Gifts of Giving & Receiving
Companion volunteers will often say that they “give more than they receive.” Just getting to know someone and sharing simple moments can be rich. But with Kaye and Emma, it seems like the give and take goes a little deeper.
Emma , when asked her age, says “39 backwards”. Three years ago she moved to Grand Marais to be near her son, but misses her friends in New York State. She used to be a volunteer there, delivering Meals on Wheels in her building.
Taking advantage of Care Partners’ services made a huge difference. “Day and night! My son was my only contact. I was beginning to feel like I could be dying and no one would know it.” Emma now uses Senior Rides and had a chore volunteer put up a shelf for her. Marnie Hovland, Care Partners’ Care Coordinator, checks in on her and arranged to have Kaye, one of our trained companion volunteers visit her regularly.
They hit it off and discovered a lot of shared interests. A favorite thing to do is to go out for a bowl of soup. When Kaye is gone, Emma tells us, “I miss my Kaye!”
For Kaye, volunteering made sense after she retired and her mom passed away. “I wanted to give back in some way for all the care my mom received.”
Now in weekly visits, Kaye shares pictures and helps Emma with errands and little projects. She has great respect for Emma’s stories, advice and attitude. But it goes beyond that. “Visiting Emma is a real joy. We each fill an empty slot for the other—I lost my mother, she’s missing her friends. We really care about each other: we are caring partners. ”
Transforming Loss: Finding Potential for Growth
Thursday, April 19, 2-4 pm
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, lower level classroom
The Hospice Foundation's 20th Living with Grief Program: is an inspiring program about positive change and action by the bereaved in the aftermath of loss.
For professionals whose practice involves working with the bereaved, it offers tools to support and encourage transformative growth in grieving clients. CEU’s available for $21.
For anyone who has experienced loss, it will touch your heart with stories of people who found meaning and purpose through loss and provide self-help advice.
Looking Ahead
Thanks to excellent volunteers, staff, and community support, the number of Care Partners clients and services continued its steady growth in 2017.
132 Clients Served in 2017:
- 41 Senior Rides clients received over 345 rides and logged over 22,000 miles!
- 45 caregivers received over 440 hours of coaching & support.
- 28 clients received 165 hours of Care Coordination (including end-of-life care)
- 28 clients received over 200 Volunteer Visits
51 volunteers donated over 2400 hours to provide companionship, rides and chore help
State planners tell us Cook County is on the leading edge of the age wave: already challenged by the need for more elder services and a shrinking work force. With the help of a grant from Northland Foundation, Care Partners has been busy with strategic work to look at how to build and sustain our program to meet this challenge as well as how to address the uncertainties of public funding and licensing issues.
Stay Off That Ladder
Chore Volunteers Keep it Safe
Last year, Senior Chore volunteers helped 25 clients complete 160 chores! All sorts of assistance with mail, errands, electronics, organizing and cleaning projects made it easier for clients to live safely at home. This year, we have also been getting more requests to help clients that wouldn’t be able to manage on their own to access food at the Food Shelf or Ruby’s Pantry.
A priority is the chore help that reduces risk of falls or other injury: moving furniture, removing ice, moving wood, hanging curtains or changing light bulbs, raking snow off of a roof, and installing railings or grab bars.
If there is something you need help with, give Care Partners a call. “Without Care Partners, I wouldn’t be able to live at home.”
Senior Spring Cleanup Week, Sun., June 3rd - Sat., June 9th
Call Kelly at 387-3788 by May 21st if you or your group would like to help your senior neighbors with spring outdoor clean-up OR if you are a senior and could use spring clean-up help.
Dementia Friendly Community
Thanks to support from the Cook County Community Fund, Care Partners has presented ten Dementia Friends sessions for over 100 participants including sessions in Grand Marais and Tofte as well as programs for staff at the clinic front desk, hospital and care center. Call Care Partners if you would like to set up a program at your church or workplace.
Staff attended the Act on Alzheimer’s state summit and gained many new ideas for community involvement. It was exciting to see efforts across the world including youth organizing in schools and colleges, Purple Table Reservation apps for restaurants, memory cafes, activity kits in libraries, and choruses.
As part of our continuing efforts, Care Partners has organized a special training for 1st Responders:
Approaching Alzheimer’s: First Responder Training
Tuesday, May 8th, 6-8 pm, clinic classroom
Jenna Pogorels of the Alzheimer’s Association
People with Alzheimer’s or another dementia can unknowingly put themselves and others in dangerous situations. Understanding the disease is key to ensuring you make the right response. The Alzheimer’s Association® Approaching Alzheimer’s: First Responder Training is a course to prepare you to respond to common calls involving a person with dementia.
Care Partners Services
Let Care Partners support you on the journey of aging, illness or caregiving —
We can help you to plan, find help, stay connected, and be safe at home.
Call 387-3788 to hear more about:
- Nurse Care Coordination
- Caregiver Support
- Health Care Planning
- Volunteer Visits
- Senior Rides
- Senior Chores
Clients are asked to share in the cost as they are able to help sustain the program.
From a client: We appreciated your thoughtfulness & your presence when we needed your guidance and care.
Volunteer Opportunities
Companion Volunteers provide friendly visits, check-ins, caregiver respite or presence at end of life.
Senior Rides Volunteers give rides locally or to Duluth and are reimbursed for mileage. Senior Rides Training Sat, April 21st, 10-12
Chore Volunteers help with occasional chores to keep seniors safe in their homes. Trainings are ongoing.
CPCC Board Members provide leadership and fundraising support for Care Partners.
Call Care Partners at 387-3788 for more information.
Thank You to all who Funded Care Partners in 2017!
