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206 In Pursuit of the Sunbeam: A Practical Guide to Transformation from Institution to Household Acknowledgements
We, the authors, are a bit of a sham. We have the heart and soul. And even the magic of the inspiring word. But we were shored up on all sides in this venture by great friends and colleagues. Thanks to those who contributed to our chapters on organization and environment, Linda Bump, Migette Kaup and Jeff Anderzohn. A special thanks to Imy Higbie who contributed to Chapter 2. She thought beyond her own experience and stepped out as an activist to awaken others to the nursing home experience.
Thanks to our moonbeams from first word to last: Keith Schaeffer and Steph Kilen, both strong writers shedding quiet light on our struggles. They reworked our clumsy words and thoughts, questioned our logic, confronted assumptions, gently pressuring us to get it right. And thanks to our outstanding research assistant, Codi Thurness.
We, wish to thank the three entities who provided the leadership and funding that enabled Meadowlark Hills Retirement Community to produce it: the Sunflower Foundation of Topeka Kansas, Kansas Department on Aging and The Commonwealth Fund of New York City. They share a vision that the changes offered in this collection become widespread. Each has our gratitude and admiration.
Thanks to the Board of Directors of Meadowlark Hills for recognizing that the need to change how frail elders live in long-term care exists well beyond the Flint Hills of Kansas. It reflects their character and the community of Manhattan, Kansas.
Thank you residents of Meadowlark Hills. You have opened your home to thousands of people from nearly every state in the union and at least 17 foreign countries who have come to learn a new way to live and work. Thank you, each and every one of you, for your generous hospitality to so many. You saw the importance of this journey from the beginning and along the way encouraged all of us to keep moving forward.
Thank you to Megan Hannan, Rose Marie Fagan, Bill and Jude Thomas, Barry and Debbie Barkan, Nancy Fox, Tom Zwicker and Debbie Van Straten, Bill Keane, Sue Misiorski, Joanne Radar, Charlene Boyd, David Green, Garth Brokaw, Patricia Maben, Carter Williams, and Wendy Lustbader. Your aligned vision is surpassed only by your deep commitment and personal sacrifice on behalf of elders and staff everywhere. Your perseverance is striking the bell of truth and awakening the nation’s conscience.
Thanks to those who helped review this work; Deborah Douglas, David Slack, Migette Kaup, Jeff Chapman, Martha Ann Olson, Gail Urban, Willie Novotny, Bill and Sally Boone, Marsha Blatchford, Bill Witte, Chris Keysor, Carmen Bowman, Courtney Bouker and Paul Young.
Special thanks to Meadowlark Hills residents, Elnora Young and Carol Chalmers, for your extra mile of commitment of time and wisdom during your respective reviews. You both were invaluable.
We thank the Pennybyrn at Maryfield, Wesley Retirement,Lenawee County and Perham Memorial organizations for sharing their stories in this book.