Bette Bass is an elderly woman who lives independently in her apartment but requires some assistance due to limited mobility and vision impairments. She receives weekly home visits from a nurse to manage her medications and health, and also gets help with grocery shopping and other services as needed. Homecare services allow patients to recover from illnesses or injuries at home rather than in the hospital, and aim to keep clients safe and independent for as long as possible. Medicare and insurance will cover homecare under certain conditions, such as if the patient requires skilled nursing and therapy with the goal of improving their condition.

1. Independent, With Help patient’s physician, Physical Ther-
Volume 14, Issue 3 apy and Occupational Therapy are
―I am so blessed to have the help I
often also called to the home. P.T.
do, so I can stay in my apartment,‖
November, 2011 seeks to restore maximum mobility
says Bette Bass. ―I have a lot of
and physical function. O.T. seeks to
challenging health problems,‖ she
teach patients to safely accomplish
explains. Bette has limited mobility
the ordinary tasks of daily life, from
and very little vision, and is prone to
getting dressed to using the bath-
developing pneumonia. Kathy
room, often with the help of adap-
Bengtson, Director of Homecare at
tive devices. Therapists may also
recommend adaptations to the home,
such as railings, ramps, etc. The
bottom line is safety. Medicare and
insurance will cover these services
for a period, on the condition that
the patient is homebound (there are
strict guidelines for this), that skilled
NEWSLETTER OF THE CANNON VALLEY ELDER COLLEGIIUM
nursing is needed, and that they are
part of a recovery plan, i.e. the pa-
tient is expected to improve. Under
Northfield Hospital, visits Bette these conditions, the home services
once a week to set up her medica- may be discontinued once the pa-
tions, and to discuss any problems or tient has recovered. Ongoing ser-
changes in health indicators that vice after that point requires another
arise and make a plan to manage source of payment, either private or
them. Bette also gets grocery shop-
Collegium News
through a public program available
ping help, and at times other ser- to low income patients. Conditions
vices as needed. that lead to continuing deterioration,
Typically a patient is re- such as Parkinson’s disease or multi-
ferred to Homecare after a surgery, ple sclerosis, may not be eligible for
illness, or other trauma, Kathy says. Medicare or insurance coverage for
―The nurse is the case manager, and homecare, unless the patient has
is the eyes and ears of the physi- long-term care insurance.
cian.‖ The nurse works with the Individuals who need some
client at home to set goals and make assistance with daily living that can
plans to achieve them. Collabora- not be provided by a spouse or other
tion encourages the patient to par- relative are good candidates for on-
ticipate and take responsibility for going homecare services. Visits by
these goals. Education is an essen- a home health aide, help with bath-
tial part of the program – clients ing and certain homemaking tasks
learn how to manage their own care can enable some to remain in their
and how to monitor their health homes when otherwise they would
status so problems can be caught need to transfer to a continual care
before they become critical. The facility. While people are often
goal of homecare is to keep the cli- loath to pay out of pocket for such
ent out of the hospital. Studies show services, it is much less costly than
that people recover more rapidly at nursing home care or other residen-
home than in the hospital, and they tial based continual care. Most of us
also avoid exposure to germs that want to keep My Place and My In-
exist in the hospital environment. dependence as much as possible, for
And of course the cost of homecare as long as possible. Assistance
is much less than hospital care. trumps dependence. By Kathy
Based on the recommenda- Mellstrom
tions of the homecare nurse and the

2. 2
CVEC Class Schedule – Winter 2012
For Lifelong Learning
The Questing Intellect Never Retires
January 9 – March 2, 2012
(Registration Begins November 21, 2011)
Title of Class Professor
Time of Class Location
Einstein! Rich Noer
Monday 9:30 – 11:30 am Weitz Center Rm 8 *
Understanding Evolution Mary Caroline Henry
Monday 1:30 – 3:30 pm Weitz Center Rm 8 *
The Book of Revelation: Richard Collman
Apocalypse and Allegiance Northfield Senior Center Rm 106
