MDN - 2024 Spring Senior Expo - 04/06/2024

Senior Expo

JOIN US AT THE

2024 Spring

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH 10AM TO 3PM

THIS YEAR’S SPRING SENIOR EXPO IS A FREE, FUN AND INFORMATIVE EVENT PACKED WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, CLASSES, GIVEAWAYS AND LOCAL VENDORS FROM HOME IMPROVEMENT, RECREATION, FINANCE, HEALTH & FITNESS PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES AND SO MUCH MORE TO LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE!

BRING YOUR SNEAKERS & DANCING SHOES!

10-10:30AM: WALK15

10:45-11:15AM: ZUMBA

11:30-12PM: LINE DANCING

12:30-2:30PM: SUNSHINE STRING BAND

PLUS BRING YOUR UNWANTED OR UNUSED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR SAFE DISPOSAL!

SPONSORED BY •

Page 2: New Greater Midland Community Center to Open

Page 3: A Little Known Secret... Shhhhh!

Pages 4-5: Travel with Greater Midland

Page 6: Pancake Breakfast for Seniors

Page 7: The Association between social support and physical activity in older adults

Page 8: In the Balance, Dance Proves Beneficial

Page 9: Silver Sneakers® is an important insurance benefit

Page 10: Greater Midland Bingo Days

Page 11: Senior Activities within the Greater Midland Community Center

Pages 12-13: Giving and Receiving

Page 13: Senior Services Care Partner & Education Classes

Page 14: Senior Services April Fitness Classes

Page 14: Greater Midland Races 2024

A Little Known Secret... Shhhhh!

By Trena Winans, Director of Education & Community Outreach at Senior Services of Midland County

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say they have lived in Midland for years but never knew Senior Services did (fill in the blank), I would be a rich woman! Since my department is in charge of our agency newspaper, e-news, flyers, social media, website and other ways to get the word out, I know how much we try to let the community know of all the top-notch services, interesting programs and ways to get involved that are offered through the agency. Yet a large number of people who could benefit from that knowledge

are unaware. What is the secret sauce?

I think it might be you! People who already enjoy services that make life a little easier, volunteer to help others or participate in classes that engage mind and body know the great resources available to the older adults and family caregivers in this community. Might you be willing to share that knowledge with friends, neighbors and colleagues?

Perhaps some myth-busting and little-known fact sharing is in order.

Did you know…

• That Adult Day Services such as Seasons are not only for people with advanced dementia and that clients who attend do not live here? Fact: People who sign up for one or more days a week at Seasons do so for a variety of reasons including therapeutic programming that helps them achieve goals in spite of changes in their health such as stroke, Parkinson’s Disease or memory loss. The cost to attend is a tiny fraction of assisted living costs and

allows people to remain home longer.

• That anyone of any age that is helping a relative age 60+ with appointments, transportation, chores or medication reminders, can benefit from educational classes, support group and counseling?

• That any older adult who is caring full-time for grandkids may be eligible to get once-yearly help with some piece of the expense for the care they are providing?

• That you can get per-

sonalized help sorting through yearly Medicare enrollment options from a highly trained volunteer who has no profit motive and is not trying to sell anything?

• That Activity and Dining Centers are not just for poor people or the oldest old? Meals have a sliding suggested donation cost based on income and participant ages vary widely. These are places to meet new people, take classes, pick up a new hobby, stay informed, have fun, and enjoy a great meal!

• That volunteer handymen can be scheduled to install certain safety items such as grab bars, raised toilet seats, or fire alarms if you own your own home?

great meal! land.org to learn more.

Whom do you know that might benefit from some of those services or others? Let’s work together to spread the ‘secret’ of Senior Services and make sure everyone in Midland, who could be, is Embracing their Age! Call us at 989633-3700 or visit the website at SeniorServicesMidland.org to learn more.

For All My Health Care Needs Place

Visit the MyMichigan Health booth at the Senior Expo to speak with our experts about health ser vices that can improve your qualit y of life and enter to win a prize!

