Caregiving and Supporting Caregivers - by Monica Gallagher, HME Service Director - Hamline Midway Elders
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Hamline Midway Heart
HME A Publication of Hamline Midway Elders
Living at Home/Block Nurse Program
1514 Englewood Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104
Winter 2018 info@hmelders.org · (651) 209-6542 · www.hmelders.org
Caregiving and
Supporting Caregivers
by Monica Gallagher, HME Service Director
Some of the most inspiring people we meet here at Hamline
Midway Elders (HME) are family caregivers. Not all are related to the
loved ones they provide some type of care for, but all have a major
impact on the individual and their neighborhood. Some caregivers live
states away, and phone/email our staff to track their loved one’s
progress when they cannot. Others work during the day, and may need
help finding caregivers (and funding) for some of these hours. Still
others may simply ask for a professional handyman or a crew of
youthful volunteer rakers to do what an aging spouse used to be able
do to maintain their home.
More than 80 percent of older adults rely on an unpaid caregiver for help, according to a 2016 Star
Tribune article. These unpaid caregivers are an invisible powerhouse in the Minnesota economy, but often
struggle economically themselves to balance caregiving with the paid employment they need to do.
To put informal caregiving in perspective, the cost to pay an agency for someone for cooking, errands,
light housework, or other tasks costs around $25 per hour in the Twin Cities. A 2-3 hour block minimum is
not an unusual requirement by some agencies. People in need of more intensive personal cares—such as
bathing or dressing—who can afford to pay are currently discovering that there is a shortage of Personal Care
Attendants (PCAs) available. According to indeed.com, in Minnesota “the average salary for "pca" ranges
from approximately $11.47 per hour for Care Assistant to $13.32 per hour for Patient Assistant.”
Informal caregivers remain a crucial part of the way our communities provide care to our aging
neighbors. Recently, a team of six informal caregivers—personal friends supplemented with HME
volunteers—enabled a Hamline Midway resident to access crucial daily medical treatments for six weeks.
Once she was healthier, she enjoyed hosting a thank you get together for her caregivers. A doting mother (in
her 90s herself) lets us know how much she appreciates what volunteers do for her daughter in the
neighborhood when she cannot provide all the assistance needed.
If you do have some extra capacity to care in your own life, is there a homebound neighbor caring for
a loved one whose grocery list could be added to yours? Shoveling a neighbor’s walk may earn their
permanent loyalty even faster than cookies. Some caregivers don’t have the luxury of looking very far ahead
to their own desires, so your weekly one hour visit can give caregivers a much needed respite.
Hamline Midway Elders remains proud to serve and support family caregivers, and give them the
higher profile they deserve. Call us at 651-209-6542 to learn more about caregiving and supporting caregivers.
My First Year
by Laurel Collins, HME Resource Coordinator
(Note: For our first 16 years, Hamline Midway Elders operated with just
two part-time staff. As part of our 2017 expansion plan, we created a new third
part-time position and we’re so glad that Laurel is working with our program.)
I joined the staff of Hamline Midway Elders (HME) nearly a year ago. I am an occupational therapist,
and have worked in non-profits as a program coordinator. We all know that HME is an amazing
organization for many reasons: nice people, great programs, beloved luncheons, and so on. But the best part
for me has been how this work has inspired me, and connected me to this community and neighborhood.
Some of my favorite things about this year at HME:
• Walking with the HME Walking Club brought me
to beautiful community gardens, where I learned
from an HME senior about rain gardens, bees and
native trees. It brought me to neighborhood art
studios, and the Midway Mural Project. We
discovered St. Paul parks, including one of the
smallest parks in St. Paul (you’d never notice it!).
• Coordinating outreach into HME’s “new” service
area, the western side of Frogtown, and being
introduced to Frogtown Farm and their satellite
gardens with their multigenerational volunteers
and visitors, as well as the vibrant senior group
that meets monthly.
• I’ve given nearly 100 hand massages! This gives
me the opportunity to sit face to face, listen and
Walking Club members Margie Ullerich (left) and Fran Cantrall
(right) take a break during a neighborhood walk back when the connect, and gives the recipient a moment to
weather was a bit warmer. pause, relax and simply enjoy.
• Stopping in to visit elders at home, and checking out their beautiful handcrafts displayed in their homes,
or their interesting book collections, or the photos on the wall of the places they’ve been and the people
who are important to them.
• Helping deliver piles of handmade comfort shawls to those in hospice, and handmade mittens and hats
for children in need, made with love by the HME Knitting group.
