SAFETY, SECURITY AND PEACE OF MIND SELLS AT THE COLONNADE
GRANDVIEW RESIDENT TAKES LEARNING TO ‘HEART’
‘IT’S NEVER 2 LATE’ AT LA LOMA
MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health
Sun Health is on Social MediaFacebook (Sun Health) Twitter (@SunHealthAZ) YouTube (SunHealth2011)
Bhakti Gosalia, Executive DirectorGrandview Terrace, Sun City West(623) 975-8031SunHealthSeniorLiving.org/Grandview
Sharon Grambow, Chief Operating Officer(623) 832-4335
Jackie Lusson, Corp. Dir. Sales(623) 236-3778 SunHealthSeniorLiving.org
Honoring Senator Bob and Mrs. Ila Denny
Nancy Wilson, AdministratorLa Loma Care Center(623) 537-7400SunHealthSeniorLiving.org/LaLomaCareCenter
Penny Jacobs,AdministratorGrandview Care Center(623) 975-8100SunHealthSeniorLiving.org/GrandviewCareCenter
Susan Davis, Executive DirectorLa Loma Village, Litchfield Park(623) 537-7515SunHealthSeniorLiving.org/LaLoma
Barbara Foster,Executive DirectorThe Colonnade, Surprise(623) 236-3730SunHealthSeniorLiving.org/Colonnade
For more information, please go to SunHealthSeniorLiving.org
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Feature Story
MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS
COMMUNITY NEWS
SUN HEALTH VISION
GRANDVIEW RESIDENT TAKES LEARNING TO ‘HEART’
IT’S ‘NEVER 2 LATE’ AT LA LOMA
JOY OF LIVING
JOY OF GIVING
GRANDVIEW CARE CENTER OPENS NEWLY REMODELED UNIT
HEALTH & WELLBEING OFFERS A ‘HEALTHIER YOU’
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health
CultureSUMMER/FALL 2014
SAFETY, SECURITY AND PEACE OF MIND SELLS AT THE COLONNADE
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For questions or comments about
Culture, or if you have a story idea to submit,
please contact:
Ken Reinstein, Managing Editor
Sun Health Public Relations
14719 W Grand Ave
Surprise, AZ 85374
(623) 832-7603 (O)
Things are heating up in the desert.
When many people around the country look forward to warm weather, in the Valley of the Sun we’re searching for shaded parking spots and plotting how quickly we can go from one air conditioned spot to another. I once heard it’s always “72 degrees in Phoenix.” Of course, this refers to the air-cooled temperature in our homes, restaurants and favorite stores. Those of us who have been here a few years truly welcome the heat. It’s an annual rite of passage.
Things are really heating up for Sun Health Senior Living too. I
Sharon Grambow Chief Operating Officer
Connect with Sharon: [email protected] (623) 832-4335
Sharon’s Sentiments
look back at the last 12 months in amazement. At The Colonnade in Surprise, we opened up our first Villa and are scheduled to open the second this fall. At La Loma Village in Litchfield Park, we completed a significant renovation of our Care Center, including adding a new Outpatient Rehab Center and opened up new casitas. On the Grandview campus in Sun City West, we are engaged in significant renovations to the care center and the completion of our first dedicated memory support unit. And, several projects at Grandview Terrace include opening a new Banker’s Trust Branch and moving the Sales and Marketing office inside our beautiful lobby.
Our very active residents are not slowing down either. While some residents head to cooler climes, many stay close to home. And, while it may be 110 outside, we offer great activities to stay active and avoid the desert heat, including various water fitness classes offered at Grandview Terrace, La Loma Village and The Colonnade.
“Performing real-life movement patterns in the water can improve quality of life on land,” said Katherine McDonnell, fitness coordinator and health coach at Grandview Terrace. “Older adults show improvements in oxygen
capacity and resting heart rate, and the water’s density and pressure aids circulation. Because our body temperature is near 98.6 degrees and the water’s temp is kept near 85 degrees – this provides is a wonderful cooling effect to the skin.”
