Life Enhancement
Program
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Bringing Joy
to Seniors
Local volunteers
Eldri Vatnsdal,
Esther Welin,
Iris Herling,
Gail Hallie,
Barb Roseen,
Gloria Skrutvold
and Pam Erickson
(not pictured)
lead residents
in a chorus of
beloved familiar
songs.
Joyce Hulst (not
pictured)
provides piano
accompaniment.
What do
Election
Day
decorations,
making lefse, an
elegant
candle-lit
dinner, and a
pee-wee hockey
game have in
common?
They are all examples of dedication and creativity exemplified by
the Life
Enhancement Team
at LifeCare
Roseau Manor.
These inventive, fun-loving LifeCare employees and volunteers are
committed to
making every day
interesting and
enjoyable for
their residents.
Led by Supervisor Alisha Marvin, COTA/L, the Life Enhancement Team
includes mentor
Jan Critchley,
LPN; Cherie
Eaton; and Tracy
Zito.
Together these women challenge themselves and each other to come up
with
entertaining
activities and
outings the
residents will
enjoy.
"This is truly a group effort," says Marvin. "In addition to
the nurses and
nursing
assistants,
departments such
as housekeeping,
laundry, food
service, and
maintenance all
play an
important role
in enriching the
lives of our
residents."
"If we could have music and bingo everyday of the year, ours would
be the happiest
residents in the
state of
Minnesota," says
Cherie Eaton,
Life Enhancement
Aide.
While it's true
bingo and local
musicians are a
favorite here,
many other
activities make
up a typical
week at LifeCare
Roseau Manor.
"One day it may be a Mexican fiesta in the dining room, another day
it's off to
Wannaska for a
piece of
homemade pie,"
explains Cherie.
"The goal is to
provide an
interesting and
engaging
experience for
our residents on
a daily basis."
The team
assembles
a
monthly
calendar
including
a
variety
of
activities,
outings,
and
special
events
in hopes
of
finding
something
of
interest
for
every
resident,
while
respecting
the
individual
physical
abilities
of each
resident.
Supervisor Alisha Marvin says, "Sometimes the best thing is to
simply sit
alongside a
resident and
just visit or
hold their
hand."
New Faces, New
Opportunities
As
new residents
move into
LifeCare Roseau
Manor, new
opportunities
become available
as well.
Among the activities on the schedule is a photo and slide
presentation by
Norma Haselrud,
who graciously
offered to share
stories and
images from her
many travels
over the years.
Marvin says people would be amazed at how easy it can be to share
their special
talents with the
residents.
"Storytelling, singing, or just about anything you can imagine is a
golden
opportunity to
make an impact
on the lives of
our residents,"
Alisha says.
"If everyone in
town shared
their gift, we'd
have to add more
days to the
calendar."
Summer outings for residents include picnics at the Roseau City
Park, a drive
around town to
look at the
brightly colored
flowers, and of
course a day at
the Roseau
County Fair.
Thursday is movie night in front of the big screen TV, complete
with popcorn and
other fun
snacks.
On Inauguration Day residents woke to find the dining room
decorated in
red, white and
blue, courtesy
of LifeCare's
junior
volunteers.
This group of young people gathers each Monday afternoon to do
crafts, visit
with residents,
and help with a
host of
activities
including
caroling at
Christmas.
"Without
a doubt
the lefse making
party was a
highlight of the
year for some
residents," says
Alisha, who
recruited her
mom and aunt to
assist the Life
Enhancement Team
to help several
residents make
lefse for
Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
The group was under the close supervision of Roseau Manor resident,
Lois Dahlgren
who generously
provided her
lefse recipe,
which was given
two thumbs up.
Among the happy lefse flippers was resident Helga Amundson, who at
102 was
certainly no
stranger to the
lefse griddle.
"She handled it like a pro," Cherie says of Helga who celebrated
her 103rd
birthday in
January.
In January, LifeCare Roseau Manor hosted a Winter Fantasy Supper
for residents.
Decorated with snowflakes and candles, the dining room was filled
with specially
set tables.
To make the evening even more memorable, residents were escorted to
their table in
restaurant style
and greeted by
gentlemen
waiters who
filled their
glasses with
sparkling cider.
While a list of activities like this may seem like a lot of work,
each member or
the Life
Enhancement Team
is quick to
point out how
worthwhile it
is.
"It's important to remember that this is home for our residents.
Anything to make
their day
special is worth
every minute,"
Tracy says.
"Anyone with
time to give or
a talent to
share is
encouraged to
volunteer today.
You will feel as
rewarded as our
residents do."
For more
information or
to become a
volunteer at
LifeCare Medical
Center, call
(218) 463-4714 |
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Adeline Pederson
enjoys a few
moments with
Buffy who comes
to put a smile
on the faces of
residents |
Helga Amundson
makes lefse with
a hand from
Alisha Marvin
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Residents,
friends, family
and staff gather
in the LifeCare
Roseau Manor
dining room for
the music and
fun. Local
volunteers
provided music
and heartwarming
entertainment on
an otherwise
chilly January
day. LifeCare
encourages
anyone to share
their time and
talents by
volunteering
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Bob Lund, a
regular
volunteer at
LifeCare Roseau
Manor, is shown
here clowning
around with his
accordion to the
delight of
nursing home
residents |
Residents Jean
Grothem and
Evelyn Dokken
decorate
pumpkins during
an afternoon of
Halloween
activates at
LifeCare Roseau
Manor |
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