Author: Bonnie Polak

Spiritual Wellness – An Important Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

What exactly is Spiritual Wellness? Simply put, it’s about being connected to something greater than yourself. One of the amazing things about spiritual wellness is that the pursuit of it is unique for each person. Spiritual practices should support who you are and give you a framework for navigating each stage of life. Many people prefer to practice kindness and gratitude, while others exercise their creativity or are mindful about connecting with nature and others. And for many at Trinity Woods it includes faith and religious practices.

“Whether it’s organized religion or belief in a higher power that brings comfort, spiritual wellness fills an important role for many people that goes deeper than just attending worship services,” said Weldon Tisdale, Trinity Woods Chaplain. “It’s an opportunity to socialize, learn and grow, as well as gain comfort through some of life’s more difficult moments.”

For Trinity Woods, spirituality and wellness are woven deeply throughout the fabric of the community, connecting residents with a sense of “belonging.” The common ground and relationships fostered help heal broken hearts, soothe the mind, bring warmth and caring relationships, and even have an impact on individual health.

“Different stages of life bring different needs, and things we didn’t have time for while managing careers and family can become more important. Many times, we put off spiritual wellness, but it really is an important part of a healthy life,” said Weldon.

At Trinity Woods there is a strong focus every day for community members and employees to practice the seven dimensions of wellness. Putting spiritual practices into place now and making sure you have spiritual support will go a long way toward helping you age well in mind, body, and spirit.

The Chapel a Place of Solace

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

The Chapel at Trinity Woods is a great place to meet those needs. It is located in the Fleming Center building between the administrative offices and Felt House entry. It is available for all to use.

There are regularly scheduled programs in the Chapel such as Bible studies, worship and memorial services, or it can be used for quiet reflection, meditation and prayer. We are fortunate to be in an environment where faith, wellness, and healing work hand in hand.

The Chapel is a non-denominational spiritual place where community members, patients, families, visitors, employees, and volunteers can find solitude and comfort in moments of stress or pain. Over the years, the Chapel has become an inclusive place where people, irrespective of their faith, have found a haven – a place where despair and hope are expressed and healing can begin.

Donated by Dr. Lawrence and Mildred Lacour, the Chapel was designed specifically to be an environment of comfort when people are grappling with issues that directly affect one’s health and well-being. In the process of coping with crises, guilt, loneliness, pain, anxiety, fear of death or fear of some other loss, the Chapel allows individuals to focus on spiritual strength and encouragement.

Are you grappling with life and all its intricate and sometimes painful details? Do you need a place where you can escape for a few moments to center your thoughts, refocus your mind or fi nd comfort in times of crisis?

The chapel at trinity woods is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. We invite all to take a moment and quiet your Spirit in this serene atmosphere, where all are welcome to Belong. Believe. Become.

Trinity Woods Introduces a New Member Engagement Software

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

After lots of training, editing, and adjusting, the time is finally here! We are launching Viibrant this month to the Trinity Woods community. We have several training sessions scheduled throughout the month to get everyone acclimated to the new system. The training sessions will be separated for Apple users, Android users, and desktop users. There will be several community members at each Viibrant training session to help answer questions and guide you along the way.

What will I learn in the training session?

• View and make reservations on the monthly Wellness Calendar.

• Register for upcoming events, programs, and fitness classes.

• Communicate with other community members.

• Access photo directory of community members.

• Submit important forms – replacement badges or absence notification.

If you don’t own your own computer or tablet, you should still attend a training session. Come learn what Viibrant is all about and see how it can work for you! We are excited to share this Wellness Engagement Technology with you. Contact Jennifer Rawlings at jrawlings@trinitywoodstulsa.com or 918.346.6663 with any questions.

September STARS Employee

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

Crystal Creekmore, Human Resources Coordinator, is this month’s STARS Employee.

Start Date: February 2019

Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Raised: Mounds, Oklahoma

Education: Northeastern State University

First Job: Grocery Store Clerk

Wanted to be as a Kid: Scientist, to cure cancer

Favorite Thing about Trinity Woods: It is rewarding to work alongside people whose work

improves the quality of life for others.

What her supervisor says:

“Crystal was faced with the overwhelming responsibility of being the only person left to manage HR and payroll after her co-worker resigned and I was compelled to take extended medical leave. The absence of help left her doing the work of three people and ensuring that everyone in the organization was paid, all while managing all the other tasks assigned to HR. She never complained or felt sorry for herself; she simply rolled up her sleeves and took care of all 220 employees that work at Trinity Woods with grace and dignity.” Bill Peterson, VP of Human Resources.

Growing and Serving Everyone in the Spirit of Christ

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

As the mission of Trinity Woods expands, we feel compelled to explore what’s next for our
community. For the past 15 years, the question “What’s next?” has been clear. As we enter
the next chapter, we are evaluating several ideas and options. One topic that keeps rising to
the top of every discussion is diversity and inclusion within the organization.

