Category: Miscellaneous

GIVING BACK—Two hearts, two hands and four paws

NOTE: Since 2006, Jeanne Doney and her therapy dog, Bentley, have volunteered at Diakon Senior Living – Hagerstown/The Ravenwood Campus. Together, the duo offers residents a special relationship that only two hearts, two hands and four paws can give.

 

Jeanne Doney shares her experience:

 

You might say that my dog, Bentley, is giving back to the community—especially since the community saved him. You see, Bentley is a rescue dog. He was once neglected, but now he not only receives an overabundance of love at home, but he is the center of attention on the Ravenwood campus of Diakon Senior Living – Hagerstown most Friday mornings.

 

Although Fridays are my days off—I work as a State of Maryland office supervisor in behavioral health—I tell Bentley that we have to go to “work.”

 

As soon as he hears those words, he knows exactly where we are going. The 45-pound Labrador Retriever and Beagle mix calmly wags his tail in excitement. Although he can’t swim or track animals—traits that most labs and beagles have—Bentley is known for his big loving, loyal heart, one he opens up to residents and staff at Diakon Senior Living.

 

Immediately after I found him at the shelter 11 years ago, we began visiting the campus, so Fridays on the Ravenwood campus are a routine we both know well. Bentley patiently waits for the foyer doors to open. Once they do, he pauses while I sign the visitor book and put on his leash. Of course, his first stop is the beauty parlor, where he visits Sharon, the beautician, for a treat and to see the ladies who are getting their hair done.

 

Although he has a regular visiting routine and has taken a fond liking to specific residents, he attracts attention wherever he goes. He always has people reaching out to him and I give him the “go closer command,” so that they can pet him. We visit the sunshine room, see rehabilitation patients and often help out with activities.

 

In Bentley’s presence, residents often reminisce about the pets that they once had. Petting Bentley cheers people up, gives them comfort, or helps them recover. Bentley has a way of taking residents’ minds off their pain and worries. At the same time, I can see how attached Bentley is to the residents. It’s very hard on him when a resident moves on—it just goes to show how much a dog can love someone. It is apparent that love is mutual.

 

In August 2015, residents threw Bentley a 12th birthday party complete with his favorite treat—vanilla ice cream!

 

Bentley, who regularly wears holiday-themed kerchiefs throughout the year, also participates in the annual Halloween party. With a trunk of doggie costumes, the residents dress him up. Last year he wore an orange-and-yellow ballet tutu around his neck—he looked like a lion.

 

He goes to parties and picnics where he enjoys hot dogs and hamburgers off the grill—a treat he doesn’t get at home because I don’t eat meat. We also watch the annual Wagon Train parade with the residents. The horse wagon train comes up Rt. 40 and stops at the Ravenwood campus. Bentley enjoys watching the parade with the residents. He even had a “nose-to-nose” with a horse—but they were just sniffing each other. The residents thought it was funny and they still laugh about it today.

 

When you hear the laughter and see the joy that results from Bentley’s presence, it is apparent that he is part of the Diakon Senior Living family.

 

Abby, the director of community life, even made him an official pet visitor badge. It’s as if he is the employee and I am his handler.

 

Being part of this volunteer opportunity is so rewarding. Bentley gets a lot out of it and so do the residents—it’s gratifying for everyone—including me.

 

In fact, it is embarrassing how much I get out of it. I am so pleased that Diakon Senior Living allows me and Bentley to do this. It is our way to give back.

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Taking art to new heights

It is hard for me to remember a time that I didn’t love art.

 

In fact, I have been pencil sketching since I was a kid. Ironically enough, I used to draw pictures of airplanes. Little did I know that after college graduation, I would become a pilot—a profession that would take my sketching skills to new heights.

 

I flew for Pan American Airways. Traveling internationally for a living, I never left home without my sketchpad. It was my companion during layovers. Together, we ventured to some of the most stunning cities around the world. Sketching primarily with charcoal pencils, I captured the beauty of churches in Frankfort, the Opera House in Vienna, Ireland landscapes and street scenes in Warsaw, Africa and Tokyo.

