The Big Move: Easing Relocation for Older Adults
Minneapolis gerontologist Laura Hopp conducted a study involving 62 older adults (age 55+) who had recently gone through the move to an independent living community. The study looked at reasons surrounding to decision and what things made the move difficult or easier.
The top reasons for leaving were the participants' homes were no longer suitable for physical needs and the maintenance increasingly difficult (30%). Being closer to family and building a social network was a close second (28%). Downsizing and letting go of possessions was the hardest part of the move for 39%, followed by leaving friends and community (30%). Most (54%) found nothing could make the move easier, although getting rid of belongings would have made the move easier. Hopp states, "because possessions hold many memories, it's difficult to let go. But some wanted to watch loved ones enjoy gifts while they were still alive. Many participants talked about giving belongings to charity, with donations to a local library or historical society other, satisfactory options."
Hopp believes that most moves are prompted by adult children. "This is partly related to their being caught in the middle between their parents and their own children. [Parenthood] does not allow the adult child to give their parents the care they need. This often then leads the children to look at a community of care for their parents. Most often the children come looking at communities...before they bring Mom or Dad by to visit or tour."
When asked what advice they'd give to other seniors contemplating a move to an independent living community, the study participants said to be sure you understand the facility, the services offered, and talk to current residents. Additionally, get involved in the new community as soon as possible, don’t bring too many belongings, use a good moving company, and do it before it is no longer your decision.
~Helen Rickman
The Boss and 84-Year-Old Fan Dancing in the Dark
Jeanne Heintz, 84-years-old, gets opportunity of a lifetime to dance with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band in Des Moines.
Join Ecumen's Changing Aging Grassroots Advocacy Network
We invite you to join our online grassroots advocacy network in support of public policy that enhances Ecumen's vision of changing aging: "We envision a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways."
You can join our network here. We'll never share your personal data and you can unsubscribe at any time. Much of our advocacy work is in Minnesota, but we also rally for national policy innovations such as The CLASS Act (Community Assistance Living and Supports Act), which would provide a voluntary national insurance benefit for long-term care. People would be able to direct their benefits to the services they desire.
CLASS ACT UPDATE
The CLASS Act, which came out of the late Sen. Kennedy's Health, Education, Labor and PensionsHELP committee, is supported by all major senior services and disability groups. Although Sen. Baucus did not include it in his bill, we are hopeful that it will be part of the ultimate reform bill. Earlier this week the White House reaffirmed its support for the CLASS Act during a town-hall style meeting in Silver Springs, MD. Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius hosted the event.
For further updates, visit The Future of Aging Blog, by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.
Ecumen Customers Tell City Council - Give Us Back Our Golf Carts
Jon Tevlin, columnist of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, had a great column today about Ecumen's customers in Alexandria, Minn., who are working to keep the city from taking away their ability to use golf carts for transportation in the neighborhood and around Alexandria.
At least 30 communities in Minnesota allow golf carts on residential streets. Also, The Economic Recovery Act encourages the use of alternative transportation. And, finally, America is aging and people don't want to be cooped up in their homes. Golf carts provide an affordable, easy transportation option. America is aging, and we need to think differently to create livable communities for all ages.
Jon's full column is here.
Join Ecumen for Twin Cities Memory Walk on September 23
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A wonderful day will be when we can close our Alzheimer's housing. That will mean a cure is here. Until that day we will empower and serve with honor those living with the challenges of this disease.
We invite you to join our Twin Cities team at the Alzheimer's Association memory walk on Saturday, September 26. If you can't join us, but would like to contribute to Alzheimer's research, please donate here.
Above are Ecumen Duluth team walkers Gina Palmi, Torie Mlodozyniec, Sarah Mlodozyniec and Allison Malec. Torie and Sarah are daughters of Ecumen colleague Jayne Malec, while Allison is their cousin. They joined Jayne and friend Gina in walking in honor of Jayne's mother, an Ecumen customer.
We hope you'll join us on Saturday or donate to help find the cure.
Thanks to Joyce Aakre, Sue Ferguson Julie Walton, Miriam Aaland, Dani Nicholson, Janis Rivers Jen Rasmussen, Andrea Nye and Nicole Behm-Koep for organizing the Ecumen team.
