Waseca Caregivers Services advises proper health and wellness

Waseca Walmart pharmacist Dale Rudolph addressed the topic “Understanding Health vs. Wellness vs. Wellbeing as we Age” during a session the morning of Oct. 21. Also addressing the topic was Waseca Area Caregiver Services Executive Director, Kelly Boeddeker.

 

With 15 members of the elderly community gathered in the upstairs meeting room of the Caregiver Services building, Rudolph began, “I was born and raised in Waseca, I have a strong family legacy here in town.” After attending North Dakota State, he spent his first 15 years in the pharmacy health care field at Thrifty White Drug, then ten years at the Cub Foods pharmacy in Mankato. He’s been with Walmart in Waseca for the past 9 years. “But,” he adds, “Walmart puts me everywhere in southern Minnesota, my domain pharmacy changes a lot.”

 

Among the topics Rudolph addressed is the term body mass index (BMI). “Body mass index is a tool healthcare providers use to estimate the amount of body fat by using your height and weight measurements. It can help assess risk factors for certain health conditions.” He spoke of both good and bad cholesterol and how to tell the difference: “HDL is good for you and LDL is bad,” said Rudolph. “LDL cholesterol is considered the ‘bad’ because it contributes to fatty buildups in arteries.” This narrows the arteries and increases the risk for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. HDL carries LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where the LDL is broken down and passed from the body. But HDL cholesterol doesn't eliminate all LDL cholesterol.

 

Rudolph also spoke of a surprise, “Coming in January, Waseca residents will be able to get their colonoscopies in town at the hospital, so that’ll be good instead of having to drive to Mankato or Rochester or in some cases even further.” He was also quick to pass out some fun facts, for example, “One in five covid deaths were related to blood pressure. Immunizations didn’t start in the pharmacy until 2006. If you were born before 1957 you don’t need a measles shot.”

 

Kelly Boeddeker was next to speak. She covered both caregiving and caregivers and started with the line that refers to everyone, “Either you’ve been a caregiver, you are a caregiver, or you will be a caregiver.” She went on to explain about how caregivers can be both emotionally and mentally exhausted and not even know it. Said Boeddeker, “They can become depressed which lessens productivity and care.” She urged anyone who is a caregiver who is feeling these things to reach out to Caregiver Services, “There are stress tests, we can refer psychologists. There are also caregiver support groups where you can find relatable people who are going through similar experiences and can not only offer support, they can direct people to support services they may not be aware of. 

 

“One of the hardest things to do in a caregiver situation is to ask for help, but once you do it can make things much easier. If additional assistance is needed, there are options like Colony Court.” She also emphasized avoiding ‘caregiver guilt’ and ‘caregiver burnout,’ warning they are very common. She advised caregivers they should set some time for themselves. 

 

“Write a daily routine and maintain it, keep your sense of purpose to navigate your life and your loved one’s.”

 

To reach out to Caregiver Services of Waseca, call Kelly Boeddeker at 507-833-0015, or email at waseca@outlook.com. Or to simply stop by, their address is 113 Second Street NE in Waseca.