Tuesday 9:30 - 11:30 am
Exploring the Haunted Ground Barbara Evans
Of Erin Hart’s Ireland Village on the Cannon
Tuesday 9:30 – 11:30 am
How to be Your Family’s Best Doctor Edward Lufkin
Tuesday 1:30 – 3:30 pm NRC Theater
Paris and the Birth of Modernism Eric Nelson
Wednesday 9:30 – 11:30 am NRC Theater & Fireside Room
Wednesday 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Islam: Unity and Diversity Vern Faillettaz
Thursday 9:30-11:30 Northfield Senior Center Rm 106
Plains Indians In The 19th Century Bob Bonner
Thursday 1:30 - 3:30 pm Village on the Cannon
Celebrations of the Sun Cycle Mary Flaten
Thursday 1:30 – 3:30 pm Three Links , Parkridge Dining Rm
The Economy: Then and Now Bill Carlson
Friday 9:30 - 11:30 am Northfield Senior Center Rm 106
* Could be changed; follow website
2

3. 3
CVEC COURSE DESCRIP- of evolution make biology into a true sci-
TIONS: WINTER 2012 ence? In this course we will explore these
questions. We will see how genetic inheri-
1. Rich Noer - Einstein! tance provides the
Monday 9:30 – 11:30, Weitz Center foundation for
Time magazine’s ―Person of the Century‖ evolutionary
in 2000, Albert Einstein first drew un- change. We will
precedented public atten- understand how
tion for his revolutionary the theory of evo-
scientific ideas (in par- lution unites ob-
ticular, the theories of servations from
relativity and the light many different areas of biology and how
quantum). In the public these observations provide evidence for
eye he evolved into an evolution. Perhaps more importantly, we
iconic figure, instantly will see how this theory forms the basis for
recognizable with his testable hypotheses about living things.
tousled hair, rumpled sweaters, and twin- And finally, we will consider the possible
kling eyes—widely revered but understood conflict between current evolutionary
by few outside the physics community. thought and religious belief.
Our classes will be devoted mainly to con- Mary Caroline Henry was educated at Swarthmore Col-
ceptual discussion of Einstein’s scientific lege and the University of Pennsylvania. She taught high
ideas, including the relativity of space and school biology at a girls' school in Cairo and basic biology
at a women's college in Tehran. She has taught ethology
time, gravity as the curvature of space- and neurobiology at Carleton and animal physiology and
time, E=mc2, black holes, light as photons, neuroscience at St. Olaf, as well at introductory biology
and the ―spooky action at a distance‖ of courses at both colleges.
quantum theory. Though these ideas
sometimes strain our credulity, they are 3. Richard Collman, The Book Of Reve-
surprisingly easy to talk about without a lation: Apocalypse And Allegiance,
need for mathematical analysis. Reading Tuesday 9:30-11:30, Senior Center,
an excellent recent biography, we’ll also Room 106
try to understand Einstein as a person.
The Book of Revelation: Apocalypse and
Rich Noer taught physics at Carleton for 38 years. He also
became interested in the history and philosophy of science,
Allegiance is the title of a new book by J.
co-authored a text for liberal-arts students, and taught fresh- Nelson Kraybill that will examine Revela-
man seminars and interdisciplinary courses aimed at con- tion in its historical context and open win-
necting the sciences with the humanities.
dows into the political, economic, and so-
cial realities of the early church. What is
2. Mary Caroline Henry, Understanding the relevance of John's apocalypse for our
Evolution lives today in another empire? With pho-
Monday 1:30-3-30, Weitz Center tographs and other visuals, the book and
extra materials will further consider Reve-
What does "evolution" mean? By what lation as a great source of worship, poetry,
mechanisms does it occur? Why has it and music throughout history. While a
been so controversial? How did the theory mystery to many, this book is the subject
3

4. 4
of popular novels and is rarily dwell in the lush, green beauty of
often abused in prophetic Erin Hart’s Ireland.
predictions. How were Barbara Evans taught American Literature, Drama, Debate
worship practices de- and Composition in Rochester, MN for 34 years. She is a
graduate of and has been a visiting professor at St. Olaf Col-
scribed in Revelation lege, teaching public speaking and first year writing. Her
countercultural long ago interests include literary travel, architecture, photography,
and are they so now? En- and restoration of her arts and crafts home here in North-
field.
