 We are pleased that federal and state officials have prioritized long-term care residents and their caregivers for early COVID-19 vaccinations. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is one of the best ways to protect those living in and receiving care in our communities. The news of a vaccine gives us hope for the next chapter in our fight against this virus.
Ebenezer communities have been among the first to receive the recently approved COVID-19 vaccine. In cooperation with the government’s distribution to pharmacies, we have begun administering the very first vaccines to staff and residents in our skilled care communities, and have now started to vaccinate staff and residents within Assisted Living and Memory Care communities. Right now, we are only planning to vaccinate Independent Living residents in our Assisted Living communities. Eventually we will offer the vaccinate to residents in our free-standing rental, cooperative and condominium communities. How we will administer the vaccine Our Pharmacy will vaccinate residents – including Independent Living residents who reside in communities that provide Assisted Living services. Our site nurses will vaccinate staff members. The vaccine will be administered in 2 doses. After receiving the first dose, the recipient must receive a second dose. It is important to get the SAME MANUFACTURED VACCINE as the first dose. To ensure that we are getting the vaccine to those who need it most, we will not vaccinate staff or residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days. We will vaccinate these individuals at a later date. We strongly encourage staff and residents to get vaccinated At this time, we are not requiring that all staff and residents get the vaccine, however, we are strongly encouraging it. Vaccinating a significant majority of staff and residents is the only way we will be able to stop the spread of the virus. About the vaccine As part of our continuing effort to provide up-to-date information, we have included the latest information from the CDC along with links to their website.
Potential side effects As with any vaccine, your body may react to the vaccine as those antibodies are being made. Not everyone will experience this reaction. Below are the most common:
When will I be protected? How long will I be immune?
We will most likely not know how long the vaccine will be protective once we receive it. We will know more as more time passes in the current research. It is possible we may need to have vaccine shots for COVID-19 on a regular basis (like the flu shot). How many people need to get a COVID- 19 vaccine for herd immunity? Herd immunity means that enough people in a community are protected from getting a disease because they’ve already had the disease or they’ve been vaccinated. Herd immunity makes it hard for the disease to spread from person to person, and it even protects those who cannot be vaccinated, like newborns. While experts don’t yet know what percentage of people would need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, vaccination is a safer way to build protection than getting sick with COVID-19. Have a question about COVID-19 vaccines? Click here. Will we still need to wear face masks? Similar to other types of vaccines, a large number of people in the community will need to get vaccinated before transmission drops enough to stop the use of masks. Is the vaccine safe?
Can Ebenezer residents and staff give consent or decline the vaccine? Our residents and staff will be asked about their interest in receiving the vaccination and will be asked to sign a consent at some point prior to the vaccination being administered. If they choose to decline, they will be asked to sign a declination. The declination is not binding. Those within our community can receive the vaccine later, if they change their minds. Questions? It is important to get information from reliable sources (CDC, AMDA, medical directors, medical providers, etc.). Here are some link to information: CDC: Vaccines & Immunizations CDC: About COVID-19 Vaccines CDC: Provider Resources for COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations with Patients and Answering Patients’ Questions Leading Age Minnesota
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Blog by Barry ZeVan, Minnesota's Favorite Weatherman!