 Behavioral Health: We support the ment al health of older adults experiencing depression, anxiet y, or other ment al challenges often associated with aging

 Home Care and Hospice: Learn about our skilled nursing , therapy, home infusion and hospice care programs throughout northern Michigan.

 MyChart Assistance: Get help with signing up, password resets, or accessing advanced features in your patient port al account.

 Strok e Care: Get free blood pressure checks and learn how to reduce your risk of stroke.

 Virtual Care: Hands-on demonstrations of how we save you time and travel using st ate-of-the-art telemedicine equipment.

 Wound Treatment Center: Healing can’t wait. Learn about advanced treatment options for stubborn, hard-to-heal wounds.

Travel with Greater Midland

Greater Midland Travel offer trips to help build a community of people. Motorcoach trips are a great way to travel without the stress of planning and driving on your own. Travelers enjoy sitting back to enjoy new adventures. “New groups of friends form on these trips. It’s a really great opportunity for all,” says Amanda Ewald, 50+ Coordinator of the Greater Midland Community Center. These trips are an easy way to see beautiful Michigan and discover things that you may have not had the chance to see otherwise.

“These trips give me the opportunity to explore Michigan without the stress of driving and planning them,” says a senior, who regularly attends trips.

“I went out of my comfort zone to attend a Motorcoach trip for the first time and it was one of the best experiences I have had. I can’t wait for the next year of trips!” says a first-time group traveler.

See TRAVEL page 5

D urable Medic al Equipment from walkers to wheelchairs to scooters, lift chairs, and more!

Care isn’t just par t of our name, it ’s who we are!

We are your premier, local provider of medical equipment & supplies.

2618 N Saginaw Road, Midland • p: (989) 898-6130

w w w.carelincmed.com

Across from MyMichigan Medical Center on the corner of Christie Ct & N Saginaw Rd

ourmidland • 2024 Spring Senior Expo

TRAVEL

continued from page 4

Greater Midland Travel is in full registration mode for upcoming trips. Many trips are full, but we do still have a few available. Join us on August 15th as we travel to the beautiful Charlevoix area where we will take a guided tour of the magnificent Castle Farms. After the tour we will be served a private lunch at the Castle. Later we will enjoy a step-on guided tour of the famous mushroom house tours. Take a trip on Michigan’s Westside on Thursday, July 11th to visit the Little Sable Lighthouse. Experience a Silver Lake Sand Dune ride on one of the tallest dunes on the Silver Lake side of Michigan. Visit a Centennial Country Dairy Farm where we will go on a farm-to-table wagon tour of the working diary farm.

Enjoy a provided lunch with bottomless chocolate milk and ice cream from the farm. Travel with us to Nashville to celebrate the Holidays from December 3rd- 7th. Stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, take a General Jackson Luncheon Cruise w/entertainment, have lunch at Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen, Enjoy lots of entertainment and shows during this 5 day, 4 night trip.

All trips are fully escorted, taken on a Motorcoach bus, which leaves right from Midland. For additional information or prices visit greatermidland.org/ events/?tag=Trips. Call (989) 832-7937 ext. 2270 or email aewald@greatermidland.org to sign-up to be on our email list or inquire about future trips.

Whether recovering from surger y or managing a chronic medical condition, our clinicians can help you get back to doing the things you love with personalized sk illed nursing care and therapy - all in the comfor t of the place you call home.

Terra McMann | Home Health Specialist |

989-259-4154

Saturday, April 6, 2024 • 5

Pancake Breakfast for Seniors

Greater Midland Community Center hosts Senior Pancake Breakfast events every-other month. This event is open to all seniors and is a fun and sociable time. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy great food. Come join us for our last pancake breakfast in the old Community Center on Monday, May 6th at 11am. This will be a big, last hurrah event that you won’t want to miss. The event cost is $3 for members and $5 for guests. Please pay with cash at the time of the breakfast. There will be prize drawings at the end of the breakfast. Our next Pancake breakfast is set for July 22nd in the Curling Center Club House. This event is sponsored by Right At Home of Midland. Please RSVP at least one week in advance if you plan to attend. Call 989-832-7937 ext. 2270 or email aewald@greatermidland.org.