gage this most dangerous
book in the Bible through reading and dis- 5. Ed Lufkin: How to be Your Family’s
cussion. Best Doctor
Tuesday 1:30-3:30 PM, NRC Theatre
Rev. Richard F. Collman is a retired United Methodist
minister and musician who has taught courses on Revelation In this course we’ll address topics I’ve not
over the years in various settings. He remains inspired by covered in the past: Recent important
the Book of Revelation for its contribution to worship, mu-
sic, and art and for the questions it raises about our alle- advances in medicine; genitourinary,
giances today. gastrointestinal, and pain disorders;
how to stay in your home longer; first
4 . B a r ba r a E v a ns , E x pl o r i ng - aid; and preparing for Obamacare.
the Haunted Ground of Erin Hart’s Ire- Slide seminars and discussions will be the
land principal tools of this course, but videos
also where possi-
Tuesday 9:30-11:30, Village on the Can- ble. Our reading
non will be mainly
Haunted Ground is the from handouts,
first of Erin Hart’s three not a textbook.
novels. In it Ms. Hart My intent is to
weaves archaeology, an- show how you
thropology, and forensic can best navigate the seas of change in the
science into a mystery rich medical field by staying well informed.
in Irish characters and cul- Ed Lufkin served most of his medical career in the endo-
ture. Hart’s detectives crine division, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. His special
interest was in women’s health, but he had broad interests in
seek to unravel a possible murder that be- patient care, drug research and education, and served for
gins with the discovery of the remains of a three years as medical editor of the Mayo Clinic Health Let-
red-haired woman in a peat bog near Gal- ter.
way. Class participants will read both
Haunted Ground and Lake of Sorrows. 6 & 7. Eric Nelson, Paris and the Birth
Related topics will include archaeology, Of Modernism
forensic science, geography, history, folk- Wednesday 9:30-11-30 and 1:30-3:30
lore, literary travel, myth and music rele- NRC Theater & Fireside Room
vant to this novel. Ms. Hart will visit our
In the first decades of the 20th century
class to discuss her work and to preview
Paris was the center of an international
her upcoming fourth novel. Enjoy men-
revolution in all the arts – poetry and fic-
tally leaving wintry Minnesota to tempo-
tion, painting and sculpture, music and
4

5. 5
dance. Innovations in one medium might life. Several have opted for
quickly move into other aesthetic forms. Islamic grounded democracies
The new medium of in which Islamic political par-
film influenced the ties have been successful.
formal innovations of This course will introduce the
Cubism (Picasso and fundamental beliefs and regu-
Braque were avid lar practices among Muslims.
movie-goers), which It will examine the unities in
in turn influenced T. the Islamic world, and attend
S. Eliot’s The Love to diversity among Sunni,
Song of J. Alfred Pru- Shi’ite and Sufis, and among countries
frock and The Waste that practice Islam. We will also discuss
Land. This extraordinary cross-pollination the increasing leadership of Muslims in
was facilitated by cafés and salons that U.S. political and cultural life.
had long fostered revolutionary ideas in Vern Faillettaz graduated from the University of Califor-
the arts and in politics. We will examine nia, Berkeley. He received a Master of Divinity degree
from Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, MN, and a
their histories and the roles they played in Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the University of Chicago.
the birth of Modernism, as well as the bo- He studied Islam at the Center for the Study of World Re-
hemian character of the Left Bank, which ligion at Harvard University and taught an Islam course at
St. Olaf for 20 years. He led the Middle East Semester
has roots that go back to the 12th century. from St. Olaf in the eighties.
Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises will
give us a vivid fictional account of this
expatriate bohemian life. Steve Kelly will 9. Bob Bonner, Plains Indians In The
guide us through the jazz scene in Paris 19th Century
and Mary Easter will show us how Isadora Thursday 1:30-3:30, Vil-
Duncan and Josephine Baker created new lage on the Cannon
kinds of interpretive dance. No less im-
portant were Gertrude Stein and Sylvia The years 1750-1890 en-
compass the rise and the
Beach, who drew these strong-willed indi-
viduals into an intimate creative commu- collapse of the traditional
nity. Our Gallic feast will conclude with a horse-and-bison culture of the aboriginal
light dessert: Woody Allen’s delightful inhabitants of the plains of western Amer-
ica. We will attempt to understand that
fantasy, Midnight in Paris.
