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BRINGING YOU NEWS FROM ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE: SEE PAGES 9-12
SPRING 2014
nticipate More
An Asbury publication dedicated to redefining the expectations of aging
The support you need
to blossom at home.
Looking for some help around the house?
Call Asbury Methodist Village at Home.
Now the same high-quality in-home services enjoyed by Asbury Methodist
Village residents are available to anyone in Montgomery County. Whether
you’d like someone to fix you a tasty meal, give you a lift to the doctor’s
office or help keep your medicines on track, a trusted personal attendant
from Asbury Methodist Village can help. They’ll work with you to provide
just the services you want – and bring a little sunshine into your day. Give
Is Your Brain
Getting the Respect
It Deserves?
n
n
Walk Your Way Fit!
n
Spring Blossoms
During April
Open House
us a call at 301-216-4747 to find out about all the services that
can be delivered right to your home!
G
LLA
Call 301-216-4747 today to find out how
you can enjoy two free hours of service.
AsburyMethodistVillageAtHome.org
301-216-4747 | 417 Russell Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20877 | AsburyMethodistVillageAtHome.org
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ABOUT ASBURY
Greetings
from the Executive Director –
Henry R. Moehring
R
eaffirming Asbury’s goal to make residents full partners in the
communities where they’ve chosen to live, Asbury Methodist Village
has embraced a collaborative philosophy called Planetree. Associates
trained in Planetree principles work hand-in-hand with residents to refine,
redesign or launch new services.
A recent example of Planetree in action can be found in the feature article
on page 4. When associate Susan Grotenhuis was approached by a resident
interested in adding brain fitness to the community’s list of wellness offerings,
she proposed they create a plan. The two designed what eventually became
an eight-week course covering the physical, emotional, intellectual and
nutritional aspects of brain health.
Our community’s beautiful and well-equipped fitness center and pool are
two important settings where residents can exercise both mental and physical
muscles. From a wide range of clubs and classes to out-of-the-box events such
as Asbury’s annual snow tubing trip, this community has so much to offer for
maintaining an engaging and vibrant lifestyle.
One of our community’s greatest assets is Asbury Methodist Village at
Home, which delivers a wide array of in-home care and services. Since
2012, this offering has been available not only to residents on campus, but
to anyone requiring services, whether as a convenience or to promote daily
independence at home. In 2012, Asbury Methodist Village at Home began
offering its services to those living beyond our community.
Home Services associate Karen Bruner shares her experience on why and
how caregivers can alleviate the stress that comes with that role on page 16.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Anticipate More, and that it sparks your
interest in finding out more about life at Asbury Methodist Village, where
we are committed to redefining the expectations of aging.
Feature
4 Brain Wave
Asbury News
3 Asbury Living – a Resident’s View
7 Valuable Lessons for Free
8 Walk This Way
13 Chef’s Table – Fajita Salad
14 Bridging the Technology Divide
15 Asbury Associate Spotlight
16 Reducing Caregiver Stress
18 A Gardening Tradition
19 About Asbury
Asbury Methodist Village
9 Resident Spotlight
10 Health Care News
11 Meet the Marketing Team
12 Calendar of Events
hard work of tilling the soil each year takes care of one
of the least-fun aspects of the process.
There are usually two or three gardeners who had
extensive gardens before moving to Inverness Village
and who continue to take the process very seriously. “I
tend to back off a bit once summer’s heat hits, but you’ll
see these people out there working away and it shows in
their gardens,” Mel notes.
And just like gardeners everywhere, those at
Inverness Village tend to overplant, too. Their neighbors
probably don’t mind, though. “People put baskets in
front of their doors with signs encouraging people
to take what they want,” he says. “Very little goes
to waste.”
At Asbury Solomons, residents put excess produce in
baskets in the community’s main lobby with a box where
people can donate money toward Asbury Solomons’
Benevolent Care Fund. The Fund offers financial support
to residents who have outlived their resources through no
fault of their own. One year, the gardeners raised $500
for Benevolent Care, Marcella says.
Besides enjoying her own time in the garden, she
likes to see people bringing their grandchildren to visit.
“Some children just love it,” she says. “They’re out there
digging up potatoes and looking for earthworms.”
It’s clear that she loves it, too.
“People accuse me of being in the garden all the time,
but I’m not,” she insists. “I’m out there often, but you
have to be. If you have a bug, you need to know
about it!”
A
Asbury Home Services
founded 2012
Asbury Methodist Village,
founded 1926
1,300 residents
Asbury Solomons,
founded 1996
450 residents
founded 1964
700 residents
Anticipate More is published semi-annually by Asbury
for those interested in Asbury’s services and for Asbury
residents, associates and partners.
In 2012, Asbury
launched Asbury Home
Services, providing inhome care services for
older adults living in
the regions surrounding
Asbury’s retirement
communities. For
information, please visit,
AsburyHomeServices.org.
Vision
As a nationally recognized
leader in senior lifestyle
opportunities, Asbury
continually redefines the
expectations of aging.
Mission
Bethany Village,
AsburyMethodistVillage.org
sbury is an
organization providing
management services for a
system of five continuing
care retirement
communities and home
care services for older
adults. For information,
please visit, Asbury.org.
Our Mission is to do
all the good we can by
providing exceptional
lifestyle opportunities to
those we serve.
Core Values
Editor: Cathy Canning, Communications Manager
Design: FatCat Studios, fatcat-studios.com
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Contributors: Tara McDaniel, VP of Strategic
Communications, Eric Anderson, Director of
Communications
Comments or Feedback? Contact Cathy Canning, Editor,
at 301-250-2103 or email, [email protected].
Inverness Village,
To view a digital issue of this magazine, go to
www.AsburyMethodistVillage.org, and click on the
News & Events tab.
founded 2003
400 residents
Follow us on:
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Commitment to
residents, associates,
volunteers and
partners
Stewardship and
financial strength
Quality and innovation
Integrity
On the Cover: Asbury resident Kay Hess is pictured in the community garden she enjoys working each year.
Asbury
Communities, Inc.
Asbury Methodist Village is the 12th largest CCRC in the country and proudly calls Montgomery County, Maryland, home. As part of the not-for-profit Asbury
system, Asbury Methodist Village provides a complete continuum of care, including independent living options such as courtyard homes, villas and spacious
apartments, as well as assisted living suites, skilled nursing residences, memory support and rehabilitation therapy services. These choices, combined with an
outstanding tradition of quality and service, help Asbury lead the way in exceptional retirement living.
Asbury Methodist Village | 201 Russell Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2801 | Marketing Office: 301-591-0756
Springhill,
©2014 Asbury Communities, Inc.
2 | AS BURY A NT IC I PAT E M O R E A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
ASB URY. ORG
founded 1990
275 residents
20030 Century Boulevard
Suite 300
Germantown, MD 20874
301-250-2100
Asbury.org
A S BU RY A
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asbury living
>> RESIDENT’S COLUMN
The Gift
of Giving
Dixie Reppe was named LeadingAge Oklahoma’s
2014 Trustee of the Year. LeadingAge is a
national advocacy group for not-for-profit
aging services organizations. Dixie is the second
Inverness Village resident to be honored by
LeadingAge Oklahoma. In 2012, Doreen Sigle
was named Volunteer of the Year.
O
ver the past three years, I’ve worked with a nucleus of
Inverness Village residents and professionals to build
a culture of giving in our community. I’m something of
a zealot on the subject because during my volunteer and
professional lives, I’ve repeatedly witnessed the transforming
power of a culture in which a community or an organization
commits itself to giving time, talent and resources to
accomplish important goals for the greater good.
