Ecumen Opens New Senior Community in Omaha
Ecumen recently opened a new senior living community in Omaha, Neb., that it developed with owner Esprit Memory Care. Read the complete article on our Senior Housing Development blog.
Ecumen Leader Kathryn Roberts Honored by Minnesota State University Mankato
Congratulations to Ecumen President and CEO Kathryn Roberts who was recently honored by Minnesota State University Mankato with its 2013 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. The award is presented to graduates who have achieved high rank or honor in their professions, have a widespread effect on their communities, and are recognized for their achievements over the course of their careers. Kathryn earned a Masters Degree in Continuing Studies from the school. And we feel very fortunate to have her as Ecumen's leader in the work of changing aging.
The Innovator's Dilemma Sure Isn't Aging
Most of the country's entrepreneurs and innovators are older, which challenges a significant U.S. stereotype. Read more in our new blog post at the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
An Ecumen Adventure with Governor Al Quie: Taking the Reins of "Rambler" and Aging
I recently had the honor to ride horses with former Minnesota Governor Al Quie. He shared with me some fantastic horsemanship and how aging has become another adventure in his life. I love what he says about learning. Learn more from Governor Quie in ourChanging Aging YouTube video.
By his estimation, Governor Quie, the 35th Governor of Minnesota, has taken the reins of a horse approximately 13,104 times in his 89 years. Governor Quie began riding at age 3. His first memory is of his father lifting him up to sit on his Morgan mare’s back. He recalls the warmth of the horse’s neck on his fingers. He also remembers unhitching and walking a team of horses into the barn while his father watched. By the time he was 8 years old, Governor Quie had a pony of his own. Throughout his life – working as a senator, a State Representative, the Governor of Minnesota and a Congressman in the 85th-95th Congresses – Governor Quie has made time to ride horses about three days a week.
In addition to his love of horses, he’s still very involved in his love of Minnesota public policy. He recently led what has become known in our state as The Quie Commission, a citizen’s commission, focused upon gaining bi-partisan support for taking the politics out of Minnesota judicial elections. The goal is to avoid expensive, often brutal, campaigns, and offer voters better information. The core of the Quie Commission’s recommendations is the creation of "retention elections." Under the proposal, governors would appoint judges, and their performance would be reviewed by an independent merit selection commission. Based on the panel's finding, voters would decide whether to keep or oust the judge. Minnesotans of all political perspectives are joining Governor Quie in this effort through the Coalition for Impartial Justice.
The morning I spent with Governor Quie, he rode a beautiful young gelding named, “Rambler”. As I borrowed a horse from his barn, and rode with Governor Quie, I saw how his political negotiating skill ties to his horse handling. Governor Quie is a “horse whisperer”. Many of the horses he’s owned or trained have come from friends and acquaintances, which after struggling to train the horses themselves, are told “The only person I know who can train a horse like that is Al Quie”. A friend came to him and asked if he’d train Rambler while he was out of the country. Governor Quie hesitated. He was 88 years old. Did he really want to risk his wellbeing for this horse? Governor Quie found he couldn’t resist the challenge.
Over the last year, the Governor has taken Rambler from being a horse that refused to move to one that confidently walks, trots and canters through the arena. Governor Quie likes to train the horses to move off of his body’s cues. The horse’s movements are almost imperceptible. It’s really something to behold. Governor Quie told me he had a dream when he was younger that he would ride horses at 80. At 89, he’s fulfilled this wish and then some. Here’s to many more rides, Governor Quie.
Jim Klobuchar - About Getting Old, Read My Lips
The calendar doesn’t negotiate with us or offer rewards. One of its chores is to make silent announcements, like: “one more birthday , friend.”
Let’s say the day comes when you graduate from your jolly 70s. That simple fact may not be worth launching a drum and bugle parade downtown or taking a full page ad in the Sunday New York Times.
Consider the possibility that the celebration can be simpler and a lot less expensive.
A few days ago I finished one of my bouts with the treadmill in the fitness center nearby. It’s one of those modern and progressive sweat boxes that gives major discounts, in some cases a free ride, to aging card holders in one of the major insurance companies.