Ed Asner on Aging, VAN Leadership Classes, and Rev. Linner's Healing Work
- Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly is bringing Lou Grant (er, actor Ed Asner) to Mary Tyler Moore's hometown of Minneapolis on the evening of September 29th. A screening of the Disney-Pixar movie "UP" will be held at The Riverview Theater (it's a fun, poignant movie on aging, intergenerational friendships and living fully). Asner is the voice for the leading character Carl Fredericksen. TIME Magazine called the movie "A Triumph." After the screening, Warren Wolfe of the Star Tribune will interview Asner, which will be a lot of fun. Visit Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly for more information.
- Vital Aging Network's well-regarded ALVA "Leadership for the Rest of Your Life" classes are beginning in Mankato, Inver Grove Heights and White Bear Lake in October. ALVA is leadership development for people 50+ who want to provide leadership for the common good. Go here for more details.
- Helping people deal with grief is an incredible skill. Rev. Kris Linner is one of the talented people that improve lives. She has launched a web site - www.grief-training.com - that outlines a number of the topics on which she speaks on teaches. She's a popular pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minn., author and teacher. We're also fortunate to have her service on Ecumen's board of trustees. She author of the book My Brother Dave, a story of love, loss, grief and hope that will move the hearts of every age. It is written for grieving children and the people who care for them.
50 Tips for Aging Gracefully From Ecumen
50 TIPS FOR AGING GRACEFULLY FROM ECUMEN
1.Do something you enjoy every day. When you immerse yourself in things you enjoy, you can’t wait to do them again. And then you do them again, and again and again, and the enjoyment continues.
2.Work at friendships. Friendships are fuel, providing energy, love and feeding your emotions. You’re never too old for new friendships.
3.Congratulate yourself. Everyone has accomplishments: celebrate them and use them as inspiration for new ones.
4.Embrace change. Life is change. Resisting it wastes precious time and energy. Living for it can create adventures you never thought possible.
5.Learn. Exercise your brain continually.
6.Know yourself. You know best what you like and don’t like, and you have the power to emphasize the good.
7.Make your home your special place by personalizing it and making it comfortable. Everyone needs a refuge that’s uniquely theirs.
8.Realize that opportunities often express themselves in ways we’d never imagine.
9.Get a massage frequently. Touch feels good and it’s so relaxing.
10. Be gentle with yourself. Listen to your own inner voices and senses and do what makes you feel best.
11. Share happiness. Make a point to spread joy whenever possible. It feels good to make someone else feel good, and it’s very inexpensive to do.
12. Eat with friends and family. Prepare food together. Eat the things you like.
13. Eat smartly, but every once in awhile line up a row of warm chocolate chip cookies (or your favorite cookie) and dip them in milk.
14. Get sufficient rest. Living takes work; we all need a break. Take one whenever you need to.
15. Laugh and cry. But laugh a lot more. It feels good by releasing endorphins – the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
16.Each morning before you get out of bed thank the Lord for 5 things for which you are grateful. It’s a nice way to start the day, and you’ll find yourself thinking about a lot more than 5.
17.Take control of how you react to things. Little things can really bring you down if you let them. But you don’t have to let them.
18. Smile a lot.
19. Pray daily.
20. Spend time with other generations. You can learn something new from someone of any age.
21.Write. Write a letter. Write a blog. Write a poem. Write a journal. Writing helps you think, express who you are, and generate new ideas.
22.Embrace technology. The internet can take you places you’d never otherwise see or experience.
23.Dress in current styles. By adding a trendy piece to a classic outfit, you will look and feel good.
24.Travel. Whether it is a trip to the mall, theater, a sports event or even a different state or country, little and big adventures can produce wonderful results.
25.Exercise. It feels good to get those endorphins jumping.
26.Drink and eat in moderation.
27. Get a yearly medical check up. While it’s no guarantee you’ll live longer, it can help you catch health issues early and fend off other potential health problems.
28.Get a pet. Animals can be great companions.
29.Simplify. Start with cleaning a closet. You’ll quickly see there is a lot of stuff that’s just clutter and serves no use. Next simplify other parts of your life.
30. Surround yourself with people who lift you up rather than bring you down.
31.Don’t try to be everything to everyone. It’s impossible.
32.Always have something to solve. Making progress feels good and often it helps someone else and brings them and you happiness.
33.Embrace the joys of old age. You’re smarter; you’re more experienced and you have more time to do the things you enjoy.
