Manistee County Council on Aging

Issue: August 2020

By Sarah HowardExecutive Director

Helloeveryone!Iamreallymissingallofyourightnowandreallywanttogetopenattheseniorcenterassoonaswearetolditissafe.Wecan’tbelievehowlongthepandem-ichaslastedandwiththerisingnumbersofcasesIamnotsurewherethingswillbethismonth.

Wedecidedtostartdoingactivitiesout-sidelastmonthanditwentreallywell.LastmonthwestartedwithToeTappingTuesdaywiththe3Dswhichwaswonderful.Icanhear the music from my office as well if they wereinthediningroom.WealsostartedSit&GetFitwithNancyonTuesdayandThurs-daysoutside.Itwasgreattoseesomeoftheregularsafter4months.

Wehavesomefunthingsplannedforthismonth,checkoutthecalendarandseeifyouwanttojoininonthefun.Iwouldloveitifyouhavesomefunideasthatwecouldstillstaysafeandatleastsixfeetapartoutside.Pleaseputonyourthinkingcapsandletusknowyourideas.

Iwouldloveitifyousendusapictureofyourselfwhenyouwereachildorinhighschoolwithoutyournameonit.Firstofall,itwouldbeafungameforallofusattheseniorcentertotryandguesswhoitis,butmostlyitwouldshowallofushereyou’rethinkingofus.

Iwantyoutoknowthatoneofthewaysthis pandemic has made it difficult for me andmystaffisallofthepeoplethatwecomeintocontactwitheverydayattheseniorcenter,arefamilytous.So,IknowIfeelsuchaloss,andhopewewillbeabletogettogethersoon.

IfyouhavedrivenpasttheWagonerCommunityCenteronyourwayto5thAvenuebeach,therehasbeenalotofworkbeingdone.Alloftheroofsontheentirepropertyneededtoberemovedandredone.Wow,Ihadnoideaitwasgoingtobesuchalargeproductionandhowmanypiecesofequipmenttheyneededtogetthishugeprojectdone. 2021isanimportantmilestoneyearfor

ManisteeCountyCouncilonAging.WehavebeenservingManisteeCountySeniorsfor50years.Thatisalotofse-niorswhohaveenjoyedsomefunactivitiesandhavegottensomehelpattheseniorcenter.Mydreamwouldbetobeabletocelebrateour50thyearattheWagonerCommunityCen-ter.Ican’twaitforthisveryimportantprojecttobedone.

IwanttowishmywonderfulMomDe-niseDursumaveryHappy85birthday!Shewillalwaysbemyhero!Thankyoumomforalwaysbeingthereforyourkidsandgrand-children.

IhopeyouhaveawonderfulAugustandremembertotrysomethingnew!

News & Notes from Sarah

FREE

Meet the Staff

Sarah Howard Executive Director

Jeanne BarberExecutive Assistant

Nancy FortinAssistant/

Facility Maintenance

Faye KeyesSenior Assistant

Jo Hall Receptionist

Ann PaigeSupport Staff

Molly CichyBookkeeper

Board of Directors

Maureen BarryPresidentVirgil JohnsonVice PresidentMarlene McBrideSecretaryPatty SpencerMarie Linn

Senior Moments

Get involved with these activities!ServicesFoot Clinic:secondWednesdayNext Foot Clinic: 10:30 a.m. onSenior Food Bank:thirdFridayJanuarythroughNovember.Next Food Bank: 9 to 11 a.m. on Aug. 21. Eyeglass Repair Clinic:thirdThursdayNext Eyeglass Clinic: 11 a.m. on. Free Attorney Consultations:secondMonday. Next attorney consultations: .

Exercise OpportunitiesExercise Group:Sit & Get Fit (Manistee):10to10:30a.m.,Tues&Thur(outside)Zumba:

Chair yoga:Cardio drumming: Sit & Get Fit (Onekama):

Sit & Get Fit (Bear Lake):

Indoor walking:

Fun & GamesBridge:1p.m.,Tuesday(inseason)Fun Bingo:11a.m.,Wednesday

Game Day:Produce Bingo: first Friday Next Produce Bingo will be .

Happy Birthday!TomAdamczak 8/2DeniseDursum 8/4ArtWlodkowski 8/4DonaldBaranek 8/6GarySmejkal 8/6MarciaHedges 8/6ShermanMoore 8/7JohnWitkowski 8/7BobSmreka 8/9PatSchubert 8/10NoraBrown 8/10RitaCurtisCrow 8/12DaveLorenz 8/13PatrickHarkness 8/13JasonO’Herron 8/14RoseFortier 8/14GaryLindeman 8/17IreneKukla 8/18PatrickHartrick 8/19MargaretO’Herron 8/20BettyStendel 8/20PhyllisParks 8/21BobTobey 8/23DorothyCole 8/23FelisaMoore 8/23MaryO’Brien 8/26

NancyKujawski 8/27LarryDuchon 8/27RichBelic 8/28BettyStendel 8/28CarolHartwig 8/29TinaAgle 8/29TomDutkavich 8/29RosePierson 8/30AnnieHooghart 8/30

Happy Anniversary!

