Vital Aging Network e-Bulletin
JULY 2015

FROM THE CHAIR


Summer, Activity and Healthy Aging
By Pam Hayle Chair, Vital Aging Network

Perhaps you noticed last week the annual unveiling of the state fair foods bonanza! Every year the fair food delights seem to get bigger (some would say better), and are almost an insult to those trying to maintain a healthy diet. As someone who thoroughly enjoys the state fair and believes that a splurge day now and then never hurts, my surprise was that we are already talking about the state fair. Where did summer go?

senior games logo
In reality, it's just getting underway. Summer provides many opportunities to be active and healthy. Getting
outside, walking, biking, pickleball games are all so much easier and enjoyable in the summer weather. I encourage you to make the most of it. Don't forget that the 2015 National Senior Games are July 3-16 here in the Twin Cities. Volunteer help is still needed. 

As we prepare for fall we will keep you informed of our Wellness 50+ work in communities, fall forums, and other VAN programs of interest. Enjoy your summer and try at least a couple items on a stick at the great Minnesota get together!

Vital Aging Network Night at the Guthrie

Just a few tickets left. Ticket sales extended until 12:00 PM sharp on July 6. Then we need to give our remaining tickets back to the Guthrie. They are in great demand!

Music Man poster
Thursday, July 9, 2015

7:30 PM - performance time
Guthrie Theater
818 South 2nd Street
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Join the Vital Aging Network for a performance of The Music Man, Meredith Willson's play about the fast-talking salesman and his money-making scheme to form a boys band in small-town Iowa.

Overflowing with heart and a parade of toe-tapping songs including "Goodnight, My Someone," "Gary, Indiana," "Till There Was You" and "Seventy-Six Trombones," this Tony-winning classic is family entertainment at its best.

In partnership with the Guthrie Theater, the Vital Aging Network is excited to offer excellent seating at a reduced price of $38.00 (value $56). $10 supports the Vital Aging Network.

Buy Tickets
  Our deadline has been extended until noon on July 6!
  Everyone is welcome. Bring your friends.
  Download the flyer.




Wellness 50+ Teams
Producing Impressive Results

Richard Long and Cheryl Johnson, Phillips Wellness 50+ team
Richard Long and Cheryl Johnson, Phillips Wellness 50+ team

We are excited to update you

on the work of our community- based Wellness 50+ teams.


The Vital Aging Network has active pilots in Alexandria, MN; Hamline Midway in Saint Paul; Oakdale, MN; and the Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis. In each pilot, participants have created a well-functioning, self-directed team with strong connections in the community.

Wellness 50+ Update cover

The Wellness 50+ teams are designing and implementing project that will make real differences in people's lives. While the teams are still in the start-up stage, the commitment of team members i
s extraordinary and we believe the potential in their work is unlimited.

If you are interested in community-supported wellness for people 50+, we encourage you to take a few minutes to read the Wellness 50+ update.  

 

 

 


CATCH Healthy Habits Benefits Kids and Adults
boy playing with basketball

Pairing adult volunteers, aged 50+, with school-aged kids can make an amazing difference in healthy habits---for both the kids and the adults.

 

That's what we found in the OASIS CATCH Healthy Habits program that the Vital Aging Network brought to Alexandria and Willmar last September through May.

Ninety-seven children and 13 adult volunteers spend time learning about healthy foods, play fun active games, preparing and eating a nutritious snack and just having fun.

Thanks to Alexandria Public Schools Community Education and Willmar Public Schools Community Education for great work in making this program a success.

We also would like to thank the Otto Bremer Foundation for the financial support to make this program possible.
Read more.



Calling Oakdale Volunteers!

Oakdale Wellness 50+

The Oakdale Wellness 50+ team is seeking volunteers to help with a community-wide effort to increase health and wellness of citizens over 50. The team of six Oakdale volunteers has been working on plans to add enrichment and longevity to older adults in Oakdale.  

 

We are looking for volunteers to join us in the program we call "Discover Your Fitness." Oakdale Wellness 50+ is a grassroots effort developed by the Vital Aging Network and is supported by HealthPartners, the Bush Foundation, and Washington County Public Health.

 

Senior Fitness Test Administrator

Work with active 50+ adults as a Senior Fitness Test administrator-no experience needed! Learn a simple fitness test and administer it at periodic wellness events at the Oakdale Discovery Center. We will teach you all you need to know.


Find Oakdale's Wellness Resources

Help us find Oakdale's wellness resources: Aid in developing wellness resources such as handouts, teachers and speakers, and working with local businesses to create wellness displays. If you have a particular skill to share, perhaps healthy cooking, meditation, or massage, we can certainly use your expertise. But an interest in wellness is all you really need.

 

Your time commitment depends on how much you choose to be involved. For more information, contact Dale Thompson 651-714-5232, [email protected] or Jackie Chlebeck 612-845-3127, [email protected].

 


In the News

Achieving Your Dreams After 60
Next Avenue, June 12, 2015, by Karen L. Pepkin and Wendell C. Taylor
The media abounds with negative views about the impact of aging on physical, cognitive, and financial well-being. The book, Senior Wonders: People Who Achieved Their Dreams After Age 60 profiles 23 individuals and two groups who not only survived into old age, but achieved their greatest successes.

5 Minutes with Betty Reid Soskin, America's Oldest Park Ranger
Sierra Magazine, May/June 2015, by Brad Rassler
Although Betty Reid Soskin, 93, has recently received national attention as the country's oldest active national park ranger, she's not resting on her laurels: she's still got important work to do, and she says she's got little time to waste.

