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FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012 A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Movingright along
St. Mark’s expansion on targetfor completion early next year
By Kevin [email protected]
A$13.4 million remodel andexpansion project at St.Mark’s Lutheran Home and
Apartments of Austin is on track tobe finished early next year.
“Progress is going well,” saidChristopher Schulz, executive di-rector at St. Mark’s.
The rehabilitation, assisted livingand nursing care facility’s $13.4million project broke ground at theend of January. Now it’s on sched-ule to be completed in February orMarch of 2013, Schulz said. Rightnow, crews are working on the
new assisted living complex andthe rehab care unit.
“They’ve got walls up, the roofon and some siding on,” he said.“Probably by mid-August, it shouldall be sheetrocked on the inside.”
Apart from those new develop-ments, St. Mark’s also has more in-terior remodeling to complete.
“Our current assisted living isturning into memory care assistedliving,” Schulz said.
St. Mark’s has never had an as-sisted living area devoted to mem-ory care.
Workers put siding on a portion of the St. Mark’s Lutheran Home and Apartmentsexpansion Thursday afternoon. Eric Johnson/[email protected]
> PROGRESS continues on 3-SL
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Cindi Muth and Becky Arneson stand outside of their offices at Mayo Clinic Health Systemin Albert Lea. Muth is the health care home coordinator and Arneson is the registered nursecare coordinator in the medical home system. Colleen Thompson/Albert Lea Tribune
By Colleen [email protected]
Mayo Clinic Health System inAustin is working to develop its ownversion of the medical-home con-cept. Mayo teamed up as of Wednes-day with efforts in Albert Lea,calling it the Health Care HomeProject.Medical home is a different kind
of approach to health care. It’s amethod of working with patients insupporting, assisting andmanagingtheir health care needs and keepingthem healthy. In addition to a physi-cian, a patient’s health team con-sists of an office nurse, a registerednurse care coordinator, pharma-cists, health coaches, health educa-tors and other expert health careresources such as therapists and so-cial workers. Patients’ families alsoplay a vital role in the process.“Themain goal is to make the pa-
tient the decision-maker,” saidBecky Arneson, a registered nursecare coordinator. “We just coordi-nate things they’re not capable ofdoing themselves.”The role of care coordinators is
to be the patient’s primary contact.They are the go-to people and willconduct visits to the patient’s homeand the clinic, if needed. They assistthe patients in completing medicaltransactions, referring resources,managing appointments, reviewingimmunizations, assessing homesafety and whatever specific needsthe patient has.“It’s old-fashioned care, where
the providers really know you,” saidCindi Muth, a coordinator.And it’s free.“It’s of no cost to the patient for
working with care coordinators,”Arneson said.The local program now has 55
participants. While it’s typicallyused by patients with chronic ill-nesses, such as chronic obstructivepulmonary disease, diabetes andheart failure, the program is open toanyone seeing a health careprovider in Albert Lea or one of itsregional clinics in Lake Mills, NewRichland, Alden, Wells and Kiester.Right now, there are three certi-
fied physicians involved with Med-ical Home: Dr. Dieter Heinz, Dr. Don-ald Kammerer and Dr. Arvin Vocal.“We’re in the process of getting
more doctors certified,” Muth said.Albert Lea’s medical home was
certified by the state inMarch.Med-ical Assistance and other similarprograms provide funds now.“They worked very hard to re-
ceive that certification,” said Jen-nifer Levisen, the hospital’s publicrelations and marketing specialist.Now that they’re certified by the
state, they’re going for nationalrecognition. To be more credible,Austin andAlbert Lea started work-ing together as one unit.“It will open doors to private in-
surances and more reimburse-ments,” Muth said.The hope is that the local resi-
dents will see that it’s an officialprogram that can help those whoqualify.“The population will have more
faith in what we’re doing,” Arnesonadded.The program isn’t simply for
medical purposes. It also asks eachpatient to make at least one per-sonal goal for themselves and hope-fully achieve it.“There was one lady who just
wanted to walk across her backyardto sit by the lake,” Arneson recalled.“We want to make things like thatpossible.”Although new to Austin and Al-
bert Lea, case management pro-grams like medical home have beenaround for a while. They recentlyhave been brought to the forefrontthrough President Barack Obama’shealth care law.“Case management focuses on
wellness and preventativemeasuresregarding health for the whole pop-ulation,” Muth said.With all the changes in health
care, places all across the U.S. arestarting to use the medical-homeconcept. There are already 146 cer-tified health care homes in Min-nesota.“We think medical home is going
to boom,” Arneson said. “Healthcare is moving this direction.”
A program for patientsHealth Care Home Project is a new
method for working with local patients
Despite all thechanges going on,Schulz said residents atSt. Mark’s have not beenbothered by construc-tion. The work going onin the expansion is alltaking place outside,away from residents. Andthe remodeling is closedoff from the rest of the
building to reduce noiseand other distractions.
But that doesn’t meanresidents aren’t keepingtabs on the project.
“Quite a few of themwatch the constructiondaily,” Schulz said,adding that they’re as ex-cited about the project aseveryone else.
Talk of the expansionand remodeling started
about five years ago, hesaid. It took a while toline up funding and getthe project started.
The month of Julynext year will mark the50 year anniversary of St.Mark’s. Though they area couple of monthsapart, Schulz said, hehopes to combine anopen house for the thenew expansion with an
anniversary celebration.
—Adam Harringacontributed to this report.
