April 2018 Newsletter
You can make a difference

National Volunteer Month

The Forgotten Piece to Healthy Living

Thank you Volunteers!

Meet our Interns

Recipe of the Month

Dementia Friendly at Work

Upcoming Events
April is National Volunteer Month
Volunteers Make an Impact

Volunteers are the foundation of Age Well Arrowhead. They provide the necessary services needed to allow our clients to live independently.

Just in the first 3 months of 2018
compared to the entire year of 2017,
volunteers have provided

Rides Given : 92 rides
(Total for 2017: 152 rides.)

Grocery Orders (shopped and delivered) : 244 orders
(Total for 2017: 396 total.)

Number of hours donated to help in the home: 165 hours
(Total for 2017: 838 hours total.)
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JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION!


Tuesday, April 24th
12:00 PM
Age Well Arrowhead
306 W Superior St.
Ste 10

Lunch provided.


DON'T MISS THIS SPECIAL EVENT to honor our volunteers with a celebration and lunch. This event will also recognize volunteer achievements with a pinning ceremony.

Please RSVP to shelbig@agewellarrowhead.org or call 218-623-7805


You can make a difference.



Age Well Arrowhead is a relatively young organization, but we have accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. For example, the need for transportation and grocery shopping for older adults was identified as great in our community. We responded by developing a program that provides transportation to medical appointments called Senior Wheels and a grocery shopping and delivery service called Groceries-to-Go. Our programs have been extremely successful. I am proud to report that in just two years we have shopped well over 600 grocery orders and provided 200 rides to medical appointments. This means more folks were able to remain in their homes while maintaining their health and independence.

The ongoing need for services, especially in outlying areas, continues to grow. While we are actively recruiting volunteers to helps us provide services in rural areas, we need your help to make our efforts go even further! You can help us expand our Senior Wheels and Groceries-to-Go programs by making a cash donation and/or volunteering. This year our goal is $5,000 and we hope that you will be able to contribute. Your generosity will make a difference in our community by allowing us to continue in our work of supporting older adults and having a much further reach.

We rely on the generosity of individua ls and businesses for support. Please support us by donating today. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

Here are ways you can donate:
·          Donate online at www.agewellarrowhead.org
·          Send a check directly to Age Well Arrowhead
·          Call us at 218-623-7800 to learn about volunteer opportunities

Thank you,
Mary Bovee, Executive Director


Join us in welcoming our new volunteers!

Aurora F.
Hannah H.
Amy R.
Julie R.
Stephanie S.
Ben Z.
Age Well would like to thank these volunteers for their years of dedication! Happy Anniversary!
Molly C. - 2 years
Steve E.- 1 year
Luann J.- 1 year
Thank you to our March donors!

Daisy Dimitri
Kim Luedtke
A BIG THANK YOU to volunteer Laura Hanson who generously gave her Thrivent member donation to supply the Age Well Memory Café! We appreciate Laura’s support and our participants will enjoy the ongoing benefits. 
Current needs at Age Well Arrowhead:

Administrative
Front Office,
Data Entry

Lawn/Garden
Current recruitment for summer lawn care needs

Groceries to Go Order Takers Tuesday morning as available

Groceries to Go Shoppers
Wednesday morning as available

Transportation
On call as available
*Taste of Home*
The Ultimate Grilled Cheese
(5 servings)

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

10 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)

2 tablespoons butter, softened


In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the cheeses, garlic powder and seasoned salt. Spread five slices of bread with the cheese mixture, about 1/3 cup on each. Top with remaining bread.

Butter the outsides of sandwiches. In a skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 4-5 minutes on each side or until bread is lightly browned and cheese is melted .
Shop Amazon Smile and click Age Well Arrowhead and Amazon will donate to our organization! AmazonSmile
Upcoming Events

Beginning May 8th


Beginning May 3rd
I want to thank each and every volunteer whether it is for Age Well Arrowhead or another organization for taking the time to give back. The heart that each of you have and the impact you make on our aging community is incredible and very humbling. You have brought tears to my eyes with your kindness. It makes our hard work worth it when I get a phone call from a client singing their praise about how much they love you all. I am proud to be in this organization and working side by side with each of you. Thank you!

Shelbi Graber, Volunteer Coordinator
Meet Our Interns



Brooke Matis, Student
UMD Social Work
For those looking to be active in their community, volunteering is a great way to start. From grocery shopping and delivery to lawn mowing, volunteering can serve as social engagement and can also leave a person feeling rewarded. Since I have been a shopper for Groceries-to-Go and a driver for the Senior Wheels program at Age Well Arrowhead, my experience has been nothing short of meaningful. Not only have I been able to meet many people from different walks of life and learn new things from them, but I have also been able to do things I never imagined I would do. Being a driver pushed me out of my comfort zone and led me to great conversations and experiences I would not have had otherwise. Since I have been old enough to have a job, I have had a passion of working with older adults, working in nursing homes and assisted living communities. However, volunteering with Age Well Arrowhead has shown me a whole new side of aging; the side where older adults are able to remain living safely and independently in their homes with a little help from their volunteers. It is incredible to see the impact volunteering for a cause you are passionate about can have in the lives of not only those in which you are working with, but in your own life, as well.

