A PUBLICATION FOR March 2020 MASON COUNTY Volume 8 R E S I ...

A PUBLICATION FOR

MASON COUNTY R E S I D E N T S

On the Upside of 50

March 2020 Volume 8 Issue 3

Active for Life

Your Life, Your Way, Your Time over 50

What's Inside:

? Page 2 Your Mason County Senior Centers ? Page 3 Easy Ways to Prioritize Nutrition ? Page 6 ROBOCALLS - What you need to know ? Page 7 Matter of Balance Class ? Page 18 Colorectal Cancer Awareness ? Page 23 Senior Resources

MASON COUNTY ? MICHIGAN

YOUR MASON COUNTY SENIOR CENTERS

Free Soil Area Senior Center The Free Soil Area Senior Center had an interesting start. People from the community got together and started what was then known as the 49er's Club. They gathered at the Free Soil Township Hall on Michigan St. The members brought in potlucks, played cards, did crafts and other fun activities. Some days over 70 people attended!

It was said that during this time the Free Soil 49ers were approached by the Scottville Senior Center (all details are not clear) to become a senior center. Meals on Wheels may have been bringing meals at that time.

On June 30, 1989 The Free Soil Area Senior Center, Inc was established. Bylaws were put into place. From that time the Free Soil Senior Center took on many transformations. It moved from the Free Soil Township Hall to a trailer that was used by a bank, to the Free Soil Community Schools cafeteria, to a double wide on the school property, to its current location.

The Free Soil Area Senior Center now serves approximately 30 people on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am -2:00 pm. It serves meals made from scratch and cooked on site. The menu is posted on our Facebook page. We have access to a gymnasium, a pool table, and exercise equipment. Pickleball is on Mon., Wed., and Sat. We feature guest speakers, holiday meals, mystery trips, music and are always open to suggestions.

LUDINGTON SENIOR CENTER

Healthy aging plays a vital role in our Mission Statement, here at the Ludington Senior Center. Due to this, we promote many exercise programs. Namely, Yoga, Tai Chi, Drumming, Stretch, Fit & Balance with Cyndi, Country Dancing and Zumba Gold/Toning. We offer a variety of services, special interest, social and educational programs as well. Pop in for a minute or stay a while, you'll be glad you did! Complimentary coffee on the house!

Tallman Area Senior Center

Our Center will be having another talk about caregiving on March 12th at 1 PM. The talk will be a summary on what we learned on February 13th. Our Center is learning about caregivers and what they can do to help them make things a little easier for them and their loved ones. If this is something that you would like to learn more about, come join us.

Our activities include bingo on Tuesday and Thursday at 10 AM, daily meals, crafts, potlucks, educational presentations, and special events. Please see page 20 of this newsletter for more information about Tallman Area Senior Center.

Scottville Area Senior Center The core mission of the Scottville Area Senior Center (SASC) is to provide county-wide services to eligible seniors in their homes, and transportation to medical appointments up to 100 miles away for seniors with no other transportation option. Inhome programs include homemaker services for those unable to do their own and respite care to provide a break for caregivers of seniors.

In 2019 we started a support group for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and other kinship caregivers who are raising young relatives. In addition, other groups meeting regularly at SASC include Parkinson's Support, several exercise options, charity sewing and quilting, pool, various card groups, country dancing, Mahjong, Wii bowling, shuffleboard, crafts, a book club, chess club and other activities. SASC offers weekday congregate lunches and monthly pot luck dinners.

As part of Mason County Central Schools, SASC also enjoys intergenerational programs with elementary and high school students.

For more information about services and activities, call the center at 231-757-4705 or visit us at 140 S. Main St. in Scottville.

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ACTIVE FOR LIFE MARCH 2020

MASON COUNTY ? MICHIGAN

Easy Ways to Prioritize Nutrition

By Emily Armstrong, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan

Nutrition is just one of those things...we KNOW how important it is to our overall health, but it is often one of the first priorities we let slide. Sometimes it is so much easier to grab a fast or convenient option than to take the time to prepare a well-balanced meal. According to the National Resource Center for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Aging, 1 in 4 older Americans have poor nutrition. This occurs partially because as you age, your body's needs change. Your metabolism tends to slow down, meaning you don't need to consume as many calories, and your body requires more of certain nutrients than it did before; such as potassium, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, minerals, and dietary fiber, all things we can get from foods. Eating well reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. This means it is more important than ever to choose foods that give you the best nutritional value. Here are just a few things you can do to implement healthy eating habits: ? Learn about the MyPlate program. This national program offers several quick tips to help you make healthy options as you get older. ? Drink plenty of liquids. As you age you may lose your sense of thirst, and it is important to stay hydrated. ? Vary your vegetables. Vegetables are a good source of fiber, and they are low on calories, so be sure to include a variety of them in your diet. ? Use herbs and spices. Sometimes foods can taste like they are losing their flavor as we age from loss of smell/taste or medications that can impact taste. Herbs and spices are a good way to liven up a dish without relying too heavily on salt. ? Keep food safety in mind. As we get older we are more susceptible to food-borne illnesses, therefore ensure your food is stored properly and cooked thoroughly. Find out more on

Group Meals. Maybe you're tired of cooking or no longer have the means to do so? Many senior centers offer group meals made up of healthy, well-rounded options for a small donation. Group meals are served daily at Ludington, Scottville, and Tallman Senior Centers and the suggested donation is $3 per meal for Seniors. The menu for these centers is on page 4 of this newsletter. Free Soil Senior Center serves meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and their monthly menu is on page 21. Another great option is to start a weekly potluck night with friends, that way you aren't responsible for all of the items of the meal. You may find your mealtimes more enjoyable overall if you spend them socializing with others. The Ludington and Scottville Senior Centers also offer Project Fresh coupons for all Mason County residents 60 years or older during the summer. These coupons can be used to buy fresh produce at famers markets. Your income must be less than $22,459 for a single person or $30,451 for a two person household.