Senior LivingA special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012 3-SL
Work continues at the St. Mark’s expansion Thursday. Worked is expected to be completed in early 2013.
The redevelopment includes:•Relocating 25 assisted living apartments to newly constructed space
•Renovating 20 apartments for new memory care assisted living•Replacing 16 long term care rooms with a new wing for short-term
rehabilitation services•Remodeling the remaining 45 long term care rooms
•Creating a new occupational and physical therapy area, a multi-purposegathering room, chapel and living area, all near the new front entrance to the
campus on Fourth Street•Relocating and enhancing the beauty shop and café area.
Progress: St. Mark’s to celebrate 50 years
CCoonnttiinnuueedd ffrroomm PPaaggee 11--SSLL
The new front entrance to the St. Marks expansion.
A construc-tion workeris busy inwhat will bethe newchapel at St.Mark's.
By Kessa [email protected]
Georgia Nyenhuis is more ac-tive than most women herage. The 82-year-old has been
living at St. John’s Lutheran Homefor seven years, spending her timeby knitting, coloring, word puzzlesand gardening.Nyenhuis is paralyzed from the
bust down and gets around bywheelchair. Ten years ago she wasworking on the farm with her sonwhen she was injured. They wereunloading corn from a bin to awagon. Her son went to turn offsome equipment in the trailer andleft Nyenhuis to turn off the auger,a machine used to drill holes in theground. Nyenhuis somehow caughtin the machine by either her scarf,jacket or hair.“My son said ‘I’m going to call
911!’ and I just said, ‘Oh, whateverfor?’” Nyenhuis said.She thinks she was in shock after
the accident.An ambulance took Nyenhuis to
Mayo Clinic in Albert Lea and thento Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The ac-cident left her paralyzed from thebust down, and her hair was tornfrom the back of her head.She persevered. Now Nyenhuis
gets around well in a wheelchairafter going through physical ther-apy. Her hair has grown back, too.“I’m very thankful I’ve got my
hands,” Nyenhuis said.Nyenhuis has had strong faith
her entire life. She grew up southof Hayward with six siblings. Oneof them died in infancy, one at age12 and one three years ago of can-cer. Nyenhuis goes to Catholicchurch service every Sunday andreads Christian books in her sparetime.Her hobbies are more than just
something to keep her busy. Sincelearning from a St. John’s employee,she has knit nearly 30 caps for hergrandchildren and great-grandchil-dren.She will even display her work at
the Freeborn County Fair this Au-gust, perhaps giving special atten-tion to a bright red one, or one withseveral shades of blue.Nyenhuis holds a special place
for color, as she colors pictures sim-ilar to ones in coloring books forchildren. The color by numbers col-oring pages are much more complexthan a children’s coloring page,though. Nyenhuis received a blueribbon at the Freeborn County Fairlast year for one of her colorings.“I’ve got to keep my hands busy,”
Nyenhuis said.Gardening is Nyenhuis’ favorite
way to spend her days, and Nyen-huis is obviously familiar with itfrom her days on the farm. Everyyear, about 20 members of Nyen-huis’ family get together to makesauerkraut. They gather 400 poundsof cabbage then make the sauer-kraut and divide it among the fami-lies.St. John’s Lutheran Home has
had a gardening program for its res-idents for six years. There are about10 residents who participate in theprogram, but Nyenhuis is the only
one involved in the committee toplan gardening events.“It’s like therapy for me, I think,”
Nyenhuis said.Gardening is very relaxing for
her, and the raised garden beds easethe hobby for those in wheelchairs.A nifty system to ease gardening inother, lower gardens helps, as well.The workers dig a hole. Then theresidents drop the seeds in the holesthrough a PVC pipe, and the work-ers cover the hole and go over it
with a hoe.“There’s a lot of adjustments we
make,” said Shirley Leeman, an ac-tivities employee at St. John’sLutheran Home.Nyenhuis looked at her raised
garden in the St. John’s LutheranHome yard with pride. She findssolitude in her many hobbies.“She makes the best of her situ-
ation,” said Activities DirectorDiane Wichmann.
Senior Living4-SL FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012 A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
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email: [email protected]
ASSISTED LIVING APARTMENTS
The Privacy of Individualized Apartments,Combined with the Ease of Living thatcomes from Fully Prepared Meals,Housekeeping and Laundry Services
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Separate Day Program Specializingin Memory Loss Disorders
Georgia Nyenhuis poses next to her raised garden of green beans and purple flowers. Nyenhuis said gardening relaxes her. Kessa Albright/Albert Lea Tribune
‘I’ve gotmy hands’
82-year-old stillkeeping busy afterbeing paralyzed in farm accident
Associated Press
Kenneth Burdick, the CEO ofBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Min-nesota, is out of a job after the non-profit health plan had concernsabout a “lack of disclosure” relatedto “anticipated business activi-ties.”The news comes six months to
the day after the Eagan-based in-surer announced Burdick as its newCEO.Blue Cross released a statement
Thursday morning, July 19, sayingthat the board of directors “becameaware of concerns related to
whether there had been adequatedisclosure of some anticipated busi-ness activities and immediately ini-tiated a Board review and internalinvestigation of the matter.”The company has named Scott
Lynch, currently a senior vice pres-ident and chief legal officer of BlueCross, as the interim CEO.The board anticipates identifying
a new CEO in 60 to 90 days, but “willtake the time required” to find thebest candidate, the company said.Burdick, 54, had spent several
years as an executive at United-Health Group before joining BlueCross.
Blue Cross of Minnesota CEO out after just six months