Author Archive for: hwf

By Karin Krause Nearly 50% of Americans now report troubling feelings of loneliness.   42% of Millenial women are more afraid of loneliness than a Cancer diagnosis. Very young children describe feeling sad, alone and fearful. And, unfortunately, loneliness is not removed by being physically near people. Early in my nursing career I observed older adults crowded together in a nursing home–with their heads hanging low and their eyes closed. And I wondered, what is needed for people to create friendship? My conclusion is that we create friendships around the work of life or when we are involved with something we enjoy...

Tips on staying happy and busy during quarantine ​from our Activity Director, Ruthie McQuinn ​Pictured left: Ruthie with one of our 13 chickens; Pictured right: Residents video chatting with family This is a time unlike any of us have ever experienced. With new experiences comes new challenges. Some of the main challenges many of us are facing include staying connected to friends and family, financial stress, decline in physical and mental health, and downright boredom. As the activity director and art therapist at Hope & A Future, this is a very unique opportunity for me to...

Karin’s Reflection In the December 2019/January 2020 edition of AARP there is an article titled, “The Loneliness Epidemic New Science, New Hope”.  At Hope & A Future, our work on TIIN development focuses on creating a framework that empowers all neighbors to enjoy the purpose and belonging that accompanies a valued role.  The AARP article focuses on the biological and behavioral effects of loneliness and the feeling itself. They suggest that perhaps the feeling is an alert–that something is wrong and that a person needs to get back...

Karin’s Reflection In December we said good-bye to our beloved Rosemarie.  She moved in with us 5 years ago with a fairly complicated medical history–including Parkinson’s Disease, Spinal Stenosis, Dementia, Depression and a history of frequent falls.  After reviewing her medication regime, starting an exercise plan and initiating adapted versions of activities she had formerly enjoyed, she began to feel better, do more for herself and have fun!  At a three month visit to her neurologist, she looked so improved that he asked, “Rosemarie, you look wonderful! What facility do you live in?” She looked at him...

Ruthie’s Reflection Our first Crossroads Conversation was full of pleasant surprises. When Barbara McKinney was pulled away at the last minute, she sent Sheri Carter, District 14 Alder in her stead. The whole afternoon felt divinely appointed. If you’re a  Wisconsonite, you know that October weather in Madison is completely unpredictable. On Sunday, October 20th, out of the blue came a beautiful, warm, sunny day for our first ever Crossroads Conversation. To our dismay, we learned shortly before the conversation was to take place that our special guest, Barbara McKinney was unable to make it. There was a...

The calendar says it is still summer and I am trying to go with that thought!  But school has started and our summer interns (much to our sorrow) have left until we meet again!  Dante from CEO’s of Tomorrow (a fabulous organization!) and Audrianna from North Western University have left their impact on our hearts and minds.  Also, our long time staff person Grant has moved on to a new phase in life which includes moving to a new residence (a work still in progress) so we are feeling changes in our family of friends as well as the...

Karin’s Reflection One day this month, I sat in a clinic waiting room reading a magazine while waiting for a Hope & A Future resident who was undergoing a test.  After a short time, a clinic staff person approached me and asked, “Did you come with . . .” she paused and I assumed she was running privacy rules through her head.  Should she say the patient’s name out loud in the waiting room. I smiled and said, “Yes, I came with Rosemarie.” She smiled and said, “She wants you in the room when the results and...

 Happy July!  I am writing this on the 4th after leaving our festive lunch table–brats, red, white and blue decor and desserts topped off with singing patriotic songs to live violin, harmonica, guitar and banjo accompaniment!  Singing, smiles, laughs and jokes made it memorable! Tonight we will see who is awake after dark to watch a few fireworks from the porch. Some of you will be happy to know that due to a donation from the beloved Barnes family, we have a new pool liner and we are filling the pool now! A few weeks back,  Paulal Reif...

We are excited to report that we had an encouraging update meeting with the City of Madison about our development plans for the next steps in our Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Neighborhood (TIIN). Much thanks to retired lawyer Tim Radelet, and Ethan Schwenker and Doug Buck of Quarles & Brady, LLP, we are making progress on the complex policy issues involved in the next steps of development. This involves serving both older adults and families with young children as residents in a shared site with integrated programming; utilizing the strengths of each group to meet the needs of both. We...

