A very special thanks to Susan, Michael, Tiffany, Case and Gretchen -- St. Luke's extraordinary volunteers who lead our Elders through a range of exercises for body and brain as part of  Stronger, Longer, St. Luke's integrated approach to nutrition, exercise and mental development aimed at improving Elder health and well-being. As part of Stronger, Longer, Elders can choose from a range of exercise options offered five days a week. Monday Wellness with Susan (class pictured above) kicks off the week. Yoga, Tai Chi, memory health, stretching and balance classes each week. An active lifestyle is especially important for Elder health and can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and reduce pain associated with arthritis. By improving balance, flexibility, endurance, and strength, St. Luke’s Elders stay healthier longer. In fact, guess how…

UA Students have taken the lead to continue the Inter-Professional Clinics offered through a partnership between the University of Arizona and St. Luke's. The clinics provide the opportunity for students to learn about Elder health in interdisciplinary student teams in Medicine, Pharmacy and Nutrition. The first clinic of 2019 was held February 16th at St. Luke's with a lecture on Emotional Health and Older Adults by Dr. Ole J Thienhaus, MD., FACPsych of the UA Department of Psychiatry. Afterwards, 24 students facilitated a clinic for the Elders who volunteered to share details of emotional issues they had experienced. Last year, over 150 students and 30 Elders participated in the Clinics. In addition to providing a hands-on and cross-discipline learning experience for the students, Elders thrive as volunteer mentors for the students.

We are so proud of  St. Luke's Board President Nancy Nagle who wrote a guest opinion that is featured today on the Opinion Pages of the Arizona Daily Star, above the fold! Full opinion follows below or click here to read on Star web site: https://tucson.com/opinion/local/nancy-nagle-recognizing-the-power-of-women-in-volunteering/article_7e7a50cc-7f27-5693-a6df-09a4e6f74cd4.html International Women’s Day, celebrated March 8, is a day of global recognition of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The first International Women’s Day launched in 1911, just six years before a group of women in the small desert town of Tucson joined forces with the Reverend Julius Atwood to open a community-care facility for tubercular patients. That facility has evolved over the last century to serve a range of populations in need. It stands today as St. Luke’s Home, a holistic assisted-living…

When you visit the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend be certain to stop by Booth 146!  St. Luke's has its very own booth at the Festival where you can buy a copy of St. Luke’s in the Desert Story: A Century of Community Service (cover of book pictured above), learn more about St. Luke's in the Desert's 100-years of service to populations in need, or just chat for a bit with a member of the St. Luke's Board of Visitors. Stop by on Saturday, March 2 or Sunday, March 3 between 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on the University of Arizona . The book will be available for purchase for only $15.00.  Also available: free bookmarks, and a $1.00 basket of packaged historic note cards from past years of…

  Dear Friends of St. Luke's Home: It is with sadness that I inform you that St. Luke's CEO L'Don Sawyer will be leaving St. Luke's Home on February 12 to return to a position with Tucson Medical Center to expand its Telehealth Program. Diana Sheldon will serve as the Interim CEO effective February 5, 2019. Her contact: ceo@stlukeshometucson.org and direct line:  207-0849. Please let us know if you know anyone interested in the permanent CEO position. As you all know, L'Don loves everything about St Luke’s and will continue to partner and engage (as she did in her previous position at TMC) with our St. Luke's community. This includes advocating for St. Luke's with her many high-level contacts across our community.  Over the last several months, I have heard many…

[caption id="attachment_5329" align="aligncenter" width="500"] L'Don Sawyer, CEO of St. Luke's Home[/caption] Important Op Ed by CEO L'Don Sawyer that was published in the December 10th Arizona Daily Star. L'Don is Chair of the regional Elder Alliance Older Adult and Housing Action Team. A 76-year old woman tearfully told her story of living in a van after her two sisters died of cancer last year and then her van was hit by a car, demolishing her mobility and home. “My life is in storage in Sierra Vista,” she shared. Mary lost her home in the foreclosure crisis and lives now with an 80-year old who provides her a room in exchange for services around his home. A World War II vet lost his “job” house-sitting and was desperately seeking housing. “I…

  When David Godlewski, president of the Southern Arizona Home Builders, first read about St. Luke's 100-year celebrations, he scheduled a visit to St. Luke's and asked CEO L'Don Sawyer, "How can I help?" A brief tour of St. Luke's quickly revealed the need for rejuvenation of the iron work and steel structures in front of St. Luke's, including in the East Courtyard where the kick-off event was held. Godlewski gathered several of his members including AB LeCocq Construction and the Home Builders Institute (HBI), which brought in a group of students to do the prepping. Dunn-Edwards donated all of the paint required. (Pictured above are John Gallagher of HBI in green and Octavio Mendivils of AB LeCocq Construction). As Godlewski said, “We are honored to have played a small…