Home but not alone:
Minnesota’s aging find help to live where they want to By Bob Shaw Pioneer Press
Maureen Taylor is joining a mass movement — just by sitting in her rocking chair. A generation ago, a 67-yearold emphysema patient like her would have been forced to move into an institution charging thousands of dollars a month. But Thursday, she relaxed in her Burnsville apartment — her oxygen machine whirring, a cuckoo clock chirping and soft jazz drifting out of her TV set. “This is where I want to be,” Taylor said contentedly. She’s able to live at home for one reason: the volunteer in the kitchen, scrubbing her sink. That volunteer provides the cooking, cleaning and shopping that Taylor needs to remain where she wants to be. Taylor is one of an increasing number of older Minnesotans avoiding nursing homes and living at home. The stay-at-home movement is buoyed by hundreds of volunteers, new businesses and nonprofits, and help from government programs. Older people say this makes them happier and healthier. It also saves money, which makes them feel good. “Without you,” said Taylor to the volunteer, “I’d never be able to live on my own.” The nursing home exodus has been in full swing in Minnesota for at least 20 years. The rate of people 65 and older in nursing homes fell an estimated 46 percent from 2007 to 2016. There are now 24,500 older Minnesotans in nursing homes, a mere 3 percent of the total. “It’s a steep decline for us,” said Valerie Cooke, director of the Division of Nursing Facility Rates and Policy for the state Department of Human Services. Older people in assisted living — usually apartments with extra services provided — are not directly tallied because there is no single licensing system for all facilities. The department estimates that about 45,000 Minnesotans were in the facilities in 2018.
See HOME, Page 3
Members of the Cotillion Club twirl and spin during a Dec. 4 dance at the Austin Country Club. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
100 years of dance
Cotillion Dance Club to celebrate 100 years of dancing this summer Editor’s Note: Be sure to keep an eye out for the March-April edition of Austin Living magazine where we take a much deeper look at this beloved club. By Hannah Yang hannah.yang@austindailyherald.com
While some may have gone home right after work on Tuesday night, some went straight for the dance floor. Couples (and some singles) mingled for a formal supper while surrounded by Christmas decorations and lights that set the tone of a merry celebration. The scene was set for a classic and fun affair at the Austin Country Club. Tables were set for an elegant dinner, and members of the Cotillion Dance Club mingled with cocktails and sparkling outfits. However, what most of the people were waiting for was the live music, and the chance to go out and dance. Among the dancers were Otto and Betty Volkert, who had been a part of the Cotillion Dance Club for 50 years. The two (who had been married
Richard Nordin, who has been part of the Cotillion Dance Club since 1958 and would attend the dances with his wife, Gloria, who had recently passed away and was an avid dancer herself. He was a member at the time when the dances would be held at different locations, including Taopi. “It’s really fantastic,” Nordin shared. “I come for the fellowship.” The Cotillion Dance Club had been around for almost a century (its 100th anniversary is this June) and started its history in 1919. The first dance was held at The Elks Hall, at a time when the women would prepare meals early in the day, and the husbands would return home from work to get ready for an evening of dancing, dressed Kathy Kester is spun by Bill Buckley during an early December meetin suits, while the women wore ing of the Cotillion Club. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com formal gowns and met once a month, according to Alice Anfor 64 years) saw a shift in how more” but still attend the danc- derson, a steering committee the dances would be “very for- es as a time to socialize with member for the club. “It’s a congenial group,” Anmal” with cocktails stopping other couples and enjoy watchderson said. “We’ve been a part just as dinner was being served ing them dance. to members, and only water “The main thing was, they of this group for 22 years.You would allowed afterward. don’t have to be good dancers,” get to know everybody.” Nowadays, the Volker ts Otto Volkert said. “don’t dance as much anyAlso in attendance was Dr. See DANCE, Page 2
Make better brain health your top New Year’s resolution for 2019 By State Point Media
Alzheimer’s Disease is expected to impact nearly 14 million Americans by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. So, as you set your New Year’s resolutions for 2019, consider the following ways to maintain and improve your cognitive function. Research has shown l i f e s t y l e ch a n g e s l i ke improving diet and exercising regularly have helped drive down death rates from cancer, heart
disease and other major d i s e a s e s. T h e s e s a m e lifestyle chang es may also reduce or slow your risk of cognitive decline, which is often a precursor to Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Discovering risk factors and preventive strategies for cognitive decline that can cause problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment is a hot topic in Alzheimer’s research, as are Photo provided. multi-faceted lifestyle interventions to slow or pre- news? Many such inter- might already be doing or vent dementia. The good ventions are things you thinking about doing in
the new year, such as eating well, staying physically active and getting good sleep, just to name a few. “There is increasing evidence to suggest that what is good for the heart is good for our brains,” says Keith Fargo, Ph.D., director of scientific prog rams and outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association. “Keeping our brains healthy is not something we should worry about only as we get older. It should be a lifelong effort.” One easy way to encour-
age brain health at any age is to stimulate your mind with problem-solving challeng es. Working on a jigsaw puzzle, learning a new language a n d p l ay i n g s t r a t e g y games are a few ways to strengthen your memory — as long as they are new and challenging tasks. Research has also found correlations between higher levels of for mal education and a better cognitive reserve — so sign up for a class in 2019!
