Serenity Snippets Serenity Assisted December 2015 L i v i n g Dilworth, MN
Special points Winter Traditions of interest: The sweet smell of gingerbread and a glimpse of evergreen are two sure signs that the holiday season is upon us. While gingerbread can be delicious to eat, many will be using it as a construction material on Gingerbread House Day, December December 12. Birthdays Author DeeAnn Mandryk traces the origins of the gingerbread house to the early 1800s in Germany, after the Brothers Grimm published their collection of Activity fairy tales. One tale in particular—that of Hansel and Gretel lured into a house Calendar made of bread and sugar— inspired bakers of a traditional German ginger- bread, known as lebkuchen, to become architects on a miniature scale. Why Snapshot build houses out of gingerbread? They’ll last a long time. Photos Mandryk credits the first gingerbread people, however, to Queen Elizabeth I. The queen would honor important visitors with gingerbread people fashioned Movies of the in their likeness. It’s unknown whether the queen actually liked to eat these Month hard, spicy cookies. Many winter evergreens—such as holly, mistletoe, and even such conifers as fir, spruce, and pine—were revered in ancient times by Druids, Celts, and the Vikings. Botanist Larry Stritch explains how these cultures believed evergreens were sacred due to their ability to withstand snow and freezing cold. Decking the halls with boughs of holly provided both winter decoration and protection and good luck for the home. On December 19, which is Look for an Evergreen Day, bundle up and venture outside to find winter greenery. Or perhaps a better idea is to bring in a tree or some garland for decorat- ing your living space. Set up a chair nearby and enjoy the beauty of the season with a warm cup of mulled cider or hot cocoa.
Serenity News OUTREACH LAB WORK Instead of going all the way to the clinic to get lab work done...have it done in the comfort of your own apartment instead! Talk to Nurse Jen or Nurse Darcie about this time-saving and comfortable option!
SKYPE
If you would like to Skype with a loved at Serenity...please contact Denise at Serenity to schedule a time/date to do so! “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good DO NOT CALL LIST news is that you don’t know how .If you have a minute, please take the time to register your loved one’s phone number great you can be! on the Do Not Call Registry. By registering, you make it illegal for telemarketers to call How much you your loved one. Check out the website below for more information on registering or to can love! What you file a complaint. It takes only a few minutes and saves a lot of confusion. can accomplish! https://www.donotcall.gov/ And what your potential is! ~Anne Frank TOY BOX Little ones welcome! A toy box has been furnished with fun stuff for the little ones...help yourself! There are toys in both buildings!
SUBMISSIONS
If there are any news events or submissions you would like to post in our monthly newsletter, please notify Denise so she can get your news in print! Any announcements will do.
Serenity Snippets
December Movies White Christmas (1954) Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), the boys' commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what's the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that's sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!
Christmas on Salvation Street (2015)
One day, one moment, one idea can change lives. Noah Davis is a Pastor in an affluent community. Depressed after losing his wife to illness, he is contacted by an old friend who has opened a mission in a rough inner city neighbor- hood. With Christmas approaching, he packs up and to- gether with his two daughters, moves into Salvation Street Mission. Now the family must struggle with the challenges they face in the crime ridden community. Noah's inspiration guides his daughters, the mission and the neighborhood by bringing them the greatest gift of all, hope.
Serenity Snippets
December Movies The 5 People You Meet in Heaven: TV Series Season 1, Episode 2:
Part 2 = Eddie, meets the last of the 5 people who teach him emotional lessons about sacrifice, love and friendship, and how he affected the lives of others.
A Christmas Carol (1938) On Christmas Eve, an old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the spirit of his former partner, Jacob Marley. The deceased partner was in his lifetime as mean and miserly as Scrooge is now and he warns him to change his ways or face the consequences in the afterlife. Scrooge dismisses the ap- parition but the first of the three ghosts, the Ghost of Christ- mas Past, visits as promised. Scrooge sees those events in his past life, both happy and sad, that forged his character. The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows him how many currently celebrate Christmas. The Ghost of Christmas yet to Come shows him how he will be remem- bered once he is gone. To his delight, the spirits complete their visits in one night giving him the opportunity to mend his ways.
