Joyce Clark

Campus Director at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living in OKC.

Story by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Joyce Clark said going to work is not just a job, but a ministry to her.
She was self-employed/CEO of Achievis Senior Living Associates for about 25 years until she took the reins as Campus Director at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living at 7501 W. Britton Road in Oklahoma City almost two-and-a-half years ago.
“I’ve always loved my career. I’ve developed seven assisted and memory care communities in Oklahoma and consulted across America. I’ve created and now I’m managing a true community asset, a true blessing to people,” Clark said. “In my decades of work, I’ve tried hard to be a positive impact on the lives I have touched but I have experienced it is also vice versa.”
Clark said she knew at a young age that she wanted to have a career in healthcare.
“As a young teenager I knew I wanted to be in healthcare, and that eventually led to becoming an assisted living administrator, one of the first ones in Oklahoma, early, when it was newer,” she said. “Serving as an administrator married my love of healthcare with development and management and seniors.”
Clark said Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living is a fun and friendly community that improves people’s lives and offers solutions to their problems, and she is proud to be part of that mission.
“Any home that puts people first will be successful,” she said. “My “people first” philosophy incorporates employees as well as residents and their families. Fun, mutual respect, cooperation, and communication all factor into creating a culture where people want to live and work.”
The Saint Ann campus features 120 independent living and 50 assisted living apartments as well as a convent and chapel.
Also known as Saint Ann Retirement Center, the assisted and independent living campus is owned and operated by The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, a not-for-profit Catholic organization. People of all faiths are welcome and enjoy living at Saint Ann.
Clark said Saint Ann is an affordable place to live.
“We are affordable. There’s no big buy-in fee like other high-quality homes, and frankly, I feel like we’re at the top of senior living in the United States,” she said. “Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living is reasonably priced and all-inclusive. We have a 24-hour concierge, outstanding meals, transportation, housekeeping, and much more. Assistance with personal care and medications are available in assisted living or thru third-party providers, one of which offices inside independent living. For anyone looking to move to senior living, she advises them to check out the vibe, check out the culture, and talk to residents. “My residents are my sales staff. When they see somebody touring Saint Ann, our residents are quick to share how happy they are.”
Clark said the daily life of a campus administrator can be strenuous. She said it is important to control the expenses of operations so that an acceptable profit is earned to be successful and financially strong.
“For me, the job’s demands and stress are offset by the joys of blessing others and improving the lives of residents and employees,” she said. “Administrators must be able to lead and manage a diverse group of people. Successful directors have the capability to effectively handle a tremendous variety of responsibilities ranging from resident care, staffing, regulatory compliance, sales, and financial tracking to property maintenance, and operations management. They must be great at communication, shoveling paperwork, conflict resolution, time management, priority setting, and people pleasing. I love the variety of my job and also orchestrating large projects like the remodel currently underway.”
Clark said Saint Ann offers a variety of activities and programs for residents to enjoy.
“We have many different things to do every day” she said. “Saint Ann’s life enrichment calendar is packed with activities. We have exercise, Tai Chi, speakers, crafts. bands, entertainers, llamas, sip and paint, games, volleyball, and much more.”
Clark said Saint Ann residents are also provided transportation to doctor appointments, shopping, and excursions like going to movies, theatre, Braums, seeing Christmas lights, scenic drives, restaurants, and the casino.
“Saint Ann’s life enrichment team work hard to provide a variety of daily activities so folks can choose what they want to do,” she said. “In addition, Saint Ann provides daily Mass and a non-denominational service on Sunday. Residents also enjoy hymn singing, Bible study, and whatever else they ask us to organize.”
Clark said it is a blessing to work at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living.
“It’s such a blessing to work here and to be a part of all this. We are an amazing, wonderful team,” she said. “We’re here for each other and we all work very cohesively. The residents are lovely and active in many daily functions and special events. Residents are the focus of everything my staff does. I truly cannot adequately express how precious the culture and people are who live and work here at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living.”
For more information call Lisa at (405) 721-0747, Ext. 322 or visit
https://www.saintannretirementcenter.com.

