Honoring Verna Bloom, Age 104, at Ecumen-Managed Sunnyside Care Center
Everybody wants to know Verna Bloom’s secret. She’ll tell you being 104 years old “surprises” her because she has “no secret of any kind.”
“Every day is a gift from God,” Verna is fond of saying.
The staff at Ecumen-managed Sunnyside Care Center in Lake Park, Minn., where Verna lives, has some insight into her longevity. “Verna is always smiling and has a gracious heart,” says Laura Boreen, the resident services director. “She is always thinking about and caring for others.”
Verna was born on a farm near Audubon, Minn., in Becker County, March 22, 1910, and was one of eight children. Growing up, she milked cows and worked around the family farm.
Verna met her husband Willard, nicknamed “Chubby,” when she was 22. He would come to Lake Park on his motorcycle and take her on rides. When she was 24 they got married and had two children.
She and Willard owned a hardware store in Lake Park, where she was the manager. She also cut and styled hair for many years and enjoyed playing the piano.
When she was in her 70s, after Willard died, she would go to Chicago for extended periods to babysit for her grandchildren, who gave her the nickname “Big V.”
Verna stays active crocheting baby blankets for her great-great grandkids, and she never misses a Friday Bingo game. And she is always smiling.
Sunnyside Care Center will be serving cake and ice cream this Saturday to celebrate. And the Detroit Lakes Tribune has featured a story about her.
Ecumen honors Verna Bloom. Happy 104th Birthday.
Changing Aging: Retired Boomers Opting for Adventure and Service
Baby boomers hitting retirement age are anything but retiring. Fitter and more active than their parents, members of this generation are returning to their youthful wanderlust. Adventure travel and mission trips are becoming more popular than cruises and European shopping trips. Washington Post reporter Tara Bahrampour chronicles this trend toward highly active retirement focused on memorable and challenging experiences.
Great Minds Gala Video: Ashley and Shannon Campbell Perform Tribute to their Father
Ashley and Shannon Campbell, children of legendary country music singer Glen Campbell, gave a stunning performance to cap last night's Great Minds Gala in Washington, D.C. Campbell was honored at the Gala for his and his family's efforts toward continued research, education and support for those living with Alzheimers. Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2011, after which he and his family decided to launch a Glen Campbell goodbye tour, giving him a chance to connect with family, friends and fans through music.
Thank you to Leading Age for sharing the video on their Facebook page.
The Great Minds Gala recognizes LeadingAge members and individuals who have exhibited extraordinary leadership in the quest to improve lives of those touched by Alzheimer's and other related dementias. Ecumen was also an award recipient at the event.
Washington Post Highlights Ecumen Awakenings™
Ecumen Awakenings™ is in the national spotlight as the recipient of the Excellence in Dementia Care award from LeadingAge, a national association of nonprofit aging services providers. Washington Post Reporter Tara Bahrampour interviewed Ecumen nurses Shelley Matthes and Maria Reyes about the history, methods and success of the program in this Q & A in the Post.
Ecumen Bethany Awards Scholarships for Long-Term Care Education
Seven staff members at Ecumen Bethany Community in Alexandria, Minn., received spring semester scholarships totaling almost $7,000 to continue their educational goals in the long-term care career field. An Alexandria Echo Press story highlights the program.
Reassuring Study: “Senior Moments” Don’t Mean Dementia for Most People
A new German study suggests that memory lapses associated with aging may not lead to dementia for a majority of people. Only about 20 percent of those in the study who had “senior moments” developed Alzheimer’s or other serious brain-related disorders. HealthDay reports on the study, which also shows that over time 42 percent of participants with mild cognitive impairment actually returned to normal mental functioning.
Ecumen Bethany Community’s Rehabilitation and Outpatient Therapy Gets Chuck Back in the Boat
Chuck woke up one morning paralyzed by a rare nervous system disorder that required long hospitalization, followed by in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation at Ecumen Bethany Community in Alexandria, Minn. Chuck recalls how Ecumen therapy staff supportively pushed him toward his goal of being able to climb into a boat and go fishing. “If the staff wasn’t so good,” he says, “the result wouldn’t be so good.”
Chuck tells his story in the video below:
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A Must-Read: Washington Post Brings Caregiving Crisis Front and Center
If you’re not already a caregiver to a loved one, chances are high you will be one day. The constellation of issues you are, or will be, facing are daunting. And even if you’re never in this role, the looming crisis is sure to have major societal effects that will impact everyone.