The idea behind the insurance company’s gift to sweating geezers is the essence of shrewd humanitarianism. What they’re saying is: Stay healthy folks, so we don’t have to pay the hospital bills (out of your premiums). Which in one swoop makes (a) the customer healthier and (b) the insurance company richer.
Sometimes the system does work.
When I finished a half hour on the treadmill, I took a pair of 10-pound weights, lifted them over my head, alternating arms, and put down the weights after 15 minutes. After watching CNN bringing us the latest calamities for a few minutes I headed into the hallway leading to the locker room and showers.
A fellow was sitting on a chair at the head of the hallway, towel around his neck, a pleasant guy I’d met before. We exchanged greetings. He was breathing harder than he probably should have. He looked around to see if there was anyone else in earshot and asked: “How old are you?
I said I was 84. He nodded and smiled in a way that was intended to convey some sort of confession. “I’m 61,” he said.
I offered congratulations. He seemed to want to continue the conversation. He may have been imagining himself at my age, but without a lot of joy because he wasn’t especially proud of where he was physically and perhaps psychologically.
I had the impression he had time on his hands. From earlier conversations I knew he was reasonably well off, may have lived alone, a man stumbling in search, getting older faster.
All of those years had taught me some minimal discretions about giving advice. My paths to fulfillment, if that’s the correct word, might be 180 degrees from another’s. Other folks aren’t necessarily bashful about lighting the way for us. In my book stacks at home is one written by a Dr. Walter M. Bortz published by Simon and Shuster. In it Dr. Bortz challenges the men of the world: “Dare to be 100.”
I’ll admit that’s a reasonable goal. The doctor offers the challenge with energy and hustle, sprigs of humor and some genuinely sound medical advise based heavily on the idea of involvement with the world around us. He offers 100 suggestions ranging from keeping order in your life to being a good loser to convincing yourself that it’s never too late to be totally delighted with life heading into your 80s and beyond.
I would be the last to argue.
I couldn’t possibly have been there to talk about life with my friend in the fitness center if I hadn’t brought an end to my drinking 20 years ago with the help of friends, colleagues and my family and a burst of common sense.
I couldn’t possibly have been there if I didn’t have the brains to walk into a hospital three years before that and discovered that I had heart blockage of 90, 95,90 and 100 per cent, and needed surgery almost that very day.
Nor could I have been there unless I addressed the enticements that pulled me into a life of self-gratification. My time, my agendas.
I don’t know if the fellow in the chair outside the workout room knew all of that or would be interested if he did. I turned to leave, but I stopped and shook his hand, and he seemed about to ask a question.
“Work on your friendships,” I said. “rekindle some of the old ones. When it’s all said and done it’s the relationships that matter most. Travel when you can. Embrace the world, if it’s no further than the North Shore of Lake Superior. Think about somebody who needs your help and pick up the phone. And come here and take care of your body. Think about somebody who needs your help.”
So I went back to the treadmill and did ten minutes more.
86-Year-Old's Felony Case Raises Questions for All of Us
Yesterday a Saint Peter, Minnesota woman with dementia was charged with voter fraud after accidentally voting twice in the 2012 primary election. Her story raises questions for all of us. This link will take you to a blog post on it where you can share your thoughts.
Life Stories Celebrated at Ecumen Community in Norwood Young America
One of the joys of working at Ecumen is getting to know so many people who have great stories and life experiences. A number of Ecumen communities are collaborating with Celebrations of Life whose mission is to provide a meaningful Legacy Journey® experience to help individuals and families live their lives with intention and share their values, wisdom and generosity with loved ones and future generations. Through the collaboration, Ecumen customers explore and publish their life story. As you can imagine, the stories make great keepsakes today and for generations to come.
The Harbor in Norwood Young America is an Ecumen-managed community that has had 8 residents who have recently embarked on their life story projects. The newest stories were celebrated last week at a reception at The Harbor, where the authors unveiled their hardcover autobiographies, sharing them with family and friends.