culture as a whole as we learn the history
Eric Nelson is Professor Emeritus of English, St Olaf C of particular tribes and their interactions
lege. with Europeans and Americans who en-
croached upon the lands they called their
8. Vern Faillettaz, Islam: Unity and own. Particular examples we will study
Diversity more closely will be taken from the histo-
Thursday 9:30-11:30 AM, Senior Cen- ries of the tribes of the northern plains,
ter 106 e.g. Blackfeet, Crow, Sioux, and Chey-
enne. Readings will include contempo-
Muslim countries have recently experi-
enced amazing changes in political
5

6. 6
rary native testimony as well as modern brating those festivals, she has led and participated in cele-
brations of the eight seasons of the solar calendar for over
scholarship. 25 years.
Robert Bonner taught American Indian History at Carleton
College, from whence he retired in 2001.
11. Bill Carlson, The Economy: Then
and Now
10. Mary Flaten, Celebrations of the
Sun Cycle Friday 9:30-11:30, Northfield Senior
Center, Room 106
Thursday 1:30-3:30: Three Links ,
Parkridge Dining Room In this course we will spend six weeks
studying late
―A life without festival is a long road with- th th
18 , 19 , and
out an inn.‖ – Democritus. There are four early 20th cen-
major junctures in the tury economic
relationship of the history and then
earth to the sun, two spend two
solstices and two weeks consider-
equinoxes. Halfway ing the effect of
between each of them the highly
are the so-called skewed income distribution on our present
―cross-quarter days.‖ economy. The course will examine in de-
Yearly festivals have tail the industrial revolution starting in
traditionally clustered around all eight of Britain followed by a major emphasis on
these calendar points. In this day and age, the growth of the U. S. economy in the
marvelous arrays of artificial light are eve- 19th century including the role played by
rywhere 24/7, so much so that appreciation Minnesota. This will be followed by look-
of the life-giving solar orb is sometimes ing at the great depression in the 1930’s.
forgotten. Each class meeting will feature With this background we will read the
the solar origin of one major festival day, book, ―Aftershock: The Next Economy &
starting with the Winter Sol- America’s Future‖, by Robert B. Reich,
stice/Christmas/Festival of Lights, with its Professor of Public Policy, University of
possible original meaning, and with a look California, Berkley. Our study and the
at historical and cross-cultural ritual varia- book will provide a starting point for a dis-
tions. Decorative cloths and objects appro- cussion of the present economy. The pa-
priate to the season will enliven the room, perback book is available at Monkey See
and some samplings of food will be pro- Monkey Read, Northfield.
vided. Some of the classes will include a
Bill Carlson is Professor Emeritus in Economics at St. Olaf
story circle, where each participant will be College. His principal teaching emphasis was statistics and
given the opportunity to briefly share a quantitative economics. Since retirement he has spent sig-
nificant time studying the industrial revolution. In addition
memory relevant to the topic. The text will he has led a number of International Study Programs lead-
be The Dance of Time, by Michael Judge, ing students to many places in the world. He has written
available from Monkey See, Monkey three textbooks, numerous papers, including considerable
research on highway accidents. He was the only member of
Read. the St. Olaf faculty with an undergraduate degree in Mining
Mary Flaten, M.A., M.A.T., grew up loving Christmas and Engineering.
Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving. In addition to cele-
6

7. 7
REGISTRATION FORM
2012 CVEC WINTER TERM CLASSES
January 9 – March 2, 2012
Registration Begins November 21, 2011
Complete the form below and bring or mail to: Cannon Valley Elder Collegium,
@Northfield Senior Center, 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield MN 55057
Include course fee of $50.00 or check the financial For class selection, in the first column indicate person A, B or
assistance box. Books, printed materials and travel both, and in the second column indicate your choice with X.
You may register for more than one course by writing another
when specified for a class, are extra and optional. X next to the second course, and including the tuition for each
course.
Name(s)
A/B X
(A)__________________________________ ___ ___ Einstein!
