The Stephenson Cancer Center will hold a Gynecologic Cancers Survivor’s Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 8 am to 4 pm in Oklahoma City.
The all-day workshop is designed to provide patients, survivors, and caregivers with the basics of gynecologic cancers as well as in-depth information on targeted therapies and treatments. Additional topics include: genetic and tumor testing, vaccinations and preventions, and supportive care topics including lymphedema, sexual health, and physical therapy.
The workshop is open to gynecologic cancers patients, survivors, and caregivers. Regardless of when or where treatment was received, all are welcome to attend. There is no cost to attend, and breakfast and lunch will be provided.
The Gynecologic Cancer Survivor’s Workshop will take place at the Samis Education Center at The Children’s Hospital, located at 1200 Children’s Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73104. To RSVP for the workshop, please visit stephensoncancercenter.org/gynoncworkshop or call (405) 271-1253. According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,440 women will receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis and about 12,820 women will receive a cervical cancer diagnosis in 2017. Ovarian and cervical cancers represent the majority of all gynecologic cancer diagnoses.

Article by Nikki Buckelew, Buckelew Realty Group’s Mature Moves Division with Keller Williams Realty. www.okcmaturemoves.com

A common question asked by retired homeowners is, “If I were to move, what is available nearby with a smaller yard that fits my budget?”
The vast majority of people over 55 have historically said they don’t want to move from their current homes, but lately many are beginning to reconsider. Instead, boomers and seniors are seeking ways to simplify their lives, both now and in anticipation of future needs.
The challenge for real estate professionals is helping these downsizing clients find places that are both affordable and solve the maintenance and yard work dilemmas.
Some people want to remain owners by simply trading in their current home for one that is a bit smaller, one level, and requiring less maintenance. Others are looking to relinquish homeownership altogether and just rent. By renting, home maintenance becomes the landlord’s problem, taking the concern about falling tree limbs, leaky roofs, and backed up sewer lines off the minds of seniors and their family members.
Even though more seniors are expressing the desire to downsize, there are certain obstacles keeping them from making a move. Reasons for not moving, despite a desire to do so, are largely related to three key factors: affordability, location, and perceived lack of support.
Affordability
Newer homes that are smaller and with yards which the neighborhood maintains are not as available as one might expect. Yes, they exist, but current inventory of such homes is limited. When they do become available, the lower priced ones sell quickly. Exterior maintenance-free homes under $200,000 are hard to find, with more inventory in the over $200K price ranges. Rents on 1-2 bedroom homes or traditional 55+ apartments will typically run between $1,100 – $2,300 in most areas of the metro. Reduced rent properties and section 8 housing vouchers (for those who qualify) require application and have waiting lists from 3 months to 2 years depending on the location.
Location
Newer neighborhoods designed for the 55+ crowd tend to be located toward the outer edge of the metro because that is where developers are finding land at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, there is limited space within the city limits of the Village, Bethany, Warr Acres, and Oklahoma City, where retirees homesteaded some 40 or more years ago and where they prefer to stay. If developers can find a small pocket where they can build, the price point of homes pushes the financial limits for many retiring boomers and seniors on a fixed income. Considering land costs, developers also tend to build bigger than most downsizing seniors want — it’s a matter of ROI for them.
Perceived lack of support
Many seniors say they would move if they found a suitable place, but candidly tell us that they struggle researching their options. With the internet as the primary method for marketing homes and apartment communities, the “technology-challenged” tend to struggle locating 55+ living options. Furthermore, new construction and lease properties aren’t always listed in the multiple listing service (MLS), the go-to database for local real estate agents. Finding leases requires multiple phone calls, driving neighborhoods, and online searches.
Assuming one does locate a neighborhood, home, or apartment that suits them, managing the logistics of the move can be a daunting task to many long-time homeowners. With families scattered around the country and adult children maintaining their own jobs, homes, and kids, seniors often struggle with where to get help. Few are aware of the local services that provide downsizing, relocation, and liquidation support or see it as an unnecessary expense, but the ones who do make the investment find that having a professional move manager can make all the difference.
To learn more about issues effecting retired homeowners, attend the Senior Living Truth Series: The Truth About Homeownership in Retirement. Two sessions: October 12th at 10am or 2pm, MAPS3 Senior Health and Wellness Center, 11501 N Rockwell, Oklahoma City. The event is free to seniors and their guests. Professionals pay $25. Seating is limited so call 405.563.7501 or go online www.seniorlivingtruthseries.com to register.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