Joke of the Month
December Birthdays! 2nd = Ellen Speer, Orlen Valan and Mildred Hansen 7th = Marie Williams 9th = Staff Jodi 11th = Staff Diana 16th = Virginia Foss 17th = Margie Paasch 23rd = Jan Kutzler & Staff Mark 24th = Carole Kvamme 26th = Staff Hope 27th = Alice Nolan In astrology, those born between December 1st and 21st are Archers of Sagittarius. Archers are exciting and independent. Their positive attitude, great sense of humor, and kind heart make them excellent friends. But get ready for an earful. Arch- ers often also speak their mind. Those born between December 22nd and 31st are Goats of Capricorn. Goats are the most stable and sure-footed of astrological signs. Reliable, economical, practical, and organized, they make good multi- taskers and politicians.
Serenity Snippets
Wellness Update
Serenity Wellness had their “Back to School Marathon” from September, 25, 2015 through October 6, 2015. Ten Serenity’s residents signed up to participate in a walking challenge. The purpose of the marathon was to encourage the participating residents to consciously increase their daily walking and other physical activity. The goal of the marathon was for the residents to walk 26.2 miles, which is the standard length of a full marathon. The winner of the challenge would receive a dinner for two at a restaurant of their choice worth up to $50. Each resident was given a pedometer to wear throughout the day. They would put it on in the morning and take it off before they went to sleep. At the end of each day the resident with the assistant of a Serenity employee would write down how many steps they walked during the day on a calendar they received from the Wellness coordinators. The Wellness coordinators would then record each participating resi- dent’s steps for the previous day to keep a running total during the duration of the marathon. For this challenge the Wellness coordinators used a baseline of 2000 steps per mile. With this equation, the winner of the marathon would have to walk over 52,000 steps. The winner of the marathon was Randy Sams. He walked a total of 52,622 steps in 12 days. It was a very close race with three participants over 44,000 steps and seven of the ten participants over 25,000 steps in just 12 days! The residents enjoyed going for walks outside and enjoying the fresh air and nice weather. Serenity Wellness plans to coordinate future walking challenges with other residents as well as a staff marathon to promote physical activity throughout Serenity.
Cause for Applause
Serenity has an incentive program for our employees...hear all about it! -Anyone (co-workers, residents, family/friends, etc.) can make fill out a Cause for Applause form. These are also found on the board in each building. -Forms should be filled out when you catch a co-worker going above and beyond their call of duty. -Put the completed form in Denise’s box. She will keep copies in your personnel files as well as notify the administration. -Each quarter (4 times/year), Cause for Applause recipients will be randomly selected to receive one grand prize. -Please nominate your co-workers when they go above and beyond in their work performance. Excessive or inappropriate nominations will be disregarded. Thank you to all of our staff for all of your hard work, dedication and respect. We truly appreciate every single one of you! Check out our section below...we have a lot of great employees who have bee with Serenity for over 5 years!
YEARS OF RECOGNITION 5+ Years or More Elaine Anderson Denise Tollefson Gretchen Christensen Richard Anderson Renata Krull
Tim Anderson
Tammy Tollefson operates the East Campus salon and Karen Milburn operates the West Campus salon. Here are some answers to some Frequently Asked Questions concerning the salons. Prices = Prices will remain the same for both salons. See note below for current pricing. Hours = Karen's hours at the West Campus salon are posted on the salon door. She will be available by appointment on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 1:00-6:00. Which salon? = You do not have to get your hair done only in the building you live in. If you prefer one beautician over the other, feel free to make an appointment with that particular beautician. However, Serenity is not responsible for transpor- tation between the buildings for appointments. Salon billing = Beauticians are not employees of Serenity. They are independent contractors; they also do their own invoicing and billing. If you have questions or concerns regarding your bill, please take them up with the appropriate operator.
Women’s Hair Cut…..$14.00 Perm with cut….$52.00 Men’s Hair Cut….$13.00 Shampoo & Set…..$10.00 Color….$50.00 Wet Set w/ Cut…..$24.00 Perms…..$48.00
Sals Gals Serenity’s Auxiliary Fund!
