Ecumen Century Club: Happy 103rd Birthday Ethelyde “Toni” Rasmusson
Ecumen honors Ethelyde “Toni” Rasmusson, a resident of Ecumen of Litchfield, who is 103 today.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 100th Birthday Rosemarie Hedtke
Ecumen honors Rosemarie Hedtke, a resident of Ecumen of Litchfield, who is 100.
Top Honors for Ecumen Employees at LeadingAge Minnesota “Stars Among Us” Awards
Three Ecumen communities took home top awards for caregiving, workplace excellence and volunteerism at the annual “Stars Among Us Awards” presented by LeadingAge Minnesota.
Ecumen Hospice Team Honors a Client’s Last Wish in a Heartfelt Singing Goodbye
Hazel Erickson of Litchfield was an independent and strong-will woman who loved her family, her church and her community. She also really loved to dance and was always dressed to the nines.
Hazel never let on that she was dying and in intense pain. She kept going to church as usual, and the folks there had no idea she was in hospice — or even sick. That’s how she wanted it. She just kept living gratefully each day.
Hazel had meticulously made all her funeral plans, including a wish to have someone sing at her service. But she hadn’t selected who that would be.
A team from Ecumen Home Care & Hospice had been caring for her in her home since April. When Hazel died, the family asked Hospice Nurse Shelly Hanks if she had any ideas about who could sing at the funeral.
Shelly told them that Judy Loecken, a social worker at Ecumen Home Care & Hospice, sings to all her clients. When Shelly asked Judy if she would do it, Judy was conflicted. On the one hand, she had never sung in public. On the other hand, hospice is all about honoring last wishes. So Judy said she would do it if some of her colleagues would join her.
And that’s how the “Ecumen Sisters” happened.
Five women on the Ecumen Home Care & Hospice staff in Litchfield who had cared for Hazel agreed to do it — because they were pretty sure that’s what Hazel would want them to do.
Sandy Dougherty, the RN Clinical Director; Nicole Larson, the Volunteer Coordinator; and Michaela Nelson, the Massage Therapist; joined Shelly and Judy. When the funeral home wondered how to list them in the program, Hazel’s daughter Shelia came up with the name “Ecumen Sisters.”
The day of the funeral, the Ecumen Sisters stood in the balcony of the church and sang “On Eagles Wings.”
Reportedly, the funeral director said they “sounded like angels.”
Sandy says she’s flattered by the compliment, but she’s still tentative about the group’s singing ability. But one thing she is absolutely sure of: “I know we would have made Hazel proud.”
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November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. This month, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and other organizations are teaming up to encourage citizens to increase their understanding and awareness of end of life care.
This month, the Ecumen Changing Aging Blog is featuring posts surrounding hospice, palliative care and the wonderful work they contribute.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 104th Birthday Orphea Mattsfield
Ecumen honors Orphea Mattsfield, a resident of Ecumen of Litchfield, who is 104.
Ecumen of Litchfield Gets Medicare’s Highest 5-Star Quality Rating
Ecumen of Litchfield Emmanuel Care Center has received the highest possible overall quality rating of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).
The quality rating system ranges from 1 to 5 stars, with a 5-star rating given to nursing homes that offer exceptional care to their residents. The Five-Star Quality Rating System is based on health inspections, staffing data (the number of hours of care provided to each resident by nursing staff), and quality measures (how well a nursing home cares for residents’ physical and clinical needs).
“Receiving the 5-Star Quality Rating is a major accomplishment,” said Blaine Gamst, Executive Director of Ecumen of Litchfield. “The rating is expert validation of the exceptional care we provide. This is one of the highest compliments our outstanding staff can receive.”
CMS created the rating system to provide residents and their families with an easy way to understand and compare quality and simplify decisions around choosing a care center. Five stars is considered “much above average” and only a quarter of care centers in Minnesota received this rating. The CMS Nursing Home Compare website is at https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html.
Ecumen of Litchfield has been serving seniors for more than 60 years. In addition to providing nursing home and short-stay rehabilitation care, it offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, transportation, adult day care, home care and hospice. For more information call 320-693-2430 or visit ecumenoflitchfield.org.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 102nd Birthday Viola Miller
Ecumen honors Viola Miller, a resident of Ecumen of Litchfield, who is 102.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 100th Birthday Foster Merrill
Ecumen honors Foster Merrill, a resident of Ecumen of Litchfield, who is 100.
Ecumen of Litchfield: A Hospice Client Gives His Nurse a Day She Will Never Forget
Roger's last wish was one more tractor ride. And what a ride it was.
Ecumen Century Club: Happy 102nd Birthday Ethelyde “Toni” Rasmusson
Ecumen honors Ethelyde “Toni” Rasmusson, a resident of Ecumen of Litchfield, who is 102.