Home-delivered Meals. Home-delivered meals can also be a wonderful option. If you are homebound many organizations offer support through meal drop-offs. The Mason County Meals on Wheels program provides meal delivery throughout the county for a small fee. Their phone number is 231-757-2831. This number can also be found on page 4 of this newsletter. If you would rather cook for yourself, there are many online meal kit delivery services that can be a fun option as well. They deliver all the fresh ingredients needed to make the meal along with detailed instruction.

Take a Cooking Class. Perhaps part of the problem is that you've just never felt confident while cooking. Many community centers offer cooking classes at an affordable rate. Here at the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, we offer classes taught by a registered dietitian through our Healthy Aging Program. You can learn more by visiting ha or call (616) 456-5664. Various nutrition classes are also offered periodically at Scottville and Ludington Senior Centers as well.

FOR MASON COUNTY RESIDENTS ON THE UPSIDE OF 50

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MASON COUNTY SENIOR MEALS

300 BROADWAY AVE. ? SCOTTVILLE, MI 49454 ? 231.757.5721

PLEASE CALL MEAL SITES FOR LUNCH

RESERVATION BY 9:00 AM.

Monday

2 Kielbasa Sauerkraut Applesauce Bun 1% milk

9 Stuffed Baked Ham, Cheese, Broccoli Pears Sliced Bread 1% milk

16 Stuffed Green Peppers Sliced Apples Dinner roll 1% milk

23 Pulled Pork Coleslaw Baked beans Melon Wedges Bun 1% milk

30 Goulash Corn California Blend Apples 1% milk

Tuesday

3 Roast beef Mashed Potato Apple slices Whole wheat bread 1% milk

10 Taco Tuesday Tacos Mexican Rice Lettuce/ Tomato Sliced Oranges 1 % milk

17 Irish Stew Green Peas Green Apple Potato roll 1% Milk Wear green and

get a cookie

Wednesday Thursday

4 Breaded Chicken Strips Potato Salad Grapes Bread 1% Milk

5 Homemade Meatloaf Mashed Potato Apricots Dinner roll 1 % milk

11 Chicken Pot Pie Carrots/ Peas Fruit Mix Pie Crust 1% milk

12 Pork Chops Red Skins Melon Wedges 1 % milk

18

19

Breaded chicken Pizza Day

Red Skin Potatoes Thursday

Diced Pears

Fresh Salad Bar

Dinner roll

Pineapple

1% milk

1% milk

Community

Champions

Delivering Meals

Friday

6 Macaroni & Cheese Carrots Sliced Peaches 1% milk

13 Breaded Fish Hash Brown Casserole Peaches Muffin 1% milk

20 Meatless Lasagna Brussels Sprouts Grapes Bread 1% Milk

PRICES Age 60 and up: $3 Under age 60: $5

Note: Menus are subject to change.

$1 Lunch Days

Third Friday each month

Ludington Center

March 20

Last Thursday each month

Scottville & Tallman Centers

March 26

Meals on Wheels and Kitchen 231-757-4831

Meal Sites

Scottville 757-4705 Ludington 845-6841 Tallman 757-3306

24 Liver & Onions German Potato Salad Applesauce Rye Bread 1 % milk

31 Beef Stroganoff Noodles Peas Diced Pears 1 % milk

25 Spaghetti w/meat sauce Green Beans Pineapple Garlic toast 1% milk

26

27

Chicken, Rice & Lemon Pepper

Broccoli Casserole Fish

Carrots

Scalloped

Peaches

Potatoes

1% milk

Peaches

Sliced bread

1% milk

May your troubles be less And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness Come through your door.

-Irish blessing

In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 202509410 or call toll free (866) 6329992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339: or (800) 845 6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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ACTIVE FOR LIFE MARCH 2020

MASON COUNTY ? MICHIGAN

Just for Laughs - LEAVING TOWN

Send this to your kids or relatives so they know what happened to you!!!

To help save the economy, the Government will announce next month that the Immigration Department will start deporting seniors (instead of undocumented immigrants) in order to lower Social Security and Medicare costs. Older people are easier to catch and will not remember how to get back home. I started to cry when I thought of you. Then it dawned on me......... oh, shoot...... I'll see you on the bus!

Can you really balance an egg on its end during the spring equinox?

By Heather Janssen, AccuWeather staff writer Retrieved from

The vernal (spring) equinox will occur on Thursday, March 19, marking the start of spring for the Northern Hemisphere.

A long-standing myth of the equinox is that it's possible for an egg to stand on its end. The myth was popularized in the United States following a LIFE article in 1945, which explained the old spring adage. "The origins of this myth are attributed to stories that the ancient Chinese would create displays of eggs standing on end during the first day of spring," John Millis, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Anderson University stated in an article.

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

However, this myth is partly true. It is possible to balance an egg on its end, but it has nothing do to with the vernal equinox. In fact, it can be performed on any day of the year. To stand the egg on its end, try using a rough surface or an egg that has a bumpy end for better balance. Millie added, "the ancient Chinese celebrated the first day of spring about six weeks earlier than the equinox, meaning that the recreation of this event was not even on the correct day."

FOR MASON COUNTY RESIDENTS ON THE UPSIDE OF 50

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