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Ecumen Century Club: Happy 100 th Birthday Leona Hanson

Ecumen honors Leona Hanson, a resident of Heritage Senior Living in Park Rapids, Minn., who is 100 today.

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Ecumen Century Club: Happy 101st Birthday Albert Ruckelshausen

Ecumen honors Albert Ruckelshausen, a resident of Ecumen Meadows in Worthington, Minn., who turns 101 today.

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Pelican Valley Health Center Receives $65,000 Grant for New High-Tech Alert System From Otto Bremer Foundation

The Pelican Valley Health Center, managed by Ecumen, has received a $65,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation to purchase a new state-of-the-art system to alert staff when residents need assistance.

The system operates with wireless technology and can be used throughout the care center.  Residents wear a small pendant and simply press a button if they need assistance.  The alerts sound on iPods carried by staff, giving the exact location of the caller.

“We are so very grateful to the Otto Bremer Foundation for making this new system possible for us,” said Executive Director Barbara Garrity.  “It’s the very best technology available, and it will dramatically shorten staff response time and improve our quality of care.”

Garrity said the system, to be purchased from Intelligent InSites and installed in the next two or three months, promises to bring added security both to residents and staff.  Residents can walk around freely, knowing that staff can respond quickly to a problem, she said, and staff can feel confident they can immediately find residents calling for assistance.

 About the Otto Bremer Foundation

Created in 1944, the Otto Bremer Foundation assists people in achieving full economic, civic and social participation in and for the betterment of their communities. This mission is based on the intent of founder Otto Bremer. His vision and longstanding commitment to communities during and after the Great Depression are carried forward today through the Foundation’s work in the places that are homes and neighbors to Bremer banks. The Foundation strives to help build healthy, vibrant communities — communities where basic needs are met, mutual regard is prized and opportunities for economic, civic and social participation are within everyone's reach. The Otto Bremer Foundation owns 92 percent of Bremer Bank, and receives an equivalent share of the bank profits that are paid out as dividends. This means that a large portion of bank profit is invested back in local communities through grants and program-related investments. In 2013 the Foundation provided approximately $38 million in grants and program-related investments.


Annette Garceau

Ecumen Century Club: Guthrie Theater Legend Annette Garceau Celebrates Her 101st Birthday

Legendary Guthrie Theater costume designer Annette Garceau, a resident of Ecumen Lakeview Commons in Maplewood, Minn., is celebrating her 101st birthday today.

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Annette Garceau

From Caring.com: So Your Parent Wants to Move in With You - Can You Afford It?

Families have many options to consider as parents age and their lifestyle and needs change. One of those options is having parents move into their adult child's home.

Caring.com senior editor Melanie Haiken shared seven financial tips when considering this type of living situation for your family, based on her friend's experience and suggestions from financial planning experts.

In her article, Haiken's suggestions include:

1. Create a "caregiving budget."

2. Figure out how much your parent can contribute.

3. Calculate a fair contribution for the parent to make to household expenses.

4. Call on siblings to contribute.

5. Keep track of additional costs and share those, too.

6. Don't be afraid to hire outside caregiving help and share that expense.

7. What about being paid for your time?

Click here to read the full article, "So Your Parent Wants to Move In With You - Can You Afford It?" by Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor


Annette Garceau

Last Week's Top 5 Blog Posts - August 18

In case you missed out on the latest Changing Aging news, here are the blog posts our online visitors found most interesting last week - including: Dementia Care: It Doesn't Have To Be This Way, How I'm Preparing to Get Alzheimer's, Enjoying Art in Duluth, Oh That Beautiful Doll and more. Click here to read these great stories:

Dr. John Brose on Dementia Care: It Doesn't Have to be this Way

TED Talk Video: How I'm Preparing to Get Alzheimer's

The Pure Enjoyment of Art at Ecumen Lakeshore

Oh, That Beautiful Doll Returns to Ecumen North Branch

Ecumen Century Club: Happy 104th Birthday Grace Zemlin

To read more Changing Aging blog posts or to learn more about Ecumen, please visit ecumen.org!

 

 


Annette Garceau

Ecumen Century Club: Happy 102nd Birthday Muriel Swenson

Ecumen honors Muriel Swenson, a resident at Sunnyside Care Center in Lake Park, Minn., who turns 102 today.

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Annette Garceau

TED Talk Video: How I'm Preparing to Get Alzheimer's

Many children and grandchildren of those who have lived with Alzheimer's have uncertain feelings around their own future health. Watch this enlightening video by global health and development specialist Alanna Shaikh - whose father has Alzheimer's - on her approach to a future that may include Alzheimer's. Shaikh presented "How I'm Preparing to Get Alzheimer's" at TEDGlobal 2012. 

From the TED website: When faced with a parent suffereing from Alzheimer's, most of us respond with denial ("It won't happen to me") or extreme efforts at prevention. But global health expert and TED Fellow Alanna Shaikh sees it differently. She's taking three concrete steps to prepare for the moment - should it arrive - when she herself gets Alzheimer's disease.

 


Annette Garceau

The Pure Enjoyment of Art at Ecumen Lakeshore

Aches and pains and daily struggles fade away when residents of Ecumen Lakeshore get lost in their art. Join them as they paint...

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Annette Garceau

Last Week's Top 5 Blog Posts- August 11

Dr. John Brose, Oh That Beautiful Doll, Thrifty White Pharmacy, 11 Effective Stress Reducing Activities, Ecumen Leaders Speak at Caregiver Conference..

In case you missed out on the latest news, here are the blog posts our online visitors found most interesting last week:

Dr. John Brose on Dementia Care: It Doesn't Have To Be This Way

Oh, That Beautiful Doll Returns to Ecumen North Branch

Thrifty White Pharmacy: Ecumen's Innovative Partner in Making Seniors' Lives Better

11 Effective Stress-Reducing Activities From Americans Who Know

Ecumen Leaders Speaking at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Caregiver Conference

To read more Changing Aging blog posts or to learn more about Ecumen, please vist ecumen.org!