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  • 10 Oct
    MVpresident

    This Week @ MV

    MVpresident

    This month the highlight core value is “decide collaboratively.” The guiding quote by Helen Keller for this value is “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” We believe that two heads are better than one at Messiah Lifeways and encourage each of us when possible to involve others when we need to make a decision or work on a project. It is possible to be more successful when more persons are actively engaged. It also helps to build ownership in the outcome.
     
    To decide collaboratively does not mean that everybody gets a vote on every issue all the time! But, it does mean we should seek out the thoughts and feelings of others, particularly those who might be most impacted. Deciding collaboratively doesn’t necessarily mean finding consensus, but it does mean hearing the voice of those involved and attempting to include what we learn in the decision. So, when you need to make a decision reach out to others and get their thoughts, consider what they have to say and then move ahead with your decision!

    Decide Collaboratively

    I am happy to announce that we received the building approvals we need for the Special Care and Chapel Entrance project! Thanks to the many people from several different departments who helped us successfully pass the inspection. Many thanks go to John Fry who has been the day-to-day representative with the contractor on the SPACE project. But, many thanks also go to members of the Campus Services, Nursing Care, Information Services and Housekeeping Departments. I would like to thank the team members of the Special Care Neighborhood for putting up with all the noise, dirt, and inconvenience for many months!!!! Also, thanks to Laundry for sharing office space during the project! In the coming weeks we will begin to use the new Special Care addition!
     
    I would like to welcome back Diane Martinez as Interim Nursing Home Administrator. Diane knows us well, and I was pleased she could return and help us during this transition period. To date we have had some good interviews with several candidates for the nursing home administrator position.
     

    Enjoy the warm sunny weather and have a great week!

     

     

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    19 Sep
    KellyTheWebGal

    Celebrate National Adult Day Services Week!

    KellyTheWebGal

    We’re so excited to be celebrating National Adult Day Services together with our staff, clients and families.  As we invite you to join us in celebrating, we wanted to share a bit more about Adult Day Services.

    Messiah Village Adult Day Services utilizes an individualized approach of health, social and support services for older adults who are age 55 and better. We provide a comforting, and nurturing environment for you or your loved one. This is essential for many families as our support provides much needed respite for family caregivers during daytime hours.  It is our goal to promote the maximum level of independence possible for each person through the implementation of supportive services that help to maintain an individual’s present level of functioning as long as possible while also striving to restore or rehabilitate the individual to his/her highest possible level of functioning.

    At Messiah Village Adult Day, Lloyd has found a new passion for painting.

    At Messiah Village Adult Day, Lloyd has found a new passion for painting.

    Our clients participate in various bus trips and lunch outings as well as intergenerational programs and social programs related to cooking, gardening, pet therapy and music therapy. We serve a well balanced, nutritious lunch daily.  Additionally, clients receive a variety of support and health services such as water exercise, rehabilitation services, podiatry services, bathing assistance and beauty salon and barber services.

    Our staff are trained to provide support to our clients as well as family caregivers who can become overwhelmed at times with the responsibility of care giving.

    Learn more about Messiah Village’s approach to adult day that is enriching and uplifting!

    Adult Day Services Tour & Info Session
    Choose the date and location that is best for you!
    Fridays, October 14, 21, 28, & November 4 at 9:30 am
    Locations: Messiah Village in Mechanicsburg & Carlisle Brethren in Christ Church

    RSVP by calling the Welcome Center at 717-790-8201 or email life@messiahvillage.org.

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    20 May
    KellyTheWebGal

    Photo Friday Fun for May 20th 2011

    KellyTheWebGal

    It’s hard to believe how close we are to finishing the SPACE Project. This coming week we will be receiving the furniture for the quad rooms and moving  residents into the first 2 renovated rooms!  We will also be moving into the new dining room.
    kitchen

    Check out more pictures of the SPACE project from beginning to end on the Messiah Village facebook page.

    A special thanks goes out to all the donors, vendors, contractors and friends who have made this project possible. Listed below are a few but not all of the wonderful vendors and contractors we have worked closely with over the past couple months:
    Reese Lower Patrick & Scott, Ltd.
    RGS Associates
    Reese Engineering, Inc.
    E & G Services,Inc.
    Lefever Millworks

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    10 Dec
    KellyTheWebGal

    Christmas is Coming!