Friday morning, January 12th was a cold and windy day in Norman.  Would the Elvis Day Event at the city’s Adult Wellness and Education Center be postponed? When I got there around 11 a.m. the parking lot was nearly full. Inside classes where in full swing and members where milling around, playing cards and billiards, watching TV or simply sitting and chatting.
Aging Services was preparing to serve lunch in the Multipurpose room. Velvet Elvis paintings were in progress in the Dry Craft Room and a few members were working out in the Fitness Center. All of that before lunch!
During lunch Elvis performed on stage!!
Later that afternoon I talked with Katherine Leidy, Healthy Living Norman Branch Manager. I asked her if it was usual for the parking lot to be full as it was when I arrived.
“I would like to think that more people came for the Elvis Day Event but in truth if you come here any day between 11 and 1 it will be full. Aging Services serves lunch during that time,” she said.
But lunch certainly wasn’t the only thing happening there  that day. The gym had people working out on the equipment and walking the indoor track. Others were in the pool exercising and relaxing in toasty warmth during this frigid day.
“Membership is $35 a month. But we do have a sliding scale for those with lower incomes. We also accept Silver Sneakers and Renew Active, which cover the monthly membership fee,” Leidy explained.
Membership includes access to the gym and pool as well as all activities and classes. While some classes may have a fee for materials, entry is included. For instance, during the Elvis Day Events, the painting classes had a small fee but the Cooking Class: A Healthy Twist on Elvis’ Favorites did not. Neither did the Elvis Movie Marathon or Jeopardy: Elvis Edition.
This is an awesome new center geared to 50+ persons to encourage  health, wellness and camaraderie. If you want to just check it out they have a day pass for $10. Check out the schedule of events at www.healthylivingnorman.com.

PS I heard a rumor about Beatle Mania in February!

The Metropolitan Library System is pleased to announce the annual Friends of the Library Booksale, scheduled to take place on February 24-25 at the Oklahoma Expo Hall Building, located at 3213 Wichita Walk within the OKC Fairgrounds. Running from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, this free and public event will feature an extensive collection of over 500,000 books, music, DVDs, Blu-rays, audiobooks, and more.
The sale will be divided into two rooms, with a general room offering $1 paperbacks and $2 hardbacks, and children’s items at half the price. The Better Books room will showcase items in better condition, with individually priced books starting at $3. Due to limited building occupancy, attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather.
The Booksale serves as the primary fundraiser for the Metropolitan Library System’s Friends of the Library, a 501c3 organization that, in collaboration with the library system’s 19 branches, has raised $6,000,000 in gifts over the years. These funds have supported various initiatives, including scholarships for library staff, technology for homework help, games, toys, supplies, and diverse library programming.
This year, proceeds from the Booksale will be combined with funding from the Library Endowment Trust to establish a sustainable fund for early childhood literacy outreach in Oklahoma County. The focus will include supporting the popular Dolly Parton Imagination Library book gifting program for preschoolers. For more information on this program, visit https://imaginationlibrary.com.
Members of the Friends of the Library will enjoy an exclusive members-only event on Friday, February 23, from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This special preview is a token of appreciation for their ongoing support. Membership sign-ups are available at –
https://supportmls.org/fol/membership until 5:00 pm on February 21. No memberships or tickets will be sold at the event.
Becoming a Friends member is not only a commitment to fostering literacy but also a meaningful way to give back to the community. Volunteers are invited to register or find more information at https://supportmls.org/fol/volunteering. To express gratitude to our volunteers, they will receive an early shopping opportunity on February 22 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Their assistance in setting up, customer service, book stocking, and more is invaluable to the success of the event.
Teachers and nonprofits interested in claiming leftover items at the end of the sale on February 25 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm can register at https://metrolibrary.wufoo.com/forms/w1hn7kl51k5zgiq.