 

It wasn’t until the mid-1970s that my love for drawing shifted from pencils to watercolor. My wife, Joy, gave me a watercolor kit. For a while, I just dabbled with it, but then I got serious. I took a couple night classes at a local high school to learn water color techniques. I had tried oil painting and acrylics, but I didn’t find them to be as challenging or have the beauty of watercolor.

 

Water color is more spontaneous—it has a mind of its own. When you put brush to paper, the color spreads and you never know exactly what you will end up with until the color blends.

 

For more complex pieces of work, I sometimes include color pencils in the process. Not only are they easy to carry around, but they allow you to add more detail to your painting. Using both colored pencils and water color can help an artist cover a larger surface area, create a more interesting background and develop a more involved painting.

 

Just as my techniques have changed over time, so have my subjects. There was a period when I drew only sailing ships. Then I went back to airplanes.

 

However, for the last 20 years, I have primarily focused on landscapes. A recent subject has been Cumberland Crossings’ barn. To me it is a magnetic landmark. [As a resident of Cumberland Crossings,] I walk about the campus property three or four times a week, and often wind up at the barn doing some sort of sketch.

 

I have done many sketches in various seasons. My most favorite painting of the barn—a summer/spring scene that I did three years ago, I donated it to the campus auction benefiting Cumberland Crossings’ fund. Several residents got together and bid more than $400 for the painting, with the executive director agreeing to hang it in the Davis Dining Room.

 

Of all the sketches and paintings I have done, that is probably the most special. It makes me feel good when I go to dinner and see my painting. More importantly, I enjoy the fact that it was liked enough to be placed where it could be shared with others.

 

Last year, I did a small watercolor winter scene of the barn. I printed 100 of them on Christmas cards that were sold in the gift shop to benefit the auxiliary. This year, I had another 100 printed. It was then that Diakon hosted a Christmas card art contest for residents. It turns out I won. It was quite an honor.

 

Anytime I can share my art with others is a pleasure. Over the years, I have started to sell my paintings and show them at local art shows—including at the Waynesboro and Mechanicsburg Art Centers.

 

My children and grandchildren have their walls lined with things that I have painted—a bottle nose dolphin, a church in Cumberland, Maryland, and airplanes to name a few. I was recently asked how many pieces of art I have produced. I am really not sure. I have three or four sketch books and completed more than 80 paintings. Some are simplistic—others are more detailed.

 

I work under Parkinson’s Law—the adage that “work expands as to fill the available time for its completion.” However, normally I sit for about an hour at a time to paint. It is therapeutic and relaxing. It is something you can do to allow your mind to be carried away from personal problems. It is an escape. It definitely keeps me going and gives me a reason to get up in the morning.

 

 

—Dale Fernandes, 85

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Don’t get ahead of God’s graces

Are you borrowing worries and anxieties from tomorrow and bringing them into today?

I often do that. You, too?

It must be a common practice for it’s mentioned in the Bible (Matthew 6). Will my health be compromised? Will the money last? Will health care or immigration policies affect me or those I love?

One of my pet peeves is how the television weather is often forecast. It seems like every weather event is the worst it’s ever been or going to be! If it’s sunny, we need more sunblock. If it’s raining, we should be on guard for hydroplaning. If it’s cold precipitation, we need to watch for black ice. I am convinced that the true purpose of weather forecasting is to scare us to death so we’ll never go out! We couldn’t possibly!  It’s far too dangerous!

The same type of news comes about the stock market or taxes or interest rates or how we’re raising our children. If we don’t have enough to worry or be anxious about just watch a little TV. Sometimes, the projections are true; sometimes they are not. In either case, is there very much we can do in advance? Not often. The best we can do is let events unfold and respond as best we can. And here I purposely used the word respondrather than react…but that could be a topic for an additional blog post on another day.

I was recently blessed in the hearing of a quote attributed to St. Ignatius: “Don’t get ahead of God’s graces.”  God’s grace existed in the past. It is present now. Is there any reason to believe it won’t be in the future? The anxieties of tomorrow will be met by God’s graces—of tomorrow.

