February 2023

Visit our website at: https://vital-aging-network.org/

In this edition

• Aging with Gusto and its key contributors
• About our Aging with Gusto program
• VAN works with partners to provide health messaging
• Wellness 50+ news and events
• Resources from other agencies

Aging with Gusto and its key contributors

The leaders of VAN's Aging with Gusto program have determined eight key contributors to reaching the goal of Aging with Gusto.

The Key Contributors to Aging with Gusto:

Doing things that you find satisfying or fulfilling.

•  Striving to maximize physical health.
•  Striving to maximize mental health.
•  Striving to maximize emotional health.
•  Continuing to learn new things and challenge yourself.
•   Having choice and control over decisions that affect your life.
•   Being connected with family, friends, and a broader community.
•   Having a sense of purpose, doing meaningful things, contributing to something greater than yourself.

During the next few months, we will feature articles in this newsletter focusing on each of of the key contributors. This month we start with an article by Facilitator Donna Comer about maximizing physial health..See her thoughts here. (The document will download to the lower part of your screen.)

 Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." 

Mary Anne Radmacher-Hershey (shared with us by AWG facilitator Donna Comer)

About our Aging with Gusto and Confronting Ageism workshops

Aging with Gusto workshops: are designed as a three-part, interactive series of sessions, with each session lasting about 90 minutes. Sessions may be held in person or via an online platform such as Zoom. They are led by trained facilitators.

Learn more about Aging with Gusto by watching this short video.

Download this flyer about the work of Aging with Gusto

Confronting Aging workshops: are one-session events, again led by trained facilitators, that guide you and your group through activities that explore the roots and impacts of ageism and create opportunities for you to discover ways to combat it.

Both workshops are available in person or virtually via Zoom.

Jan Cunningham is Aging with Gusto's program coordinator. Contact her at jancunninghamAWG@gmail.com for information about scheduling Aging with Gusto and Confronting Aging workshops for your groups.

Choosing health-

VAN works to provide good health messaging for older adults

VAN has received support to help get the word out to older adults that it's important to participate in preventative health care strategies like getting regular health checks, managing chronic health issues, staying current on shots and vaccines, and participating in other strategies---like eating well and being active. In addition, VAN will be working with Trellis (Formerly the Metro Area Agency on Aging) to help inform older adults about coming changes to Medicade enrollment.

Why? In a 2018 report focusing on fitness for older adults in rural Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Health said, "Strategies for healthy aging improve health outcomes of older adults and enhance economic outcomes for Minnesota communities. Staying healthy improves the ability of older adults to age in their own homes, have less reliance on home care and nursing facilities, and ultimately have higher quality of life with less public cost."

In the coming months, watch for messages from VAN (via this newsletter, the VAN website, social media, and print communication) focusing on preventative care strategies that have the benefit of helping older adults maintain quality of life, get illness diagnosis and treatment early for better outcomes, and manage medical costs.

The time is always ripe to do right.

--Martin Luther King Jr. (Thanks to InspiringQuotes.com)

Wellness 50+ community-wide events

Wellness 50+ hosts a series of community-wide events in addition to events organized and led by our four community groups (Oakdale, Cottage Grove, Stillwater, and Phillips neighborhood).

All of our community-wide events are listed in this newsletter AND are posted on the Wellness 50+ website calendar (https://vital-aging-network.org/wellness-50). 

Registration for community-wide events is via our Meetup group "Wellness 50+ Twin Cities". Join the group (Wellness 50+ Twin Cities Meetup Group). You will receive email notifications when an event is ready for registration.

Upcoming community-wide events

--1st Tuesday, March 7,  Zumba at the Oakdale Discovery Center* 12 pm

We are having Sara Thompson back this year to lead us in an energetic and enjoyable Zumba dance session. Come out of the cold and move your body to the warm rock and roll beats of her Zumba dances. This dance session will get your body warm physically and musically. No experience is needed.

Register through Meetup (Mar 7  Zumba Dance at the Oakdale Discovery Center).  

Activities we've enjoyed recently

--1st Tuesday February 7 Snowshoeing at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

We had a gorgeous morning snowshoeing at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Washington County staff provided snowshoes for those who did not own a pair so they could experience going off trail to explore. Another group ventured around Eagle Point Lake in Lake Elmo. If you are looking for a nice winter walk/hike, the Eagle Point Lake trail is a groomed, multi-use trail and offers wonderful views of nature.

Oakdale Wellness 50+ events

 Reducing Your Waste Stream series

This three-session series will educate you on how you can reduce your household waste stream. Join us for an informative presentation and two tours to learn what you can do for a healthier you and planet by reducing the amount of garbage you throw out.

The first session is Thursday, February 16, at 6 pm at the Oakdale Discovery Center.* 

Register by calling

651-747-3860 or online at  www.oakdalefun.com. (See a larger version of the flyer by clicking on the image.)

The Oakdale Wellness Movie Club will discuss the movie Lion on Tuesday, February 28, beginning at 1 pm at the Oakdale Library**. 

The Wellness Book Club will discuss 52 Ways to Walk on March 28, at 6:30 pm at the Oakdale Library**.

Wednesday Walks continue through the winter at 10 am. Meet at the Oakdale Discovery Center* to walk the paths of the beautiful Oakdale Nature Preserve.

