February 2019 Newsletter
Mission Statement
Connecting older adults and caregivers to services that support healthy aging and independence
Here is what the clients say about our services:
  • "I am 96 years old. I can't get to the grocery store &
walking is hard for me."- Gloria
  • "It takes off the pressure and worries."- Lou
  • "I can't take care of the house on my own especially the stairs."- Marcy
  • "I got to my appointments that were important like the chiropractor." - Mary
  • "I no longer drive and have limited mobility. This is a lifesaver for me."- Kay
  • "This is a wonderful service. Everyone I talk to is very helpful."- Marie
  • "It helps me use the energy I do have wisely."- Sarah
  • "We don't want to go to assisted living. It is great to have the help."- Colleen

These buttons are powerful. By clicking on them, you are supporting people's ability to be healthy and live independently. Please donate today!
Age Well Accepting Applications for New Board Members

REST Training

Students make Valentines

Age Well in the News

Heart Health

Low Vision Awareness

Recipe of the Month

Call for Evidence Based Workshop Leaders

Do you have an idea?

Mary Bovee, Executive Director

Kim Hileman, Program Director

Karina Krosbakken, Care Consultant

Shelbi Benson, Volunteer Coordinator

Peter Hafften, Training Coordinator

Lisa Jordan, Grocery Coordinator

Kevin Pillsbury, President

Joe Sandbulte, Secretary

Jennifer Smith, Treasurer

Ric Schaefer, Board Member

Age Well Arrowhead is Accepting Applications for our Board of Directors for 2019
Age Well is looking to grow our board and is seeking talented and skilled individuals in the community to serve as directors. It is a very exciting time to participate in the planning and development of our organization as we are experiencing growth and expansion due to the need for services in our community. If you or someone you know is skilled at positioning organizations for success and sustainability, we highly encourage applying for a position. 

For a Board of Directors job description or application form, please contact Mary Bovee, Executive Director at 218-623-7806, or maryb@agewellarrowhead, or go to our website at www.agewellarrowhead.org. 
Complimentary Training Opportunity!
Become a REST Companion

Delivering education and support to those offering a break to caregivers.
Course Objectives:
  • Define respite care
  • Describe the role of a REST Companion
  • Recognize the importance of providing respite care to a family in need
  • Properly begin a respite relationship
  • Deploy verbal and non verbal communication techniques
in respite environments
  • Demonstrate proper assistance techniques
  • Create a, positive, safe, and healthy environment for everyone involved
www.restprogram.org

For more information or to register, contact Shelbi Benson at 218-623-7804 or email shelbig@agewellarrowhead.org.
Thank you to all our generous donors in January. We appreciate your support of Age Well Arrowhead and those we serve.
David Hileman
Delores Pananen
Current needs at Age Well Arrowhead:

Transportation
URGENT NEED- Winter is here!

Weekly Driver
1 day/week

Groceries to Go Order Takers
Tuesday mornings as available

Remote Groceries to Go Order Taker
Tuesday morning as available

Groceries to Go Shoppers
Kenwood- Wednesday Morning
Cloquet- Wednesday Afternoon
West Duluth- Thursday Morning
Superior- Thursday Afternoon

Help in the Home
Downtown
West Duluth

Snow Shoveling
West Duluth

Subs Needed
Join us in welcoming our new volunteers!

Ted A.
Bethany E.
Mandy H.
Justin H.
Paul J.
Angie J.
Dakota K.
Zach M.
Chris M.
Diane M.
Cele O.
Nicole O.
Thomas P.
Abbie P.
Colleen R.
Dani W.

Age Well would like to thank the following volunteers for their years of dedication.
Happy Anniversary!

Chiamaka E.
Keshav S.
Katie T.
Age Well Arrowhead would like to recognize the following volunteers as they reach high milestones for the number of hours they have volunteered since 2017.
Thank you for your contribution!

50 or more hours
Jenna G.
Luann J.
Laura L.
Pat L.
John M.

100 or more hours
David H.

150 or more hours
Suzy H.

250 or more hours
Dave W.
Jane W.
February is National Snack Food Month!

Melt 1/3 cup butter with 1 tablespoon honey and a pinch of salt. Toss with 12 cups popcorn and 1 cup pecans.

Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 15 minutes at 325 degrees F, tossing. Cool.
A few topics we are working on for the next newsletter...
Karina participates in REACH panel

National Nutrition Month

Daylight Savings Time and Dementia
Got an idea for the newsletter?

Is there a topic you would like to learn more about? Would you like to write something in the next issue?

Let us know! We would love to hear from you!

Contact shelbig@agewellarrowhead.org
Thank you to Proctor and Hermantown students for the homemade valentines!
High school students from Proctor Youth in Action and the Hermantown Civility Club spent time in early February making homemade valentines for clients of Age Well Arrowhead.

The valentines were delivered this week as part of our Groceries to Go program.
The students filled the room with construction paper, glitter, markers, and stickers to create over 75 cards for the program.


