Focus on the Elderly

Lifehouse

Description: This volunteering experience will give St. Olaf students an opportunity to serve residents of Northfield's long-term care center who are unable to provide for themselves, allowing students to utilize the skills they develop through working at the center in their future endeavors. The individuals at the long-term care center will not only impart their wisdom but will also impress upon us the needs of the disabled and the elderly, molding Oles into more compassionate, understanding members of the local community. Lifehouse members understand that the patients of the long-term care center have both social and medical needs, and plan on addressing those needs by organizing bi-monthly activities for the residents, and thus incorporating the many talents and skills of the honor house members and the greater St. Olaf community. In short: 1. Lifehouse will further the St. Olaf mission of putting "Ideals to Action." 2. Working with these patients will provide a great opportunity for students to exercise St. Olaf's ideal of lifelong commitment to others. 3. St. Olaf students will learn greater compassion and understanding in this new environment, and the residents they volunteer for will be provided with opportunities to build new friendships through diverse activities.

Directors: Kirby Norris <norris>

Contacts: N/A, contact Kris Vatter <vatter> with questions

Time: varies

Millstream Commons

Description: Students spend time with residents at Millstream Commons Assisted Living facilities, talking and playing games (dominoes, scrabble, bingo, yahtzee, puzzles).

Directors: Trinara Burgau <burgau> & Griffin Sonstegard <sonstega>

Contacts: Monica Lynch (507-650-0141) (Monica.Lynch@threelinks.org)

Time: Tuesday/Thursday 6:15-7:15, come whenever available

Northfield Retirement Community (NRC)

Description: St. Olaf students spend time talking with residents in a group setting each week. Students also participate in a variety of activities including Christmas caroling and ice cream socials.

Directors: Jaclyn Miller <millerj>

Contacts: Milosha Malecha <info@northfieldretirement.org> (507-664-3472), 900 Cannon Valley Dr., Northfield, MN 55057

Time: 1.5 hours/week

Ole Entertainers

Description: Volunteers will share the wealth of musical talent on the St. Olaf campus with residents at Northfield Retirement Community. Each week a student (or group of students) will go down to NRC and perform some form of music. This opportunity is available for students to share a piece that they have been working on, share music they have written, or to practice for an upcoming jury. The NRC has a piano and transportation will be provided if needed.

Directors: Sarah Ring <ring>

Contacts: Milosha Malecha mmalecha@northfieldretirement.org (501-664-3472), 900 Cannon Valley Dr. Northfield, MN 55057

Time: 1 hour/week

Story Circle

Description: Each volunteer will be paired up with a resident at the Northfield Retirement Community (NRC) where they will visit and share stories. Transportation and training is provided.

Directors: Theanna Hegge <hegge>, Dianna Cheney-Peters <cheneyp>, and Lindsay Berg <berg>

Contacts: Milosha Malecha info@northfieldretirement.org (501-664-3472), 900 Cannon Valley Dr. Northfield, MN 55057

Time: 1 hour/week