“Don’t get ahead of God’s graces.”

The Rev. Mark Wimmer, MBA
Vice President for Church Relations
Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Making learning a part of really living

When you’ve spent most of your life learning to make a living, how do you make the transition to learning for the simple sake of learning?

 

For many people older than 50, that’s a familiar situation.

 

As a result of the learning we’ve done so far, we have been able to provide for our families. But, after a certain age at which we no longer have to worry as much about making a living, or our nest is empty, we may face the question: What do we do now?

 

Some people will say retirement is about just enjoying life. After all, you’ve earned it!

 

For others, however, shifting gears is not as easy. We’ve been too busy and feel the need to remain that way.

 

So how do you begin? How best can you experience new things, meet new friends, try a hobby we have been meaning to for years or, even, share a talent we’ve gained over the years?

 

That’s the focus of an innovative program I oversee for Diakon Community Services. It’s called Diakon Living & Learning After 50.

 

For nearly a decade now, the program has offered classes in everything under the sun at sites throughout Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania—workshops on yoga, painting, writing, antiquing, eBay, dancing, scuba diving, learning a new language and a host of other topics.

 

Our class atmosphere is informal and fun, allowing people to mingle while still focused on learning or teaching.

 

During this time, I have seen many friendships blossom as a result of attending weekly exercise classes; witnessed participants create a support system or reunite with old friends or co-workers.

 

I have watched wondrous transformations, as someone stares at a blank canvas, doubt eventually overtaken by a special spark as the person creates a beautiful painting, saying “that’s something I’ve wanted to try for years.”

 

With this need in mind, we develop our courses, classes, and special events to appeal to as broad a range of interests and abilities as possible.

 

And all geared to making certain that learning remains a pivotal part of life, even if the focus is more on fun than making a living!

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Healthy ways to deal with conflict

One apparent constant in the news lately is conflict. Countless stories tell of personal and group confrontations that have arisen over the recent national elections. We have even seen information about how families have been split over their views—or how social media have driven a wedge among friends.

There is certainly nothing wrong with political or other debate and a healthy sharing of opinion keeps democracies fresh, but are there healthy ways to deal with and manage confrontation, in a variety of situations including work or family life?

Absolutely, says ********* of Diakon Family Life Services.

Here are her suggestions:

  • Begin with a topic on which you both agree and start the communication or interaction there.
  • Take a breath, “push pause” for yourself and think a bit before you respond to the other person.
  • Initiate the interaction with something positive, then state the problem or issue, and end with another positive statement (in other words, “sandwich” the hard-to-hear phrase between two positive comments).
  • Use an “I” statement such as “I understand what you are saying, but I do feel differently….”
  • Recognize and acknowledge that understanding the other person’s point of view does not necessarily mean agreement with it—and, vice-versa … that understanding of you on the part of the other person does not mean he or she agrees with you either.
  • Keep your voice tone calm, even and slow-paced.
  • Use accepting and appropriate words.
  • Have a relaxed, open posture (no arm crossing; rather, keep hands open and relaxed and certainly refrain from finger-pointing or turning away).
  • Acknowledge that this is a tough, tense or awkward moment.
  • Give yourself time to get your thoughts together, and work to really listen to the other person.
  • Be willing to “share the floor,” and refrain from having to have the last word.
  • Recognize that if you are having an intense reaction to the other person’s statements, there may be more to the interaction than you realize. Acknowledge that most disagreements do not relate to issues of safety and therefore can wait to be addressed or discussed. Taking time to reflect will give you a chance to determine why the conversation is so distressing for you. Taking time also will help you to keep the situation in perspective.
  • If possible and appropriate, gain feedback from someone else you trust before proceeding with a difficult or confrontation conversation. Perhaps you do not need to confront the person or maybe you will discover another way to solve the problem.
  • Take care of yourself and respond to confrontation with consideration for others, while also staying true to your convictions.

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Facing the holidays as an Alzheimer’s caregiver: Tips from those who have done it

The holidays can be a very emotional time for everyone, including families and friends who have loved ones dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive illnesses.