“Food, glorious food!" Unabashedly quoting that line from both the play and feature film OLIVER!, I confess it evokes and parallels the fact I'm a "foodie", "chow-hound" or any other appellation one might choose to apply to a person who is into what keeps us alive, along with water, of course. Also, of course, the foods we choose to eat, especially at advanced ages, most likely are much different, and probably more healthful, than those we chose to ingest in younger years. I know that's the case for yours truly. Until about age 30, my reputation for being the human equivalent of a goat or human garbage can, was rampant and well-deserved. I ate almost everything in sight and, truthfully, the more I ate, the thinner I became! It's true. My metabolism was reacting to my non-stop energy, both physical and mental. I have a feeling you may be among those who also experienced that enviable trait to be able to eat and drink almost everything in sight, in mass quantities and never gain weight. That's when my waist-size remained at between 26 and 28. Today and for the past at least ten years, my waist size, at age 81, has increased to between 42 and 44, depending upon how successfully I can breathe in while fastening the top fastener on my trousers. I've saved some size 26 and 28-sized pants to only look at them wistfully and nostalgically. Unless there's some sort of metamorphosis, I think I won't be able to wear them again. Just seeing them, however, provides a modicum of some incentive to reach that probably impossible goal. In my opinion, the title of this blog, HEALTHY EATING IN THE NEW YEAR, should be among those sensible goals and mantras we should wish to achieve every new year. In my opinion, it's definitely do-able, simply using the common sense we all have, or should have. I think, for yours truly, at least, cravings are part of a non-healthful diet. Obviously, we all need an occasional "treat," but "occasional" should be the guiding word. We can train and wean ourselves to avoid excess intakes of soft drinks, candy, fatty foods, desserts with high sugar content and so forth. It isn't easy, but once that discipline is achieved, even most of the time, the chances of adding longevity to our years is obviously one of the benefits to adding discipline to our eating habits. At every Ebenezer community, our culinary team works together to ensure our residents enjoy their dining experiences. Our skilled teams prepare nutritious and delicious meals that please the palate as well as the eye. Freshly prepared and locally sourced (whenever possible), produce and high quality meats and seafood are at the heart of our dining experiences. We offer a variety of options for each meal all of which are flavorful and are prepared with no added salt, utilizing heart healthy techniques. VERY happily, Savage Senior Living at Fen Pointe is currently inviting you to enjoy a healthful complimentary lunch and tour. It's our "treat" to hopefully provide some incentive for you to think about eating and drinking in a more health-conscious fashion. Of course, if you already do eat healthfully, please enjoy a Free lunch and tour at Savage Senior Living anyway and congratulations for achieving that much-sought-after goal! Thank you for reading! According the CDC, one in three adults age 65 and older falls. In fact, falls are responsible for the most injuries and fatalities among seniors. And unfortunately, a fall can mean the end of independence . . . or worse; more than 25,000 people die each year from falls.
The good news is that falls are not a normal part of aging, and can be prevented! Since the place you are most likely to fall is in your own home, here are some simple steps to keep you safe
If you do fall, see your doctor right away, even if you are not hurt, you should find out why you fell to keep it from happening again! For more information about Preventing falls from head to toe, please click here http://www.fvfiles.com/520270.pdf to see a comprehensive checklist about preventing falls, visit https://www.fairview.org/overarching-care/home-care-and-hospice/fall-prevention, or call 612-721-2491 for more information. Integrity. That word has a lot do with truth and honesty, things that can get a bit murky in dementia care, as we work to validate feelings and honor the way a person with dementia views the world. At our recent Mission Breakfast event at Ebenezer, I was asked to prepare a story that related to Integrity, one of our five core Ebenezer values. To tell the truth (ahem), I wasn’t quite sure (at first) that I could spin the story I really wanted to tell (yes, I chose the story before being assigned the value) into being the perfect fit for the value of Integrity, but I believe I’ve come around!
