Generations 2018

Generations t w o t h o u s a n d e i g h t e e n • detroit lakes, mn

HORSIN’ AROUND

Saddle Club member, Janee Dehler, lives to ride

ALSO INSIDE:

• Ski Patrol senior loves the slopes • Celebrating Scandinavian heritage • Adventures in raising fainting goats GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 1

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Generations

Supplement to the Detroit Lakes Tribune, March 25, 2018 511 Washington Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218-847-3151 • Fax 218-847-9409 • www.dl-online.com Melissa Swenson, publisher Marie Johnson, editor Luanna Lake, magazine designer Sara Leitheiser, creative manager Viola Anderson, circulation manager

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Lakes Trail Blazers Saddle Club member, Janee Dehler, lives to ride

Ergonomic gardening

Local Sons of Norway celebrates Scandinavian heritage in DL

Wireless tech takes hearing aids to new levels

Ski Patrol volunteer, Carla Hansen, slides to the rescue in times of trouble

Brain-healthy habits

Jim Brogren shares his adventures in raising fainting goats

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GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 3

Janee Dehler takes a leisurely winter ride around her property in rural Lake Park.

Hot to trot

Lakes Trail Blazers Saddle Club senior member, Janee Dehler, lives to get out and ride STORY AND PHOTOS: MARIE JOHNSON

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irst thing every morning, Janee Dehler makes a pot of coffee and then goes outside to feed her horses.

It might be raining, snowing or 30 below -- no matter what, her routine’s the same.

On nice mornings she might simply throw on some slippers and pad out to the little white stable behind her house in her pajamas, hot cup of coffee in hand.

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If it’s been snowing, she’ll have to bundle up from head to toe and shovel herself a pathway first. She’ll also have to plow out her long U-shaped driveway, and feed the cats.

And that’s all before leaving for her regular day job at the VA (Veterans Benefits Administration) in Fargo.

Dehler has 5 acres, a house, stable, outbuildings, trucks, trailers

and other equipment, and of course her animals to tend to, and she does it all on her own. It’s a lot of work, but she doesn’t see it that way.

To her, it’s not a labor of love, it’s just love, pure and simple.

A HISTORY WITH HORSES

At any given time, Dehler has five to seven horses in her stable. Two are boarded at North Dakota State University for part of the year, where

Janee Dehler, one of the senior members of the Lakes Trail Blazers Saddle Club, rides whenever the weather’s nice and competes in the summers. She is pictured here outside her rural Lake Park home with two of her seven horses, Junior (the one she’s riding) and Manny, who’s only about a year old and is still training.

they’re used for student lessons, while another three horses and two ponies live with her year-round.

They’re all males, and they’re all big sweeties.

There’s Junior, for example, a bayhorse and the biggest guy in the stable. A sort of fatherly figure to the others, he’s a gentle giant with a shiny brown coat and black mane.

Then there’s Manny, a smaller brown horse who’s only about a year old and is still in training -- the young buck, so to speak. The little ponies, Two Bits and Snowflake, have enough personality to go around. And then there’s Rocky, Sammy and Buddy -all friendly and playful.

“They make really good companions,” Dehler says.

She cares for these creatures

with pride and affection every day, she keeps around for herself and and rides whenever the weather’s anyone else who may enjoy riding nice enough. In the summers, she them. She likes to ride around her competes in horse shows as a senior property, on area trails and at horsemember of the Lakes Trail Blazers friendly state parks like Maplewood.

Saddle Club.

“I enjoy riding,” she says. “I love that

“I’ve been in love with horses all peace of just being outside and being my life,” says Dehler, who’s now 59. in nature.”

“I’ve been riding them ever since I

She also likes to compete, could.” although she does it more for the fun

As a kid, Dehler would hit the and camaraderie than to win awards. trails every day with two of her neighbor friends. Her family had a farm west of Lake Park, “I’ve been in love with horses all my and owned a couple of working life. I’ve been riding them ever since horses, but she was the only one amongst her parents and I could.” -Janee Dehler siblings who enjoyed riding. It was just inherent in her.

That love never went away. After Every summer, the Trail Blazers club spending decades away from horses, hosts a series of Fun Shows, and living in the Twin Cities area, she Dehler rarely misses those. The club moved back to Lake Park in 2001 “so also hosts shows sanctioned by the I could get my horses again.”