For those affected by cognitive degeneration disease, the biggest thing to remember is to be accepting of what people feel.

Holidays can be filled with a wide range of emotions ranging from pure joy to utter sadness. Regardless of the emotion, accept it and try not to judge your feelings or the feelings of others during this time. Holidays may feel and look different because traditions are not able to be followed exactly as before, but that does not mean you cannot have a meaningful experience.

Here are a few tips that can help make your holidays happier:

  • Take a different perspective on the visit

One of the reasons visits can be a challenge is disease progression. Over the course of the disease, attention span changes, interests may vary and memories fade in and out. You may not be able to talk to the person the way you used to. Maybe you used to sit and have tea with your loved one. Now she can no longer sit for long periods of time or maybe she no longer likes tea. This changes our ability to connect, so we have to rethink our approach to the visit.

 

  • Step outside your world

Forget what you know to be true and enter into their world. Often loved ones’ perceptions may be different from yours. For instance, if they can’t remember something in the past, do not argue with them. Arguing or pleading with them to remember something can increase frustration for everyone. Contradicting their reality does not work when you are visiting with someone whose brain has a difficult time making sense of the world around them.

 

  • Be prepared to participate in an activity

Often, an activity such as listening to music or looking through a photo album may help make the visit enjoyable because it allows you to make a connection. If your loved one is in a care facility, reach out to the staff to inquire about fitting activities.

 

For example, a direct caregiver may be able to tell you that your loved one has a newfound love of sitting next to the garden and watching birds, something he or she may have never done before. Or perhaps a loved one has developed a new enjoyment of vanilla milkshakes or hamburgers. Use whatever current interests are to guide the visit.

 

Times can also play a factor in visits. Again, use your facility staff as a resource; they may be able to tell you that your loved one gets tired in the afternoon and when she gets tired, she gets tearful.  Similarly, if you are bringing home a loved one for the holidays, the staff may share with you the best time to take her out and when to bring her back to reintegrate her into her surroundings.

 

Remember, as the disease progresses, likes, interests and best times to visit may change. What may work on one visit may not work on another. Try to stay flexible with your goals and expectations.

 

  • Don’t ask loved ones to do something they can’t do

It is often hard for their brain to recall memories. Do not ask them ‘who am I?’ or encourage them to ‘think harder’ when they cannot recall a person or memory. As much as you desperately want to maintain a connection, asking them to do something beyond their cognitive function may cause stress and aggravation.

 

  • Embrace the present

Cognitive impairments are heartbreaking diseases. It’s difficult to watch someone you love deteriorate and change into a totally different person in front of your eyes.

 

This transition induces grief and prompts questions such as “how do I still love this person if he or she is not the person I knew?” Although it may seem as if your loved one is slipping away, remember that a person with dementia wants to remember you, but his or her brain is just not physically capable of doing that.

 

Although you desperately want to maintain your previous connection, the greatest gift you can give yourself or your loved one is a meaningful visit reflective of the present.

 

Know that, even with these tips, a visit can be difficult. Sometimes, you may not know what to say or do.

 

Regardless, acknowledge that you are doing the best you can. If you “go with the flow,” more often than not you will have a successful visit.

—Michelle Gaugler
Personal Care Administrator
Luther Crest, Allentown, Pennsylvania

With 24 years of experience in long-term care, Gaugler understands the struggles facing residents with memory-related illnesses and their families. Dedicated to enhancing life, she has contributed to memory support for patients in all levels of care.

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

 

Preventing holiday weight gain

Halloween is behind us, yes, but it’s still with us, too, and in a bad way: The treats of trick-or-treating can easily be the start of holiday seasons full of unhealthy eating.

That’s because those overflowing trick-or-treat bags are soon followed by turkey and stuffing and pies and Christmas cookies—well, you get the picture.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, significant weight gains occur right after major holidays and can take up to five months or more to reverse.

At many of Diakon’s senior living communities, we have wellness coordinators and committees to encourage both residents and staff members to make healthy choices.

