at Home team and she has been recognized as At Home Caregiver of the Year for 2016. She has a knack for getting to know her clients with the ability to support the office team at the same time. Warmeedh has been with Security since May of 2016. He keeps a constant look out for any risks to residents and was quick to bandage a bleeding cut that he noticed when the resident was not aware of having been cut. Suzanne started at the Beatitudes in March of 2011 as a server and she has since worked her way up to Dining Room Supervisor. She has created a consistent level of high service by training her staff and jumping in to help where needed.

Tara also noted that over $135,000 was raised last year for the Employee Appreciation Fund and they are always looking for new residents to join this committee. If you are interested, contact Tara or David on staff or resident, Barbara Carpenter.

Ray Gonzales, our evening greeter at the Welcome Center, has been working on solving the problem of congestion on the phone that requires residents to have long wait times on hold before they are able to talk to an operator. The solution is to add a little “prompt” feature. With this in place, when you call the front desk you will hear an automated greeting, followed by three prompts: For Security, press 1; To place a work order, press 2; remain on the line for all other calls. This small change will have a large impact on how fast you can be helped. This update will go into effect beginning Monday, March 13th.

Herb Komnick reported on a very busy February Residents Council Meeting. The administrative report by David Ragan highlighted the importance of the Residents Council because we now have a second yogurt machine and a bulletin board for the Patio Homes, both issues having originated with Residents Council. He also advised that two residents have won $1000 each through the referral program and all our kitchens passed the latest inspection with no problems noted. Jim Elliott gave an update on the involvement of Beatitudes residents in the coming 19 North Cleanup Day event being held on Saturday, February 11th. Marc Adelman, Communications Committee Chairman, reported on the new bulletin boards to be installed soon in the Central Park buildings. He advised that Keith Hobbs, IT Director, is meeting with Cox Cable people to find a way to make the Community Channel available throughout the campus, and he noted that WiFi has been installed in the Health Care Center and Plaza View buildings for medical records purposes. Spiritual Life Committee Chairman, Marilyn Johnson, announced a Passover Seder meal will be served on Monday, April 17th. She also said that an on-going Scholar-in-Residence program is being discussed as part of the Lifelong Learner’s program. A report from Joannie Bailey advised that it will be some time before a new bus will be available since it is a custom-made item. Also, the clean-up of the Woodshop has been completed, thanks to Igor Glenn, and the Art Show resulted in a fabulous display of talent. Welcome Committee Chairman, Char Telleen, reminded residents that all volunteers can help the Auxiliary by recording volunteer hours and turning them in at the Foundation office. Environment Committee Chairman, Gerald Roseberry, reported that 73 leaks have been discovered so far and two residence buildings remain to be surveyed for leaking toilets. From the Senior Area Representative Reports, we learned that Bob Berry has been confirmed as the Junior Representative for CP West and Joannie Bailey has been appointed as Interim Chair for the Life Enrichment Committee. In addition, Lois Pfau produced a Plaza North newsletter which was appreciated by everyone and Joe Kane spoke at several building meetings and distributed dining venue preference forms to residents. Residents were reminded that smoking is permitted only outside in designated smoking areas and inside apartments if residents have paid the required smoking fee. The next Residents Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 8th.

Ruth Crowley, Chairman of the Health and Wellness Committee, announced that 90 residents attended the February 21st seminar led by Cheryl Knupp, Senior Vice-President of Health Services. There were many questions, and Cheryl will hold additional seminars in the summer focused on each of the levels of care. A seminar presented by Hospice of the Valley is planned for March 21st at 3:00PM. in the Life Center. Learn how hospice supports patients, when hospice is appropriate and how the cost of care is covered. If possible, bring your adult children to this learning experience.

Speaking of hospice, David noted that our own Dosia Carlson and Gerald Roseberry were co-founders of the first hospice, Hospice of the Valley, and Greta Wiseman was the first nurse.

Beatitudes “Bombers” representing the campus at the recent LeadingAge Senior Fitness Challenge

Mike Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, having just returned from the Senior Challenge competition, was already thinking of the medals we would bring home next year. Rod Bailey was Master of Ceremonies and apparently David Ragan completed the obstacle course. At any rate, a good time was had by all, including our mascot. Pictures will be forthcoming. Gregory’s was thanked for providing fruit for the occasion. The February B-Fit Winner was Joyce Stenquist who received a $50 gift certificate.

David noted that life enrichment is taken very seriously by our staff. Didi Cruz, Monica De La Rosa and Jon Schilling are all expecting additions to their families.

One of our happy winners from the recent Resident Dog Show!

Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialist, called our attention to some of the exciting events on the agenda for March. The Dog Show will be Thursday, March 9th, at 10AM. in the Dog Park. At this time, two more judges are needed. On Friday, March 17th, at 5PM will be the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner in the Life Center. Tickets are available at the Bistro. All crafters should plan on going to Pinspiration, a DIY creative studio space, to make an on-the-spot project. Relax with no hassle, no mess, no excuses and linger with friends over a glass of wine. The date is Tuesday, March 21st, leaving at 11:15AM and back in time for the Hospice seminar. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Welcome Center. The tickets for the Spring Training Baseball Game on Monday, March 27th have been sold out. The CAREcorps will hold their second Open House on Wednesday, March 29th from 1 to 3PM in the Life Center. Come and learn about the different groups and activities on Campus.

David announced that for the 4th year in a row, AARP is offering free tax preparation to our residents. Tax preparers will be here Mondays, March 6th and 20th from 9AM to 2PM. in the Library. Call x0 or go to the Welcome Center to schedule your appointment. For your appointment, you will need last year’s income tax returns, your W2 and 1099 forms, photo ID and any other information you think pertinent.

David reminded us that the Hootenanny is tonight (Wednesdays) at 6:00PM in the Life Center. A thank you was extended to Gregory’s Market for bringing their excellent produce to us at our Town Hall Meetings. Again, please do not feed stray animals. If conditions get too bad, it will be necessary to trap the animals. If you have your own animals, don’t forget to pick up after them. It is your doo-ty. Wednesday Sundaes with Dave will be held on March 15th from 2 to 4PM in the Bistro. Enjoy a free yogurt sundae, share your thoughts with Dave or just come for a treat. With two yogurt machines, yogurt sundaes are practically guaranteed.

The next Town Hall Meeting will be held on April 5th at 2:15PM in the Everett Luther Life Center.

(A quick note from David – please thank Norma Dieffenbach for the continued excellent minutes for the Informant—she does not miss a thing!)

The Informant – January 2017

DAVID RAGAN, Senior VP of Resident Services, called the first meeting of the New Year to order at 2:15PM. He noted that the campus continues to be one where residents reach out and care for each other. For the New Year, David had some new definitions which served to start the year off with a laugh. For example, the word balderdash is defined as a rapidly receding hairline, coffee is the person upon whom you cough, and abdicated is when you have lost all hope of a flat stomach.

Wear Your Name Tag Week Begins October 24th—30th!

The Welcome Committee is planning a WEAR YOUR NAME TAG WEEK beginning October 24th through the 30th. During this time, we are encouraging all residents to participate! Wearing your name tag gives other residents the opportunity to greet you by name and start up a conversation. It picks up the spirits of anyone who may not be having a good day, and is a great way of making new friends. It broadens your horizon as you gather more people into your circle of life and you get to know them even better when this friendship becomes stronger. We all come from different backgrounds and different parts of our country and have great stories to share with everyone.