Until Avis Lokken broke her heel and a hip, she seldom thought about exercise. Now those injuries inspire her to move daily.

In the winter, you will find her cycling in Eventide Sheyenne Crossings’ exercise room. She pedals for 30 minutes at 8 a.m. and another 20 minutes in late morning or early afternoon.

When the weather is warmer, she walks a two-mile loop around campus twice a day. In the cold months, she walks laps inside. Each day, year round Avis averages five miles! In addition, she participates in regular exercise classes at Eventide Sheyenne Crossings.

She lives out the mantra: “use it or lose it.” Avis is devoted to staying active.

When Avis moved to Eventide Sheyenne Crossings in 2012, she didn’t even ask about exercise programs or mobility assistance. She moved because she couldn’t see well anymore. Macular degeneration made driving impossible, and her hometown of Tioga, North Dakota, didn’t have bus or taxi services.

She decided to move to the Fargo metro area to be closer to one of her children, to have easy access to more public transportation, and to be closer to large medical facilities.

Soon after she made Eventide Sheyenne Crossings her home, Avis broke her heel and needed surgery to insert screws. She knew from earlier bone density scans that she was at risk for breaks, but it hadn’t been something she worried about.

Then, shortly after being released from the hospital, Avis fell and broke her hip.

“After that, the doctor wouldn’t guarantee that I would walk,” she says. “And, if I did walk, it would be with a limp or pain.”

But Avis was determined to walk pain-free again. That determination combined with rehabilitation assistance at Eventide Sheyenne Crossings supported her healing.

“I bounced back,” she says.

Once she was walking again, Avis decided to reduce the chances of repeat breaks. That meant making exercise a daily priority. Those exercise goals also helped her fill her days.

“I’m legally blind,” she says. “All I can do is walk and exercise.”

Avis’s dedication to the gym took her family by surprise, but they are very supportive.

“Mom never used to be into exercise, and now nobody can keep up with her, except my younger sister,” says Avis’s daughter Deb. “It’s a marvel that she is so active!”

Don Rice and his wife, Naomi, were living in a second-story condo when his knee began to wear out.

Don’s doctor suggested fewer steps and more walking to strengthen the accompanying muscles.

“I was going downhill because I couldn’t get out to exercise,” Don says.

The couple decided it was time to move. They knew exactly where they wanted to be – Eventide.

Naomi’s father was one of the pastors who participated in Eventide’s original groundbreaking ceremony. Don, a college student at the time, was hired to mop the floors of the first unit before residents moved in

Still, they didn’t realize how quickly they would feel safe and comfortable in Linden Tree Circle, Eventide’s assisted living facility.

They don’t need any extra services right now. But the couple appreciate knowing that staff check in to

make sure they’re doing okay and that services – like help dressing or bathing – are easily available should they ever need them.

Both of them use the facility’s wellness center. Don rides a stationary bike three times a week. With the help of staff, they’ve been able to personalize their workouts.

“I’m regaining strength,” he says. “That makes it easier for me to get around.”

The couple is involved in activities at their home church in Moorhead. They belong to several community book clubs and regularly attend concerts at Concordia College, a block away.

“We’re doing the things that have always been part of our lives,” Naomi says.

Naomi taught English and worked for Lutheran Social Services Minnesota with the Unaccompanied Minor Program. Don was an ordained pastor who also worked at Concordia in church relations for 14 years.

When they moved into their apartment, they asked if they could swap out the dining room chandelier for something that better matched their style.

Maintenance staff happily exchanged the fixture.

They also were pleasantly surprised to learn they could have visitors any time of day. A grand-daughter is at Concordia, and they wanted to make sure she could visit whenever she wanted.

“They told us, this is your home,” Naomi says. “It is.”

This summer, the couple plans to spend time at their cabin in the lakes country.

“We’ll keep doing what we want to do until we can’t,” Don says. “And we know our needs will be met so we can stay in our apartment for a long time.”

As songs of joy and cheer fill the air, not everybody greets the holiday season with jolliness.

Even in the midst of celebration, some seniors experience a feeling of depression referred to as Blue Christmas.

While there are lots of things to love about the holidays, some seniors may struggle with the season. Health problems or mobility challenges may keep them from participating fully in certain holiday traditions. They may have lost loved ones who made the season special.

