Author: shawneeprewett

For those with dementia each journey is unique and individual. Some are able to remain in their home with services and family support while others find their needs may be best met within an assisted living facility. Families often ask, “How do I know when it is time to seek placement?” The answer to this…

Whether the person you care for with dementia is a spouse, a parent, or a friend, there is change in that relationship. It’s not the same type of relationship as it was, and those days that you remember will not return. By the time a loved one moves into a care facility, there may only…

In Minnesota, more than 100,000 people are living with dementia and thousands more experience memory loss to a point that it concerns the individuals or their families. Emerald Crest by Augustana Care partnered with the Hopkins ACT on Alzheimer’s, Augustana Care Open Circle Adult Day Services, Augustana Care Chapel View, Gethsemane Lutheran Church, the City of Hopkins, Hopkins Public Schools, Metropolitan Area Agency on…

Has this ever happened to you? So, I had a heck of a time the other night. Just wrapped up for the evening at Emerald Crest, loaded some of my things in my car, and went back inside to double check I had everything. I was missing my cell phone but knew I had it…

One of the toughest decisions families have to make when faced with a loved one who can no longer live independently at home is knowing what type of care is needed. Luckily, the Twin Cities, Minnesota senior housing market has been growing at a much faster pace than the rest of the country. Ranked as…

Pet Peeves, Memory Care, and Making Time for Worship Most of us have some sort of pet peeve. My wife can’t stand the sound of flossing, tooth brushing, or the slurping sound made when someone with a straw has all but finished a drink. One of my pet peeves comes during the worship that is…

When choosing a memory care community for your loved one, you’ll want to ask questions about how people spend their time, how activities are structured, the use of television and more. The Emerald Crest by Augustana Care team understands the importance of structured and individually tailored activities for their residents and has come up with five questions…

I am new at Emerald Crest, having been serving as chaplain and campus pastor since early April. A primary function of my work is to lead worship services weekly at every house. These worship services are such a wonderful time of celebration and connection with God and one another. I’ve noticed two differently profound things…

With over 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, the volunteer driven ACT on Alzheimer’s understands the need for their services. This number will continue to rise as those in the baby boomer generation continue to enter the age of greatest risk for Alzheimer’s disease, creating a public health crisis and our state is not…

It can be surprising that features of memory loss may include anger, agitation and peace, calm. There is a broad assumption that memory decline usually includes fear, anger and agitation, which is only partly true. During our support groups, we often talk about the grief in witnessing such changes. One recent night, however, the daughter…