See HEALTH, Page 3
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Senior Living
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019
A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Dance: ‘It’s just a wonderful evening out’ From Page 1 Now the Cotillion Dance Club eyes its biggest celebration of its 100th Anniversary in June 2019. The Big Band is lined up to play, and couples can come by throughout the area, and dance to some live music while hitting the floor with the samba and other types of dances like the polka. Since its early conception, the Cotillion Dance Club would meet once a month on a Tuesday night to dance and to have fellowship with one another. There’s plenty in the works for the Cotillion Dance Club to prepare for its most special shindig in the club’s history. Anderson said that although people may go to Rochester for dance lessons, or head up to the cities for a night out, Austin’s Cotillion Dance Club may be one of the few of its kind to have an organized night of special dancing. Although there aren’t too many young couples who are members of the Cotillion Dance Club, Anderson said that the organization always welcomed those who “love to dance.” “Some of the dancing is not that familiar to young people,” she said. “But, they seem to like what we do.” Often times, the Cotillion
Dance Club would dance to live music of Barry Rush and Steve Krob’s Reminisce. During the first Tuesday of the month, members would gather for a social hour with cocktails starting at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner at 7 and then dancing following the supper. Back when the Cotillion Dance Club was in its early years, there’d be a “waitlist” to get into the club, as there were as many as 40
couples who used to come Cotillion Club members hit the dance floor during a meeting on Dec. 4 at the Austin Country and dance. These days, Club. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com there would be 20 couples and some singles. However, the dancing remains a joyful time to catch up with friends, and some even say that the Cotillion Dance Club was one that was pretty unique to the Mower County area. “It’s very unusual,” Anderson said. “Especially for a hundred-year-old club. It’s just a wonderful evening out.”
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A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Senior Living
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019
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How healthy feet can reduce your risk of falling By State Point Media
Among older Americans, falls are the number one cause of injuries and death from injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not only are seniors more at risk for falls, when they do so, it poses a greater risk for injuries, hospitalization and complications. For a ground-up approach to fall prevention, seniors should start by examining the health of their feet. “Painful foot condi-
tions, such as osteoarthritis, cor ns, bunions, hammertoes and diabetes complications, can make it difficult for seniors to maintain balance and coordination when walking or standing,” says Michael Ambroziak, DPM, FACFAS, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ACFAS). “Compounding the issue is that the very exercises intended to correct risk factors for falls, such as lower-body weakness, as
well as gait and balance problems, are made difficult to perform when one is suffering from painful foot and ankle conditions.” While the factors causing falls are numerous, experts say that seniors, and everybody for that matter, can take steps to reduce their risk by minimizing or even eliminating foot pain. Doing so will improve balance, coordination and stability when walking or standing. Foot and ankle surgeons recommend the following ways to help keep feet and
ankles healthy: • Don’t ignore pain: Foot pain is not just a normal consequence of growing older, so don’t resign yourself to aching and suffering. You likely have a treatable condition. For a proper diagnosis and intervention, be sure to pay attention to your feet and see a foot and ankle surgeon if and when you experience pain. • Examine your feet: You are the gatekeeper of your own health, making regular at-home foot examinations critical. At
the sign of bumps, lumps or other changes in your feet, make an appointment with your foot and ankle surgeon. • Exercise: Simple stretching exercises can help you maintain strength and mobility in your feet and ankles, as well as provide pain relief. Talk to your physician about appropriate exercises for you. • Protect: Use padding, insoles or whatever special footwear you are prescribed. Be sure to wear these, along with comfort-
able, sensible shoes, every day. • Be flexible: Know that at times, surgery is the most appropriate treatment for a given condition. Fortunately, many simple surgical techniques allow foot surgery to be performed on an outpatient basis. Fo r m o r e w ay s f o r to keep feet and ankles healthy, prevent falls or to find a foot and ankle surgeon near you, visit FootHealthFacts.org, the patient education website for ACFAS.
Home: Seniors no longer have to move out to manage their affairs From Page 1 Excluding nursing homes and assisted living, everyone else lives at home — about 92 percent of seniors in 2018.
Who is helping?