In these cases, Christmas and other holidays can be a reminder of what has been lost.

“For some people, they’re not where they want to be,” says Sarah Sjaaheim, director of social services and admissions at Eventide Fargo.  “Maybe they needed to move where they could receive more care. It’s not what they imagined for Christmas, much less for their future. They’re mourning.”

Holiday depression can happen at any age, but seniors are especially prone to it if they have suffered serious physical challenges, lost a loved one, or lost their social network.

In addition, the cold, dark days of winter mean many elders don’t go outside as much. Ice and snow can make getting anywhere, including medical appointments, difficult. This contributes to feelings of isolation and sadness.

At all Eventide campuses, staff regularly screen residents to make sure depression doesn’t go unnoticed, Sjaaheim says. If residents are struggling in the wintertime, staff may recommend the use of a Sad light or aromatherapy. Residents will be encouraged to meet with a chaplain and to participate in appropriate exercise. If necessary, medication may be prescribed.

“We look at how we can help our residents cope with where they’re at,” Sjaaheim says.

At times that is as simple as offering a listening ear.

“Some of our residents just want to be heard,” Sjaaheim says. “They want to know it’s okay to feel sad. And, it is.”

Over the holiday season, Eventide campuses host resident Christmas parties and encourage residents to participate in traditions like decorating, baking cookies and watching favorite seasonal movies.

At Eventide Fargo, gifts are purchased so that every resident receives something personalized – even if they don’t have family and friends nearby. Thanks to suggestions from the resident council, Eventide Fargo even serves holiday meals family-style, bringing warmth to special holidays.

“We make things feel as cozy as possible,” Sjaaheim says.

Family and friends also can help loved ones in a senior community adjust to changing realities.

If possible, invite your loved one to participate in as many holiday activities as possible. Send cards and letters.

If he or she can’t leave an assisted living or long-term care residence, you can help make the holidays more joyful. Attend holiday activities and parties at their residence. Join them for a holiday meal.

Be sure to bring them something that symbolizes a favorite holiday tradition. For example, if your family always makes lefse, bring a plate of the special treat. If your family tradition is belting out Christmas carols, spend time singing together.

Above all, don’t feel guilty or bad if your loved one doesn’t embrace your efforts with enthusiasm, Sjaaheim says. Visits from family and friends can be another reminder that things have changed, that old family Christmas traditions will be no longer. That said, don’t stop visiting.

“Enjoy the time you have together,” Sjaaheim says and then offers good advice for everyone during the holidays: “Don’t stress too much.”

On October 19, 1977 Char Guthmiller started her nursing career as an LPN at Hi-Acres Manor, now Eventide Jamestown. Char wasn’t sure if caring for the elderly was something she wanted to do for a long period of time. Forty-one years later, she is still caring for the elders of the Jamestown community. Char truly believes it was God’s calling for her to care for those we serve. There have been many changes and challenges over the past four decades. From pill bottles to a medication card system; from paper and phone calls to computers, email and fax machines. Through all of these changes and challenges the main focus has always been the resident’s well-being.

As Char looks back she cannot believe it has been forty-one years of caring for our residents. It is even harder for her to believe that some of the residents she is caring for now are the sons and daughters of the residents she cared for when she first started her nursing career. Char is grateful for the wonderful families who have entrusted the care of their loved ones to Eventide Jamestown over the last generations.

One of Char’s favorite sayings is, “You’ve either touched someone’s life or someone has touched yours.” This is something that Char sees more each and every day. The blessings of touching so many lives is something Char continues to enjoy after her many years of being a licensed practical nurse. We are so fortunate to have Char as part of our Eventide family.

Caring for body, mind and spirit.

During times of transition, spiritual support can play an important role in comforting people.

That’s true at any stage of life.

At Eventide Senior Living Communities, chaplains lead the way for providing spiritual care to residents. Spiritual care includes worship services, Bible studies, and so much more.

Familiar rituals and traditions like worship and holiday celebrations provide opportunities for fellowship and connection. These help to build community. While Eventide is proud of its Lutheran heritage, worship and Bible studies are inclusive of people from all faith traditions.

But spiritual care is much larger than worship. Eventide seeks to help each resident find wellness in body, mind and spirit. Its chaplaincy services are key to making sure the latter is addressed.