Dreaming up the ideal retirement is your job. Helping you get there is ours.

We’re excited to hear from you.

The Association between social support and physical activity in older adults

Creating meaningful connections through socialization brings older adults better mental health, improved self-esteem, increased sense of belonging, and a greater sense of purpose. Seniors who have

social support from family and/or a community have improved overall health. Older adults who engage in physical activities report a better self-esteem, improved mental health, are at a lower fall risk,

and have an improved overall well-being.

The combination of social connections while doing physical exercise, are at a much higher success rate than doing physical exercise without

social accountability. At the Midland Community Center, we strive to build community in our senior exercise classes. The seniors become fast friends and regularly check in on each other.

In the Balance, Dance Proves Beneficial

In my professional life there are few topics that concern me as much as how to help the people we serve to improve their balance and avoid falls. Whether you look at nationwide data or drill down into local statistics, there is no question that the number one non-fatal factor that will cause an older adult to get admitted to the hospital is a fall. I say nonfatal, but the reality is that a bad fall is often the precipitating factor that leads to removal from the home and even death. The one-year mortality rate after a hip fracture is 1448% compared to just 4% relative risk for the older population as a whole! I don’t say this to scare you,

By Trena Winans, Director of Education & Community Outreach at Senior Services of Midland County

but to explain why this is an issue we should all take very seriously.

Imagine the excitement then for this life-long dancer to discover two studies out of the University of Missouri that found that dance-based therapy improved both gait and balance in participants! Their conclusion? “Creative interventions such as dance-based therapy have the potential to significantly reduce falls in older persons," said Jean Krampe, a registered nurse and doctoral student in the Sinclair School of Nursing. "In the studies, we found improved levels of balance, gait and overall functionality among seniors who

participated in regular dance-therapy sessions.”

Other recent research found that learning and dancing the Argentine Tango improved balance in Parkinson’s patients. Dr. Silvia Rios Romenets, lead researcher in the study with a special interest in Parkinson's disease and dance therapy is a clinical research fellow at the Movement Disorders Clinics at The Neuro and Montreal General Hospital. She said, "In the study, we found the tango was helpful in significantly improving balance and functional mobility, and seemed to encourage patients to appreciate their general course of therapy. We also

found modest benefits in terms of patients' cognitive functions and in reducing fatigue.”

patients' your to see why these benefits might occur. Dance working that, there is a connection

You don’t have to have danced much in your life to see why these benefits might occur. Dance requires rhythmic movement, working memory, cross-body coordination, attention, and multitasking. In other words, dance challenges the mind and body and requires cross-hemispheric brain activity. Not only that, there is a connection between music and the dopamine system in our brain. This is part of what makes dance fun and you can’t ask for a better way to get fit than to enjoy it!

Senior Services has a wide variety of fitness opportunities that can help with Fall Prevention. Visit us online at SeniorServicesMidland.

org/fitness-and-educational-programs/#FitnessClasses to learn more about our offerings. We hope to see you soon!

Greater Midland Community Center has many benefits for seniors who qualify for SilverSneakers® through their insurance. SilverSneakers® is a program offered under many insurance plans for those who are over the age of 65 through select Medicare plans. SilverSneakers® exercise classes are offered many times a week. Our experienced instructors will help you feel comfortable in this fun, lower intensity, group exercise setting.

Greater Midland has expanded offerings to SilverSneakers® participants! This is a great way to utilize a free membership. In addition to SilverSneakers® exercise classes, benefits include all Group Fitness classes, the use of the

wellness Center, walking track, walking club, 50+ membership (which includes Euchre, Mah Jonng, and Billiards), Oasis pool and hot tub open swim, the sauna, East Pool for lap swimming and court sports that include pickleball, volleyball, and basketball.