David Thompson remembers 30 years years ago when patients drove themselves to Bellevue Health and Rehabilitation.
Now, more often than not, they arrive in the back of an ambulance. And the diagnoses they bring with them include IVs, feeding tubes and care plans that look more medical surgical than rehabilitative.
But for generations now the Thompson family has answered the call to take care of Oklahomans.
And in a healthcare environment that’s pushing more and more care outward and away from a traditional hospital setting. The family-owned business doesn’t plan on changing its mission anytime soon.
“I’ve been in this business a long time and … there’s been a paradigm shift,” Thompson said. “We’ve got to be ready so we have to have good quality nursing and they need to be more like the hospital nurse.”
“They need to identify things before they become a problem.”
FAMILY AFFAIR
Thompson has been in the family business for 32 years. Back when he started there was no Medicare or Medicaid payments.
“Everyone paid their own way,” he said. “They were really the assisted living patients. Residents had cars and then over the years it just progressed.”
Thompson’s mom and dad started the business in the early 1950s.
Four of the children including David still work at Bellevue. Five grandchildren also work full-time throughout the center.
It takes some 230 staff members overall to get the job done.
“We staff really well. My dad always told me patient care comes first,” said Thompson, who notes Bellevue is among the top one percent in the country in terms of staffing ratios.
Founded in 1954, Bellevue is a 220-bed facility located in Oklahoma City, in close proximity to all local hospitals. Through the years, Bellevue has continued to grow and evolve to meet community needs, and today offers a full continuum of care, from temporary respite stays, to short-term rehabilitation, to long-term skilled nursing care, as well as a broad array of specialty programs and services.
TREMENDOUS GROWTH
Thompson remembers when Bellevue did 100 admissions a year.
That occurs in a month now with an almost equal number of discharges.
The number of skilled beds has blossomed from 20 to 62.
IVs, wound vacs, Stage IV wounds, specialty beds and peg tubes are now commonplace.
TPN will come soon.
“For whatever reason Medicare is pushing everyone to skilled,” Thompson said. “We’ve stepped our game up a whole lot.”
The continued money crunch from the federal government has demanded facilities like Bellevue become higher-skilled facilities. And with increased scrutiny on readmission rates the responsibility for end patient outcomes has also shifted.
“I see Medicare putting such strict guidelines on the LTACs now. (Patients) have to have three midnights in an ICU. We used to be able to send a patient to an LTAC,” Thompson said. “I think Medicare is pushing everyone to skilled because it is probably less expensive.”
According to CMS, hip and knee replacements are the most common inpatient surgery for Medicare beneficiaries and can require lengthy recovery and rehabilitation periods.
In 2014, there were more than 400,000 procedures, costing more than $7 billion for the hospitalizations alone. Despite the high volume of these surgeries, quality and costs of care for these hip and knee replacement surgeries still vary greatly among providers.
The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model aims to support better and more efficient care for beneficiaries undergoing the most common inpatient surgeries.
The CJR model holds participant hospitals financially accountable for the quality and cost of a CJR episode of care and incentivizes increased coordination of care among hospitals, physicians, and post-acute care providers.
“It’s a lot of pressure on everyone because we can’t send someone home with multiple co-morbidities that still needs skilled care,” Thompson said.
That’s why Bellevue has invested heavily in people and technology. The massive new AlterG Anti-Gravity treadmill stands out in the therapy room as testimony.
The treadmill removes up to 80 percent of a patient’s weight, allowing them to focus on joint mobility and strengthening without fear of fall or reinjury.
It also shortens the road to recovery.
But overall, the focus has always been on people.
“It comes down to helping people,” Thompson said. “The patient comes first.”