More and more organizations are learning that a strong business is one that includes people
with diversity of gender, race, and cultural background. In this article, I am hoping to outline
three ways Trinity Woods is advocating for more diversity and inclusion.

At the Board level. While there is gender diversity on the Board, there is not ethnic
diversity. The Governance Committee is exploring ways to increase diversity by recruiting
ethnic minorities to serve on the Board.

On the staff level. The need for eff ective training on cross-cultural communications
and sensitivity as well as implicit bias is important. Hiring managers and leadership are
undergoing training to deepen their understanding of the benefi ts of a more inclusive and
diverse team.

At the community member level. As a ministry we are asking those we serve: “How could
our community be more inclusive? Can we promote diversity in a way that would enrich our
lives as well as the lives of others?”

A Task Force is exploring options for the development of the adjacent property owned by
Trinity Woods. The purpose is to provide suggestions to the Board for how the property
could be used. This includes considering how our mission can touch a more diverse
demographic group.

In the months ahead I will report back on the next steps that our Board envisions. In the
meantime, please join me in praying for Trinity Woods that we may fi nd new and innovative
ways to grow and deepen our commitment to serve all people in the spirit of Christ.

Tulsa Mayor Cuts Ribbon on Trinity Woods’ New Community Life

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

It’s the equivalent of a student union for the senior set. There will be live theater, concerts, coffee dates, billiards games and more taking place in the new Community Life Center at Trinity Woods. The 14,000 square foot building boasts an auditorium with seating for 250, a stage, and state-of-the-art audio/visual technology. It also includes two meeting rooms, three conversation nooks and a game room with coffee and juice bar.

“This is the final piece of our multi-year plan to bring our community in line with our vision to redefine aging,” said Steve Dickie, Trinity Woods CEO.  

Nearly 400 senior residents live on the 40-acre campus in Midtown Tulsa. This project signifies the completion of a major redevelopment plan. The $30.4 million investment includes not only the Community Life Center but a new assisted living building, two memory-care assisted living houses, a new main kitchen, the Cypress Grille restaurant and Tranquility Wellness Spa.

All of these facilities are designed to allow residents to embrace the International Council of Active Aging’s seven dimensions of wellness. These are physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, and vocational.

“We’re proud to be a life plan community offering residents a place to actively age whether they enjoy independent living or a higher level of care,” said Dickie. “This Community Life Center will be the hub of campus life and provide opportunities for everyone to be active and engaged.”

OKLAHOMA METHODIST MANOR IS NOW NAMED TRINITY WOODS

Posted on by Bonnie Polak

Oklahoma Methodist Manor first opened its doors in 1956 with a single building housing 25 seniors. Since then, the organization has been constantly redefining itself to meet the needs of those it serves. Today, it’s a 40-acre campus offering the full continuum of care to nearly 400 members through residential homes and apartments, traditional assisted living, memory care assisted living, rehabilitative therapy and long-term care nursing options.

“Over the past several years, we have been working to create a culture that redefines aging. The new, more contemporary name of Trinity Woods celebrates our organic evolution from nursing home to life plan community,” said Steve Dickie, Trinity Woods CEO.

The name change is the result of nearly two years of strategic planning including feedback from Trinity Woods community members, board members, employees, and Tulsa community leaders. The outcome of the process was the board’s unanimous decision to change the name from Oklahoma Methodist Manor to Trinity Woods.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Name Change

Why are you changing the name from Oklahoma Methodist Manor?
While we will always hold dear our historical name of Oklahoma Methodist Manor, we want our name to accurately represent who we are today.
• Oklahoma is an overly broad term for the area we serve.
• Methodist often confuses people who believe we are open only to Methodists when, in fact, we welcome people of all faiths.
• Manor is a dated term that does not effectively communicate the friendly neighborhood feel that exists here.

Is Trinity Woods under new ownership?
No, we remain a separately incorporated not-for-profit, single-site, senior living community governed by an independent board. The board meets monthly and is responsible for upholding the mission and setting strategic direction for the organization. There is also a Community Member Council that includes elected representatives from the community. The Council advises senior staff on issues that affect the community.

What does Trinity Woods stand for?
• Trinity acknowledges our faith-based heritage and the connection between mind, body and spirit as well as faith, hope and love.
• Woods comes from our practice of using tree names for different campus locations. For example, Cypress Grille, Charter Oak Restaurant, Crestwood apartments, etc.

Why the tagline Belong. Believe. Become.?
These traits are central to who we are as a community. Belong – The immediate welcome people feel as neighbors here. Believe in new possibilities. Become by moving here to live life to the fullest.

Why is Methodist no longer in the name?
We are changing the name to eliminate confusion. Our community is not exclusive to Methodists. We welcome and cheerfully include all. We are an Equal Housing Opportunity organization.

Is the Methodist Church still part of Trinity Woods?
Yes. This community was founded by United Methodists who believed the cause of serving elders was worthy of their best effort. We value our heritage as an organization founded by the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church. The desire to serve in the spirit of Christ is still the backbone of who we are today.

What Now?

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