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A Resident’s Reflection on St. Anne’s

p7200004By Tom McLean, Resident

St. Anne’s is a very nice place to live.  Recently, a new bathtub and shower system was installed here.  The tubs are designed to be opened from the side.  The showers there have a pulsating massage type of shower head.  One can adjust them to utilize this option or simply use the regular shower option.

The lighting here at St. Anne’s includes newly installed LED lights and the heating system is up to date, meeting safety standards. St. Anne’s is handicapped accessible.

My impression of St. Anne’s is that is a very nice place to live; I am very privileged to live here.  I have lived here at St. Anne’s for close to eight years now.  Like everyone else here, my personal shopping needs and medical care is all provided for by the exceptionally good and friendly staff.

There is a comfortable chapel here.  Like the rest of St. Anne’s, it is handicapped accessible and is open all the time.  Pastoral care is very good and helpful here.  Mass is every day at 9 a.m.  Every Saturday morning, at 8 o’clock, there are ecumenical services here.

In conclusion, I consider it a great privilege to be living here.  I rate St. Anne’s very highly and would recommend it for anyone who needs a medical care facility to live in.

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Lend a Hand?

social 047.JPGWould you like to help make a difference in our community?

Have you ever thought of volunteering at St. Anne’s?

People have come in to help with regular activities, to visit residents, or do any number of things.  One special group we have here is our St. Anne’s Auxiliary, which especially supports our activity department by helping with fundraisers, such as our upcoming fall sale and luncheon.  The auxiliary could do even more good for the people living at St. Anne’s if we had more members.

If you are interested in joining, that would be great!  The group is actually having its fall meeting on Thursday, October 6th. If you’d be interested in finding out more or would like to attend the meeting, please call Shelly at 701-746-9401, email us or fill out the form below.

https://form.jotform.us/jsform/62544446097159

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Eyes Are Windows to the Soul

 

P7170002.JPGPost by Micah Kaiser, Staff Member at St. Anne’s Guest Home

Hello St. Anne’s Scoop Readers…It’s great to be alive, and here’s my approach to this life.

I was once told as a child that “your eyes are windows to your soul.” To take advantage of this window, I had to look deep into this thinking and put my own thoughts aside and wait for the moment, His moment.  I still try to continue to do this daily. I do it on a one-on-one level.  Also, a fact I’ve experienced in life is that God is in the detail not just the fine print.

Here, at St. Anne’s Guest Home, my job title is “universal worker.”  I love my title because I feel it in my heart and I earned it with putting forth the effort. This is who He wants me to be, a caregiver. For most people, this job doesn’t come easy or natural, but for me, it’s second nature. Just like mothering four little boys: I get down to their level because they can’t come up to mine.

All I have to do is just simply go upstairs and knock on a resident’s door and get to their personal level, and that opens up windows. God takes over; it’s in those tiny moments that the soul is vulnerable.  We help give, and also receive grace all day; I especially see this in working with those who are vulnerable, like my children and the residents here.

It’s so easy to just pause and say hello, to ask how they are and mean it. These are “God-shot” moments you will miss if you are “too busy.”

Life is, in fact, so busy that we don’t ever have time to slow down and get a break…So busy we don’t ever have inner peace and stillness and feel real humility. We just go on and think we need to gain more, earn more, love more. More, more, more! More is not enough and when is it too much?

I think daily about Philippines 4:13 ” I can do all thing’s through Christ whom strengthens me”.

Now, with an open mind as an adult, it is easier to look for my windows of opportunity to see the soul. Do you often find yourself in a judgemental state of mind or just bitter to others because of your own problems? Do you often judge people due to their race, sexuality, religion and or LACK of religion? Or by their house, car, bank account or even how they dress? If so, try to picture only souls and not bodies or their past just as Christ see’s them!  I enjoy seeing Christ here on all the walls (pictures, crucifixes, etc.) and in the words of our residents and minds of the staff.

P7170001.JPGFor me, this is all part of one spiritual journey and how I see through the windows to the soul.

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Summer Olympics – in Rio or at St. Anne’s

In honor of the recent summer Olympics held in Brazil, we had our own games here at St. Anne’s.

Residents were invited to construct a flag for a country and participate in a variety of competitions throughout the last week of August, including golf, rodeo golf, flag races and ‘Don’t Hit Zeus.’  We also had a torch run.  Closing Ceremonies were August 31st.  Our activity director, Shelly Mack, even dressed up in a toga for the occasion. Staff told participants they thought they were ‘top dog’ and served hotdogs and all the fixings to them for afternoon snacks.

We dare say some appetites were not as hearty at supper that evening!

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Inspection Time at St. Anne’s

P7140007.JPGDid you know that the word inspection comes from the early 17th century Latin inspicere or inspectare which means “looked into or examined”?

Residents here in our apartments experienced first hand the meaning of this word during a visit from Federal Government Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff Wednesday morning.  During these periodic inspections, HUD checks for cleanliness and safety within the individual efficiency apartments, especially including electronic devices and ensuring there are no insects around.

The week prior to this infamous “looking into / examination,” inspection was definitely the buzz word around St. Anne’s, especially among apartment residents.  One would hear: “No, I can’t help with that; I’ve got to finish cleaning my room for the inspection.” or “Sorry I didn’t come down; I was putting the finishing touches on my room for Wednesday.”

Staff here have reflected that it is a good thing that we have inspections; it motivates residents to do a needed cleaning of their living quarters.  Cleaning that needs to be done is finally undertaken; procrastination is no longer an option.

St. Anne’s does conduct annual inspections, but this big one from HUD really has a way of impelling residents to roll up their sleeves and tidy up their apartments.

Although you do not have any government inspections to worry about, is there an area of your home that needs some “tidying”?

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God’s Love Shines Through You!

By Lori Schomer, St. Anne’s StaffP1010006

For most of us, when we hear the date 9/11, we think about the horrific acts of terrorism against our country.

Little did I know that God’s plan for me that day would take on a whole new meaning.

For you see, that is the date I started working at St.  Anne’s.  The first thing that struck me was the acts of kindness happening all around me. Mostly, they are done out of sheer goodness.

Everyday I see my coworkers making a difference in the lives of our residents.  There truly is no small gesture.  Something as simple as a smile, an ear to listen, a hug to brighten someone’s day, goes a long way.

The following are just a few of the examples I have witnessed:

  • helping a resident find a shirt and tie for a funeral
  • shopping for a resident – clothing, soda pop, groceries
  • sharing a newspaper
  • picking up a favorite fast food
  • watching a favorite TV program together
  • bringing in fleece for residents to make blankets for the hospital VA, etc.
  • arranging stuffed animals on a bed when making it
  • bringing in a family pet for them to hold and pet
  • going for a walk or sitting outside together
  • bringing in food from a UND wacipi powwow to celebrate a resident’s heritage

This is why I feel God’s love shines through my co-workers.

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Garden-Fresh Potatoes and Cucumbers, Oh My!

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Residents’ Garden at St. Anne’s

Harvest season has begun, and St. Anne’s is reaping the benefits!

We have received some delicious home-grown beets in recent weeks from Fr. Schneider who comes here Thursdays and Fridays..  This week, he brought us more garden delights: fresh potatoes and cucumbers.

Last year was the season for string beans.  We received many donations of them that harvest season.

If things go as usual, we will probably receive quite a bit more delicious, nutritious produce before frost, including sweet corn that we enjoy then throughout the year.

Even though our little resident garden hasn’t produced too much, we should be well supplied with fresh veggies.

Thank you so much to everyone who shares their bounty with us.  It is appreciated!

PS: As this article is being written, another large donation of rhubarb is being brought in.