Western Saddle Clubs Association, or WSCA, which appeals to more serious competitors.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

Morgan Kastner, president of the

Equestrianism is both a personal Trail Blazers, said the competitions and a social thing for Dehler. She include pleasure events like Western closely connects with her horses and pleasure, showmanship and enjoys solo riding, but also likes to horsemanship, as well as games like share the experience with her family barrels, pole bending, jumping figure and other horse-loving friends from eights and a rescue race. She said the club and competitions. riders range from beginners to long She keeps the two ponies around timers, and everyone is welcome. largely for the sake of her two

The welcoming environment of young granddaughters, who are just the competitions, and of the Trail learning how to ride, and the horses GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 5

Clockwise (left-right): Elsa Lindstrom does a jumping figure eight with Rocky at a buckle show last spring; Summer dips into area lakes are a favorite seasonal pastime for Janee Dehler and her horse-loving friends; At a horse show last spring, Lake Park area saddle club members Greta, Elsa and Anneka Lindstrom, left to right, ride Janee Dehler’s horses Junior, Sammy and Buddy.

Dehler is pictured on the far right, with Rocky and Two Bits; Janee Dehler’s granddaughters Dani (age 5, riding Two Bits) and Madilyn, 4, at a buckle show with the saddle club last May. Dani is being led by her dad, Eric Dehler.

Upcoming Trips

Blazers organization, is one of Dehler’s favorite things about the club and horse culture in general.

She said people can just show up to a competition and take part with no fear, even if they’ve never done it before. Or they can just join the club for the fun of it.

“You don’t have to compete to enjoy it,” she said of being in the Trail Blazers. “It’s a good social outlet. You can just stand around and talk with your horse friends.”

Dehler calls herself a “slow consistent” at gaming; she doesn’t focus on speed and doesn’t usually win the top awards,

“but I do OK.” At one point she was riding four horses per show; this coming season she plans to ride three.

BROKEN BONES

Dehler buys her horses young and lays the groundwork for their training herself, teaching them some basics like how to listen to visual and vocal commands and go in and out of gates. By about age two, they’re ready for a trainer.

These days, she says, she lets someone else train them, because it can be an intensive process and, “after 50, if I fall, I break.”

She’s broken a lot of bones from falling off horses over the years, including multiple ribs, a finger and her pelvis.

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‘FUN FOR FAMILIES’: THE TRAIL BLAZERS

Farrier Justin Demmer files a hoof of Janee Dehler’s miniature horse, Snowflake. Dehler said she keeps Snowflake and her other pony, Two Bits, around for her young granddaughters.

She had to miss some competitions just last year due to injuries.

That kind of thing, Dehler says, just goes along with riding horses: “If you ride, you’re going to fall at some point. It’s not if, it’s when.”

She doesn’t let that stop her: she loves her horses, and she loves the lifestyle.

“It keeps me active,” Dehler says. “I’m constantly going, and I’ve got to have something to do, so this is perfect.”

There are several senior members of the Trail Blazers, and Kastner said the club would always welcome more. Members start as young as age four, in the Pee Wee division, and there’s really no upper age limit. Recent membership has fluctuated from about 70 to 110 riders.

According to the club’s website, “The purpose of the Lakes Trail Blazers is to promote the love and understanding of horses, equine activities, and good horsemanship.”

The club hosts four to five horse shows at the Double S Arena every year, usually from May through October, including a few Fun Shows along with one or two WSCA shows. First and second place winners

at the WSCA competitions qualify to compete at the WSCA Champ Show in the Twin Cities. Winners of the Fun Shows earn points and can win awards in six different age categories.

In addition to the shows, the club hosts an annual awards banquet, holds monthly meetings, organizes occasional group trail rides and offers a Royalty Program for riders interested in becoming princesses or queens of the club.

“The biggest thing our club values is having everything be fun for families,” says Kastner, “and to make competitions affordable.”

The club has been in existence for more than 40 years.

For more information, visit the Lakes Trail Blazers Saddle Club-Detroit Lakes Facebook page.

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Keeping their heritage alive

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candinavian heritage has deep roots in the Detroit Lakes area, and nowhere is this more celebrated than among the members of the Sons of Norway, Vikingland Lodge.

Vikingland Lodge, founded on Nov. 4, 1969 with 139 charter members, is the Sons of Norway chapter for the Detroit Lakes area. Some of the original members are still members today, including Norma Jean Grotnes, Kathryn Haddeland, Alice Hammer, Gudrun Harstad, Margaret Maki, Lois Wisted and Rollie Kjos.