34.If you’re depressed, seek professional help. There are solutions.
35.Practice acceptance. Know that there’s a very good chance that your mobility will lessen as you age. Think about how you will deal with that so that when that time comes, you can still live fully.
36. Create milestones and work toward them. No matter how big or small, the journey is a growing experience.
37.Prepare for your death by having a living will and pre-planning your funeral. Dying is part of living. And having a plan is a gift to yourself and to your loved ones.
38.Realize that although your body deteriorates, your spirit grows stronger if you allow it.
39.Do not let yourself be diminished by anyone. You are you. No one else is, and that’s darn important.
40. When you need supportive services, partner with a senior services provider that empowers you to enjoy life on your terms. Pre-plan so that you have peace of mind that you will have the help you need in an environment you desire.
41. Keep death daily before your eyes; it will help you appreciate every day and get the most out of it.
42. Value your body. If you do, you’ll participate in less risky behavior that could harm your health.
43. Treat others with respect and dignity. You’ll find respect and dignity come back to you.
44. Have someone you can tell anything.
45. Maintain muscle mass, which will protect you from falling.
46. Cut down or eliminate multi-tasking. Research shows people don’t do it very well, and it often just causes undue stress.
47. Walk. Get a pedometer and take 5,000 to 10,000 steps every day. You don’t have to be a marathon runner to walk. If you can’t walk, work with an exercise professional, who can design a wellness strategy with you.
48. Keep your weight at a healthy level.
49. Don’t fear aging.
50. Grow to the very last breath.
Ernie Harwell Sees Inoperable Cancer Diagnosis as New Journey
Ecumen had the pleasure of working with Minnesota Twin Hall of Fame broadcaster Herb Carneal. The late broadcaster would frequently praise his friend and fellow Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell as a wonderful, warm and positive person. Herb was spot on.
Harwell, 91, was recently diagnosed with inoperable cancer. The legendary Detroit Tigers broadcaster shared the news in an interview with Bill McGraw of the Detroit Free Press. Talk about a a focus of living fully to the very end of life. Here are several interview excerpts:
"We don't know how long this lasts," Harwell said. "It could be a year, it could be much less than a year, much less than a half a year. Who knows?
"Whatever's in store, I'm ready for a new adventure. That's the way I look at it."
Asked what he wanted to have written about him, Harwell spoke about his fans and his faith.
"I don't want to make it too sweet because I don't want to get diabetes as well as this other stuff," he said, chuckling.
Speaking of his many admirers across North America, Harwell added: "I'd like to thank them for their loyalty and support over the years. And their affection, which I don't know whether I deserve or not, but I accept it.
"And also, I think that when I heard the news, that I had this cancer, that I had a feeling of security and serenity ... but I had a feeling of acceptance because of my belief in Jesus and the Lord."
Harwell said his wife, Lulu, remains strong and shares his belief in God. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary Sunday.
"We walk hand in hand wherever we go," Harwell said. "We still love each other. She's the best thing that ever happened to me."
For the first time, his voice wavered, slightly.
The Key to Longevity: Organ Reserve
The more lean muscle one maintains throughout life, the better his/her organs will function. Like muscles, our organs abide by the “use it or lose it” principle. Optimal organ function correlates with maximum longevity and excellent health, so says Mark Sisson. He states, “The aging process in America should really be called ‘the process of physical decline largely due to inactivity’”. Sisson, a healthy lifestyle guru, is the author of the Primal Blueprint and the blog marksdailyapple.com. He subscribes to the Paleo-style of nutrition (meaning meats, lots of veggies, fruit and avoiding grains, sugars and processed foods) and replacing typical cardio workouts with brief, intense strength sessions and occasional all-out sprints for better fitness benefits.
Sisson maintains that when we ask our organs to keep up with an active lifestyle, we’re strengthening them to better withstand the demands of daily life and the natural aging process. When our activity levels diminish, as often happens when we age, we’re sending signals that tell our muscles and organs to atrophy and decrease functionality. The unfit have lower bone-density, less lung capacity and heart stroke volume than the fit. Because organs and the systems of body rely on each other to function best, people are vulnerable to the often fatal effects of the weakest link. An accident victim or surgery patient who is unfit and has a heart operating at only 45 percent of potential capacity will often fare differently than a fit person with excellent heart enduring the same ordeal.