How do you keep cool in the heat? We’d love to hear your tips, tricks and experience if you perhaps lived in Arizona before the days of air conditioning. Please like our Facebook pages, and share tips and ideas with us at one of the pages below:
Please visit www.facebook.com Once on Facebook you can search for the following pages in the top white search bar:
* Grandview Terrace* Sun Health Grandview Care Center* La Loma Village Senior Living Community* La Loma Care Center* The Colonnade Senior Living Community
We encourage you to follow any of our Sun Health Pages and join in the conversation.
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 01
Safety, Security and Peace of Mind Sells at The Colonnade
According to resident Barry Goodkin, The Colonnade is the place to be. It’s an extension of Sun City Grand with many people who once lived there now living at The Colonnade. This is something very comforting to Barry and his wife Joan, residents of the first Colonnade Villa since October.
This sentiment and the overall desire for safety, security and peace of mind are attracting many people to The Colonnade. Sun Health Senior Living (SHSL) reached a major milestone recently by selling all available units in the first Colonnade Villa building, less than one year after the building opened. The second Villa, scheduled to open this fall, has less than 10 units available, and there are only a few available casitas out of 70 on the 40-acre campus in Surprise.
“Our residents tell us that they love everything that we offer at The Colonnade,” said Jackie Lusson, corporate director of sales and marketing. “However, the most important reason they move in here is that they are planning for the future. The amenities, in addition to the promise of life care, surpass any other communities in Arizona. Plus, we have Masterpiece Living®, which offers all the components of a balanced lifestyle.”
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According to Joan Goodkin, The Colonnade is the place she and Barry want to be now and in the future.
“I am comfortable being here for the rest of our lives, and I’m planning to live to 103,” she says with a chuckle. I did love my home. We had 2,300 square feet, I was on the golf course, and I had water behind me. It was my ideal home I had a beautiful, big kitchen. Once I got here, I didn’t want to go back.”
The activity extends to all three SHSL campuses. “Sun Health Senior Living is fulfilling a need in our community, as evidenced by the great activity we have at The Colonnade, as well as our Grandview Terrace and La Loma Village campuses,” said Ron Guziak, president and CEO of Sun Health. “The word is out the value and importance of Life Care combined with our amenities and service. “
Residents enjoy granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances, patios and balconies, and pet-friendly amenities in their residences that range in size from just over 1,000 square feet to nearly 1,800 square feet. But there is much more to Sun Health than four walls and a nice kitchen.
“We were leaving brunch on a recent Sunday and we see Ron Guziak who says ‘Oh, Barry, how are you,’ Barry said. “The fact the CEO comes to our community, and he talks to us, I think that is a tremendous plus for this community.”
Sun Health Board Member Dick Malcomson was one of the first people to sign a contract at The Colonnade. His affiliation with the company began more than 30 years ago and he is still a strong supporter.
“What sets Sun Health apart is the uniqueness of the three properties and the more contemporary living style of the Colonnade,” Dick said. “I wanted to get into a Life Care situation while I was younger, but still have the continuum of care down the road when I need it. Also, I have the opportunity now to live in a casita while I am younger and the ability to move into a more sheltered environment of the villas in the future.”
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 03
Meet YourNEIGHBORS
Culture04
Lowell Ives Resident of Grandview Terrace since April 2012
Ford Motor Company. The Sears Tower. L`Auberge de Sedona resort. Boswell Memorial Hospital. Arizona State University’s Manzanita Hall and original College of Law. The Renaissance Center (including what is now General Motors Headquarters) in Detroit, which at the time was the largest privately financed project in the country.
These are just some of the major projects that Grandview Terrace resident Lowell Ives worked on in his many years of construction management in Arizona, Michigan and Illinois. Lowell lived in Arizona from 1960 to 1972, then returned in 1980, and retired 27 years ago.
