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