WEDNESDAY, may 26, 2021 | SENIOR LIVING | PAGE 1
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1201 Garfield Avenue • Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-373-2311 • ThorneCrest.net
Thorne Crest is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not-for-profit provider of senior health care since 1930.
SENIOR LIVING
Focusing on wellness
Jordan Montes is the new wellness director at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune
Albert Lea native starts as new wellness director at Thorne Crest By Sarah Stultz
sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com
After moving away from Albert Lea to attend college and start his career, an Albert Lea native is making a name for himself back in the community he grew up in as the new wellness director at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community. Jordan Montes is a few weeks into the position at Thorne Crest, after previously working for a physical therapy clinic ExercisAbilities in Rochester for over seven years. There he worked as an exercise physiologist, working with patients who had Parkinson’s, spinal cord injuries
or strokes, to name a few conditions. He graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and rehabilitative science from Winona State University. Montes said he moved back to Albert Lea four years ago but had been commuting to Rochester for his previous job. The commute was getting to be too much, so he started looking for something closer to home so he could have more time for his family — his wife, Amanda, and their three children, 14, 5 and 11 months. In his new role as wellness director at Thorne Crest, he helps not only with wellness
“Everyone is so welcoming. The residents are awesome and open-minded. They’re letting me be flexible and implement my own ideas.” — Thorne Crest Senior Living Community wellness director Jordan Montes for the residents but also wellness for the staff. He said he will conduct both group and oneon-one classes and right now helps around 50 clients. One of the highlights at Thorne Crest is the pool, where he hoped soon
it would be open again to classes after a break for the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everyone is so welcoming,” he said. “The residents are awesome and open-minded. They’re letting me be flexible and imple-
ment my own ideas.” In addition to his work with the residents and staff at Thorne Crest, Montes said he would like to implement more group classes in the future where people from the community can also attend. “I really want to get the community involved,” he said. Outside of work, Montes said he enjoys spending time with family and friends and is an avid biker and enjoys playing basketball, hiking and camping. His wife is also originally from Albert Lea, and both of their families are in the surrounding area.
Senior Spotlight: Joel B. Erickson Age: 45 or so Native of: grew up in Rochester Place of residency: Waters Edge, St. John’s on Fountain Lake Family: Pembie, my wife of 51 years; daughter, Natasha, and husband, Kevin, grandkids Nathan (25), Rachael (23) and Owen (17); son, Jeshua, and wife, Jennifer, grandkids Axel (12) and Trixie (9). Education: St. Olaf College, Bachelor of Arts in psychology; Luther Seminary, master of divinity; Graduate Theological Foundation, doctor of ministry in spiritual direction Former occupation: Lutheran minister, 1973 to 2009 What is your favorite childhood memory? For the first 10 years of my life, I lived on a sheep farm with my family. Surrounding our home on two acres of lawn were
12 fruit trees: apples, crabapples, plums and one pear tree. In the spring, the blossoms bursting forth left me in wonder for their beauty and fragrances. And then later, of course, tasting the many different fruit varieties was a great joy. What is your favorite memory from adulthood? It is an ongoing memory of looking back on our grandchildren growing into their unique personhood — daily learning, creating and discovering. It amazes me how each grandchild is unique, courageously living out of their gifts, abilities and passions. Is there a piece of advice you wish someone had given you or you would have listened to when you were younger? Delayed gratification and the importance of it is something I wish I had practiced more readily in the first half of my life. The call for immediate results or outcomes short circuits the healthy process of learning.
What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? My father had a big poster hanging on the wall of the basement bathroom. It was a picture of an old alfalfa sickle bar mower; the mover was covered in rust. In big letters on the poster was this: “People don’t wear out, they rust out.” God has gifted us with talents and abilities designed for use, not for storage. And more importantly used for the sake of others. My wife and I participated in an Aging Mastery Workshop in the fall of 2019. This workshop reinforced the message that retirement is not synonymous with going into storage. What do you enjoy most about where you are living now? Our living at Waters Edge gives us the freedom to pursue other ventures than maintaining a house that comes with weeding, shoveling snow and continual repairs. We go camping every other week with our Rpod during the summer, a time that includes fly fishing, bird watching, drawing, reading and hiking. The tenants
are a great group of people affording frequent interactions and visits. My brother lives at
The Meadows of St. John’s on Fountain Lake, so thankfully I am close to him.
Page 2 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, may 26, 2021
A gift of cookies
Recognizing staff at Thorne Crest
Thorne Crest staff member Traci Bennett and her granddaughter Emily Johnson pass out boxes of Girl Scout cookies to residents. The cookies were donated by Emily’s Girl Scout Troop in Onalasks, Wisconsin. Provided Thorne Crest Senior Living Community celebrated National Nurses Day with the nursing staff with flowers. Provided
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Quality, Subsidized Apartments for Seniors ages 62 and Better • 1 BR apts. • Accessible apts. available • Rent based on income • Window treatments
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Senior Spotlight: Margaret Schow Age: 85 Native of: Kiester Place of Residency: Thorne Crest Senior Living Community Family: A daughter who lives in Wells; a son who lives in Joliet, Illinois; five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren Education: high school Former occupation: office manager for AT&T What is your favorite childhood memory: Christmas at Grandpa and Grandma’s What is your favorite memory from adulthood? My husband, sister-inlaw and I toured Canada, Alaska and the northern United States What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? Being a friend and loving people Is there a piece of advice you wish someone had given you or you would have listened to when you were younger? Go to college What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? Have a strong faith What do you enjoy most about where you are living now? Getting to know new people and make friends. Also the friendly staff.
Creativity abounds at Thorne Crest
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(800) 466-7722 x231 www.accessiblespace.org
Thorne Crest residents happily display a difficult puzzle they recently finished at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community. Provided
Thank you for supporting local journalism. www.albertleatribune.com 808 West Front Street • Albert Lea, MN • 507-373-1411
WEDNESDAY, may 26, 2021 | SENIOR LIVING | PAGE 3
Thanking staff at St. John’s
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
To thank and celebrate St. John’s Lutheran Community staff during National Skilled Nursing Care Week, all week both St. John’s Lutheran Community campuses enjoyed fun activities, including a delicious grill out. Provided
Residents at both St. John’s Lutheran Community campuses celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a fun party with food, drinks and music. Provided
Honoring women with fun
To celebrate and honor the women at St. John’s and The Woodlands, residents got to take part in a fun photoshoot. Much fun and laughter was enjoyed between staff and residents. Provided
Bingo fun at St. John’s
The Meadows
Assisted Living Memory Care at the Fountain Lake Community 24-hour Care Staff Cognitive programming for enhanced memory care Specially-trained dementia care staff Full-time chaplain and worship services
In-person bingo resumed at St. John’s Fountain Lake campus for Water’s Edge and Meadows tenants. To help residents celebrate, the Albert Lea Tribune donated fun prizes, including games, T-shirts, totes and magnifiers. Provided
901 Luther Place and 1761 Eagle View Circle Albert Lea, MN 507-373-8226 www.stjohnsofalbertlea.org
Page 4 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, may 26, 2021
A visit to Paris
Oak Park Place residents had a “Virtual Visit to Paris” and played games, painted and learned a little bit about Da Vinci. They also shared some special snacks and reminisced about some special vacations they have taken. Provided
Effective exercises for seniors Losing interest in an exercise regimen is a situation many fitness enthusiasts have confronted at one point or another. Even seniors who have lived active lifestyles since they were youngsters are likely to encounter certain physical limitations associated with aging. Physical limitations may be a part of aging for many people, but such obstacles need not limit seniors looking to banish boredom from their workout routines. In fact, many seniors can successfully engage in a variety of exercises that benefit their bodies and are unlikely to grow stale. • Water aerobics: Sometimes referred to as “aqua aerobics,” water aerobics may involve jogging in the water, leg lifts, arm curls, and other activities that can safely be performed in a pool. The YMCA notes that water aerobics exercises are low impact, which can make them ideal for seniors with bone and joint issues like arthritis. • Resistance band workouts: Resistance band workouts can be especially useful for seniors who spend a lot of time at home. Resistance bands are inexpensive and don’t take up a lot of space, making them ideal for people who like to exercise at home but don’t have much space. They can be used to strengthen muscles in various parts of the body, including the legs, arms and back. • Pilates: Pilates is another low-impact exercise that can be ideal for seniors with bone and joint issues. Pilates can help seniors build overall strength, stability and coordination. • Strength training: Seniors on the lookout for something more challenging than a daily walk around the neighborhood should not overlook the benefits of strength training. Seniors who participate in strength training can stimulate the growth of muscle and bone, thereby reducing their risk for osteoporosis and frailty.
Enjoying an English tea
Following a presentation on the Titanic by Chaplain Todd Walsh, Thorne Crest residents enjoyed an English Tea with specialty food items prepared by a Thorne Crest staff member. Provided
Learning from an experiment
Oak Park Place residents took part in a fun science experiment. They took an egg and burned it. Once the egg was burned, they stuck it in water and enjoyed watching it turn into a silver metallic egg. The residents were excited and amazed at the results. It was a fun and educational way to spend the afternoon. Provided