“I returned to Arizona because I didn’t want to leave the first time,” Lowell said. “I went east because of a better philosophy, but I didn’t like it, then I came back in 1980 started consulting in construction management under my own name working for myself.”
He worked directly with Del E. Webb, who is best known as the developer of the Sun City communities, for the construction of Boswell Memorial Hospital, which is now called Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center.
“Mr. Webb had committed to build the hospital at cost, no fee and no cost overruns,” Lowell said. “As we made gains, we would meet with the board members and would start discussing how they could buy additional equipment like a CAT scan machine,
which was brand new at the time. The board was able to buy the CAT Scan and other equipment with the cost savings realized during construction.”
He moved in to Grandview Terrace (GVT) because there was a unit available that met his needs.
Lowell also likes the staff, especially Grandview’s drivers and the younger members of the dining services team. “I am very impressed how all of these youngsters can remember names so quickly and they all have such a cheery demeanor,” he said. “I don’t think their task is easy putting up with the old folks. They do a good job and the drivers are the same way.”
“I am here to live out my life in as much tranquility as I can.”
“What I like best about GVT is it is the most stress-free part of my life,” Lowell said. “I’m not responsible for anything, and I am used to having ‘the’ responsibility.”
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 05
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Margi Miller Resident of La Loma Village since February 2014
Bon voyage. Those words are music to Margi Miller’s ears.
This ardent traveler has been to Tahiti, Fiji, Mexico, Alaska and all over Europe. She has the stamp-filled passport, cultural keepsakes and beau coup photos to prove it. But of all her travels, there is one place that keeps calling her back: Paris.
“Everywhere you turn, the art and history are fabulous,” Margi says. “Seeing the works of Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec is so moving. The way the French take their time with meals is fabulous. I just love the way of life.”
She started her “love affair” with Paris and Europe in the late 1960s when she moved to the “City of Light” after earning a degree in French from Seattle University. During her six-month vacation, she studied at Paris-Sorbonne University, soaked up all the art, culture and history she could absorb and spent leisurely hours in cafes. Her French was so fluent that natives often mistook her as one of their own. She also speaks Spanish and some Italian.
Back home in Seattle, she landed a job with Western Airlines working in the airline’s business travelers’ club where her language skills proved invaluable. The company even sent her to Mexico City for the 1968 Summer Olympics because of her Spanish fluency.
Margi grew up in Seattle where her father worked as a metallurgical engineer for Boeing Aircraft and her mother cared for Margi and her three siblings. She credits her parents for providing a “wonderful life”
for their children. “They gave us respect and allowed us to voice our opinions. They taught us how to be independent,” she says.
Margi showed a penchant for math and considered majoring in it in college. But a Seattle University professor who taught French inspired her to pursue a degree in French with a minor in Spanish, a choice she doesn’t regret. “Language has opened up doors for me.”
Margi followed in her father’s footsteps, securing a job with Boeing where she worked her way up to a system architect position responsible for developing computer systems. Along the way, she married and had two children, a boy and a girl. She divorced but later remarried a man she met at Boeing. Jack Miller had three children and shared Margi’s love of travel. The couple traveled far and wide, frequently visiting Phoenix, mostly to watch the Seattle Mariners play Spring Training baseball. After they retired, they moved to Sun City West, residing there until last year when Jack passed away. The couple had been married for 32 years. Margi mourns the loss deeply but she keeps active and is planning more adventures.
She recently asked her children if they would rather have money or memories when she dies. They voted for the memories. She’s planning another trip to Europe next year with her children. Undoubtedly, a whole new batch of memories will be made.
Culture
Marianne Evers Resident of The Colonnade since January 2014
When you believe “home is where the heart is,” then wherever you are is where you are supposed to be. That is especially true when life takes you many places over many years, and you never seem to stay in one place for too long.