The coordinators do a great job of organizing events such as health fairs, fitness activities and educational seminars that promote healthy living. As so, as we approach the holidays, we asked some of them to share tips on how to combat the holiday weight gain:

“Bring your own healthy dish to office parties and holiday gatherings,” suggests Karen Sinkovits of The Lutheran Home at Topton. “Maintain your usual eating patterns, but allow yourself to splurge on holiday treats sparingly.”

“Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and boost energy levels, especially during the busy holiday season,” Doreen Zielinski of Luther Crest advises. “The holidays will probably interrupt your exercise regimen, at least to some extent. Do your best to stay on track. Strive to add an extra workout session whenever possible because we tend to eat more this time of the year.”

“The holidays are a time for family, friends, fun and seemingly endless amounts of food. Between the parties, traditions and gift-giving, it’s difficult to stay on track with a fit and healthy lifestyle,” says Sally McClintock, Cumberland Crossings.

 

“There is nothing wrong with indulging in the many festivities that come with the holiday season,” she continues, “but it is all too easy to go overboard and lose all your hard work from the warmer months. Luckily, there are many ways to enjoy every aspect of this time of year while still maintaining good health. One way to avoid overeating at a big holiday dinner is to be a ‘food snob’—meaning you indulge only in the foods you truly love and that you typically do not eat throughout the rest of the year. Also, fill your plate with colorful foods because they tend to be better for you.

 

“One mistake many of us make is skipping meals before a big holiday dinner to ‘save room.’ This typically causes you to eat even more and your body retains more of those calories. Instead, keep a regular meal schedule and drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you have a regular exercise plan, keep with it but don’t be unrealistic.

 

“Try to maintain your weight during this season; it is probably not the time to try to lose weight unless it is a medical necessity. Finally, enjoy yourself. Focus your time and energy on your friends and family and take the emphasis off food. Reminisce, laugh, make new memories and treasure this wonderful time with your loved ones.”

 

Twining Village’s Donald Prifti offers a few additional suggestions: “Focus your efforts in the kitchen; 90% of your success will depend on how well you nourish your body. Think of food as medicine if it is the right kind of food. Increase your activity level. Movement is also medicine and it doesn’t cost you anything. Take your family out for a walk after dinner, rake some leaves or find something else you enjoy doing to get moving.”

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

 

How to recruit volunteers (and then keep them)

We still need help Saturday in the concession stand …

The play is only two weeks away and we still need parents to sew costumes …

Our May Day committee needs a chairperson and you did such a great job the last two years …

The list can go on and on. On a weekly basis, our email inboxes, kids’ backpacks and Facebook newsfeeds are filled with multiple opportunities to volunteer.

These are great opportunities to make a difference … yet we receive so many that we typically can respond only to a few. That can make the task for finding and organizing volunteers overwhelming.

In fact, most people seem to fall into one of two types of categories—those who avoid any type of all volunteer activity and those who volunteer for everything. Unfortunately, members of that second group can eventually burn out and become part of the first group.

So why doesn’t everyone just do their part so the same people don’t burn out?

A common response when people are asked to volunteer is “I just don’t have time.” This may be true for a few people, but if you were to provide a flexible, organized and productive opportunity to volunteer, some of those people who say they are too busy might be willing to give you time within those specific parameters.

At the same time, it can be tiresome if you are part of the group that constantly volunteers for everything. In fact, I’ve found that situation can actually create an issue for some potential volunteers.

When the same people are always in charge and recruit their own friends or family first, the group can seem as if it’s a clique or otherwise be intimidating to those outside their circle.

So, when recruiting new volunteers, ask those you’ve contacted if they know someone who would like to join them. Determine what they enjoy doing and their availability and then try to match those characteristics with the position you need filled—before you ask your best friend to do it (who most likely would do it anyway!).

 

When I was asked to fill the role of vice-president of a booster club, I also was asked with whom I would like to do the job. I appreciated having that input because I would be spending a lot of time planning and executing plans with that person.

Some people don’t volunteer because of bad past experiences.

To be honest, if you ask me to volunteer and then rudely boss me and others around, chances are the next time I am asked to help with that activity, I’m going to pass.