Kjos, who continues to make his home in the lakes area (though he does head to warmer climates for a few months during the winter), was PAGE 8 | GENERATIONS 2018

Sons of Norway Vikingland Lodge works to preserve Norwegian culture STORY AND PHOTOS: VICKI GERDES

elected as the Lodge’s first president during that 1969 meeting, which was held at the Graystone Hotel (called Graystone Manor at that time).

“We had a nice dinner at the Graystone that night,” Kjos recalls.

“The national (Sons of Norway) president came from Walnut Creek, California for the meeting, along with the district president from Duluth (Mikal Kartvedt).”

Also elected to the board of directors that night were Roy Floan as vice president; Fern Smith as councilor; Gudrun Harstad as social director; Jerry Wedul, finance secretary; and Vera Tong, secretary.

Though the local club got to keep a certain percentage of the annual

dues paid by its members, their operating budget was minimal during those early years, Kjos says.

“We kind of started from scratch,” he says. “We didn’t have any money… we didn’t even have any permanent place to meet, so we moved around a lot. We met at Emmanuel Nursing Home, the Eagles Club, American Legion, Elks Club, the grade school in Callaway… we even met at the Pelican Rapids Legion once, as one of our members was from there.”

Kjos credits the local chapter’s first social director, Gudrun Harstad, with keeping things interesting during his year long tenure as head of the Lodge.

Bob Hoover, co-president of the Sons of Norway-Vikingland Lodge in Detroit Lakes, shows how the lid of his handmade ‘tine box’ latches onto the box itself. Hoover was one of the exhibitors at the Lodge’s Scandinavian Festival on March 4.

Terry Carlisle carefully transfers a sheet of freshly rolled lefse onto the griddle so his wife Betty can fry it up in preparation for guests at the Vikingland Lodge’s Scandinavian Festival on March 4.

“She had something going on every month,” he says, adding that Harsted eventually succeeded him as president.

Today, though not as active as he once was, Kjos continues to be involved in the Lodge’s activities.

“We have well over 100 members, with about 60-70 who are active every month,” he says. “We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at Union Central, which is the old Washington (elementary) school. They have very nice facilities there that they let us use, including the kitchen. We invite the residents to come to the meetings and have lunch with us afterwards.”

Kjos says the club’s purpose hasn’t changed much since its beginnings, though “we have a lot more activities than we used to.”

“We also had rock and log throwing contests,” Turner adds. “We had food booths out on the street (the festival was held downtown). One of the things we sold was lefse dogs — hot dogs wrapped in lefse.”

“We did that for nine years,” Hoover says. “The 10th year, the city wouldn’t let us block off the street, so we moved it to the city park at the council’s

Scandinavian folk dancing.

The Vikingland Lodge also hosted skiers from Norway, about 40 at a time, who would come and ski with members at Maplelag. During these visits, they would also visit the schools to talk to the kids about life in Norway.

The local Lodge has also played a significant role within the international organization of the Sons

Activities like the inaugural Scandinavian Festival that was held on Sunday, March 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit Lakes: This new festival — which attracted “a steady stream of people,” “We kind of started from scratch. We didn’t have any according to money – we didn’t even have any permanent place to meet.”

Lodge member Bonnie Mohs — -Rollie Kjos, a charter member of the Vikingland Lodge, was modeled on on the Lodge’s humble beginnings a similar event that used to be of Norway, sending zone held at midsummer. request — but it wasn’t directors to represent the

“We used to do sumnearly as successful.”

Members remember area within the internamer festivals every year,” other Norwegian celebrational organization. Lodge says Vikingland Lodge tions in the 1970s and early member Bob Hoover has member Dorothy Hoover, ’80s around Syttendai Mai served as both District 1 who co-chaired the in(Norwegian Constitution President and as an Interaugural winter festival along with Carol Turner.

Day, celebrated on May 17 national Director for Sons “One year we even had a each year) and Christmas. of Norway. wedding; it was my daughAt the time, all three local ter’s,” says Turner. “She banks would host mini A NEW FESTIVAL rode in on a horse led by events with Norwegian

This past year, when the groom… another year, treats and goodies, demon- talk of reviving the Scanstrations, and traditional we had a fiddle contest.” dinavian Festival began,

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Bob Hoover, co-president of the Sons of Norway-Vikingland Lodge in Detroit Lakes, shows how the lid of his handmade ‘tine box’ latches onto the box itself. Hoover was one of the exhibitors at the Lodge’s Scandinavian Festival on March 4. the group decided that they wanted to try a winter event instead.

“We’re more active during the winter,” Turner

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explains, noting that many members prefer to spend their summers enjoying the beauty of the area’s lakes with family and friends.

