Written by Panorama resident, Sandy Bush. January 2017
You remember when you actually got an “Owners Manual” with vehicles or appliances or whatever? A place to go to with questions on “how to” or explanations of things just out of your understanding??? Many times now you are directed to go “online” at a help site and you muddle along. I often find I haven’t the vocabulary to even know how to search some of the sites for information I need, or the explanation is tech to tech and leaves you wondering what it is they are talking about.
I recently had the fun experience of changing out our own year old Panorama “Owners Manual” with a great bunch of volunteers. I think of it as “The Manual” but it is really the Resident Handbook and Directory. Your Resident Council enlisted volunteers at three sites to incorporate all the information that changed in administration of our Panorama. The total of residents who made the effort to get their latest edition with changes was 672! The weather was cold, the walkways sometimes crystals of snow/ice. But what a turnout!
When we moved to Panorama in 2013 and received the “Handbook,” I considered it a boon as we entered a different phase of our lives. As the boxes got unpacked, and we had wider aisles to walk through, I spent about 3 days reading the “Owners Manual” cover to cover. Now calibrate me, as a previous neighbor used to say. There is a wealth of information on most situations you encounter as you join a large retirement community. And I am the one who would rather suss out some problem or question without necessarily “bothering” someone for an answer. I have since offered to help new arrivals who may be overwhelmed by their move, though I never consider it being bothered. However, what a wealth of information this Handbook has.
“Who would sit and read through all that stuff?” I even heard some folks who came to get updates say, “I haven’t ever used it but for the directory of residents and pictures of folks I have run into but didn’t get the names of.”
A great deal of time and effort goes into the updating of the sections as staff changes happen, or new procedures become common place. It is a living document. I am very thankful to an administration that sees this as value to residents. Portions of this Handbook change every year and administration does a great job keeping up with current status and contact information of residents. It is, of course, also sad to see some residents missing which is always happening in our continuing care retirement community.
Many friends and neighbors arrived at the distribution sites with additional Handbooks for residents who where traveling or indisposed at the times of distribution. A very thoughtful and kind thing to do. The Resident Council will be in their office in the Quinault building weekdays for those who were traveling or didn’t get the updated inserts. I am hoping everyone finds this document as valuable as I do.
