Panorama is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation and taking appropriate precautions.

Classes for Balance and Stability

As people age, they begin to hear more and more about being at risk for falls and how they may lose some balance and stability. They may begin to hear it from health professionals first and then perhaps friends or family. The good news? There is a whole lot you can do to protect yourself, and it can be fun as well as functional. In addition to the numerous classes and resources that we have at our Aquatic & Fitness Center, we have a few classes that stand out as most helpful for balance and stability improvement.

Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance

This class is a sure thing to get your balance and stability back on track. It is a research-based balance training regimen designed for older adults at risk of falling and people with balance disorders. The class aids in improving lower limb muscular strength, sensory integration, limits of stability, and global cognitive function. It has been credited for reducing incidence of falls by 55% in community-dwelling older adults and by 67% in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Zumba Gold

Whether you actually have moves or not, dance is a fun way to help with balance and stability. As you learn new moves, your body is forced to adapt and become more coordinated, which in turn leads to better balance and stability through increased neuromuscular control and function! Research has shown those who dance have better muscle efficiency, which supports the idea that this training can influence the control you have over everyday movements.

Tai Chi

Tai chi has many physical benefits. The slow, extended weight shifting helps improve bone density and joint stability. The movements also stretch and strengthen muscles. Like yoga, tai chi has a meditative quality that can trigger the relaxation response. A number of studies have shown that tai chi improves balance. Tai chi combines the physical components needed to stay upright—leg strength, flexibility, range of motion, and reflexes. You’re practicing your balance and teaching your body to be more sensitive and have greater strength. As a result, you’ll be able to maintain your balance if you encounter uneven pavement or if you are walking through the shopping mall.

For more information on the classes and programs offered to Panorama residents, contact a Retirement Advisor at (360)456-0111.

Introducing Kya!

The new resident website!

Updates provided at the recent forums for the soon-to-be-released Panorama resident website were well received. Our team appreciates all of the positive responses and we enjoyed sharing a few laughs with you. We want the site name to have personality of its own, and it shouldn’t be a stale place where information is disseminated without character. The site should be a place of social engagement as well as a place to get information. For these reasons, we have named the site “Kya” (KY-ya), in honor of the welcome pole in McGandy Park. Part of the inscription on the plaque at the base of the welcome pole says, “This Welcome Pole was commissioned for the receiving and guarding of all who arrive at Panorama. She is a timeless symbol of community and kinship.” This sentiment is exactly what we are striving for with our new resident website.

We selected a company called Senior Portal to provide the website for us. Social engagement tools for seniors have not been around very long and Senior Portal came into the market as a late bloomer in 2014. Their focus has always been on customization and listening to their customers, two strengths that shine through in their product. They will be able to deliver all of the necessary functions that we need in a cost effective way.

The initial roll out will start with two of the simplest components: the resident handbook and telephone directory. This allows us to get our feet wet without over taxing staff to keep up with the upcoming changes.

The hardest part of the rollout will be getting everyone signed up. To help us accomplish this, Resident Council will develop a group of resident Kya Ambassadors. These Kya Ambassadors will be selected and trained to serve as guides who can help residents enroll. In addition to helping residents create and access their online account, Kya Ambassadors will undergo training on new features as they come available so they can continue helping neighbors take full advantage of the Kya platform.

Jeff Harley, Director of Information Technology

Community Gifts at Work

Written by Meghan Vu, Director of Philanthropy

The generosity of donors to our Office of Philanthropy has allowed us to expand the enrichment programs available to residents in our Convalescent & Rehabilitation Center (C&R). In addition to music, yoga, and massage therapies, C&R residents can now enjoy the benefits of connecting with nature as they choose plants and herbs to grow in our new garden therapy program. The indoor therapy garden and wellness program is coordinated through Eldergrow, an award-winning Seattle-based organization dedicated to bringing the joys and benefits of nature indoors.

The innovative wellness program includes a mobile, environmentally friendly sensory garden as well as fun, therapeutic gardening classes taught by expert Educators. They also provide garden maintenance and document sessions with therapeutic evaluations for each resident.

