Hundreds attend Celebrate Aging Expo in Detroit Lakes

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Celebrate Aging Expo drew hundreds to the Holiday Inn Lakefront in Detroit Lake on Wednesday.

As attendees made their way through the meandering flow of vendor tables and displays, resources and information about aging care services seemed to come from every direction.

Auna Sigdahl, center-right, of Progressive Care Therapy at Pelican Landing, talks to event attendees during the Celebrate Aging Expo at the Holiday Inn Lakefront in Detroit Lakes on May 17, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Auna Sigdahl, of Progressive Care Therapy at Pelican Landing, said it was a great way to meet members of the community and explain different occupational therapy options they provide.

“As we’re talking about aging well, and putting a positive spin on aging, we can really celebrate a life of living well and that might be through therapy, through coming to a community like (Pelican Landing) that can offer that independence, or find an opportunity (at the expo) to keep you busy and bring the community into your home,” said Sigdahl.

She also said you don’t need to be a resident of Pelican Landing to receive their services because they offer out-patient options.

“We have outpatient therapy as well,” she said. “So, you can come in and visit us at Progressive Care Therapy and we have out-patient occupational therapy right now.

The expo’s main sponsor, Essentia Health, set up a row tables that almost covered entire side of the convention hall. At one of their stations, nurses conducted blood pressure exams and began a small log book so every attendee could track their blood pressure better.

Jennifer Sherbrooke gets her blood pressure taken by Ellie Francis, a licensed practical nurse, at an Essentia Health booth during the Celebrate Aging Expo at Holiday Inn Lakefront in Detroit Lakes on May 17, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Ellie Francis, a licensed practical nurse for Essentia Health, said: “We want to prevent strokes. We want to look for any heart disease. We want to check for irregularities in the heart, tachycardia, irregular heartbeats, so we can get the right medication on-board with the right treatment.“

Francis has worked for Essentia Health for 46 years and, she said, annual wellness exams are even more important as people get older.

“We see the value of having good blood pressures, good check-ups,” she said. “We see the value of having, as you get older, an annual wellness exam to help go through all of your different medical needs that you might not cover at a physical. We want to advocate for your health and catch things early before it’s too late.”

Door prize winners were announced throughout the morning and afternoon and the expo concluded with Bingo held at the Holiday Inn’s lakeside bar.