Bernice Hanson, 93, shares story
by Lorie Skarpness, lskarpness@parkrapidsenterprise.com
Seniors who would not be able to stay in their home without a helping hand are getting rides and other assistancefrom Living at Home of the Park Rapids Area (LAH), which has been serving clients since 1992.
Members of the First Lutheran Church in Akeley donated $600 to LAH from their July salad luncheon fundraiser.
“This donation will go quite a ways in our mission to help seniors in our community, ” LAH Executive Director Connie Carmichael said. “We also have volunteers from that church helping us.”
Hanson thank for program
Bernice Hanson, who will be 93 next month, is one of the people Living at Home is helping stay in the home she loves on two wooded acres south of Nevis.
“Everything around here is so wonderful, but especially Living at Home,” she said.
Before she broke her hip last year, Hanson did not even know the program existed. Martha Pearson at Diamond Willow suggested she call Living at Home. How she doesn’t know what she would do without it
When I called up, Regina (the elder care service coordinator at Living at Home came out,” she said. “Ever since then, I’ve had people come and pick me up, and they’re all so nice. One woman took me to the Nevis grocery store and followed me all around the store. She helped me pick up my groceries and took them to my car. Yesterday, I had to go to the dentist and Joyce, who lives on Belle Taine, picked up. I’m so thankful for Living at Home.”
Some days Hanson walks with her came to met her volunteer driver halfway down the driveway.
Hanson also relies on LAH Volunteers to drive her to the beauty shop and doctor appointments. The statement she receives from Living at Home at the end of each month suggest a donation of $4.25 per ride.
“A couple months ago I had someone pick me up three times and it was on $12.75,” she said. “I thought I should send in a little bit more, so I did.”
“We appreciate that,” Carmichael said. “Our transportation and respite programs have a cost share. We ask people to help cover some of our expenses like mileage reimbursement. But if someone can’t afford it, we never turn anyone away.”
LAH volunteers have also transported clients to doctor appointments in Fargo, Bemidji and Detroit Lakes. Requests for rides should be made 48 hours or more in advance if possible.
Some families have donated to the program in memory of a loved one.
Some clients get other services, such as home health. “We’re not a home agency or a crisis Agency, ” Carmichael said. “We’re a step before that, trying to keep people out of crisis. Our volunteers don’t have handicap-accessible vehicles. We can handle canes or walkers, but not wheelchairs. The city bus and Medivan handle those clients.
Seniors interested in receiving rides or other services should call the LAH office at 732-3137.
Friends and neighbors help, too
Hanson said good friends and neighbors also help her stay in her home. Nice neighbors also help her stay in her home. “Nice neighbors my goodness sakes, I tell you,” she said of those who cut her grass and plow snow. “And Kelly Rittgers who lives down the road calls me every day. He brought me 10 ‘Birds and Blooms’ magazine from a garage sale that I can use to make note cards because he knows I love to write letters.”
Hanson stays active. A van from the Nevis Church of Christ picks her up for services each Sunday.
She puts her bird feeders out each morning and takes them in each night “so the bears don’t get into them.” She also keeps her hummingbird feeders filled.
“I work around the year and go around with my cane spraying Roundup on the weeds too,” she said.
“So many people are bored at home, but I’m never bored,” she said. “I can’t sit and watch tv without knitting dishclothes. When I’m not cleaning, I’m writing letters.”
Volunteers especially needed for winter
Carmichael said the program’s biggest need is people to help out when “snowbirds” who make up a big sector of their volunteers, go south for the winter.
“The volunteers we have are second to none, they’re awesome, but a lot of them go away for the winter,” she said. “If there is anybody out there who stays here in the winter and can volunteer even once or twice a month to drive somebody to the beauty shop or to a doctor’s appointment, we’ll get you signed up.”
Carmichael said they match volunteers with those in need of help.
“Most of our volunteers are retired as well, so we don’t ask them to do heavy work,” she said. “Volunteers may do some light housekeeping or throw in a load of laundry, but that’s usually for someone who is recovering from an illness or hospital stay until they can get back on their feet.”
Minor handyman services are also part of the program. Taking trash to the transfer station, fixing a broken door or window and installing grab bars outside or in the home are done by volunteers.
“It’s kind of a case-by-case scenario,” she said.
The only requirement to receive services is to be 65 or older. “There are no income guidelines,” she said. “We serve everybody as long as we can find a volunteer to fill the request. All of our services are provided by volunteer in Nevis, Akeley, Osage, Park Rapids, Menahga and the Lake George area. We try to march volunteers with someone living nearby.”
A caregiver support coach program is also offered for those of any age who are taking care of a family member 60 or older.
Volunteers need to be 18 or older with a willingness to spend some time with seniors. “We do driving and criminal background checks as well,” she said.
The first step for volunteers is to fill out an application. After references are checked, volunteers complete orientation before being matched with a senior.
Socialization focus of new programs
There are two new components of Living at Home.
“One thing we’ve started is a socialization piece for seniors who are otherwise isolated or homebound in rural communities,” Carmichael said. “There’s so much out there now on the effect of socialization on overall health and well-being. Our goal is to match seniors with a volunteer who can bring them in for an activity and attend with them. Our first one in June was a coffee and social hour, and we had a total of 13 people. Regina did a theme on stories and memories at the River Art community in Park Rapids. We will also be collaborating with the Headquarters Adult Day program.”
Carmichael described the second program in the works as an “intergenerational piece” that will pair high school students with seniors this winter.
“If a senior wants to go to a choir or band concert at the high school, it’s pretty overwhelming to walk into the school alone,” she said. “We want to have a student volunteer meet the senior at the door so they can sit together an make it a time of sharing.
Our seniors have so many great stories and so many things to teach our youth, and our youth have some things to teach our seniors too. Our goal is to bridge the gap. We also need to encourage our youth to volunteer. It’s so rewarding to help people, but there’s been shift where that kind of fell off.”
Carmichael said volunteer experience also benefits you by strengthening their college application.
“We’re hoping to collaborate with the schools and church youth groups,” she said.
Here’s the scanned article Aunt Bernice sent me 