Colonnade resident Marianne Evers is one of those people who always finds herself at home in every place she lives. Marianne and her first husband moved to the United States from the Netherlands in 1961. They first made their way to California and because of her husband’s job, they moved often. They made their homes in San Diego and other parts of Southern California, as well as in San Francisco, Berkeley and “all over Northern California.” She also called Dallas, Texas home for a while.
After her first husband passed away, she remarried and it was time to create a home in a new place. The couple relocated to Arizona—Sun City Grand, to be specific—12 years ago.
For the past four years, Marianne has been a familiar face to everyone who shops at Louisa’s Shop, a Sun Health Foundation gift shop located in the Louisa Kellam Center for Women’s Health at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center. Of her volunteer work, she says, “I enjoy meeting new people and seeing my friends and other community members. The shop is full of fun merchandise I get to sell to patients and their friends and families.”
After her second husband died a year and a half ago, Marianne wanted to stay close to her friends and also to simplify her life. It was time to find another home, and since her heart was in Sun City Grand, she decided to look into The Colonnade.
“I heard about The Colonnade and learned about all of the amenities,” said Marianne. “I thought, ‘Well, that sounds pretty good!’ So I gave up the big house and gained more convenience. I really enjoy the people, the amenities, the friendly staff and the location. Everything is just right for me.”
Did You Know?The gift shops at both Banner Del E. Webb and
Banner Boswell medical centers are owned and
operated by Sun Health, along with two free-
standing Resale and Gift Shops in Sun City West
and Sun City.
You can shop year-round without paying sales tax.
Come visit one of our locations today and benefit
your local hospital. The resale shops also take
your donations. For more information visit
www.sunhealth.org and search Resale & Gift.
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 07
COMMUNITYNEWS
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New Year starts off with much to celebrate
Forty-eight years ago, the Sun City Community Hospital board held its first meeting, which led to the formation of what is now Sun Health. These community leaders were concerned with one thing: creating a high-quality hospital to meet the health care needs of residents in Sun City and surrounding areas.
Today, Sun Health means many things to many people. To some, Sun Health is a philanthropic organization that has invested millions of dollars to support superior health care at Banner Boswell Medical Center, Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center and the Banner Sun Health Research Institute.
To many community members, it’s a valuable resource for health education and health improvement programs offered through the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing.
Sun Health also serves nearly 2,000 patients per year through the award-winning and nationally recognized Care Transitions program. This free program helps patient make a smooth transition from hospital to home and it’s significantly reduced the need to readmit these patients to a hospital.
For more than 700 people living in one of our three communities—Grandview Terrace in Sun City West, La Loma Village in Litchfield Park and The Colonnade in Surprise—Sun Health is “home.”
I’d ask you to think for a moment, “What it would be like if Sun Health didn’t exist?” We owe a great debt of gratitude to the group that raised the first million dollars to build Boswell Memorial Hospital. They planted the seeds that have borne much fruit over the past four and a half decades.
We are proud of our heritage at Sun Health and are constantly looking for ways to enhance the quality of life for those who count on us.
Sun Health is here to serve, now and long into the future.
Sun Health Vision
Ronald D. Guziak President and Chief Executive Officer, Sun Health Senior Living
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 09
Grandview Terrace Resident Joyce Lehner takes Learning to ‘Heart’
Once a month, Grandview Terrace Executive Director Bhakti Gosalia hosts “Breakfast with Bhakti” to keep residents informed of current events and campus happenings, to acknowledge staff achievements and hear about service excellence stories from residents.
During the May 2014 meeting, resident Joyce Lehner addressed the crowd about her experience in recovery from recent open heart surgery; made much easier because she lived at Grandview Terrace (GVT) and took advantage of a “Bone Builders” class offered by GVT’s Fitness Coordinator and Health Coach Katherine McDonnell.
Joyce shared the following – On April 11 I had open heart surgery; it was a completely unexpected event by people that knew me and my doctors. I had no symptoms. I went to Banner Del E Webb Medical Center and was transferred to Banner Boswell to have open heart surgery. It was an experience I had at GVT that really helped me with my recovery from my operation; and being mobile and prepared to go home. I had taken the Bone Builders class by
Katherine McDonnell. A lot of the exercises we did in that class were very helpful.
