WEDNESDAY, march 17, 2021 | SENIOR LIVING | PAGE 1
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SENIOR LIVING
Gabrielle Studier is the director of nursing at St. John’s Lutheran Community’s Luther Place campus. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune
‘It’s like home’ for St. John’s Lutheran community’s new director of nursing By Sarah Stultz
sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com
The new director of nursing at St. John’s Lutheran Community off of Minnesota Highway 13 has a long history with the Albert Lea care center. Gabrielle Studier said she started as a community assistant there when she was 16 and through the years became a certified nursing assistant, got trained in medication administration and then became a licensed practical nurse. She worked for a year in Blooming Prairie and came back to the nursing home for a year after having her oldest child, and then worked as a nurse at the Freeborn County jail for seven years before returning
once again. Upon returning, she first stepped into the role as nurse manager and then became director of nursing. “Every time I come back, it’s like home,” Studier said. “This is where I started my journey.” As director of nursing, she oversees all the nurses, CNAs, TMAs and community assistants — she estimated about 50 people over all of the shifts. She said she enjoys working in the senior care setting because she enjoys hearing the residents’ stories and learning where they came from, along with meeting all of their families. During her time at the jail, she said there were a lot more mental health needs there and
“Every time I come back, it’s like home. This is where I started my journey.” — Gabrielle Studier, director of nursing at St. John’s Lutheran Community, Luther Place campus the turnover was more frequent. “It’s nice to get to know the residents,” she said. She talked about the challenges care centers have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and said she was proud the facility went all of 2020 without any positive cases of COVID-19 in their residents. In January, they had an outbreak in the facility — even
one positive case is considered an outbreak, she said. They had to open their COVID unit — an area in the facility that was not previously being used — to help isolate cases. “It helped having that,” she said. She said they were in “an outbreak” for three weeks and were successfully able to keep the virus from spreading to the
rest of the building. Now, about 95% of the residents and about half of the staff are vaccinated, and they are looking forward to spring. She said there is some remodeling happening on the first floor of the facility, where a former nurses station is being turned into a sitting area for residents. They also look forward to starting the garden. Studier and her husband, Troy, have three children — Cahston, 13, Ledger, 11, and Kinley, 9. She said they enjoy sports and noted that they are looking forward to baseball and softball in the summer, as well as camping. Born and raised in Albert Lea, she is the daughter of Fred and Laurie Valdez.
Albert Lea woman’s grandson part of protecting the president By Sarah Stultz
sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com
While most people watch the festivities surrounding a presidential inauguration on the television or online, one local woman’s grandson got to take part in them first-hand as a member of the Secret Service for President Joe Biden. Colleen Ingvaldson, who lives at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community, said her grandson, Nick Wadding, has been in the Secret Service for about 12 years and spent Christmas a few years ago with former President Barack Obama. “He’s been all over,” Ingvaldson said. Wadding is the son of Kim and Judy Wadding and grew up in Iowa. She said her son was a chief of police in Dubuque, Iowa, and when her grandson grew up, he went to college and decided he
“It’s amazing. I didn’t ever dream it.” — Colleen Ingvaldson wanted to be a police officer, too. After time working as an officer in Iowa, he decided he wanted to work for the Secret Service and was accepted. The grandmother said her grandson spent his first years in the Secret Service in Nebraska and then has spent the remainder in Washington, D.C. She has a picture of him walking next to the president’s vehicle during the presidential motorcade on Inauguration Day this year. “It’s amazing,” she said. “I didn’t ever dream it.”
Colleen Ingvaldson holds up a picture of her grandson, who took part in the presidential motorcade as a member of the Secret Service in the recent presidential inauguration in January. Provided
Page 2 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, march 17, 2021
Dr. Seuss Day
Senior Spotlight Dellan Hagen Age: 84 Native of: Albert Lea Place of residency: Good Samaritan Society-Hidden Creek Family: Very proud to have raised his four children and a granddaughter Education: High school
Read across America is a day to celebrate the joys of reading. Oak Park Place celebrated in a special way with some green eggs and ham in honor of Dr Seuss. The afternoon was full of reading fun and discussion on the importance of reading to keep our minds sharp at any age. Provided
Former occupation: Universal Milkers for 32 years; owned a janitor service; owned/operated Julio’s Bar in Hayward What is your favorite childhood memory? Sitting behind Edna Mae Stadheim on the bus and pulling her ponytails. “I was always getting into trouble.” What is your favorite
memory from adulthood? Watching my children grow up What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? Meeting so many great people during the time that I spent at Julio’s. It was a good business. Is there a piece of advice you wish someone had given you or you would have listened to when you were young? Not really. I enjoyed life the way that I lived it. What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? To be very kind to people. What do you enjoy most about where you are living now? The people! I love the staff and the people that live here.
