FoundationFootprints - The Foundation for Senior Living

Foundation Footprints
News & Impressions from Your Friends at the Foundation for Senior Living
South Mountain Seniors Celebrate Life
Each of FSL’s seven Adult Day
Health Care centers enjoys its own
special traditions based on the ideas
and interests of its seniors. South
Mountain Adult Day Health Care has
for years held an annual prom day,
and this year’s event may have been
the most spirited ever.
In continuous operation for over
30 years, South Mountain was one
of the first adult day care centers
established in Arizona. It serves a
primarily Hispanic working class
population. Families with two working
spouses find South Mountain ADHC
an indispensable partner in caring
for their aging parents, especially
those with physical restrictions
and cognitive impairments. The
families, their seniors and FSL are all
committed to maintaining the dignity
and independence that comes from
living at home with family.
This year’s prom featured a jungle
theme. Recreation Director Frances
Valencia led the South Mountain staff
in applying their special energy and
creativity to transform the center into
a mysterious, magical world. After
months of planning and decorating,
the party was ready, replete with
jungle visuals, a safari photo arbor,
and a spacious dance floor. Music
was provided by Terry Losby, a South
Mountain van driver who kindly
played his “78” rpm recordings of
period music.
To further establish the mood, all
the clients and staff were “dressed to
the nines” in colorful long gowns and
suits and ties.
Guy Mikkelsen who visited for the
day to share the joy and help serve
lunch observed,
“The spirit of our seniors and the
caring of our associates gives us all
a constant reason to celebrate life
and confirms our deepest convictions
about human dignity and the power
of living in community.”
The families, their seniors and FSL are all committed
to maintaining the dignity and independence that comes
from living at home with family.
WinTer 2007

Thunderbird Charities
Fund van Service For FSL SeniorS
FSL seniors and adults with disabilities will be benefiting from
the generosity of Thunderbird Charities, the charitable giving
arm of the Phoenix Thunderbirds, best known as the host
organization for the PGA Tour’s FBR Open. A $60 thousand
grant was used to purchase a wheelchair accessible van that
transports participants to and from FSL’s South Mountain Adult
Day Health Center.
FSL CEO Guy Mikkelsen (left),
Linda Vollstedt and Steve
Matteucci, both Board Members
of Thunderbird Charities.
Annually, FSL provides over
8,000 passenger trips to their
seven Adult Day Health Centers
around the Valley, totaling over
2,000 service hours and 22,000
service miles per year. Currently,
47 seniors are transported to and
from the South Mountain Center
five days a week. “Many have no
alternative transportation and
would otherwise simply not be
able to attend,” says Donna
Albano, Director of the South
Mountain center.
Individuals at each of the Foundation’s Adult Day Health
Centers receive nursing supervision, individualized care
planning, nutritious meals and snacks, restorative therapies
and access to community outings and special events. Seniors
and adults of all ages interact, including those with physical
disabilities, people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, stroke
survivors and seniors who cannot stay at home during the day.
“Like FSL, the Phoenix Thunderbirds strive to help
families and improve their quality of life,” said Laura Kile,
Grant Coordinator for FSL. “This vehicle is just one more way
that we can ease the stress of families who want to place their
loved ones in a professional, loving environment when they
are away from them.”
Heartfelt Thanks and Tax-wiSe GivinG
Sister Joan Marie retires
After a career of over 60 years serving others in
nursing, health administration and education,
Sister Joan Marie Hoffmann, R.S.M. has retired.
She leaves St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical
Center, the most recent beneficiary of her talents,
after 14 years as the Director of Continuing Medical
education. Sr. Joan will continue contributing as
a consultant for St. Joe’s. As she puts it, “I haven’t
cleaned out the closet yet!”
in addition to her continuing service as Secretary
of the FSL Board of Directors, Sr. Joan remains
very active in the Council for the religious of
the Diocese of Phoenix. She recently planned the
Health Awareness for religious conference and
will continue plans for other workshops scheduled
for later in the year. This summer she will teach
biology at Xavier High School.
even in her “spare” time, Sister literally keeps her
hands busy these days by knitting and crocheting.
“I think all of the family now has an afghan,” she
quips. “Now I’m making them for the employee
sale at the hospital.”
Sister Joan’s love of family,
her warmth and caring
dedication are complemented
by her gentle sense of humor.
A story has long circulated
that Sister Joan and her
identical twin sister Jane, also
a religious, have frequently
enjoyed a secret practical joke
by trading places, with none
of their peers ever noticing. Sister Joan clarifies
that such antics were suspended many years ago.
We are left to admire how as only one person Sister
Joan has served so many people and causes so
diligently for so long.
We wish to thank all of the generous individuals and groups who
supported FSL last year with their donations. Your continuing help allows
us to better serve over 27,000 seniors and adults with disabilities each year.
Last year was a very successful one for investors. If you own a highly
appreciated asset such as stocks, bonds or real estate, you may want to
consider gifting the appreciated asset to the Foundation for Senior Living
rather than selling the asset and making a cash contribution.
You’ll benefit from a deduction on your federal income tax and possibly a tax
credit on your Arizona State Income Tax. You will also eliminate a capital gains
tax and, of course, help seniors, adults with disabilities and their caregivers who
are served by the Foundation for Senior Living.
For more information call Bill Myers, Director of Development at 602-285-1800.

FSL Launches
Four new HouSinG iniTiaTiveS
Over the next 48 months 243 seniors
and working class families will move
into newly constructed apartments
and homes that they would normally
not be able to afford. Providing safe
and comfortable housing for deserving
seniors has long been an important
part of FSL’s mission. Currently FSL
operates ten well managed apartment
campuses for seniors throughout
Arizona, bringing community, stability
and dignity for its residents.
Using grants totaling $2.4 million
recently awarded through the Federal
Home Loan Bank of San Francisco,
FSL will be launching four separate
housing programs across the state.
Each will feature use of environmentally
friendly “green” technology that will
result in significantly reduced utility and
maintenance costs. Equally important
will be the use of “universal” design
techniques that promote safety and
ease of use for the elderly and persons
with disabilities.
White Mountain Villas will consist of
55 apartment units for low-income
seniors. The project site is adjacent to
the Show Low Senior Center where
seniors have access to transportation,
counseling, social activities, health
education, and meal and referral
Program Updates
FSL operates ten apartment campuses statewide,
including the Show Low apartments (shown above).
services. Roeser Village II in Phoenix
will include 64 affordable apartment
units for seniors along with an on-site
Community Center offering counseling,
social activities and referral services.
The grants will also fund land
purchase for two single family housing
developments in the City of Nogales.
Ruby Heights Village will offer a rentto-own
program for 63 new single-family
homes, featuring a community center,
swimming pool and day care facility. At
Pena Blanca Village 61 working families
will buy their first homes with the help of
sizable mortgage subsidies that translate
into affordable monthly payments.
FSL CEO Guy Mikkelsen expresses
his sincere appreciation to our member
bank partners – Bank of the West and
Stearns Bank. “Without a doubt,
their involvement helped ensure
successful grant awards for all
four of our applications.”
• On January 16 The Catholic Outreach Center in partnership with the Prince of
Peace Church in Sun City West sponsored two presentations by Richard P. Johnson,
PhD, a nationally recognized author and speaker on spiritual gerontology. The
morning lecture focused on integrating body, mind and spirit and the afternoon talk
addressed the special needs of individuals devoted to care ministries. Attendees also
enjoyed visiting exhibits on a wide range of senior services.
• FSL and its Care By Design in-home services program have launched a media
campaign to build community awareness. Brief spots are appearing on KAET
TV “8”. Also look for CEO Guy Mikkelsen’s monthly column in The Catholic Sun and
his answers to readers’ questions monthly in the Business Journal.
• The FSL Food Bank in Williams, Arizona has received a $1,000 grant from the
Greater Williams Community Fund, an affiliate of the Arizona Community Foundation.
Guy Mikkelsen, Jr., Manager of FSL’s St. Agnes Apartments for seniors opened the
food bank in July 2004 and currently serves 80 to 100 families each week. In 2006,
with $12,000 of direct contributions and strong support from Feed the Children and
Care and Share, the Williams Food Bank distributed over 60 tons of food and other
items to thankful families.
BOard OF direCtOrs 2006-2007
Chair
Commissioner Jeff hatch-Miller
Chairman,
Arizona Corporation Commission
President
Guy G. Mikkelsen
President and CEO,
Foundation for Senior Living
ViCe ChairMan
James e. Brophy iii
Ryley, Carlock and Appelwhite
seCretary
sr. Joan Marie hoffmann, r.s.M.
Director (retired), Continuing
Medical Education, St. Joseph’s
Hospital & Medical Center
treasurer
daniel Collins
Collins, May, Potenza, Baran
& Gillespie, P.C.
earl J. Baker, M.d.
Chief (retired), Medical Services,
St. Vincent De Paul
sam espinosa
Principal, Mercer Consulting
erika Feinberg
Active Forever
Murray t. Gibson
Clinical Manager,
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
andrea Weeks hardin
Consultant
shonna James
President, Shonna James
Communications, LLC
saundra e. Johnson
Vice President, Flinn Foundation
yolanda P. Konopken
Private Consultant
tony richard Lara
Project Engineer, Honeywell
dennis Laraway
St. Joseph’s Hospital
& Medical Center
Most rev. thomas J. Olmsted
Bishop of Roman Catholic
Diocese of Phoenix
donald robinson
Vice President of Planning,
Arizona Public Service
stuart rodie
Vice President, JPMorgan Chase
Jeff smith
Sr. Consultant, Mercer Consulting
“Foundation Footprints” is a
publication of the Foundation
for Senior Living.
COMMents: editor@fsl.org
Foundation Footprints
1201 E. Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85014
602-285-1800 •
602.285.1800 • www.fsl.org

Member
A Message from the CEO dear FriendS ...
The role of family
caregiver can be
exhausting and can
easily lead to stress
and personal illness.
As caregivers we
must therefore seek
ways to balance
our lives and find
time for our own
legitimate needs
1201 E. Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85014
www.fsl.org
Annually, FSL
provides over 8,000
passenger trips to their
seven Adult Day
Health Centers around
the Valley
Our Mission: The Foundation for Senior Living
strives to provide exceptional services, education
and advocacy in order to preserve independence
and enhance the quality of life for all seniors,
adults with disabilities and their caregivers.
Here we are early in a new year with all of the
attendant feelings of energy and hopefulness.
This is a splendid time to consider our individual
strengths and near term challenges.
One challenge that many of us increasingly share
is the role of caregiver. Not just in the general
sense that we watch out for our neighbors and
have concern for the common good, but in a
much more personally committed way.
At FSL we have a mission to be caregivers to
our clients. Because our seniors and adults with
disabilities are so often vulnerable and highly
reliant on our services, FSL’s caregivers approach
their clients on a very human basis and treat them
as they would their own family. FSL caregivers
see their work as a personal vocation and often
develop long lasting relationships with their clients.
Most caregiving, however, is not delivered by a
professional workforce. Over 80% of all long term
care providers are family members or other unpaid
caregivers such as distant relatives, neighbors,
steady volunteers and life-long friends. Within
our own homes and families, a great numbers
of us lovingly support spouses, parents, children
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
and often grandchildren who, due to age, illness
or other special circumstances, cannot function
within the usual norms of independence.
The role of family caregiver can be exhausting
and can easily lead to stress and personal illness.
As caregivers we must therefore seek ways
to balance our lives and find time for our own
legitimate needs. Day time respite centers as well
as in-home care services can provide important
support for loved ones and stability for the entire
family. Caregivers can themselves also benefit
immensely from counseling and support groups.
Always feel free to call FSL at 602-285-1800 for
help or visit us at www.fsl.org for information.
Whatever personal challenges we face this year,
may we all discover the resources we need both
within ourselves and within our shared community.
And may we take care of ourselves so we may
care for others.
With admiration and gratitude,
Non-Profit Org.
U.s. Postage
Paid
Phoenix, AZ
Permit #1133