When you have open heart surgery, you must clutch a pillow to your chest and cannot use your hands for anything. So consequently, you have to depend upon your legs to help you get up from a sitting position and get into bed, and we had done exercises for that exact thing in Katherine’s class by sitting on the edge the chair and rising 15 times, and pausing and doing it again 15 times.
Consequently, I had strengthened my legs to the point when they asked me to do that at the hospital I was immediately able to respond and stand up from the sitting position. The hospital staff were amazed that I could do that, and it simply made the recovery so much easier.
There was also an instance where I was walking with a nurse and I could “hear Katherine” saying in our class when we walk in a circle… “Don’t just move your feet forward, its heel first.” So, I did that. The nurse was watching me closely and I asked her ‘how is that’ and she said to me ‘Oh, that’s good!’
It just all came back to me as to how important it was in that particular class for me, and I will be rejoining the class when I am done with my rehab at Del Webb and they give me the go ahead.
I’d like thank Katherine for her help. It’s just has been a wonderful experience to be here at GVT. I probably would not be alive it we hadn’t been here.
We have been here just over one year. We did not have health problems, but my husband said let’s go look and see.
I said I don’t know it might be a little early. He says no, I don’t think so. He said “let’s go.” We were so glad that we made that decision at that time. Because we had two homes we had to prepare for sale. We said afterwards, I’m not sure if five years later we’d be able to have done it ourselves.
We have lived in Sun City West since 2004. We came to Arizona in 1987 from Illinois and we were working
Culture10
at that time, and worked around different places in the state so we had moved around a number of times. We had friends who were looking for a place to come to, so we just said you go around and case them all out and find out what everybody’s got to offer and you can report to us and we won’t have to do that work. Their recommendation was GVT, and so we were very happy that they do provide medical staff here. We called the EMT immediately when we thought there was a problem. Josh came up and said we need to call paramedics and they came and got me.
Katherine – Bone Builders Instructor
The bone builders class is one of our signature classes here at GVT, it was developed by Miriam Nelson at Tufts University and it was introduced down at La Loma Village. I brought it here to GVT when I came here. It is for osteoporosis. The Bone parts the osteo part and the building part is lifting weights. So we concentrate on lifting weights in that class. We have hand weights and ankle weights that we use. I’ve also thrown in a balance component because I realized how important that is. That wasn’t originally in the class.
I don’t think I have heard of a more direct impact on one of our residents. It’s just fantastic to hear Joyce’s story. The class meets once a week. Participants have asked to add in another day… So I am hoping to be able to fit that into our big schedule here.
It was just a wonderful thing coming here to Grandview Terrace. The people are friendly; you can get help whenever you need it. But I always remember… “Go not looking for friends, but to be a friend.” The people have been so kind. I’ve received many cards after my hospital stay, and it has been a good experience for us being here. - Joyce Lehner
Joyce Lehner (right) stands with Bone Builders Instructor Kathrine McDonnell
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 11
It’s ‘Never 2 Late’ at La Loma
La Loma Care Center (LLCC) now has a wonderful adaptive computer system called It’s Never 2 Late. The company behind it spent four years working with various software and hardware partners to put together adaptive computer systems for older adults in a variety of environments. They put aside preconceived notions of what people can do, or not do, with the mindset of “if the motivation is there to learn, and the proper adaptive tools and training are provided, there are no limits to what can be accomplished.”
This is evident in the success achieved in the first few months one of these systems has been in place at LLCC.
“We’ve been using it since May and have had a very good response from our residents and their families,” Ione Murray, Life Enrichment coordinator, said. “It was exciting to see how interested people were in it from the start and that they took the initiative to learn it on their own.”
