Lakeshore Living A Superior Way of Life. A publication of Ecumen Lakeshore Winter 2016
Staying safe outside Winter is quickly approaching! It is a good time to remind ourselves of some very helpful tips to reduce the risk of falling in slippery conditions. It is good to choose the appropriate footwear such as boots or overshoes with grip soles. Ice grips for boots and canes are also worth picking up for those icy days. Plastic and leather soled shoes are very slippery and have very little traction in snow and ice. When walking, curl your toes under and walk as flat-footed as possible taking short shuffling steps. Try to bend your knees a little and take slower steps. Avoid walking with your hands in your pockets as it reduces the ability to use your arms for balance if you do slip. Pay attention to where you are walking. Watch out for uneven surfaces and avoid curbs with ice on them. Don t carry or swing heavy loads, such as boxes, cases or purses that may cause you to lose your balance when you are walking. If you begin to fall, relax as much as possible and try to twist and roll backwards rather than falling forward. Happy Holidays and stay safe out there! Loren Jouppi, ODT, OTR/L Program Director of Therapy Services at Ecumen Lakeshore Executive Director Blaine Gamst (218) 625-7823 Director of Nursing Veronica Olsen (218) 625-8408 Director of Admissions The Fountains: Short Stay & Rehabilitation Center Sue Akervik (218) 625-7853 Fax: (218) 625-7139 Community Relations Manager Jena Evans (218) 625-7838 The Crest: Independent Living Roxanne Sternberg, Director (218) 625-7805 The Shores: Assisted Living & Memory Care Rita Walker, Director (218) 625-8280 Ecumen Home Care Lakeshore (218) 628-7848 Home Delivered Meals Gracia Swensen (218) 625-7844 HR Director Kristin Spencer (218) 625-7813 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kenneth Johnson, President James Cherveny, Vice President Jacob Baker Ron Berkeland James Garvey Dr. Richard Goese Sue Hamel Rev. Henry Noordzy Karol Sowers After 34 years of outstanding service with Lakeshore our Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) Karen Nelson has retired. She s now enjoying her next adventure in sunny Florida. We miss you and wish you the best Karen. Here s a photo from her retirement celebration in September. MISSION STATEMENT Ecumen Lakeshore creates home for older adults, wherever they choose to live. www.ecumenlakeshore.org
Veterans Day at Lakeshore 2016 Veterans Day is a time to honor and celebrate those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. We honor their patriotism and selflessness in serving for the common good. On Friday, November 11, the Lakeshore campus was filled with pride and admiration as tenants, residents and staff celebrated with our brave veterans. Our Veterans Day Program, held in Lakeshore s Courtyard Plaza, began with a warm welcome from Lakeshore s Executive Director, Blaine Gamst, and the introduction of staff member and Navy veteran, Ray Lyytinen, who proudly entered with the American Flag. All who were able, rose to their feet, hand on their heart, and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. A patriotic medley was then sung by the Ordean-East Middle School Choir, which had spectators welling with pride. Navy veteran and Crest tenant, Dick Parendo commented, It s nice to have an intergenerational aspect to a program like this. The principal speaker, Colonel Brad Jackson from the 148th Fighter Wing, spoke about honoring our country and those who gave their lives for the privileges we have today. A further reminder of the need for peace came from Air Force Veteran and Crest Tenant, Bob Keyport, who shared with us the symbolism of the Missing Man table placed in the Courtyard Grille. The table is a place of honor, set up in memory of missing or imprisoned military service members. Each item on the table represents an aspect of their plight and the hope and fears of their families. The program came to a reverent end with a prayer for our military personnel, past, present and future led by Crest tenant Connie Lebeau, followed by the playing of TAPS. The celebration continued with a reception following the program. It was a great time to show our appreciation to the veterans and to hear a story or two all while enjoying warm apple crisp. It was important to the staff of Lakeshore that the program be a respectful celebration of our Veterans, one that left them feeling honored by us and proud of their military service. Lydia Jordahl, The Shores Activity Coordinator Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016 Page 1