As I began this effort, I found myself examining my own
motivation for giving and realized it came from my parents.
It began during World War II in a mining town in southern
Arizona. Our Dad had called my little brother Bruce and
me together to tell us there would be very little money for
gifts that Christmas.
My brother and I assured him he needn’t worry about
us, because we’d already sent our letters to Santa. My
brother wanted an Army Jeep with a silver star on the side,
and I wanted a doll with long, blonde hair and a black
net dress trimmed in pink ribbon, exactly like the one my
mother wore to the Order of the Eastern Star.
Eastern Star was a fraternal organization to which my
parents belonged, and it was Mama’s big night out. We
used to watch from our front porch as she swept down the
side of the mountain in that gorgeous gown. Mama had
made that dress. In fact, my brother and I had “helped” her.
Bruce worked the floor pedal and I turned the wheel that
drove the needle on her old Singer sewing machine.
Finally, Christmas came, and when my brother and I
walked into the living room that morning, it was exactly as
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we had known it would be. There, beneath a sparkling tree
was my brother’s wooden Army Jeep with the big silver star
on the side; and beside it was a doll with long blonde hair
and a dress exactly like Mama’s.
My brother offered to let me take my doll for a ride in his
Jeep, and when I reached for the steering wheel, I was so
stunned I couldn’t speak. It was the wheel off my mother’s
sewing machine. I realized immediately that my Dad had
built my brother’s little Jeep.
However, that didn’t explain my doll. I marched into
my parent’s bedroom, opened the closet door and there,
where it had always hung, was Mama’s black net dress.
But it was different. The pink ribbon was gone, and it
was a short dress. I knew, even then, what it had cost my
mother. At that time, you could not attend a meeting of
the Order of the Eastern Star in a short gown, and this had
been her only long one.
On that morning, I learned about giving from two
wonderful parents who tried so hard to preserve the magic
of a Christmas morning. I also learned that gifts which grow
out of sacrifice are the most precious of all. They require no
special wrapping because they come wrapped – in love.
At Inverness Village, we just completed a $1 million
Benevolent Care Endowment campaign entitled “For Love
of Neighbor.” For many, giving to the Campaign required
some degree of sacrifice, and all those who gave did so
out of a desire to help neighbors in need. These were,
indeed, Gifts of Love from members of a community
imbued with a culture of giving.
ASB U RY ANTICIPATE MOR E | 3
THINK
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Brain
Wave
A
When it comes to
brain fitness, “routine”
is a bad word. Look
at your surroundings
with fresh, young eyes
and pay attention
to details.
4 | AS BU RY A NT IC I PAT E M O R E re you giving your brain the love and respect it deserves? It’s the
body’s most vital organ – controlling us physically, but also registering and recording our lives.
Not surprisingly, dementia and general loss of brain function is a top
health fear among adults of all ages. Keeping your brain in good working order is receiving more and more attention these days. Ads for Lumosity are everywhere. AARP recently added brain games to its website.
And studies on brain health are becoming as commonplace as those on
physical health.
“People always say, ‘Brain fitness. That’s crosswords, right?’ ” says
Susan Grotenhuis, a cognitive fitness facilitator certified by the American
Senior Fitness Association. “But it’s so much more. And the sooner you
start, the longer those effects have to take hold and make changes in
your brain functioning.”
Susan just developed an eight-week course called Brain Waves at
Asbury Methodist Village where she works in the Wellness Center.
Topics include stress and the brain, the link between physical and brain
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fitness, brain-healthy foods and brain exercises. Tips and
activities accompany each lesson. For instance, students
analyzed dining menu items during the class on brainhealthy foods. A class on stress and the brain included
deep-breathing exercises.
The best thing you can do for your brain is physical,
Susan says. She cites a Mayo Clinic study of sedentary
adults. Those who exercised five to six times a week
reduced their risk of mild cognitive impairment by 32
percent compared to non-active adults. Mild cognitive
impairment is a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, Susan
explains. When exercise was started in mid-life, that
benefit improved to 39 percent.
Participants aged 60 to 79 who engaged in aerobic
activity three times a week for one year increased their
brain’s hippocampus region to a size normally found in
someone two years younger, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
in 2011. Why is that important? A number of factors.
First, the hippocampus is one region where new neurons
are produced. Further, the hippocampus is involved in
forming, storing and organizing memories. Susan recommends combining physical exercise with brain-specific
exercises whenever possible. Why? If the new neurons we
generate through exercise are not used within three days,
the brain discards them.
What is a major brain buster? Stress. Avoiding it and
getting enough sleep are critical to a healthy brain. (See
next page.)
Food for Thought: Resources
• Magnificent Mind at Any Age: Natural
Ways to Unleash Your Brain’s Maximum
Potential, Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
• The Memory Bible: An Innovative
Strategy for Keeping Your Brain
Young, Gary Small, M.D.
• National Memory Screening
– November 18, Visit
NationalMemoryScreeningDay.org
to find the nearest location offering
this free event.
A SB U RY.ORG feature
Susan Grotenhuis, left, is a
Wellness Specialist at Asbury
Methodist Village. She is pictured with resident Fern
Kauffman on the community’s annual snow tubing trip.
When it comes to brain fitness, “routine” is a bad word.
“Remember that slightly uncomfortable feeling you had
on your first day of work when everything was new?”
Susan says. “That level of challenge is actually beneficial
for your brain. We’ve seen so much at this age that our
environment has become routine to us,” Susan says. The
key, she explains, is not to take things for granted or allow
our brain to become lazy. Look at your surroundings with
fresh, young eyes and pay attention to the details.
Two other Asbury communities, Inverness Village in
Tulsa, Okla., and Bethany Village, in Mechanicsburg, Pa.,
have It’s Never2Late® and Dakim® Brain Fitness. Kiosks
loaded with a variety of brain exercises can be accessed
around campus.
Asbury Methodist Village resident Bob Pfaff, who calls
himself the “instigator” of the Brain Waves course, uses
a program developed by Posit Science, which he chose
based on an NIH-funded study of its effectiveness. He
approached the wellness department about PositScience,
but that proved unfeasible. Susan accepted Bob’s challenge
to create something addressing brain fitness, and worked
with him throughout the process.
ASB U RY ANTICIPATE MOR E | 5
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feature
The following is excerpted from the Brain Waves class on Stress and the Brain, written by
Susan Grotenhuis. It is based on information from The Franklin Institute and the book
A Calm Brain: Unlocking Your Natural Relaxation System.
W
ithin the central nervous system we have
two systems which are constantly in opposition. Finding the balance between the two is
key to brain health. They are the sympathetic and
parasympathetic systems. In Chinese medicine
they are referred to as yin and yang. Think of the
sympathetic system as the accelerator and the parasympathetic system as
the brake. Both
are valuable
and necessary.
But too often, in
today’s high-stress
world, people are
favoring the sympathetic system.
Chronic stress is linked with anxiety, depression,
obesity, heart disease as well as other ailments.
Stress is particularly harmful to the older population. The main culprit is a hormone called cortisol. When under stress, the sympathetic system
sends out the call to release adrenaline, the “fight
or flight” hormone. If the threat continues or the
stress is sustained for more than a few minutes,
the adrenals signal the brain to release another
chemical, cortisol.
“Susan spent about three to four times more than
any human would researching this course,” Bob says.
“It provides some important information and some
activities and suggestions that are hopefully
motivating.”
