Clarkfield Care Center Gets Medicare’s Highest 5-Star Quality Rating

Clarkfield Care Center, an Ecumen-managed senior community in Clarkfield, Minn., has received the highest possible overall quality rating of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).

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Deep Into the Darkness of Alzheimer's Disease

Medical experts call the Alzheimer's phenomenon of end-day confusion and restlessness "sundowning," a period of increased uncertainty, agitation and drifting in a fog as light fades to black, a time of greater rage and mood swings in the shadows of the mind. Greg O'Brien, knows this phenomenon all too well, as he walks through the confusing and life-altering world of living with Alzheimer's Disease. O'Brien writes about the darkness he and so many others walk through here.


Top 5 Blog Posts- December 28

Did you miss last week's most read Changing Aging blog posts? Ecumen's online visitors found these articles most interesting:

Christmas with the Libbons: A Family Lasting Spiritual Gift to the Ecumen Lakeshore Community
Every year in the true spirit of Christmas, the Libbon family gives a priceless gift to the residents of Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth.

A Fishy Holiday Tradition at Ecumen Parmly LifePointes
It happens every year around Christmas- the traditional Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner.

A Cup of Christmas Tea at Ecumen Lake Crystal
A very special holiday tradition continues at Ecumen Lake Crystal.

Santa Gets a Speeding Ticket in Alexandria and Ecumen Bethany Community Is Helping Him Pay
Find out about how Ecumen Bethany Community is helping Santa pay his speeding ticket.

97-Year-Old Receives Honorary Diploma

Margaret Bekema was scheduled to graduate from high school in 1936, but life had other plans when her mother passed away when she was still a teenager. Bekema, now 97, received her honorary degree from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan this year.

You can read these articles and more at www.ecumen.org.


Holidays With Memory Loss: Tips for Sharing Holiday Pleasures

The holidays are a time of joy, but can also bring stress to caregivers. Caring.com provides four tips for enjoying holiday moments with your loved one with dementia.

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Ecumen Century Club: Happy 100th Leonard Haugland

Ecumen honors Leonard Haugland, a resident of St. Mark's Living in Austin, Minn., who is 100.

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A Cup of Christmas Tea at Ecumen Lake Crystal

The lights dim and the candlelit faces wait in anticipation for the traditional reading to begin. All across the room at Ecumen Lake Crystal, the tables are set with elegant cloths, an assortment of teas, hors d’oeuvres and cheesecake — and some very special tea cups. 

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Ecumen Meadows Wins the Worthington Holiday Lighting Contest

Ecumen Meadows in Worthington was the business winner of the city’s holiday lighting contest. 

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Ecumen Holiday Giving Campaign

The Ecumen Home Office conducted its annual Holiday Giving Campaign to collect gifts for Ecumen residents. Tags with items residents want are placed on the lobby Christmas tree, and employees buy those gifts for the residents. 

This year, gifts were delivered to Ecumen Prairie Lodge in Brooklyn Center and Ecumen Lakeview Commons in Maplewood by the Sales & Marketing and Business Development team, pictured here. (From left to right Mark Lucas, Jacque Milm, Angi Moore, Matt McNeill, Anne Stanfield, Julie Murray and Glory Hill, Housing Director at Ecumen Lakeview Commons.)

Below, Julie Murray, Chief Business Development Officer and SVP of Sales and Marketing, chats with Prairie Lodge residents Dorothy and Patty.

 


97-Year-Old Receives Honorary Diploma

Margaret Bekema was scheduled to graduate from high school in 1936, but life had other plans.

Read more