Once Seniors are Too Old to Drive, our Transportation System Totally Fails Them
Vox, June 12, 2015, by Joseph Stromberg
Once seniors stop driving, those who remain in suburban homes are marooned in an environment designed to be traversed by car. The most obvious problem, says Stephen Golant, a gerontologist at the University of Florida, is access to goods and services.

This is the Biggest Mistake People Make When Signing Up for Medicare 
Money Magazine, June 23, 2015, by Phillip Moeller
Most pre-retirees know that Medicare coverage kicks in when you turn 65. But that's not the whole story. If you want to enroll in Medicare without hassles and costly penalties, you need to know exactly when to sign up for the program you want. There are different enrollment periods, so it's trickier than you might think.

Walking in Nature Lowers Risk of Depression
Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence, July 1, 2015
A new study has found quantifiable evidence that supports the common-sense idea that walking in nature could lower your risk of depression. 


Volunteer Opportunities


Vital Aging Network
Events Task Force Member
If you like to have parties and plan events, and might even know something about  fundraising, VAN's Events Task Force needs you. We are looking for new faces, new ideas and wild enthusiasm! We meet monthly and are all nice people anxious to meet you.  Please contact Mark Skeie at [email protected] for more information.

Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging

Lead for Beginner Computer Classes
The internet can be a complicated maze, and many seniors are getting lost. Become a Senior Surf Day instructor and teach a two hour, basic, hands-on computer and internet class to older adults who have little or no experience with computers. You can empower seniors to access information on the internet on their own, and open up a whole new world to them. For more information, please contact Colleen Fritsch at the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging 651-917-4638 or [email protected] or visit metroaging.org/volunteer/.

2015 National Senior Games
Volunteer Opportunities for Individuals and Groups
The Vital Aging Network is partnering with the  2015 National Senior Games to help recruit volunteers for events, July 3 through July 16. Visit teammnvolunteer.com to learn more about the opportunities that are still available. This is a great opportunity to volunteer as a group. Use the event as a way to create visibility, and to build camaraderie and friendship within your group or organization. Questions or invitations for presentations on the Senior Games can be sent to [email protected].

Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness
Dementia Friend
Attend a free information session to learn what it's like to live with dementia. Then turn that learning into action. Each friend chooses what action they will take. Training sessions are available in July and August. ACT on Alzheimer's is an organization with an Edina team. To register for a free training session, call 952-848-3952 or go to Edina Community Education.

AARP Experience Corps
Literacy Tutors for the 2015-16 school year
Volunteer as an in-school literacy tutor. Volunteers are placed in Kindergarten through Grade 3 classrooms in 13 schools across Minneapolis and St. Paul to work one-on-one with students who are not yet reading at grade-level. Tutors help to close the achievement gap by providing literacy support and serving as another caring adult students see at school. Stipends available for an 8-10 hour/week commitment throughout the school year. For more information, contact Erin Simon, Volunteer Coordinator at 612-708-5933 or [email protected]. For more information visit: http://www.aarp.org/experience-corps/.

The following calendar items are presented as information only. They are not Vital Aging Network events.


For Your Calendar

July 2015 - various dates
AARP TEK events
Brooklyn Center, North Minneapolis, Golden Valley and Woodbury

AARP TEK will present fun, free, hands-on technology workshops in your area to help you get the most out of your tablet. Friendly TEK guides will answer all of your questions and an iPad tablet will be provided for your hands-on practice while attending the workshop. In addition to hands-on experience, all participants will also receive a free touchscreen stylus pen and take-home guidebook.  Find a location near you with courses that meet your needs and interests! 

 

July 7 through August 11, 2015

Powerful Tools for Caregivers

1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

7500 York Avenue South, Edina, MN

This 6-week small group education program is designed to provide you with a wealth of self-care tools that will help you take care of yourself while taking care of others. The $60 suggested contribution includes a $30 workbook. Register by calling Mary Cordell at 952-929-1697 ext 28. Download the flyer.  

 

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Dakota in the Twin Cities: Summer Bdote Field Trip  

8:30 AM to 4:30 PM 

Minnesota Humanities Center

987 Ivy Ave E, St. Paul, MN 55106 

Spend the day visiting local sites of significance to Dakota people and learning about them from a Dakota perspective. As you experience these places, you will challenge assumptions made about Dakota history and identity and gain a deeper understanding of the significance of places like Pilot Knob, Wakan Tipi, and Mounds Park to this land's first people. Cost: $90 per person, includes transportation to sites, lunch, and materials. Register online.   

 

Friday, September 18, 2015

Speaking of Being Mortal

5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Saint Paul RiverCentre Ballroom

175 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 

Dr. Atul Gawande explores the limitations of health care delivery and what really matters in end-of-life care. In a deeply personal exploration, Dr. Gawande talks about the fact that end-of-life care has shifted from the family home to hospitals and nursing homes - where caregivers are often unequipped and ill prepared to help individuals live a meaningful life to their last breath. Moderating the discussion will be Minnesota Public Radio's Cathy Wurzer. Tickets $35 includes a free copy of Being Mortal. Register online

 

September 25 and 26, 2015

The Arts Access Chautauqua

The Cowles Center for Dance & Performing Arts

528 Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota 

VSA Minnesota is conducting this two-day gathering to celebrate artists with disabilities and advancements in accessibility to the arts in light of civil rights provided in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law 25 years ago on July 26, 1990. In showcases and a public performance, Minnesota artists with disabilities will perform as musicians, actors, storytellers, dancers, and writers. Visual artists with disabilities, identified partly through our Emerging Artist Grant program (funded for 18 years by the Jerome Foundation), will also have their work exhibited. For further information, contact Shelia Bland, [email protected].   

 

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