Over the course of several months residents met with Bonita Heilman, The Harbor’s Community Relations Director to share, reflect and write about their lives. After the writing process is complete, the stories are edited and published in hardcover books complete with a lifetime of photographs.
Among the authors and honorees at the most recent celebrations were the following:
Bonnie Trebesch: She grew up in Clements, MN, and met her husband when she was 13. They were married when she was 18. He was a Marine stationed in California. Together they had 12 children. Talk about juggling!
Gordon Wroge (pictured above): He grew up on the family farm in Young America, MN that was founded by his Grandfather in 1876. Gordon spoke German at home and learned English at school. Today Gordon’s son Dave is the fourth generation of Gordon’s family to live on and work the family farm.
Vernon Henschen: Vernon also grew up on a farm near Cologne, MN. He was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Hamburg, Germany, and found the German he spoke at home with his family came in handy while stationed overseas. He has restored over 70 tractors in his lifetime. They’re all at the family farm. And they’re all International Harvesters.
Congratulations to Bonnie, Gordon and Vernon for sharing their stories! Your families must be proud. We are!
Ecumen Welcomes New Board of Trustee Members
Ecumen is very pleased to welcome Ann Barkelew, Dick Olson, Anne Simpson and Darrell Tukua to our Board of Trustees. More information on each new Ecumen Trustee follows:
Anne Barkelew
Ann Barkelew’s 35-year public relations career includes C-suite experience in the public sector (Los Angeles County Office of Education), the private sector (Dayton Hudson Corporation, nka Target Corporation) and with a major international agency (Fleishman Hillard).
In 1995, Ann was named by her peers internationally as “Public Relations Professional of the Year;” in 1999, was named one of the Most Influential Women in Business in Minnesota by CityBusiness; in 2001, received Fleishman-Hillard’s Lifetime Achievement Award; and in 2003, received the Arthur W. Page Society’s Distinguished Service Award for contributions that have strengthened the role of public relations in society.
Today Ann is actively involved with VocalEssence as a member of the board and with womenwinning: Minnesota Women’s Campaign Fund as a past board member. She twice chaired the Children’s Theatre Company Board of Governors. She was a public member of the Minnesota News Council for six years and chaired the Council’s first board of directors. She was a founding member of United Way’s “Success by Six” program and was actively involved with the Greater Minneapolis Girl Scout Council. She served two terms on the boards of the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Minneapolis Club. She is a member of the Minnesota Women’s Forum and the Twin Cities Communications Council.
Ann began her career as a high school English and journalism teacher in Missouri and California. She headed public information programs in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles California as a school administrator before moving to the corporate sector in 1981. She earned her bachelors’ degree from Central Missouri State University and her master’s from the University of Missouri.
A. Richard (Dick) Olson
Dick enjoyed an interesting career with IBM Corp. He was an international marketing executive with a record of expansion of markets for IBM products in Asia and the South Pacific through agent sales channels. He was involved with product development of mid-range computer solutions, and played a key role in implementing the Japanese language (Kanji) on IBM computers.
When the opportunity arose, he took early retirement from IBM and moved to Singapore as Managing Director of a computer solutions company. He moved to Vietnam when the US lifted its embargo and established a consulting company to enable clients to enter that market.
He has served on the board and as treasurer of Mill City Commons in Minneapolis, a villages approach to community building for older urbanites. Ecumen helped shape Mill City Commons and serves as its strategic partner. His board service also included two terms as president of Sawgrass Association Inc., which managed a large retirement development in Florida. He is currently an active participant in startup businesses in the Midwest.
Dick has a BA in mathematics from Luther College and a Master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. He taught mathematics for two years before joining IBM.
John Petraborg
John Petraborg brings more than 30 years of senior leadership experience in the public and private sectors. Mr. Petraborg is recently retired from Hewlett Packard (HP). At HP, he was the Client Industry Executive responsible for the development of health and human services solutions for HP’s State and Local government customers. Through his leadership of business transformation engagements with many government agencies in the US and abroad, he has focused on the use of innovation, application of best practice, and deployment of technology to restructure government health and human services.