Thank you for giving generously through the Office of Philanthropy to support life-enriching programs, like Garden Therapy, throughout Panorama’s continuum of care

New Panorama Memory Café

Because being active physically, socially and mentally is good for the brain

Written by Sara Wasser, Social Services Advisor

Fostering dementia-friendly and inclusive communities is happening all over the world, and Panorama is part of the movement!

In 2017, Panorama’s Clinical Operations team asked Independent Living residents questions about their health, wellbeing and overall satisfaction in the Quality of Life Questionnaire. While falls and mobility were major concerns for many of you, memory loss also ranked as a top challenge.

The Clinical Operations Team and Lifestyle Enrichment Department are developing more dementia-friendly activities as a result of these findings. Through the generous donations to the Office of Philanthropy, we will be able to host a new monthly Memory Café beginning in June.

What is a Memory Café?

Memory Cafés are simple –it’s all about connecting, companionship and having fun together! They offer a welcoming space for people with dementia and their care partners to socialize and connect in a relaxed environment free of expectations and judgment. The concept originated in the Netherlands almost twenty years ago and Memory Cafés are now popping up all over the world. There are 14 cities in our state with Memory Cafés including one hosted by South Sound Senior Services on the first Thursday of every month from 2:30-4:30pm at Rivers Edge Restaurant in Tumwater.

Panorama’s Memory Café will include a complementary (non-alcoholic) beverage and musical entertainment by Panorama favorites Phil Bunker, Alan Zaboski, Scott Cossu and others. Independent Living Social Services staff will also be there to welcome guests, facilitate conversations and provide educational handouts on dementia, caregiving and other valuable resources.

Who is the Memory Café for?

Memory Cafés are designed for people with early-to-moderate stage dementia and their care partners, as well as those who worry about memory problems. It’s not a respite or adult day program. While Memory Cafés are not considered a “support group”, peer support and social contact becomes a focal point. Many people make friendships as a result of the group and are able to provide mutual support outside of the Memory Café.

First Annual Pathways 5k at Panorama

We held our first Annual Panorama Pathways 5k on Saturday, May 19th and it was a huge success! Approximately 130 residents participated, opting to run, jog, walk, or ride a scooter through the 3.1-mile course – some even went through twice! The course wove through several different campus neighborhoods, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery our arboretum has to offer. Staff from a variety of departments joined in the festivities by hosting water stations and cheerleading efforts throughout the course. The energy of all involved, combine with the perfect weather made it a day for the books.

Here’s what one participant had to say following the event:

“The Panorama Pathways 5K walk yesterday was amazing. I’d like to send kudos to so many of our fine staff. It seemed that every department was represented! Lifestyle Enrichment, Marketing, Independent Living Services, Seventeen51, Urgent Response, Security, and our bus drivers! I can’t name all the names I saw there helping, but I am just amazed at the outpouring of energy by the folks who keep us active, connected and healthy! Kudos all round for a job well done!”

Storm Support Team & Map Your Neighborhood – What’s the Difference?

Written by Marla LeFevre, Health Services Director

During our planning for this year’s drill, questions were asked about the difference between the Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) program and the Storm Support Team (SST). Both groups are under the umbrella of the Resident Council and both are resident organizations responding to disasters, but that’s where their similarities end:

Map Your Neighborhood is a first response protocol which outlines a series of steps everyone should take during a major event (not just earthquakes, but any kind of disaster). MYN directs all residents to first make sure they’re ok, and then go to their designated neighborhood gathering place. Once at the gathering place, residents are divided into teams to perform a series of tasks, which include checking on neighbors who haven’t arrived, communicating with staff about neighborhood needs, and gathering information about the scope of the event. This all takes place in the first hours after an event.

