Holistic Nursing Care for Seniors

Our holistic nursing care covers a broad range of services including: Organic Food Exercise with a Physical Fitness Professional Light Therapy Massage Therapy Essential Oils Pet Therapy Music Outings

“Our residents receive daily exercise, eat nourishing organic food, spend time outdoors, take minimal prescription drugs, and participate in daily activities of the household so they are active and engaged during the day and sleep better at night.” Bethany Buchanan RN Owner of Grace Homes

Food
We serve mostly organic and local food at Grace Homes. The beef we serve is grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free. Every Friday night is fish dinner. We serve wild caught Alaskan salmon, mahi-mahi and other sustainable fish. We also serve organic tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh herbs from our on-site garden in the summer and early fall. We serve fresh, in season fruit at breakfast and lunch.

Exercise 
Our residents exercise daily after breakfast. Three days a week our Physical Fitness Specialist Belinda Barnes leads group exercise class including light weightlifting, cardio, strength and balance training. She also provides one on one range of motion and strengthening exercises for those requiring individual attention. Our staff members lead the exercise the other days of the week – including group exercise class, indoor and outdoor walks, and range of motion.

Light Therapy
November through March residents receive 15 minutes of Light-box therapy to help boost their mood and increase their vitamin D levels. The rest of the year they go outside every day possible for natural sunlight.

Massage Therapy
All of our residents are offered full or partial body massages monthly.
John Armstrong is our house massage therapist.

Minimal Medication
Our residents feel better and engage in life more when they take only those prescription drugs that are absolutely necessary for their health. All medications are routinely reviewed by the health care team to determine their necessity. Unnecessary drugs are weaned under the physician’s guidance.

Essential Oils
Organic Essential Oils from locally owned Verditas Botanicals are used on residents and diffused throughout the home to promote calm energy during the day, and relaxation in the evening hours.

Pet Therapy
Daisy Girl our yellow Labrador provides companionship and love to our residents. Angel the grey striped tabby cat and two parakeets also live in our home. Several well-behaved dogs visit regularly.

Music
Two or three times a week we have music sessions where our residents and staff play musical instruments and sing. One of our staff members, Sherri Carpenter, performs interactive music sessions with the accordion and singing. We have a piano in our living room for impromptu recitals. Past performers from the community have included singing Girl Scouts, singing chihuhuas, Barbara Friedman of Music Memories, and string instrument performances by children.

Outings
Are provided periodically to attractions in the area. Past outings have included Tonkadale Nursery, General Store, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Apple Haus, Hopkins Farmers Market, Dairy Queen, drives down Hopkins Main Street and around Lake Minnetonka.

Social Engagement and Activities

We provide daily planned activities for our residents. In addition, all able residents have daily chores including sweeping, gardening, laundry folding, mail fetching, and animal care, which increases self-esteem and helps delay cognitive decline. Planned activities include music therapy, baking, flower planting, assisting with meal prep, Facebooking, music sessions, tea parties, holiday decorating and parties. Friday afternoons we have a happy hour.  Every Saturday night is make your own pizza and movie night.

Spiritual Support

Local clergy visit on a regular basis to provide various spiritual services to our residents who are of different faith backgrounds. We welcome and support residents from all spiritual belief systems.