• The new friends at HME who recommend authors and new books, who share their troubles and concerns,
who entertain me with stories of their pets, their careers, or their brushes with fame.
• Helping HME expand their social media and online presence. Please check out our Facebook page as well
as our postings on the neighborhood “Next Door” page.
It has been a gift to me to meet all the people in our neighborhoods who give their time and hearts to
make it a better place – creating public art, driving seniors to medical appointments or taking care of yard
chores, and the lively community of seniors who make HME function by leading classes, making the
luncheons run like clockwork, and helping each other in their homes. That is what makes HME so unique –
it’s truly “neighbors helping neighbors”, and I am grateful to be part of it.
Winter Carnival at Hamline Playground
History by Steve & Nancy Bailey Nostalgia
The Hamline Playground at 1570 Lafond Avenue, Corner
of Lafond and Snelling, has been host to a number of events over
the years. Opened in 1921, a “pavilion” (actually a one-story
house) was moved to the northwest corner of the playground. It
had a large porch and faced Lafond Avenue. The current
building was designed in 1938, and completed in 1940.
Some of the interesting events that took place at the
playground were a series of "winter carnivals." The first one to
take place was February 2, 1927. Eight thousand people attended
the carnival. A carnival queen was elected and to help raise
Hamline Playground’s new building, 1940 money votes were sold. Skating races were the most important
event of the carnival. $75 was given to the winners of the various races. The rink was lined with people on all
sides and police officers were on duty to keep the crowds back. Commissioner Wenzel placed the crown on
the head of Miss Hoff, who was elected queen of the carnival. Jost's Orchestra played almost continuously
during the evening. More than $50 worth of fireworks were set off. One large piece bearing the name,
"Hamline" raised loud applause from everyone. Fancy figure skating was the last official number of the
program. One expert skater leaped over three large barrels — and landed on his feet. At 9:00 P.M. the rink
was opened to all skaters, and the great event was officially over. Over three hundred dollars was taken in,
most of which was furnished by the Hamline merchants.
The February 3, 1928, Hamline Carnival was another grand success in regards to both attendance and
glamour. A half dozen parades on the important streets and many bands with fireworks booming
everywhere, played important roles in the event. The King of Midway and the queens from the various
districts received deafening applause. This was the most important week as far as the Carnival is concerned.
The program was opened by a parade of no mean size, starting at the western City Limits and ending at the
Coliseum Ball Room on Lexington Avenue, where the queen of the entire Midway district was selected. Some
form of entertainment was offered every night this week to the people of the District. One of the longest and
most interesting parades of the week was along Snelling Avenue from Como to St. Clair Street. A number of
floats and decorated automobiles were in the line. Items ranging from toy sleds attached to cars to chariots
were included in the spectacle. At the Hamline Playground, Miss Oliver and Miss White, elected queens of
the Hamline District, received cups as prizes. Among the decorations for the winter carnival were two in
particular that attracted more attention. One was the large "H" constructed of different colored lights on a
University Avenue firm at the corner of Hamline Avenue and the other at Prior Avenue where a pasteboard
ship was placed in a setting of natural ice. It really looked very true to life.
The Hamline Carnival was staged February 8, 1929, with more than 5,000 residents looking on. At 8 p.m.,
the mile long parade, a part of the Midway Carnival, stopped at the Hamline playground. Music was
furnished by several bands which took part in the carnival. Two dozen Indian warriors and maidens
emerged from a large bus and performed an Indian dance on the skating rink. A large bonfire was lit, more
for display than for heat, as the evening was warm. Following that, various races were held by local skaters,
and then came an exhibition of fancy skating by professionals. To conclude the program, the bands which
had been playing, played with even more enthusiasm and fireworks were set off, ranging from skyrockets to
artistic display works. "Cowboys" riding on mounts loaned by a local horse market, wheeled their horses
about with a final "Whoopee" and led the Indians to their waiting bus and cars which were parked on Asbury
Avenue. The parade then traveled south on Snelling. Included in the parade was a Stage coach escorted by
cowboys armed with blank cartridge pistols, sleighs, decorated cars, wagons and trucks followed.
Mischievous young Hamline residents kept Indians, cowboys and just plain civilians in constant fear of
snowball bombardments.
Some Favorite Photos
Ekko Atchison was the oldest person
our program has served. She lived at
Shane Montoya (kneeling in center) of The Odd Couple Team with Keller Williams Integrity
home (with support from numerous
Realty presenting a $1,000 check to Hamline Midway Elders as a matching donation in April
neighbors and volunteers) until a few
2017. The elders pictured all made donations in March 2017 that Shane’s company matched.
weeks before she passed away at 105.