A Walk Through Time with Dr. John Sanford and Dr. Julie Moller at Ecumen Lakeshore In honor of Dr. John Sanford we are reprinting this article that was originally published on October 9, 2015. John Bryant Sanford, M.D., of Duluth, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at home on October 31, 2016 at the age of 90. Today, like every day, Doctors Sanford and Moller are making their rounds at Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth. It s been a few years since they practiced medicine, but their regular walks through the rehabilitation unit and around the campus are a reassuring ritual. John Sanford, a retired surgeon, and Julie Moller, a retired internal medicine physician, are now residents of Ecumen Lakeshore. They have been married for 60 years and practiced for most of their careers at the same Duluth clinic, where Julie was the first female physician. ( Somebody had to be first, Julie quips.) On their walks, former patients will often recognize them and delight in reconnecting. It s wonderful to run into former patients, John says. It s very rewarding. Julie and John had hugely successful careers and raised four highly accomplished children. But what now looks like a storybook life started against the menacing backdrop of World War II. Julie fled the Nazi invasion of Denmark in 1940 when she was only 13, coming to the United States on a ship with her sister. Her parents were in the United States when the invasion happened, and the two young girls had to flee on their own. As John puts it: She was fleeing the Nazis while I was a spoiled brat in the eighth grade in South Minneapolis. But John would soon get his own dose of danger. The war was accelerating everything, he recalls, and by the time he was 21, he had graduated from medical school at the University of Minnesota and started doing his internship in Duluth at St. Mary s Hospital. He moved through school so fast, he never got a high school diploma. ( He got away with it, says Julie.) In 1950, after his internship, John started working at the Duluth Clinic where he began training as a surgeon and soon enlisted in the Army. He was not yet a fully trained surgeon but the Army gave him a surgical rating and sent him to Korea in 1952. He was assigned to the 8063 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), where his first job was receiving and resuscitating wounded soldiers. His gaze wanders back through time and his voice softens and cracks. They were the best kids in the world, all shot to hell. When he came back from the war, he was asked to speak to the medical society in Duluth about his MASH experience and what it was like to do surgery under battlefield conditions. The experience was so gripping, John says, and I remember getting pretty worked up in that talk. When he finished, doctors from the Duluth Clinic offered him a job on the spot as soon as he finished his surgical training. For that, he headed to the University of Illinois in Chicago. Meanwhile, Julie was living in Richmond, Virginia, attending the Page 2 Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016
University of Richmond, where she would also go to medical school with top honors Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. After medical school, Julie came to Chicago to do her internship and, as it turned out, to meet John. Their first date was at a Chicago Symphony concert, and they dated several months until Julie finished her internship and headed back to Richmond in June of 1954. In September, John hightailed it to Richmond with a marriage proposal. Julie accepted and came back to Chicago, where they were married in 1955. They came to Duluth in 1957 and both started working in the Duluth Clinic. They talk about how special it was to work together with a small group of physicians who were like family, while they raised their four kids. The wars were way behind them. But in 1991, John got an invitation to a reunion of his MASH unit. A recently retired Cleveland Clinic surgeon who had served with John in Korea decided to organize a gathering at his home in Florida. It was 39 years later when 26 surgeons, most of them retired, came from all over the country to see one another for the first time since the Korean War. For two days, they shared stories and talked about old times. On the third night, the host said he would like to start dinner with a prayer for the wounded and soonto-be wounded soldiers in the first Gulf War, which was going on at that time. We know there are going to be casualties, he said to the gathered surgeons, and somebody there will be doing our work. We know what that s like, and they need our prayers. This is John s account of what happened next: As he prayed, he just broke down and cried. And then we all did. These tough old surgeons who had worked all those years just broke down and cried. While we were in Korea, we were not emotional. We were not emotional until that night. And it all came out. It s unforgettable. It shows what effect the war had on us. We had never really gotten over it. We just suppressed it all those years. I guess