The Washington Post recently took an in-depth look at caregiving and published “Caregiving: A Special Report” highlighting the current and future issues Americans face as more people live longer and there are fewer younger people and fewer financial resources to take care of them. The Post held “Caregiving in America” forums in Chicago and Seattle and interviewed experts in all aspects of the caregiving crisis.
As former First Lady Rosalynn Carter puts it: "There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers."
Travel writer and TV host Rick Steves in a video interview offers a heartfelt plea for action: “As our society becomes more successful… living longer and out-living our brains or bodies… loved ones are taking care of loved ones… It’s a big issue that people don’t talk about so much… but there’s so much power and passion and affluence in our society. If we can’t deal with this in a smart and honest way, it’s sort of an embarrassment for our whole society. The caliber of a great nation is how they deal with seniors…”
The Post’s report is comprehensive — full of information that honors and empowers caregivers and takes on the rapidly emerging personal and societal issues. Both printed and online versions are available at the links below:
Ordean Foundation Awards $11,000 to Ecumen Lakeshore’s Home Delivered Meals Program
The Ordean Foundation has awarded $11,000 to Ecumen Lakeshore to support its Home Delivered Meals program for homebound seniors in Duluth, Minn.
“We’re very grateful for the Ordean Foundation’s support,” said Duane Battisti, the meals program coordinator.
Battisti said the Home Delivered Meals program runs at a deficit since many participants cannot afford to pay for the meals, and foundation support helps keep the program viable. He said home delivered meals at little or no cost help many seniors remain self-sufficient and live in their own homes independently.
The program provides more than 15,000 meals annually to low-income seniors who are homebound, handicapped or in rehabilitation, Battisti said. The meals are prepared by the professional kitchen staff at Ecumen Lakeshore, then packed and delivered by almost 100 volunteers.
The Ordean Foundation has been helping Duluth residents and institutions through charitable giving for more than 80 years. It began in 1933 through the estate of pioneer merchant and banker Albert Ordean, helping families with food, clothing and shelter during the Great Depression. The foundation currently supports a wide range of programs in areas such as social and human service programs, children and you, community development, higher education, health and medical research and arts and culture.
Ecumen To Receive National Award for Excellence in Dementia Care
Ecumen will receive a national honor March 17 as the winner of the Excellence in Dementia Care Award presented by LeadingAge and EMA at the Great Minds Gala in Washington, D.C.
Ecumen is receiving the award for its Awakenings program, which over the last five years has significantly reduced the use of antipsychotic drugs on dementia residents in its communities by implementing non-pharmaceutical approaches to managing challenging behaviors associated with dementia.
"Alzheimer's Disease affects more than 5 million people, many of whom are cared for by our members or informal caregivers," said Larry Minnix, LeadingAge's president and CEO. "We hope that the examples set by this year's honorees highlight the work that is being done to care for those affected while we search for a cure."
The awards gala will be held in conjunction with the PEAK Leadership Summit of LeadingAge, the national trade association for not-for-profit aging services organizations, focused on education, advocacy and applied research. EMA is a nationally recognized leader in dementia and memory related illnesses with its Copper Ridge Model of Care© and The Copper Ridge Institute affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. It is a leader in the research, education and treatment of dementia and memory related illnesses.
Along with Ecumen will be three other honorees, all selected for their “exceptional leadership in the quest to improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.”
Country music entertainer Glen Campbell and his family will receive the Senator William Proxmire Award for their advocacy for research, education and support related to Alzheimer’s disease since 2011, when the disease was diagnosed in the country singer. Sharing the award will be film director/producer James Keach and producer Trevor Albert, whose documentary about Campbell's career and experiences with Alzheimer's disease is expected to be released soon.
The award is named for the late U.S. Senator, who had Alzheimer’s disease and lived at an EMA facility. "The Great Minds Gala is the realization of the vision of Ellen Proxmire, wife of the late Senator William Proxmire, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1994 and spent the last 5 years of his life at Copper Ridge," said Jackie Harris, president and CEO of EMA. "We're delighted to bring Ellen's passion for supporting caregivers to a national platform through this partnership with LeadingAge."
The Family Caregiver Award will be presented to Kathy Ritchie of Phoenix, a dementia advocate whose mother has dementia and who writes a blog for young caregivers.
Proceeds from the event will be benefiting the LeadingAge Innovations Fund and the Copper Ridge Institute (CRI) for the creation and advancement of dementia programs.