May 2019 Update from Karin Krause Finally!  Time to mow, pick flowers and watch the trees bloom!  That was a long wait again this year! Just as exciting as the look and feel of spring; is where we are at with development plans at Hope & A Future!  This has also been a long wait and there is a lot more to do before we can dig a hole in the ground. But we had been stumped for quite some time in the area of navigating the policies that will affect how we do things in the next phase.  I...

Paula & Karin reflect on their mentor-ship with Bill Perkins Happy Spring!​We are now planning yard work and gardening projects!  For those of you interested in getting outside to dig in the dirt, please sign up to volunteer on our website!  Watch our website and facebook for volunteer opportunities! We will have more information in the May newsletter! As we look at what is next for Hope & A Future, we are encouraging ourselves with what we have accomplished in years past.   A while ago Paula Reif (co-founder of Hope & A Future) and I...

Karin invites you to join the conversation in this month’s reflection on Hope & A Future’s pioneering efforts.  Valentine Month is here! My favorite picture of love comes from the movie, It’s A Wonderful Life, one of my favorites.  Just like the character George Bailey (pictured left), I have ridden the teeter-totter between wonderful life and nearly intolerable hard life.  I am guessing we have all had our moments. Where each of us ends up most of the time is informed by; our attitudes, internal beliefs, spiritual life, those we listen to around us, the status quo...

Karin Krause & Paula Reif’s Reflection  As we begin 2019, we hope you are enjoying memories of time spent with family and friends during the holiday season!   We are happy to report our days were filled with laughs and love! And now we enter the near hibernation months in Wisconsin—we wait for the days to get longer and we watch the winter weather.  For us, highlights now become table talk around home cooked meals and reading books or watching movies by the wood stove. However, watching the news can bring an unwelcome chill.  As a country, it appears we have a...

WOW!  We are facing the end of another amazing year!  And again, we have so much to be thankful for!  We have faced many ups and downs, but we faced them together and have come out stronger!  That is how community works and how resilience is developed.   At the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 we were in full grief mode at Hope & A Future.  Much loved residents, Joanna Overn, Bettye Barnes and Ed Clapp’s earthly lives ended here–leaving behind grieving but grateful people in the Hope & A Future Family of Friends.  We remain grateful...

This month we will celebrate Thanksgiving—past, present and future!  There will be Turkey at our second Friday of the Month pot-luck and house concert and folks will bring the fixings!  Our hearts are with friends, family and those who need friends and family! We are so grateful for all of the people we have met on our journey to create a diverse family of friends and generations of purpose.  Blessings to you as you ponder with us, all that we have to be thankful for! As we look at how Hope & A Future has come...

Happy Fall! The change in seasons brings anticipation of good things to come.  And change can be as beautifully exciting as the turning of the leaves in October; you know that good things are around the corner. But it can also be difficult. The process of creating a Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Neighborhood (TIIN) has involved cycles of promise, waiting, fulfillment, and anticipation.  Hope & A Future’s vision for a new care model is a pioneering effort to address the needs of young and old and to bring them together in mutually beneficial ways, as Generations of Purpose.  Significantly our model also helps to address the ...

Karin’s Reflection ​Last month I wrote about making a decision to start work on the vision for a Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Neighborhood.  This month I will talk about starting the business plan!   I still smile when I remember the day Paula and I realized we had to come up with a shorter name for the model.  I said, “How about an acronym—TIIN. It sounds like a nice container that can be repurposed as the need arises.” Paula and I both laughed and then Paula said, “I actually like it.  TIIN. The TIIN Model!” We both laughed and agreed...

Karin & Paula’s Reflection As we work on the many details of moving forward with the next and biggest phase of developing the TIIN model at Hope & A Future, we have been remembering the many people involved in getting us this far.  We have talked about how fun it would be to share more of this heart warming story! It is filled with hard work, good will and miraculous timing. We have decided to start now. This first blog is about deciding to start!   We hope our story will encourage you to step into your good ideas! You can find...

Increased Health-related Quality of Life for Families with Young Children at Hope & A Future This year we have been blessed by many in our community who have volunteered at community events on our behalf. Seeing our extended intergenerational community pull together has been inspirational and thought provoking. We’ve been encouraged by our community of volunteers-young and old. Bratfest Over memorial day weekend, we were one of 130 charities benefiting from this event, that has raised more than $1,500,000 for local organizations since 1983. Volunteering as moms with teenagers at the Zero Waste Stations was a great way to reinforce the importance...

