Top 5 Blog Posts —October 5
Did you miss last week's most-read Changing Aging blog posts? Ecumen's online visitors found these articles most interesting:
Ecumen Names Two New Business Development Directors
Ecumen has named two new Business Development Directors as the company rapidly expands its housing portfolio. Anne Stanfield, formerly of Target, and Mark Lucas, formerly of Brighton Development and the Platinum Group, have joined Ecumen as it expands its owned and managed communities, redesigns and repositions some existing sites and pursues new ventures such as cooperative senior housing.
The Book That Keeps on Giving by the Woman Who Was Always Caring
Betty Groth Syverson was an evangelical caregiver with a knack for writing. She was a deeply religious registered nurse who overflowed with caregiving spirit and loved to tell stories and bring inspiration to others. In 1987 she published a book called Bible Readings for Caregivers. Almost 30 years later, the book is still selling, and now the proceeds are being donated to help other caregivers.
Get Moving! It’s Active Aging Week — A Good Time To Change the Way You Age
Stand up and get moving! Those are the watchwords for Active Aging Week, which runs from September 27 to October 3. Active Aging Week was started in 2003 by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) as an international event to celebrate aging and active living. The Council works to engage older adults in wellness activities in a safe, friendly and fun atmosphere.
Ecumen Honors Bob Cervenka, Who Passed Away
Ecumen honors Robert (Bob) Cervenka, who passed away at Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth. Bob and his wife Debbie have had a profound impact on Ecumen through their leadership and generosity.
Ecumen Pathstone Living Residents Vote on 100 Potential Menu Items
Darcy Stueber, the Dining Director at Ecumen Pathstone Living in Mankato, is always looking for ways to refresh the menu at the senior living community. But outright experimentation is risky. So she decided to organize a “dining fair” and let residents sample some new food products.
You can read these articles and more at ecumen.org.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 105th Birthday Lillian Oberg
Ecumen honors Lillian Oberg, a resident of Ecumen Bethany Community, who is 105.
The Book That Keeps on Giving by the Woman Who Was Always Caring
Betty Groth Syverson was an evangelical caregiver with a knack for writing, and her book keeps on giving.
Ecumen Names Two New Business Development Directors
Ecumen has named two new Business Development Directors as the company rapidly expands its housing portfolio.
Get Moving! It’s Active Aging Week — A Good Time To Change the Way You Age
Stand up and get moving! Those are the watchwords for Active Aging Week, which runs from September 27 to October 3.
Top 5 Blog Posts —September 28
Did you miss last week's most-read Changing Aging blog posts? Ecumen's online visitors found these articles most interesting:
Ecumen Honors Bob Cervenka, Who Passed Away
Ecumen honors Robert (Bob) Cervenka, who passed away at Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth. Bob and his wife Debbie have had a profound impact on Ecumen through their leadership and generosity.
Ecumen Trustee Debbie Cervenka Forges New Paths Supporting a Mission That Is Personal
The future looked bright for Ecumen Trustee Debbie Cervenka and her husband Bob. They had just sold the highly successful company they built together and were making big plans for the next phase of their lives. What happened next totally shattered their dreams— but gave Debbie the resolve to turn their life-changing event into a mission to help others.
Ecumen Pathstone Living Residents Vote on 100 Potential Menu Items
Darcy Stueber, the Dining Director at Ecumen Pathstone Living in Mankato, is always looking for ways to refresh the menu at the senior living community. But outright experimentation is risky. So she decided to organize a “dining fair” and let residents sample some new food products.
Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary
Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood celebrated its five-year anniversary with a festive casino night and a tribute to five residents who have lived here since the community opened.
Sales Office Now Open for Zvago Glen Lake Co-op in Minnetonka
Zvago Glen Lake Cooperative, a new senior housing co-op planned for the north shore of Glen Lake in Minnetonka, has opened a sales office and showroom in walking distance from the site.
You can read these articles and more at ecumen.org.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 100th Birthday Ellen Saine
Ecumen honors Ellen Saine, a resident of Ecumen Scenic Shores, who is 100.
Ecumen Parmly LifePointes Honors Its Superstar Volunteers
Ecumen Parmly LifePointes held its annual volunteer luncheon Monday and handed out awards to its volunteer “superstars.”
Ecumen Pathstone Living Residents Vote on 100 Potential Menu Items
Darcy Stueber, the Dining Director at Ecumen Pathstone Living in Mankato, is always looking for ways to refresh the menu at the senior living community. But outright experimentation is risky. So she decided to organize a “dining fair” and let residents sample some new food products.
Last Wednesday, 11 local food brokers brought their offerings to the community. Residents had a chance to try 100 products and vote them up or down.
The fair was a big hit — as the smiles in the accompanying photos show. Darcy is still going through the comment cards, but there are some clear winners: cranberry wild rice bread, a new Swedish meatball offering, a new beer battered shrimp product and a flavored water with nutrients.
Darcy was especially happy to see that the blueberry filled pancake was popular. “Breakfast is the hardest meal to re-create,” she says. “There are only so many ways to make eggs.”
Putting on the fair and serving regular meals was quite a challenge, Darcy says, because the dining staff had to do their regular jobs, while sharing the kitchen space with the vendors who were cooking as well.
“But we all shared and made room,” she says. “My staff is fantastic.”
Routinely, Darcy meets with her Dining Task Force — an advisory group of residents who help with menu planning. The fall/winter menu is now in the works.
“We incorporate seasonal items to keep it interesting and switch things up,” she says. This summer, corn on the cob was a menu favorite. And this fall, a few of the winners from the dining fair will likely make the grade. 
Ecumen Century Club: Honoring the Always Positive Pearl Nelson, 104
"There's always something good," says Pearl Nelson, a resident of Ecumen Parmly LifePointes, who is 104 today.