Community activities offer entertainment, education and support

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES OFFER ENTERTAINMENT, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT

There’s never a shortage of things to do around Lawrence Presbyterian Manor. Take a look at some of the recent events we’ve hosted and what’s scheduled for the calendar over the next month. We invite you to join us for an activity and bring a friend. There’s something for everyone!

TRIVIA NIGHT

Lawrence Presbyterian Manor hosted its first Trivia Night in January for residents and can’t wait to do it again! Due to great attendance, we plan on hosting this event the last Tuesday of every month.

“We have heard nothing but great things from the residents about how much fun they had and how they are looking forward to doing it again next month. We hope to have an even bigger crowd next time,” said Curtis Jones, sales and marketing director at Lawrence Presbyterian.

Residents, friends and people from the Lawrence area are welcome to join us for the next Trivia Night on Tuesday, March 31. The March event has been cancelled. We will announce on Facebook about the event in April. Contact Curtis at 785-841-4262 or cjones@pmma.org for more info.

LEGAL SEMINAR

Earlier this year, the Presbyterian Manor hosted a legal seminar on estate planning and asset protection within the blended family. Attorneys Ryan Foley and Cory Upson with the Shepherd Elder Law Group gave a presentation on the topic and answered questions during this free lunch event.

“This is a very relevant topic because blended families are very common. Often times with blended families, opposition between the two can develop easier than within the original family. Because dissension within blended families is more common than first families, it is even more important to have your wants and plans for your financial future very clearly mapped out,” said Curtis.

Presbyterian Manor plans to host another legal seminar in the future. If you have a topic you’d like to have considered for this type of event, contact Curtis at 785-841-4262 or cjones@pmma.org.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Starting in May, a caregiver support group is planned to meet every month at the Presbyterian Manor in partnership with Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), a grass roots, community-based organization that has served the Lawrence and Douglas County community for over 50 years.

“VNA offers home health, hospice and Help at Home, a private duty division of VNA. Our goal is to provide all of the services an individual may need if remaining at home,” said Jill Craft, community outreach specialist with Visiting Nurses Association. “VNA and Lawrence Presbyterian Manor both care deeply for the seniors in our community. We both provide exceptional physical care to our clients, and we both feel we could do more to support the emotional side of growing older. Aging is a difficult transition for both the individual and the ones who love and support them. As a joint team, we have a plethora of support services to offer our community. As they say, two heads are better than one. Why not two organization are better than one?!”

Kim Trupia, social services director at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, added, “Visiting Nurses Associations bring with them expertise in the grieving process in general. This can be more than just grieving a death of a loved one. It can be grieving the loss of a role or identity, loss of the loved one’s personality, etc. They are usually involved at a time when a loved one is in need of a great amount of care.”

The meetings may start with a brief informational session on the topic for the evening followed by a discussion where attendees will be encouraged to talk openly about the topic. Monthly meetings may touch on such topics as dementia, coping with the holidays or changes in roles (i.e. an adult child becoming caregiver for a parent).

“I think this support group will evolve as we continue to work together – but the general idea of offering support, resources and an outlet to individuals and caregivers as they navigate the aging process is that it can never happen too often (in terms of availability). There will always be new issues seniors face, and we want to be there to support them however we can. With the diversity of our two organizations and the wealth of resources we have access to, our combined knowledge and experience should be able to help tackle any issue that comes up during a session,” said Craft.

Caregivers from the community as well as family members of residents are invited to attend the first session at 6:30 p.m. May 21. To RSVP, contact Jill Craft with VNA at jill.craft@kansasvna.org or Curtis at 785-841-4262 or cjones@pmma.org.

BRINGING DOWN THE MOB

Join retired FBI agent and author, William Ouseley, for Bringing Down the Mob – the latest installment in Lawrence Presbyterian Manor's Just Ask lifelong learning series – Tuesday, March 24, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. A light lunch will be provided. This event has been postponed. We will announce a new date when it is determined. Contact Curtis at 785-841-4262 or cjones@pmma.org for more info.

William Ouseley spent more than 20 years working against the Civella crime family with the organized crime squad in the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office. He would eventually serve as supervisor on the Operation Strawman case. This case, popularized by the 1995 film CASINO, involved the Mob infiltration of the Nevada gaming industry which resulted in the illegal “skimming” of millions of dollars from a number of Las Vegas casinos.

You’ll learn all about the Operation Strawman case and its Kansas City connection. Space is limited and RSVP is required. RSVP by Tuesday, March 17, to Curtis Jones at 785-841-4262 or cjones@pmma.org.