WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020 | SENIOR LIVING | PAGE 1
SENIOR LIVING Take a “Fly-thru” VIDEO TOUR of THORNE CREST Senior Living Community without ever leaving your home!
Limited 1 and 2 bedroom Independent & Assisted Living apartment homes available now!
H ThorneCrest.net/Video
Contact Catherine Buboltz for a personal video or an in-person tour.
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.
‘I TRY TO STRESS THE POSITIVE’
Chastity Peterson started as the director of nursing last November at St. John’s Lutheran Community-The Woodlands. See more photos on Page 2. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE
Director of nursing at St. John’s The Woodlands tries to be upbeat and fun By Sarah Stultz
sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com
The director of nursing at St. John’s Lutheran Community’s The Woodlands campus is approaching her one-year anniversary at the nursing home after what has been a busy first year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Chastity Peterson started in the position last November and said she has enjoyed her time thus far. Peterson has a background in geriatrics and memory care and also worked for a time in insurance for HealthPartners. Peterson previously lived in the Twin Cities, but moved to Albert Lea after she got the position. She is engaged to Josh Fossum, manager of Bayview/ Freeborn Funeral Home, and the two are planning to be married Aug. 1. She said though it initially was an adjustment moving to
Albert Lea from the Cities, she has grown to love the community and the slower pace here. In her role as director of nursing, she oversees the nurse managers at the facility, who in turn oversee other nursing staff. She also guides the admissions coordinator and works with medical records. Peterson noted how important each member of the team is for residents at St. John’s. She credited the frontline staff since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and their dedication to the residents. “I praise my frontline workers,” she said. “They’ve stayed positive through it all and supported each other.” She said staff have planned special things to try to help residents during this difficult time with therapy and activities. They enjoy taking residents out on the porch when possible, have planned theme days, a car
cruise and parades. The chaplain has also conducted hallway services, in which residents can listen to the service from their doorways, and they try to set up FaceTime visits for residents with families and tele-visit doctor visits. “During this whole thing, I try to stress the positive,” she said. Residents are still tested two times a day for temperature and other COVID-19 screening questions. If a resident has even one of the COVID-19 symptoms, they call the Mayo mobile testing unit, which comes to the facility to test the patient for the virus. “It’s a day-by-day thing, and we’re following the guidance of the Department of Health,” she said. Nursing homes recently started allowing outdoor visits with families and residents, and the nursing home also recently opened its beauty shop. “Overall, it really has helped
Senior Spotlight: Sharon Dickson Age: 79 Place of residence: Thorne Crest Senior Living Community – Independent Living
Education: High school Former occupation: Cosmetology and worked at Stevenson Clothing and Dinah’s Style as a receptionist What is your favorite childhood memory? Christmas every year with families.
What would you say is your greatest accomplishment?
— Chastity Peterson, director of nursing at St. John’s Lutheran Community’s The Woodlands the residents,” Peterson said. Peterson can often be seen wearing Wonder Woman clothing, and outside of work, she said she likes doing things with her Jeep and loves finding ugly pieces of furniture on the side of the road and fixing them up. Between Peterson and her fiance, they have seven children and two grandchildren. They also enjoy being outdoors, canoeing and fishing. She said she also serves as
Connect
Sharon Dickson and her dog, Holly. PROVIDED My three kids. What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? Always keep your faith.
What do you enjoy most about where you live now? Not cooking! Getting help whenever you need it. Friendly people!
president of the Halverson Elementary School parent-teacher organization. “Chastity is a very motivated and hardworking person who always puts the safety and happiness of St. John’s residents first,” said Kathy Woodside, director of public relations, fund development and volunteers at St. John’s. “She is always greeting everyone with a warm smile and is upbeat and fun to work with.”
Engage virtually: Tips for keeping older adults connected Connection and a sense of community can be critical to well-being as people continue to distance and isolate. It can be challenging, especially for older adults, but there are ways to engage, explore and unwind. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so choose a few things that suit you and commit to them. Remember to pay attention to your social and mental health while taking care of your physical health, and consider these ideas from the Administration for Community Living.
Family: Two sons and one daughter
What is your favorite memory from adulthood? Staying in touch with friends you went through school with.
“I praise my frontline workers. They’ve stayed positive through it all and supported each other.”
• Use social media to stay in touch with friends and loved ones or reconnect with people you haven’t seen in a while. • Take advantage of video call platforms to see faces of family and friends while you
talk to them. • Write letters to friends and reminisce about some of your favorite memories. Ask them to write back and share their own favorite memories. • Keep up to date with current events and stay connected to neighbors by reading local newspapers and community bulletins.
Explore
• Take free courses online. With subjects ranging from computers and cooking to studio arts and foreign languages, there is something for nearly everyone. • Explore zoos and aquariums across the country through virtual tours and lessons. Many have live webcams that allow you to watch the animals in real time. • Enjoy artwork from around See TIPS, Page 2
PAGE 2 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020
Honoring health care heroes
‘I try to stress the positive’
Thorne Crest Senior Living Community staff members stand near a banner outside the building, thanking them for all their efforts. PROVIDED
TIPS Continued from Front Page
the world. Thousands of museums and galleries are currently displaying their collections online through virtual tours. • Tour one of the many national parks offering digital tours and experiences you can access anytime from the comfort of home.
Unwind
• Check your library’s free e-books and audiobooks you can borrow without leaving home. Consider joining a virtual book club to connect with others enjoying the same book. • Host dinner or a game night with friends over a video chat. Word, trivia and acting games tend to work well virtually.
Gina Keith asks Chastity Peterson for clarification on a bladder scan reading at St. John’s Lutheran Community. PROVIDED
Connection and a sense of community can be critical to well-being as people continue to distance and isolate. PROVIDED
• Catch free performances online. Some opera houses and theaters are streaming plays and performances for digital audiences. • Watch a TV show or movie while talking to a friend on the phone or over video chat. Many
streaming services offer free trials and some even have a way to watch together online. For information on services for older adults in your community, contact the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or eldercare.acl.gov.
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St. John’s Lutheran Community on Fountain Lake Director of Nurses Chastity Peterson takes a resident’s blood pressure.
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PAGE 3 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020
Pancakes for National Nursing Home Week
Thorne Crest Senior Living Community staff and residents enjoyed Denny Brue’s famous pancakes for breakfast to celebrate National Nursing Home Week. PROVIDED
Senior Spotlight: Mary E. Evans Age: 94 Native of: Albert Lea Place of residency: St. John’s Lutheran Community Family: Two sons, Doug and Jim; one daughter, Martha; eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren Education: I graduated from high school, then I was recruited by the IRS to work in Washington, D.C., right after graduation. I worked for nine months for the IRS doing clerical and office work in D.C., while living in Arlington, Virginia. It was an wonderful learning experience. Former Bookkeeper
occupation:
What is your favorite childhood memory? Riding my bike to Myre-
Big Island State Park with my friend, Sophie. We spent many summer days riding our bike there and packing lunches and bringing a radio. Sophie was a life-long friend. What is your favorite memory from adulthood? Going to Washington, D.C., to work for the IRS and going to Florida with my daughter, Martha, to watch her show her border collie, Vicky, in a dog show. Together they won a Lazy Boy recliner in the dog show. Both are great memories. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? My children — they all three are good kids. What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? Put your family first and do your traveling and activities when you are younger,
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PAGE 4 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020
Sports Week at St. John’s
St. John’s Lutheran Community residents, staff and tenants celebrated Sports Week from June 15 through June 21. PROVIDED
There was lots of Minnesota Twins baseball attire.
Visiting with family
St. John’s Lutheran Community had weeks filled with much happiness as several family members were able to stop by and see their loved ones face-to-face. PROVIDED
Planting flowers
Residents and tenants at both St. John’s Lutheran Community campuses enjoyed a summer day by planting beautiful flowers. PROVIDED
Surprise lunch for workers
KFC surprised workers at the St. John’s Lutheran Community campus with lunch one day. PROVIDED
A resident waters flowers at the St. John’s Lutheran Community campus on Fountain Lake.