| 2011 marks the beginning of many positive changes at Providence ElderPlace, including naming a new executive director. Meet Susan Tuller below! We continue to welcome your feedback. If you have any comments, please contact Jenny Kentta at Jenny.kentta@providence.org. |
|
The good news about Adult Family Homes
 Many Providence ElderPlace participants live in adult family homes. One of these, Eastside Best Care in Bellevue, stands out for the way it promotes residents' engagement in life.
Owner Stacy Zhong routinely takes her residents - who range in age from 82 to 90 - to church, shopping, or on outings like the circus or to see the tulips blooming in the spring.
But their favorite activities center on food. "Everybody loves to sit together, enjoying good food and conversation," said Zhong, who opened her adult family home a little under six months ago.
All her residents are from China, said Zhong, who is also originally from Southern China.
Whenever possible, Zhong enables her residents to showcase their talents. "For example, we have one resident who loves to make dumplings, so we have her teach us how to make the dumplings," Zhong said. "We make dumplings every other week. Everybody loves it."
Zhong became interested in elder care after volunteering in nursing homes. She is matter-of-fact about recent press coverage of poorly run adult family homes. "It's like any business," Zhong said. "There are good businesses that are in very high demand and there are bad businesses that need to be closed."
She has one resident who is a current participant in ElderPlace and is impressed with the center's all-inclusive level of care. "I love that place - they give such good service," Zhong said, "so I'm recommending another resident to join."
back to top > |
|
|
Meet new ElderPlace Executive Director Susan Tuller
 There's a new friendly face at Providence ElderPlace: Susan Tuller has been named executive director of the Seattle program. Tuller replaces Ellen Garcia, who has become executive director of Providence ElderPlace in Portland, Ore.
Tuller began on Jan. 3 after working at ElderPlace part-time for two months. She has been with the Providence family since 2003 as the administrator at Providence Health & Services' Vashon Community Care Center and previously held various positions with Group Health Cooperative.
With a mother who was a certified nursing assistant, Tuller grew up in nursing homes and around elders. "It was very much a part of our culture to be at the nursing home," Tuller said. After graduating from Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in Russian and Soviet Studies and serving a stint in the Peace Corps, Tuller became a teacher and in the summers worked at various nursing or senior-care facilities providing personal care for residents.
"That's when I got the idea that I could do a better job running these places than the people I worked for" and decided to return to school to get a master's degree in health administration, Tuller said. "I figured, who's going to hire a high school teacher" to run their nursing facility, Tuller laughed.
She received her master's degree in health administration from the University of Washington and while there took courses from Charles (Chuck) Hawley, Providence's director of long-term care services. Tuller worked at Group Health for more than a decade when she learned about Vashon's Community Care Center administrator position.
Her work at Group Health included long-term care management, so working with elders was a good fit, she said.
Tuller is enthusiastic about Providence Elderplace's Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE), which she said is especially vital now as Medicare and Medicaid face declining budgets.
"(PACE) is needed now more than ever" because of its ability to coordinate care and operate more efficiently than traditional care models, Tuller said. "It allows providers to really work as a team with the participant and their families to keep the participant in the community."
back to top >
|
|
Meet participant Irene Hull
No one would fault Irene Hull if she rested on her laurels. At age 97, she has certainly earned her right to take it easy and focus on herself.
Yet Hull thought nothing of helping others this past holiday season when she wrote a few cards to other elders - those who are housebound and might need a little extra cheering up. "They were people who were not able to get out and not get around, so we just wished them happy holidays," said Hull, matter-of-fact.
Hull lives at Heritage House at the Market, a Providence assisted-living facility located in the heart of Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. While Hull says she has some difficulty these days going down stairs, she manages to get out of the house regularly. She is most passionate about her involvement with the Coalition of Labor Union Women, of which she has been a member since its founding in 1974. She still attends regular monthly meetings.
Hull visits Providence ElderPlace at least once a week and enjoys the variety of activities at the center, such as writing the cards. She and a handful of other ElderPlace participants wrote 30 cards to fellow elders who are in nursing homes or in other housing situations and can't make it to the center.
"It really wasn't much, but I know that when I get a card from somebody it's kind of nice to know that somebody's thinking about you," Hull said.
back to top > |
A day in the life of a Personal Care Attendant
By Kassu Keralla
As a Providence ElderPlace personal care attendant, I handle participants' personal needs. My main work involves escorting participants to and from their activities and appointments at both ElderPlace centers - either the original center on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South in South Seattle, or the new center at Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle. I also help with grooming, such as trimming nails, shaving, toileting and even bathing participants when necessary.
At times, I or one of the other ElderPlace personal care attendants will travel on the vans to help transport participants to and from their homes to the centers. As a certified nursing assistant (CNA), I am trained and licensed by the state to care for the participants I help.
I find the work very rewarding. I enjoy helping people, many of whom are facing losses in their lives. Some have lost family members; others have lost their ability to walk, speak, or other functions. I am trained to do as much as I can to help them, to help replace some of what they have lost. It's an important job that I feel fortunate to have.
back to top > |
|
|
|
|
What is
Providence ElderPlace?
Providence ElderPlace is an innovative program of health care and social services for older adults. Our model of care
is known as PACE
(Program for All Incluisive Care for the Elderly).
PACE programs keep
older adults as healthy
as possible in the community by providing comprehensive health
care and social services including: primary and specialty medical care,
a day health program, social work services, rehabilitation, housing
and much more.
4515 MLK Jr Way S,
Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98108
Phone: (206) 320-5325
Fax: (206) 320-5326
Driving Directions >
Email Us >
Visit our website! >
|
Wish List
Do you have any items
to donate? If you have
any of the items listed below please email
Susan Disman or call
206-320-5325.
- Stuffed animals
- Art supplies
- Personal care items
- Digital movie editing software
- Playing cards
- Hand-held electronic games
- Headphones
- Kinnect games
- Sweatpants (L, XL, XXL)
- Socks
|
|
Providence O'Christmas Trees raises $1 million!
Thank you to everyone who made Providence O'Christmas Trees a huge success. Guests helped raise $1 milliion to benefit seniors and others served by Providence ElderPlace and other Providence Senior and Community Services programs.
Mark your calendar for this year's event:
A Family Affair Treeview
Monday Nov. 28, 2011
Silver Bells Luncheon Tuesday Nov. 29, 2011
Gala Dinner and Auction
Wednesday Nov. 30, 2011
For more information, go here. |
|
