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In This Issue:
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July/August 2007
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ElderHealth Participant Celebrates 100th Birthday
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A Get-Together for Families Living with Memory Loss
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ElderHealth Volunteer Receives Spirit of Community Award
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Memory Care and Wellness Study Seeks Study Participants
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Traumatic Brain Injury Documentary Premieres June 26
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Pioneer Network National Conference August 1-3
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[Editor's Note: ElderHealth Participant Monica Hahn just celebrated her 100th birthday. Her daughter, Vicki Olsen, offered this reflection on her mother's life so far.]
My mother, Monica Hahn, was born June 4, 1907 in Georgetown, Washington (now part of Seattle). Her father and mother were both born in Germany and her father was a brewmaster for the Rainier Brewery. She was the second oldest in a family with seven kids. The five oldest were girls; the two youngest were boys. Monica has two surviving siblingsher sister Laura who I believe is 96 and her sister Andrea who I believe is 94. Both live in their own homes and still drive. Monica was living in her own home with her husband Werner and driving until January 2000 when she had a stroke.
Monica's father lost his job as a brewmaster as a result of Prohibition and the family bought a 160 acre homestead on the Olympic Peninsula. They moved there by barge across the Sound and then by horse drawn carriage. The family survived on fruit and vegetables they grew themselves and on dairy products from their beloved cow. They raised chickens for food. The family was very poor and Monica left home at 13 to be a mother's helper for another family. As a result, she missed a couple of years of school and had to return to public school at an older than usual age.
She graduated from Cleveland High School in the first graduating class and was the joint speaker at graduation because of her academic excellence. She was an art major at the University of Washington but had to drop out because she developed osteomyelitis in her ankle bone and was hospitalized for an extended period of time. The doctor wanted to amputate her leg but could not reach her parents for permission. Penicillin had not yet been discovered. She fortunately recovered.
She spent her life raising three childrenWerner, Mona and Vicki who live respectively in Herndon, Virginia, Butler, Pennsylvania, and Seattle, WA.
Monica has lived in Home Sweet Home, an excellent group home in Lake City since April of 2000 where she moved with her husband after her stroke. Her husband Werner passed away at age 103 and 1/2 in September of 2001.
Monica was very talented and was very well knowneven internationallyfor her tatting (a lace making technique). She won so many ribbons at the Puyallup Fair that she was asked to be a judge to give others an opportunity for ribbons. She wrote and published several books on tatting which still appear on the Internet. She was taught to tat by a young Polish girl while the two of them tended cows at pasture in Georgetown, Washington. The only thread they had to use was butcher's string from the local butcher shop. Tatting became a lifetime passion for Monica and she made a part time career out of her talent later in life.
Monica was very active in her church, University Presbyterian Church, and was a deacon there. She has really enjoyed going to ElderHealth (North Seattle branch) for nearly seven years and has made many friends thereboth staff and clients. She is very proud of any projects she brings home from ElderHealth and she absolutely loved her birthday party.
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When Yuzu Ichihara decided to fulfill her Psychology 101 service learning requirement at ElderHealth Northwests downtown Seattle adult day health center, she didnt know that it would lead to her being honored with a Spirit of Community Award.
A freshman majoring in nursing at Seattle University, Yuzu received the award from SUs Center for Service and Community Engagement in recognition of her contribution to the community and commitment to help create a just and humane world.
Yuzus philosophy of service is simple: I think as healthy and active young adults, we ought to support and care for the people in our community who need a hand with the basic things. Service is important to me because it is about interacting, along with helping people.
Service learning is a teaching method that augments academic curriculum with meaningful service in the community; often students participate in journaling exercises and reflection sessions to help them integrate their community experience with their classroom lessons.
Each quarter ElderHealth Northwest adult day health centers welcome service learning students from Seattle University, University of Washington and other higher-learning institutions into the day centers.
Yuzu enjoyed ElderHealth so much that she decided to continue as a volunteer after her service learning term ended. Its always comfortable at ElderHealth, she says, because the staff members show energy and cheerfulness and each client is humorous and charming in his/her own way.
Ginger Seybold, Director of Volunteer Programs, appreciates Yuzus ongoing role. Our volunteers all bring something unique to ElderHealth, she says.
Siri-Michel Midlefort, case manager and volunteer liaison enthuses: Yuzus love, respect and appreciation for ElderHealths participants comes through in her energy she shows to everyone here!
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Sweet Summer Night: A Get-Together for Families Living with Memory Loss
Thursday, July 19, 2007, 7:00 9:00 p.m.
Genesee Park, Southeast Seattle
Free and open to the community
Please RSVP by July 12, 2007: (206) 224-3757
Sweet Summer Night welcomes family caregivers and their loved onespeople with Alzheimers or other dementiato enjoy an evening out at Genesee Park.
Celebrate, share memories and enjoy music with other caregiving families. Treat yourself to fruit, ice cream and other desserts.
Join the EnhanceFitness exercise demonstration and see how you can improve your balance, strength and endurance. EnhanceFitness is appropriate for all fitness levels and is used in many senior settings, including the Memory Care & Wellness Services adult day program at ElderHealth Northwest. Maybe youll get an idea for an activity youd like to try at home.
Finallyto keep you healthy and successful over the long haullearn about a range of free services for people with memory problems and their family caregivers, including:
Memory Care & Wellness Services (enhanced day care and activities)
Education and planning for care
Family counseling
This event is free and open to the community. Your loved one is invited to the park or you may choose respite care at our nearby indoor location. Children are welcome too; childcare provided. For further information, directions, and to RSVP, call (206) 224-3757 by July 12, 2007.
Sweet Summer Night is sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and the King County Dementia Partnership Project, whose members include ElderHealth Northwest, Alzheimers Association, Evergreen Healthcares Geriatric Regional Assessment Team, Senior Services, Kin On Community Healthcare, and Seattle/King County Aging and Disability Services. Support for this event is provided by Evercare.
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"Inside ElderHealth" is an occasional e-newsletter of ElderHealth Northwest, a non-profit organization providing innovative eldercare options since 1976.
Adult Day Health Centers * Supported Living Homes * Geriatric Care Management
In-Home Services * ElderFriends Volunteers
Copyright © 2007 ElderHealth Northwest
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