Dear Savvy Senior, My wife and I are both in our late sixties and are looking to buy a new car. Can you recommend some good resources that can help us evaluate and choose a good car for older drivers? Car Shoppers
Dear Shoppers,
With more than 40 million licensed drivers in the United States age 65 and older, many automakers today are designing certain vehicles that are friendlier for older drivers. But what makes a good car for seniors? For many, top priorities include a vehicle that’s easy to get into and out of, easy to adjust for fit and comfort, easy to operate and see out of, as well as reliable, safe and a good value.
To help you narrow your vehicle choices, Consumer Reports and the American Automobile Association (AAA) offer some great information and tools to assist you.
CR Best Cars
Consumer Reports recently put out a top 25 ranking of new cars for senior drivers. Each vehicle on their list offers excellent or very good ratings on reliability, safety, road-test performance and owner satisfaction. And, they offer a variety of senior-friendly features that are extremely important to older divers, like:
* Easy front-seat access: Vehicles with low door thresholds, wider door openings, and step-in heights that reduce the need for ducking or climbing, make getting into and out of a car easier for those with physical limitations.
* Good visibility: Being able to see well out of the front, sides, and back of a vehicle for tall, medium, and shorter drivers.
* Simplified controls: Easy-to-read gauges and simplified/intuitive controls for changing the radio, shifting gears, and adjusting the heating and cooling is a high priority among older drivers.
* Bright headlights: Powerful headlights can make driving at night easier for people with decreasing or compromised vision.
They also weighed in extra safety features (standard or optional) like a backup camera, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning and blind-spot warning.
Their picks include a variety of compact and midsized sedans and SUVs, two minivans and a station wagon from seven different automakers. Here’s their top 25 ranking, starting with one through 25: Subaru Forester; Subaru Outback; Kia Soul; Subaru Legacy; Kia Sportage; Toyota Highlander; Toyota Prius V; Toyota RAV4; Honda Odyssey; Nissan Rogue; Honda Accord; Ford C-Max Hybrid; Hyundai Sonata; Toyota Camry; Subaru Crosstrek; Toyota Sienna; Honda CR-V; Honda Pilot; Kia Forte; Ford Escape; Toyota Corolla; Kia Sorento; Ford Flex; Hyundai Santa Fe; Hyundai Tucson.
For more information on their top 25 list, see ConsumerReports.org/elderly-driving/top-25-new-cars-for-senior-drivers.
AAA Tool
Another great resource that can help you evaluate and chose a vehicle that meets your needs is the AAA online tool “Smart Features for Older Drivers.”
At SeniorDriving.AAA.com/SmartFeatures you can check the areas you have problems with – like diminished vision, cognitive decline, limited upper body range of motion, decreased leg strength, arthritic hands, short stature or overweight – and the tool will identify vehicles that have the features that will best accommodate your needs. Although this tool looks at model-year 2016 vehicles, in many cases the features shown are carried over for 2017 models.
They also have a Smart Features brochure you can download that will tell you what to look for in a vehicle to best accommodate your needs.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) and INTEGRIS have reached a new contract agreement. The timely agreement comes just days prior to the current contract’s expiration – good news for the thousands of BCBSOK members who depend on INTEGRIS facilities and doctors across Oklahoma.
“Reaching an agreement was always our goal,” said Bruce Lawrence, president and chief executive officer of INTEGRIS. “Both INTEGRIS and Blue Cross and Blue Shield want what is best for our patients – and that is to continue offering high-quality, convenient and affordable medical care and coverage to the people of Oklahoma.”
The two-year agreement means BCBSOK members can seek services at INTEGRIS facilities throughout the state, including: Oklahoma City, Edmond, Enid, Grove, Miami and Yukon. BCBSOK members in the Blue TraditionalSM, Blue Choice PPOSM, Blue Preferred PPOSM, BlueLincs HMOSM, Medicare AdvantageSM and Medicare Supplemental plan provider networks will receive in-network benefits at INTEGRIS facilities as well as with more than 600 INTEGRIS doctors. As part of the agreement, INTEGRIS hospitals and employed physicians will also participate in BCBSOK’s exchange product Blue Advantage. That effective date will be announced soon.
“We are pleased to reach a new agreement that allows our members to continue receiving care at INTEGRIS at in-network rates and benefit levels,” said Ted Haynes, president of BCBSOK. “We take very seriously our role as steward of our members’ health care coverage dollars. This agreement underscores our commitment to provide our members access to quality, cost-effective health care and ensures members are treated by in-network health care providers when going to an in-network facility. We look forward to continuing our long-term relationship with INTEGRIS.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and INTEGRIS thank the people in all the communities where INTEGRIS operates for their patience and support during this negotiation. BCBSOK and INTEGRIS worked diligently behind the scenes to resolve contractual issues and to prevent any lapse in coverage for BCBSOK members.

