January 2018 Newsletter
2017 at a Glance

Dementia Friendly at Work

New Staff Member at Age Well Arrowhead

Get Active!

Thank you December Donors

Recipe of the Month

REACH Program

2017 At a Glance
Clients Served: 200 clients
Groceries to Go Deliveries: 397 orders
Rides Provided for Senior Wheels: 161 rides
Dementia Trainings: 12
Active Volunteers: 83
Thank you to all who made this year at Age Well Arrowhead a success. We appreciate those we serve and hope to provide the best services possible in the new year!

We are looking to increase these numbers significantly in 2018. If you know someone who is in need of our services, wants to volunteer, or become involved as a sponsor or donor, please contact us at 218-623-7800. Thank you and Happy New Year!
Becoming a Dementia Friendly Business



By: Peter Hafften, Training Coordinator


City of Duluth completed their Dementia Friendly at Work Training
Recently, businesses in Duluth and surrounding areas have been preparing for a new customer. A customer that has lived in the area for decades, familiar with people and locations, lives independently, and who is a respected member of the community. A customer who might feel confused, disoriented, forgetful, or even in need of assistance when completing simple daily tasks. These businesses are preparing for customers with dementia.

Age Well Arrowhead’s Dementia Friendly at Work training is customized to help prepare businesses for the increasing number of dementia cases. According to the most recent numbers released by the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias claim the lives of 1 in 3 seniors. It also reveals that dementia cases are expected to triple in the coming decades as our population ages. This means that Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia cases could be as high as sixteen million nationwide. With the increasing numbers, businesses are scheduling Age Well Arrowhead’s Dementia Friendly at Work training to better educate their employees about the disease. The purpose of the training is to create a Dementia Friendly Business that welcomes those with dementia and provides the employees strategies to better assist each customer.

The Dementia Friendly at Work training was very successful in 2017 and over one hundred employees completed the training. Some of the businesses that hosted the training include Members Cooperative Credit Union, Lakeside Dental, American Family Insurance, Two Harbors Public Library, Chris Jensen Health and Rehabilitation Center, North Shore Bank of Commerce, and the City of Duluth. These businesses have chosen to be leaders in the community when it comes to supporting older adults and we hope that more businesses recognize the importance of dementia training. Age Well Arrowhead’s Dementia Friendly at Work training will be available through 2018 and continues to be a great resource for businesses welcoming an aging population.


1 Tablespoon Butter

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

4 cans chicken broth

1 can vegetable broth

1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups egg noodles

1 cup sliced carrots

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.
Thank you to the following donors for December! We appreciate your support.

Ric & Mary Hershey
Daisy Dimitri

Join us in welcoming our new volunteers!

Amanda B.
Greg B.
Kate D.
Warren T.

Current needs at Age Well Arrowhead:


Groceries to Go Order Takers- Tuesday Mornings as available

Groceries to Go Shoppers- Wednesday Morning as available

Transportation-
On Call

Homemaker- Hermantown

Shoveling-
Superior
Hermantown
Join our team!
Is one of your New Year's resolutions to volunteer and help others in your community?

We can help! Click the volunteer button for more information.
With a simple click Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price
of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Age Well Arrowhead when you shop at AmazonSmile!


New Volunteer and Fundraising Coordinator,
Shelbi Graber
I am so excited to be a part of the Age Well Arrowhead team. Before starting, I had asked for an example of a typical day in the office. The Executive Director laughed and said, "Each day is so different. I can't give you an example."
AND SHE WAS RIGHT!

Born and raised just outside of Duluth, I like to think I know the area pretty well and a good amount of people in it. But, Age Well Arrowhead is a different world in a community I had never been a part of- the aging community.

I am used to fast paced environments. I completed my bachelors degree as well as Masters in Education while working full time in varies jobs such as sales, coaching gymnastics, non profits, owning my own business as an event planner, and volunteering in a low income organization. Needless to say, I had to stay on my toes.

But, who knew working with seniors in the area would outpace all of that! Don't let them fool you.

Each day, everyone at Age Well Arrowhead works as a team to keep up with the seniors we serve. Scheduling rides, grocery shopping, recruiting volunteers, community outreach, dementia training, caregiver support, and the list goes on. For such a small organization, the staff and volunteers really are impressive.

Despite how busy it is, I can say that it is all worth it. Hearing someone call you "dear", "honey", or "sweetie" and the appreciation they have for the services we are able to provide, reminds me of why I am here several times a day. It makes me smile every time and never gets old.

