LifestylesThE LUthERAN HOME At TOPtON Fall 2014 Easy lifestyle

YES, I WOULD LIKE
MORE INFORMATION
ON THE LUTHERAN
HOME AT TOPTON
www.diakon.org/topton
One South Home Avenue
Topton, PA 19562
Presorted
First Class
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 208
Harrisburg, PA
Easy lifestyle, continuing care and activity
options attract couple to Topton
I am interested in:
q Scheduling a visit
A
q R
eceiving an informational packet in the mail
sk David and Jean Schnader what they like
about independent living at The Lutheran
Home at Topton, and they’ll tell you it’s easier to
say what they don’t like about it:
q R
eceiving a phone call to answer some of my
questions
q R
eceiving an e-mail with more information
“Nothing!” they chime in, laughing.
Name: _______________________________________
“There’s not a single thing we don’t like about
living here,” says Jean.
Address: ______________________________________
City:_________________________________________
Phone: ______________ Cell: ____________________
E-mail Address:________________________________
The Lutheran Home at Topton marketing department
works in close association with future residents, their
adult children, real estate agents, movers, auctioneers,
decorators, and bankers as requested and appropriate
to make residents’ move as stress-free as possible.
Independent Living Homes
Personal Care
Nursing & Rehabilitative Care
VA Benefits Assistance Service
Lifestyles
The Lutheran Home
at Topton
Please cut along the dotted line and return to:
The Lutheran Home at Topton
Attn: Marketing
One South Home Avenue
Topton, PA 19562
State: _______________ Zip Code: ________________
Fall 2014
Senior move managers can ease your transition
It’s a common concern among folks preparing
to move to senior living accommodations.
What am I taking with me, and how am I going to
get it there?
One solution is to hire a Senior Move Manager—
someone who can help you navigate the entire process
from packing belongings to hiring a mover to making
good use of your new floor plan. The move manager
can also assist with a wide range of other services such
as estate sales or auctions, finding a real estate agent,
changing utilities, meeting and directing movers, and
setting things up in your new home.
Before you hire someone, however, the National
Association of Senior Move Managers suggests that
you ask a potential mover key questions:
• How long have you been in business?
• Do you have formal training?
• Are you fully insured?
• Do you charge by the hour or by project?
• Will you provide a written contract?
• Can you provide references?
• Do you provide
organizing, sorting
and downsizing
services?
• Do you hire a
moving company?
• Do you pack up my
home?
• Do you unpack
and set up my new
home?
• Will you handle the transfer of my utilities,
mailing address, etc.?
• What additional services do you offer?
One of the most important qualities to look for in
a Senior Move Manager, of course, is a sympathetic
ear. Moving to senior living accommodations is one
of life’s big changes and it helps to have someone on
your side who can tailor the move process to your
specific needs and concerns.
More information can be found at
www.nasmm.org.
“Take my advice,” adds David. If you can, move
here sooner rather than later. It’s the best decision
we ever made.”
In this issue...
wN
ote from our Executive
Director Kevin Jones
wT opton’s head chef has
something cooking for
everyone
w L ist of activities expands with
“Smart Seniors” and more
w Senior move managers can
ease transition
In fact, when the
Schnaders came to
Topton a year ago,
they were more
than ready to
“downsize,” they
say.
“You accumulate
so much ‘stuff’
and you reach
a point where
you want things
to be easier,”
explains Jean.
“Over the years
we went from a big house to a smaller house to an
apartment at Topton that’s just the perfect size
for us.”
They also had some health concerns, she
adds, and with the promise of continuing care at
Topton, they knew it was time to make a change.
Some of the other factors that led them here
were the peaceful, rural location; the friendliness
of the staff and residents; the knowledge they
don’t have to cook if they don’t want to; and the
numerous events and activities that keep them as
busy as they choose to be.
continued on page 3
From Our Executive Director
Changes in health care a constant
It
is often said that you can’t avoid change; that
statement is especially true in health care today.
And here at The Lutheran Home at Topton, we are in
the thick of it.
As most Continuing Care Retirement Communities
go, The Lutheran Home at Topton has a large health
care center, having just under 200 beds.
What this means to you is that we are fully prepared
to provide for your needs should that need ever arise
in the future. But it also means that we must adapt and
change to meet the needs of the health systems that
refer to us.
We are fortunate to have a dedicated and skilled
staff led by a cadre of excellent clinicians: physicians,
nurse practitioners, licensed nurses, therapists, social
workers, registered dieticians, activities professionals,
and knowledgeable support staff. Working as a team,
our staff has maintained a Five Star Quality Indicator
rating. Further, we have one of the lowest rehospitalization rates of nursing care centers in the area.