Fred&DorothyCole8/4Fred&EdithParker8/11Fritz&RosemarySutter8/29

If we have missed your birthday or an-niversary, we apologize. Please let us know if you would like to be included in our birthday or anniversary records.

August Milestones

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Interesting August Facts

ThemonthofAugustisoftenreferredtoasthe“dogdaysofsummer”butnotbecauseofpetpooches.IthastodowiththestarSirius,alsoknownasthedogstar,whichroseatthesametimeassunriseduringthemonthofAu-gustinancientRomantimes.

August8,1963wastheGreatTrainRobberywhen15menrobbedatraininBuckinghamshire,Englandandstole2.6millionBrit-ishpoundswhichatthecurrentrateisworth69.6millionUSdol-lars.Mostofthemoneywasneverrecovered.

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” – John Lubbock

Be sure to call to see

if your event is still

happening.

the senior center

is closed to the

puBlic

until further notice.

Page 3

WorkyourmindANDyourbody!Sit&GetFit

Tuesdays&Thursdays10a.m.IntheparkinglotattheSeniorCenter

(weatherpermitting)

SolutionS on page 8

Northwest Michigan Health Services behavioral health therapists are staffing a “warm line” available to people coping with COVID-19 related stress or questions.

(231) 655-3867 Mon-Fri 8AM-12 & 1-4PM or COVID-stress@nmhsi.org

Manistee senior Center

presents

MusiC and BYo LunCh

in the parkdiCkson twp. park

Brethren

thur., aug. 13 11 aM

Socially distanced fun.Bring your lunch, your lawn

chairs, cold drinks & enjoy music provided by Chaplain Dan

of Intelicare HospicePlease call to sign up

723-6477

(BringYourOwn)

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What’s been happening?

We started Toe Tapping, Sit & Get Fit, we did Project FRESH, many food banks with our wonderful volunteers, we had lunch at the beach & they’ve started the roof at the Wagoner Center!!

Page 5

Fresh Fruit FlavorsWhenitcomestofreshfruit,watermelonisatoppickinmanyhouseholds.It’savailableyear-roundandmakesforanutritioussnack,butitsgreattasteisthereasonmostpeoplebuywatermelon,accordingtoresearchfromtheNationalWatermelonPromotionBoard.Not only is watermelon a tasty snack by itself, it’s a great complement to other flavors, making it easy to create flavorful pairings.Thissweettakeonpizzacombineswatermelonwithahostofothergood-for-youingredientsforadelicioustreat.Healthyenoughforbreakfastandsweetenoughfordessert,thispizzacanmakeitswayintoyourweeklymealrotation.Watermelontravelswell,sothisrecipemakesforanidealtake-alongsnackwhenyou’reonthego.Findmorerecipesatwatermelon.org. Sweet Watermelon Pizza

GreekyogurtWatermelon,cutto1-inchthickroundslice

Shreddedcoconut,Mint,Berries,(blueberries,strawberries,orblackberries)

SliveredalmondsSpread yogurt to cover fleshy part of watermelon, leaving room to hold rind. Sprinkle with coconut, mint, berries, and almonds, or other toppings, as desired.

(CourtesyofFamilyFeatures)©LPi

Fresh Produce Food Bank

Fri., Aug. 7 9-11am(or as supplies last)

Manistee Senior CenterMust be 60+ years old and

live in Manistee County.

Post Lockdown

& LUNCHThurs., Aug 27 11 a.m.at the Wagoner Center

Bringyourlawnchair,lunch,colddrink,andjoinus.BY RESERVATION ONLY IF YOU WANT TO TAKE

PART IN THE SCAVENGER HUNT

Call 723-6477 by Wed., Aug. 19to reserve your spot and we will send you a copy of our Scavenger Hunt list. Find as many items as you can, bring them when you come for lunch.Ifyoudon’twanttoplay,youcancomeeatyour lunchwithusjustthesamejustbesuretocallsoweknowhowmanypeopletoplanon. (Weatherpermitting.)

BeSt way to Stay healthy?waSh your handS...

Wash‘emlikeyou’vebeeneatingbuffalowings..

andnowyou’regoingtoputonyourweddingdress...

Yeah...wash‘emgood!

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EMERGENCY SERVICESAdult Protective Services (855) 444-3911Centra Wellness (877) 398-2013Police (emergency) 911Central Dispatch (non emer)(231)723-6241Manistee Police (non emer)(231)723-2533Manistee County Sheriff (non emer) (231) 723-8393Munson Hospital (231) 398-1000

COMMUNITY SERVICESVeterans office (231)398-3587HARA (Homeless Assessment & Re-source) (844) 900-0500Social Security (866) 495-0075District Health Dept. #10(231) 723-3595CHoiCeS (231) 723-6597DHHS (Manistee County) (231) 723-8375

Dial-A-Ride (231) 723-6525Five CAP, inc (231) 723-8327eCHo his Love (231) 723-6613United Way (231) 723-2331Legal Services of Mi (231) 941-0771American Red Cross (231) 480-9412Meals on Wheels (231) 723-6461Herbert Funeral Home medical equip loans (231) 723-3557

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

Puzzle Solutions Monthly SeniorFood Bank

Fri., Aug. 21 9-11am(or as supplies last)

Manistee Senior CenterBank will be conducted as a drive

through. Must be 60+ years old and

live in Manistee County.

AREYOUENJOYINGOUROUTDOOR

ACTIvITIES?

We’re starting slowly to introducesocialandexerciseactivitiessowecan offer opportunities for you tocometogether,safely.

Letusknowhowwe’redoing,howwe can improve, or offer sugges-tionsofsafeactivitiesthatyoumaybeinterestedin.

Ifyouarewillingtoattendourout-doorsafeactivities,wewillcontinueto offer them.We just need yoursupport and enthusiasm to contin-ue!

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60s & 70s Songs RevisedSomeoftheartistsofthe60’sand70’sarerevisingtheirhitswithnewlyricstoaccommodateagingbabyboomerswhocanrememberdoingthe“Limbo”asifitwereyesterday.Theyinclude:

BobbyDarin-Splish,Splash,IWasHavin’AFlashHerman’sHermits-Mrs.Brown,You’veGotALovelyWalkerRingoStarr-IGetByWithALittleHelpFromDepends

TheBeeGees-HowCanYouMendABrokenHipRobertaFlack-TheFirstTimeEverIForgotYourFaceJohnnyNash-ICan’tSeeClearlyNowPaulSimon-FiftyWaysToLoseYourLiverTheCommodores-Once,Twice,ThreeTimesToTheBathroomProcolHarem-AWhiterShadeOfHairLeoSayer-YouMakeMeFeelLike

NappingTheTemptations-Papa’sGotAKid-neyStoneAbba-DentureQueenTonyOrlando-Knock3TimesOnTheCeilingIfYouHearMeFallHelenReddy-IAmWoman,HearMeSnoreLeslieGore-It’sMyProcedure,AndI’llCryIfIWantToAndLastbutNOTleast...WillieNelson-OntheCommodeAgain.

On the Lighter Side

Your local farmers’ market isnot only a great place to pur-chaselocalfruitsandvegetables.It’sagoodopportunitytoscoreother freshly baked and pro-ducedgoods, frompastriesandjams to handmade jewelry andhomegrown flowers. Such a fun waytospendafewhoursonasummer day. For a senior on afixed income, it’s tough to beat theaffordabilityoffreshproduceandbakedgoods.

Master the Market.1.Bringyourownbag. Afarmers’marketessential isasturdybagtostashyourgood-iesin.It’salsoanenvironmentallyfriendlywaytoshop.Ifyouhaveothererrandsorstopstomakeafterward, consider bringing acooler with ice to keep yourproducecold.

2.Wearcomfortableshoes. Whenyoushopata farmers’market, it’sguaranteedthatyouwilldoalotofwalking.3.Bringcash. Whilesomefarmersmightac-ceptcreditcards,cashisgener-allythepreferredcurrency.4.Talkwiththegrowers. Vendors at farmers’ marketscan be a great source of infor-mationandadvice.Makesuretotalkwiththemasyoumakeyourrounds.5. Shop early if you can. Farmers’marketshave gainedin popularity in recent years. Ifyouwant the largest varietyoffruits,vegetables,andothergood-ies,it’sbesttogoearly.You’llnotonly have the first pick of goods, you’ll probably havemore timetochatwithvendors.

6.Gettoknowthemarket. Most markets have regularvendorswhosetupinthesameplaceweekafterweek.Onceyougetfamiliarwiththemarket,youcanvisityourfavoriteseachtimeyou shop. Continue to explore newvendorsandthosewhoselljustafewtimesasummer.

Finally, remember the healthbenefits you gain by shopping at a local farmers’ market. Inaddition to providing you withan abundance of healthy foodsto use in planning meals, you’llreap the cardiovascular benefits ofwalking.Thosearetwoofthebest steps for avoiding diseaseandlivingyourbestlife.

TIPS FOR SHOPPING FARMERS’ MARKETSJune 15, 2020 • LPi

August 2020 ~ Calendar of Events

Page 10

31

10

NationalS’moresdaymakes’moresathomeandthinkofus.