we finally had closure, if that s the right word. Back then we had been young doctors full of zip, but we had never gotten over it. I m sure the same thing is happening with all the present wars. You re taking care of all these wonderful kids. It s emotional but not while you re doing it. Julie and John have mementos of those war years pictures of John s MASH unit and Julie s passport when she was fleeing occupied Denmark. But those memories are overshadowed by their happy years practicing medicine in Duluth, raising their family and becoming pillars of the community. During that time they took their kids to Denmark to visit Julie s parents during the summers an outcome Julie could never have imagined in 1940. They have been living at Ecumen Lakeshore for three years now, making their daily rounds like clockwork. They came here after John had hip surgery. The surgery itself went fine, but he got an infection that is still being treated. Neither he nor Julie drive, but they walk every day. It s a different life not being able to drive, John says. But we have such wonderful kids who take care of us. And you have no idea of the care we get here [at Ecumen Lakeshore]. It is just remarkable. I just can t imagine a better, happier life, John says. We are so blessed. Things always work out, says Julie. Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016 Page 3
Meet Blaine Gamst, Ecumen Lakeshore Executive Director We are pleased to introduce you to Blaine Gamst, Executive Director of Ecumen Lakeshore. Blaine recently relocated to Ecumen Lakeshore from an Ecumen community in Litchfield, Minn. He is a native of Willow River, Minn., about 50 miles southwest of Duluth, and a graduate of Duluth East High School. Blaine has a B.A. from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., with a major in health care administration and long-term care. He is also a graduate of Ecumen s Velocity Leadership Development and the St. Catherine University graduate-level certificate program in Organizational Leadership. Blaine and his wife, Afton, have a 16-month-old son, Weston. When I m not working, Blaine says, I love spending time being a dad and teaching my son new things. Afton and I enjoy spending time outdoors to get reenergized and refocused. Recently, I have been enjoying biking on the great trails that Duluth has to offer. Now that we re in winter season, I enjoy playing hockey a couple of nights a week. I also look forward to doing some family skiing and snowshoeing outings during the coming snowy months. Blaine s decision to return to the Duluth area and lead Ecumen Lakeshore was an easy one. Without question, it was the tradition and reputation that initially attracted me to Lakeshore, he says. I love working for Ecumen, and Lakeshore is the best Ecumen campus. Now that he has been in the job for about four months, he says the best thing about Lakeshore is the people. I really enjoy all of the residents and their unique life stories. And we have the most committed staff members. I feel so fortunate to come to work and surround myself with great people every day. Blaine says he s impressed with the commitment to excellence by Lakeshore leadership team and staff. With the changes happening in healthcare, we need to continually find ways to improve our service delivery, he says. In The Crest and The Shores, Blaine says, we will continue to explore new ways to help people age in place and provide residents the ability to make healthy choices that support their lifestyles. Another priority is improving our care continuum. We need to ensure smooth processes and transitions for the patients to maintain after discharge, all the while providing an exceptional patient experience, he says. We have a responsibility to ensure high quality care from the moment a patient enters The Fountains through the time they are discharged from home care. Taking good care of Lakeshore employees is also a top priority. I will emphasize ways in which we can support a work culture that cares for employees in a way that reflects the exceptional care and service that our employees provide to our residents, patients and guests. Blaine Gamst Tells How He Chose a Career in Senior Care I clearly remember how I found my calling in caring for seniors. I was preparing to do my summer internship while at Concordia College, and I was looking into my options for internship locations. One option was in Grand Rapids at Grand Village, an Ecumen-managed community. It wasn t too far from my hometown, so I chose it. I didn t have anywhere to stay while doing the three month internship so I became resourceful. I picked up a phone book and started calling the local lake resorts, explaining my situation while trying to convince someone to let me stay in a cabin in exchange for handyman services. Lucky for me there are a lot of resorts in the