Bethany

WE HAVE MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR

BY DENNIS SEVER, CEO & ADMINISTRATOR at BETHANY HOME BRANDON

Brief A publication for residents, staff & friends of Bethany Home & Bethany Meadows Winter 2013

BETHANY LUTHERAN FOUNDATION—

SUPPORTING RESIDENTS AND STAFF

BY TREVOR GUTHMILLER, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

This year we celebrated our first

anniversary at Bethany Home Bran-

don and ten great years of growth

for Bethany Meadows in Brandon.

In addition, we welcomed many new

staff members including Greg An-

derson, Chief Financial Officer as

well as Chaplain Mary Sacco. Pastor

Tranberg semi-retired and now works at Bethany Home

Sioux Falls two days a week. Bethany’s ministry is filled

with dedicated employees who are “caring for the body and

the spirit” which makes Bethany a truly special organiza-

tion. We thank God for our Bethany family and his bless-

ings on our mission and ministry.

All of this growth in our Bethany family can be seen in

some very specific ways. Bethany’s overall occupancy has

grown to 283 residents, and we now have 268 employees

caring for these residents. Bethany Home Sioux Falls

earned the Bronze Award of Excellence from the American

Health Care Association. This is a huge achievement, as

only 6 nursing homes in South Dakota received this award

in 2013. The Brandon Valley Chamber of Commerce hon-

ored Bethany as their “2012 Business of the Year”. Former

Governor Michael Rounds, State Senator Shantel Krebs,

and State Representative Jenna Haggar toured Bethany

Home and Bethany Meadows because we were chosen as

one of Brandon’s four growth companies. I want to thank

all of the people who have supported Bethany and made our

ministry possible.

From the beginning, our owner churches and congrega-

tion members, our residents and families, as well as the

countless people from our communities, have all contribut-

ed gifts of time, talents, and treasures to make Bethany such

a truly special place. Many people visit both BHSF and

BHB and are very impressed with the amenities and are

amazed by the extensive waiting list, so it may be hard to

believe that, despite our many blessings, we continue to

seek donations. We are such a strong organization because

of the generous support of so many people. The gifts of

land, such as the Nelson farm, the gifts of houses, furniture,

vehicles, cash, and estate gifts are used to further our mis-

sion of “caring for the body and the spirit.” Now we are

focusing on additional renovations at BHSF; however, we

have reached our borrowing limit and are asking for dona-

tions, gifts, grant monies, and pledges. Please consider

Bethany when making estate plans or remembrance be-

quests. We have much to be thankful for!

The Bethany Lutheran Founda-tion was created to raise funds to support Bethany residents. We support a lot of

programs that benefit our residents. For example, the Bethany Foundation pro-vided one-half the funds to purchase the Bethany transportation van that is used for everything from taking skilled care residents to their medical appointments

to taking independent and assisted living residents on trips to the store, or for sightseeing in the country.

Just this past year, the Bethany Foun-dation purchased two big screen televi-sions for Bethany Home in Sioux Falls. Those TVs, located in the upstairs lounge and the lower level dining/activity room, allow residents to watch movies and sports with their friends and neighbors. They have helped improve socialization.

Story Continued... “Foundation” Page 5

▲Bethany Meadows resident Bob

Schmid poses by his portrait on the

“Wall of Heroes” during the Veter-

ans Art Exhibit opening on Bethany’s

Brandon campus Nov. 5, 2013.

At Bethany

Meadows in

2013, we cele-

brated our 10-

year anniver-

sary, built and

sold ten Garden

Home units,

and have bene-

fited greatly

from last year’s addition of Main

Street, the Wellness Center, and Betha-

ny Home Brandon.

The Garden Home Community is

vibrant, where more than 70 residents

occupy the 42 current units. The resi-

dents exercise in the fitness center,

volunteer in our country store, and par-

ticipate in various activities at Bethany

Meadows. They play piano at our

church services, lead sing-a-longs on

Wednesday nights, and assist with

lawn care through the summer months.

A recent ‘Resident Satisfaction Sur-

vey’ indicated that residents are “more

than satisfied” with the care, atmos-

phere, and overall environment at

Bethany Meadows. As stated on one

survey, “we thank you for your kind-

ness, consideration, and immediate

help in solving any problems. You

should change the name here to

‘Bethany Meadows Senior Resort’”.

We are grateful for the sense of com-

munity created and carried out by our

residents and staff.

Our 10-year anniversary celebration

consisted of high energy and excited

participation, with dress up days and

special events throughout the week of

Sept. 30 – October 4, 2013. Mogen’s

Heroes provided dance music during a

free grillout on October 3rd; The First

National Bank in Sioux Falls spon-

sored free bingo, and Mayor Beesley

as well as a large group of Brandon

Valley High School students com-

memorated the week with special vis-

its. See our Facebook page (“Bethany

Meadows”) for photos and updates

from the anniversary event and events

throughout the year.

Because of last year’s addition to

Bethany’s Brandon campus, our resi-

dents now have a greater variety of

options for exercise, dining, shopping,

banking, activities and therapy. On the

resident satisfaction survey, respond-

ents said, “the wellness center and ex-

ercise classes are a great addition” as

well as “we love to eat at Grandma’s

Deli!” Bethany’s Physical and Occu-

pational Therapists serve Bethany

Meadows residents as well as inpa-

tients and outpatients at Bethany

Home. Providing additional services to

meet residents’ needs and desires, both

in Sioux Falls and Brandon, helps us

fulfill the health ministry of Bethany.

We are always grateful for the sup-

port of families, residents, and other

advocates of Bethany. This year, the

Bethany Foundation assisted us with

activities, building improvements and

special programs for the Veterans and

other residents. We take seriously the

importance of being good stewards of

the time, talent and treasure entrusted

to us. We are appreciative of the op-

portunity to be part of the health minis-

try team at Bethany, and thank you for

your support.

BETHANY MEADOWS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

BY JANE GULLICKSON, BETHANY MEADOWS ADMINISTRATOR

Visit www.bethanymeadows.org &

www.mybethanyhome.org for current photos

& activities calendars!

Also, find and “like” us

on facebook!

▲ Bethany Meadows resident Mardella Cook poses with her daughter, Onalee

Wright, at the 10-year Anniversary Celebration in October.

Thanks to

the great work

and dedication

of our employ-

ees, Bethany

Home Sioux

Falls has been

recognized as a

2013 recipient

of the Bronze

Commitment to Quality award for our

commitment to improving the lives of

our residents through improved quality

care. This award is one of three distinc-

tions possible through the National

Quality Award program, presented by

the American Health Care Association

and the National Center for Assisted

Living (AHCA/NCAL). The program

honors facilities across the nation that

have demonstrated their commitment to

improving quality care for seniors and

individuals with disabilities.

Mark Parkinson, President and CEO

of AHCA/NCAL, states that “In an age

of changing health care, Bethany

Home Sioux Falls remains committed

to prioritizing quality care above all

else…Bethany Home Sioux Falls

serves as an example of what can be

accomplished when facility staff mem-

bers commit to person-centered care.”

At Bethany, our commitment to person-

centered care means that we care for the

whole person, body and spirit. Achiev-

ing the Bronze Quality Award is one

measure of our success with this. Our

success is also demonstrated by resident

satisfaction with the overall quality of

life they have at Bethany. Recent feed-

back from our residents is positive to-

ward this end. Average satisfaction

scores reflect a “very good” rating in all

areas of care and service delivery.

An individualized, organized activi-

ties program is at the heart of a quality

lifestyle for our residents. Maintaining

our commitment to person-centered

care means that we ensure activities are

appealing to the individual interests of

each resident. As baby boomers are

beginning to utilize our services, we are

finding the need to change our activity

programming to better meet the needs

of this generation. We recently con-

ducted a survey of our boomer residents

and found that they prefer

their Kindles, hand held

electronics, and TV talk

shows. As a result, we

make sure that they have

time for these individual-

ized activities. Our find-

ings also reveal that musi-

cal performances and

guest speakers are a com-

mon interest for residents

of all generations. Recent-

ly we hosted two such

events: a Halloween party

where staff wowed the

crowd with costumes, and

a rock and roll show featuring an Elvis

tribute band.

Our commitment to “Caring for the

body and spirit” of every Bethany resi-

dent also supports our dedication to

person-centered care. At Bethany, we

understand that spirituality is an inte-

gral part of each of our residents’ lives.

Our increase in chaplaincy allows us to

nurture and respect the spiritual needs

of every resident whether it is through

one-on-one support, prayer, worship

services, or small group studies.

We are honored by the award that

we have been given for our commit-

ment to quality. However, our true re-

ward is our ability to care for our resi-

dents in such a way that we become

family. There is nothing more precious

than the privilege of sharing laughter

and tears as we care for the “whole”

person – body and spirit.

ACHIEVING QUALITY THROUGH A COMMITMENT TO PERSON-CENTERED CARE

BY DEBORAH HERRBOLDT, ADMINISTRATOR AT BETHANY HOME SIOUX FALLS

▲ BHSF Director of Nursing Kim Jorgenson presents

BHSF resident Merle Driggs with a personalized veterans

day quilt at a Veterans Day program. BHSF leaders do-

nated the photography, printing, fabric and time to

make this program special for the BHSF veterans.

▲ CEO Dennis Sever & BHSF Administra-

tor Deborah Herrboldt display the

‘Bronze Award’, garnered by BHSF.

Congratulations!

Bethany Lu-

theran Home for

the Aged has

firmly set its

foundation on

faith. From the

beginning, the

six churches that

united to meet a

need for aging

men and women

in the community began their journey

with deep faith in God. Bethany has

built its house on the “rock.” Their com-

mitment to the faith and spiritual life of

both residents and staff is visible in the

expansion of the chaplaincy program.

Rev. Dr. Mary A. Sacco was called to

serve as a full-time chaplain and began

her position in July. Her primary respon-

sibility is to provide spiritual care for the

residents and staff at Bethany Meadows

and Bethany Home Brandon. Rev. Den-

nis Tranberg continues to serve as chap-

lain at Bethany Home Sioux Falls.

Vast opportunities for Chaplain Mary

were open for exploration in Brandon

and quickly, she was integrated into the

administrative teams, working closely

with the nursing staff and activity direc-

tors to provide integrated spiritual care

for residents.

The religious needs of residents are

faithfully met by the chaplain as well as

by the local clergy. Weekly, the local

Roman Catholic priest says Mass on our

campus; also, rotating local Protestant

pastors lead Sunday church services,

with an average attendance of 50. Many

of our Bethany Meadows residents con-

tinue to attend their home churches for

worship and spiritual care. The role of

the chaplain is not to replace the resi-

dents’ clergy, but rather is to help facili-

tate that connection.

As a member of the care team, the

chaplain provides insight into the spiritu-

al needs the resi-

dent may be fac-

ing; these needs

may include feel-

ings of loss or

grief, depression

or disinterest,

hopelessness or

despair. In addi-

tion, the chaplain

empowers resi-

dents to experi-

ence connection,

companionship,

self-esteem, pur-

pose and mean-

ing.

More than a

dozen Bethany

Meadows residents comprise the quilting

group “A Stitch and A Prayer”, led by

Chaplain Mary. Group members ironed,

cut, and sewed to create seven Quilts of

Valor for wounded veterans. Bethany

Meadows has one sewing machine and

staff have donated their machines for the

group to use. The group has also made

24 lap quilts for the residents in Bethany

Home Brandon. All of the fabric for

these quilts has been donated by Chap-

lain Mary Sacco and her friend Mary

Ehrichs. The group hopes to resume

making more Quilts of Valor in January

and are asking for donations of fabric or

money, which would be used to pur-

chase fabric or new, identical sewing

machines.

Chaplain Mary is also filling in where

needed and developing new programs

for staff and residents. New programs

include devotional cards for bedside ser-

vices and nursing in-services regarding

issues with resident deaths and loss. She

leads three Chaplain Activity Groups;

two are specifically for Memory Care

residents. Many supporters donated

stuffed animals, which have been used

for lessons discussing God’s Creation,

Noah’s Ark, or personal storytelling. She

provides a brief morning devotion and

prayer over the PA system, leads prayer

and devotion groups, and teaches a Bible

study. Chaplain Mary teaches USF nurs-

ing students and assists at BHSF, where

she leads Sunday Worship a few times

each month.

As Bethany continues its ministry to

serve the aged, we will continue to seek

God’s guidance and wisdom. The solid

foundation set years ago continues to

serve us today as we are intentional in

providing spiritual care for our residents

and staff.

THE SPIRIT IS MOVING AT BETHANY BY REV. DR. MARY A. SACCO, BETHANY CHAPLAIN

▲ Bethany Meadows residents Bert Cohlman (left) and Marge

Perry (right) make Quilts of Valor as part of the ’A Stitch and A

Prayer’ group.

“Everyone then who

hears these words of

mine and does them

will be like a wise man

who built his house on

the rock”

Matthew 7:24

...At BHB in the past year, we pur-chased outdoor patio furniture so that residents and their families could enjoy the outdoors. At Bethany Meadows, the Founda-tion has done everything from purchas-ing medical equipment to installing an automatic door to our courtyard to help our residents use that feature safely. Consider a donation to Bethany today to help us move forward. Arts and Crafts At BHB we have started a painting class, and have found many residents who love to paint. We received a grant to get our first art supplies, but now we need more paints and canvases to con-tinue the program. At Bethany Meadows, our residents have been making quilts for wounded servicemen and women. Quilting is expensive, and we could use more funds for fabric and supplies.

Living the Dream At BHSF, one of our best programs has been the staff-led “Living the Dream” program. For this program, Bethany staff identify something a res-ident likes but may not have the funds or support system to do. Through this program, we have tak-en residents to things like shows at the Pavilion and helped them plan big par-ties for their friends and relatives. Our staff has embraced this program, but it is totally reliant on your donations to keep it going. Your Estate Plan Matters Bethany is what it is today because of the support we received in the past. The donation of land near Brandon resulted in our Bethany Meadows ex-pansion, but there are many other ex-amples as well. For example, a couple of years ago when switching to electronic medical

records, we found the cost of the sys-tem including the computers and the wiring of BHSF was way more than we had available. However, just as we were getting to the point of deciding which way to go, we were notified of a friend who had left Bethany a portion of their estate, to the tune of around $70,000. This gift helped us make the switch to electronic medical records, which has been a blessing for both our staff and residents. We still think of that friend today when we are thankful for all the things our electronic medi-cal records program allows us to do. You can help us out today by using the form on the back, or in the Betha-ny donation envelope. Please consider adding Bethany to your estate plan as well. It all matters! Please feel free to contact me any-time at (605) 261-8824 or via email at trevor@bethanylutheranhome.com.

FOUNDATION: PROJECTS BENEFIT RESIDENTS & STAFF … continued from page 1

The Bethany Wellness

Center continues to

flourish at Bethany’s

Brandon campus with

many improvements

and perks:

Increased Night Pool

Times. The pool is

now open for buddy

swim Monday

through Thursday until 10:00pm. To ensure everyone’s

safety, buddy rules will be enforced at all times.

New Classes. AquaFloat includes learning new exercises

while floating with the assistance of a pool noodle or an

AquaJogger belt. B.M.B. (Bethany Muscle Builders) is

making a new appearance to our schedule. This group will

meet in the fitness center and will be a 30 minute class

where participants utilize machines.

Massage Therapy. Jessica Lund, LPN/LMT provides a

broad array of techniques to help your muscles relax and

give your body a break. To schedule, call 605-582-5200.

We continue to encourage and listen to the suggestions

that the members of the wellness center offer. While we

can’t add everything at once, we continue to add new clas-

ses, increase workout times, and add new options for

memberships to challenge individualized target areas. Be-

ginning January 1, 2014, all memberships will include the

pool and whirlpool, aerobics classes and fitness center—

there will no longer be 3 levels of membership. Residents/

Staff Single Memberships = $10/month or Couples= $15/

month. Community Single=$20 or Couple=$30.

It is great to see friendships form at the wellness center,

too. I’d also like to say a special THANK YOU to the

Bethany Foundation for helping the wellness center to

purchase more water dumbbells. The Bethany Wellness

Center is a great place to come and find your best self,

meet others, and workout!

WELLNESS CENTER ADDS CLASSES, HOURS

BY SAMI PARKS, BETHANY WELLNESS DIRECTOR

▲ Wellness Director Sami Parks leads exercise class at Bethany’s Brandon campus.

Phone:

605-261-8824

E-mail:

trevor@bethanylutheranhome.com

Website:

www.foundationforbethany.org

3008 E. Aspen Blvd.

Brandon, SD 57005

Bethany Lutheran

Foundation

Bill Me

Method of Payment:

Credit Card #

Signature

Exp. date

Check

Name

Address

Phone

Master Card

VISA

___$1000

___$500

___$250

___$100

___$50

___$25

___$_______

( fill in amount)

Please use Where Needed Most

Please use to Support Bethany Home Sioux Falls

Please use to Support Bethany Home Brandon

Please use to Support Bethany Meadows

Please use for the Living the Dream Program

Yes, I would like to make a donation to help Bethany this Christmas!!

Please use for Quilting and Art Supplies

CVV Number Thank you for your help!

Contribution Amount:

Jim Vortherms, President

Jim Sanden, 1st Vice President

Denis Andersen, 2nd Vice President

Ann Marie Beesley, Secretary

Ron Person, Treasurer

Pastor Amy Martinell, Pastoral Advisor

Pastor Sue Grinde, Pastoral Advisor

Arlen Hawes

Pastor Lori Hope

Pastor Kevin Jensen

Kersten Johnson

Rhonda Kemmis

Nancy Kremin

Dennis Pearson

Lillian Pearson

BETHANY BOARD

OF DIRECTORS

Thank you for your service! www.foundationforbethany.org

Bethany Home Sioux Falls

1901 South Holly

Sioux Falls, SD 57105-2499

605-338-2351

www.mybethanyhome.org

Bethany Meadows

3008 E. Aspen Blvd.

Brandon, SD 57005

605-582-8622

www.bethanymeadows.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Bethany Home Brandon

3012 E. Aspen Blvd.

Brandon, SD 57005

605-582-5200

www.mybethanyhome.org

City

State/ ZIP