Integrity in dementia care has lot to do with honoring and celebrating who each person is, at their core, connecting with their passions, skills, accomplishments and dreams. At one of our sites there was a resident named June. She was British, and I learned she had had a career as an opera singer. I was so excited to meet her and so hoping I could get her interested in the arts project I was involved in at her site -- using Shakespeare, Poetry and Music to engage residents and stimulate their memories around the theme of love. I visited with June one day in her room. She told me about her singing career, about touring overseas, performing in Prague and many other capitals of Europe, even singing with Pavarotti, I think. Lying down in her bed as we chatted, June was most cheerful, hospitable and animated. Clearly she loved reminiscing about her career. She told me she had also performed onstage in many musicals. I asked her what parts she had played. In her Northern British accent, she proudly replied: “I played Laurie in Oklahoma! But y ’know,” she continued, “My voice isn’t what it used to be, and I really don’t sing much anymore.” I could hardly wait to see if we could get June out to attend the sessions that were part of our 6-month long project. She didn’t make it to the first couple, but the third one was all about music, and she was feeling well enough to come along. Bright-eyed and very engaged throughout the session, June was often the first person to give a response when Jeanie Brindley-Barnett of MacPhail Music Center asked the group a question. Near the end, Jeanie played the song “People will Say we’re in Love”, the famous love duet from Oklahoma. Then, Jeanie very casually invited June to sing it. June did not hesitate. Her voice was creaky and warbling at first, but she put her heart into it and when she hit those high notes near the end of the song; her voice simply soared across the room, pure and free. Everyone in the room had an experience of the singer she once had been. Memory care residents and staff applauded heartily when the song was done. I looked over at Jeanie and saw that she, like me, had tears sliding down her face. I remember thinking in that moment that our project was already a complete success as far as I was concerned, based solely on what had just happened, because one resident had that opportunity to share her talent in front of a group again. Unfortunately, June did not attend our other sessions. She came to just one, wasn’t feeling well, and had to leave almost immediately. Her health was deteriorating. In fact, she died before the project was completed. A month or so after she passed away, I arranged to meet with June’s daughter. I was curious to hear more about June’s career, and thought there might be some recordings or programs in existence that might come in handy for the documentary film we were making about our project. (The day that June sang was not a day we had the film crew on site!) Her daughter let me know that June’s memory, once she got dementia, had actually….expanded…the extent of her career. In fact, June had never toured the capitals of Europe. She had not sung with Pavarotti. She had done a lot of community theater and some non-professional light opera performances! June did indeed play Laurie in Oklahoma, but she did not have the career she had described to me and many others in some detail, except in her imagination, fueled by dementia! I admit I was a little disappointed at first, finding this out, but then I thought, wow, who wouldn’t want the kind of dementia where you remember your fondest dreams and expectations for yourself as reality?! Given the choice, I think that’s a kind I’d sign up for! There’s integrity in there for sure! -Marysue Moses, Ebenezer Dimensions Program Coordinator What is Godly Play?
GODLY PLAY™ is an imaginative, Montessori-based approach to religious formation developed by the Rev. Dr. Jerome W. Berryman and used by many faith groups around the world. It is a creative and playful way of bringing stories of faith to life on an experiential level. It uses two and three dimensional figures to tell the story in a vivid way and then invites – through wondering questions - engagement with the story. Traditionally, this method is used in the faith formation process of children. In 2015 Lois Howard wrote an inspiring booklet “Using Godly Play with Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients”. In it she outlined her experience of using this method since 2006 in Lexington, Kentucky. Her writing inspired chaplains at Ebenezer to follow in her footsteps. In March and April of 2018, our team (including chaplains in training) engaged in two days of hands-on training in Godly Play with Minneapolis Godly Play trainer Susan Mallison. Her enthusiasm and curiosity about bringing stories alive with older adults in varying stages of dementia was instrumental to our success. Another amazing supporter is Jon Lundberg, President of Ebenezer and Fairview Post-Acute Care. An avid woodworker, he created several wooden figurines that are being used in the process of telling Sacred Stories. We are also very grateful to all donors who through Ebenezer’s Foundation generously supported this project. Sacred Story We decided that our goal was not to help participants remember the stories but to facilitate a way for each person to connect with the Sacred while also being in community with each other. Our context in larger long term and senior care settings in Minnesota is one of growing cultural and religious diversity. We wanted to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for everyone while drawing on different sacred stories. We called it “Sacred Story.” What we discovered continues to amaze us. Initially we anticipated 4-6 people would come and listen to the story and engage with it. To our surprise, at one of our communities we regularly have between 15-20 participants, at another 6-10. Not everyone knows or remembers the others’ names all the time. We introduced name tags so that residents could see and hear each other’s names frequently. Calling each group member by name is a crucial aspect