Last year began as I was sworn into my second and last term as your Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner. I am always grateful for your continued trust and the unique opportunity it is to serve my fellow Oklahomans. Last year was also an eventful year from an insurance standpoint. From severe weather to changes in the insurance market, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) was here with you through all of it. I want to highlight some of our work from 2023 and discuss what’s in store for this year.
We were here to help.
As we state in our vision, OID’s top priority is to protect Oklahoma consumers. Last year, our Consumer Assistance division assisted with 13,157 phone calls and 2,784 complaints, resulting in 327 external reviews and $8,295,011 recovered for consumers. Our Anti-Fraud division also assisted with 1,414 complaints. With the Life Insurance Policy Locator, we matched Oklahoma beneficiaries with $49 million in life insurance benefits…that they didn’t know they had! Additionally, through all the winter weather, wildfires, hail and tornadoes, we were ready to provide assistance and answer your insurance questions. We help Oklahomans in their time of need, and I want to reiterate that if you need assistance or would like to file a complaint, please contact us at 800-522-0071 or visit oid.ok.gov.
We met with those we serve.
My team and I love getting out in the communities we serve and meeting consumers and insurance industry professionals. We arranged Coffee with the Commissioner and attended Mix and Mingle events across the state, where we met with chambers of commerce, licensed agents, Rotary Club chapters and other organizations to learn ways we can better serve the community. In September, we set up a booth at the Oklahoma State Fair to inform thousands of consumers about our services while having fun in the process. In addition to these events, our Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) was active, giving 303 community presentations and engaging in 19,254 one-on-one client contacts, leading to 27,164 people reached. If you’d like to host an event with us, visit http://www.oid.ok.gov/speaker or call our office at 800-522-0071.
We informed and advocated for Oklahomans.
In 2023, we looked for new ways to reach consumers and licensed producers. We launched campaigns like Here to Help, Ask OID and Winter Weather to give guidance on what Oklahomans should know about insurance. We brought you 13 new episodes of the Mulready Minutes podcast, where we featured informative guests to share perspectives and information on topics such as Medicare Open Enrollment, captive insurance and the different divisions at OID. Our team also produced six episodes of the Medicare Monday webinar, and we hosted our first Insurance Day, where we connected with 125 industry professionals on issues affecting the insurance industry in Oklahoma and across the country. As a reminder, you can keep up with the latest news and events with us by following us on social media and subscribing to email news updates at https://oid.ok.gov/subscribe.
We’re looking forward to 2024.
Before looking ahead, I’d like to thank the OID team, who are dedicated state employees who make all of this possible. We expect 2024 to come with unique challenges and opportunities, but our commitment to serving Oklahomans will not change. We will keep you informed by bringing you new podcast episodes, webinars, campaigns and events in your own community. Check out our 2023 Annual Report for more information on all the work we do at OID. Here’s to a successful 2024!

Getting a flu shot protects you, your family and the community from getting sick. The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System provides flu shots and COVID vaccinations for Veterans and they are going one step further. Veterans can also visit participating pharmacies and community care partners and get free vaccinations closer to home. Eligible Veterans can get a no-cost flu shot from a nearby VA clinic or within your community from one of nearly 65,000 in-network pharmacies or urgent care locations.
Keep in mind:
To get a no-cost vaccine, the provider must be part of VA’s community care network.
If you receive a flu shot from a non-network provider, you may be responsible for the cost of the vaccine.
Retail pharmacies include most supermarket and local pharmacies.
Many urgent care locations offer walk-in care.
Call ahead to see if a pharmacy or urgent care site:
participates in the VA flu shot program.
offers the specific flu vaccine that you prefer
To learn more about the program the VA provides fact sheets, language options are available in English or Spanish versions. Flu vaccines are usually available September through April. Use our on-line VA locator to find locations.
And if you would like to get both vaccinations, you now can safely get shots for flu and COVID at the same time – one visit, two vaccines. (Call ahead to make sure COVID vaccine available). Remember, if you go to a local urgent care for your vaccine, the visit must be for vaccination ONLY for it to be covered. If you seek additional treatment on top of receiving the flu or COVID vaccine, you may be responsible for a co-payment.
You are eligible to receive a no-cost flu shot at an in-network retail pharmacy or urgent care location if:
You are enrolled in the VA health care system
You received care from a VA provider or an in-network community care provider within the past 24 months.
How do I know if I am eligible?
Call 800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411) Select option 1 (urgent care information or check urgent care eligibility). The system will verify your eligibility for the community urgent care benefit, which includes the flu vaccination.
Or call the OKC VA at 1-405-456-1000 option 2 or find your local VA facility
Your state may have age and health-related restrictions.
For more information, please visit the below link: https://www.prevention.va.gov/flu/FluShots.asp

