Southeast News, December 2007
Annual Fundraising Campaign
Seniors at home–comfortable, connected, empowered, safe. That has been the vision of Southeast Seniors, A Living at Home Block Nurse Program, for over 19 years. With your help, we have made it possible for hundreds of our neighbors 65 and older to remain in their homes.
Southeast Seniors provides in-home Nursing and Home Health Aide services and coordination of other services for seniors. We help keep seniors out of a nursing home. We help find services such as a ride to the doctor, home repair, lawn care, light housekeeping, and meals-on-wheels. We provide friendly visitors, health and home safety advice, and, in partnership with nearby schools, there are opportunities for joyous intergenerational events–a positive experience for both the seniors and the children.
This year, Shirley shares with you her story of how Southeast Seniors has helped her:
Shirley, a lifelong Minneapolis resident, is 88 years old, and, since 1996, has lived in a senior apartment in Marcy Holmes. Her life is filled with friends and music. She plays the organ and loves to sing. And, she still keeps in touch with three friends she has known since the third grade. She is so happy that she can still clean her own apartment and do her own laundry.
Southeast Seniors was able to help Shirley return home after she was hospitalized for a heart attack and a stroke. During her three months in rehabilitation, she said she just wanted to get back to her home, her friends and our caregivers who knew her and attended to her needs. Due to her poor vision, our service coordinator helps Shirley with her paper work. When our home health aide comes in to assist her with personal hygiene, they love to share wonderful stories. Shirley also has a volunteer who she enjoys visiting with. She gets Meals-on-Wheels. Our nurse assists her with her medications and helps her with other questions about her health. Shirley can’t praise her enough for all the help and care she gives. Shirley calls our nurse “her angel”.
We all know how health care costs have been increasing. This hits our seniors hard. At Southeast Seniors, we bill Medicare and other insurance for medical services. But, insurance does not cover all the services seniors need to stay at home. This is where you can help your neighbors. Your contributions allow Southeast Seniors to fill in the gaps. With your assistance, we can subsidize care for seniors and keep them safely in their homes.
Please give generously so that our block nurses, staff and volunteers can continue to assist our seniors to be comfortable, connected, empowered and safe in their homes. With your help, we will maintain these personal connections with our clients and their families in our community.
Other ways of contributing include memorials, gifts of stock, and including a bequest to Southeast Seniors in your will.
For information on making a donation, please call Southeast Seniors at 612-331-2302. Thank you.
Annual Meeting
Southeast Seniors held its Annual Meeting/Potluck on September 13. Over 40 people gathered to celebrate a year of service to seniors in the Southeast community and to recognize the many people who help make our program successful. Special guests included: Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County Commissioner; Ruth Kildow, City of Minneapolis Ombudsman for Senior Services; Malcolm Mitchell, Executive Director of Elderberry Institute; Deb Clark, Pratt School; and Former City of Minneapolis Council Member Paul Zerby. We thanked the many visiting volunteers who make such a difference in the lives of seniors and the other agencies we collaborate with in providing services for seniors in Southeast.
At the October board meeting, the board elected new officers: Wanda Alexander, Chair; Tom Weist, Vice-Chair; Dick Poppele, Treasurer; and Anne Hibbard, Secretary. The board approved the nominations of Judy Anderson, Carol Feldheim, Wendy Looman and Mark Nelson to the board. We thanked our outgoing board members Martha Ballard and Nancy Werner Azarski. A huge thank you to Walter Johnson, Treasurer, and Charlotte Herman, Secretary.
Thank you to all of our board members for their service to Southeast Seniors and community. They are: Wanda Alexander, Judy Anderson, Joanne Cyr, Bob Distad, Jim Drake, Carol Feldheim, Greta and Tony Garmers, Sally Godfrey, Charlotte Herman, Anne Hibbard, Ardes Johnson, Walter Johnson, Bob Kriel, Wendy Looman, Mark Nelson, Mary Anne Page, Terrie Peterson, Dick Poppele, Jere Purple, Leona Reyelts, Sally Sawyer, Lois Schardin, Jane Hanger Seeley, Steve Sorensen and Tom Weist.
Farewell Darla Wexler
Darla Wexler, our Primary Block Nurse for 19 years, retired in July. Darla joined our program when we first began as a Block Nurse Program. Darla remembers Kay Jones, Susan Anderson and Wanyce Sandve encouraging her to join this “new” program to help seniors in the neighborhood. She has seen the program grow from serving one client to an average of 50 nursing clients per year.
Many seniors who have received nursing services from Darla, have referred to her as their “angel.” One of her fellow nurses said, “ Darla is the epitome of Florence Nightingale.” Darla says that it has been a great joy and privilege to serve the neighborhood all these years. We feel privileged to have had Darla work with our program for so many years. She is missed by many.
Even though Darla has retired, Southeast Seniors continues to provide excellent nursing and home health aide services for seniors in our neighborhoods.
Home Security Checklist
Here a few helpful hints to keep you safe in your home or apartment:
* Keep your doors locked while you are in your home or apartment.
* Lock your doors when you are out working in the yard.
* Keep your garage doors closed and locked at all times.
* Make sure your home looks occupied when you are away.
* If a stranger comes to your door needing help, call the police (or other necessary call) for them rather than letting the person in.
Information provided by Minneapolis Community Crime Prevention/SAFE.
Thank You Pratt
Southeast Seniors is very fortunate to receive free office space from Pratt School. Our office has been at Pratt since the beginning of our program. When Tuttle merged with Pratt, there was concern that there might not be space for our program. We wish to thank Ellen Murphy, Principal, and Deb Clark, Community Education Specialist, for making accommodations so that we are able to continue to be housed in the school. We currently share an office with Deb. We appreciate the collaboration we have had with Pratt Community Education over the years. It is a pleasure to work with Deb, Nuala, Jan and Betsy in planning classes for seniors in the community.
Ten Things to Know
Ten Things you should know about your aging parent in an emergency (or 10 things your children should know about you!)
The names of their doctors, addresses and phone numbers.
* Birthdates and social security numbers.
* A list of allergies.
* A list of their medical history and problems.
* A list of prior surgeries.
* A list of their current medications, dosage and frequency taken.
* Insurance information.
* Advance directives.
* Religious beliefs and church affiliation.
* Lifestyle information.
Internet resource: www.Mayoclinic.com/senior-health/HA00029.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers give from the heart! You can make a difference in someone’s life. Check out some of the volunteer opportunities with Southeast Seniors:
* Friendly visitors to visit seniors in need of companionship.
* Shoppers to shop for groceries and other essential items for seniors.
* Home chore helpers to help seniors with leaf raking, snow shoveling, and other chores around their homes.
For information on becoming a volunteer, call 612-331-1202
Keep Minnesotans Right Side Up
Minnesota’s death rate from falls is almost twice the national average and is increasing. Falls are the number one cause of trauma deaths, non-fatal major trauma and other trauma care in Minnesota. The majority of these cases are among older Minnesotans. Women age 50 and older are more likely than men to fall.
The Minnesota Falls Prevention website (www.mnfallsprevention.org) is a first step to increase awareness and provide simple suggestions for older adults to reduce falls. The easy to navigate website offers useful information for both professionals and family members. If you do not have access to a computer, please call Southeast Seniors, 612-331-2302, for more information on falls prevention.