he Fountains at Canterbury, a continuum of care senior living community in Oklahoma City, welcomes Dustin Thomasson as the assistant director of nurses in rehabilitation and skilled nursing at The Springs and Heather Justice as the program director for assisted living at The Inn and memory care at The Gardens at The Fountains of Canterbury. Thomasson brings more than 22 years of nursing experience to the position, and Justice adds 16 years of experience to her position.
“The Fountains at Canterbury relies on exceptional associates to provide quality care that allows our residents to thrive,” said Cody Erikson, executive director of The Fountains at Canterbury. “Dustin and Heather bring valuable experience and compassion to these positions. They will be vital to the future of The Fountains of Canterbury.”
Thomasson became a registered nurse in 2002 and has worked for The Fountains at Canterbury for three years in other capacities. He was previously the director of nurses at Meadowlake Estates in Oklahoma City and a clinical director at Brookdale Bradford Village in Edmond, Oklahoma.
“I hope that the work I do each day betters the life of people both living and working in the community,” said Thomasson.
Justice has been a registered nurse since 2011 with experience at Quail Ridge Senior Living in Oklahoma City as the director of nurses and was previously a registered nurse care manager at Providence Home Care in Oklahoma City.
The Fountains at Canterbury is dedicated to being the first choice in senior living, providing a continuum of care including independent living, assisted living, memory care, innovative rehabilitation therapies and skilled care. The Fountains at Canterbury is managed by Watermark Retirement Communities and is committed to creating an extraordinary community where people thrive. To learn more, please call (405) 381-8165 or go online to www.watermarkcommunities.com.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

After nearly 33 years in nursing, Stephanie Waller Wojczynski, RN, went to the Northwest Classen senior prom this spring before graduating in May.
She wasn’t earning a diploma or degree, those had already come in bunches over the last few decades.
Waller Wojczynski’s commencement was the beginning of her retirement after 18 years of school nursing.
“So far I’m really enjoying it,” she said of her retirement. “I’ve had a lot of time to do things I haven’t been able to. One big thing is my mom moved in with us. She needed extra care and it’s given me time to take care of her so it’s a win-win situation.”
She became an LPN in 1984 and then transitioned to RN in 1989. She earned her BSN in 2000.
“I kind of went the long and winding road,” she laughed. “From the time I was a little kid I always wanted to be a nurse. My mom still has a picture I drew when I was five years old in kindergarten of what I wanted to be.”
School nursing came into her life at the right time.
She originally entered Oklahoma City Public Schools in 2000 when her husband was ill and unable to watch the kids.
The school nursing hours allowed her to be free when her kids were out of school.
“After I had been doing it for a few years and he passed I remarried and found I really, really liked it because it’s a lot more challenging than anybody would guess. It’s amazingly challenging,” she said. “Essentially, for a lot of these kids, we are their only health care provider. A lot are uninsured … and with the Affordable Care Act the working poor can hardly afford that. “And we have those who might not be in the country legally and that’s not my job to figure out. My job is to take care of the kids.”
The kids were always the reason she showed up every day.
From the funny to the tragic, school nursing ran the gamut for Waller Wojczynski.
Her first year as a school nurse brought her into the courtroom. A middle school girl came into her office one day and told her that her mother was selling her to older men for drug money.
She immediately notified the police. A few months later she was summoned to court after the biological father sued for custody.
“That was stressful,” she said.
During flu seasons, she could see upwards of 40 children a day.
One fall afternoon she was called to her elementary school where the entire office staff was home sick with the flu.
“There was one clerk working the office and there was a line of kids down the hall,” she said. “We sent home more than 100 kids that day with fevers over 100.”
Waller Wojczynski often split her time between several schools. She spent eight years at NW Classen.
As the health care provider for literally thousands, you can imagine the paperwork.
One spring break she worked almost an entire week entering shot records at home.
“I’m not complaining about having to do it at home because that freed me up to take care of the kids when I was at school,” she said. “The most important thing was taking care of the physical needs of the kids,” she said. “It was drop everything if a kid came in with a physical need but it was crunch time to try to get that paperwork done.”
Prom was a chance to see many of the kids she had nursed their entire school career.
“The students treated me like I was a rock star,” she laughed.
As May wound down so did her 33-year nursing career.
She broke down the NW Classen nurse office one last time and broke down herself more than a couple times.
“That was kind of a mixture of sadness and laughter because I kept coming across things that would remind me of funny stories,” she said. “The feelings are indescribable really. I was kind of overwhelmed those last few days thinking this is the last time I would be here.”
Coming up, she plans on visiting her three kids. Her oldest son, 39, lives in Portland, Maine and is an IT professional with Dell Computers. He and his wife have her only two grandkids, twin boys.
One daughter, 26, and a son, 22, are also out on their own working on their careers.
Later this month she plans a trip to her hometown in Michigan. Her husband’s mother also turns 96.
Friends will be met, dinners will be had.
As for the future, Waller Wojczynski sees herself giving a lot of flu shots this fall.
She’s toying with the idea of a hospice role.
But school nursing will always have a special place in her heart.