We had a full bus of 58 happy riders for our October 2017 Grace Abraham (4th from left) was thankful for the eager volunteers from
field trip—a Gangster Bus Tour. We’re thinking that our YouthWorks providing yard work in July 2017. YouthWorks recruits youth
2018 bus field trip will take us to the recently renovated group volunteers from all over the Midwest to provide valuable chore services
State Capital, but we’re open for other suggestions. for neighborhood elders during the summer months.
We have been partnering with Hamline University the past 4 years on an
One of our first field trips a few years ago had elders intergenerational project titled “LEAP Into Saint Paul” on the Tuesday after
riding a vintage 1954 bus to the Minnesota Streetcar Labor Day when groups of incoming freshmen sit down for 2 hours with some
Museum at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. elders to talk about life in general along with life in the neighborhood.
Knitting Group Reading Buddies at
Hamline Elementary
We’re looking for more older volunteers
to become part of our Reading Buddy program
with Hamline Elementary School. No experience
is necessary, just a desire to interact with some
wonderful third grade students. The students
enjoy reading to neighborhood elders while the
Our knitting group meets weekly on older adults love the interaction.
Mondays from 1 pm to 3 pm at Hamline Church We invite elders to be a Reading Buddy on
United Methodist (1514 Englewood Ave.). the first and third Wednesdays of each month
Hamline Midway Elders provides the yarn from 10:45 to 11:30 am. For more information,
and needles along with some light snacks. The please contact Tom Fitzpatrick at 651-209-6542 or
participants work on projects, such as making tom@hmelders.org.
shawls to be donated to a local hospice, blankets
for a child care center, and other projects that the
group chooses. It has also become a nice social
Indoor Walking Tracks
gathering for a small group of elders and new It’s important to keep your body moving,
participants are welcome. even during Minnesota winter. Indoor walking
To learn more about the knitting group, tracks are a great place to exercise, without
please contact Laurel Collins at 651-209-6542 or having to deal with ice, snow, and cold.
laurel@hmelders.org. Highland Community Center (1978 Ford
Parkway) and Oxford Community Center (270
Lexington Parkway N) are among several places
Online with Hamline that offer free indoor walking for seniors at certain
days and times.
Midway Elders Hamline Midway Elders is also planning
to start up our walking club again this spring. For
more information, please contact Laurel Collins at
• Check out our Web Site at 651-209-6542 or laurel@hmelders.org.
www.hmelders.org
Hamline Midway Elders
• Email us at info@hmelders.org 1514 Englewood Ave.
• Follow us on Facebook St. Paul, MN 55104
651-209-6542
• Learn about ways to help on www.hmelders.org info@hmelders.org
VolunteerMatch.com Monica Gallagher, Service Director
Tom Fitzpatrick, Program Director
Laurel Collins, Resource Coordinator
“Second Tuesday”
Luncheons
1514 Englewood Ave
(Hamline Church United Methodist)
Including free blood pressure checks
Transportation can be provided
for neighborhood seniors
Jody’s Documentary Film Series
Lunch 11:30 • Speaker 12:15 - 1:00
We partner with the Hamline Midway Library
(1558 W Minnehaha Ave.) and POV (Twin Cities RSVP (651) 209-6542 or
Public TV) on this film series. Jody Huber will info@hmelders.org
introduce the films and lead a discussion after the
showing. Snacks will be provided and all are January 9: “Health & Wellness New Year’s
welcome to this monthly last Wednesday series. Resolutions " Kathy Carlson, a member of the
HME Board of Directors and a trained Tai Chi
Upcoming films will be: instructor, will share how older adults can
stay healthy & active in both mind & spirit.
January 31 at 1pm
Ping Pong
Filmmakers: Hugh Hartford, Anson Hartford
They're going for the gold in the international ta-
ble tennis championships -- and they're all over 80
years old.
February 28 at 1pm
What I Want My Words To Do To You
Filmmakers: Madeleine Gavin, Judith Katz, Gary Sunshine
Go inside a women’s writing workshop: women Green Books will also be hosting another book
serving time, mostly for murder. See and hear giveaway at the January 9 luncheon.
how they got there and why. Then learn how their
astonishing writings turned into a prison perfor- February 13: “Hamline Midway Elders—
Review of 2017 and Preview of 2018”
mance by actors like Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei
Staff members Monica Gallagher, Laurel
and Rosie Perez.