The good news is that we can continue to build muscle strength into advanced old age. The BBC reported that French researchers, writing in the Journal of Physiology, say adding the amino acid leucine to old people's diets could help them keep muscle. Leucine is found in meat, soy beans and legumes, among other foods. Emory University concurs that moderate program of strength training promises real-world benefits to everyone, including couch potatoes and even frail older people. Benefits include reduced risk of osteoporosis – since strength training is an excellent weight-bearing exercise that encourages new bone growth – as well as increased stamina. Stronger bodies mean better immunity, as well as more zest for other recreational activities and daily living tasks. ~Helen Rickman
Does Your Workplace Have Soul?
Ecumen was recently named for the 5th straight year as a Best Place to Work by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. At Ecumen, we believe in building our brand "from the inside out.," meaning that we have to have an innovative, empowering, honor-filled culture on the inside. Our brand (our culture) is our soul.
Below is an article that Ecumen CEO Kathryn Roberts wrote in 2005 for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. It's entitled "Does Your Workplace Have Soul?" It's as timely today as it was in 2005.
One of life’s enriching experiences is to work in an organization that has soul. While such places value and elevate people – not in a “who gets the employee of the month parking space” kind of way, but in a much more authentic way that exudes “we are human beings in this together.” At workplaces with soul, you don’t find dreaded cases of Sunday night anxiety or people arriving on Monday to step on others for personal gain. A workplace with soul doesn’t segregate profit and purpose. It sees them as mutually reinforcing, a way to a greater good. While even workplaces with soul aren’t perfect, such places are truly “Great Places to Work.”
So how can we nurture a workplace’s being and attract high-quality people who can continue enriching its value and contributions for the next generation? While financial reward and quality benefits are one component, gold loses its glitter quickly if there is no soul.
A Bigger Purpose: To be a workplace of choice, its people must intrinsically know they are making a difference and creating a legacy. At Ecumen, an affiliate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we work to enhance “home” and expand choices for those we serve – older adults and their families. Improving home and choice guides all that we do. Soul, however, isn’t just for faith-based organizations. At Medtronic, its employees are driven by the purpose of developing medical technologies that “alleviate pain, restore health and extend life.” And, at General Mills, a core value is building leading brands that their customers trust, and which make lives easier, healthier and more fun. All great workplaces are shaped by people driven by purpose beyond the bottom line.
Clear the Runway: Ideas improve outcomes. If you show me a workplace lacking ideas, you’re showing a workplace that teeters on emotional and financial bankruptcy. Without ideas, Saint Paul’s El Burrito Mercado wouldn’t have grown from a small store with a few employees to an organization of more than 100 people who share great Latino food and culture across the region. At Ecumen, we cannot transform elder housing and services without ideas. One way we have opened the runway to let people fly with ideas is through an on-line “innovation station.” Patterned after amazon.com, it lets people across our multi-state network share ideas and build upon them. It’s an incubator for progress in which everyone lends a
Listen, Learn & Act: Working in a place where your thoughts don’t matter is deflating. Great workplaces ask what their people think, they learn from that feedback and they act upon it. The Business Journal’s process of surveying employees of vying “Great Places to Work” companies is a great tool because it gathers information – not from a promotions department or marketing agency – but from employees themselves.
At Ecumen, we have an internal survey process to gauge how we are doing as a workplace of choice. Among the results that have flowed from that research are a recognition and reward program tied to innovation, enhanced benefits, and processes that make it easier for people to do their jobs. These aren’t top-down changes; they have occurred through two-way communication and collaboration. At great places to work you don’t see “suggestion boxes” gathering dust, or patronizing “leaders” who pat ideas and employees on the head, but never act on what’s presented. Rather you see people who contribute, collaborate, create and, consequently, flourish.
Have a Life: Creating positive change takes tremendous energy. To nurture the soul of an organization, I fundamentally believe that its people must have a nourishing life outside the walls of work. While I and many others in our organization gain tremendous satisfaction from our vocation, our vocation is not what defines our full being. That being has a great many other parts, such as family, faith, friends, and fun. If the other parts of life that make life worth living are neglected, not only do you suffer, but so do the people whom you serve and work with.
I am extremely proud to be part of one of the Business Journal’s “Great Places to Work.” But I am even more proud to work in an organization that has tremendous soul.