Bob, 84, earned two degrees from MIT and spent
his career as a pioneer in the computer industry.
Maintaining mental acuity is no joke to him. “I
advocate using the brain programs like Lumosity
that are being developed today,” he says. “What is
your brain worth? What’s it worth to you to be able
to make the best of the rest of your life? I think it’s
worth $15 a month.”
There are also plenty of free apps and online
games that provide exercise for your brain even
6 | AS BU RY A NT IC I PAT E M O R E Cortisol is not necessarily bad. It promotes alertness and concentration. Doctors use cortisol-like
medications as an anti-inflammatory. In large doses, however, it can become dangerous, preventing our brain from laying down new memories or
retrieving old ones. It also adversely affects the
neurotransmitters in
our brain, the chemicals which facilitate
communication
within the brain.
Further, cortisol remains in the brain
after the threat is
gone much longer
than adrenaline. If there
is too much cortisol in the brain, the
hippocampus sends an alarm to the hypothalamus (the hormone boss) to turn it off. However, older adults have, on average, a 20 percent
smaller hippocampus, meaning the signal it
sends to turn off the cortisol is weaker. Compounding this harmful cycle is the fact that
lingering cortisol levels destroy hippocampal
cells. Older people with Alzheimer’s disease
show higher levels of cortisol in their brains
than those without the disease.
if their long-term efficacy hasn’t been tested,
he adds. “The brain is a mechanical thing,” Bob
notes. “The more attention you pay to it, the better it works.”
Since Susan began teaching Brain Waves, she has
taken her own research to heart. “Since becoming
certified in cognitive fitness, I think about brain
fitness far more than I ever did,” Susan says. “I promote the link between physical and brain health
with residents who come to the Wellness Center.
And I tend to pay much more attention to details.
I work hard to absorb as much information in my
environment as I can. Paying attention forces the
brain to work rather than letting it slip into cruise
control.”
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foundation focus
VALUABLE LESSONS
FREE OF CHARGE
by Jenn Schwamb
E
“
very day is a school day.” I
think I’ve heard my husband,
a professor, utter this phrase well
over 100 times. My five-year
career with the Asbury Foundation
has reinforced the truth of his
statement a hundred fold.
The older people I’m
surrounded by have taught me
countless lessons, and I’d like to
think I’ve taught them some as
well. They have shared with me
their wisdom regarding marriage,
family, career, etc. The following
are the top three lessons I’ve
learned:
1. Age is only a number.
Every day I am around some of
the busiest and most adventurous
retired adults I have ever met. In
addition to spending thousands
of hours volunteering on and off
campus, I’ve watched them head
out snow tubing, water tubing
– and I recently saw an article
featuring a resident who went sky
diving! Age is a state of mind.
and it’s not always fun, but
often it’s the hard things that
make us who we are.
3. There is truth in clichés.
We’ve all heard them – the
grass is always greener on the
other side, don’t sweat the
small stuff, actions speak louder
than words, a penny saved
is a penny earned, and when
life gives you lemons, make
lemonade. Of all the old clichés,
two of my favorites are “money
can’t buy happiness” and “the
best things in life are free.” Both
offer one of the greatest lessons
I’ve learned from working at a
retirement community – family
and friends are your greatest
possessions. Meaningful
connections are essential to
living well.
My work has allowed me to meet
some of the most interesting people
Jenn Schwamb with Asbury
and gain meaningful life lessons. I
residents Lowell and Nancy Starling.
only have one living grandparent,
but working for Asbury is like
having hundreds more. They may
2. Find joy where you can.
not send me birthday cards with a crisp dollar bill included,
A common thread I have noticed in their attitudes is
but they give me valuable gifts nonetheless.
gratitude for what they have. They find joy in the little
things. I’ve met residents who have experienced the death
of a child or spouse, faced serious illness, been laid off
Jenn Schwamb is the director of Annual Giving and Communications
from their dream jobs, and encountered extreme financial
for The Asbury Foundation, a charitable arm of Asbury Communities,
hardship. These are people who have lived through and
Inc. Her office is based at Bethany Village, a continuing care
fought in wars. They remind me that life isn’t always easy
retirement community in Mechanicsburg, Pa.
What is the Asbury Foundation?
The Asbury Foundation is a not-for-profit affiliate of Asbury Communities with a mission of securing
funding for benevolent care, community outreach, and new programs and services. Benevolent care
provides assistance to residents who have outlived their financial resources through no fault of their
own. For information about the Foundation, visit www.TheAsburyFoundation.org.
ASUBURY.
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keep moving
Lowell Hinchliffe,
foreground, walks
with a group of
friends around the
Asbury Solomons
campus every day.
In inclement weather
they walk indoors.
Walk This Way –
The Body and Brain Benefits of This Simple Exercise
by Dennis Poremski
A
lmost five million Americans have congestive heart
failure, and in the 65-plus age group, one-fifth of all
hospitalizations have congestive heart failure as a primary
or secondary diagnosis, according to the National Institutes
of Health.
Each year, Americans spend millions of dollars on diets,
exercise equipment, books and fitness memberships. There is
no shortage of research proving that regular physical activity
is an excellent way to prevent heart disease and a wide variety
of other diseases and conditions.
But all that information can be overwhelming and
confusing. Financial pressures give us one more reason not to
join the gym or buy that new piece of equipment. As simple
as it sounds, the best exercise is the type that you’ll do.
I’m a strong advocate of walking. There’s nothing to learn.
There’s no equipment necessary. No one will charge you
a monthly fee. And research shows that walking has solid
aerobic benefits without the higher risk of joint stress and
injury that can come with more strenuous types of exercise.
Now, more recent studies are linking the kind of aerobic
activity you get with brisk walking to good brain health, too.
(See feature article, page 4.)
A 2013 study by the University of British Columbia
recruited women ages 70 – 80 with mild cognitive
impairment. Researchers created three groups to engage in
different types of exercise two times a week for six months.
One did resistance training, another walked briskly and one
conducted stretching and toning exercises. At the end, the
8 | AS BU RY A NT IC I PAT E M O R E women in the resistance and walking groups performed better
on almost all of the cognitive tests than they had prior to
the study’s onset. The stretching and toning group declined
cognitively during that period.
This study shows how just taking a brisk walk two times
each week may make a real difference in your brain’s health
as you age.
If you’ve been hibernating this winter and are having a hard
time getting back into the groove, just 10 to 15 minutes is a
great place to start. Set your goal to sustain a brisk walk for
20 to 30 minutes at least three times each week for maximum
physical and cognitive benefit. And remember to always
consult a physician before starting a new exercise pattern.
What is a brisk pace? There are many definitions and
objective measures. While exercising, if you are able to carry
on a conversation, but you notice that your heart rate and
breathing are noticeably faster, you’ve probably got it. A
casual stroll is never bad, but being deliberate to maintain a
brisk pace will make the most of your time.
Guidelines on pace and exercises can be found by going
to cdc.gov/healthyweight and clicking on the Physical
Activity tab.
So get up and move! Your body and your brain will
thank you.
Dennis Poremski is the Wellness Director for Asbury Solomons,
www.AsburySolomons.org, a waterfront retirement community
in Calvert County, Md.
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Asbury Methodist Village Views
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Meet Resident Alexine Jackson
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Be our guest and see what life at Asbury Methodist Village is all about! Please call 301-591-0756 to reserve your
spot for these free, upcoming events. AsburyMethodistVillage.org.