Eventide’s two full-time chaplains accompany residents as they seek meaning in life while navigating through this stage of life’s journey. The spiritual needs of those who move into a senior living community are vast. Some are ready for the change and look forward to joining a safe community. Others struggle with chronic diseases or loss of independence.

“It can be hard for someone to say, I need a little help, and that’s often what happens when someone joins our community” says Chaplain Steve Streed. “We’re here to help them work through fear, loss and anxiety so they can thrive.”

Today’s American culture places more value and emphasis on youth than on the aging, Streed says. But the questions one faces in one’s 70s, 80s or 90s are the same as those faced by someone in their teens or mid-40:

Who am I now? Who do I belong to? What’s my purpose? What is my worth?

Reflecting on these questions gives residents an opportunity to work through stages of grief and loss. Perhaps a loved one has died or maybe someone has broken relationships or disappointments to address.

Streed often starts conversations simply: Do you have regrets? Would you change anything? What advice do you have to share?

Residents with lifetimes of experiences have meaningful responses.

One woman told Streed this advice: 1. Accept aging; 2. Do one thing today; leave one thing for tomorrow; and 3. Get your dander up once in a while.

“The residents at Eventide have experienced the bitter and the sweet, the mountaintops and the valleys,” Streed says. “They have so much to teach.”

Streed sometimes finds residents who are wrestling with an issue that wasn’t addressed earlier in their life. He compares it to Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32.

“God wrestles us to the ground,” Streed says. “We have to face things sooner or later.”

Spiritual care can offer tools for doing that.

Eventide’s spiritual support extends to family members and staff, as well. Families may struggle with a decision to move a loved one into assisted living or long-term care. Chaplaincy services can help them come to peace with their decisions.

Support staff, too, have asked for assistance when a beloved resident passes away – or even for happier occasions, such as weddings and baptisms.

“Our ministry is about connection,” Streed says. “It’s an honor to be part of the journey.”

Chaplain Steve Streed has spent his career learning at the feet of the greatest professors in the world.

Those professors are the residents of Eventide Senior Living Communities, where Streed has worked for nearly three decades.

“I have so much to learn from each person,” he says. “They’ve lived through World War I, the Dust Bowl, the Depression, World War II, the Korean War … there’s so much wisdom to be shared.”

Streed serves as one of two chaplains at Eventide. He leads Sunday and Wednesday worship services plus weekly Bible studies. He makes calls to residents in hospitals and hosts family support group. He participates in pulpit exchanges, bringing the face of Eventide to area churches.

But Streed’s true ministry happens during day-to-day interactions as he builds relationships with residents, their families and staff.

“I’m always wondering how can I  walk beside a person, how can I support them best?” he says.

So, he listens, observes and learns – just as he does when he fly fishes in his spare time.

Streed never expected to be a pastor, much less a chaplain. He dreamed of becoming an artist, possibly following in the footsteps of his father, a commercial artist. Life took a twist in college and he found himself heading to seminary.

“God chose me,” he says.

After seminary, he served in a rural parish and a more urban one. When Eventide opened its search for a chaplain, Streed decided to apply. He never left.

Ministering to those in a senior living community setting has proven rewarding – even though time has led to changes. In recent years, the average length of stay for a resident has become shorter, meaning he has less time to get to know them. He now spends more time with families who may be working through guilt or grief.

There’s one down-side to the calling.

“We work with life and death,” he says. “I get close to people and they either die or leave.”

But that doesn’t mean his vocation is somber.

Instead, he encourages residents and those he works with to embrace their inner child. Curiosity and fun are important at every stage of life.

Proving his point, he collects books full of corny jokes and shares the contents freely. (Why did three pigs leave home? Their father was a real boar.) He releases his own inner kid when he tells staff in the hallway that their shoes are untied. (The punch line? Made you look.)

And he always wears a wacky tie – something like Donald Duck or Goofy – that captures the attention and imagination of residents. It’s usually the first thing residents at the breakfast table will ask to see when he arrives to the office.

A couple of years ago, Streed accepted the District C Caregiver of the Year award from LeadingAge Minnesota. The award honors those who enhance and enrich the quality of life of older adults in their care.

Streed is honored by the recognition but insists it is his life that has been enriched.

“I let people tell me their stories, “ he says. “I’ve been blessed by them and the connections we make.”