Moreover, our staff members are adding to and
refining their clinical skills to be able to provide
whatever care is needed. Long-term nursing care
centers today are expected to provide the levels of care
that not too long ago were provided in a hospital setting.
This is a trend that will continue, but we are prepared
to be a provider of choice and to have the metrics to
prove it.
–Kevin Jones
Executive Director
From “Diner Days” to Mardi Gras, Topton’s head chef
has something cooking for everyone
H
ead Chef Jeff Imboden says that food is a “very
big deal” at The Lutheran Home at Topton.
“It’s the one thing that everyone likes to talk about,”
he chuckles. “It’s about much more than sustenance,
it’s also about socializing and community.”
With that in mind, Imboden is always looking for
new ways to keep dinnertime interesting and fun for
residents. Among those efforts are special “theme”
meals several times a month, with seasonal treats
such as “Winter Wonderland” for the holidays or
Mardi Gras for February. Recently he’s also been doing
“Diner Days” featuring traditional diner fare from
different eras, plus regional menus from around the
U.S.
Long list of Topton activities expands with
“Smart Seniors” and informal lectures
T
he list of events and activities at the
Lutheran Home at Topton is enough
to keep anyone hopping!
Here are just a few examples:
Food, of course, is a favorite
opportunity for independent living
residents to mix and mingle, whether
at daily meals or at any of the other
regularly scheduled events. For example,
you can choose among frequent Pub
Nites and Happy Hours,
Coffee & Conversation
sessions, or even the
monthly Diner’s Club,
which travels to a variety of
local restaurants for lunch.
“For Mardi Gras we do things like creole, jambalaya
and beignets,” he says. “We also did a lobster fest to
represent Maine and a fish fry for the southern U.S. I
like to mix things up as much as possible.”
“The folks always get to eat what’s been
demonstrated,” he adds. “You don’t hold a food
seminar around here and then not feed the residents.”
Imboden also enjoys the occasional reservation-only
dinner during which he’ll cook in front of residents
and talk about the courses and how to pair them
with wines. The culinary staff does other cooking
“Without a doubt it’s Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine:
chicken pot pie, pork and sauerkraut, and ham with
green beans.”
The most popular meals at Topton?
continued from page 1
David, a retired technical writer, and
Jean, a retired RN, enjoy the intellectual
stimulation of Topton’s frequent trivia
and “Brain Fitness” games, as well
as the exercise they get at the fitness
center, in Yoga Stretch classes, and at
a nearby swimming pool. They also
like socializing with friends at dinner,
at the monthly Happy Hour and Pub
Nite events, as well as at Cabaret Night,
where local entertainers often come to
perform.
Entertainment events are
also a crowd-pleaser, with
monthly Cabaret Nights
featuring local singers and
musicians, old-fashioned
sing-alongs in which everyone joins in, or
musical performances by local schools and church
organizations.
Films are also a big part of the recreation scene,
with movies every Saturday night and monthly
discussion groups that take a closer look at genres
recently depicted. Recent titles have included
“Frost-Nixon” and “The Secret Life of Walter
Mitty.” There’s also a “classic” movie night the last
Saturday of every month.
demonstrations as well, covering everything from
holiday recipes to healthy eating tips.
Easy Lifestyle
Since fitness is one of the most important
activities at Topton, there’s certainly no shortage of
choices, with cardio workouts, circuit training, yoga
and Zumba among the most popular. There’s also
trail walking, a swim club that meets twice a week,
and even “Wii bowling.”
A new program starting this fall is Smart Seniors,
through which residents can learn more about
specific topics that affect them from nutrition and
safe driving to elder law and living wills. Also in the
works—informal lectures by students from nearby
Kutztown University on an array of topics such as
art and American history.
Rounding out Topton’s activities list are computer
classes, crafting workshops, wellness talks, reading
groups, worship services, Bible studies, dinner
theater trips, and much, much more.
There’s always something going on at
The Lutheran Home at Topton.
“It’s a lot of fun to come out and
see everyone and meet new people.
We also like going to ‘Movie Night’
every Saturday and participating in
discussions about the films,” says
Jean. Recent titles they’ve seen include
“Frost/Nixon” and “Moneyball.”
The couple even tutor second-graders
in reading once a week at a local
elementary school.
“There’s just so much to do here,”
says David. “We’re very happy.”
“We absolutely love it,” adds Jean.