Newsletter of the Vital Aging Network--
celebrating more than 20 years of service and education!
May 2022

In this edition

  • Aging with Gusto is live!
  • Wellness 50+ news
  • Some thoughts about ageism
  • A life lesson from Fred Rogers
Aging with Gusto is live!
Aging with Gusto is back in person! And we couldn’t be happier. After two years of providing mainly virtual programming because of the pandemic, Aging with Gusto facilitators Sally Brown and Donna Comer are offering the three-part Aging with Gusto series during May to active older adults at the Chaska Community Center.

Participants in the Chaska series expressed their appreciation for being able to share their thoughts and feelings in person with others in their community about aging.

They also shared ideas about how they are aging with gusto by incorporating these key contributors into their life:
1. Doing things that you find satisfying or fulfilling. 
2. Striving to maximize physical health. 
3. Striving to maximize cognitive health (thinking). 
4. Striving to maximize emotional health (feelings). 
5. Learning new things and challenging yourself. 
6. Having choice and control over decisions that affect your life. 
7. Being connected with family, friends, and a broader community.
8. Having a sense of purpose, doing things that are meaningful, and contributing to something greater than yourself. 
 
Aging with Gusto is a series of discussions (usually once a week for three weeks) during which trained facilitators lead participants in examining attitudes about aging and thoughts about how to live with gusto, meaning, and joy as we age.
Aging with Gusto is offered by the Vital Aging Network in live as well as virtual formats. If you would like to learn more about providing the Aging with Gusto three-part series to your group or organization, please get in touch with Donna Comer at 763-226-4729 or email donnajmcomer@gmail.com.
News from Wellness 50+
What is Wellness 50+?
Cottage Grove - Forest Lake - Oakdale - Stillwater - Woodbury
Phillips Neighborhood

Wellness 50+ has active teams in Washington County (Cottage Grove, Forest Lake, Oakdale, Stillwater and Woodbury). It also has a team in the Minneapolis Phillips neighborhood. Its purpose is to promote health and wellness in those communities. Wellness 50+ teams plan and facilitate activities that include walking groups, healthy cooking classes, book clubs, recipe sharing and more.

Click here to learn more about Wellness 50+ goals and strategies.
Wellness 50+ Community-wide events
Wellness 50+ hosts a series of community-wide events in addition to those events organized and led by our four community groups (Oakdale, Cottage Grove, Stillwater, and Phillips neighborhood).

All of our community-wide events( i.e., Community Groups, Biking, Kayaking and 1st Tuesday) are listed below AND are posted on the Wellness 50+ website calendar. Use this link ( https://vital-aging-network.org/wellness-50) to see the calendar and to add upcoming events to your personal calendar.

Registration for community-wide events is via our Meetup group "Wellness 50+ Twin Cities". Join the group (Wellness 50+ Twin Cities Meetup Group) to register. In addition, you will receive e-mail notifications when an event is ready for sign-up.

Upcoming Events
--3rd Monday Kayaking May 16, at Lake Gervais/Keller/Phalen
Wahoo Adventures will lead us on a tour of the "chain of lakes" starting at Lake Gervais at 9:45 a.m. These are navigable during the spring when the water level is high. You can rent a kayak ($25) or bring your own ($10). Register through Meetup (May 16th Rent a Kayak) or (May 16th Bring Your Own Kayak).

--4th Monday Biking May 23 in Hastings
Join us for a scenic ride around Hastings starting at Levee Park at 9:45 a.m. Three routes are available- 17 miles, 12 miles, and 9 miles. All routes include Vermillion Falls, and riders on the two longer routes will also visit Lock and Dam #2. Register through Meetup (May 23rd Biking in Hastings).

--1st Tuesday in the Parks June 7 at Pine Point Park
Shelly Bowman will lead us in listening for and identifying birds as we hike the trails in the park beginning at 10 a.m. Join Meetup and watch for an e-mail about registering for the event.
Activities we've enjoyed recently
-Get Ready for Summer Bicycle Maintenance held on April 25
Due to the temperature in the 30s we moved indoors for the Get your Bike Ready for Riding event. Warren Samuelson worked on our bikes, and Kerri Kolstad of Wahoo Adventures provided valuable information for riding safely. We visited Gateway Cycle and heard from the owner's son about their services and products from lubing your chain to keeping tires inflated during a ride.
Wellness 50+ members get their bikes ready for the season.
Bonnie's bike gets a tune-up from Warren.
-1st Tuesday in the Parks, May 3
We switched the event from outdoor Yoga to a walk/hike at Lake Elmo Park due to the temperature forecast. Tatjana Zemcuznikov (instructor for the originally scheduled yoga session) led us in some stretching exercises before we headed out.

 One group walked the paved paths and another hiked around Eagle Point lake. We ran into some dedicated birders who reported seeing 40 different species that morning. We saw a swan and a nesting owl. More birds surely would have been spotted if there had been less talking during the hike.
Oakdale Wellness 50+ events
The Oakdale Wellness 50+ team also has an invigorating series of events on its calendar.
-Wednesday Walks, fourteen people walked together at the Oakdale Nature Preserve on May 4 and had a great time. Everyone is welcome on our Wednesday walks every week at the Oakdale Nature Center at 9 a.m. The Nature Center is located at 4444 Hadley Ave. N., Oakdale.

-Movie Club discussed Secondhand Lions on April 27 and will next watch and discuss Still Alice on June 22.

-Book Club will discuss The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown on May 24.

To sign up for, and learn more about, any of these recurring events, email oakdalewellness50new@gmail.com and say "sign me up!"

-Welcome Spring with a nature walk in Bethke Park, Oakdale, led by Maxine Bethke, creator of the park , on June 9 at 9 am and June 16 at 6 pm. Please register by calling 651-747-3860. She will show us native flowers and plants, birds, and pollinators that reside there.

Some thoughts about ageism...
The Vital Aging Network is committed to educating people about ageism and its impacts. In fact, its Aging with Gusto facilitators are prepared to offer Ageism workshops to groups--formal and informal--that request it. To learn more, contact Donna Comer at 763-226-4729 or email donnajmcomer@gmail.com.

Here's a YouTube video that provides a perspective on ageism. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mW1QG1VKUqk

And here's an article from the New York Times shared with us by Aging With Gusto Coordinator Sally Brown. It focuses on the research of Becca Levy regarding the health effects of ageism.
In Closing

A life lesson from Fred Rogers

All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors — in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.
For more information about VAN's Wellness 50+ program
or e-mail: wellness50mn@gmail.com