By Nick Thomas

Born 109 years ago this February, glamorous actress Ann Sheridan (1915-1967) was destined for branding as the “Oomph Girl” following a mock contest organized by the Warner Brothers publicity department in 1939.
Stunning on-screen and becoming a favorite pin-up girl of World War II troops, Sheridan could play any character – tough or tender, funny or flirty, sassy or seductive. She delighted audiences with her witty wisecracks and clever comebacks. While she certainly possessed an abundance of entertainment oomph, her feelings were mixed about the public label throughout her life.
The Texas native starred in some memorable films of the 40s such as “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” “Angels with Dirty Faces,” and “I Was a Male War Bride,” but never really landed a lead role in a true Hollywood blockbuster in her more than 80 feature films.
In declining health at just 50, Sheridan ended her career in the little-remembered TV comedy western “Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats” that ran for one season in the 1960s. Co-starring with Carole Wells, the former “National Velvet” series actress was one of the last to work with Sheridan and played her daughter in the CBS show.
“I’d never met her before that,” Wells told me in 2020. “In fact, I didn’t really know who she was – she had been a star before I was born.”
The two first met the first day on set.
“We sat around a big table and read the script with the producers, writers, and director, and she was very charming but rather quiet,” recalled Wells. “We would do this every week before filming and she was always just a down-to-earth sort of person.”
Wells says the two chatted often but never became very close during the months they worked together.
“I’d see her in the mornings in the make-up department and give her a hug and say, ‘How ya doin’ Annie?’ And she’d say something like ‘wish I felt as good as you sweetie’ – she called everyone sweetheart or sweetie. She was never well from the beginning of the series.”
In the mornings Sheridan was usually okay, according to Wells, but by noon usually couldn’t work.
“It took a lot out of her and she would have to go back to her dressing room,” said Wells who would spend lunch hour learning Sheridan’s lines that would be rewritten for Wells to work into the script if Sheridan couldn’t make it back to the set. “But I didn’t care because I knew she was ill.”
Wells also remembers Sheridan as a chronic smoker.
“As sick as she was with cancer and emphysema, she was never without a cigarette in her mouth except while filming,” said Wells. “She was very frail and thin and kept getting thinner as the series progressed. Basically, I watched her die in front of me. But with all she was going through, I never heard her complain and she was always very kind and respectful to me.”
Sheridan struggled through most of the series but was too ill for the final half-dozen episodes.
“I knew she wasn’t going to be around much longer,” said Wells. “One day she was on the set, then the next day she wasn’t and we never saw her again. When we heard she had passed away, the cast had a lunch to memorialize her.”
Wells believes doing the show was good for Sheridan who still bravely displayed plenty of ‘oomph’ despite her failing health.
“Before the series started, she had a facelift and got herself together,” says Wells. “I think being part of the show might have helped her live a little longer.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous newspapers and magazines (see https://www.getnickt.org/).