Ruthie’s Reflection  Over the past month, we have received many compliments on the blossoming Elizabeth Magnolia tree that sits at the edge of our memory garden at Hope & A Future. This tree is now in its third home and has a beautiful story to tell.  Before starting Hope & A Future,  Rick and Karin ran Intergenerational House, a two bed Adult Family Home (AFH) out of their family home in Middleton, Wisconsin.  Prior to  starting their AFH, Karin had been working as a private duty nurse in patients’ homes.  Elizabeth (Liz) Sewell was a very special patient...

Karin’s Reflection Brad introducing the band at Hope & A Future’s April 4th party. On April 4th, we had a delightful event at Hope & A Future.  The event itself was actually a common one for us, the unique sweetness had to do with the people present.  If you have been following Hope & A Future’s development, you may already know that we exist for two reasons.  One, is that I had a vision for a staffed neighborhood setting that I could not stop thinking about. The other equally important reason is the goodwill and support of the...

It’s exciting to read about recent research, which supports the Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Model (TIIN) we are developing. Aside from intuitively making sense, research tells us that the TIIN model will have a positive impact both for seniors and for young families with children who are seeking support. Aeron Adams, DNP, RN, PMHNP This past year, Aeron Adams, a Registered Nurse and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For her final project as a doctoral candidate, Aeron created a comprehensive evaluation plan to assess outcomes of Hope...

Karin’s Reflection I was first introduced to Bettye Barnes in 2006 when I escorted a friend of hers to a senior luncheon at Blackhawk Church.  Her friend Ruth, lived with me in my first Adult Family Home in Middleton.  Ruth was excited to have me talk with Bettye because Bettye often talked about creating a home where adults in need of care and supervision could live with a caring family.  I was doing that in my home for frail seniors.  At the time, my three daughters were in grade school, middle school and high school.  And the...

Karin’s Reflection I met Joanna Overn on her birthday June 8th 2013.  A friend of hers had brought her to a party at Hope & A Future.  This was on the occasion of our monthly potluck and house concert.  The friend told us Joanna would no longer be able to live on her own and he was looking for help from me.  I am an RN that went into nursing 38 years ago with the hope of developing better services and living situations for frail seniors.  For the past 15 years, I had been living with seniors...

Ruthie’s Reflection There have been many changes in the clientele at Hope & A Future in the last couple of months. Transition to a new environment can be incredibly stressful and difficult for anyone, and seniors in need of care go through the same stresses and difficulties as anyone else when it is time to move. Sometimes we have people coming to live at Hope & A Future who are leaving homes they’ve lived in for several years – staff and residents included. This is the case with one of our new residents. The decision to move was one that...

Many struggle to find a hopeful perspective and a helpful approach to the challenges of life. Neighbors live in isolation from one another, and programs trying to serve the needs of the old or the young are designed and implemented separately from one another. We believe there is hope in collaboration, in synergistically pairing the wisdom and experiences of our aging population with the energy of our younger population to create a sustainable community with a life of its own. There is hope in tapping the resources of faith communities and business sectors to address social problems, and we...

​Last month, we shared what we have learned from some of the voices of our community. We also said that we would have more to share on the results of our literature review, and from ongoing interviews with current and former community members. Making a Difference for Young Families ​Our research and experience tells us that the model we are creating—the Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Neighborhood (TIIN)—is distinct from other programs. It adds unique value for residents and the broader community by bringing people together from different ages and backgrounds, creating a unique mix of talents and resources also...

​On July 8th we celebrated the first Family of Friends Reunion at Hope & A Future (H&F). About 70 people representing three generations (four by spirit) gathered to dedicate the memorial garden developed by family and volunteers and displayed the finished Family of Friends Tree mural painted by Ruthie (activity director at H&F). Flowers in memory garden In this post, Ruthie, a staff member, and Karin, our founder, share what this experience meant to them. Ruthie’s Reflection All of the residents kept checking up on me as I was painting the tree mural. The evening that I started painting,...