Celebrating National Pizza Day
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Oak Park Place residents and staff enjoyed personal pizzas made-to-order by the facility’s dietary team for National Pizza Day. All the residents and staff wore mustaches on their masks to join in the spirit of the day. It brought lots of laughter and fun to the day. Provided
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Mardi Gras fun
Who needs Bourbon Street? Oak Park Place had their own Mardi Gras celebration going on. Residents enjoyed celebrating Mardi Gras with some fun masks and games.
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WEDNESDAY, march 17, 2021 | SENIOR LIVING | PAGE 3
Majestic eagles outside St. John’s
Senior Spotlight Coni Tuberty Age: 79 A native of: Freeborn County Place of residency: St. John’s Lutheran Community, Knutson Place Apartments Family: three children, two grandsons, one greatgranddaughter Education: Graduated from Alden High School in 1959 and then graduated from Mankato State in 1962. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education and taught school for three years.
St. John’s Lutheran Community’s Fountain Lake campus enjoys a gorgeous view of these majestic eagles. Pictured here is the mom on the branch, most likely taking a break from hunting. Dad is on the nest, incubating the eggs. Mom generally takes the night shift for incubating eggs because mom is bigger and can cover the eggs better in the cold weather. Provided
Former occupation: Teacher for three years. She went into the food business, catering out of her home. Tuberty owned and operated a supper club, a café and a convenience store in Twin Lakes all at the same time. Her last working position was as an office manager for Bayview/ Freeborn Funeral Home in Albert Lea for seven years before retiring. What would you say is
your greatest accomplishment? Helping her children become so successful. What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? To have faith and never give up.
What do you enjoy most about where you are living now? She enjoys the independence but appreciates the fact that there are services available should she need them. And above all the staff is great.
Are you a coach or parent with youth sports?
A celebration of women Submit results and photos to: tribsports@albertleatribune.com
In honor of International Women’s Day 2021, St. John’s Lutheran Community’s Luther Place campus celebrated with a fun tea party. They made hats and enjoyed an afternoon of delicious tea and treats. Provided
The Meadows
Assisted Living Memory Care at the Fountain Lake Community 24-hour Care Staff Cognitive programming for enhanced memory care Specially-trained dementia care staff Full-time chaplain and worship services 901 Luther Place and 1761 Eagle View Circle Albert Lea, MN 507-373-8226 www.stjohnsofalbertlea.org
Page 4 | SENIOR LIVING | WEDNESDAY, march 17, 2021
Senior Spotlight Darlyne Rippey Age: 93 Native of: Missouri Place of Residency: Thorne Crest Senior Living Community Family: five sons (fourliving), 13 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild this fall Education: High School — 12th grade Former occupation: Bookkeeper and secretary at Crest Group Home. Also, volunteered at Thorne Crest and Thorne Crest South Favorite childhood memory: My sister and I sharing a room and a bed. We marked off our half and made sure we didn’t
Inter-generational love at St. John’s
get on the wrong side! Also, double dating with my sister in high school. Favorite adult memory: The love from my husband and sons and family. Also, the traveling we were able to do and wintering in Arizona Greatest accomplishment: Raising five sons. Learning the ropes of being a farm girl for 14 years after being raised in the city. It taught me a lot of coping skills. Piece of advice you wish someone had given you: To spend more time memorizing Bible verses. It is harder as you get older.
As part of the inter-generational program at St. John’s Lutheran Community, Tiny Toes Daycare delivered treats and Valentine’s Day cards for everyone to enjoy. They created and delivered these special treats and cards to all tenants and residents at both St. John’s Lutheran Community campuses. Provided
Greatest lesson life has taught you: Seek God’s guidance for all things. What do you enjoy most about where you are living now: The fellowship with
friends and excellent help from staff here at Thorne
Crest. It is another family for me.
A thank you for service at Thorne Crest
Thorne Crest housekeeping staff members show their appreciation to Arcadian Bank for the generous donation of meal vouchers at area restaurants. Vouchers were provided for all staff members. Provided
Stylin’ nursing staff Would you be my Valentine?
Concordia Bear Lake Sunday School Children gave Valentine’s Day cards to residents at St. John’s Lutheran Community. St. John’s residents and tenants loved them. Provided Thorne Crest skilled nursing staff members, Emily Anne Crews, Jenny Carlsgaard, Traci Bennett, Amanda Garza and Raquel Kirsch were stylish in their fun, locally purchased scrub shirts. Provided
Thorne Crest residents share the love
Tell us about the news St. John’s Lutheran Community residents thank their friends at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community for the thoughtful and sweet Valentine’s Day cards. Provided
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email: Sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com