Letter to the Editor: "Celebrate the lives of seniors"

(National Skilled Nursing Care Week is this week.  Aase Haugen Senior Services Executive Director Jeffrey K. Schmidt has submitted the following Letter to the Editor):

"In skilled nursing care centers across the country, each person has a unique story to tell. That's why Aase Haugen Senior Services is excited that the theme of this year's National Skilled Nursing Care Week  is "Celebrating Life's Stories."

Taking time to listen to how life's most significant events, relationships, and experiences have shaped who others are today cultivates a shared sense of purpose and deeper understanding for both the narrator and the listener. The theme for the 2018 observance, "Celebrating Life's Stories," pays tribute to the diverse perspectives that residents, families, and staff bring to interactions every day in our nursing care center and senior living communities.

Aase Haugen Senior Services takes pride in better understanding our residents' stories. While our jobs center on health care and illness prevention – of utmost importance is making sure we see the person, hear their stories and share their lives in meaningful ways. Caring for people means caring for their history, their dreams, and today's challenges. Our staff is incredible when it comes to the dedication needed to bring fullness to lives of those we serve. From our active senior living properties, to assisted living, to our nursing facility, what matters most is the people who call Aase Haugen home.

We invite our community to join us in celebrating the lives of every senior citizen in our community during National Skilled Nursing Care Week and National Older Americans Month in May. Take the time to learn from them, enrich their lives with a visit, volunteer at Aase Haugen Senior Services, or simply remember them in prayer. Our community is strong because of the seniors who have built it and brought us to this day.  We would do well to remember their efforts, their uniqueness, and the common bond we share to make our lives in Northeast Iowa the best they can be."