Officials say that number is increasing because seniors no longer have to move out to manage their affairs. Help has arrived — a small army of volunteers organized by nonprofits and businesses. The strategies of the groups vary. Some charge fees, while others are free. Some are strictly on-call, and others offer regular weekly visits. Some don’t offer medical services or transportation. “We run the gamut. We shovel sidewalks, clean up yards, hang pictures or help you figure out your phone,” said Alison Schaub, director of Neighborhood Networks for Seniors, a 25-year-old St. Paul group that presently has 70 volunteers. “We put in air conditioners. We found a bed for someone.” Schaub said the demand has recently spiked.
“That’s especially true in St. Paul, where we have more people who have been in their houses 40 or 50 years. They know where the grocery store is. They are not going anywhere.” Help At Your Door is a 35-year-old nonprofit with a roster of volunteers that has ballooned to 600. They serve about 1,000 seniors metrowide. Services include transportation to the doctor’s office, getting dust bunnies from under the bed and frying eggs for breakfast. “For us, it’s one call to get any of the services,” said communications manager Nichole Rothaupt. The group charges seniors a fee to cover costs. “That tells them it’s not a handout. People in the senior sector look negatively on a handout,” said director Karen Cotch. “It allows us to sustain.” Janet Golden is the director of the East Side Elders, a St. Paul group that employs 27 volunteers to help about 650 seniors. “Someone will call us when the light bulb goes out,” said Golden. The group does not help people bathe or provide medical care.
“We have no set routine. There is no fee — it’s on a donation basis. Sometimes we get a dollar, sometimes $25,” she said.
How they build relationships
The at-home help with chores and errands also addresses another problem — loneliness. “This keeps seniors socially connected. A lot of the reason why people fail is they become lonely,” said Golden. For that reason, Help At Your Door encourages the same volunteers to visit the same customers, repeatedly. “That’s our way of preventing isolation,” said director Cotch. “They form relationships.” Consistent contact makes it more likely that a customer would confide in the volunteer, telling them about a health concern. Federal, state and local governments also support the effort to keep older people in their homes. For example, Minnesota’s “Live Well at Home” program, passed in 2001, pays about $8 million annually to groups supporting the live-at-home movement. In 2018, the money
went to 53 organizations. To stay in their homes, some older people need caregivers. So, starting in 2000, the Department of Human Services has taught classes and offered support for friends and family members who spend time with the elderly. In Burnsville last week, a g reen oxygen tube snaked across the floor to Taylor, sitting in the corner of her living room. She stood up, then sank back into her chair. “I ran around for 15 minutes before you got here,” she told the volunteer, “and I’m exhausted.” In the kitchen, Help At Your Door volunteer Lisa Lewerer squatted down to clean out the refrigerator. “Are these good?” she said, raising up a nearly empty jar of beets. “Those are OK,” directed Taylor, “but those buns can be thrown out.” Taylor made other requests. “Can you get the counter in the bathroom? And the laundry?” Lewerer dutifully went from one chore to the next. As the volunteer folded clothes in the bedroom,
Health: Being social may support brain health From Page 1 Another way to promote brain health is taking care of your mental health. Managing stress and anxiety is not only i m p o r t a n t fo r ove r a l l health and wellbeing, but studies have found a link between depression and increased risk of cognitive decline. Take care of yourself and seek medical treatment if you have symptoms. Being social may also sup p or t b r ai n hea lt h . That’s right. Add “hang out with friends” and “have fun” to your New
Year’s resolutions list. Better yet, take on several of these lifestyle changes for maximum impact. For example, enroll in a dance class with a friend. Alzheimer’s researchers are now looking into whether a “cocktail” of these interventions can protect cognitive function. T he Alzheimer’s Association’s U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) is a twoyear clinical trial that hopes to answer this question, and is the first such study to be conducted of a
large group of Americans nationwide. While there’s currently no certain way to prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias, there is much
to be g ained by living a healthy lifestyle and adopting brain health habits that you enjoy, so that you stick with them for the long haul.
Taylor interrupted her. “I sliding scale, depending can’t tell you,” she said, on the income of the client. — East Side Elders, “how much I appreciate eastsideelders.org, 651this.” 683-2326. No payment is reLooking for help? quired, but the group asks The Department of Hu- for donations. man Services offers ser— Neighborhood Netvices to people 65 and old- work for Seniors, neigher to allow them to live in borhoodnetworkforse their homes: mn.gov/dhs/ niors.org, 651-646-2301. The people-we-serve/seniors/. group asks for donations. Businesses offering Dozens of nonprofits provide in-home help, in- home-care help include: — Interim Healthcluding: — Help At Your Door, Care, interimhealthcare. helpatyourdoor.org, 651- com, 651-917-3634 — Visiting Angels, vis642-1892. Fees are a maximum of $15 for grocery itingangels.com, 800-365delivery, $30 per hour for 4189 in-home services, $20 for Distributed by Tribune every 30 minutes of transportation. Fees are on a Content Agency, LLC.
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019
A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD