by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Twenty residents at Arlington Place Assisted Living Community recently celebrated with a Hawaiian luau.
Pat Flicker, housing manager, said the event was originally planned to bring summer fun during the usually cooler month of March. This year the temperatures were in the high 60-degree range.
Arlington residents and their families and friends enjoyed Hawaiian-theme decorations and ate foods such as shrimp kabobs, chicken on a stick, pineapple-mango salsa and chips, and fruit kabobs.
Dr. Joseph Styles and his wife, Barb, were at the luau celebrating with Joe’s father, Joe Sr.
“We are enjoying the great food,” Styles said.
Styles, a local dentist, said he enjoys being able to see and visit his father who lives so close to where his business is located. Joe Sr. has been a resident at Arlington for more than a year.
“I can see him when he gets up in the morning and I can stop in and visit with him after work,” Styles said.
Arlington staff decorated bedpans, which were voted on, and the winner received a gift card. The winner was Janet Thielen.
Guests and residents could guess how many seashells were in a jar. There were 397 seashells and the winner was the longest-stay resident, Woodrow Klingeman, with a guess of 402. Klingeman, who is 95 and has lived at Arlington for seven years, said he enjoys living at Arlington.
“I like it here,” Klingeman said.
Many residents dressed in Hawaiian style for the luau. Emily Hlebain and Jean Peterson, both age 96, enjoyed wearing their coconut shells and grass skirts.
A hula contest was held and winners for the best hula dancer were chosen. Dressed in Hawaiian styles, College of St. Benedict volunteers Chelsea Komarek and Julie Bakos demonstrated how to do the hula. Trophies were presented to the winners. Emily Hlebain and her great-granddaughter, Amanda Kingston, were both winners in the hula contest.
David Herzog, from Detroit Lakes, performed island music on a steel drum and invited people to dance to the music.
Arlington Place, located at 16th Avenue SE St. Joseph, opened in 1999 and offers a one-level living option for individuals. The building includes amenities such as a beauty/barber shop, TV and sitting lounges, a family dining room, a fireplace lounge and piano area, walk-in showers and other amenities. Available services include medication administration, bathing/showering assistance, toileting/incontinence care, oxygen assistance, dressing assistance, glucose monitoring and others.
Flicker, who has been at Arlington for only four months, said residents are provided three meals a day and a minimum of three activities each day.
Flicker said she and 18 other employees try to incorporate a bit of fun into each resident’s day.
“Here at Arlington Place, humor and having fun is one of our core values,” Flicker said. “Bringing laughter to residents and staff daily is a key factor in living a full life. My goal is to bring life to their end of life.”
Author: Cori Hilsgen
Hilsgen is a contributing reporter for the Newsleaders. The central Minnesota native is a wife, mother and grandmother. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and Communication from Concordia University – St. Paul, MN and enjoys learning about and sharing other people’s stories through the pages of the Newsleaders.