It also reminds me how much I love this town. I love hearing the stories of old Duluth while driving someone to a medical appointment or running errands. I have traveled a lot and still come back to this amazing city, and there have been a few clients who have reminded me why.

When I am not running my own business, watching sports, traveling,hunting with my dog, cooking, or planning our upcoming wedding, I want to continue to inspire others to give back to their community with Age Well Arrowhead. I can promise you that it's worth it.

I am proud to be a part of Age Well and the mission we stand behind of helping seniors live independently. I look forward to hopefully meeting all of you one day. Feel free to stop down anytime and say hello!

Thanks,
Shelbi Graber

From the Executive Director, Mary Bovee:
In a very short period of time Shelbi has made a huge impact at Age Well Arrowhead. She has helped us substantially grow our programs and recruit the volunteers needed to expand our service area. Shelbi is very skilled and talented. In addition to her role as Volunteer and Fundraising Coordinator, she also designs and creates our newsletter, manages our online presence, and organizes fundraising events. She has tremendous energy and is willing to go above and beyond to provide a high level of customer service for the folks we care about, our clients and volunteers. We are very happy to have Shelbi on our team!

New Year: New Strategy

By: Karina Krosbakken

The New Year is a time to begin again, set goals, and make changes. Unfortunately, as the weeks go by, many of us find it easy to slip back into our old routines, watching our resolutions slowly fall by the wayside.        
Who hasn’t this happened to? We all know the feeling.

So what will you do different this year?
If you are a caregiver who resolves to take better care of yourself, receive emotional support, or provide better care for your family member, we are here to partner with you to achieve your resolutions through our Caregiver Counseling and Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Heath (REACH) programs.

In our Caregiver Counseling Program, we align with you to address your needs related to caregiving and taking care of yourself. We provide education on dementia, caregiving, coping skills, and more. We will work with you to identify goals and support you in creating a plan to help you improve your health and wellbeing as a caregiver.

Our REACH caregiver support program is an evidenced based programed designed specifically for people providing care to persons diagnosed with dementia. The goal of REACH is to help caregivers manage behavioral concerns, reduce caregiver burden and improve or sustain caregiver physical and emotional health through 4 sessions. Topics covered in the four sessions include: education about dementia, safety, and health care issues, problem solving, stress management techniques, mood management and a thorough book that is yours to keep!

We will be here as often as needed along the way to ensure your resolutions don’t end up by the wayside.
So how do you get started? It is simple, visit our website or call our Aging Services Specialist at 218-623-7807 to learn more about our caregiver support programs. 



Get Active!



Even the most basic exercise can increase metabolism, lower blood pressure, and make you feel good.

Below are exercises to just get moving whether you are in the office, at home, or a comfortable space on the go.

  • Posture- Good posture allows for the least amount of pressure when supporting your muscles and ligaments during movements and exercise.

  • Toe Taps- Sitting in a chair, place your feet flat on the ground. Lift one foot at a time leaving your heel on the floor. Repeat for 10 reps per foot.

  • Tummy Twist- Sitting straight, lift your arms into a 90* angle with your forearms in front of you. Twist slowly to the right and back. Twist to the left and back. Repeat 10 reps per side.

  • Arm Circles- Stand with your arms straight out to the side. Start making slow circles about 1 foot in diameter for 10 seconds. Repeat both directions.

  • Tip Toes- Stand behind sturdy chair with feet shoulder width apart. Push your body to tiptoes and slowly lower. Repeat 10-15 reps.

  • Squat- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Slowly lower your body to a 90* angle.

No exercise should be done without contacting your primary physician. If at any point you experience dizziness or shortness of breath, stop and contact your physician.
Dementia Training for Businesses
Age Well Arrowhead would like to congratulate the large staff of Chris Jensen Health and Rehabilitation Center, The City of Duluth, American Family Insurance, and the Two Harbors Library for completion of Dementia Friendly at Work training and their commitment to better serving their residents with dementia.

For more information on Dementia Friendly at Work, contact Peter Hafften at peterh@agewellarrowhead.org or call 218-623-7800 for more information on how you and your business can better serve your customers.

Click the link below for more information.
Age Well Arrowhead connects older adults and caregivers to services that support healthy aging and independence.

We are passionate about serving the older adults and caregivers of our community. For this reason, Age Well Arrowhead was founded in 2014 as a local non-profit. We are funded by a Live Well at Home grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Title III funding administered by the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, a grant from the Minnesota Board on Aging, client contributions, and service fees. These grants allow us to provide services that are easily accessible and affordable.