of this model, to create community and to be known by each other (and the Sacred) by name. Interestingly, one of the residents whose Alzheimer’s disease had progressed significantly was so delighted to see her name in writing. For her, to be in that circle of friends, to be known and to recognize her own name was the most meaningful part of this day’s Sacred Story time. As we sing together and then hear, see, and feel a Sacred Story, we open up new and different ways to experience the Divine. Wondering questions invite each participant to connect with the Sacred in their very own way. Residents may recall memories that resonated with the stories being told, such as reconciling with a sibling, welcoming back a child into one’s family, or helping a stranger in need. My people The stories we tell include the parable of the Great Pearl (which touches on what may be the most important thing in one’s life, and what it feels like to give everything away), the Ten Best Ways to live by (traditionally known as the Ten Commandments) and the story of the Exodus (a story about suffering, liberation, freedom, divine intervention and joyful celebration). Recently when I told this last story, using our “desert bag” filled with sand, I was deeply touched by the reaction of one resident who kept saying: “This is my story, these are my people.” We then spent time together speaking about the resident’s childhood and family. The smile and warmth reflected on the resident’s face as we talked was enlivening. When we conclude our Sacred Story time, we go around in the circle and offer silence, thoughts or prayer, deepening on each resident’s desire. Those who voice prayers out loud frequently pray for their families. I hope that many families know that despite their sad experience of no longer being recognized as son, daughter, spouse or friend, their family member may well be reaching out in an unseen way, and praying for them. Many older adults want to stay in their home as long as possible. There is an assumption that staying in your home means you are independent, but the reality is it can often lead to loneliness and isolation. The health effects of long-term isolation are measurable and include chronic health conditions, depression, anxiety, dementia and even premature death. One study reported the negative health effects of long-term isolation are equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Loneliness is on the rise overall, but those most affected are those 80 and older according to a 2016 study. Older adults who are most at risk are often:
The best remedy for loneliness is staying connected. Staying connected, interacting with others, and staying socially engaged with friends and your community can help keep fight loneliness and the health risks that are associated with it. How can a move to Senior Living help fight loneliness? When people move into a senior living community, the older adults often tell us, “I wish I would have moved sooner.” And their family members tell us, “We’ve seen our loved one blossom in the last few months!” Here’s why:
We invite you to visit Savage Senior Living at Fen Pointe. Talk with our residents to hear how their health and their lives have changed for the better after moving to senior living. For more information about loneliness and isolation, the AARP Foundation offers its online resource Connect2Affect. There you can find a self-assessment to determine your risk factors and tips on how to stay connected. Click here to take your self-assessment. Resources that informed this article include Government’s Role in Fighting Loneliness by Emily Holland, as published in the Wall Street Journal, and the Blue Zones Power 9 ® by Dan Buettner. Apathy. It’s one of the approximately 500 symptoms you might well find under the umbrella term of dementia. According to Microsoft Word, apathy’s synonyms include lethargy, boredom, unconcern, droopiness, and dispiritedness. For a person with dementia, this state of being may result in the inability to initiate activity, and/or spontaneous thought. Many of us, when feeling bored or droopy, have the ability to switch gears, maybe go for a walk, call a friend, or otherwise think of some activity to cheer ourselves up. Persons with dementia may not be equipped to do that. Instead, they’ll need structure, routine and activities figured out by others.
Initiating activity involves planning, organization and motivation. Planning can be complicated, involving lots of steps. For a person with Alzheimer’s disease (whose short-term memory is very limited) or for a person with frontotemporal degeneration (whose executive function is seriously compromised) “complicated” can easily translate into “overwhelming.” When things are too hard for a brain with dementia, frustration often results, and motivation dissipates. To be sure, it can be hard to observe and absorb these changes when a family member was formerly a champion self- starter; creative and keeping busy all the time. We have to remember that the changes of dementia are disease-related, and brain-based. It is not because the person is just being stubborn, difficult, rebellious, or is out to exasperate us. The person is simply reacting to their situation with the brain that they have to work with today, not from the brain they used to have. We must have compassion for the reality of a broken brain, if we are to give care and responses that will encourage and accept the person where they are at, and in so doing continue to strengthen our relationship with that person, and best serve their needs. Here are ten tips from the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration about what you as a care partner can try when your family member with dementia exhibits apathy. These suggestions were created specifically for persons who care for those with frontotemporal degeneration, but I believe there is much here that can be helpful to those who care for persons living with other forms of dementia as well:
--Marysue Moses, Ebenezer Dimensions Program Coordinator When a person with dementia asks you a question for what seems like the 29th time in a row, how do you respond?