17WorldHoneybeeday

24 25

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)

26 27

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)11BYOLunch&ScavengerHuntattheWagonerCommunityCenter

28

18

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)11FeedingAmericaMobileFoodbankManisteeFriendshipCenter

19 20

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)

219-11Foodbank

National Senior Citizens dayWecelebrateyou!

11

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)

12

Vinyl Record DayDigoutthose45sand33sandplaythemtoday

13

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)11Lunch&MusicinthePark(Brethren)

14

WWIIvJday

3 4

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)11FeedingAmericaMobileFoodbankManisteeFriendshipCenter

5 6

10Sit&Fit(outdoors)

79-11Producefoodbank

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

at the preSent time, the Senior center iS cloSed to the puBlic. Some activitieS are reSuming, outdoorS.

(outdoor activitieS are “aS weather permitS.”)watch for updateS on when the Senior center will reopen.

Sat 15

InternatIonal Clown week

Manistee County Council on Aging457RiverSt.~Manistee,MI49660

Phone:(231)723-6477TollFree:(888)723-9060Fax:(231)723-1640Serving the senior citizens of Manistee County

Senior citizens of today are just as vibrant, mobile, engaged and seeking fellowship as their younger counterparts. Aging, it’s everyone’s future. Stay active • Stay informed • Stay involved

manisteecountycoa.comwww.facebook.com/ManisteeCountyCouncilOnAging

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We are here for you...• CareConnect Behavioral Health provides tele-audio therapy sessions to senior citizens, students and their families.• CareConnect Community Health connects families to Mi-Bridges navigation, telehealth apps, food assistance, and other basic needs.• To request service visit: www.nmhsi.org• Behavioral health therapists are staffing a “warm line” avail-able to people coping with COVID-19 related stress or ques-tions.

M-F from 8 a.m.-12 and 1-4 p.m. at(231)655-3867

or COVID-stress@nmhsi.org

1 in 4 seniors is affected by hearing lossHearing loss can’t be seen,so you might think changesin your older adult’s behav-ior are caused by disinter-est,confusion,orpersonalitychanges. And sometimes, hearingloss could be confused withsignsofdementia.But hearing loss is actuallythe3rdmostcommonphysi-cal condition after arthritisandheartdisease. Infact,nearly1in4peopleaged65–74andhalfofpeo-ple aged 75+ have disablinghearingloss. Unfortunately, only 20%of people who could benefit fromhearingtreatmentactu-allyseekhelp.Mostputitoff

untiltheycan’tcommunicateeveninthebestlisteningsitu-ations.Untreated hearing loss is linked to serious health conditions Multiplestudieshavefoundlinks between hearing loss,cognitivedecline,anddemen-tia. Butsomethingassimpleasahearingaidorhearingam-plifier could have a huge in-fluence on healthy brain func-tion. Over 6 years, cognitiveabilities (like memory andconcentration) of peoplewithhearinglossdeclined30– 40% faster than in peoplewithnormalhearing. Hearing loss is also linkedto increased stress, depres-

sion, bad moods, and in-creased hospitalization andfallrisks. That means untreatedhearinglossisamuchbiggerproblem than having theTvontooloudorshoutingdur-ingnormalconversation.

3 reasons why hearing loss could increase de-mentia risk

1.CognitiveloadIfthebrainisconstantlycop-ing with and trying to makesense of sounds that are diffi-culttohear,it’sbusyprocess-ing those sounds and can’tspend as much energy ontaskslikememoryandthink-ing.

2.BrainatrophyHearing impairment couldcontribute to faster ratesofwasting away in partsof thebrainthatprocesssound. Those parts of the brainalso help with memory andsenses. They’ve also beenshowntobeinvolvedinearlystages of mild cognitive im-pairmentandAlzheimer’sdis-ease.

3.SocialisolationPeoplewhohaveahardtimehearingoftenwithdrawfromsocial activities because it’ssohardtocommunicatewithotherpeople. Many studies have foundthatdecreasedsocialengage-ment and loneliness are riskfactorsforcognitivedecline.

reduce dementia riSK By treating hearing loSS

Feeding America Mobile Food Pantries

Tue., Aug. 4 11 a.m.ManisteeFriendshipSocietyTue., Aug. 18 11 a.m.ManisteeFriendshipSocietyTue., Sept. 15 11 a.m.ManisteeFriendshipSocietyOpentoall.NoIDrequired,no qualifications, no proof of

incomeneeded.Drivethrupickup

Manistee County COA457 River St.Manistee, MI 49660

July Happenings at the Senior Center We’re still not open to the public yet, but we are trying to have some safe outdoor activities. The 3Ds joined us and played their hearts out for us. We also had a fun time at the beach in July. Watch for more get togethers in August. Check our calendar!