Get Healthy and Come to the free exercise class.
Click here and watch a short clip.
A day in the life of Faith’s Parish Nurse.
Parish Nurse - Ellen Van Arsdale
Ellen Van Arsdale began as the Parish Nurse at Faith Presbyterian Church. Ellen brings to her job a wealth of experience. Besides being a registered nurse, she holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in nursing with an emphasis on community health. She had previously work for five as the Parish Nurse at Desert Palms Presbyterian Church in Sun City West.
At 9:30 on Monday and Wednesday she lead a free exercise class in Illingworth Hall. The class is open to anyone in the community. Wilma McDaniel was one of the people taking advantage of the session. “It’s good that it’s free. At my age, I can’t spend money on exercise classes”, said Mrs. McDaniel. More than the usual number of people were there. “Ellen gave us a rubber ball so we could exercise our arthritic hands at home”, said Mrs. McDaniel. To demonstrate how the simple device could loosen stiff finger joints, she held a small red rubber ball in hand and squeezed repeatedly.
Right after exercise class on this particular day, Parish Nurse Ellen moved to the Council Room where she conducted a seminar on the booklet “Five Wishes” that guides a person on end of life issues. The “Five Wishes” booklet provides questions and forms to help individuals determine their final, end of life wishes. Copies of the “Five Wishes” booklet are available through Ellen or the church office. She also has done programs for the Presbyterian Women, other groups in the church, and for several community groups.
All this comes easy to Ellen who has exceptional credentials. She brings with her years of varied professional experience and academic accomplishment. She holds degrees from the University of Iowa and Boston College. She has taught nurses at St. Anselm’s in Manchester, N.H., Boston College, Creighton University in Omaha, and Western Michigan University. She has been a visiting nurse, a hospice nurse, a school nurse, an administrator of patient services and most recently parish nurse at Desert Palms Presbyterian Church in Sun City West.
Lightbeams Low Vision Support Group is a group for those with vision impairment or those who want more information about living with vision impairment. Join us on the second Thursday each month in the Iona Room. You are invited to join the group for a light lunch to follow, $2.50 suggested donation for a sandwich. Any questions call the Church Office 623-974-3611.
Pastoral Care at Faith
At Faith Presbyterian Church there are four persons that share in the pastoral care responsibilities (Dave Van Arsdale, Gloria Sannermark, Dale McCurdy and Ellen Van Arsdale). We have some assistance from a Stephen Minister and the Deacons. Those who do pastoral care are in touch with each other almost every day including the weekends. The policy of releasing names to churches by Banner Health has changed. Faith Church will no longer be receiving the “faxed” list. If you or someone you know is a patient at any hospital other than the former “Sun Health” hospitals, the Church Office needs to be notified by a friend or family member as we will no longer receive notice from the hospital.
Often things change from the early morning fax to the normal visitation time in the afternoon. We sometimes find members in the Emergency Room. Dave does the visitation on Saturday with Gloria and Ellen making the visits on Sunday. Our Parish Nurse, Ellen Van Arsdale, regularly follows up with people who have been hospitalized, with the help of Dale, Gloria, and Dave.
If you ever hear of anyone in the hospital, please give the Church Office a call, because the present system misses people occasionally. If you know someone who enters another hospital, we definitely will not know unless a friend or family member calls the Church Office. If you ever hear a comment from a member that they wonder why a pastor has not called, please call the Church Office. The pastoral care staff at Faith Presbyterian Church takes their calling and ministry of care and support with the members of the congregation as a major priority of the ministry we share together.
Health consultation or questions with the Parish Nurse available Third Sunday of every month. She also coordinate a Blood Pressure screening program on the First Sunday of every month. Ellen will be available after the 10:00 a.m. worship service, in Illingworth Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Stop by to introduce yourself and ask any health-related questions or concerns.
Alzheimer’s Disease: You’re Not Alone While Alzheimer’s disease may not be affecting you, it may be affecting your spouse, neighbor or a family member. It can be a long process in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. You are not alone. There is help as close as your telephone. There are many who share your experiences and can be a support. The Alzheimer’s Association is just one of many resources. Here are some of the helps offered through this organization:
Helpline The Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest’s Helpline is a toll-free number, offered free of charge, that you can call 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to get information about Alzheimer’s disease. Through their National office, they have the ability to serve individuals in 140 different languages by accessing translation services. Call 1-800-272-3900 to speak with a trained Helpline specialist, many of whom are former caregivers themselves, who will provide emotional support and appropriate referrals to local resources in your area.
Information and Referral Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest’s Information & Referral program provides information about Alzheimer’s Disease and the resources available in the local community. Questions such as “Does your facility accept” dementia patients, wanderers, combativeness, short term respite or ALTCS pending, are asked. Facilities are noted whether they have a dementia unit, wanderguard, door alarms, key pad locks or a secured/enclosed outdoor area. The list covers institutions in Maricopa, Gila and Pinal Counties
MedicAlert + Safe Return Alzheimer’s Association’s MedicAlert + Safe Return® is a nation-wide identification, support and enrollment program that provides assistance when a person with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia wanders and becomes lost locally or far from home. Assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, nation-wide.
Desert Southwest Chapter Office
1028 E McDowell Rd, Phoenix AZ 85006
602.528.0545 telephone, 602.528.0546 fax