Happy Birthday, John Grubb!

Happy Birthday, John Grubb!

Chili Contest Winners!

Announcing our winners for the 2nd Annual Serenity Assisted Living Chili Contest! This year we had nine entries, all SO delicious!


Pictured to the left is our panel of judges (L/R) Denise Balzum, Ron Sahr, Joan Klinnert, Tony Doll and Jim Westphal. Each arduously took their time to determine their favorite chili. What did they decide? Ron Dick's 'Tasteless Chicken Chili' was the unanimous winner! How they decided between all the other delicious chilis I don't know, I'm just glad I didn't have to judge the contest!

The judges also determined winners of two other categories: Most Unique and Best Bribe. Six-year-old Olivia Watson won the Most Unique category! Her chili was called Butter & Baby Bean Turkey with Roast Garlic. Mmmmm! The winner of Best Bribe went to Kim Wegge with her bribe of homemade fudge and banana bread. I changed my mind, maybe being a judge would have been great with those wonderful bribes!


The public was also allowed a couple ballots to vote as they noshed on their favorite chilis. People's choice went to John Hanson for his 'Best in Town' Chili! He is the son-in-law of our very own Alfred Baumgartner! Second place for the same category went to Esther Hilger, also a member of Serenity Assisted Living! Third place went to Teryl Clausen's chili, daughter of our Lois Seifert! Our ladies and gentlemen of Serenity and their families sure know how to cook!


Finally, there was a Best Name category voted by the people. The clear winner was Bryan Champagne with his chili called ' Champagne's Colon Cleanser.'


Thanks to everyone for making our event a success and by supporting what we do here at Serenity Assisted Living! We truly appreciate it and look forward to our contest next year!

Pictured to the right is the winner, Ron Dick, with our Chili Contest traveling trophy and administrator of Serenity Assisted Living, Tim Anderson.

Happy Birthday, Hubert!

Happy Birthday, Hubert!

He celebrated with dozens of delicious cupcakes and surrounded by Family and Friends.

His best part of the night, going to the Pink Fish (Red Lobster) with his family to get shrimp for his birthday.

Hubert is pictured here with Charles Borgen!

2nd Annual Chili Contest

"Next to jazz music, there is nothing that lifts the spirit and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili."
~Harry James

Sign up today for Serenity Assisted Living's 2nd Annual Chili Contest sponsored by our auxilliary group, the SALs GALS!

There are five categories this year including: Best Overall, Most Unique, Best Bribe, People's Choice and Best Name.

Prizes will be awarded in each of these categories! Get your entry form in today! There are five local judges who are just waiting to be bribed.

Contact Denise at Serenity for more information on the contest, an entry form or information on eating some Chili on the January 28th!

Welcome Jacqueline Perkins!

Jacqueline Perkins is new to Serenity, but we like to call her Jackie!

She is a HUGE dog lover, so if you bring your dog to Serenity, be sure to have them visit Jackie!

New Year's Resolutions from Patti Cullen of Care Providers

Please check out an entry from Patti Cullen, advocate for Long Term Care from Care Providers of Minnesota...

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Like many of you who have been tracking the budget stories in the media, I flipped the calendar page over to 2010 with a sense of dread. We have known for a long time that this day would be coming—that the state budget would reach this point of structural instability, and that the low hanging fruit we used in the past as budget balancing band aids would all be gone.

Even a few months ago, I didn’t really believe that the BEST case scenario for long-term care providers would be a Medicaid rate freeze. Heading into the 2010 legislative session with a continued budget deficit, with the courts questioning the unallotments from last session, and with a much slower economic recovery than anticipated -- I now believe.

Some, if not all, of our members will be targets for spending reduction proposals. When the budget gap is that large, and the options to fill it are that small, provider rate cuts will be on the table. We can either “wait and take” or we can get all of the tools out of our toolkit. I plan to do the latter. Given the time of year, I thought it would be best if I converted some of these tools into a few of my top resolutions:

I resolve to embroil us in the debate about how and why new revenue (or deficit reduction fees) is needed to minimize the severity of any budget cuts. Go back to the tax levels of pre-1999 and we would see a significant amount of the budget hole filled.

I resolve to speak up about personal responsibility, personal planning and personal contributions toward long-term care expenses whenever the opportunity arises. The word must be spread outside of our long-term care circle that Medicaid is NOT there for everyone’s long-term care needs—the safety net is shrinking.

I resolve to educate, educate, educate and provide members with tools to do the same. Earlier this week we sent you a few copies of brochures that are the starting point for your use in meetings with folks in your community.

I resolve to focus us on where the money is—and that is NOT the state Medicaid program. Extension of federal stimulus funds, third party payments, Medicare, and private dollars . . . that is where the money is.

I resolve to look beyond the current budget deficit to longer term initiatives, particularly in the quality and technology areas.

I resolve to ask the questions that haven’t been publicly asked in the recent past:
Why are health plans (who are receiving state funds) getting increases in their contracts when others are being cut?

Why are the state agencies continuing with “extra” programs and adding staff for new initiatives at a time when there isn’t any money?

Why is there enhanced money being paid for care at the state Veteran’s Homes when those same veterans could be served at a lower cost in their home communities?
Why can’t we align the financing incentives with the policy incentives to serve individuals in their homes as long as possible?

In times of tight budgets, why is the state enforcing policies that limit how many disabled individuals can live in congregate housing settings, knowing that it will cost the state more to serve them in smaller settings?

Why would we maintain a state policy (rate equalization) that prevents privately-paying customers from paying the true cost of their care? The gap between rates and costs today is over $20 per day.

How far should we expect frail elderly to travel to receive the services they need? (Access to “right place/right time” services may soon become an issue.)
Let me know what you think of these “resolutions” and if you’re ready to ask some of these questions, too.

In the Kitchen

Mary Grubb spent the morning in the kitchen preparing the vegetables for lunch!

Welcome Orval Hurner

Everybody welcome Orval Hurner to Serenity!

He is very talented at woodmaking, just stop by his room and he'll show you some of his creations!

Tis the Season