Dena Meyer Named Ecumen Director of Business Development
Dena Meyer has been named director of business development at Ecumen.
Dena has 15 years of senior housing experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors and has developed more than 1,000 senior housing units in the Twin Cities. She recently served as interim housing manager of Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley and was the first director of marketing for that community, overseeing initial sales efforts and opening events. Before that, she was the developer of the award-winning Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood, and she also worked on the development of Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley.
“Dena has a deep understanding of how planning, marketing, development and operations relate to successful communities,” said Steve Ordahl, Ecumen senior vice president of business development. “She forges strong and productive business relationships and approaches her work with resourcefulness and imagination.”
Dena is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict/St John’s University and lives in Prior Lake.
Jim Klobuchar: Vikings Get More than a Victory in London
You can read Ecumen blogger Jim Klobuchar's analysis of the MInnesota Vikings' first victory in this post he did today for MinnPost.
Suddenly the Tech World Loves People Over 50
The AgePower Tech Search, which will take submissions until October 31st, was recently featured in this article at PBS' NextAvenue.org and Forbes. (Dig NextAvenue's tagline: Where Grown-Ups Keep Growing)
Honoring Centenarians Muriel and Tillie at Union Central
Muriel Swenson (picture on the left) was the first resident at Union Central Senior Living, an Ecumen managed community in Detroit Lakes, when it opened in 2010. She is also the oldest at 101. But not by much. Tillie Dybing (right), who lives down the hall, just turned 100.
Muriel and Tillie had birthdays a week apart in August. Both had very special birthday parties, with family coming in from all over the country to celebrate.
Both women are active and live independently and frequently socialize with each other at Union Central.
Muriel and her now-deceased husband of 75 years, ran a dairy farm near Hawley and raised two children.
Tillie grew up in a sod house in Manford, N.D., and later lived in Harvey. She spent most of her adult life in Minot, where she and her husband raised two children. Tillie worked a Bader’s Department Store in Minot for 27 years.
We honor centenarians Muriel Swenson and Tillie Dybing.
Heritage at Irene Woods, an Ecumen-Managed Community, Rolls Out Its New Approach to Senior Living Near Memphis
Heritage at Irene Woods near Memphis, Tenn., recently welcomed its first independent-living residents and the assisted living and memory care units will open October 1. The senior living community, located at Forest Hill Irene Road and Bill Morris Parkway near I-385, is in the first phase of a long-term development plan that includes multi-family housing.
“This is the only senior living community of its kind in this area-- offering exceptional value and a completely new and different approach,” said Charlotte Curtis, marketing manager for the development. “These apartment homes are definitely larger and less costly than many of the other newer communities near here. Plus, we are in a beautiful setting in an ideal location, with superior services and amenities. No detail has been overlooked.”
This is Ecumen’s first managed community in Tennessee and with partner Edward Rose & Sons, headquartered in Michigan. In the summer of 2014, Ecumen will begin managing another Edward Rose community in Clinton Township, Mich.
The 150-acre Heritage campus, between Germantown and Collierville, will become a multi-generational neighborhood over the next five years that not only has a broad spectrum of senior living services but also an adjacent multi-family apartment development sharing the amenities. “This will be a community for all ages,” Charlotte said. “It will truly fulfill Ecumen’s belief that growing older, no matter what the age or phase, is all about living. Residents will have the freedom, choice and flexibility to enjoy the way of life they love with all the familiar comforts and traditions and the opportunity to pursue new experiences and connections.”
The Heritage community is in a rural setting with small-town ambiance with towering live oak trees, deep woods and fields, yet is only minutes away from retail services, restaurants, shopping, Memphis International Airport, places of worship, golf courses and hospitals and clinics.
The campus includes a three-story independent and assisted living building and a one-level memory care community with connected outdoor gardens and views overlooking Irene Woods. The entire community totals over 165,000 square feet and offer 140 units of senior living apartments,all available on a monthly rental basis with no entrance fees.
“As residents’ needs change,” Charlotte said, “they will have access to all the benefits of a complete retirement community lifestyle, yet pay only for what they need, when they need it.”
Among the amenities at Heritage are three dining venues, concierge services, an arboretum, library and media room, club lounge and game room, on-site bank, general store, barber/beauty shop and spa, fitness and wellness studio, movie theater and chapel, outdoor courtyards, patios and walking paths, and indoor gardening.
For a tour or more information contact Charlotte Curtis at (901) 318-3886 or CharlotteCurtis@ecumen.org or visit www.HeritageIreneWoods.com
World Alzheimer Report, New American Psychiatric Association Statement Show Need for Different Kind of Alzheimer's Care
World Alzheimer Report and insight from American Psychiatric Association Illustrate Need for Ecumen Awakenings-type care approaches.
