Last weekend was the Prep Bowl in Minnesota - our state high school football tournament.  Amid the youthful achievements on the Metrodome field, 93-year-old Art Tysk was giving lessons on growing old well by doing what he loves to do.  Tysk, 93, is a familiar face at Minnesota state tournaments and the Minnesota State Fair where [...]

We’re very pleased to announce that legendary newspaper columnist and author Jim Klobuchar has joined Ecumen’s Changing Aging blog as a monthly contributor.  His first monthly post will appear next week.  Jim is someone who, like our readers, is changing aging.  We welcome Jim to the discussion and his insightful views on living.  Following is [...]

Imagine making your college basketball playing comeback at age 73, after 53 years away from the hardwood.  Ken Mink is doing it.  Check out this video shared by Ecumen colleague John Boughton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvkmqbgUU_E

There are a lot of people busy within Ecumen in shaping new senior housing options and services.  We want to share with you some new development and service news from around Ecumen: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Ecumen’s Emmanuel Community in Detroit Lakes has opened The Cottage & Day Spa.  It provides expanded options to families in Detroit [...]

Reports are that former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle from South Dakota is President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to head the Health and Human Services department.  Daschle would take that position at one of the most critical times in the U.S. history of aging services where there is so much opportunity for change. So is there anything [...]

Innovators are making new connections in the age wave . . . Thanks to Ecumen colleague Robin Dunbar for sharing this video story:

Thank you to Ecumen colleague Anna Cole-Kost at Ecumen’s Parmly LifePointes community who contributed this reflection on the gift of growing old.  It was sent to her from a friend who has discovered new things in old age: Old Age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, [...]

Minnesota State Representative Paul Thissen, a Democrat who chairs the House and Human Services Committee, filed papers yesterday to run for Governor of Minnesota in 2010.  What’s particularly intriguing about Thissen is his interest in the age wave (check out his web site here) and innovation and his desire to help shape new solutions. The [...]

I’d like to share a Veterans Day prayer from Rev. Alice Olson, who leads Ecumen’s spiritual services at Ecumen’s Bayshore and Lakeshore communities in Duluth, Minnesota.  Thank you to everyone who has served our country, is serving and who has shared their family members in service to America.  God Bless. Almighty God, Creator We commend to your [...]

Do you think transformation of aging services in America is just about seniors . . . just about baby boomers . . . think again: