Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Rivers Assisted Living

Nancy and I visited The Rivers Assisted Living in Burnsville to do a program on Tuesday, May 24th, an afternoon without rain. It was a nice change to pull my equipment wagon into a show without getting wet.

Residents were playing bingo in  the activity room as we set up for our show.  In the 15-minute break between Bingo and the beginning of my program, I walked around to visit with some of the residents, many of whom grew up in cities and towns but had relatives with farms that they visited as kids.
Alva purchased a book before the show. She and her husband moved here from Brooklyn as a young married couple and raised their family in Minnesota while he worked for 3M.
In the picture below several in the group comment about my use of a clothes pin to clip on the mic.
They agree when I explain that it is typical of 1950 when you didn't buy something(in this case a new clip) if you could make due with what you had.

I conversed with a resident (not pictured) who was legally blind and got around really well, especially for being 95 years old. He pointed out two others in the audience who were blind as well. He told me he would sit close, but when I checked with him after the show, he said all he could see was a blur. He insisted he enjoyed listening to the show and the other two vision-impaired residents seemed to enjoy it too. I could see them smile and hear them laugh.

The audience below sat at tables scattered throughout the activity room. Some of the gents liked to sit way in the back and others liked to sit up close.


They were a great audience and many of them took the time after the show to thank me and chat about their experiences on the farm.

Nancy and I enjoyed our visit to The Rivers and wish to thank Assistant Activities Director Jean Troje for greeting us and showing us where to set up and Activities Director Joe Johnson for inviting us to do the program. We'd also like to thank Heather and Tom Kerber from Beavers Pond Press, Inc. for suggesting us to Mr. Johnson.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson


2 comments:

  1. Rivers edge assisted living provides residents the assistance they need in a professionally managed and carefully designed home. Each of assisted living residents are unique individuals, and so are the services provided by skilled staff members. Thanks.

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  2. In the assisted living and nursing homes I have visited, I am always impressed by the staff members. They are trained, dedicated, and friendly.
    Needs of residents vary greatly, and care-givers know them as unique individuals.Talking to the residents is a treat for me because they are always so willing to tell me their stories.

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