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation $5.8 million to work toward easier diagnosis and better treatment options for Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune condition.
In Sjögren’s, immune cells attack moisture-producing glands, causing painful dry eyes and mouth. It can result in irreversible tissue damage, neurological problems, lung disease and cancer. There is no known cure, and current treatments address only the symptoms.
OMRF scientists Joel Guthridge, Ph.D., Darise Farris, Ph.D., and Christopher Lessard, Ph.D., received a four-year grant through the Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Autoimmune and Immune-Mediated Diseases Program (AMP AIM). The team’s goal is to develop less invasive clinical tools to diagnose patients more effectively and identify new targets for future treatments.
“This disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose,” said Lessard, who’s been studying Sjögren’s at OMRF since 2007. “It shares features with many autoimmune diseases and lacks effective diagnostic markers, which makes studying it challenging. This grant provides us with technology to analyze the salivary glands of people with Sjögren’s in a way that wasn’t possible previously.”
The researchers will use blood and biopsy tissue samples donated to OMRF by people with Sjögren’s to better understand different patient sub-groups’ genetic and molecular characteristics.
“This knowledge should help clinicians diagnose the disease more easily and determine who may benefit from different potential therapies,” Guthridge said.
Most studies of Sjögren’s have focused on patients who test positive for certain autoantibodies in the blood. However, a significant percentage of people with the disease test negative for those autoantibodies. In those cases, diagnosis requires an invasive biopsy of the salivary glands.
“Of the more than 600 people seen in our research clinic who met the criteria for Sjögren’s, about 40% tested negative for these autoantibodies,” said Farris, the Alvin Chang Chair of Biomedical Research at the OMRF. “This positions us to study the molecular issues unique to that particular Sjögren’s patient group.”
AMP AIM is a nationwide public-private partnership aimed at developing more effective treatments for autoimmune diseases. The partnership involves the NIH, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, nonprofit disease foundations, biopharmaceutical and life-science companies, and 52 research institutions. OMRF Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., is chair of the more than $60 million program.
The AMP AIM Sjögren’s research is funded by grant No. 3UC2 AR081032-02S1 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the NIH. Farris and Guthridge received support from the Oklahoma City-based Presbyterian Health Foundation for experiments preceding the NIH grant. Additional support came to Farris from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology and to Guthridge from the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research.

For more information about ongoing Sjögren’s research at OMRF, visit https://omrf.org/patient-studies/sjogrens-disease/sjogrens/.

Mess Attendant 1st Class Ralph Boudreaux, born in New Orleans, Louisiana September 14th, 1941, who died during the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, will be buried on Jan. 29 at 11:30 a.m., in the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, Slidell, LA.
Mess Attendant 1st Class (Matt1c) Ralph Boudreaux’s duties included responsibility for the feeding and serving of officers. The Messman Branch was a racially segregated part of the U.S. Navy. The branch was composed almost exclusively of African-Americans recruited in the U.S., as well as Filipino, Chinese and other foreign nationals recruited overseas. This attracted criticism from civil rights leaders, and some steps were taken throughout the war.
Promotions include Mess Attendant 3rd Class upon enlistment, Mess Attendant 2nd Class 02/16/1941 and Mess Attendant 1st Class.
Awards and Decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal (Fleet Clasp), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (Bronze Star) and World War II Victory Medal.
Duty Stations: USS Oklahoma (BB 37): 02/17/1940, Naval Training Station Norfolk, VA: 11/27/1939.

The Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Heath Care System is currently notifying local Veterans that the North OKC VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic will be closed between 3 to 6 months due to water damage from a broken water riser valve.
The OKC VA hospital is asking patients that had previously scheduled appointments at North OKC Clinic and are unsure of their new transitioned appointment location, please contact the VA scheduling staff at 405-456-1000, select option 2.
During this temporary closure period, Veterans medical needs are a priority and Veterans will be contacted and redirected to alternative clinic locations around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
For any questions or concerns about upcoming scheduled appointments, Veterans can call the Oklahoma City VA to ensure every Veteran previously scheduled at North OKC CBOC has a new rescheduled appointment location.
The OKC VA understands this is an inconvenience and wants to assure Veterans that every effort is being made to minimize the impact on their healthcare experience. They are tentatively targeting January 16, 2024, for confirmation of the new appointment locations.
The building owner is currently working diligently with the insurance company, cleaning crews and construction teams to repair the site as soon as possible.
Again, if you are unsure of your new North OKC appointment location, please contact the VA scheduling staff at 405-456-1000, select option 2.