“We started working on it last summer,” says Hoover. “Our pastor at Trinity, Jillene Gallatin, asked Carol if we could do something like this there, and have the Sons of Norway sponsor it.”

The original plan was to hold it on Feb. 4 — “but nobody wanted to do it on SuperBowl Sunday,” Turner says.

“So we rescheduled it for one month later, on March 4,” Hoover adds, noting that the group had always planned to hold it on a Sunday, so the church-going crowds could simply stay at Trinity to

enjoy the festivities after services had concluded.

It was a good decision, judging by the attendance, though Mohs notes that she spotted a large number of non-Trinity members in the crowd.

Activities at the festival included Scandinavian dancing, with about a dozen Lodge members dressed in authentic Norwegian garb performing a variety of schottisches, waltzes and other popular dances from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The flags of all three nations, along with those of Finland and Iceland (also considered part of Scandinavia) were on display throughout Trinity’s fellowship hall during the event.

In one corner, Lodge members Terry and Betty Carlisle demonstrated how to make fresh lefse, while

in another, Joe Merseth was carving out a face on a piece of wood, a craft he referred to as “wood witching.”

In the booth next to Merseth, Bob Hoover (Dorothy’s husband) showed how he had bent pieces of pine, bass, birch, maple and oak wood to form “tine boxes,” an ancient Norwegian art form.

Rosemaling, hardanger, basket weaving and other Norwegian-themed crafts were also on display, and being demonstrated by Lodge members, throughout the afternoon.

These live demonstrations are part of the Sons of Norway’s mission to preserve Norwegian heritage and culture for future generations.

Hoover says he learned how to make tine boxes

in the 1980s, from a local man named Severt Rasmussen.

“He was 102 when I started working with him,” he adds, noting that Rasmussen had emigrated from Norway as a young man.

Terry Carlisle says he learned how to make lefse from his parents, and in turn taught the art to his kids and grandkids.

But preserving Norwegian arts and culture is not the sole purpose of the Sons of Norway. Its activities also extend to philanthropy and community leadership.

ORIGINS OF THE SONS OF NORWAY

For nearly 120 years, the Sons of Norway has been providing a home to Norwegian Americans.

The fraternal organization

began to protect members and their families from financial hardships experienced during times of sickness or death in the family.

The organization was founded by 18 Norwegian immigrants who lived in the Norwegian colony that formed in Minneapolis in the 1870s. The first name selected for the organization was Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. After announcing the name of their new lodge, the founders immediately discovered that their American neighbors found the name too difficult to pronounce. The committee then settled on “Sønner af Norge,” which eventually transitioned to Sons of Norway. Eleven of the original 18 members were elected to serve as officers of the new organization.

By the end of 1900,

there were 12 lodges in Minnesota. The founders of Sons of Norway felt that a spiritual kinship and religious bond existed between Norway and America.

Between 1905-1914, several lodges sprung up from New York to the Pacific Northwest as the Sons of Norway grew to become a nationwide fraternal organization.

At the Sons of Norway’s 50th Anniversary International Convention, five surviving founders were present: Bersvend O. Draxten, Peder Larsen, Eskild Pedersen, Ludvig Petersen, and John O. Stokke.

The emblem for the organization has remained very similar over the years, featuring symbols relating to the midnight sun, North Star, rolling sea, and the Viking ship. Over time, its mission has expanded to

include the preservation of Norwegian heritage and culture in modern society.

The Sons of Norway, Vikingland Lodge meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Union Central Senior Living, 307 Lake Ave, Detroit Lakes.

Meetings feature programs to learn more about Norwegian culture, gather with fellow Norwegians and partake in various activities.

Outside of their monthly meetings, Vikingland Lodge members gather for cultural exploration through folk arts like dancing, rosemaling, hardanger embroidery and wood carving, to name a few. Any area residents interested in joining are welcome to attend a meeting, or may visit the Vikingland Lodge website at www.sonsofnorwaydl.org.

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Keeping ‘em safe on the slopes Retired nurse loves being on the Detroit Mountain Ski Patrol

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afety and service is what it’s all about for Carla Hansen, who has been on the Detroit Mountain Ski Patrol for the last three years.

Hansen, 66, retired as a nurse administrator at Fargo’s Sanford Health cardiac unit, and now teaches senior nursing at M State and still does some general nursing work at Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Detroit Lakes.

She never considered herself a great skier, and when Dr. Mark Lindquist, the director of the ski patrol, asked her to join up, “I said, ‘No way -- I don’t ski well enough.’”