Grand Rapids area. After calling over a dozen, I finally convinced one to take me in. I remember to this day the owner saying, You can stay until August, but then we ll fill up and you ll need to find another place. Being a carefree 20-something, I thought this was great! June and July went by and my internship was going well. I really loved the people and relationships I was forming. August rolled around, and the resort owner told me it was time for me to go. I was about to be homeless, in a sense, so I had to think of something. After explaining my situation to the Administrator of Grand Village, he offered me the keys to the nursing home guest suite. I knew this Page 4 Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016
would be an incredible opportunity and I truly didn t have many other options. For the final six weeks of my internship, I stayed in the guest suite of the nursing home. Each morning I would wake up and eat breakfast with the residents, usually in my pj s. Then I would put on my work clothes and head down the hall to my office to do my internship duties. When the work day was over, I was immediately back into my casual clothes and played cribbage or participated in some way with the residents or staff. I learned the most from the nurses and aides on the night shift. They taught me so much about what it meant to be an employee there and how deeply they care for the residents. I really grew to appreciate the relationships we developed with those we cared for and those we worked alongside. One of my favorite things to do was to roller blade up and down the halls in the evening. The residents really got a kick out of that. I often reflect back on that experience to remember what this is really all about, what our patients and residents really want from us and why what we do is so important. Meet Curtis LaBreche: The New Executive Chef at Ecumen Lakeshore Curtis LaBreche, our new executive chef, has extensive experience working in upscale restaurants in the Twin Cities and in Duluth. He was executive chef for the legendary Jax Café in Minneapolis when he was just 26 years old and also worked McCormick and Schmicks and the Capital Grille. Locally, he has worked for Superior Shores, Nokomis, Greysolon Ballroom and the Spirit Room. Plus, he also has experience working in culinary for corporations, including Best Buy, Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. I have a true passion for preparing great food, Curtis says. He describes his culinary style as traditional with an upscale twist. I m not afraid to try new things, he says, but I m also dedicated to keeping consistency. Curtis is eager to have conversations with residents and wants us to know he s open to suggestions for what he refers to as your kitchen. Some of Curtis favorite dishes to prepare include local fish, traditional seafood, Photo courtesy Derek Montgomery/derekmontgomery.com chicken and steak. He also feels strongly about presentation. Curtis was drawn to Lakeshore because of the wonderful people and beautiful setting. He was born and raised in Minneapolis and moved to Duluth in 2005. He first settled on the North Shore and later moved to an 80-acre farm in Cloquet where he and his partner Karen are currently living and keeping busy with an expansive garden and animals. He lists New Scenic Café, Lake Avenue Restaurant, Hanabi and Gordy s as just a few of his favorite local restaurants. Curtis says I m very happy to be coming on board! Curtis started with Lakeshore on Monday, November 14, 2016 Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016 Page 5
Hanna Norman: RN Ecumen Lakeshore This article was initially featured in the Career Impact publication for Wisconsin Indianhead Techinical College. By Jessica Hehir, Marketing and Public Relations Associate at WITC Some say it s a calling; others might call it a passion. For Hanna Norman, a career in healthcare is simply what she wanted to do. Her career began while most of her friends were just learning how to drive. Norman became a Certified Nursing Assistant when she was 16 years old. After high school, Norman attended the University of Minnesota and earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology, but she missed the hands-on interaction with her patients as a CNA. After working full time in the psychology field, Norman decided to return to the classroom. In 2015, she graduated from WITC- Superior with an associate degree in nursing. I can t say enough good things about WITC. The program was hard and intensive, but it prepared me for real-world healthcare, said Norman. We received a lot of faceto-face time with patients, and our instructors pushed us to dig into patient history. The change of career focus paid off for Norman. When it came to finding a job after her WITC graduation, Norman found plenty of options. She stepped right