SilverSneakers® is also offered at our other fitness centers including North Family Center and Coleman Family Center! Make us your headquarters for fitness and let SilverSneakers® help you get fit your way!

Do you qualify? Call Amanda Ewald, 50+ Program Coordinator, to see if you are eligible today! (989) 832-7937 ext. 2270

Greater Midland Bingo Days

The Midland Community Center is holding special Bingo Days! This is a unique and fun BINGO event, unlike any other! Come join us for our last hurrah Bingo in the old Community Center on Monday, April 29th! All are welcome to play. This event is free for members and $5 for Non-Members. Bingo is played from 11am-12pm. Play for your chance to win gift cards to local businesses locally. Gift cards are sponsored by Brookdale Senior Living. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase 15 minutes before play begins. Mark your calendar for June 17th. This will be our first Bingo in the New Community Center! Call (989)832-7937 ext. 2270 regarding questions.

Senior Activities within the Greater Midland Community Center

Members who are 50 years or older have access to all the Barstow/ Shipps Wing has to offer. 50+ Membership $31-$19, based on proration with expiration of May 31, SilverSneakers®, Center, Center Plus, or All Access or Group Fitness pass. Community Wing activities will be no cost, unless otherwise stated, once in the new building.

Mah Jongg

Tuesdays & Thursdays 1:00pm3:00pm.

Euchre

Monday & Wednesday 1:00pm. All levels welcome. No partner needed.

Duplicate Bridge

Monday & Wednesday at 12:30pm.

Line Dancing

Tuesday & Thursday from 10:30am - 11:30am.

Led by a volunteer.

Walking Club

Tuesday & Thursday from 9-9:55am

Senior Open Walk Hour

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9-10am South Gym

Billiards/Pool

Pool tables available for play anytime the Center is open.

We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘as you give, you get’ or variations on that theme. What is interesting is that evidence is mounting that this maxim is backed up by fact. In particular, I am referring to the act of volunteering and its role and benefit in numerous areas of our lives.

So what are these benefits? In a recent study from Carnegie Mellon University, they researched people over the age of 50 and found that those who regularly volunteered were less likely to develop high blood pressure than those did not volunteer. Now you might

By Trena Winans, Director of Education & Community Outreach at

think that the extra stress of being busy with volunteer efforts would create stress, but the evidence tells us just the opposite. Volunteering increasingly is shown to reduce stress. Let’s look at why that may be.

• Many volunteer jobs add an element of physical activity into your day. Exercise is a proven stress-buster.

• Volunteering helps you meet and connect with others, and social connections are crucial to our sense of well-being.

• Helping someone else can give you perspective when you see others with greater difficulties than you. It may also reinforce a sense of gratitude for what you have, and what you are able to do.

• Focusing on helping others allows you to not worry about your own frustrations and struggles for a time.

• Most importantly, making a difference in the life of another person gives a sense of continued meaning and purpose in your life.

So how much is enough? The Carnegie Mellon study found that 200 hours a year- less than 4 hours a week, was ideal. Meanwhile, other studies have shown that as little as 100 hours a year has benefit.

In addition to the Carnegie Mellon study, other recent research expands on the benefits of doing good for others. The Longevity Study showed that people who volunteered regularly lived longer than those who did not. If that is not enough, the Doing Good is Good for You: 2013 Health and Volunteering Study published by UnitedHealth

Group and the Optum Institute, found that volunteers felt better physically, mentally and emotionally, were better able to manage and lower stress, felt more deeply connected to others, and were more engaged in managing their own health than non-volunteering counterparts.

There you have it. Volunteering helps you live longer, better and healthier! So what are we waiting for?

