A day for the ages

There is nothing more beneficial and meaningful than when young kids interact with the elderly.
Minneota Assisted Living and Home Health Care made that happen recently when several residents made their way to eight daycares around town and involved the kids in a card game.
Each of the daycares were given a deck of cards prior to the residents visiting on their wagon pulled by driver Derrick Ruether, a maintenance employee of Minneota Assisted Living. When the residents visited a particular daycare, the children would run out and give each of the residents a playing card. When the residents returned, the cards were laid on a table to see who had the best hand and a prize was handed out.
Ruether came up with the idea of the interactive card game.
"The maintenance guys here have been great," said Sharkey, referring to Ruether and Justin Pesch. "If I have an idea for something the residents can do, I talk to Derrick and Justin and they jump right in to help and give me ideas to make it even better. They have really been a big help."
The daycare operators and children enjoyed being involved in the game with the residents. Some of the kids brought the residents treats and pictures they colored.
"One daycare even gave the residents cookies and lemonade," said Activities Director Nancy Sharkey. "Another one gave them all freezies, which was nice because it was warm out that day. They even cut the tops off the freezies for us. Both the residents and the kids had a really good time."
The residents donned colorful headbands for the children, while some of the children dressed up in costumes.
The residents also went on a scavenger hunt recently. Sharkey made sheets showing several items that the residents had to locate while being driven around town in their familiar wagon.
"I gave them each a clipboard with the list of items and photos of things like a church and a dog and they needed to try and find those items," Sharkey said. "I think they really enjoyed that, too."
It's refreshing for community members getting a chance to see the residents and children mingle in a way that was not possible during the peak of the pandemic. These two age groups thrive on one another's friendship.
During Boxelder Bug Days week, two medallions a day will be hidden inside the assisted living facility and residents will try to find them for prizes.
Following the Boxelder Bug Days parade on Sunday, Sept. 11, the staff and residents of Minneota Assisted Living and Home Health Care will serve lemonade to anyone in the parade.
"The parade ends in our parking lot," Sharkey said. "So, we decided to offer them free lemonade."
The staff is also organizing future events such as an ice cream social in the fall.