SALS GALS is an acronym that stands for ‘Serenity Assisted Living’s Gals’ which is our auxiliary fund. The auxiliary fund is utilized to pay for musical entertainment at Serenity, go towards various fundraising efforts for equipment for our clients, and other items brought up by our clients at our monthly Resident Council Meetings! We collect donations in various forms. There are piggy banks on our dining room tables...we call them our Treasured Tips. Feel free to drop a small amount if you are joining your loved one for coffee or anytime. Many times, memorial gifts following a funeral are donated to Serenity and designated for a specific project or item. An example of a few of these are the handicap door openers, pergola, and outdoor chairs at the East Campus. Other times, donations are just made because it’s a good cause! We have exciting news! We have officially gotten two iPads for our Life Enrichment activities and will start being able to use them immediately! Along with money in our SALS GALS account, we are now accepting iTunes gift cards to use for App purchases.
Women’s Hair Cut…..$14.00 Perm with cut….$52.00 Men’s Hair Cut….$13.00 Shampoo & Set…..$10.00 Color….$50.00 Wet Set w/ Cut…..$24.00 Perms…..$48.00
Snapshots
Our lefse making extravaganza!
Millie holds 3 week old baby Lucy, daughter of owner, Denise.
Verna H. and her family for our Thanksgiving meal and entertainment.
Say hello to someNew friendly new faces around Faces Serenity! Lindsey has interviewed them so you know a little bit more about them!
Walter Pender (East Campus)
Where did you grow up? Walter grew up “Out on the Farm.” He was born and raised 3 miles East of Baker. What was your primary occupation? A farmer. He grew a little bit of everything.
Tell us about your family. Walter and his wife had 1 son and 5 daughters. They lost one of the girls as an in- fant. What is your favorite sport to watch? Baseball. Favorite team? “Might as well stick up for the Twins.” How would you spend 1 million dollars? Give it to the kids.
Say hello to someNew friendly new faces around Faces Serenity! Lindsey has interviewed them so you know a little bit more about them!
Judy Narlock (West Campus)
Where did you grow up as a child? Millie grew up in the Bismarck area. She moved to Dilworth long ago and has spent most of her life in this area.
Do you have any children? Judy has one son and one daughter. Are you a morning or night person? Judy is a night person; she likes to stay up late. Which season is your favorite? Judy likes summer the best. She enjoys sitting outside and soaking up the sunshine. Do you prefer foods that are sweet or savory? Definitely sweet things like chocolate. Spicy is good sometimes, but not TOO spicy. Fun Fact! Judy has become our resident gardener. She tends to the plants around the building and keeps them looking healthy.
December 2015
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
Resident Council 1 2 3 @ 11:00 (East) 4 5 Nail Day! Mass at St. Liz Slew Family @ 8:30 am Communion (West) @ 2 pm w/ Marlene Cloggers @ 2 pm Events are subject Ellen, Orlen & (West) Millie’s Birthdays Shopping at East @ 1:30 VFW for Supper & BINGO Appetizer Night @ 6:00 Vikings vs. Seahawks Resident Council 6 @ Noon 7 8 9 10 @ 11:00 (West) 11 12 Shopping Mass at Serenity Nail Day! @ 10:00 am (East) Staff Diana’s Birthday Marie’s Staff Jodi’s Cookie Baking Birthday @ 2:00 pm Birthday West @ 1:30
Ice Cream SUNDAY Vikings vs. Cardinals @ 7:25 pm @ 3:00! Appetizer Night @ 6:00 Cookie Baking Carolers 10 Virginia’s Margie’s @ 2:00 pm am (West) Birthday 13 14 15 & 10:30 am 16 17 Birthday 18 19 (East) Mass at St. Liz Nail Day! Monthly Men’s @ 8:30 am Monthly Girlfriend’s Lunch Pastor Mark Gathering @ 2:30 (East) (West) BINGO (East) @ 1:30 2:00 (West) & Shopping Just for Kix 3:00 (East) Dancers @ Ice Cream SUNDAY Zippity Zingers 6:30 pm (West) New Horizon Middle @ 3:00! (West) @ 2:00 VFW for Supper & BINGO Appetizer Night @ 6:00 School Band (West)
Cookie Baking Business Office Closed Business Office Closed 20 @ 2:00 pm 21 22 23 Jan & Staff 24 25 26 Serenity Mark’s Birthday Nail Day! Vikings vs. Bears Holiday Meal @ Noon Mass at St. Liz Carole’s @ 8:30 am Birthday Staff Hope’s Rita Stein & Family Birthday 2:00 pm (East) & 2:30 (West) Ice Cream SUNDAY @ 3:00! Shopping Appetizer Night @ 6:00
Alice’s 27 Birthday 28 29 30 31
Cookie Baking @ 2:00 pm New Years Eve Party Vikings vs. Giants Shopping at & BINGO (West) @ Noon
Ice Cream SUNDAY @ 3:00!
