COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

 

Atwater, Minnesota is a closely-knit community of 1,054, with 21.5 percent of its total population over the age of 60.  In 1988, Atwater and its surrounding areas, began experiencing economic hardship brought on by the farming crisis.  Farm families, who had for generations experienced financial security, suffered severe economic instability when farming prices took a nose-dive.  Although the farm crisis most directly affected farm families, the entire community of Atwater felt the impact of this economic downturn. 

 

BACKGROUND HISTORY

 

Community members felt strongly that they should not wait for the government to resolve their community problems.  Instead, community meetings were called and concerned citizens discussed issues and sought solutions.  As a result of the community coming together, a number of projects were initiated. The following are the highlights of some of these programs.

 

THE LIVING AT HOME BLOCK NURSE PROGRAM

 

At one of the early community meetings, the plight of one of the town’s senior citizens became the focus of attention. An elderly resident had been forced to place his wife in a nursing home eight miles away because there were no residential care facilities available in Atwater.  Every day, the older man drove the eight miles to be with his wife and to help her with lunch. It  was doubtful he would retain his ability to safely make the drive for much longer.

 

In an effort to keep elderly citizens from continuing to be displaced and inconvenienced, the community considered building a nursing home in Atwater.  How­ever, the State of Minnesota had a statewide moratorium on construction of new nursing facilities. Other alternatives to assist the elders of the community had to be found.

 

The town banker contacted a fellow mem­ber of the Minnesota Bankers Association who introduced town leader­s to the founder of the St. Anthony Park Block Nurse Program.  As a result of this contact, the Atwater community was invited to participate in a replication initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.  It seemed feasible that such a program could keep the elderly residents of Atwater living in their rural community and in their homes.  With the initiation of the project, Atwater became the first rural site in the nation to create a Block Nurse Program.

 

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded a grant to the community of Atwater for the development of the Living at Home Block Nurse Program.  The program is unique in that people from the community are hired as aides and nurses to provide in-home services and assistance, whenever possible.  In this way, neighbors help neighbors in a formal health care delivery system aimed at providing support to community dwelling seniors while they are still living in their homes.  Needs are monitored and addressed before reaching a point of crisis.  In order to meet the demand for services, some of the trained medical personnel, such as registered nurses and home health aides, are obtained through a contractual agreement between the Block Nurse Program and the Kandiyohi County Community Health Service.

 

The Living At Home Block Nurse Program is not only the center of at-home care, but it maintains an active and visible presence in the community through programs to promote wellness, build intergenerational relationships and support community development.   For example, nurses provide monthly foot care and blood pressure clinics through the Block Nurse Program.  The program also sponsors an annual May Day Festival that involves the entire community and is enjoyed by elderly residents. In conjunction with the Block Nurse Program, the community of Atwater provides daily van transportation for seniors to nutrition sites, area banks, beauty parlors, grocery stores and special community social events, such as the May Day Festival. 

 

Atwater main­tains a strong affiliation with Block Nurse Program, developing and supporting many intergenerational activities, including an annual community cleanup where students help senior community members by raking leaves, washing windows and preparing flower beds for upcoming spring and summer flower planting.  These activities keep the elderly mem­bers of the community involved.  The activities also help younger community members to become aware of seniors in their community and to develop a positive relationship with older adults.  The many intergenerational programs and activities in which the Block Nurse Program is involved reflect the strong interdependence and mutual value community members share with each other. 

 

The Block Nurse Program sponsors a health fair that draws more than a hundred seniors.  Booths offer services such as wellness-oriented health tips and free screenings for cholesterol and blood sugar.  Seniors can receive a free upper body massage or go to the "Ask the Doctor" booth to get some answers to specific health questions.

 

The Living at Home Block Nurse Program reflects the concerns, values and needs of the Atwater community.  Strongly based on neighbors helping neighbors and continuity, the Block Nurse Program has come to represent a source of companionship and com­munity caring for seniors.  This has helped to foster a sense of trust and confidentiality between the Block Nurse Program, care providers, and needy seniors. 

 

Funding

 

Grants from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield provide the primary sources of financial support.  Local contributions from civic organizations, such as the Amer­ican Legion, Lions Club and Eagles Clubs, local fund-raising activities, and in-kind services help to supplement the financial needs of the program.

 

Challenges

 

Convincing elderly citizens of Atwater that services provided through the Block Nurse Program were not a form of welfare was, perhaps, the single most difficult aspect of implementing the program.  Community education became a major component to be addressed, if the Atwater program was to be a success.  It was necessary to highlight the fact that personnel would be hired from within the community, whenever possible.  It was explained that friends and neighbors would be taking care of friends and neighbors.  Community-based care, services, and programs were the selling points.

 

OTHER PROGRAMS DEVELOPED BY THE ATWATER COMMUNITY

 

Cooking with Grandma: A Summer Program

 

Cooking with Grandma is a program spon­sored through the Block Nurse and Summer Recreation Programs.  This inter­generational program takes place during the summer months and children learn the fine art of cooking from the experts, senior ladies in the community.  The program has had one debut summer and was enjoyed by twenty-one children and nine seniors,  who made cookies, sandwiches (BLTs), pancakes and homemade ice-cream, among other treats.   Besides learning how much fun they could have together, the highlight for the students and the seniors was eating the final product.

 

The Latchkey Program

 

The latchkey program for elementary through sixth grade students was in place by 1997.  Seniors worked as assistants to a paid school employee and provided support to children whose parents were not available at the time school is dismissed.  This program provided the opportunity for the children to build relationships with active seniors living in the community.  The seniors read stories, helped with homework and visited with children until parents arrived.  The leadership in the community of Atwater is committed to building positive intergenerational relationships within the community and believes that, based on these successful relationships, the children of Atwater will develop stronger character.

 

Volunteers-Respite

 

Thirty-six trained volunteers provide help as needed, including friendly visiting, running errands and taking friends to  medical appointments.  Ten of these volunteers are specially trained in respite care to relieve caregivers.  They provide care in the home when a caregiver needs to leave the home for appointments or to take a break from caregiving.  For example, a senior in the community who cares for her husband has a medical appointment in Minneapolis (90 miles east of Atwater) every week.  Her husband suffers from mild dementia, so three to four respite workers take turns during the day spending time with him, sharing lunch, etc. until she returns.

 

Latest Projects

 

The most recent programs include a dementia program designed to provide education to caregivers and the community on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.  Also, a walking program at the community center was developed to provide seniors with a safe and comfortable place to walk and interact with each other. 

 

A community history preserved through art program has been a wonderful project in the community.  Local artists are brought into the schools to share the experience of capturing the history of their community through art. 

Elders in the community are brought into the schools to share their life experiences with the students and the artists assist the students in capturing those experiences through the use of art.  The program provides students with an opportunity to appreciate the history of their community and the people who helped build it.  The students are given an opportunity to learn that individuals are valuable and have made valuable contributions to the community,  regardless of economic status, level of education, or age.  This building of inter­generational respect and value brings the community together.

 

PLANS FOR FUTURE GROWTH

 

Leadership Development

 

The leadership of Atwater can be de­­­scribed as quite progressive.  Twelve individuals, recognized as community  leaders, have attended the Blandon Foun­dation Rural Community Leadership Training.  The training begins with a week of classroom instruction and continues over a span of 12 months.  Rural leaders are systematically taught how to identify and address the needs of their communities. 

 

The entire community is strengthened by the collaborative efforts of Atwater's community leaders. Implementation of community projects reflects focused strategic approaches and coordinated utilization of community resources.