Lindquist replied that they could teach her to be a better skier, and that the ski patrol would give her another way to put her nursing skills to use.

Since then, Hansen has PAGE 12 | GENERATIONS 2018

STORY: NATHAN BOWE

Carla Hansen, who has a background in nursing, has been on the Detroit Mountain Ski Patrol for the last three years. She says it’s all about safety, service and the camaraderie she shares with her fellow volunteers.

helped take care of people with sprains, strains, broken bones and concussion-type injuries -- the most common kinds of injuries on the slopes. The ski patrol covers the ski slopes, the snowboard obstacle park and the tubing area at Detroit Mountain Recreation Area.

Often, days will pass with nobody getting hurt, Hansen says, and then three or four injuries will all seem to come at once.

“We really stress the importance of safe skiing,” she says. “We role model safety -- we all wear helmets, we preach to people on the need to wear helmets. The school kids who come here all wear helmets.”

Hansen herself learned the importance of the ski patrol in January, when she fell and twisted a knee, tearing ligaments. She was

taken down the mountain by fellow ski patrol members in a medical toboggan.

“I didn’t have to have surgery, just a lot of (physical) therapy,” she says. “I’m healing up.”

She’ll be on the ski patrol again next season.

The 40 volunteers on the ski patrol have become good friends, Hansen says. They earn season passes to the mountain by volunteering there at least 80 hours per year. Usually three or four ski patrol members are on duty at any given time, keeping in touch with handheld radios.

Even after being sidelined by her injury, Hansen still enjoyed helping out, doing educational work and teaching people to ski in the learners area, called Potential Park.

Two volunteer ski patrol members (above) get goofy on the mountain.

(Below) Ski patrol volunteers practice moving an ‘injured’ person down the mountain on a medical toboggan.

The ski shack (top photo) is where people are taken for treatment, and where the ski patrol is headquartered. (Above) A group of volunteers on the Detroit Mountain Ski Patrol take part in a basic training exercise.

There are about 40 volunteers on the patrol.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

“We’re there to provide service to people and be ambassadors to the sport, and play a role in welcoming people to Detroit Lakes and to the mountain,” she says.

“I can’t say enough about the management of Detroit Mountain; they support the ski patrol 100 percent,” she adds. Lindquist and his assistant director, Milt Wilson, “encourage us to be our best and make sure we have the training we need and opportunities to learn.”

Hansen learned the basics of skiing in high school, in Waupun, Wis., a town about the size of Detroit Lakes.

“But when I started meeting (now-husband) Howie, he was a skier,” she says, and that made her get better. “I was bound and determined to learn how to ski.”

Lakes area. They bought a small cabin

She kept up the sport while on North Shore Drive, and 11 years attending the University of ago replaced it with a new home in the Wisconsin in Eau Claire and, after same location. With a friendly dog at getting married in 1974 and moving hand and a great view of the lake, the to Wausau, Wis., she and her husband skied at Rib Mountain Ski Area.

“What’s so wonderful about the ski

They have two children, Rob, 32, and patrol is that it’s a group of very dedicated Carrie, 37, and “we people who become friends -went skiing with them, and also went on youth the camaraderie is wonderful.” ski trips when they were -Carla Hansen young,” Hansen says.

After the kids left home, “we didn’t ski that much, probably for about 15 years.” home resonates peacefulness.

“I love this house, every day of

The couple moved to Fargo in 1981, where she worked as a nurse and it,” Hansen says.

A few years ago, when Detroit Howard made a career at Great Plains Software. They loved Fargo-Moorhead, Mountain opened up again, “some friends of ours encouraged me to put and also fell in love with the Detroit GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 13

Ski patrol volunteers take part in a training session with the medical toboggan. on skis again. I did and loved it,” she says. Howard, 71, also enjoys skiing at Detroit Mountain.

After agreeing to join the ski patrol, Hansen completed the required 100-hour medical outdoor emergency care course, then passed both the written test and the skills test to become medically certified and eligible to join.

“What’s so wonderful about the ski patrol,” she says, “is that it’s a group of very dedicated people who become friends -- the camaraderie is wonderful.”

New members are always welcome.

“The more the merrier,” Hansen says. “The more we can cover the mountain.”

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GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 15

Getting my goat Waking up to my life’s passion: raising fainting goats

STORY AND PHOTOS: JAMES BROGREN

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ugar Bush Goat Ranch purchase the home and five came to fruition after the acres on which my grandpar“It started with horses, but I knew I wanted realization that my three ents lived when I was a kid. to try my hand at something different... pet goats would become more And so the story begins. than just a hobby -- Myotonic my mind kept going back to the Myotonic Goat.” It started with horses, but Fainting Goats are addictive!

I knew I wanted to try my -James Brogren It would soon become a pashand at something different. I sion, or obsession, depending researched a wide array of exon whom you ask. the calmness they projected brought otic and unusual animals, but my mind kept going back to the Myotonic Goat.

Growing up, across the pasture from me back to Highland Drive.

Although commonly called Faintwhere I currently live on Highland Apartment living and a high presing Goats, their condition is known Drive, we raised chickens, rabbits, sure job in the hotel industry created as myotonia congenita; a stiffening horses and pigs as part of the 4-H the tipping point I needed to move of muscles causes them to lock up program. In later years the memory of back to my childhood home and raise for 5 to 20 seconds but never lose how these animals made me feel and animals. I was fortunate enough to PAGE 16 | GENERATIONS 2018

Jim Brogren (far right, opposite page) left apartment living and a high pressure job to move back to the family farm and start Sugar Bush Goat Ranch, where he raises fainting goats (left and right, including this new baby goat just born in March, immediate right).

consciousness.

Rediscovered in the 1980s, they are classified as a heritage breed goat with a status of “recovering� from The Livestock Conservancy. They are smaller than average goats, ranging from 17-25 inches long and weighing between 60-200 pounds.

You may have seen funny YouTube videos of fainting goats stiffening up and toppling over midstream, but Myotonic Goats are so much more than that.

I put my name on waiting lists with several goat breeders, and a year later I received a message that I had the opportunity to buy my first goats. I was thrilled. I prepared pens and stalls for the new arrivals.

First came Mystery, whom I purchased from Roxy at Big Wheel Ranch Fainting Goats in Ogema.

Later that day, Avery arrived from Baxter, Minn. I was hooked.

To date, I have 15 goats.

Eight of them will be having kids starting this March.

Kidding season on the farm is met with much anticipation and anxiety. Will she have one, two, three or four kids? What colors will they be? Will all the births go OK? Will it be too cold? But in the end, the enjoyment of the new arrivals supersedes all. As they take their first breaths, first steps and first milk from their mother’s udders, you soon realize it was all worth the wait. Each kid develops a unique personality, and the pleasure of watching them grow is priceless. Fainting goats are fun.

Hobby farming keeps you active, and as we age, fresh air and exercise are vital. Besides the health benefits, the joy of time spent with your animals and the calmness they provide to the stress of everyday life make the decision of farm life, the life for me!

I encourage anyone thinking of moving to the country and/or raising goats, be it for pet or profit, to consider the Myotonic Goat.

They are easy to keep, disease resistant and loving. More information is available at www.myotonicgoatregistry.net or www.sugarbushgoatranch.com.

GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 17

ERGONOMIC TECHNIQUES CAN MAKE GARDENING LESS TAXING

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ardening is a popular activity that continues to gain more and more supporters. According to Statistica, the number of people in the U.S. who reported gardening within the past 12 months rose from around 105 million in 2008 to 118 million in 2017.

Gardening can be relaxing yet physically demanding work. Gardeners who find themselves battling aches and pains after spending time in the garden may need to make a greater effort to reduce injuries and improve comfort when tilling, weeding or installing new landscape features.

Ergonomic gardening techniques and tools can help gardeners reduce their risk of injury and make gardening more comfortable.

WARM UP

Just as novice athletes wouldn’t dive right into a strenuous workout at the gym, nor should novice gardeners immediately pick up a shovel and jump into digging a hole for their new tree.

Gardening requires bending, stooping, lifting, twisting, and other movements that work the entire body. Spending 10 or more minutes stretching, walking and doing a few back and arm rotations can limber the body up for the physical activity to come.

USE PROPER FORM

Think about the mechanics of lifting weights during a workout, as home and garden tasks may mimic movements made when exercising. Strain on

the lower back can be reduced by positioning objects close to the body and its center of gravity when lifting them.

Furthermore, people can contract their abdominal (core) muscles when lifting and bending to support the back. When lifting heavy objects, power should be derived from the legs and buttocks rather than the back.

KEEP ITEMS CLOSE

Keeping work closer to the body will reduce the need for stooping, leaning or reaching, which should cut down on pulled muscles. Long-handled tools can help minimize reaching. Use step ladders to reach high areas or get down on padded cushions to work closer to the ground. This alleviates strain to the

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Beautiful Spaces...