Storm Support Team is activated well beyond the initial stages of a disaster. Even though the name has “storm” in it, the SST may be activated in other kinds of events that exceed Panorama staff resources, such as an earthquake. Assistance from SST members would be requested only if an event is lasting for several days – it will never be activated in the initial stages of a disaster, as this is when MYN protocols are in place. The SST provides support by performing tasks such as hosting at Warming Centers, sharing information with residents about campus resources (by phone or home visit), hosting at Seventeen51 Restaurant & Bistro, and delivering messages if other communications are out (if phones aren’t working, etc.). None of these tasks are part of MYN.

Both organizations are VITAL during a campus-wide emergency of any kind. MYN is needed for initial response and includes ALL residents, while SST consists of trained resident volunteers who provide on-going support over several succeeding days. Resident volunteers (Map Your Neighborhood Captains, Storm Support Team members) can have roles in both organizations without any conflict in their responsibilities.

Staff members are trained in Panorama’s disaster response protocols as well as their roles in supporting Map Your Neighborhood and Storm Support Team activities. This teamwork between staff and independent-living residents enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of our disaster responses.

Thank you to these outstanding Resident Council organizations for their dedication to the welfare of Panorama’s residents during a disaster.

Arts Walk 2018

Written by a Panorama resident for the July 2018 Newsletter

All the members of the Arts Guild survived the wonderful day of Panorama Arts Walk and offered special thanks and congratulations to resident volunteers for their leadership and organizational skills. Thanks must also go to the staff of Lifestyle Enrichment, Operations and Seventeen51 for all their work and support. While numbers are still coming in it is amazing to note that 375 people visited the Wood Shop in the Quinault and many of them also saw the TV Studio, the Weavers Studio, and the photography and quilting displays, not to mention the other art, music and live performance venues throughout the campus. Overall, the event featured more than 100 resident artists and their work, whether it be in clay, paint, fabric, metal, wood, music, the written word, or theater. 250 people went through the lunch buffet in two hours and the special Arts Walk Happy Hour at the end of the day was filled with tired feet and smiling faces. In eighteen months –we’ll do it all again. Congratulations and many thanks to all the participants, volunteers and patrons at this year’s very successful Arts Walk.

How to be a Smart Volunteer

Written by staff from Health Services and the Office of Philanthropy

Volunteer opportunities abound at Panorama and in our larger community. Using your time or skills to give back can be an extremely rewarding experience. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of others, whether directly or indirectly. A phrase often heard in this community is I’m busier now than I ever was before. Having an active lifestyle is a key factor in healthy living; however, the power of doing nothing at times can be restorative and contribute to a new creative energy. Carefully consider your personal time before committing to a full schedule.

If you choose to volunteer, give your self time to experiment and find an organization or cause that can fill you up rather than create stress and drain your energy. Before you make the decision to volunteer, here are some helpful tips to consider:

Be comfortable with all the reasons you are volunteering.

There are many good reasons to volunteer, and it’s important to understand that many of them involve meeting your own needs. That’s not being selfish. Most people do altruistic things for personal reasons, and that’s okay!

Choose a cause that you’re passionate about.

Find your passion, a cause that excites you, and find a volunteer opportunity that lets you express that passion. Some enjoy volunteering in a role that fits their career skill-set while others prefer to try something new.

Find an opportunity that matches your schedule.

Volunteers spend different amounts of time in their work, but the best matches are those where supply and demand are balanced. Be certain to under commit and over deliver. Nonprofits love and need volunteers. Know how much you can participate and don’t be afraid to say ͚no if it gets overwhelming.

Make sure it’s the right fit.

There are more than 100 groups and activities at Panorama, and even more in the greater community. Like a job, your voluntary activities require the right matches. Evaluate the time you are willing to commit and select the opportunities that fit your schedule and interests.

You are never obligated to continue in a volunteer role if you no longer enjoy it or you simply have too much on your plate. You owe it to yourself and the organization to share your feelings and reduce your role, discontinue your participation, or seek out a new opportunity.

You or a loved one may find yourself dealing with health issues or other stressors, and volunteering can easily add to your stress. Please be aware of your body’s cues that you have over-committed (feeling anxious, irritable, depressed, etc.) and make any adjustments in your activities as needed to restore your energy and well-being.