Local produce abounds at markets

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

It’s a late summer Thursday afternoon at the Farmer’s Market at Central Park in Moore and Dale Roath is defending his honor.
“Is the old boy from Dibble still lying to us?” a customer playfully teases as he walks up to inspect Roath’s vegetable stand.
“He’s hoarding all those tomatoes,” fellow vender Jerry Smith calls out from the next booth.
“Don’t listen to this guy here,” Roath shoots back.
It’s all part of the summertime fun that goes with the farmer’s market.
“I think it’s important to buy local,” Roath said, counting out change from a cucumber sale with the man who had supplied the earlier ribbing. “You get stuff fresh, right out of the garden. Lot of times you go down to the grocery store and you get stuff that’s been shipped from all over the country and a lot of times it’s not the quality you get down here.”
Everything on Roath’s table was planted from seed and raised by him and his wife.
Roath taught science, social studies, coached and was a principal during his 34 years at Dibble Public Schools.
He says the market is a great hobby and truth be known he gives as much ribbing as he gets from vendors and customers who see the value in shopping local.
Next to Roath, Smith is tending to his novelty plants.
“I’ve been doing this so long I had to do something to make some money,” Smith explains of his assortment. “If I sell the same thing everybody else does I can’t sell this time of year. I’ve got something I can sell year-round.
“My stuff is unusual – shrimp plants and plants from all over the world,” Smith said.
Miniature pepper plants, African milk trees – all grown in one of three greenhouses on his five acres.
Smith lives by Lake Thunderbird and says there’s something that just draws people to markets like these.
“The people mostly. I feel it’s like a family out here,” Smith said of the reason he keeps coming back. “It’s something that’s local that brings people out.”
The market runs this year until Sept. 2.
Central Park Special Events Coordinator Teresa Smith says the market tries to stay flexible and affordable to attract local vendors. Rental for a space under the Farmer’s Market Pavilion is just $15 and a discount is given for those who want to pay in advance.
Bathrooms are a stone’s throw away and customers can pull their cars up to within just feet of the vendors.
The pavilion is next to a newly constructed aquatic center that draws hundreds of families daily. Most agree that doesn’t hurt either.
Roath has been coming to the Moore Farmer’s Market for six years. A regular at the Bethany market until it closed, Roath was looking for a good place to land to showcase his wares.
“I’ve really liked it,” Roath said. “I live 35 miles out but it’s easy to get to. It’s a nice facility with this canopy and you don’t have to set up a tent in a parking lot like we did over there. The bathrooms are right here and people can pull right up to the front.
“Over the last six years I’ve met a lot of people and I have the same customers that come back over the last five years.”
A few booths down Bob Sirpless is handing out free tastings from his local Legends Vineyard and Winery.
It’s his second year at Moore.
“It’s value-added,” Sirpless said. “We grown our own grapes and put it into wine. We also do the Norman market and we have some good sales here. It’s not too long and it’s not like going to one of the other shows and spending the whole day driving.”
Like Roath, Sirpless makes the drive on Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Moore Assistant City Manager Todd Jenson says the city has offered a farmer’s market for 12 years and it’s become a vital part of the community as it’s passed through six different locations.
“It’s very important. It adds to the quality of life,” Jenson said. “It’s one more event where people get out and meet their neighbors and meet new people.
“Each vendor has its own loyal customers and if they don’t they’ll develop it over time. This is (the farmer’s market’s) home.”
Home’s a good word.
“The people are friendly up here,” Roath said. “I don’t have any problem with competition. Everybody tries to get along and nobody is trying to cut each other’s throat like some markets I’ve seen.”