Talented, Compassionate People A contemporary approach to serving today’s families

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Steve Wright

4th Generation Funeral Director

PAGE 18 | GENERATIONS

Adam Nordin Funeral Director

Lisa Grossman Funeral Director

Melissa Nelson Funeral Director

Bailey Nordin Funeral Director

Nick Sellers Funeral Director

neck from having to look up or down for extended periods of time. Raised garden beds can bring plants to a person’s level. Working below shoulder level whenever possible can prevent shoulder strains; otherwise, perform tasks for no more than five minutes at a time.

WHAT IS ELDER ABUSE? Elder abuse is any knowing, intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.

Elder abuse can take many forms including: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, neglect by a caretaker, abandonment, financial/material exploitation and self-neglect.

INVEST IN NEW TOOLS

Cushioned grips and grip handles can prevent wrist fatigue, as can hand tools that keep wrists straight to improve strength and reduce repetitive motion injuries. Long-handled tools and push mowers should be as tall as the person using them. Seek out tools that keep the body in natural positions to maximize efficiency.

WHO IS AT RISK? Elder Abuse can occur anywhere in the home, in nursing homes, or other institutions. It can affect seniors across all social-economic groups, cultures and races.

WHAT DO STUDIES SAY ABOUT ELDER ABUSE?

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GENERATIONS | PAGE 19

Going wireless

Wireless technology takes hearing aids to new levels

H

earing loss company, has may not developed its own be somecommunication thing people want and entertainment to think about, but solution called it is more common ConnectLine that than many people enables people to may think. connect hearing Hearing aids with difdeficits may occur ferent devices. from birth or be This transforms acquired due to hearing aids injury or prointo a personal longed exposure wireless headset to loud noises. for listening to The National music, watching Institute on Deaftelevision or video ness and Other chatting.

Communication

Many other Disorders says companies, such approximately 15 As technology advances, so, too, do the options for the hearing impaired. One as ReSound and percent of Amer- innovative piece of gadgetry is sophisticated wireless hearing aids that are Starkey, also offer ican adults (37.5 Bluetooth-enabled compatible with personal electronic devices. million people) devices. Their ages 18 and older devices may be report some trouble with their hearinnovative piece of gadgetry is sophiscompatible with Android and iPhone ing. Age is the strongest contributor ticated wireless hearing aids that are models, some of which may only to hearing loss, with people ages 60 compatible with personal electronic require an app or direct connectivity to and older having the highest levels of devices. the device. In fact, Apple has patented impairment.

Thanks to Bluetooth technology, a specific Bluetooth connectivity with

People with hearing deficits can hearing aid manufacturers are harcertain hearing aid manufacturers. access a growing number of assistance nessing this science to expand on the Others may require an accessory of devices to make their lives easier. abilities of hearing aids and to develop some sort to make connections possiFrom telephones and doorbells that new products. In the past, in order to ble, especially when pairing with a TV trigger a blinking light rather than a use an MP3 player or mobile phone, a or other audio device. bell to closed captioning and voiceperson would need to remove tradi Thanks to cutting edge technolto-text conversion to a greater untional hearing aids to accommodate a ogy, assistive listening devices have derstanding and widespread usage of pair of earbuds. Furthermore, hearing improved considerably. Individuals sign language, the deaf and hearing aids may have had their limitations in should speak with their hearing care impaired have many options to help filtering ambient noise. professionals about their daily needs them overcome hearing loss.

Although Bluetooth-powered concerning hearing aids and explore As technology advances, so, too, do the hearing devices are still in their infanthe options in wireless hearing aid options for the hearing impaired. One cy, Oticon, a global hearing technology technology.

PAGE 20 | GENERATIONS 2018

BRAIN-HEALTHY HABITS TO EMBRACE C

ognitive A Journal of decline is a Nutrition study condition found people ages often associated 70 and older who with aging, but even consumed more middle-aged people caffeine scored can experience better on tests of memory loss or mental function cognition issues. than those who The Alzheimer’s Asconsumed less sociation says that caffeine. Caffeine more than 5 million may help improve Americans are attention span, living with Alzheicognitive function mer’s disease and and feelings other dementias. By of well-being.

2050, that number Information from could rise to 16 Psychology Today million people. also indicates

Although there Seniors can include healthy lifestyle habits, such as exercise and balanced caffeine may help eating, to reduce the risk of dementia and other neurological issues. is no definitive way in the storage of to prevent demendopamine, which tia, living a long, vibrant life may be QUIT SMOKING can reduce feelings of depression possible by encouraging some healthy

The Alzheimer’s Association and anxiety. In addition, compounds habits for the brain. It’s never too late indicates that evidence shows smoking in cocoa and coffee beans may or too early to begin health and lifestyle increases the risk of cognitive decline. improve vascular health and help changes.

Smoking can impair blood flow to the repair cellular damage due to high brain and cause small strokes that may antioxidant levels.

EXERCISE damage blood vessels.

Becoming more active can imWORK THE BRAIN prove brain volume, reduce risk for EAT HEALTHY FOODS

Engaging in mentally stimulating dementia and improve thinking and

Foods that are good for the heart activities can create new brain connecmemory skills. The journal Neurology and blood vessels also are good for the tions and more backup circuits, states found that older people who vigorously brain. These include fresh fruits and Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist at Harexercise performed better on cognitive vegetables, whole grains, fish-based vard-affiliated Massachusetts General tests than others of the same age, placproteins, unsaturated fats, and foods Hospital. Working the brain through ing them at the equivalent of 10 years containing omega-3 fatty acids. Neupuzzles, reading and participating in soyounger. Increased blood flow that rologists state that, while research on cial situations can stimulate the release occurs with physical activity may help diet and cognitive function is limited, of brain-derived neurotrophic factor generate new neurons in the hippodiets, such as Mediterranean and Med- (BDNF), a molecule essential for repaircampus, an area of the brain involved iterranean-DASH (Dietary Approaches ing brain cells and creating connections with learning and memory. to Stop Hypertension), may contribute between them.

The Harvard Medical School says to a lower risk of cognitive issues.

A good way to combine these lifeaerobic exercise may help improve brain style factors is to take an exercise class tissue by improving blood flow and reduc- CONSUME CAFFEINE with friends, mixing the social, stimuing the chances of injury to the brain from Caffeine may help boost memory lation and exercise recommendations cholesterol buildup in blood vessels. performance and brain health. together.

GENERATIONS | PAGE 21

Ideas?

Detroit Lakes Newspapers publishes more than 30 magazines a year. Seasonal fun, local historical tidbits, people of interest, unique hobbies, homes, gardens...we have something for everyone.

If you have story ideas let us know!

Email your ideas to mtjohnson@dlnewspapers.com

North Star Nursing

STEVEN SCHMIT, LISW Owner

• Home Care Services • Independent Living Skills • 245D Licensure • Personal Care Assistants • Private Duty Nursing

stevens@blueskyi.us Phone: 218.844.7591 Cell: 218.841.5793 Fax: 218.844.7591 Address: 801 Roosevelt Avenue, lower level Mail: PO Box 1491

1-800-535-5895 Heidi Clements & Helen Drewes, Owners

Detroit Lakes, MN 56502

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www.blueskyi.info

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Locally owned & operated in Clearbrook, MN

In-Home Personal Care & Homemaking

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Our vision is to support in home caregivers throughout the state of MN who can make a godly difference in someone`s heart and home.

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Chuck Standal

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Pre-Planning Most of the time, we plan ahead in life. We plan for our weddings, our children’s educations, family vacations and other significant expected events in our lives. We also plan for the unexpected events of life by purchasing insurance – home, job, medical, etc.

Understanding the benefits of pre-planning your funeral service can be important to you and your family. Planning ahead insures that your wishes are understood by your loved ones, and that your funeral service will reflect those wishes.

We would welcome the opportunity to talk to you and answer any questions that you may have regarding preplanning. We are available to meet with you at our facility or in the comfort of your home.

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Please feel free to contact us with any questions you have.

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GENERATIONS 2018 | PAGE 23

More than just a pharmacy...

808 Washington Ave. • Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-9248 • 1-800-510-7497 STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 8pm • Sat.: 9am - 5:30pm • Sun.: 12pm - 5pm PHARMACY HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 7pm • Sat.: 9am - 5pm • Sun.: 12pm - 4pm

White Drug Pharmacy offers a variety of pharmacy services with the highest level of service and support because we are

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Synchronized Prescription Refill Service A convenient, new way to have all your prescriptions filled on the same day.

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Auto Prescription Refill Service

Your refill prescriptions will be automatically filled ahead of time and ready when you are.

• Prescription Delivery Service Available • Text Message Refill Reminders and Pick Up Notification when you sign up for our Medication Synchronization Program • Medication Therapy Management • Free Prescription Mail-Out Service • Participation in most 3rd Party and Medicare Part D Insurance Plans • Vaccination Administration

www.thrif tywhite.com PAGE 24 | GENERATIONS 2018

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