March 2023

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

A clarification: Last evening you may have received a copy of this newsletter titled Draft for review: Vital Aging Network e-Bulletin for March. It was, in fact, the final version of the newsletter. It just had the wrong heading. We apologize. Here it is again, in case you didn't open the first e-mail.

In this edition

• Healthy aging thoughts from Mia Bremer
• Aging with Gusto and its Key Contributors
• About our Aging with Gusto program--and news about a new AWG opportunity!
• VAN works with partners to provide health messaging
• Wellness 50+ news and events
• Resources from other agencies

We begin a series about health and aging with advice from Mia Bremer

Beginning this month, we will feature a monthly series of columns about health and wellness by Mia Bremer, a long-time friend of VAN.

Mia has been a fitness professional for 43 years, specializing in older adult fitness for the past 25 years.  She holds a B.S. in scientific and technical communications and certifications from the American Council in Fitness, including Personal Fitness Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist and Health Coach. She is an IDEA Master Trainer and FallProof ™ Balance and Mobility Specialist through the Center for Successful Aging at California State University, Fullerton.

Let's begin with a discussion about osteoarthritis and exercise. (Watch the lower part of your screen for a download of the document.)

AND, take a look at Mia's recommendations for "visiting your joints" for more flexibility and comfort.

Please consult with your physician before beginning a physical activity program.

 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)

News from Aging with Gusto

Aging with Gusto and its Key Contributors

In February, we began a series of articles about the key contributors to Aging with Gusto. Those contributors are:

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.

This month Aging with Gusto Task Force member Susan Maples shares thoughts about being connected with family, friends and a broader community. Read her article here.

(The document will download to the bottom of your screen.

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 also 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.

You can join an in-person Aging with Gusto, three-session workshop in April--for free!

VAN is offering a free, three-session, in-person Aging with Gusto workshop series at the Oakdale Library on Mondays April 10, 17, 24, from 6-7:30 pm. This is the ideal opportunity for you to experience these guided conversations that explore strategies for living "with gusto"! Register at https://washcolib.libcal.com/event/10500210. The Oakdale Public Library is located at 1010 Heron Ave N, Oakdale, MN 55128.

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. Also, watch for articles throughout our newsletters about health and wellness (like the series by Mia Bremer beginning this month). And look for announcements about events and activities focused on promoting health and wellbeing.

The bottom line is that becoming happy is up to you. No one else can make you happy. And true happiness can never be built at the expense of others.

— Tina Turner (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 events

--1st Tuesday April 4 Food Preservation at the Oakdale Discovery Center* 1-3 pm

Washington County Master Gardeners who are also certified Food Preservation Consultants will educate us on canning techniques and will provide references to other preservation methods. Come learn how you can extend the use of your garden bounty or market purchases. Register through Meetup (Apr 4  Food Preservation at the Oakdale Discovery Center).  

Activities we've enjoyed recently

--1st Tuesday March 7 Zumba Dance at the Oakdale Discovery Center

We enjoyed a Zumba Gold dance session led by Sara Thompson of SMRT, moving to the beats of pop and Latin music. Sara is a licensed Zumba and fitness instructor. She will be having a Zumba dance session at the Lift Bridge Brewing Company in Stillwater on March 25. For more information on her classes use this link (https://www.zumba.com/en-US/profile/sara-m-r-thompson/25990).

Oakdale Wellness 50+ events

 Upcoming events

Meet Wellness 50+ at the Farmers Market, March 18 Oakdale Wellness 50+ will have a table at the Indoor Farmers Market at the Oakdale Discovery Center* on Saturday, March 18, from 9 am to 1 pm. Stop by and meet local Wellness 50+ members and learn about opportunities for you!

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

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 am 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.

