Prairie Lodge of Brooklyn Center: A New Option for Alzheimer’s Behavioral Care

Date
May 13th, 2008 12:04pm
Author
Eric Schubert
Category
Terry Wagener visits with his wife at Prairie Lodge "After going from crisis to crisis, Joan is finally in a place where they have the time and training to really help," said her husband, Terry, 76, a retired math teacher and businessman from Shoreview. "How many places can you get kicked out of? Let’s see, for us it was four in one year." … .
Today the Minneapolis Star Tribune told a wonderful story of Ecumen’s Summit House at Prairie Lodge, a new option in Brooklyn Center, Minn., for people and families dealing with the extreme behaviors that at times accompany Alzheimer’s. Thank you to the Wagener family for choosing Ecumen’s new housing option and being so candid about telling this powerful story. We salute you!
"Drugs may be a good answer, but it should never be the first answer," said Janelle Meyers, Ecumen’s director of Prairie Lodge. "A resident isn’t trying to be nasty or disruptive. It’s the disease talking. If someone is screaming, they’re trying to communicate something. We need to figure out what that is."
Above are just a few of the innovators (several of whom are pictured at last week’s Ecumen Leadership Conference) who sought a new way to help people and family members dealing with the most extreme behaviors of Alzheimer’s. They are part of an incredible team of people throughout this organization who are delivering a beautiful vision for "Changing Aging":

We envision a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways.

3 Comments

  1. Name
    Jennifer Pfeffer
    Date
    May 13th, 2008 3:49pm

    Thank you Ecumen family for allowing us to take risks that can make a profound difference in the lives of those we serve. Hats off to the staff and leadership at Prairie Lodge.

  2. Name
    Tom
    Date
    May 13th, 2008 1:31pm

    What a great story !!!! Its these kinds of stories that me get out of bed everyday and go to work. At Ecumen we are creating "home" for our customers wherever they choose to live.

  3. Name
    Janet Green
    Date
    May 13th, 2008 5:37pm

    A wonderful place with wonderful people providing a wonderful service. They are VERY deserving of the award !

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