Therefore, be sure if you are leading volunteers that you don’t make anyone feel like “just” a volunteer. Managing volunteers is not much different from supervising employees—be organized, respectful, flexible and a good communicator.

If you have to correct someone or hold him or her accountable, be sure your communication is kind and straightforward. Ask volunteers for feedback. Be thankful for their help because, let’s face it, without them you could not complete your objectives.

People also may avoid volunteering if they feel they are not really contributing. Have you ever signed up to help somewhere only to discover there were too many volunteers and you just stood around doing nothing while thinking of all the things you could be doing at home?

If you plan activities that require volunteers, be sure you have a position for everyone. Remember that the reason so many people volunteer is because they want to contribute to help a person, group or a cause. If there is no “job” for them to do, they will most likely feel their time was wasted.

Equally important is not to take advantage of those who do volunteer by asking them often to stay late. Consult with others involved in your activity to determine reasonable expectations. You may be the type of person who sets up, oversees and cleans up an entire event, but breaking that into shorter intervals for others who may not have the same availability or energy level will produce better results.

Sometimes “life” happens and regular volunteers just need a break for a variety of reasons. My family and I volunteer in our church nursery once a month but there are a few times throughout the year we travel on the weekends for club sports. I’m grateful that the nursery leaders understand and work with us by scheduling replacements without making us feel guilty! That flexibility keeps us fresh and we are able to give our best during the months we can be there.

Keep in mind people will invest their time, resources and best efforts in events and causes they believe are important.

When leading—or recruiting—volunteers, you can never go wrong using thoughtfulness, empathy and commitment to guide your requests.

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Remembering Dr. Haas … rather, Harold

In a long-ago article in T-LSA Now, I wrote, upon the retirement of the Rev. Dr. Harold Haas, that I could never bring myself to call him Harold.

That may have been because of my age (I was half the age I am today when I wrote that article), but it also stemmed from my respect for Dr. Haas (see, even now, I write Dr. Haas). He was simply a man, I told him and wrote about him, who engendered respect.

At the conclusion of that article, in light of his wishes, however, I wished “Harold” a happy retirement.

Unfortunately, another transition has occurred and I learned this week that Dr. Haas passed away in August at the age of 98. He had moved to New England some years ago to be near children and grandchildren; his wife, Evelyn, passed away two decades ago.

If Dr. Haas’ name is unfamiliar to you, that’s understandable, given the passage of time. Yet I believe it’s important you know who he was.

Harold Haas served as president of Tressler-Lutheran Service Associates (the T-LSA reference in the publication I mentioned) from 1977 through 1985, the year he retired and was succeeded by the Rev. Dr.Thomas Hurlocker. As president of Tressler Lutheran Services (as T-LSA eventually became), Tom Hurlocker would work alongside the Rev. Dr. Daun McKee, president of Lutheran Services Northeast, to fashion Diakon in 2000.

Dr. Haas came to Tressler in a period of uncertainty, the social ministry organization having rapidly expanded in the early 1970s without the necessary financial and administrative infrastructure. He spent the next near-decade not only successfully putting all the organizational ducks in a row, but also overseeing expansion and programmatic growth in a number of areas including refugee services, senior living communities and youth programs.

Formerly a parish pastor, professor and dean at Wagner College, Staten Island (where he had once been held hostage by students during racial unrest) and executive within the national Lutheran church, Dr. Haas, at Tressler, jokingly called himself a “consummate bureaucrat” because he knew his mission there was to make certain all of the processes, procedures and funding necessary to undergird a successful organization were in place and functioning efficiently.

(I purposely used the word undergird because, having joined Tressler a year after Dr. Haas following a brief period in journalism, I found the academic word “undergird” unfamiliar and grating. He and I good-naturedly sparred about its use on occasion and he would chuckle that when I edited his columns I took out all his “weasel words”—his tongue-in-cheek reference to phrases selected for bureaucratic use.)

When he began his work at Tressler, Dr. Haas had four earned degrees including an M.A. and a Ph.D. in sociology. He had been instrumental in the development of the national church’s social services and social statements, having demonstrated his personal commitment to justice as he marched in civil rights demonstrations in the South and testified on behalf of a Black South African in a court in that country.