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

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

Activities we've enjoyed recently

Reducing Your Waste Stream Series

We recently concluded the Reducing Your Waste Stream Series. Kicking off the series was a presentation on February 16 by a Washington County Environmental Specialist. It was an informative session educating us about curbside recycling tips, and the current and future food scrap recycling program. For information on County recycling and waste disposal use this link (https://www.co.washington.mn.us/626/Recycling-and-Waste-Disposal). 

On February 28 we had a behind-the-scenes tour of the Washington County Environmental Center. We learned about how the hazardous waste and extended recycling items are sorted, packaged and sent to locations for disposal or recycling. For information on the center and what can be dropped off use this link (https://www.co.washington.mn.us/604/Environmental-Center).

The series concluded on March 2 with a tour of the R&E Center in Newport where all Washington and Ramsey county garbage is sent. It was fascinating to learn how the garbage is sorted with recyclables and other items that should not be processed as trash separated out. Did you know that big items like sofas are sent to a landfill and smaller items are shredded and sent to an Xcel location for burning? We had an up-close look at the robots being trained to sort the new food scrap bags from trash. More information on the R&E Center can be found on their website (https://recyclingandenergy.org/).

Cottage Grove Wellness 50+ events

• March 15-Virtual Event- Free Event Healthy Living for your Brain and Body, 5-6 pm. Register here:  https://bit.ly/Mar15_HealthyLiving
• March 28-In person event: 4 pm. Learn To Line Dance followed by Johnny No Cash Band: VFW,  9260 E Point Douglas Rd, Cottage Grove, MN 55016. No cost. Registration via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/learn-to-line-dance-followed-by-johnny-no-cash-tickets-555887974897 
• April 14-Monthly Police Presentations: 11 am-noon. District Program Center, 8400 E Point Douglas Rd S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016. Call 651-425-6650 to register.
• April 19-Virtual Event: 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's, 5-6 pm Register: https://bit.ly/April19_10WS
• April 22-Game Day Gathering at the library. Drop in, no registration required. From 9:30 am-noon at the Park Grove Library, 7900 Hemingway Ave S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016
• April 18-May 16-Improv Class, 5:30-6:30 pm. Final Performance on May 23 at 7:00 pm. Registration coming soon. Check the VAN Event Calendar, All classes and performance located at the Grove United Methodist Church, 8600 90th St S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016

Stillwater Wellness 50+ events

Live 2 B Healthy

Live 2 B Healthy, the Stillwater Public Library, Stillwater Wellness 50+, and several other organizations are cooperating to present a Balanced Wellness series the second Wednestay of each month starting on April 12 from 1-2 p.m. at the Stillwater Public Library, 224 3rd St. N., Stillwater.

There is no cost to attend this series, and all are welcome.

The topic of the April 12 session is Super Foods for Super Seniors.

Some of the topics to be explored in later months include Exercising with Arthritis, Exercising for Brain Health, Fall Prevention, and more.

(Click on the image of the flyer to the right to see a bigger version.)

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/

U of M Mini Medical School to focus on aging this spring

The spring session of the U of M's Mini Medical School will focus on Aging and Health. Sessions are Wednesdays, April 5, 12, and 19. Learn more and register here:

AmeriCorps RSVP service and volunteer opportunities

Looking for a way to give back to your community? Check out AmerCorps RSVP volunteer programs. Learn more here.

From St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health

This month's Healthy Aging Digest from Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health contains information about dementia, nutrition, equity issues concerning older adults, and resources for the LGBTQ+ older adult community, and more. (Watch the lower part of your screen for a download of the document.)

In closing...

E-Bulletin coordinator Mary Nosek received these recently in an email from a friend. Unfortunately, we're not able to acertain the original source of this wisdom. But to whomever is the author, we're grateful

• Just once I want a username and password prompt to say, "Close enough!"
• If I am ever on life support, unplug me and plug me back in. See if that works.
• Do you ever wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and think... "That can't be accurate?!"
• Last night the internet stopped working, so I spent a few hours with my family. They seem like good people.