Not only was I able to volunteer for Age Well Arrowhead, but I also had the unique opportunity to work closely with the Aging Services Specialist as a social work intern. Aside from my Groceries-to-Go and transportation, I was able to be a part of Care Consultation services; working with clients to create action plans and connect them with resources, as well as Caregiver Counseling/Family Counseling; supporting caregivers in decision making and problem solving. These unique experiences allowed me to not only begin to be able to see things from a social work lens but has also allowed me to work closely with individuals and their families to support them in any way they need. Volunteering and interning at Age Well Arrowhead has given me the meaningful and rewarding experience that makes me certain that social work in Gerontology is the perfect fit for me. 


Madisson Friendshuh, Student
St. Scholastica Psychology
For the last few years, I have become increasingly aware of the benefits of volunteering, both for the volunteer and the individual receiving services. That said, I haven’t had much time during my college career to invest my time into volunteering until recently. This year I was fortunate enough to hear about Age Well Arrowhead and a brief overview of their services through one of my professors. Groceries-to-Go is the service that really captured my attention. I remember thinking that grocery shopping for older adults and delivering it to their place of residence was such a unique and useful idea. I would later learn that they offered other forms of assistance such as transportation, help in the home, dementia training, care consultations, and caregiver support. 

This year has been my first year being involved with the study of Gerontology, so my interest for working with older adults is a fairly new one. Age Well has played a significant role in fueling my growing passion for working with older adults in the community. They have provided me with chances for direct engagement with clients, whom I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of meeting otherwise. I have met some unforgettable people during my time volunteering through Age Well Arrowhead and have also had the privilege of being able to work closely with the amazing staff. The clients and staff at Age Well have made my volunteer experience worthwhile. I feel fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to experience the positive impact of volunteering and I plan to incorporate it into my life indefinitely. I’m eager to continue being involved in volunteer acts that are both beneficial for others but also intrinsically rewarding for myself.
Thank you to our interns Brooke Matis and Madisson Friendshuh! You have contributed so much to Age Well, and we all wish you the best of luck!
Social Engagement
The forgotten piece of healthy living

By: Brooke Matis, Age Well Arrowhead Intern
Chances are, you’ve thought about exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. However, these are not the only things that people can do to remain healthy as they get older. Recent studies have found that remaining socially engaged can be just as important as being physically active. Not only does social interaction help a person stay active, but it also can lead to more joy and satisfaction in life (Everyday Health, 2013).

What can I do to remain socially engaged?

One simple step to increase social engagement is to foster connections with neighbors, friends and family. This may be in the form of writing a letter, a social outing, or a simple phone call.

Is there someone you haven’t connected with in a while that may be good to catch up with? With advances in technology video chats, messaging apps, it becomes easier to stay connected with those who may live far away.

Another way to remain socially engaged is to visit a local senior center. Senior centers offer a wide variety of activities such as games, community outings, art based activities, educational seminars and more. Senior centers are a great venue for meeting new people, engaging in discussion, or expanding your support system. Who knows, you may even start a new hobby!

Sometimes, a person may prefer to stay in the comfort of their home. Other times, there are barriers to leaving the home. No problem. There are services that allow for a person to be socially active without ever leaving their house. A companionship service is a service which includes regularly scheduled visits to chat, go on a walk, or play a game.

Or, perhaps you are needing some extra help getting groceries, driving, or keeping your home clean. Services such as Groceries -To-Go, Errands, or Help in the Home provide you with the support you need in addition to providing an opportunity to build a relationship and engage socially with the shopper, driver, or homemaker. Did we mention this can also serve as a wellness check?

For those looking to be active in their community, volunteering is a great way to start. Age Well Arrowhead offers many opportunities for a meaningful and fulfilling experience. From grocery shopping and delivery to lawn mowing to companionship, volunteering can serve as social engagement and can also leave a person feeling rewarded.

Staying socially active, whether that involves talking to friends and families, going to a local senior center, utilizing services, or volunteering, is a crucial part of healthy aging.

For additional information and how to get started on Companion, Groceries-To-Go, and Help in the Home services, visit our website at www.agewellarrowhead.org or call Age Well at (218)-623-7800.
Dementia Training for Businesses
Age Well Arrowhead would like to congratulate St. Luke's Health Systems and Thrivent Financial  for completion of Dementia Friendly at Work training and their commitment to better serving their patients and customers 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.

Schedule your training today!


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.