Have you found yourself saying (or almost saying) anything like this:
Physical changes in the brain can result in a person with dementia no longer being able to remember that s/he is repeating themselves. These changes also make it difficult for a person to stop a repetitive motion such as rubbing hands together, or tapping on a table. Anxiety and tension, (byproducts of the disorientation and memory loss of dementia) can translate themselves into repetitive motions or questions which others may experience as annoying. Whatever a person with dementia does that appears “wrong” or “inappropriate” or “unnecessary” to our brains and our way of relating to the world is actually an expression of a need. That’s why I like the phrase “behavioral expression” so much better than the term “behavior” when referring to the challenges that can arise when someone lives with dementia. “Behavior” often implies judgment, that the person is being “bad”, which encourages us to assume that if the person only tried a little harder, they could control that incessant tapping, stop asking those repeated questions, and avoid using those four letter words that they never used before! The fact is that the person could only exert control over those things if they could STOP having dementia. This is, alas, too much to ask. We must have patience and compassion for the seriousness of a broken brain. It’s up to us whose brains are in better shape, who have better control over our actions and responses to others to take a deep breath…and focus on helping the person out with whatever need is making itself known, however it may be expressed. A hungry person might ask “What’s for lunch?” over and over. For this person, giving them a piece of paper with the upcoming “menu” written down may satisfy the question. In addition, getting the person involved in some aspect of meal or table preparation might be an effective distraction. If a person with dementia is in pain, they might rock, pace or otherwise move rhythmically to express their discomfort. We must be sensitive to the comfort–related needs of the person, and do what we can to alleviate them. Sometimes, giving a repetitive task like winding yarn or folding towels can be a comforting distraction for the person. Sometimes people may be bored, craving a sense of purpose and meaning. Repetitive movement can be reflective of things the person used to enjoy doing on a regular basis. If your loved one asks you, “What do I do now?” they are in effect asking you to involve them in something that will give them a sense of pleasure, peace, or usefulness. Put something of interest in their hands. Ask them for help with a task. We all need to be of use. This does not stop when we get older or when we develop dementia. An inability to take initiative is usually part of the dementia progression. Do not assume that your loved one is beyond having interest in things that have been important to them. The person may be at a loss as to how to access or activate that interest. In that case, it falls to us to remind the person of their accomplishments and adapt past interests into activities they are able to enjoy now. It is a good idea not to discuss plans with a person (appointments, visitors, outings) who has very short-term memory loss. Knowing an event too far ahead of time can cause extreme agitation (as well as, you guessed it, repeated questions) for a person with dementia. This tendency will vary, of course, person to person, but it is necessary to monitor and adapt to the changes as dementia progresses. Sometimes the need expressed is an emotional one. The person may be fearful, sad, or feeling insecure. That emotion could come out as a repeated question or as a physical expression, i.e., pacing, as the person attempts to express what is inside. Listen for the emotion behind a person’s question or behavioral expression, and respond to that, i.e., “You seem worried. I’m right here if you need anything. “We will be together all day.” Putting on soothing music that the person likes and using gentle touch may provide further reassurance. If the person seems to need a hug, tell him or her that YOU need a hug, and they will very likely oblige you with one. Then they get to feel that they are giving you something that YOU need. We all feel better when that happens! --Marysue Moses, Ebenezer Dimensions Program Coordinator --Information in this post is partially based on material in Coping with Behavior Change in Dementia: A Family Caregiver’s Guide, by Beth Spencer and Laurie White Few processes are more stressful than deciding upon the best place to move a loved one when it is determined that a move to memory care is the best option. Keep in mind that when this decision needs to be made, it is often critically important, not only for the well-being of the person with dementia, but in order to maintain the health and safety of the family member who is their current care partner.
If you are in the process of making this potentially agonizing decision, here are some questions to ask yourself, and others, as you tour and consider various possibilities: What does the environment feel like?
-Marysue Moses, Ebenezer Dimensions Coordinator |
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Discrimination is Against the Law. We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws. We do not discriminate against, exclude or treat people differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex or sexual orientation..
Savage Senior Living at Fen Pointe is managed by Ebenezer, Minnesota’s largest senior living operator. Ebenezer is the senior housing division of Fairview Health Services and has 100 years of experience serving older adults.
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