Ann Bergstrom (right), a volunteer with Lyngblomsten’s group respite program The Gathering, helps a participant with an activity.

By Mara Gawarecki

Volunteers are a key part of Lyngblomsten, and that’s especially true for The Gathering, a group respite program offered by Lyngblomsten Community Services. The program provides enrichment and socialization for older adults living at home with early- to mid-stage memory loss while providing a break to their family caregivers. Held three times each week on both of Lyngblomsten’s campuses, The Gathering is led by Lyngblomsten staff with support from trained volunteers.

A session of The Gathering lasts four hours, each requiring five volunteers for up to 10 participants. For volunteers Kathy Erno and Ann Bergstrom, those hours fly by as they engage with participants in a number of enjoyable activities.

Each shift begins with volunteers signing in and huddling 30 minutes prior to the arrival of participants. They receive a preview of the day’s planned activities from the staff facilitator, make coffee, and prepare any needed supplies. At 10 on the dot, they’re ready in the lobby to greet caregivers and escort participants to The Gathering room.

Intentionally designed to stimulate all areas of the brain, the session begins with half an hour of word games and conversation so that “everybody’s feeling joyous and comfortable,” said Kathy, who volunteers for The Gathering at Lyngblomsten at Lino Lakes. Each week features a theme designed by Rachel Boucher, The Gathering Program Coordinator, and every day includes a creative activity (like art or music) tied to the theme with a component that helps with fine motor skills. Sometimes, a guest speaker makes a presentation on the theme topic.

Volunteers eat lunch with the participants, which makes it a pivotal part of the day, said Kathy. “You’re sitting with the participants and eating and talking with them like they’re your family.”

Each day also includes an active, physical game such as ladder golf or cornhole, along with trivia or memory games. At the end of the session at 2 PM, volunteers escort participants back to the lobby for pick-up before helping to tidy up The Gathering space.

Throughout the day, volunteers provide companionship and guidance matched to participants’ needs, but never step in to do work for participants. For example, with art activities, some participants require a small nudge to help make a decision or reminders about instructions. For others, volunteers chat as participants complete projects on their own.

“It’s about their art; we don’t do it for them,” said Ann, who volunteers with The Gathering at Lyngblomsten at Como Park.

   

Ann Bergstrom, a volunteer with The Gathering, enjoys conversations with program participants.

Kathy agreed, repeating a mantra often heard at The Gathering from Rhonda Breakfield-Uggen, one of the staff facilitators: “Whatever you do is right; there is no right or wrong in art.”

Both Kathy and Ann decided to start volunteering with The Gathering once they’d retired. Ann was familiar with Lyngblomsten through Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, one of Lyngblomsten’s member congregations, where Ann served as a visitation pastor.  She also has personal experience with older adults with memory loss as her father has Alzheimer’s disease. Her parents used a respite care program like The Gathering, and volunteering at Lyngblomsten is a way for her to pay it forward.

“Plus, I worked in long-term care, and I love working with older people, especially when there’s memory care,” Ann said. “I know what a difference it made to my mom, to have that respire care three days a week, and what a difference it made to my dad, to have that engagement three days a week. It [volunteering with The Gathering] was a perfect match for me.”

A retired St. Paul Public Schools teacher who was looking to find a meaningful volunteer opportunity, Kathy discovered Lyngblomsten through a booth at her church, Incarnation Lutheran, also a Lyngblomsten member congregation. Rachel drew her in and convinced her to give The Gathering a try.

   

Kathy Erno, a volunteer with The Gathering, brings a smile to her work with program participants.

“I shadowed for a day at The Gathering,” Kathy said. “There was so much joy in that place, and I decided I had to volunteer.”

For both Ann and Kathy, the joy of The Gathering is a key draw that keeps them coming back.

“You work with really nice people, and it’s the joy—the genuine, authentic joy you witness,” Kathy said. “You have to give Rhonda and Rachel credit because it’s so clear they love their people, participants, and volunteers.”

Ann treasures the friendships she’s made at The Gathering, both with participants and other volunteers, during her Tuesday shifts. “It is the day of the week I laugh the most.”

Interested in volunteering with The Gathering? Contact Volunteer Services at (651) 632-5499 or volunteer@lyngblomsten.org to learn more. Opportunities to shadow a Gathering volunteer for the day are available.