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Methodist Senior Services celebrate innovation and hope |
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Saturday, 06 September 2008 |
The “Sunday Fund” isn’t reflective of its mission or the ministry, according to Steve Vinson, vice president for Development of the Methodist Senior Services.
“Sunday Fund doesn’t say anything about what it is or what it does,” Vinson told the West Point Luncheon Civitan Club at their Sept. 3 meeting.
The ministry provided by the Sunday Fund allows MMSS to maintain its policy of providing care for the elderly regardless of the person’s ability to pay for the services. According to Vinson, 100 percent of the Sunday Fund is used to subsidize elderly care.
“For more than 40 years, we have been able to keep one fundamental commitment,” said Vinson. “We don’t ask an elder to leave our campus when they run out of money.”
The Tupelo-based MMSS operates 12 campuses, with two in West Point — the Henry Clay Retirement Community and Dugan Nursing Home.
The mission of MMSS is simple: To serve older adults in the spirit of Christian love.
“We do what we do because Christ calls us to care for and respect our elders,” said Vinson, an ordained minister who has a “special connection” to Civitan.
“It was in a Civitan meeting in 1971 on the campus of MSCW that I accepted Christ and my call to the ministry,” Vinson said. “Civitan has had a vital role in my life.”
Vinson also explained the “green houses” MMSS has developed. With an ongoing commitment to providing a meaningful environment for elders, MMSS decided to pursue a unique approach to delivering care, based upon the Eden principles developed by Dr. William Thomas. The concept is intended to de-institutionalize nursing home life and provide a “warm, green and smart” environment where elders can engage in meaningful life activities, thereby eliminating the plagues of “loneliness, helplessness and boredom”.
Homes are designed to accommodate 10 — 12 elders each in private rooms with private bathrooms surrounding a large living area called “the Hearth,” complete with fireplace, open kitchen with breakfast bar and a large family-style dining table sized to seat 12 persons. The relationship of the private rooms to the Hearth allows the elders to easily control their own level of social engagement by closing their own door for privacy, opening their door to observe activities in the Hearth, or to join the group and engage in various activities of life such as menu planning, preparation of meals — or at least watching, setting the table and recreational activities. Vinson said the newest green house will open in Yazoo City and one is being considered for West Point.
MMSS provides complete care, from personal care, independent living such as the Henry Clay Retirement Community, assisted living and skilled nursing home care, like Dugan Nursing Home.
“We believe God has called us to provide services for the average Mississippian,” said Vinson.
Another service offered by MMSS is CareLink.
“One of the greatest concerns the elderly have is for their safety,” said Vinson. “Most older people have problems with their medications. They forget to take it or they may take it incorrectly.”
With CareLink a medication dispenser can be connected, which reminds the person to take the medicine verbally and notifies the named care provider if the dose is missed.
“If after two alerts the person does not take their medicine, CareLink automatically drops it into a locked compartment so there is no danger of them taking a double dose,” said Vinson.
Unlike some systems, CareLink does not require a long-term contract and is affordable, with costs starting at $1 a day.
One special feature of CareLink is the ability to function as a hands-free telephone.
“After the second ring, the device will function as a hands-free telephone which can be answered from anywhere within the house,” said Vinson.
By providing the CareLink device, the elderly can remain in their own home, said Vinson, as opposed to being placed in a nursing home for safety reasons.
“A lot of people can’t afford or don’t want to leave their home,” said Vinson.
For more information on MMSS, visit their website at www.mss.org.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 September 2008 )
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