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

From the moment you walk through the front door the familiar sights, sounds, and aromas of home greet you at Iris Memory Care. From the wood dining tables to the leather recliners, there’s an attention to detail that tells you months if not years of careful planning went into crafting this environment for those needing memory care. Marketing Director Jessie Motsinger explained the entire environment was meticulously crafted to care for loved ones in a comfortable, stimulating environment. Each building at Iris is designed to look and feel like a high-end single-family home, yet the community also has targeted features to meet the unique needs of their residents. Day or night, weekday or weekend, family members are always welcome to spend cherished moments together at Iris.
What it boils down to is Iris Memory Care is unlike any environment you’ve ever experienced. And that was the goal. “For me this is more about caring for people than it is about selling,” said Motsinger, who was brought on more for her background in gerontology rather than sales. “That’s what motivates me. For (the owners) it’s about exceptional care they didn’t feel like they could find when they were going through placing their loved ones in memory care. It’s very personal for all of us.”
PERSONAL INVESTMENT
The founders of Iris Memory Care met several years ago while working together for a senior living company. Having both had personal experiences with dementia, they shared many of the same ideas on how the design and care model for the memory impaired could be improved. “They paid close attention to what was missing in the industry, and took note of all the design flaws you often see in other communities,” said Motsinger. “I think there are many examples of what makes our community better and unique. One that stands out is the ability to see almost all of the common areas of the building from one spot. It might sound like a little detail, but in the memory care world this is a huge advantage for residents and staff. Our building’s open floor plan allows residents to wander freely without fear of getting lost in a back hallway or staff missing them because of blind corners.”
Executive Director Sherri Hudlow, RN, serves as the administrator. The former critical care and senior living nurse has her own personal experience with dementia with her mother. She brings that clinical and personal background to work every day and Motsinger said it benefits everyone around her. “For her it’s about caring for residents and staff. The staff here are kind of like her kids,” Motsinger says. “Sometimes they go on to a nursing career. In addition to making sure the staff is well equipped to care for our residents, Sherri is really interested in growing and mentoring them.” The small environment allows mentoring and engagement to happen more fluidly and benefits the entire Iris community.
“What I love about Iris is that it’s a small place where the owners are regularly here and always available,” Motsinger said. “This is so personal to all of us and it’s an exceptional physical environment. It’s beautiful. And the people we work for – I feel really good working for them. They do things the right way. Taking care of people the right way is just as important to them as the bottom line.”
PERSONAL CARE PATH
Each resident embarks on a uniquely tailored care path that is tailored by both family and staff. When a new resident joins the Iris community, the staff conducts a personal evaluation to identify cognitive function, social interaction, mobility challenges, special dietary needs, and more. Family members are encouraged to attend the evaluation to offer insights about past events, personality traits, friends, relatives, hobbies, and other details that will help us connect with a resident. The more information they provide the deeper the pool of knowledge that can be drawn from. “The most helpful thing is when families give us a lot of history on their loved one to assist with creating a care path,” Motsinger said of the extensive interview process. From proper nutrition, hydration, and medication management to compassionate assistance with activities of daily life, the needs of each individual resident are central to their care path. As soon as a resident moves into Iris this personalized care path guides the daily work of strengthening their abilities and promoting independence. “You’re seeing more engagement by just steady constant routine with a smaller group,” Motsinger said. “We’re trying to maintain as much independence as we can.”
The Personalized Paths of Care spell out a recommended routine on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, yet they do evolve. As a resident’s needs change, Iris has the flexibility to reassess and customize their care path to fit the situation. That’s why Motsinger says Iris’ owners never want to grow past a certain point. “For us what’s most important is we’re not trying to do everything for everybody,” Motsinger said. “Our goal is not to be a huge organization or take over the market. Our owners want all communities to be within in a few hour’s drive so they can always be easily accessible and stay connected. We want to be thoughtful leaders in care for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and a resource for the community.” Whatever the moment may bring, a loved one’s physical and emotional needs are the most important considerations at Iris Memory Care.
An important difference for Iris Memory Care is the emphasis placed on making connections. Staff members engage residents multiple times per day, and make it a point to facilitate connections among residents with similar interests. With memory impairment, activities that stimulate the senses and encourage hands-on participation can be invaluable ways to soothe or delight your loved one in the moment. Music and art play an important role in the care provided, as do stage-appropriate tasks. When anxiety or sundowning issues arise, the Snoezelen cart helps to reduce stress through sensory engagement with calming aromas, textures, sights, and sounds. You’re also bound to see Motsinger’s therapy dog sprawled on the floor or the light chirping of resident cockatiels in the background.
Monthly resource and informational seminars are offered by Iris to share best practice information as Motsinger taps into her healthcare background and brings people in from all fields so that others may benefit. “These seminars are truly about equipping the community with information they need,” Motsinger said. “For us, if you never come live with us, that’s OK. Let’s share our expertise and share our knowledge.” And, it’s about meeting each person where they are on their memory care journey.