Thank you all for your effort! Our clients loved them!
Age Well Arrowhead Watches Over Those Who Need Assistance

The nonprofit helps take care of Northlanders who need help staying independent.

February 13, 2019   Katharine Huntley
DULUTH, Minn. – Age Well Arrowhead is here to take care of those who need assistance in the Northland.

The nonprofit helps mostly those over sixty with many different things including grocery shopping, shoveling, and even finances.

These services are often utilized by those who have trouble staying completely independent.

“Folks needs don’t go away when it gets cold or windy or blowy or snowy it’s like they almost increase more so they needed groceries,” said Mary Bovee, the executive director of Age Well Arrowhead.

Ernestine Alexander’s family is across the country, so the help Age Well Arrowhead gives her, keeps her on her own.
“It allows me to have my independence and I know I have someone to call on when I need them instead of calling on my neighbors,” said Alexander, a Duluth resident for 47 years.

Many clients don’t have family in the area so Age Well Arrowhead makes sure to help them celebrate the holidays.

For Valentine’s Day, they’ve teamed up with local youth groups to slip cards into grocery bags.

“It might be the only card they get. A lot of these people that we help don’t have a lot of family, or they live alone, and it’s just an extra little something to have on the fridge, like getting a card from a grandchild again,” said the volunteer coordinator at Age Well Arrowhead, Shelbi Benson.

Orders for groceries have grown exponentially from 12 orders in 2016 to over 1,200 to orders last year, showing just how much of our community needs a little extra help.
“I just think it’s wonderful because I was kind of afraid because I don’t have anyone here so I rely on Age Well and that’s the perfect name Age Well,” said Alexander.
Age Well Arrowhead relies heavily on its volunteers to make connections with their clients and help them with the daily activities.

If you’re interested in giving back to those in need, or if you’re looking for help, visit their website  here.
Americ an Heart Month 2019:
If you're planning on making improvements to your heart health, start now and celebrate those wins during heart health month. 
  • With every beat of your heart blood is sent flowing through 60,000 miles of blood vessels, delivering important nutrition and oxygen to all your organs and tissues. If you stretched the blood vessels in your body end-to-end, they’d circle the Earth almost 2.5 times!

  • Laughing may, in fact, be good for your heart and overall health! Research suggests a good belly laugh can increase your blood flow by 20%. The positive effects of this chuckle can last for 24 hours

  • Sadly, only 27% of people can identify all the major symptoms of a heart attack and know to call 911 immediately when they occur. Immediate action saves lives! According to the CDC, the major signs of a heart attack are:
  • Chest pain or discomfort.
  • Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.

  • A woman’s heart typically beats faster than a man’s. On average, a woman’s heart beats 78 times per minute while the average man’s beats 70 times.

  • Before the invention of the stethoscope in 1816 a doctor would listen to his patient’s heart by placing his ear to the patient’s bare chest. A French doctor, who thought this approach was both awkward and of limited clinical value, used a rolled sheet of paper to create an aural tube that led soon thereafter led to the stethoscope’s invention.

  • The No. 1 killer of women in America is heart disease. It’s more deadly each year than all forms of cancer combined. Some 43 million American women have heart disease, although females comprise only 24 percent of all heart-related study participants. 

  • Heart attack sufferers do best when treated within an hour of symptoms starting. Sadly, many wait hours before seeking help.

  • Healthy heart, healthy mind. Good heart health when you're young may increase your chances of staying mentally sharp as you age.

  • Researchers think Beethoven had an irregular heartbeat and that the condition may have inspired his greatest music.

Read more facts at ubiquinol.org
February is Low Vision
Awareness Month
With people in the United States living longer, eye diseases and vision loss have become major public health concerns. Currently, 4.2 million Americans ages 40 and older are visually impaired. By 2030, when the last baby boomers turn 65, this number is projected to reach 7.2 million, with 5 million having low vision.

Low vision is a visual impairment that cannot be corrected by standard eyeglasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery. Having low vision can make activities like reading, shopping, cooking, writing, and watching TV hard to do. In addition, the consequences of vision loss may leave people feeling anxious, helpless, and depressed.

Vision rehabilitation can help people with vision loss to maximize their remaining vision and maintain their independence and quality of life by teaching them how to:

  • Move safely around the home.
  • Continue to read, cook, and do other activities.
  • Find resources, adaptive devices, and support.

For more information visit: nei.nih.gov
Here is your chance to get involved!
Age Well Arrowhead is looking to train volunteer leaders to lead evidence-based workshops like Matter of Balance, Tai Ji Quan, Living Well with Chronic Pain, and Living Well with Diabetes. Becoming a leader is simple and helps people throughout the community gain confidence in their own health. The benefits can be outstanding and can make a huge difference in the lives of people attending each workshop. We hope you can join our volunteer team in 2019!  
No experience? No worries! We will train. Registration is now open for our winter/spring leader trainings.
Click on the links below for more information or to register on the Juniper website. Space is limited!  

Click each button for more information.
For more information or to register, contact Peter Haften at 218-623-7800
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, contributions, and service fees. These grants allow us to provide services that are easily accessible and affordable.