Grants
Federal Older Americans Act grant from the ARDC’s Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, Live Well at Home Grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Scott Hawkins Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, Cook County Community Foundation, Head of the Lakes United Way, Medica Foundation, Northland Foundation, North Shore Health Care Foundation, Operation Round-Up
Celebration Gifts in Honor of
Marnie Hovland
Jayne Johnson
Carolyn Schmidt
Kaye Tavernier
Memorials
Robert Brooks
Nedetta Bucheit
Betty French
Carol Greenwood
Marie Jacobsen
Paul E. Johnson
Claire Judd
Kenneth Lovaas
Betty Murray
Alice Muus
James Norvell
Phyllis Noyes
Doris Olinger
Alice Fox Rush
Ken Rusk
Ken Sheils
Melvin Smith
Laetheam Sopoci
Anne Zellner
Business Sponsors
Angry Trout Cafe
Bethlehem Lutheran Women
Birchbark Books & Gifts
Clearwater Adventure
First and Second Thrift Store
First Congregational Church
GM Lions Club
Johnson’s Big Dollar
Joyne's Ben Franklin
Lake Superior Trading Post
Lake County Vet Clinics
Lambs Resort
Lande Construction
Northern Wilds Media
North Shore Fed. Credit Union
Oddz & Endz
Viriginia Palmer
Red Pine Realty
Ryden's Border Store
Sawbill Canoe Outfitters
Security State Bank
Sivertson Gallery
Sydney’s Frozen Custard
Sweetgrass Cove Guesthouse
Tamarac Group
Trail Center
Tuscarora Lodge
Donors
Katherine Anderson
Chel Anderson
Christine Angelo
Paulette Anholm
Lynn Arnold
Treg & Denise Axtell
Lynn Wright & Beth Benson
David & Carol Berg
Patricia Bernhjelm
Linda Blaine
Nora Bockovich
Kaitlyn Bohlin
Ed & Kathryn Bolstad
John & Barb Bottger
Emma Bradley
Thomas & Penny Bradovich
Bernadette Brooks
Richard Buchheit
William & Joan Burkhardt
Pat Campanaro
Julie Carlson
Margaret Carlson
Michael Carlson
Bob & Helen Carter
Jean & Tim Cochrane
David & Patricia Coleman
Barbara & Christopher Collins
Kim Craven
Nancy Dalbec
Virginia Danfelt
Tom & Dorothy Danielson
Rollin & Georgene Daubanton
Larry Dean
Jennifer Delfs
Terrance Demos
Fred & Heather Derewenko
Carol Desain
Janet Effler
Sharon Eliasen
Polly Ann Erickson
Lois Eyinck
Anthony & Cindy Faras
Denny Fitzpatrick
& Maryl Skinner
Jane Flueckiger
Susan Gardner
Anita Gavic
Lyle Gerard
John & Nancy Gerbozy
Glenn & Chelly Gilyard
Grand Portage Elders
Donald Grant
Kay Grindland
Jack Miller & Karen Halbersleben
Susan Hannah
Lee Stewart & Karl Hansen
Robert & Audrey Haring
Harris Family Fund
Barb Heideman/Duane Hasegawa
Scott Hawkins
Emma Heath
Alyssa & Jonathan Hedstrom
Howard & Bonnie Gay Hedstrom
Sally Hennessy
Carolyn Hollstadt
Kelly Holtzman
Barbara Wagner/Bernice Howard
Harold Husby
Cynthia Imsdahl-Ceo
Frances Jarchow
Gerald & Jan Johansen
Robin & Mark Johnson
Jayne Johnson
Nancy Johnston
Bob & Ann Karrick
Tracy Benson & Pete Kavanaugh
Paul & Mary Knutson
Karen Kobey
Marilyn Yadron & Don Kufahl
Debi LaMusga
Don & Carla LaPointe
Jeffrey & Nancy Larson
Ralph & Gerry Latham
Rolf & Layne Lindquist
Jean Ljungkull
David Lovaas
Fern Lovaas
Lesa Lucyszyn
Donna & Orvil Lunke
William Lurton
Jean Lynch
John McElevey
Jack McHugh
Judy Meath
Regine Meissner
B.J. Muus
Bob Shannon & Yafa Napadensky
Paul Nelson
Randi Nelson
Sarena Nelson
Sue Nordman
Bruce & Martha Olson
Lorrie Oswald
Bob & Ginny Padzieski
Phyllis Parker
Floyd & Diane Pearson
Jean Perkins
Gary & Judy Peterson
Mark & Mary Peterson
Irene Peterson
Lou & Inger Pignolet
Ann Possis
Stephen & Carol Quaife
David Quick & Helen Muth
David & Julie Rannetsberger
Jeffrey Reihle
Tom & Ann Rider
Sandra Sue Riley
Donald & Gale Ring
Marilyn Rohlfing
Ann Russ
Mary & Doug Sanders
Susan Scherer
Kurt Schierenbeck
Milan & Carolyn Schmidt
Rick & Jennifer Schubert
Craig & Lynn Schulte
Maria Sheehan
James & Jane Shinners
Randy Sjogren
Fred & Fran Smith
Ronald & Jeanne Smith
Cydney Weiland & Robert Smith
Fritz Sobanja
Heidi Sobanja
Robert Sopoci
Steve Nielsen & Nancy Starr
Ralph Larson & Sandy Stover
Ellen Stubbs
Stanley & Sally Suck
Kathleen Sullivan
Marc & Kaye Tavernier
John & Kay Thies
Douglas Throckmorton
C.A. & Ruth Tice
Kevin Treacy
James & Ruthanne Vos
Eleanor Waha
Lloyd & Denise Wells
West End Garden Club
Karin Westgate
Ken & Donna Wielinski
James & Rebecca Wiinanen
Patricia Winchell-Dahl
Kimber Wraalstad