Find ways to help someone, someplace, in some way. Opportunities abound, from driving for Senior Services, to reading to disadvantaged kids, to knitting

hats for cancer patients. Tap into your talents, skills, or the simple gift of your presence and evidence shows you will richly receive as you give.

Our current needs are:

• Transportation Drivers

- Our volunteer drivers provide “arm to lean on” door-to-door service throughout the entire county of Midland making it easier for older adults to get to doctor’s appointments, a ride to the grocery store, and more.

• Meals on Wheels in Greendale Twp.

- Routes available M-F from 10 am-1 pm. Mileage is reimbursed and you’ll receive a FREE lunch!

• Friendly Visitors/ Shopping Volunteers

- Visit, call, shop and more for an older adult in need. This is a great opportunity for working people and is flexibly scheduled.

• Senior Safety Team

- Provide meaningful improvements to the safety of an older adult’s home.

If you choose to volunteer with us, you will be embarking on a rewarding adventure that will have a huge impact on the older adults of Midland County! We hope you'll consider joining our team of experienced, trusted and valued volunteers.

Visit us at SeniorServicesMidland.org/volunteer to fill out a contact form or call Allison Rossi Utter, Volunteer and Community Outreach Manager, at 989-633-3741 to get started!

Senior Services Care Partner & Education Classes

Registration required. Space is limited.

Instagram Basics (Lecture)

Tuesday, April 9 • 12-1pm Trailside

This lecture introduces some of Instagram's popular features and will show you what all the buzz is about.

Getting Started with Instagram (Workshop)

Thursday, April 11 • 12:30-2pm Trailside

In this hands-on workshop, you will set up your own account and learn about Instagram's important features.

Travel & Adventure Series: The Caribbean Islands (Part 2)

Monday, April 8 • 12-1pm Online

Monday, April 22 • 12-1pm Trailside

Travel the world through videos of amazing destinations during the Travel and Adventure Series! This month we'll experience the Caribbean Islands.

• • • 4700 Dublin Avenue Midland, MI

989-633-3700

www.SeniorServicesMidland.org

Tuesday: 8:15am - 9:15am ~ Zumba 9:30am - 10:30 am ~ Calming

Wednesday: 8:15am - 9:15am ~ Zumba 9:30am - 10:30 am ~ Chair

Yoga with Steve 10:45am - 11:45am ~ Bonesaver 12:15pm - 1:15pm ~ Beginner / Int. Tai Chi

Thursday:

8:15am - 9:15am ~ Zumba

Friday: 9:30am - 10:30 am ~ Balanced in Motion

10:45am - 11:45am ~ Bonesaver At Trailside

Tuesday: 9:30am - 10:30am ~ Intermediate Line Dancing

Wednesday: 9:30am - 10:30am ~ Beginner Line Dancing

Thursday: 9:30am - 10:30am ~ Adv. Line Dancing

Friday: 9:30am - 10:30am ~ Intermediate Line Dancing At Sanford

Monday: 10:45am - 11:45am ~ Bonesaver

Senior Services offers numerous ways to stay on top of your health each month with health education programs and an array of fitness classes, low-cost clinics and access to fitness equipment. This schedule is packed with a wide variety of fitness opportunities for all experience levels!

Group Exercise at Mills, Greendale & Coleman Centers is free of charge and does not require registration.

Instructor Vacations: No Chair Yoga April 1-12 No Tai Chi April 3 & 10

To Register for OTAGO

Contact: 989-774-1350 or 989-774-2715

Email: fallprevention@ cmich.edu

To Register for Silver Sneakers® contact Georgia Pelli at 989-689-7770 or GPELLI@ GREATERMIDLAND.ORG

9:30am - 10:30 am ~ Calming

Yoga with Julie 10:45am - 11:45am ~ Fall Prevention & Balance Class

Tuesday: 9:30am - 10:30 am ~ Balanced in Motion

More Classes Available! Call or Go Online

For All Other Classes, Call 989-633-3700 or sign-up online at Senior ServicesMidland.org