into a rewarding position at Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth, Minn. Nothing compared to Ecumen Lakeshore, said Norman. I chatted with the nurse manager, and they have a great support system. It is a fabulous place for me to start out as a new nurse. Norman, in turn, was a great fit for Ecumen Lakeshore. Not only is Hanna a caring and compassionate nurse, but her clinical skills are also outstanding, said Veronica Olsen, director of nursing. Hanna is an exceptional team player; she s always willing to help. Our patients adore her as well as our staff. We feel very fortunate that Hanna is on our team at Ecumen Lakeshore. WITC provided a wide variety of clinical settings ranging from cardiac and burn units to memory and hospice care and correctional healthcare. That training helped Norman advance in her current position as an on-call nurse. Despite multiple degrees and certifications, Norman s education didn t end when the job started. Ecumen Lakeshore is a great training ground for professional development with both classes and hands-on-training. I just trained as a bridge nurse; I now handle admissions and discharges, said Norman. Going home or having home care is a big group effort and bridge nurses oversee the details. I see the whole spectrum of care. Ecumen Lakeshore Human Resources Director Kristin Spencer believes their facility is fortunate to employ several nurses who have graduated from WITC. You can instantly see the comfort, care and compassion that they deliver to our patients, said Spencer. They put their heart, mind and soul into all that they do. We are so proud to hire WITC nurses. Norman has pride in her work and accomplishments too. Two years and so much work seemed like a huge mountain to climb. Now that it is done, I just feel so proud. I am really happy where I am. Page 6 Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016
Octoberfest On October 6th, 2016, Ecumen Lakeshore hosted an employee appreciation celebration in honor of our incredibly talented employees. The theme for the celebration was Oktoberfest. The menu consisted of a variety of sausages, sauerkraut, German potato salad, kale apple salad, pretzel breadsticks and a black forest brownie. The event was filled with laughter, prizes, memories and full bellies. We are truly thankful for each and every one of our employees at Ecumen Lakeshore. We would not be where we are today without our dedicated and passionate employees. One of the greatest things about our team at Ecumen Lakeshore is we are all so unique and diverse, yet we are here for the same reason -- to make a significant difference in the lives of others and make life better for those we serve. Thank you to each and every one of our employees at Ecumen Lakeshore for making a difference by honoring and empowering our customers we appreciate YOU! Kristin Spencer, Human Resource Director at Ecumen Lakeshore Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016 Page 7
Holiday Recipes from our Lakeshore Family Wild Rice Hot Dish By Eula Stevenson Cook the rice. I boil it for about 10-15 minutes in the evening, turn off the stove, and in the morning it is done. Ham any amount, depends on the amount of rice being cooked. Onions about 1 medium size, cut up. This amount also depends on the amount of rice. I use considerable. Mushrooms if desired. Can of Cream of Mushroom soup. If you are making a large amount, you will need more than one can of soup. Best if it is not dry. Again, this depends if you are making a large amount. This dish is good frozen and cooked later. If you are doing this for the regular oven, grease the cooking dish. Microwave cooking needs no greased dish. Cook about 10-15 minutes, stir, cook another 10-15 minutes, depending on the amount. My family had this often and loved it. Holidays always! Bishop s Bread By Agnes Blackmore Line 2 one-pound loaf pans with parchment paper. Set oven at 300 Sift: 3/4 C. flour 3/4 C. sugar 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt Chop: 3 C. Brazil nuts or a combo of pecans, walnuts and Brazil nuts 1 C. Maraschino cherries 1/2 lb. pitted dates Beat: 3 eggs until foamy Add 1 tsp. vanilla Fold together until blended. Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour. Make in advance and baste with rum or brandy. Walnut Yule Log By Betty Peterson Chocolate Roll 3/4 C. flour 1/4 C. cocoa powder 1 tsp. baking powder 3 Tbsp. water 3/4 C. sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla Beat eggs until thick and creamy. Add sugar and beat until very thick. Add water and vanilla. Fold in flour, cocoa and baking powder. Spread in greased jelly roll pan, lined with wax or parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes. Loosen cake around edges and turn out onto towel lightly dusted with powdered sugar (or cocoa powder). Remove paper. From short side, roll cake and allow to cool completely, seam side down. Mocha Filling (doubled recipe to spread filling on the outside as well as inside 2 tsp. cornstarch 1 cup half and half 1 cup butter 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tsp instant coffee 1-2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans Combine egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Blend in cream and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cool completely (refrigerate for faster cooling). Dissolve coffee in vanilla. Beat butter until smooth, add powdered sugar. Add coffee/vanilla to frosting. Gradually add egg mixture while beating constantly. Beat until light and fluffy. Fold in nuts. Unroll cake and spread with 2/3 of the filling. Roll up, lifting cake with the towel. Place seam side down and spread remaining frosting over the cake. Chill overnight. Chocolate Glaze 1/4 cup butter 3/4 cup chocolate chips 1 Tbsp. half and half Melt together over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Spread over roll. Decorate with chopped nuts or garnish with marzipan mushrooms, if desired. Keep refrigerated. Page 8 Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016
Orange Ginger Cookies By Mary L. High 1 C butter 1-1/2 C. sugar 1 egg 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup 3 C. flour 2 tsp. soda 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. ginger ½ tsp cloves 1 tsp. orange peel Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and syrup. Beat well. Add dry ingredients into creamed mix with orange peel. Shape into 2 inch round rolls. Wrap in waxed paper. Chill. Slice 1/8 inch. Bake at 400 for 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Makes 8 dozen. Maple Baked Yams 2 large yams sliced into thin rounds 4 apples cored and sliced 1 onion peeled and sliced 1/3 cup apple juice 1/3 cup maple syrup Ground nutmeg Salt 1 Tbsp. butter In ungreased 13x9 baking dish, alternate layers of yams, apples, onions. Drizzle with maple syrup and apple juice. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Dot with butter. Cover with foil. Bake 1 hour at 400. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes longer. Serves 8. Cranberry Salad By Delores Anderson Mix together: 1 lb. ground cranberries 2 Cups sugar 2 cans crushed pineapple (drained) Let sit overnight Add: 1 lb. miniature marshmallows 1 cut apple 1 pint whipping cream (whipped) (can use Cool-Whip) Mix together makes a large bowl. This is a family favorite! Holiday Jell-O Cups By Marie Fegley Ingredients: 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice 2 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry flavored Jell-O 1 can (16 oz.) whole cranberry sauce 2/3 cup chopped walnuts 1 red delicious apple (skin on) chopped fine Method: Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add water to measure 2-1/2 cups. Pour into saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour in Jell-O crystals and stir until dissolved. Stir in crushed pineapple, cranberry sauce, chopped apple and walnuts. Spoon into 24 paper cups (use cupcake papers) positioned in muffin pans. Refrigerate 2-1/2 hours. Remove paper cups and serve on baby spinach leaves. Enjoy a big hit! Heavenly Bits By Helen Browne This recipe was given to me at a bridal shower in 1947 by a friend of my mother-in-law. 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup butter ¾ cup ground roasted almonds 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour Cream butter & sugar; add flour, nuts and vanilla. Roll in balls; press down with fork on cookie sheet. Bake until light tan @ 325 (about 15 minutes). Roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Lakeshore Living ı Winter 2016 Page 9
4002 London Road Duluth, MN 55804-2299 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DULUTH, MN PERMIT NO. 178 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Lights of Honor 2016 Our Lights of Honor event was held Tuesday, October 4th -Thursday, October 6, 2016. The Lights of Honor celebration is a wonderful way to honor and recognize those we value in our lives. It could be in remembrance of a lost loved one, a hero in your life (such as a caregiver), a parent or perhaps someone you ve silently appreciated from afar. Lights of Honor is also a great opportunity to raise funds for special projects. This year s Lights of Honor event had 46 sponsored Honor Lights and 2 business sponsors, Dunbar Floral and Gifts and G&K Services, for a total of $2,580. The funds raised from this event will be used to purchase Christmas lights to warm up the exterior of the Ecumen Lakeshore campus. The new lights will create a bright, holiday ambience for our residents, tenants, patients, staff and visitors to enjoy. A big thank you to all donors of the Lights of Honor celebration for making it a successful and meaningful event.