Some of the most popular programs and activities include Hearts, Scrabble and watching programs such as The Andy Griffith Show, among others, that allow for time for reminiscing and conversation.
“One thing that really surprised me is that the exercise programs, like yoga, seem to be very popular,” Ione said. “And the families are really interested and engaged in it and want to learn the process to be able to use it with their loved ones. We invite everyone to take advantage and it’s available at all hours of the day.”
With the It’s Never 2 Late system, adaptive technologies allow individuals with sight, tremors, arthritis and cognitive issues to take advantage of technology and enhance quality life. The system has a touch screen monitor, an adaptive keyboard and other things that provide ease of use to enable anyone to become adept quickly.
“It can reach all different types of interests and functioning levels. And it reaches all generations and can be used in group settings, as well as for single use,” Murray said. “It seems like the sky’s the limit and we are so excited to see where it will go.”
Sun Health named ‘Gold Fit-Friendly’ worksite
LeadingAge Arizona isn’t the only organization impressed with Sun Health’s employee wellness offerings. The American Heart Association recently named Sun Health as a 2014 Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite. “Gold-level recipients have shown they place importance on a healthy workplace for employees by taking real steps to create a culture of wellness,” American Heart Association Senior Community Health Director Kerrin Kleinschmidt said. Sun Health received a Fit-Friendly Worksite plaque to commemorate the achievement.
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Grandview Terrace scene of high-rise rescue drill
At seven stories high, Grandview Terrace stands as the tallest building in Sun City West, making it a logical place for the Sun City West Fire Department to test out its high-rise ladder truck.
The department showed up at Grandview in June and went to work. They maneuvered the truck into position and extended the ladder to a sixth-floor hallway window at Grandview. Six of Grandview’s floors are residential. The seventh is storage space.
Next, four firefighters scaled the ladder and set about “rescuing” two people. For safety reasons, one of the rescued was a firefighter dressed as a resident and the second victim was a rescue dummy that simulated an unconscious person.
Dozens of Grandview Terrace’s 300-plus residents gathered outside to watch the drill and cheer the firefighters on. The drill took place the same week that Grandview hosted a Safety and Preparedness Fair for residents, uniquely titled “This Party’s a Disaster.”
Sun Health honored for its role in Greater Phoenix Age-Friendly Network
In June, the Maricopa Association of Governments presented a Desert Peaks Award to Sun Health and 19 other local, regional and state organizations for their involvement in the Greater Phoenix Age-Friendly Network. The network, which identifies opportunities to more fully integrate people aged 60 and over into their communities with people of all ages, was honored in the Public-Private Partnership category.
Sharon Grambow makes list of ‘Who’s Who in Business 2014’
Sun Health Chief Operating Officer Sharon Grambow was recently recognized as a top leader in Who’s Who in Business 2014, a special publication of Republic Media, highlighting the top 10 Arizona companies in 50 business categories, including senior living.
The publication named Grandview Terrace as one of the “top 10 Arizona assisted living facilities” and Sharon as one of the top executives working in the state’s senior living market.
She derives most of her job satisfaction from getting to know residents. In the publication, she’s quoted as saying: “The residents are definitely what I love the most about my work. Coming to work every day and knowing I’m truly making a difference in the lives of people is really fulfilling.” She added that residents often express their gratitude to her and other staff members. “I love that they often end up thinking of us as family.”
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 13
Joy of Living
‘Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy’
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy/fish are jumping’ and the cotton is high…”
Catchy lyrics from famed composer George Gerswhin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess, and subsequently recorded by numerous artists including Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
Just the sound of this memorable song – reminds us of what summer is intended for, relax, renew, refresh.
Our Sun Health Senior Living Communities offer Masterpiece Living®, which contain all the components to relax, renew, refresh during the “hot” summer days and “warm” summer evenings. It’s a way to enjoy each and every day, having the peace of mind that a Life care Community offers. It allows our residents to live the bountiful life intended for vibrant active seniors. Guided by the research on aging, tested for more than three years, committed to measuring outcomes, and focused on the whole person, Masterpiece Living® assists visionary communities who are already leading the industry with their wellness commitment, to become places where residents and staff alike seek to be all they can be.