    KellyTheWebGal

    Christmas time at Messiah Village is NEVER dull. After Thanksgiving, employees and residents work together to decorate and fill the Village with Christmas spirit. The Grounds team always does a great job with the outdoor lighting. Residents also enjoy adding their own special touch to their cottages and apartments. If you get a chance, I encourage you to drive by some evening and take a look.
    12-09 Winter (49)

    In the spirit of going green, the past two years we sent electronic greeting cards instead of paper cards. This has become one of my favorite projects to work on with the Communications team. Each year we try to add a little Messiah Village twist to the greeting. Last year President Lesher read the Night Before Christmas Messiah Village style. This year we took a popular Christmas carol and gave it a Messiah Village twist. Any ideas? I’ll give you a hint. It involves an elf and Santa driving 2 people movers.

    If you would like to be added to our Christmas greeting list you can send your email address to me at kherbster@messiahvillage.org.

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    7 Jun
    MVpresident

    MV Award – Principle 6

    MVpresident

    The WorldBlu Principle for the week is —–  INDIVIDUAL + COLLECTIVE —– “In democratic organizations, the individual is just as important as the whole, meaning employees are valued for their individual contribution as well as for what they do to help achieve the collective goals of the organization.” One way that we have emphasized this principle at Messiah Village is our focus on the importance of being “person-centered and community-minded.” We have always believed that the individual is important, but that creating a community in which to work and live is also important. I hope that you feel valued for your individual contribution and that you also feel part of something larger than you are! I think we will be most successful when we emphasize both the individual and the collective.

    WBList-logo-2010

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    8 Mar
    MVpresident

    Riding a Horse at age 95

    MVpresident

    Today, I shared the following with our employees…

    “Enhancing the lives of older adults” — So how should we do this? One primary way is to involve and engage residents and clients in what happens around Messiah Village. This is a central part of being Person-Centered, Community-Minded. I encourage you to continue to find ways to make sure the needs and wishes of residents and clients are sought out and included in what you do.

    Tomorrow afternoon the Board of Directors will be meeting with residents to give them an opportunity to share ideas and concerns. This is one way the Board attempts to engage residents in the community life of the Village. It provides an opportunity to build awareness and trust. There are some other ways that the board also seeks out and engages residents, for example: (1) there are two residents who are full voting members of the Board of Directors, (2) the Chair and Vice Chair of the Residents’ Council participate in the Quality of Life and Personnel Committee of the Board, (3) Residents’ Council leaders participate in the annual board planning session, and the board reviews the results of satisfaction reports that give resident views and perspectives.

    So, this week as you go about your activity I hope you think of ways to find out what residents and clients might be thinking and feeling, and see how you might include their wishes and dreams into what you do. This might happen in small and large ways – both are important. Last week I heard of nursing home that asked a resident what he wanted for his 95th birthday. He said to ride a horse! So they arranged for him to go to a stable to ride a horse. He was asked on his 100th birthday what he wanted! He said to again ride a horse! But, physically that was not possible, so they brought the horse to the nursing home. Surprisingly, they actually brought the horse into the nursing home so that he and others could pet the horse!

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    3 Dec
    Aly Felton

    Messiah Village receives grant for project

    Aly Felton

    Mechanicsburg, PA– Messiah Village, a continuing care retirement community, obtained a $15,500 grant from the Mechanicsburg Area Foundation to initiate its new project. The project, inspired by the grassroots Person-Center Care Movement(PCCM) is intended to create, implement, and share an end-of-life curriculum and remembrance program to aid residents, families, and staff of Messiah Village as they journey through the process of dying and grieving.

    Jim Kinsey, Messiah Village Community Life Leader and Team Development Coordinator, will be overseeing the project as the program coordinator. He explained, “The project includes five major components that, once implemented, will redefine how long-term care staff members process and participate in the end-of-life journey and how our organization can model a more respectful and sensitive method for helping families and staff deal with practical and emotional end-of-life issues.”

     Messiah Village has been journeying towards a person-centered community-minded model of care since 2006 and therefore necessitates an end-of-life program that assists all stakeholders with the death and dying process. Messiah Village’s “Fulfilling the Promise Of Person-Centered Care” program seeks to fulfill the educational needs of the community, highlight the process of dying in the community, and foster engagement of other community members in this shared life experience.

     The program includes five distinct steps beginning with educating employees about person-centered care via classroom training and computer-based instruction. The next step is an intensive eight hour education module. Third, the program seeks to create community traditions of remembrance including the creation of a comfort box, a handcrafted wooden box meant to store cherished belongings. The fourth step is to create an organized communication system to send letters to grieving family members and friends. The last step is replication of this program in other long-term care communities located in this area.

     Messiah Village representatives recently accepted the grant at the Mechanicsburg Club awards breakfast.

     

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