JANUARY
January 6th = Laura Tommila Thailand Travel Slideshow @ 1:30 (West)
January 7th = Laura Tommila Thailand Travel Slideshow @ 1:30 (East)
January 12th = Monthly Girlfriends Gathering (West)
January 19th = Monthly Men’s Lunch (East) TBD = Supper & BINGO at Glyndon’s Hill Lounge FEBRUARY February 2nd = Groundhog Day February 7th = Super Bowl February 9th = Fat Tuesday February 12th = Sweetheart Celebration February 28th = Academy Awards
From the Desk of...
Dear Family & Friends, From time to time, employees identity items that may not have been budgeted for, yet they mentioned that these items would enhance the quality of life for the people we serve here at Serenity, allow more efficient operations, assist visitors or otherwise provide a benefit towards a better means of hospitality. This list of items below has been suggested by employees and is based on needs that have been identi- fied in the course of their work with the people they serve, your loved ones. Please review the list and consider making a designated gift to underwrite the purchase of any of these items.
iTunes gift cards for Apps for the iPad for Life Enrichment activities Towel warmer for the spa A DVD player / projector with sound to facilitate the showing of movies and other entertainment. Grill for outside grilling (Both campuses) Patio furniture (West Campus) Fingernail kits (fingernail polish, clippers, etc.) Stand Alone Blood Pressure unit Mixing Bowls for the neighbor kitchen Utensils for the neighbor kitchen Cookie sheets for the neighbor kitchen 9x 13 cake pans neighbor kitchen Dish towels for the neighbor kitchen Bathroom Scale Coat Rack for open houses / parties Stand Alone Refrigerator Platform Parallel Bars Pedal Exerciser Portable Mirror & Weight Rack with (Wheels) If you are interested in donating any of the above items, please contact Serenity Assisted Living to discuss the details of each item. Call 218-477-7254 or e-mail [email protected]. Thanks!
Elaine Anderson, Owner & Licensed Social Worker 218-477-7254 [email protected]
Nurse Jennifer Nurse Darcie [email protected] [email protected]
Health Related Health Related Questions, Doctor’s Questions, Doctor’s Orders, Changes in Orders, Changes in Medications, etc. Medications, etc.
Tim Anderson Richard Anderson [email protected] [email protected]
Menu & Food, Financial Billing Questions, Matters, Maintenance, Financial Matters, etc. Maintenance, etc.
Elaine Anderson Denise Tollefson [email protected] [email protected]
CEO of Serenity, Operations, Policies, Housekeeping, Newsletters, Events, Laundry, Staff Concerns, Marketing, Photos, etc. etc.
Carol Miranowski Lindsey Goetz [email protected] [email protected]
Household Manager, Events, Activities & Events & Life Life Enrichment Enrichment
Evan Thomas [email protected]
Billing, Identifying ways to continually improve the experiences of our ladies and gentlemen.
Nicholas Kollross Andrew Vanhavermaet
Professionally Professionally planned exercise planned exercise programs & programs & activities activities
Times to Remember Meal Times Breakfast: 7-9*
*Come at your own leisure! Lunch: 12 :00 pm Supper: 6:00 pm Scheduled Transportation
Varying Time Slots
Newsletters are printed and distributed to clients at Serenity. There are extra copies located in the entrances of Serenity and are also available on our website. If you would want a copy of the newsletter e-mailed to you, please contact Denise at Serenity to make these arrangements.
Serenity Assisted Living, Inc. is located in Dilworth, MN and is unique because the administration lives on site while they offer you support in your own spacious living quarters. The administration of Serenity comes to you by the way of Tim and Elaine Anderson. Together, they are excited to own and develop Serenity Assisted Living, Inc.
We’re on the Web! www.serenityassistedliving.com