​So many people have contributed to shaping where we stand today—both in helping to accomplish what we have already achieved and in laying a foundation of experience for the future. This includes current and former residents and their families as well as staff who have worked alongside Karin Krause over the years. In order to learn from our community members, we have been conducting interviews with residents, their families and caregivers, and family members of former residents. These conversations have uncovered several common themes, confirming our perspective on what Hope & A Future is providing to its...

​Many of you know about Hope and a Future’s vision: to develop a Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Neighborhood (TIIN) that is sustainable and replicable. You may also know about our mission: to promote meaningful relationships between young and old, empowering individuals to serve and strengthen one another in a diverse, faith-based, green community. In this blog post, we will give you a better feel for the land itself. Honoring the Past ​When people first see our “country estate” they often wonder what we’re up to. The uniqueness of the property also evokes curiosity about its history. It is thought...

​The decline of rural life in this country has created a shift in the ability of families to care for each other. Families with young children have had to move to larger urban areas in pursuit of work, and elder family members have been left in rural areas or small towns. Both groups have been growing up or growing older in a place that no longer allowed for the free and mutual exchange of knowledge, physical support and community. Young families that have moved for work have often found themselves in unfriendly cities in which they were economically and...

​Looking back at the development of Hope & A Future in 2016, I’m struck both by the rhythms and the spontaneity that have been part of the story. Rhythms—regularly scheduled events and activities—have sustained and developed our community, laying a foundation for more spontaneous, organic efforts and events. Rhythms—Laying a Foundation for Good Potluck and ConcertsOne of the highlights for our community happens the second Friday of each month at 6pm. We gather for a potluck meal and enjoy the musical talents of our local community. Great food and fun is had by all! Bands and artists this past year have...

​As we communicate with prospective funders and community partners, we are asked who we serve. But it’s about more than top down service delivery; what we’re creating is mutually rewarding to all involved and holds great promise for the increasing impact it will have in Madison. On this #GivingTuesday, reflect with us about the community we’re creating together. Our Current Program​ Clearly, we serve the senior residents who are part of our adult family home, together with their families. We have reflected on the stories of two residents who have played key roles in our community, and who recently passed away....

Margaret shared a home with my family for six or seven years. I was her nurse and she became a household matriarch in our adult family home. On Friday October 16th we prepared for our Second-Friday-of-the-Month potluck and house concert. Margaret was not feeling well enough to eat, but ironed her clothes, spruced herself up and came out looking beautiful in her sparkly grey sweater and jewelry. She loved to look gorgeous for parties. With great joy she anticipated listening to Mike McConnell, our guest musician on classical guitar, telling us that her Grandfather had loved classical guitar. After...

​Fall is here, and we celebrated Oktoberfest on Friday, September 28th. Great food and music were shared and enjoyed: bratwurst and other meats and side dishes, together with sauerkraut and other trimmings and toppings that played to the festive theme. For those who wished to join in, several seasonally appropriate varieties of “Bier” were available for sample. Patricia Stone and Don Becker provided traditional music via accordion, and The Walker Polka Mammas dance troupe made a special appearance. Volunteer Appreciation​ This was also an opportunity for us to thank our amazing volunteers. So far this year,...

We can’t believe that fall is almost here!  It has been a busy and fruitful summer for Hope & A Future (H&F); a quick stop by the house will confirm that.  We are now the proud owners of twelve chickens—that’s right, twelve! ​Our garden, which was designed and planted by our wonderful volunteers, is bountiful and overflowing with goodness.  As a result, the dinner table here has seen a steady presence of fresh produce from the garden…and we have donated over 300 lbs of fresh vegetables to Middleton Outreach Ministry. ​Looking Back:  Summer Happenings​ Summer...

There are some things that are hard to explain, even to myself.  Grief.  I thought I had it defined when I read a description C.S. Lewis wrote about grief coming in waves.  It will suddenly hit you hard and later you think you have made it to the other side.  Yet it rolls in again.  That is one part of grief.  But there is another part that is harder to define.  I will try. I am a caregiver for seniors and I live at Hope & A Future with the people I provide care for.  The strengths...

Welcome to the first Hope & A Future Blog.  At Hope & A Future we are starting something new! When people come visit us we are consistently told that we need to let people know about this beautiful project!  We hope to begin construction on the next phase in 2016 and there is already so much happening here.  So this is a quick Merry Christmas introduction to something new and old coming from heaven to earth! First a quick note to say that Christmas is fast approaching and if you are still shopping, please consider using Amazon...