“Blossoms and Buggies” Campus-wide Open House
Tuesday, April 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Why fight the crowds to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C.? Asbury Methodist Village’s 130-acre campus is filled
with blooms in the spring. Take this opportunity to tour the campus, catch a buggy ride, peek into dozens of residences and
see every level of living – including our five-star rated Wilson Health Care Center.
Never Act Your Age
Monday, May 12, Time TBD
Find out 10 secrets to aging successfully as Dr. Roger Landry shares entertaining and engaging insights from a watershed
MacArthur Foundation study into how to live not just a longer life, but a better one.
Lunch with Special Guest Doug Kammerer
Thursday, June 12, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Come hear the Washington, D.C.-area’s most popular TV news weatherman, Doug Kammerer’s reflections on the dramatic
weather changes our planet has experienced in recent years. Are derechos, Snowmageddons and hurricanes aberrations ...
or the new normal? You’ll also learn how living at Asbury can remove the burden of worrying about crazy weather patterns.
As soon as she stepped out of her car to attend an
Asbury marketing luncheon, she was reminded of her
alma mater, Spelman College. At that moment, Alexine
says, she knew Asbury was the place for her.
radius – during the height of the
Civil Rights movement.
Their next move was to the
University of Iowa where Aaron
completed his residency
in urology while Alexine
earned a master’s degree
in speech pathology. From
there, they relocated to
Washington, D.C. There,
Aaron taught at Howard
University, ran a private
practice and served as
Chief of Urology at the
university’s hospital for
23 years. Alexine put her
master’s degree to use
at Children’s National
Medical Center.
After living in Potomac
for 36 years, Alexine
felt the need to downsize
following her husband’s
death last year. As soon
as she stepped out of her
car to attend an Asbury
marketing luncheon, she
was reminded of her alma
mater, Spelman College.
At that moment, Alexine
says, she knew Asbury
was the place for her.
We’re so glad she has
made Asbury Methodist
Village her home.
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Asbury Methodist Village Views
A
quick glance at the calendars
of many Asbury residents
makes you wonder if they have
more energy than people half their
age. But even in this community
of go-getters, Alexine Jackson
stands out.
President of the national
YWCA. Chairman of the Board
of the Performing Arts Society,
the Community Foundation,
Intercultural Cancer Council
and Susan B. Komen
Foundation. Board
member at Strathmore.
A former Washingtonian
magazine “Washingtonian
of the Year.”
And all that after she
retired.
Born in Sumter, S.C.,
Alexine graduated
from Spelman College
in Atlanta – a fourgeneration tradition most
recently followed by her
granddaughter. Alexine
married her college
sweetheart, Aaron, and
started raising a family – a
set of twins followed by
three more children.
The Jacksons moved to
California where Aaron
fulfilled his military
obligation and then to
Greenwood, Miss., where
he was the only black
doctor within a 50-mile
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
*PLEASE CALL 301-591-0756 TO RSVP FOR THESE EVENTS OR FOR A PERSONAL TOUR ANYTIME.
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A S B URY A N TI C I PATE M ORE | 9
Wilson Health Care Center Has Five-Star Rating
Meet the Marketing Team
W
C
Five-Star Quality Rated
by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Average.” The rating takes into
account rankings for health
inspections, staffing and other
quality measures. Find out
more when you visit the
Nursing Home Compare site
on www.Medicare.gov.
Wilson is one of a handful of
skilled nursing centers that have
earned accreditation from the
Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities/Continuing
Care Accreditation Commission
and regularly earns some of the
highest family satisfaction ratings
in Maryland. Its seven-day-a-week
rehabilitation therapy program
delivers some of the best outcomes
in the area.
Wilson recently has developed a
new specialty to address an unmet
need for Montgomery County,
providing advanced healing
treatments for persistent wounds,
including those due to diabetes,
serious cuts or infections and
pressure ulcers.
Music & Memory Program Comes to
Wilson Health Care Center
ecently, residents of Wilson
the results experienced by
R
Health Care’s Morning
residents at Asbury’s sister
Glory Terrace began taking part
community, Bethany Village
in a national program that uses
individualized music therapy to
improve the quality of life for longterm care residents, particularly
those with memory loss.
Associates at Wilson Health
Care have set up personalized
iPods for 36 residents. Working
with the residents and their family
members, the team selected favorite
songs and artists, and in some
cases, even old radio and television
programs. Elaine Keilman, director
of therapeutic recreation at Wilson,
initiated the application process
with Music & Memory after seeing
10 | A S BURY A NT I C I PAT E M O R E
in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Elaine
purchased the iPods from e-bay
and received some as donations.
A local Eagle Scout troop raised
funds to purchase iTunes gift
cards and also used CDs gathered
from residents’ family members
and other sources to create
the playlists. In addition, they
constructed a wooden charging
and storage cabinet.
Susan Crossley, director of
therapeutic recreation at Bethany
Village, has been thrilled with
the effect the program has had
for participating residents at her
community. “Residents use and
respond to the music for different
reasons,” Susan says.
“For some, it’s just enjoyable. For
restless residents or those who just
need to be busy all the time, the music
has a calming effect. For some with
cognitive or memory loss, medications
have been decreased and some antianxiety drugs were eliminated.”
“These young men have done a
tremendous job and can feel very
proud of their contribution,” Elaine
says. “I am excited to see the long-term
benefits of this program and to expand
it to other residents living at Wilson.”
A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
all or e-mail us for information on Asbury Methodist Village or for a personal tour. We would love to show you
around! Or visit AsburyMethodistVillage.org and click on Contact Us on the home page. We’ll show you how to
Anticipate More out of life!
Brent Bayes, Director of Sales....................................................... 301-216-4031, [email protected]
“This job is definitely about helping bring people satisfaction, and it’s so rewarding to be a part of that. My favorite
thing is hearing residents tell me they enjoy their new home so much they wish they had moved here five years earlier!”
Anthony Cinotti, Retirement Counselor....................................... 301-216-4068, [email protected]
“Asbury is a beautiful place on the outside, but it is the exceptional people who live and work at Asbury that make our
community truly special.”
Nancy Rasavage, Retirement Counselor....................................... 301-216-4110, [email protected]
“What’s really special about Asbury is our 85-year history. I take a lot of pleasure in working with ‘second generation’
residents, who are moving to Asbury because of the wonderful experience their parents have had.”
PJ Petkovic, Retirement Counselor............................................... 301-216-4035, [email protected]
“Asbury Methodist Village is a community that is truly committed to serving each resident with respect and dignity,
while striving to make a positive difference in their lives each and every day.”
Karen Lawless, Senior Move-In Coordinator................................ 301-216-4107, [email protected]
“Asbury is not about bricks and mortar, but the new experiences, the fulfillment of giving back to others and a secure feeling
that you made the right decision. In my 20 years at Asbury, I have helped more than 1,000 residents, including my folks,
move in. My dad even said, “I wish I had done this sooner.”
Louise Stewart, Move-In/Community Outreach Coordinator ........ 301-216-4958, [email protected]
“Asbury Methodist Village is the friendliest place I have ever worked. Everyone, both residents and associates, are topnotch.
I love to hear residents’ stories, and everyone has a story. Being with residents at Asbury just makes you feel good.”
Visit us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AsburyMethodistVillage
Extra, Extra! Read All About Asbury Living!
Make sure you receive new issues of Anticipate More by signing up for the free
publication online. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Visit AsburyMethodistVillage.org
2. Click on the New & Events tab.
3. Click on the Sign Up for Publications button.
A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
Asbury Methodist Village Views
ilson Health Care Center
offers 5-star quality care
for people facing a range of
health challenges. Whether it’s
rehabilitation therapy after injury
or illness, memory support,
or long-term care, you can be
confident that you are receiving
the highest level of customized care
from some of the top professionals
in the area.