Collins & Tom Fitzpatrick will share details of
March 28 at 1pm elders served in 2017; and they’ll also describe
Swim Team some individual services and program events
Filmmaker: Lara Stolman to be offered in 2018.
Meet Mikey, Robert and Kelvin. Teens as diverse Future Luncheons
as can be, but all exceptional swimmers on the
We are in the process of finalizing speakers
same competitive team. And all on the autism
and topics for most of 2018. Upcoming
spectrum. No one, but no one, is going to tell them
luncheons should include presentations on the
what they can’t do.
following topics:
• Legal Rights of Seniors
• Our Muslim Neighbors
• Importance of Walking
We are so glad to be partnering with Hamline • Ask the Doctor
Midway Library (especially Shelly Hawkins), POV • Nature at Our Doorstep
and Jody Huber on this documentary film series.
Let’s Cook and
Eat Healthy
New Chair Yoga Series
Nancy Giguere returns to lead another
Chair Yoga series at the Hamline Midway Library
Hamline Midway Elders is partnering with
(1558 W Minnehaha Ave). Classes will be held on
the University of Minnesota to offer a one time
Thursday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30 starting
cooking nutrition class on Wednesday, January 24
January 11 through February 22.
from 11 am to 1 pm in the kitchen at Hamline
Sitting in a chair or standing using the
Church United Methodist (1514 Englewood Ave.).
chair for support, you’ll learn fundamentals of
Space is limited to 12 participants and advance
yoga postures and breathing, practice techniques registration is required. Attendees will help
to release tension in mind and body, and begin prepare and enjoy a hearty winter lunch.
building strength and flexibility. The instructor will be Yeng Moua, who has
For more information and to register for been working as a Health and Nutrition Educator
these free classes, please contact Tom Fitzpatrick at the University of Minnesota for over 3 years.
at 651-209-6542 or tom@hmelders.org. He's excited to teach a thing or two about healthy
cooking and he looks forward to gaining just as
Exercise & Tai Chi Classes
much knowledge from the seniors as he dishes
Return in March out. (No pun intended)
Joni O’Connell will be leading another For more information or to register, please
series of exercise classes that will be held on contact Tom Fitzpatrick at 651-209-6542 or
Tuesday & Thursday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:30 tom@hmelders.org.
pm for 8 weeks beginning March 13. Classes are
held in the Fireside Room at Hamline Church
United Methodist (1514 Englewood Ave). Online with Hamline
Kathy Carlson will lead another series of
Tai Chi classes on Monday mornings starting Midway Elders
March 5. These one hour classes begin at 11:30 am
and are also held in the Fireside Room at Hamline
Church United Methodist (1514 Englewood Ave). • Check out our Web Site at
New attendees are always welcome at www.hmelders.org
these free classes. We encourage older adults who
have never tried these classes to join us for one • Email us at info@hmelders.org
class to see for themselves if it’s right for them.
For more information and to register for • Follow us on Facebook
the above classes, please contact Tom Fitzpatrick • Learn about ways to help on
of Hamline Midway Elders at 651-209-6542 or
tom@hmelders.org. VolunteerMatch.com
Hamline Midway Elders Non Profit Org
HME U.S. Postage
1514 Englewood Avenue
PAID
St. Paul, MN 55104 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Permit No. 3948
Twin Cities MN
Helping seniors live well at
home since 2001
Frogtown Seniors Meet Monthly
Hamline Midway Elders plans to offer
support and assistance to an active group of elders
from the Frogtown neighborhood. Larry Paulsen,
with the help of other neighborhood volunteers,
has organized activities for a number of years.
The group meets on the third Friday of
each month from 11 am to 1 pm at the Nickel Joint
at 501 Blair Ave. They enjoy a pot luck meal and
bingo. They average 20-30 seniors at these monthly
social events and new attendees are welcome.
Frogtown Seniors also has several large annual
events including a garage sale, chicken dinner,
Halloween party and Holiday party.
Tom Fitzpatrick, HME Program Director,
met with the group in December to offer ways of
helping. Blood pressure checks, hand massages
(Left to Right) Donna Appelhans, Ann Audette and Larry Paulsen at and transportation assistance attracted the most
the pot luck luncheon of Frogtown Seniors in December 2017. Hamline
interest and will be provided during 2018.
Midway Elders looks forward to supporting this group in 2018 with their
monthly gatherings along with several large annual events. To learn more about Frogtown Seniors,
please call Larry Paulsen at 651-224-2456.
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