Ecumen Brooks & CountrySide

03/10/2026

We’re excited to share some big news at Ecumen!

Ecumen’s Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Cyrus Batheja, EdD, MBA, RN, FAAN, as our next President & CEO.

With this selection, Ecumen is building on a long and powerful legacy of mission-driven work serving older adults and strengthening our position as a leader in a rapidly changing health care landscape. A registered nurse, Dr. Batheja brings deep experience – starting at the bedside in senior living and leading large clinical teams.

He’ll officially join Ecumen on March 23, and we can’t wait to welcome him across our communities.

As she retires from Ecumen, we extend our sincere gratitude to Shelley Kendrick for her outstanding leadership and service to Ecumen and those we serve. She guided us successfully through COVID, hospice expansion and the transition of St. Benedict’s Communities from CentraCare to Ecumen. She championed a people-first culture and mentored countless team members during her tenure. We wish her all the best!

Join us in welcoming Cyrus to Ecumen. We’re excited for this next chapter and the continued growth and strength of our work.

Read more in our blog.

SHOREVIEW, MN (March 10, 2026) — Ecumen, a nonprofit provider of living spaces and services for older adults, today announced that its Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Dr. Cyrus Batheja, EdD, MBA, RN, FAAN, as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer. [read the ful...

03/09/2026

March is National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme—“Discover the Power of Nutrition”—is all about simple, everyday choices that help us feel our best. This month we’ll be sharing weekly highlights featuring practical nutrition tips and spotlighting on one of our amazing Ecumen dietitians—plus their favorite healthy recipe! Are you ready to Discover the Power of Nutrition with us? 🌿🥗💪
Read more and try this week's recipe!

March is National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme—“Discover the Power of Nutrition”—is all about simple, everyday choices that help us feel our best. This month we’ll be sharing weekly highlights featuring practical nutrition tips and spotlighting on one of our amazing Ecumen diet...

03/02/2026

Peter Gallatin, our Director of Spiritual Care, shares this Spiritual Thought for the Week:

I love watching the snow and ice melt no matter where I am...on a lake, by the river, or even into the storm drain in front of my house.

Nothing stays frozen forever. In our lives sometimes we feel "frozen" unsure of what to do next. We too are invited to trust gentle small movements of our own lives as we begin to "thaw." Each moment can be a moment of renewal, no matter how big or small.

May you recognize the grace in slow melting!

02/25/2026

Join us as we explore the many transitions life brings—both the challenges and the opportunities for growth. These supportive gatherings offer space for grief support, education, and meaningful connection with others who have experienced losses of various kinds, including the death of a loved one, shifts in independence and residence, changes in relationships, and other significant life changes.

Led by Ecumen Hospice staff, our time together provides a compassionate environment to share stories, learn new insights, and walk alongside one another as we navigate grief and discover new beginnings. There is no cost to attend and these events are open to the community. No registration is required.

Learn more here --> https://ow.ly/zR7a50YmauZ

02/24/2026

This weekend at Ecumen Brooks we had the joy of hearing John Pfeifer play piano for us. He has played for 12 years and his performance was excellent. Thank you John for bring such wonderful music to us!

02/21/2026

Last night we had a wonderful time gathering and eating chili at our Gazebo Fundraiser! We are aiming to raise money for either a new custom-made gazebo cover or a new gazebo. Together we raised $306! Thank you to everyone who donated! Our amazing dining director Dominique made delicious homemade chili that everyone raved about. We also had a few door-prizes that 4 lucky residents won!

02/16/2026

Last week at Brooks & CountrySide, love was in the air! Beautiful roses were donated from AARP and were handed out to everyone at lunch. Brooks residents made Valentine's Day cards and had music entertainment by Melissa Schultz! CountrySide residents made Valentine's Day gift bags to put at everyone's seat at lunch, and the week ended with a Galentine's Tea Party! ❤️

02/13/2026

Wondering what the newest Dietary Guidelines really mean for your daily nutrition? Explore the simpler, whole‑food‑focused updates designed to support healthier habits—guided by the expertise of Toni Swanson, Ecumen’s Corporate Dietitian. Read more here:

Wondering what the newest Dietary Guidelines really mean for your daily nutrition? Explore the simpler, whole‑food‑focused updates designed to support healthier habits—guided by the expertise of Toni Swanson, Ecumen’s Corporate Dietitian. [Read the full story here]

02/04/2026

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and this week at Ecumen Brooks we had so much fun making Valentine’s cards! Deb, our housekeeper, generously donated card supplies so residents could create two to three cards each. Everyone is looking forward to sharing their handmade cards with loved ones. Thank you, Deb, for your kindness and generosity—we are truly blessed to have you!

02/03/2026

Ecumen Brooks had a wonderful time celebrating two of our team members with a special gender reveal party! 🎉

Anna, our Life Enrichment Assistant, and Hallie, one of our RAs, are both expecting. Dominique, our amazing Dining Manager, made blue and pink cupcakes, and residents held signs with “boy” on one side and “girl” on the other. Residents had fun guessing the gender of each baby, followed by the big reveal as each team member shared the cupcake color for their baby.

It was such a joyful celebration! Congratulations to Anna, who is expecting a boy 💙, and Hallie, who is expecting a girl 💗!

02/02/2026

Last week at Ecumen Brooks, we celebrated National Activities Week with fun dress-up days and ice cream sundaes for residents and team members. Everyone enjoyed the special treat! 🍨🎉

01/30/2026

Last week at Ecumen Brooks, we had the joy of welcoming an 8th grade orchestra to perform for us. What a special treat it was—and they were excellent! Afterward, we enjoyed Valentine’s trivia and learned some fun facts along the way. A heartfelt thank-you to their teacher, Jennifer, for helping make this special event possible.”