A 5-star rating – the highest
available from the U.S. Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) – signals that an
organization’s skilled nursing
services are “Much Above
l
l
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Asbury Methodist Village Views
A S B URY A N TI C I PATE M ORE | 11
Wilson Health Care Center Has Five-Star Rating
Meet the Marketing Team
W
C
Five-Star Quality Rated
by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Average.” The rating takes into
account rankings for health
inspections, staffing and other
quality measures. Find out
more when you visit the
Nursing Home Compare site
on www.Medicare.gov.
Wilson is one of a handful of
skilled nursing centers that have
earned accreditation from the
Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities/Continuing
Care Accreditation Commission
and regularly earns some of the
highest family satisfaction ratings
in Maryland. Its seven-day-a-week
rehabilitation therapy program
delivers some of the best outcomes
in the area.
Wilson recently has developed a
new specialty to address an unmet
need for Montgomery County,
providing advanced healing
treatments for persistent wounds,
including those due to diabetes,
serious cuts or infections and
pressure ulcers.
Music & Memory Program Comes to
Wilson Health Care Center
ecently, residents of Wilson
the results experienced by
R
Health Care’s Morning
residents at Asbury’s sister
Glory Terrace began taking part
community, Bethany Village
in a national program that uses
individualized music therapy to
improve the quality of life for longterm care residents, particularly
those with memory loss.
Associates at Wilson Health
Care have set up personalized
iPods for 36 residents. Working
with the residents and their family
members, the team selected favorite
songs and artists, and in some
cases, even old radio and television
programs. Elaine Keilman, director
of therapeutic recreation at Wilson,
initiated the application process
with Music & Memory after seeing
10 | A S BURY A NT I C I PAT E M O R E
in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Elaine
purchased the iPods from e-bay
and received some as donations.
A local Eagle Scout troop raised
funds to purchase iTunes gift
cards and also used CDs gathered
from residents’ family members
and other sources to create
the playlists. In addition, they
constructed a wooden charging
and storage cabinet.
Susan Crossley, director of
therapeutic recreation at Bethany
Village, has been thrilled with
the effect the program has had
for participating residents at her
community. “Residents use and
respond to the music for different
reasons,” Susan says.
“For some, it’s just enjoyable. For
restless residents or those who just
need to be busy all the time, the music
has a calming effect. For some with
cognitive or memory loss, medications
have been decreased and some antianxiety drugs were eliminated.”
“These young men have done a
tremendous job and can feel very
proud of their contribution,” Elaine
says. “I am excited to see the long-term
benefits of this program and to expand
it to other residents living at Wilson.”
A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
all or e-mail us for information on Asbury Methodist Village or for a personal tour. We would love to show you
around! Or visit AsburyMethodistVillage.org and click on Contact Us on the home page. We’ll show you how to
Anticipate More out of life!
Brent Bayes, Director of Sales....................................................... 301-216-4031, [email protected]
“This job is definitely about helping bring people satisfaction, and it’s so rewarding to be a part of that. My favorite
thing is hearing residents tell me they enjoy their new home so much they wish they had moved here five years earlier!”
Anthony Cinotti, Retirement Counselor....................................... 301-216-4068, [email protected]
“Asbury is a beautiful place on the outside, but it is the exceptional people who live and work at Asbury that make our
community truly special.”
Nancy Rasavage, Retirement Counselor....................................... 301-216-4110, [email protected]
“What’s really special about Asbury is our 85-year history. I take a lot of pleasure in working with ‘second generation’
residents, who are moving to Asbury because of the wonderful experience their parents have had.”
PJ Petkovic, Retirement Counselor............................................... 301-216-4035, [email protected]
“Asbury Methodist Village is a community that is truly committed to serving each resident with respect and dignity,
while striving to make a positive difference in their lives each and every day.”
Karen Lawless, Senior Move-In Coordinator................................ 301-216-4107, [email protected]
“Asbury is not about bricks and mortar, but the new experiences, the fulfillment of giving back to others and a secure feeling
that you made the right decision. In my 20 years at Asbury, I have helped more than 1,000 residents, including my folks,
move in. My dad even said, “I wish I had done this sooner.”
Louise Stewart, Move-In/Community Outreach Coordinator ........ 301-216-4958, [email protected]
“Asbury Methodist Village is the friendliest place I have ever worked. Everyone, both residents and associates, are topnotch.
I love to hear residents’ stories, and everyone has a story. Being with residents at Asbury just makes you feel good.”
Visit us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AsburyMethodistVillage
Extra, Extra! Read All About Asbury Living!
Make sure you receive new issues of Anticipate More by signing up for the free
publication online. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Visit AsburyMethodistVillage.org
2. Click on the New & Events tab.
3. Click on the Sign Up for Publications button.
A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
Asbury Methodist Village Views
ilson Health Care Center
offers 5-star quality care
for people facing a range of
health challenges. Whether it’s
rehabilitation therapy after injury
or illness, memory support,
or long-term care, you can be
confident that you are receiving
the highest level of customized care
from some of the top professionals
in the area.
A 5-star rating – the highest
available from the U.S. Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) – signals that an
organization’s skilled nursing
services are “Much Above
l
l
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Asbury Methodist Village Views
A S B URY A N TI C I PATE M ORE | 11
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Meet Resident Alexine Jackson
l
Be our guest and see what life at Asbury Methodist Village is all about! Please call 301-591-0756 to reserve your
spot for these free, upcoming events. AsburyMethodistVillage.org.
“Blossoms and Buggies” Campus-wide Open House
Tuesday, April 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Why fight the crowds to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C.? Asbury Methodist Village’s 130-acre campus is filled
with blooms in the spring. Take this opportunity to tour the campus, catch a buggy ride, peek into dozens of residences and
see every level of living – including our five-star rated Wilson Health Care Center.
Never Act Your Age
Monday, May 12, Time TBD
Find out 10 secrets to aging successfully as Dr. Roger Landry shares entertaining and engaging insights from a watershed
MacArthur Foundation study into how to live not just a longer life, but a better one.
Lunch with Special Guest Doug Kammerer
Thursday, June 12, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Come hear the Washington, D.C.-area’s most popular TV news weatherman, Doug Kammerer’s reflections on the dramatic
weather changes our planet has experienced in recent years. Are derechos, Snowmageddons and hurricanes aberrations ...
or the new normal? You’ll also learn how living at Asbury can remove the burden of worrying about crazy weather patterns.
As soon as she stepped out of her car to attend an
Asbury marketing luncheon, she was reminded of her
alma mater, Spelman College. At that moment, Alexine
says, she knew Asbury was the place for her.
radius – during the height of the
Civil Rights movement.
Their next move was to the
University of Iowa where Aaron
completed his residency
in urology while Alexine
earned a master’s degree
in speech pathology. From
there, they relocated to
Washington, D.C. There,
Aaron taught at Howard
University, ran a private
practice and served as
Chief of Urology at the
university’s hospital for
23 years. Alexine put her
master’s degree to use
at Children’s National
Medical Center.
After living in Potomac
for 36 years, Alexine
felt the need to downsize
following her husband’s
death last year. As soon
as she stepped out of her
car to attend an Asbury
marketing luncheon, she
was reminded of her alma
mater, Spelman College.
At that moment, Alexine
says, she knew Asbury
was the place for her.
We’re so glad she has
made Asbury Methodist
Village her home.
