Village Shalom Father’s Day Run/Walk

Good work is its own reward. But sometimes it can return many years later as an unexpected blessing, as Leslie Caplan has discovered.

As a young professional in the 1980s, Leslie joined the associate board of Shalom Geriatric Center (SGC) at the urging of her uncle Jerry and cousin Lewis Nerman, both members of the organization’s board of directors at the time. The associate board, a group aimed at developing volunteer and leadership opportunities for young Jewish adults, wanted to initiate a fundraising event to engage the community and support dementia-care programs for SGC residents.

Though it was her first experience as a member of any board, Leslie boldly suggested conducting a benefit race similar to one at the preschool where she worked. Fortunately, the idea had legs and the associate board undertook its first May Day Run in 1987. A few years later, the race date was moved to Father’s Day and it became the Beat the Heat Run/Walk.

In 2011, the race is known as the Village Shalom Father’s Day Run/Walk. Now marking its 24th year, the 5- and 10-kilometer event will take place Sunday, June 19, at Village Shalom. (For more information, see below) It is still sponsored by a vibrant associate board. And Leslie’s mother, Betty Caplan, is now one of the senior adults who is directly benefiting from programs that the race’s proceeds support.

Betty attends Village Shalom’s Great Days Social Club adult day-care program. She is there seven days a week, from morning until early evening. When Betty was diagnosed with early-onset dementia several years ago, Leslie and her brother Craig began searching for a place where their mother could spend her days involved with people and activities, but continue living in her own home with caregiver assistance.

“We looked at several places,” said Leslie, “but Village Shalom was absolutely the best choice. We wanted her to be with people who are Jewish, and she already knew some of the other day-stay participants — the Jewish connection was very important. Plus, Village Shalom provides transportation for her. No one else was able to offer that.”

Betty is not the first member of the Caplans’ family to receive care at Kansas City’s Jewish retirement community, Leslie noted: “My grandmother lived at Shalom Geriatric Center, and my aunt was at Shalom Plaza,” which were Village Shalom’s predecessors. “I have nothing but praise for all of the staff at Village Shalom. They’ve just been so caring to Mom. They’re very compassionate — they really care about the work they’re doing.”

“The program is wonderful,” said Craig. “It’s the difference that has allowed her to keep living in her own home. Especially with dementia care, it gives her activities to occupy her mind and a social environment, which you can’t do at home.”

Leslie added, “And it’s not just the day-stay program, but the other services that Village Shalom offers. For instance, it’s been extremely helpful to have Mom go to the salon at Village Shalom to get her hair and nails done. Those kinds of things were difficult for her live-in caregiver to manage.” Now they are simply a part of Betty’s familiar Village Shalom routine.

Village Shalom’s Great Days Social Club “is a much-needed service in the community,” explained Linda Harmon, director of the program. “We can accommodate up to 30 people on any given day, but we usually have 15 to 20. Some of our day-stay participants stay late and have dinner with us” before returning to their homes for the night, she said. An option to arrive for breakfast in the morning has been added recently.

“We also offer overnight respite care when there is a room available (in Shalom Suites for residential dementia care),” Harmon said. “People often use this when the home caregiver needs a break or is going out of town for the weekend.”

The day-stay experience has made all the difference for Betty who, according to Leslie, “is sleeping better at night.”

Leslie and Craig also rest easier knowing their mother is receiving the care she needs through the day while they are at work and her at-home caregiver is attending college classes.

Little did Leslie expect that the race she helped to initiate nearly two-and-a-half decades ago would be of such enormous help to her family so many years later.

“It never crossed my mind back then that Mom would end up with dementia, or that she would benefit from the work I was doing with the associate board. I’m so glad that the race is still going, and that Village Shalom is still there.”

Annual Run/Walk set for Father’s Day

The 24th annual Village Shalom Father’s Day Run/Walk begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, June 19. Race-day registration begins at 6:30 a.m. Funds raised through race sponsorships, donations and registration fees will help to provide essential support for Village Shalom’s programs and services — like Great Days Social Club — that directly benefit individuals and their families confronting the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Not only does the race attract members of the Jewish community who want to help support Village Shalom, but as an officially sanctioned race by the Mid-America Running Association, it draws hundreds of runners from all over the area, who will use their official times from this race to apply for other events.

Besides the 5k/10k run/walk that is the core of the race, participants and family members can also enjoy a children’s arts-and-crafts tent sponsored by U.S. Toy/Constructive Playthings, face painting and a pancake breakfast served by Chris Cakes.

For sponsorship opportunities, to register for the race or to make a donation, visit the race website, www.fathersdayrun.org, or call Sally Beyers, Village Shalom director of development, at (913) 266-8412.