(B)___________________________________ ___ ___ Understanding Evolution
___ ___ The Book of Revelation
Address_______________________________
___ ___ Exploring Haunted Ground
City__________________________________ ___ ___ How to be Your Family’s Best Doctor
Telephone_____________________________ ___ ___ Paris and the Birth of Modernism (9:30)
___ ___ Paris and the Birth of Modernism (1:30)
E-mail Address_________________________
(To be used only for CVEC activities) ___ ___ Islam: Unity and Diversity
___ ___ Plains Indians in the 19thCentury
Check if you need financial assistance_______
___ ___ Celebrations of the Sun Cycle
Check if this is your first CVEC class________
Included is a tax-deductible gift of__________ ___ ___ The Economy: Then and Now
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Register Early to Avoid Being Disappointed Cannon Valley Elder Collegium Goals
Our Purpose:
A registration box will be available at the Northfield Senior
Center beginning November 21, 2011. All registrations must  To provide a content oriented study experience for
be accompanied by a check unless financial assistance has elder students with senior faculty.
been requested. If you must mail your registration, send it Our Program:
early enough to arrive by November 21. All mail and box  CVEC focuses on a desire for life-long learning
registrations received by the end of the first day (Nov 21) will  The courses of study are selected to provide rich
be treated as arriving at the same time, and random selection academic experiences in the liberal arts
will be used to fill courses if necessary.  Most of these studies will take a seminar format with
Please register by December 16, 2011. If the class for which learners actively participating in research and
you register is oversubscribed, you will be notified dialogue
immediately, so you may register for another course. After  CVEC welcomes younger registrants (under 50) on a
December 16, cards will be mailed to confirm course seat-available basis
registration. If a course fills prior to Dec.16, cards will be  Previous formal education is not a requirement
mailed immediately to the class members. Our Policies:
Class availability and enrollment numbers will be updated  Class size is generally limited to 15
daily on the web page: www.cvec.org. The Registration  Most classes will meet 8 times, once/week
Book at the Senior Center also provides information on class  Classes are 2 hours/session
enrollment.  Financial assistance is available for registrants who
can not afford the fee (Check above)
MEMBERSHIP FUNDING: The difference between  Students may withdraw from a course before the 2nd
CVEC's tuition revenue and total cost has been bridged by class meeting and request a refund
member contributions and grants. Because many volunteer Questions concerning registration should be directed to:
their time, our administrative costs have always been David Halsor, Operations Director
minimal. Tax deductible contributions are needed and greatly 713 Highland Ave, Northfield, MN 55057
appreciated. 507-645-6052 dhalsor@rconnect.com
7

8. 8
Cannon Valley Elder Collegium Non-Profit
1651 Jefferson Parkway Organization
Northfield, MN 55057 U.S. Postage Paid
Northfield, MN 55057
CVEC is a non-discriminatory
PERMIT # 51
Organization
From the Director:
All of us serving on the CVEC Board were gratified to begin our 14th academic year on September 19
with a record enrollment of 209 students. While our mission has never been merely to set new records,
we do feel happy with this endorsement of our curriculum, and believe this testifies to the variety, novelty,
and appeal of the courses being offered, as well as the abundant good will and friendliness of the students
and faculty. You may be assured we will remember these points in our future planning, which is com-
pleted for the winter term, and almost completed for spring.
It was particularly nice that the classroom we were hoping for in the Weitz Center opened as scheduled
on Sept. 20. The course chosen for this was Hartley Clark’s The Arab Revolt Against Misrule. It
quickly reached its quota of enrollment and the classroom lived up to its promise of state-of-the-art techni-
cal facilities. It was fitting that one of Carleton’s most noted faculty was willing to lead this course. I’m
sure I speak for all participants when I extend my personal gratitude to Carleton College for the use of this
space, and we are eager to continue this splendid example of sharing the college’s mission with our com-
munity.
On the subject of shared missions, we point with satisfaction to the program given at the Northfield
Senior Center on Oct. 21, when Prof. Ed Berkeley gave a seminar to a sizeable audience of local citizens
on the play under his direction, Shakespeare’s The Tempest. This seminar was jointly sponsored by the
Senior Center, the public library, and CVEC, who also sponsored a post-production seminar by Ruth
Weiner of the Carleton theatre department. We are now hoping to offer a film festival at the Weitz Center
in the not-too-distant future, to show our membership a truly modern and comfortable cinema theatre in
action. Please join us on these shared journeys, and offer your suggestions for others that appeal to YOU.
Ed
8