The Voyage of Father Vincent from the Shores of Ecumen Lakeshore
On a dreamlike summer day on Caribou Lake near Duluth, a canoe cut through the glassy water. Father Vincent James Arimand, 92, was at the front of the boat, his paddle moving effortlessly, his dream coming true.
Father Vincent, a resident of The Shores at Ecumen Lakeshore, had been musing and wishing out loud that he could go canoeing again-- like he did so many times, so long ago. Sandra Dantes of Ecumen Lakeshore at Home, which is the name of our at-home services in Duluth, heard him—and decided to honor his wish and empower him to make it happen.
“I couldn’t help but notice the gleam in his eyes each time he shared his canoeing stories with me,” Sandra said. “He would reminisce about his earlier years and the hundreds of miles he covered while paddling a canoe. I thought, let’s make this happen again.”
Sandra believed he could still do it. She had seen him daily walking the Lakeshore grounds with only minimal assistance. So she found a generous local merchant who donated the use of a brand-new canoe, loaded it on her truck, picked up Father Vincent and his personal aide, Leif Johnson, and headed for the lake.
On that picture-perfect Sunday afternoon, an elated Father Vincent eagerly climbed into the front of the canoe. Leif took the back, and Sandra took the middle seat. They pushed off and glided the lake for several hours-- smiling and singing.
It was a beautiful day. The past was present again. And Father Vincent summed up this way: “If I am dreaming, please do not wake me up!”
Father Vincent isn’t dreaming, he’s living! We look forward to more of Father Vincent’s canoe trips.
Ecumen Expands Its Home Care Services with Acquisition of Covenant Companies
Ecumen has expanded its Ecumen At Home-Twin Cities home care operations with the acquisition of Covenant Companies in Coon Rapids.
“This acquisition is integral to our mission of creating home for older adults wherever they choose to live,” said Kari Everson, executive director of Ecumen at Home. “Another valuable benefit of this acquisition is that our Twin Cities home care service is now Medicare-certified, which opens a new seamless service option for our customers.”
“This certification allows us to serve people in their homes who are transitioning from a hospital stay or otherwise require care covered by their Medicare benefit,” Everson said. “It also allows us to provide therapy services as well as other Medicare coverable services in our Ecumen housing communities throughout the Twin Cities. This creates more ease and convenience for our customers.”
Everson said research shows that the vast majority of people want to remain in their homes as long as possible as they age, and Ecumen is committed to continued development of its home care services to meet this need.
Carolyn Perron Promoted To Ecumen's VP of Organizational Development
Carolyn Perron has been promoted to Ecumen’s Vice President of Organizational Development.
Robin Dunbar, Ecumen’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources, recently announced Perron’s promotion in a company-wide memo:
“I am very pleased to announce the promotion of Carolyn Perron to Vice President of Organizational Development. Carolyn’s leadership and contributions have been integral to helping build Ecumen’s brand and culture, helping people to grow within Ecumen and also attracting other talented people committed to our mission of creating home and our vision of Changing Aging.
As Vice President of Organizational Development, Carolyn will provide leadership to support and strengthen employee education, employee development and leadership development. People are essential to who we are and why we have been consistently honored as a “Best Place to Work.” It is essential that we continue to help our talent grow and be a place that attracts the best employees as we continue to evolve. Carolyn’s role is essential to this work. Within these core development areas, she also will forge strategy and tools to support succession planning, talent assessment and performance management.
Carolyn joined the HR team in 2007 as an interim HR Director. In this role she helped develop our workforce planning tool and our applicant job shadow program. Carolyn soon became Ecumen’s first Director of Training and Development, inheriting a blank landscape to develop. In this role, she created Ecumen’s first online training module, which brought leaders together from across our multi-site geography on a monthly basis for education and dialogue.
In leading Ecumen Way training across the company, she has helped employees discover their personal brand and how personal brand interrelates with and helps advance the Ecumen brand. As lead facilitator of Velocity, Ecumen’s Leadership Development Program, she has made The Ecumen Way and our brand promise to “Innovate. Empower. Honor.”-- the cornerstone of our year-long personal development experience and other education and development initiatives. These include the EMAPS performance management program; Lean Training, which has helped us streamline job processes and eliminate wasted time that can be frustrating for an employee; and NEON, our new employee orientation program.
Carolyn’s energetic attitude, her desire to learn and empower others to grow, her fearlessness in taking on pioneering initiatives and her commitment to excellence has helped influence, and is intertwined with, Ecumen’s progress of the last six years.
Congratulations and thank you, Carolyn.”
Happy 90th Birthday to Governor Al Quie From Ecumen, Have Fun in the Saddle Today!
We don't think Governor Quie is going to quite follow his doctor's orders :), Happy Birthday, Governor Quie