Asbury Methodist Village Views
Asbury Methodist Village Views
A
quick glance at the calendars
of many Asbury residents
makes you wonder if they have
more energy than people half their
age. But even in this community
of go-getters, Alexine Jackson
stands out.
President of the national
YWCA. Chairman of the Board
of the Performing Arts Society,
the Community Foundation,
Intercultural Cancer Council
and Susan B. Komen
Foundation. Board
member at Strathmore.
A former Washingtonian
magazine “Washingtonian
of the Year.”
And all that after she
retired.
Born in Sumter, S.C.,
Alexine graduated
from Spelman College
in Atlanta – a fourgeneration tradition most
recently followed by her
granddaughter. Alexine
married her college
sweetheart, Aaron, and
started raising a family – a
set of twins followed by
three more children.
The Jacksons moved to
California where Aaron
fulfilled his military
obligation and then to
Greenwood, Miss., where
he was the only black
doctor within a 50-mile
l
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
*PLEASE CALL 301-591-0756 TO RSVP FOR THESE EVENTS OR FOR A PERSONAL TOUR ANYTIME.
12 | A S BU RY A NT I C I PAT E M O R E
A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
A S B URY A N TI C I PATE M ORE | 9
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chef’s table
Fajita Salad:
Chef Rafael Thomas,
Inverness Village
INGREDIENTS:
l
l
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l
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1 to 2 skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 to 2 gloves garlic
Mexican seasoning packet or blend of your choice
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 ripe avocado
1 head lettuce
This is a colorful, light dish to welcome spring, says Inverness Village Chef
Rafael Thomas. And it may help you shed any unwelcome winter pounds.
DIRECTIONS:
Coat uncooked chicken breasts in Mexican seasonings at least 1 hour
before preparing and refrigerate. Slice chicken breasts or dice if you prefer.
Slice peppers and peel and slice avocado.
In a pan over medium heat, sauté chicken in vegetable oil and garlic for 5 to 10
minutes depending on amount. Remove chicken from heat and add peppers to the
pan. Sauté peppers until slightly translucent. Should still remain firm to the touch.
In a bowl, toss chicken, peppers, avocado and tomatoes. Spoon on top of shredded lettuce. Top with
dressing of your choice, although Rafael uses a blend of salsa and Ranch dressing.
Get a New Perspective on Aging
Practical advice,
inspiring articles and
resources written
and compiled by
some of the nation’s
top experts in aging
– Asbury associates
and residents.
Visit www.Asbury.org and tell us what you think.
A blog devoted to the topics important to older adults
A SB U RY.ORG
ASB U RY AN TICIPATE MOR E | 13
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tech solutions
Bethany Village
R
ecently, Bethany Village residents
became part of Generation
Connect, a company whose goal is to
help acquaint older adults with the
technology applications that are so
familiar to today’s youth – specifically,
those available in iPads.
Generation Connect travels to senior
living communities and trains staff
members to conduct iPad seminars for
the residents who live there. In all, three
classes exploring various functions of
the iPad and related technologies were
held during February. More starter
classes will be scheduled throughout the
year in addition to monthly refresher
and new content courses for residents
who have already completed the initial
training.
Margee Kooistra debated getting an
iPad for several years, but then saw a
notice about the upcoming class. She
Asbury Communities
W
hen the last Asbury skilled nursing
center converted its health records
system from paper to electronic in
2011, a two-year process was finally
complete. But the real work was just
beginning.
Now, the wealth of data gathered
in those electronic medical records
is being put to work improving how
care and services are delivered at each
Asbury retirement community.
Under the Affordable Care Act,
skilled nursing centers must have
a Quality Assurance Performance
Improvement Plan, or QAPI, that meets
new standards set by the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
This isn’t an entirely new idea or
process, notes Joan McCabe, Director
of Quality Assurance for Asbury. “The
skilled nursing field has always done
quality assurance very well,” Joan says.
“We are accountable to federal, state and
14 | took the plunge and loved the first class
she attended. Another resident was
delighted and more than a little surprised
when the iPad’s voice to text function
correctly translated eight sentences.
Springhill
Springhill, Asbury’s Erie, Pa.based continuing care retirement
community, holds an annual event
called Tech-Stravaganza. Each
fall, incoming freshmen from local
Mercyhurst University visit Springhill
and provide a wide range of one-onone tech support for residents.
Last year, close to 30 residents
signed up for Tech-Stravaganza,
requesting assistance with everything
from email, Facebook, and cell
phones to software programs, iPods,
DVDs and kitchen appliances.
“This is an extremely valuable
service the students are providing,”
local regulations, which require that we
meet standards of care in many specific
areas, and we know that people who
are researching nursing centers can see
how we measure up in online report
cards published by the CMS. Quality
assurance was about meeting those
standards.”
What is new is the Performance
Improvement part of the process,
Joan explains. And that is where
Asbury’s digital investment will make
a real difference. Asbury health care
centers are routinely tracking and
benchmarking themselves against their
peers in a handful of key clinical areas.
Performance Improvement Plans
don’t just identify problem areas.
They also encourage health centers to
identify areas where they can decrease
the likelihood of a problem arising
– or simply improve service, Joan
explains. QAPI Steering Committees
comprised of health care center
A SBURY.OR G
l
asbury spotlight
A
says Sandy Buckley, Director of
Resident Services at Springhill.
“But they also receive a great deal
out of the project. Several told me
how much fun they had and how
surprised they were to see residents
interested in mastering these new
technologies.”
associates, residents and family
members will meet monthly to review
their community health center’s data,
set Performance Improvement goals
and evaluate progress.
“The expectation is that everyone
– in every department – needs to be
thinking about the role they play in
improving care and services,” Joan says.
A SB URY.ORG
s a not-for-profit, Asbury makes a pledge to the communities where it
operates to benefit not only those who call Asbury home, but seniors who
live beyond its boundaries.
Ruth Scandale, Director of Administrative Services at Springhill, personifies
this pledge.
When Ruth joined Springhill seven years ago, she was helping care for her
mother who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Going through
that process was terribly difficult, and instilled a deep respect in Ruth for the
Alzheimer’s Association and its fight to end the disease, she says.
Ruth funneled that respect – and her exceptional energy levels – into making
Springhill an Erie, Pa., leader in the fight against
Alzheimer’s. Since assuming her leadership role in
2008 as the Springhill Team Captain for the Walk
to End Alzheimer’s, Ruth has raised $43,291.
“Ruth took the empathy she gained in her role
as a caregiver and the challenges that brought
and turned it to helping others,” says Barbara
Machuga, Ruth’s friend and the Director of
Human Resources at Springhill.
James G. Schneider, Executive Director, notes
Ruth’s enthusiasm and creative fundraising ideas.
He and all her colleagues marvel at Ruth’s ability to Ruth Scandale, Springhill
juggle the demands of her job, her work in an Erie
community theater group, her role as a mother and grandmother and the many
hours she spends each week organizing Springhill’s Alzheimer’s Walk efforts.
“I don’t know how I find the time to do it,” laughs Ruth. “Right now I’m in
a play and our rehearsals are Monday through Thursday. I get up at 5:45 a.m.,
go to work, leave work at 6 p.m. and go straight to rehearsal until 11 p.m. and
then come home and do it all again.”
What’s most impressive is how Ruth has inspired Springhill with her own
commitment and hard work, Barbara says. Last year, the community finished
the Walk in first place in its category – a considerable achievement in a city
of Erie’s size.