A former bishop of the national church characterized Dr. Haas as having “great integrity, organizational skills and clarity of vision.” Following his retirement from Tressler, he continued his involvement in the national church, serving as well as interim pastor and then pastor-emeritus of Trinity Lutheran Church in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

For his work in guiding Tressler in achieving both efficiency and expansion, Dr. Haas occupies a prominent place among the dozen to two dozen dedicated leaders within Diakon’s near-150-year history who are ultimately responsible for the organization’s position and role today.

In a piece on his retirement, I wrote that Dr. Haas was “an accessible president, a man easily spoken to, a man of genuine charm and humility, one who has filled many occasions with warmth and wit [and one whose] leadership in giving the [organization] stability and ability to grow” positioned it well for the future.

harold-blog

Quite simply, I found him a brilliant but humble leader, a man I counted as a friend despite the difference in our ages.

Perhaps more cogently, a prominent Lutheran theologian described Dr. Haas as having a unique combination of “vision, horse sense, clarity, charity and refreshing candor.”

I last saw Dr. Haas around a decade ago when Diakon dedicated portraits of several past Tressler presidents. It was a pleasure to see him again.

I made sure to greet him as Harold.

By William Swanger
Senior Vice President
Corporate Communications & Public Relations

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.

Jump in and have fun…at every age

When I arrived at Luther Crest in 2011, at the age of 76, I had no idea I’d end up writing a book. But it was, after all, a period of starting over.

I had lived in New York State all of my life before my move and had experienced numerous new beginnings: leaving my parents’ home to marry; moving from Brooklyn to Long Island as a young mother; getting divorced; meeting my life partner and moving to his home; retiring from my job as a social worker in the domestic violence field; seeing my partner through his final illness and then moving into a kind of transitional housing situation until Dan the Moving Man carried me off to my new, and probably final, destination, Luther Crest.

I was happy and excited about starting over again.

I loved my small apartment, crammed too full of precious items from my past lives, and I was excited by the novelty of no longer having to eat solitary dinners in front of the TV.

A lot of other things were different, too. I no longer had an excuse not to exercise; there were all kinds of options available, including a swimming pool and water aerobics classes.  I loved water aerobics but hadn’t attended for several years because there had been no classes nearby.

There also was a well-stocked library, interest groups, lectures by some of my learned fellow residents. Had I stumbled into heaven, or what? Well, perhaps some place more like a cruise ship.

When I went to my first meeting of the Luther Crest writers group, I was terrified. I hadn’t written anything that would be judged by others since I had finished classwork for various degrees and certifications I had taken over time.

I could hardly breathe, but the men and women in the group seemed pleased with what I had written; they actually laughed when they were supposed to! I was invited to submit my two pages to the Crest Chronicle for publication.

So that’s how my writing a book came to be.

The friends I met each month in the group were encouraging, sometimes even cajoling me to keep going.

And it began to seem to me that if I was having so much fun in my new environment, it would be nice to urge older adults everywhere to have fun whenever and wherever they could.

One of the most important things I’ve learned as an “old woman” has been to jump in to whatever interests me and have as much fun as I can along the way.

The responsibilities of mid-life can be soul-numbing, so leaving many of them behind opens the way to experiencing things as we did when we were children and the world was new.

blog 2014 LCBecker Family and Christmas chorus 067 (2)

A very old friend told me she read my book on her 80th birthday, when she was feeling depressed by the weight of years, so she started thinking about the joys she’s had along the way.

“It helped,” she said, and I’m glad. We’re going to be this old no matter what, so let’s have fun and thank God for it.

Helen Wernlund
Luther Crest resident & author

Editor’s Note: Little Excursions in the Alternate Universe, by Helen Wernlund, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble for $14.95 plus tax. A portion of proceeds benefits the Luther Crest Benevolent Care Endowment Fund.

Because we review comments, they do not appear immediately. Please do not submit each comment more than once. Please review our comment policy.