Classical Stretch Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am Oakdale Discovery Center*

Come strengthen and stretch your muscles through the gentle, relaxing "Classical Stretch" program. Free, drop in sessions on Tuesdays at 10:30 through the end of April. As a group we watch two 24-minute beginner sessions on a DVD. The program is based on the book Aging Backwards: Reverse the Aging Process and Look 10 Years Younger in 30 Minutes a Day by Miranda Esmonde-White. Note: No sessions on March 28 or on April 25.

Blood Drive The Oakdale Wellness team is sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, March 28, from 9 am-3 pm at the Oakdale Discovery Center*. Sign up to give blood at redcrossblood.org.

*The Oakdale Discovery Center is located at 4444 Hadley Avenue North, Oakdale

**The Oakdale Library is located at 1010 Heron Avenue North, Oakdale

Cottage Grove Wellness 50+events

Game Day at Park Grove Library, Feb 18, 2023 at 9:30 am. Adults ages 50+ are invited to drop in at Park Grove Library. Play a quiet game of chess; interact in the wildly entertaining party game Apples to Apples; try out strategy games like Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne; or try games like Scrabble, and Yahtzee. Games will be played in the meeting room, and all older adults are welcome. It's a great way to meet and engage with new people in the community. This program is a partner program with the Cottage Grove Wellness 50+ group. No registration is required. Park Grove Library is located at 7900 Hemingway Ave. S., Cottage Grove.

Open-Ended Art for Adults, March 7, from 6-7:30 pm at Park Grove Library. We'll use acrylic paints and glass containers to create upcycled decorative jars. No in-person teaching instruction is provided during this program. It's a great way to get together with friends or to meet someone new in the community. Registration is required. https://washcolib.libcal.com/event/9924356 

Virtual: Healthy Living for your Brain and Body, March 15, 2023 - Virtual education on the latest research. Sponsored by Cottage Grove Wellness 50+ and presented by the Alzheimer’s Association. Please register to attend at  https://bit.ly/Mar15_HealthyLiving  

Stillwater Wellness 50+ events

SnowShoe Tour: Pine Point Park, February 23, 11 am

We are going on a guided tour led by Kerri Kolstad of Wahoo Adventures. $20 for equipment and tour. $10 if you have your equipment. Register via link:

www.eventbrite.com/e/pine-point-snowshoe-tour-tickets-511145609277

Pine Point Park is located at 11900 Norell Ave. N., Stillwater.

Call for Caregiver and Aging Adult Artists-Stillwater Public Library

In conjunction with the NEA Big Read, the library would like to highlight artwork from aging adult artists and caregiving artists. All forms of creative work are encouraged, including painting, fibers, printmaking, sculpture, glass, pottery, jewelry, mixed media, and photography.

Works will be displayed in the gallery in March and April, viewable during library hours. A reception to celebrate artists will be held at the library on Wednesday, April 12, at 6 pm. A book discussion will follow at 6:30 pm. Interested artists should contact Sarah Rosten at srosten@ci.stillwater.mn.us or 651-430-8760.

The Stillwater Library is located at 2240 3rd St. N., Stillwater.

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

— Dalai Lama (Thanks to InspiringQuotes.com)

Resources from other agencies

Online classes from the River Market Co-op

Curious about composting? Made a New Year's resolution to be a more efficient recycler? Wondering what "microgreens" are? Now you can register for a series of online classes offered by the River Market in Stillwater. There's no cost to attend. Register here: https://rivermarket.coop/classesevents/

Apply for AARP Community Challenge grants by March 15

Are you part of a small nonprofit or a community organization with a great idea to make your community more "livable", but you lack the funds to move ahead? Consider applying for an AARP Community Challenge grant. Grants vary in size and are intended to fund projects from creating public spaces to improving digital connections. The grant application deadline is March 15, and the information you need is here.

Veterans eligible for free emergency mental health care

Thanks to Julia Wolfe at St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health for this information



US military veterans in an “acute suicidal crisis” can now receive free treatment including inpatient care up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.

• The expanded care was announced by the Department of Veterans Affairs recently and is meant to “prevent veteran suicide by guaranteeing no cost, world-class care to veterans in times of crisis.” Veterans who are seeking that care can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility, the release said, and they do not have to be enrolled in the VA system to receive care.
• “Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care they deserve – no matter where they need it, when they need it, or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” VA Secretary for Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough said in the release. “This expansion of care will save Veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that.”
• The new policy says veterans who were discharged after more than two years of service under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible for the care, which will either be paid for or reimbursed by the VA.
• The policy will also apply to former service members, including those in the Reserves, who served “more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation” who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, and veterans who were the victim of sexual assault, sexual battery, or sexual harassment while serving.
• According to the VA’s release, the policy will “[p]rovide, pay for, or reimburse for treatment” of eligible veterans’ emergency suicide care, transportation costs, and follow-up care at a VA or non-VA facility, to include 30 days of inpatient care and 90 days of outpatient.
• The policy will also allow the VA to make “appropriate referrals” after a period of emergency suicide care, determine veterans’ eligibility for other service and benefits from the VA, and refer veterans who received the emergency care to other VA programs and benefits.

If you or a loved one have contemplated suicide, call The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to connect with a trained counselor.