“Her creative ideas and opportunities for fundraising have involved residents
and associates alike,” Barbara says.
Ruth created a year-round candy sales program, gathers donations to
create raffle baskets – including the prizes she wins in her role as volunteer.
“We do jeans day every Friday for three months before the walk, where
associates donate a dollar to the Walk Team, and we do theme dress days
where you donate $2,” Ruth says. Currently, Springhill is holding a Pennies
for Alzheimer’s event with the goal of collecting a mile’s worth of pennies –
84,480 in all. So far, they’ve collected more than 40,000, she says.
“It’s great to see Springhill’s fundraising presence having such an important
impact on the greater Erie community,” Ruth says. “I’m proud to be a part of
that and to be doing my part, personally, to end such a devastating disease.”
»ASBURY ASSOCIATE
A Mission to
Serve Others
ASB U RY ANTICIPATE MOR E | 15
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asbury at home
Caregiver
STRESS
Here’s Why You Need
to Reduce It and How
S
Three Steps to Reducing Caregiver Stress
tudy after study has documented the heavy toll of
caregiving. With it come psychological and physical
effects, and depending on the amount and level of care a
person is providing, those effects can be quite severe.
Karen Bruner, Director of Bethany Village at Home, a home
care agency in Mechanicsburg, Pa., has first-hand experience
from when she served as a caregiver for her critically ill
husband and others. However, she also sees the challenges this
role brings when speaking with prospective clients.
Her three steps for reducing caregiver stress are short and
simple, but she’s quick to acknowledge that following them
often requires a complex, emotional struggle. However, the
stakes for following them are high.
Acknowledge that
no one can do it all.
Ask for help – and
accept it.
Q: Why is it challenging to reach out for assistance
even when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the
demands of caregiving?
A: When adult children or a spouse is acting as a caregiver,
they face an array of complicated emotions that make
asking for help difficult. First, there’s the feeling many
of us have that we should be able to handle everything
that comes our way. Then, there is a sense of duty and a
concern that people will judge you if you don’t take on this
role. It takes a very strong person to look at the situation
objectively and say, ‘I need help.’ It can be a difficult
conversation to sit down with a parent and your siblings
and say, ‘I have a family, I work full time, I really want to
help you, but we need some additional folks in here to
help.’
Many assume that even if you did ask no one would help
because they’re busy, too. You think you’re imposing. But
you have to keep in mind that you’re not asking that person
to take on the same level of responsibility you carry. It is
also a mistake to assume that hiring support services will be
too expensive when it might be affordable to get assistance
in some areas –particularly respite care.
Q: What advice do you give caregivers?
Don’t fall into the
it’s-my-way-or-thehighway trap.
16 | A S BU RY A NT I C I PAT E M O R E A: Joining a support group is a great first step in reducing
the stress that comes with caring for others, particularly
when you are juggling a job and your own family. You may
say you don’t have time, but you do. Make it. It can become
a real lifeline. A quick, online search will bring up support
groups in your area for just about any condition.
A SBURY.OR G
Q: Why is self-care so important for the caregiver?
A: When we try to do it all, there’s always some aspect of
our lives that has to give – sometimes more than one thing.
With caregiving comes the possibility of social isolation.
We sacrifice the time we would use for ourselves and
family activities. Exercise falls off which would otherwise
be helping to reduce stress. Sleep deprivation and poor
nutrition are common. We grab something that’s quick and
easy rather than taking time to make a healthy meal. Stress
affects your heart, lowers immunity and can exacerbate
chronic conditions such as diabetes and arthritis.
Caregiving can be physically demanding and even
dangerous, too. When you’re talking about helping
someone get up from a bed or moving them onto a chair
or commode, it can be physically demanding. It requires
strength and good balance. Meal preparation is one thing,
supporting all daily living tasks is another. You can easily
end up with two folks who need care and attention and
not just one.
Q: What are the special challenges that accompany
Asbury Home Services
Resources
Asbury Methodist Village at Home
serving Montgomery County, Md.
Linda Wooge
n 301-216-4747
n [email protected]
Asbury Solomons at Home
serving Calvert County, Md.
Linda Wooge
n 410-394-3556
n [email protected]
Bethany Village at Home
serving Cumberland County, Pa.
Karen Bruner
n 717-591-8332
n [email protected]
Inverness Village at Home
providing care for someone with memory loss?
serving Tulsa, Okla.
A: There’s a sense of constant vigilance. You’re dealing with
Polly Milligan
a loss of communication skills. Then, there is the short-term
memory loss and all that brings. That’s even more challenging
when the person is aware of the symptoms – as happens
in the early stages of dementia. They become depressed,
confused and anxious. Sometimes people with dementia will
hide items or forget where they put them and accuse you of
taking, hiding or throwing them out. You can’t reason your
way through it with them or logically explain a sequence of
events. That is very hard for a loved one.
www.AsburyHomeServices.org
n 918-388-3131
n [email protected]
Springhill at Home
serving Erie County, Pa.
Robin Otis
n 814-860-7424
n [email protected]
Hiring a Home Services Agency
Ask questions regarding staff experience, training and certifications. For personal care and
assistive services, look for people who have had prior personal care experience or who have
gone through certified nursing assistant or other medical training.
l
Look at the agency’s employee selection processes. Make sure it conducts drug screenings and background checks.
l
Ask if the agency carries liability insurance.
l
Someone from the agency should be willing to meet with you prior to contracting for services and to allow you to prescreen caregivers. When interviewing, ask why they have chosen this line of work.
l
l
Try to be open in the selection process. Clients are often surprised when someone who is younger – or older – than they
requested turns out to be a great fit.
A SB URY.ORG
ASB U RY ANTICIPATE MOR E | 17
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sustainable solutions
G
ardening is hot these days. Upscale restaurants tout
local ingredients. Rooftop and community gardens are
cropping up in urban neighborhoods.
This month and next, Asbury residents will be staking
out their piece of a communal space that will be a garden
of plenty by July. By late summer, many will no doubt be
wondering why on earth they planted all those tomatoes
and zucchini.
Regardless of this minor downside, the benefits of
gardening touch on many areas. Studies show that
gardening – either vegetable or flower – offers:
• stress relief
• mental health benefits
• exercise
• brain health (through sensory experience, exercise and
stress reduction)
• nutrition
And at Asbury Solomons, at least one marriage has
grown out of the gardens.
Marcella Hayes grew up on a farm in Southern Virginia,
and gardening is in her blood. At age 86, she has two
community garden plots and grows a list of vegetables that
might exhaust gardeners half her age – okra, spring and fall
crops of peas and lettuce, tomatoes, sweet and Yukon gold
potatoes, eggplant, collards, raspberries and strawberries.
The list goes on.
“I try to have something growing year-round,” says
Marcella, who also has a 75-foot flower garden behind
her Cottage home. On top of that, two days a week she
volunteers at a historic plantation tending their gardens.
A
Marcella Hayes is
Asbury Solomons’
queen bee when
it comes to the
community’s
gardens.
The love of
gardening is a
seed that once
sown never dies.
~Gertrude Jekyll,
landscape architect
and gardener
GARDENING TRADITION
“I love the fact that I’m getting things that haven’t been
sprayed or messed with in anyway, that are fresh out of the
garden,” she says.
Marcella and her husband were among the first residents
of Asbury Solomons, and she credits gardening with many
of the friendships she has formed. The garden club meets
monthly from February to October, and all year long,
members share plants and recipes, she says.
