Page 13 - Senior Times South Central Michigan May 2023 - 30-05

More Gain, Less Pain!
By: Colleen Acker, BeWell Activities Coordinator, CareWell Services SW
Kinship Korner
Getting your daily dose of exercise doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. It counts if you walk down the driveway to get the mail. It matters if you take the stairs, park farther away from the store, or reach down to touch your toes three times a day. It is beneficial if you march during
the commercials of your favorite program, carry all the groceries into the house by yourself, or take a leisurely swim.
The CDC recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise (moderate = you can talk but not sing) per week. You can split up that 150 minutes any way you would like – 10 minutes here, 30 minutes there. However, you don’t have to start at the recommendation. Begin at your comfort level, set a goal and rate it on a scale of one ot ten. If your confidence level is less than a seven, rethink your goal. Anyone can become more active if they are realistic and ready to make a commitment.
for better fitness. Friday’s class, MoveWell, cycles through
several different exercises using weights and bands, standing and sitting. The class offers plenty
of stretches and a calming cool down. A six week session of WERQ Cardio Dance Fitness will be starting on May 17 at 3pm. WERQ is a wildly addictive and fiercely fun cardio dance fitness class. The 35-minute class is
Join us for the May session
of our Dementia Series, hosted
in partnership with the Willard Library! The goal of this series
is to bring information to the community about dementia to help family members, friends, and caregivers as they care for their loved one with dementia.
During the class, we will discuss how and why the brain changes, as well as what your loved one may experience as a result of these changes, including alterations in vision, hearing, mood, and more. We will also provide tips for caregivers as they care for their loved one through these changes. We will also have time for discussion during the class where common challenging situations such as resistance to care, sundowning, and repeating questions can be discussed as
a group.
You will leave the class with
The May class will focus on
To register for Mood & Behavior Changes in Your Loved One with Dementia, please call CareWell Services at (269) 966-2450.
Mood & Behavior Changes in Your Loved One with
Visit CareWell Services’ website at www.carewellservices. org to learn more about our other caregiver support programs.
Dementia and will take place on Wednesday, May 24 from 6-7:30pm at Willard Library.
Senior Times - May 2023
Page 13
Family Enrichment Center Regional Resource 3 Team Sharon Dewey
Foster Care Navigator
Email: SDewey@fecfamily.com
Ph: (269) 660-0448 www.Fecfamily.com
This month, I want to address a sometimes-difficult subject. Often, when our relative chil- dren come unexpectedly, our whole lives are disrupted. We scramble to rearrange our lives to provide for the needs of these children. We love them, feed them, clothe them, and provide a safe place for them to heal.
When, after perhaps a year or two, a judge might decide it is safe for the children to return to their family of origin. This can be bittersweet. We realize, intellectually, this is the goal. It is still very hard to let go of the children we have nurtured so faithfully. It is also hard for the children because they will miss you also.
Something that might help
is to talk with the kids about going home, remind them of activities, pets, people they will see, and friends they will play with. Make a scrapbook of your family they can take with them. Try to arrange for a visit and/ or playdates. Attend school or sports events after they return home.
Most of all give yourself time to grieve. This is a loss for you and your family.
The Family Enrichment Center is available to help you with this process. Our activities are family oriented. Birth par- ents, grand parents, foster par- ents, all are welcome.
We have a Kinship Support group on the first Tuesday of the month, 12:30pm and anoth- er the third Wednesday, 6pm. There is childcare available on Wednesday with a reservation. Please call Sharon Dewey at (269) 2274-4077 for more information.
Family Enrichment Center
When you think of exercise, what comes to mind? Sweaty, out of breath people in tight pants guzzling water in a small, windowless room? Or pitiful participants enduring painful, boring, repetitions as a tiny female with a messy bun yells at them to feel the burn? Better yet, maybe you have the early trauma of a man with huge hair in gym shorts perspiring to music from the fifties. Breath deeply. Let go of the past. A new day has Tony Orlando and Dawned.
and neither do hips – broken or otherwise. With proper warm up, form, stretching, and a blessing from your medical professional, the future of your well-being is more gain than pain!
your living room. You could try Cardio Drumming, Tai Chi, water aerobics, chair exercises, weightlifting, or jogging. The possibilities are quite plentiful!
The best news of all is that you don’t have to go far to find the encouragement you need to be more active. CareWell Services offers exercise classes at Kool Family Community Center on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1pm. Tuesday’s class, Strong Bones, uses repetitive movements with weights, to strengthen bodies
You might be surprised to know that physical activity can be enjoyable! Pair it with something you love to do like read, listen to music, or talk to a friend. Many people love to dance, so bust some moves at home or cut a rug at the local grange on a regular basis. Take up line dancing at a senior center or other community venue. Get social with an exercise class or find a fitness video
on YouTube in the comfort of
So, what’s in it for you? Everything! Exercise can increase your energy, help manage chronic health conditions, maintain
a healthy weight, decrease depression, and increase your overall confidence. Being active can even reduce your risk of falls.
full of fresh choreography set to pop and hip hop tunes. All fitness levels are welcome, but registration is required.
An article published by Stanford Medicine states, “Physical activity is the most effective way to reduce the risk of falling.” Stanford doesn’t lie
Now you have no excuses. Go pick up the phone and call (269) 966-2450 for more information. Check out carewellservices.org for other events, workshops, or classes currently being offered at Kool Family Community Center, Heritage Commons, or Forks Senior Center.
Mood & Behavior Changes in Your Loved One with Dementia
By: Linda Frost, Dementia & Caregiver Outreach Coordinator, CareWell Services SW
information, resources, and supportive connections to help you as you care for your loved one!
PROMOTING HEALTH INDEPENDENCE CHOICE