In addition to many roles in government, Mr. Petraborg served as Commissioner (Acting) of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the state’s largest agency. Mr. Petraborg pioneered innovative policies for health care, welfare reform, children’s services, and child support. He led the successful business re-design and system development for several Minnesota programs.
Mr. Petraborg received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Minnesota School of Social Work, the Public Service Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Children’s Champion Award from Children’s Defense Fund. He served as national President of the Quality Control Directors Association. He recently served as Chairman of the Human Services IT Advisory Group of Tech America, the leading technology trade association in the US.
Anne Simpson
Anne spent 18 years as a caregiver for her husband, Reverend Robert Simpson, who died in July 2011. Moving three times to get the care he needed, she became actively concerned about housing options for seniors.
During the first years of his disease, she and Bob wrote a book together: Through the Wilderness of Alzheimer’s: A Guide in Two Voices ( Augsburg Fortress, 1999). She has subsequently published a book of poems, Growing Down: Poems for an Alzheimer’s Patient and mounted an exhibit called “I’m Still Here” with Laura Crosby, pairing her poems with Laura’s photographs. Anne has written a curriculum for churches to encourage their support and inclusion of both dementia patients and caregivers; it will be published this spring.
Before she was a caregiver, Anne was a writer, a sheep farmer and a Christian educator. She holds a lay diploma from United Theological Seminary.
Darrell Tukua
Darrell currently serves as a member of several corporate boards of directors including Capella Education Company, Constellation, and Gate City Bank. He is a retired partner of KPMG LLP, a global provider of audit, tax, and advisory services. Darrell has served on the boards of numerous not-for-profit organizations. In addition to serving on the board of trustees of Ecumen, Darrell currently serves on the board of the National Association of Corporate Directors Minnesota Chapter and as a non-board member of the Finance Committee of Allina Health.
He is the past board chair of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In addition to Catholic Charities, Darrell previously served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota, Vail Place, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, Washburn Center for Children, and West Hennepin Counseling Services.
Darrell graduated from the University of South Dakota with a B.S. in Accounting.
Join Mary Furlong, Ecumen, AARP and Others Shaping "What's Next" in Chicago March 12
Dr. Mary Furlong is one of those people who sees the future and opportunities where others see problems and challenges. It's her vision that led to the development of SeniorNet a quarter century ago, bringing foundations, Apple, IBM, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and others to bring computer access to more than a million underserved Americans.
If you want to join with Mary, Ecumen, tech trend watcher Lauri Orlov, MetLife, AARP and many others working to shape the future of aging and innovation, sign up for the 2013 What's Next Boomer Business Summit. Ecumen will be participating in a panel discussion on the future of Alzheimer's care and sharing insights from our Awakenings program to reduce the unnecessary use of antipsychotic medications in dementia care.
Ecumen Participaing in Twin Cities Panel Discussion Wed. on Long-Term Care Financing Innovation
Citizens League's Capitol Solutions Twin Cities Breakfast Series: Long-term care Financing Event
Wednesday, Feb. 20
Doors 7:30 a.m. | Program 8-9:30 a.m.
Minnesota History Center
345 Kellogg Blvd West, St. Paul
Cost $5 for members, $15 for nonmembers
Coffee and pastries provided
Register now
At age 65, a person has a 70 percent chance of needing some type of long-term care in their future years - at an average cost of $48,000.
The default financing source has become Medicaid, which provides publicly funded health care for those in poverty. But the growing number of people turning to Medicaid is creating a crisis in public funding. In short, we face an unprecedented set of enormous costs that we have not prepared for, either individually or publicly. Medicaid as the fallback is unsustainable.
This is a multi-generational issue, a quality of life issue, and a fiscal security issue.
Join the Citizens League and Ecumen to learn about the problem; the steps Minnesotan businesses, government, and citizens need to take to solve it; and what can be done this legislative session.
Check out the full Citizens League Capitol Solutions legislative event series lineup, and learn how you can help.
Thanks to Comcast for sponsoring this event series.