Mel Proctor, who oversees the resident gardens at
Inverness Village in Tulsa, Okla., has always had some sort
18 | ASB URY A N TI CI PAT E M O R E of vegetables growing in his back yard, but would be the
first to tell you he’s no Marcella.
“I just want to make sure I have fresh tomatoes,” he
jokes, before admitting he enjoys the work, too. “It’s fun
to visit with people and compare gardens. I like messing
around in the soil, and it’s good exercise.”
Each year, Mel is one of about 18 residents cultivating
an 8-by-12-foot space. The most popular crops are
tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, and some people
grow okra. The fact that Asbury ground crews do the
ASB URY. ORG
ABOUT ASBURY
Greetings
from the Executive Director –
Henry R. Moehring
R
eaffirming Asbury’s goal to make residents full partners in the
communities where they’ve chosen to live, Asbury Methodist Village
has embraced a collaborative philosophy called Planetree. Associates
trained in Planetree principles work hand-in-hand with residents to refine,
redesign or launch new services.
A recent example of Planetree in action can be found in the feature article
on page 4. When associate Susan Grotenhuis was approached by a resident
interested in adding brain fitness to the community’s list of wellness offerings,
she proposed they create a plan. The two designed what eventually became
an eight-week course covering the physical, emotional, intellectual and
nutritional aspects of brain health.
Our community’s beautiful and well-equipped fitness center and pool are
two important settings where residents can exercise both mental and physical
muscles. From a wide range of clubs and classes to out-of-the-box events such
as Asbury’s annual snow tubing trip, this community has so much to offer for
maintaining an engaging and vibrant lifestyle.
One of our community’s greatest assets is Asbury Methodist Village at
Home, which delivers a wide array of in-home care and services. Since
2012, this offering has been available not only to residents on campus, but
to anyone requiring services, whether as a convenience or to promote daily
independence at home. In 2012, Asbury Methodist Village at Home began
offering its services to those living beyond our community.
Home Services associate Karen Bruner shares her experience on why and
how caregivers can alleviate the stress that comes with that role on page 16.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Anticipate More, and that it sparks your
interest in finding out more about life at Asbury Methodist Village, where
we are committed to redefining the expectations of aging.
Feature
4 Brain Wave
Asbury News
3 Asbury Living – a Resident’s View
7 Valuable Lessons for Free
8 Walk This Way
13 Chef’s Table – Fajita Salad
14 Bridging the Technology Divide
15 Asbury Associate Spotlight
16 Reducing Caregiver Stress
18 A Gardening Tradition
19 About Asbury
Asbury Methodist Village
9 Resident Spotlight
10 Health Care News
11 Meet the Marketing Team
12 Calendar of Events
hard work of tilling the soil each year takes care of one
of the least-fun aspects of the process.
There are usually two or three gardeners who had
extensive gardens before moving to Inverness Village
and who continue to take the process very seriously. “I
tend to back off a bit once summer’s heat hits, but you’ll
see these people out there working away and it shows in
their gardens,” Mel notes.
And just like gardeners everywhere, those at
Inverness Village tend to overplant, too. Their neighbors
probably don’t mind, though. “People put baskets in
front of their doors with signs encouraging people
to take what they want,” he says. “Very little goes
to waste.”
At Asbury Solomons, residents put excess produce in
baskets in the community’s main lobby with a box where
people can donate money toward Asbury Solomons’
Benevolent Care Fund. The Fund offers financial support
to residents who have outlived their resources through no
fault of their own. One year, the gardeners raised $500
for Benevolent Care, Marcella says.
Besides enjoying her own time in the garden, she
likes to see people bringing their grandchildren to visit.
“Some children just love it,” she says. “They’re out there
digging up potatoes and looking for earthworms.”
It’s clear that she loves it, too.
“People accuse me of being in the garden all the time,
but I’m not,” she insists. “I’m out there often, but you
have to be. If you have a bug, you need to know
about it!”
A
Asbury Home Services
founded 2012
Asbury Methodist Village,
founded 1926
1,300 residents
Asbury Solomons,
founded 1996
450 residents
founded 1964
700 residents
Anticipate More is published semi-annually by Asbury
for those interested in Asbury’s services and for Asbury
residents, associates and partners.
In 2012, Asbury
launched Asbury Home
Services, providing inhome care services for
older adults living in
the regions surrounding
Asbury’s retirement
communities. For
information, please visit,
AsburyHomeServices.org.
Vision
As a nationally recognized
leader in senior lifestyle
opportunities, Asbury
continually redefines the
expectations of aging.
Mission
Bethany Village,
AsburyMethodistVillage.org
sbury is an
organization providing
management services for a
system of five continuing
care retirement
communities and home
care services for older
adults. For information,
please visit, Asbury.org.
Our Mission is to do
all the good we can by
providing exceptional
lifestyle opportunities to
those we serve.
Core Values
Editor: Cathy Canning, Communications Manager
Design: FatCat Studios, fatcat-studios.com
l
Contributors: Tara McDaniel, VP of Strategic
Communications, Eric Anderson, Director of
Communications
Comments or Feedback? Contact Cathy Canning, Editor,
at 301-250-2103 or email, [email protected].
Inverness Village,
To view a digital issue of this magazine, go to
www.AsburyMethodistVillage.org, and click on the
News & Events tab.
founded 2003
400 residents
Follow us on:
l
l
l
Commitment to
residents, associates,
volunteers and
partners
Stewardship and
financial strength
Quality and innovation
Integrity
On the Cover: Asbury resident Kay Hess is pictured in the community garden she enjoys working each year.
Asbury
Communities, Inc.
Asbury Methodist Village is the 12th largest CCRC in the country and proudly calls Montgomery County, Maryland, home. As part of the not-for-profit Asbury
system, Asbury Methodist Village provides a complete continuum of care, including independent living options such as courtyard homes, villas and spacious
apartments, as well as assisted living suites, skilled nursing residences, memory support and rehabilitation therapy services. These choices, combined with an
outstanding tradition of quality and service, help Asbury lead the way in exceptional retirement living.
Asbury Methodist Village | 201 Russell Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2801 | Marketing Office: 301-591-0756
Springhill,
©2014 Asbury Communities, Inc.
2 | AS BURY A NT IC I PAT E M O R E A SBURY M ETHODIST V ILLAGE.ORG
ASB URY. ORG
founded 1990
275 residents
20030 Century Boulevard
Suite 300
Germantown, MD 20874
301-250-2100
Asbury.org
A S BU RY A
N T I C I PAT E M OR E | 1 5
BRINGING YOU NEWS FROM ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE: SEE PAGES 9-12
SPRING 2014
nticipate More
An Asbury publication dedicated to redefining the expectations of aging
The support you need
to blossom at home.
Looking for some help around the house?
Call Asbury Methodist Village at Home.
Now the same high-quality in-home services enjoyed by Asbury Methodist
Village residents are available to anyone in Montgomery County. Whether
you’d like someone to fix you a tasty meal, give you a lift to the doctor’s
office or help keep your medicines on track, a trusted personal attendant
from Asbury Methodist Village can help. They’ll work with you to provide
just the services you want – and bring a little sunshine into your day. Give
Is Your Brain
Getting the Respect
It Deserves?
n
n
Walk Your Way Fit!
n
Spring Blossoms
During April
Open House
us a call at 301-216-4747 to find out about all the services that
can be delivered right to your home!
G
LLA
Call 301-216-4747 today to find out how
you can enjoy two free hours of service.
AsburyMethodistVillageAtHome.org
301-216-4747 | 417 Russell Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20877 | AsburyMethodistVillageAtHome.org
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