Moving can be filled with emotional and physical challenges, especially for senior adults who need to transition into smaller, more manageable spaces.

Linda Lammers specializes in alleviating the stress.

She is the founder and owner Change Is Good, a business that helps seniors move and downsize. The company is part of a growing industry that specializes in “senior move management.”

These services fill a gap for families who live far away or are not physically able to help an elderly family member move. Staff also provide a neutral outlet for families who may disagree about what should happen to household and personal items.

“We go to great lengths to show compassion to our clients and their families,” Lammers says. “We tell families: let us do the hard stuff.”

Lammers started the business after moving her parents, who had been the third generation to live in their family farmhouse. Even with adult children willing to help, downsizing and packing was difficult. Details, such as confirming movers and ordering window treatments for the new residence, almost were forgotten.

“I told my sister there had to be an easier way to do this,” Lammers says.

Change Is Good is a certified member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers, an association dedicated to helping older adults relocate or age in place.

When Lammers works with clients, she assures them that they’re the boss. Her first question to them: What’s important for them to look at or use? The answers vary.

Some clients want to take very little with them when they move into a smaller living space, whether that’s a condo, senior living or a long-term care residence. Others want to take everything and only want help packing.

Lammers will not make decisions about what her client’s should take unless it’s a safety issue, e.g. no step ladders, no expired food. But Lammers and her staff will present options if a client doesn’t know what to do with stacks of magazines or a closet full of old coats. For example, they’ll offer to donate them or arrange an estate sale.

“Most of the time, people just want to be know that their stuff has value to someone,” Lammers says.

As part her services, Lammers will visit the space that her client is moving into and design a floor plan. Armed with this information, she can recommend what items will fit in the space.

One client assumed a hutch constructed by her late husband wouldn’t fit into her new apartment. Lammers measured it and assured the client that there would be space for the hutch, if she wanted it. The woman was delighted.

“People already feel like they’re losing control,” Lammers says. “Many are moving because of medical issues or other things outside their control. We let them have control over this.”

And, on moving day, Change Is Good will unpack items and get the new space ready for living. The coffee pot will be plugged in, the bed will be made, and the television remote will be in a familiar place.

“It’s a huge change and everyone’s emotions are high,” Lammers says. “We try to make it a little easier.”

CHANGE IS GOOD WEBSITE: http://changeisgood.us.com/

TIPS FOR DOWNSIZING

Whether you hire somebody to help or do it yourself, here are some tips for tackling your downsizing move.

1. Start early. Don’t wait until there’s a medical crisis to pare down belongings. Even if you’re not planning a move soon, it doesn’t hurt to prepare.
2. Make a plan. Do you need help? Who will be involved? What steps need to be completed? Where will you start? For some seniors, it makes sense to start in the rooms with items that have the greatest emotional value and are used every day, i.e. kitchen, living room, bedroom. For others, it’s easier to start with rooms that are less cluttered.
3. Involve the family. Every family has different dynamics and expectations. Have a heart-to-heart with family members about items that have both monetary and emotional value. Do the children or grandchildren want them? If not, what will be done with items?
4. Create piles. When going through items, separate them into four categories: keep, donate, give to family members, and trash. Do some research to determine who/what organizations may benefit the most from donations. Could a local preschool use old magazines for art projects? Are household items or winter gear needed by a local homeless shelter?
5. Keep memories without the clutter. Make DVDs of photo albums. Save two or three pieces of a cherished collection and take digital photos of the rest.
6. Ask what you need and what makes you happy. Downsizing means paring down to the essentials. When going through items, ask if it is needed or if it brings joy.
7. Can’t decide? Set aside. If you are struggling to decide what to do with something, it’s okay to set it aside. A few packed boxes can be placed in storage or a second bedroom or even along a wall (if it’s safe). Make a pact that if the box isn’t opened in six to nine months, the items inside can be given away, sold, or thrown. One you live in the new space, it may be easier to give up some things.
8. Be kind. Downsizing is hard work. Going through a lifetime of stuff can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Acknowledge this is stressful work and find ways to celebrate even the small steps.

In this issue of Eventidings, you will find:

• Ethos Home Care Expands with Hospice
• Meet Mary, Eventide’s Senior Living Advisor
• Your Gifts in Action
• And More!