We invite you to visit one of our beautiful communities, La Loma Village in Litchfield Park, The Colonnade in Surprise or Grandview Terrace in Sun City West. Each one offers the benefits of Life care with a bountiful Lifestyle which includes “Masterpiece Living” for all your summertime enjoyment.
Jackie Lusson Corporate Director of Sales, Sun Health Senior Living
Connect with Jackie: [email protected] (623) 236-3778
“Each Day as I walk through our beautiful Life care communities , The Colonnade, Grandview Terrace and La Loma Village, I am always thankful to be amongst the most beautiful of all – our Residents.” - Jackie Lusson
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It began almost 250 years ago. Men and women coming together to build schools, hospitals and orphanages. Brave women who traveled to the wilds of America to bring health and healing to those working in mines and lumber camps. They worked in the open, in tents and partnered with those being served to build the facilities that would change the landscape of healthcare in America for centuries to come. Wives brought fruit, vegetables, linens and crucial supplies to help care for the sick and injured. It was accomplished entirely through private philanthropy and
lives dedicated to serving others.
Thus, our history shows us that philanthropy is a core value in American culture. Our future shows us that philanthropy will once again become absolutely vital to maintaining our ability to meet the challenges associated with critical cuts in funding as well as meeting the opportunities inherent in the new model of care that is emerging.
Our medical facilities house the people , equipment and programs that save lives; any “profit” is immediately put to use paying salaries, replacing equipment and maintaining critical facilities and programs designed to give everyone the opportunity to live long, healthy lives. Without that margin of “profit” the health providers would not be able to sustain such critically needed services. But as the “margins” continue to shrink, it becomes increasingly apparent that the philanthropy that started so many of our health systems and programs in the past will be the answer to successfully transforming to a renewed emphasis on health.
Health providers continue to honor their long commitments to provide care to everyone in need and have expertly done so in spite of a growing population, rising costs of pharmaceuticals and significant cuts in reimbursement. The promise is kept even amidst increasing pressure
caused by dramatic increases in costs for staff and equipment. In light of this economic environment, it becomes quickly apparent how important philanthropy is to the ability to continually provide the measure of excellence the community expects and that it so richly deserve.
Meeting these challenges and opportunities requires the corresponding resources needed to carry out that mission successfully. A provider’s ability to fulfill its mission requires engagement with and support from community members. Just like in the beginning—partnerships will make the difference.
Everyday across this country in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, senior living homes, and health and wellbeing facilities, thousands of stories of hope, courage and faith unfold. Philanthropy has and will continue to be a key factor in making sure those stories have happy endings. And Sun Health is committed to offering what it takes to cherish your health and all the hope health brings to life.
Joy of Giving
Penny Cowden MPA, CFRE, FAHP Chief Development Officer, Sun Health Foundation
Connect with Penny: [email protected] (623) 832-5330
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 15
Photo of Colonnade Resident Sky Diver Wins International Contest
Earlier this year, Grantmakers in Aging (GIA) announced the selection of 18 winners of its first “Friendly Faces, Friendly Places” international photo contest, supported by the Pfizer Foundation. Out of the 500 photos submitted worldwide, one local photo was announced as a winner. The photo of resident Sharon Vizzini sky diving at age 70, placed second in the “Older and Active” category. The photo was provided by Sun Health Senior Living and submitted by the Greater Phoenix Age-Friendly Network.
Vizzini is a resident of The Colonnade, part of Sun Health Senior Living. Vizzini was inspired to go sky diving after her daughter went and the two soon went sky diving together in October 2012, “I didn’t ever think I’d be jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet. However, my daughter did it…By skydiving, she was facing her fears.” Vizzini says it is never too late to spread your wings, “Don’t limit yourself to things that you have done in the past. If a new great adventure comes along, don’t be afraid to do it. I think you will be really surprised at what you can actually accomplish. You are only limited by your own fears.”
Grantmakers in Aging launched the competition to increase an understanding about what makes communities great places to grow up and grow old. John Feather, GIA CEO shared, “Our winning photographs tell meaningful stories of how older
adults are vitally connected to the life of their cities, towns, and villages in many different parts of the world.”
Ron Guziak, President and CEO of Sun Health, stated, “On all of our campuses, we are committed to supporting people’s dreams and connections to their communities. Individuals like Mrs. Vizzini embody the sense of adventure that actually fulfills their dreams. At Sun Health, we help people live the life they want.”
The winning photographs in the six categories of the competition may be found on the Community AGEnda webpage. Community AGEnda is a national initiative funded by the Pfizer Foundation and administered by Grantmakers in Aging. The Greater Phoenix Age-Friendly Network is one of five sites nationwide participating in the initiative.
News Release distributed by the Maricopa Association of Governments and Sun Health Senior Living.
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Grandview Care Center opens newly remodeled unit
Grandview Care Center Health & Rehabilitation rolled out the red carpet in July for guests who toured the Center’s newly remodeled skilled long term care unit, part of a multi-million-dollar renovation on the center’s campus.
The 36-bed unit features resort-style amenities, life enrichment activities, restaurant-style dining and 24-hour skilled nursing care. Grandview Care Center opened a newly remodeled sub-acute rehab unit in spring. Construction will soon begin on a 16-bed memory support unit.
On a related note: Grandview Care Center - Health & Rehabilitation has been awarded an overall Five-Star Quality Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Five-Star is the highest rating available. Ratings are based on health inspections, staffing and quality measures.
Grandview Care Center
Sun City West (623) 975-8100
The 36-bed unit features resort-style amenities, life enrichment activities, restaurant-style dining and 24-hour skilled nursing care.
A publication for senior living residents & friends of Sun Health 17
Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing offers a ‘healthier you’
Services offered as a benefit to Sun Health Senior Living residents
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly one in two Americans (133 million) has a chronic health condition. With the graying of the U.S. population, that number is expected to rise to about 157 million by 2020. Moreover, a growing number of older adults are being diagnosed with two or more chronic conditions – commonly defined as “conditions that last a year of more, require ongoing medical attention and that limit activities of daily living.” They may include heart and lung illnesses, diabetes and pre-diabetes, or conditions causing memory loss.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that much can be done to help chronically ill people lead healthier and higher-quality lives.
The Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing on the campus of The Colonnade in Surprise exists to help people learn new strategies to self-manage their chronic diseases, improve awareness of their health conditions and assume greater responsibility for their overall wellbeing.
Our services are designed to complement physician treatment plans by providing education and support around lifestyle issues such as proper nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction or smoking cessation. Each client receives personalized care focused on improving knowledge of their condition and engaging them in activities that are appropriate to their situation as well as practical and personally appealing. Additionally, all residents of Sun Health Senior Living receive a Gold Membership to the Center, providing a variety of benefits and services.
Our programs, such as Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) and the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, are based on proven methods vetted by medical research. In addition, our DSMT program is accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and we’re one of only seven sites in Arizona to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program, a Centers for Disease Control-sponsored curriculum for pre-diabetes and the prevention of diabetes.
We’ve assembled a seasoned team of health professionals including a registered dietitian, exercise physiologist and certified health coach, nurse practitioner and certified diabetic educator, and a dementia expert, as well as alternative therapy providers such as a licensed massage therapist and a licensed acupuncturist. The center houses a teaching kitchen, consultation rooms, a massage therapy/acupuncture suite and a community education room.
It’s never too late to improve your health. Even incremental changes can make a difference. The staff at the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing can help you get on the path to better health and wellness. For more information call: 623-832-WELL (9355) or visit www.SunHealthWellbeing.org.
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