Dear Friends and Neighbors,
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The focus of this issue of The Navigator is fitness – physical, social and mental - and its importance to overall health and well-being.
When we started delving into the various aspects of fitness, we learned about the serious science that underscores how important fitness is, and about the powerful relationship between the mind and body, both of which are described below.
The Village is about forming important social and emotional connections and about having fun. In this newsletter, we share some enjoyable ways to stay fit while establishing those meaningful and life-enhancing connections that can keep you healthy and happy.
On another note, right now everyone is concerned about the coronavirus. Rest assured that the Village, the city, and the state have protocols and procedures in place to respond appropriately no matter what direction the virus may take. We need every member of the Village to follow the recommendations of the CDC and local health departments, as well as being extra vigilant to check on neighbors and friends who may be particularly vulnerable to the virus.
Take care,
Darcy Evon
CEO
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Fitness is for everyone because well-being depends upon it. While we tend to associate fitness with our muscles and bones, it turns out that the starring role in physical, mental and social fitness is played by our brains.
What Is Fitness?
The Centers for Disease Control define physical fitness as "…the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies."
It’s clear that physical, social, and mental fitness are inseparable and dependent on each other. We all know that hormones released during exercise make you feel happier and that being lonely negatively impacts health ("as harmful as smoking or obesity").
There are countless well-known ways to improve physical fitness – but what about mental and social? People over 50 are especially vulnerable to isolation and loneliness, facing a minefield of life transitions: job insecurity, divorce, empty nest, retirement, etc. So let’s start there.
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Village members enjoy a game of pickleball.
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The Brain and Social Fitness
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Pioneering loneliness researcher, the late John Cacioppo from the University of Chicago taught that "The purpose of loneliness is like the purpose of hunger." Hunger tells you that you need food; loneliness tells you to seek social contact.
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Cacioppo’s work revealed a new understanding of loneliness. It is based on the fact that we are a social species. Human nature has always demanded social contact because without it, our ancient ancestors could not survive (lions, tigers, bears, strangers!). That is why human psychology associates loneliness with threat. And threat causes us to be on high alert and to retreat into self-preservation mode. This in turn causes people to engage less and feel even more lonely, creating a vicious cycle.
The result is, you may be feeling deprived of community and the social balm we all need, yet also feeling uncomfortable around new people. But we can change this.
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How to Amp Up Social Fitness
It starts with being aware that discomfort in social settings is about your brain, not your personality. Knowing that, simple behavior changes that occur in the moment can strengthens the brain in ways that increase social fitness:
- Do small favors (hold a door, offer a ride, bring up a neighbor's paper)
- At gatherings, choose someone and ask a question
- Interact with people you encounter in your daily life (in the grocery line, at the mailbox, waiting for the bus.)
Also:
- Recognize that it’s hard. Accept that others may be lonely and wary, too.
- Seek people with similar interests, activities and values.
- Extend yourself, but ease into it so you feel safe. Start small.
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Village members reconnecting at an event.
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Starting small: Why you need a network of low stakes casual friendships.
The New York Times reported on a 2014 study which found that the more "weak ties" a person has (neighbors, a barista at the neighborhood coffee shop, people in your Pilates class), the happier they feel because such ties contribute to a sense of belonging to a community.
Instead of considering these minor encounters as throwaway interactions, cultivating low-stakes relationships can pay dividends:
- They further engage us in community
- They create mini-networks
- They can evolve into meaningful relationships
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Social fitness and the Village
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Opportunities for connecting and strengthening your social muscle abound in the Village:
- People often connect by volunteering together—both for the Village and in the community. For them, the first barrier is gone – they already share values and interests.
- Village Neighborhood Circles offer frequent opportunities for Village members who live near each other to get together for dinners, movies, game nights and more.
- At Village programs and events, people encounter former colleagues, neighbors, or acquaintances and are able to re-kindle a past relationship.
- Our intergenerational programs such as Trivia Night, book discussions, and dinners are popular because they are great fun and because they have exposed participates to new points of view and inspired some new friendships.
Being with the same people over time builds bonds and the Village has many ways to turn casual encounters into something more. Here’s a sampling:
- Memoir Writing Group
- Six at the Table
- Just Restaurants
- Pickleball
- Bridge
- Support Group for Care Partners of People with Dementia
- Stories in the Spotlight (NEW!)
- The Great American Read Book Club
- Third Act Theater Circle (NEW!)
- Committees
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Members of the Village bridge group enjoy weekly games, providing opportunities to build connections over time.
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The Brain and Mental Fitness
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Fighting Dementia with Food and Exercise
By Darcy Evon
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News about memory loss, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s can be grim. There are no drug treatments, despite billions of dollars invested into promising research and hundreds of clinical trials. Experiencing memory loss or witnessing memory loss in a loved one is terrifying and heartbreaking.
But not all is gloomy. Recent research shows that you can dramatically reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, potentially reverse cognitive decline and improve your overall health---even if you have the gene that has been associated with a higher risk of dementia.
The secrets are diet, exercise, adequate sleep, reduced stress and brain exercises.
Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush University Medical Center, developed the MIND Diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) and the results are significant: those who strictly followed the MIND diet lowered their risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 54% and delayed cognitive decline by 7.5 years. Even those who followed the guidelines moderately well lowered their Alzheimer's risk by 35%. Following the diet completely also shows a 42% reduced risk of Parkinsonism; partial compliance leads to a 30% risk, according to Kristin Gustashaw of Rush University.
Below are the basic dietary features of the MIND Diet. If nothing else, please remember that sugar is the most inflammatory food possible and should be limited to a maximum of 15 grams a day. Alcohol and saturated fat are also major factors negatively affecting your brain health.
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MIND Diet
Foods to Eat:
Green leafy vegetables like spinach and salad greens
Other vegetables
Nuts
Berries
Beans
Whole grains
Fish
Poultry
Olive Oil
Wine (one glass per day)
Foods to Avoid:
Red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, fried or fast food
UCLA Professor and Physician Dr. Dale Bredesen, author of The End of Alzheimer’s (Penguin Random House 2017), also has developed a dietary protocol called ReCODE in response to research demonstrating that dementia is caused by inflammation, lack of necessary nutrients and toxic exposure. For more information and the ReCODE protocol,
click here
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The Brain and Physical Fitness
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You probably aren’t thinking about neurology when you set out for your yoga class, step onto the treadmill, or are walking briskly around the neighborhood. But the fact is that exercise is very good for the brain. It improves cognitive function mental health, and memory; it also hinders the development of some neurological conditions. The trick is to find something enjoyable and stick with it.
Nike had the right idea with "Just do it." But it isn’t easy. Even the famously fit Jennifer Lopez says, "It's SO not easy. I hate it just like anybody else. It's not fun. You do it because you want to feel good and it does make you feel good after you do it."
Recognizing this, members and collaborators with The Village Chicago have come up with some ways to stay fit that actually are fun – and good for both body and brain.
Dancing!
Last month, the Village in partnership with Loyola’s Dance Honor Society and host CMSS launched "Dance With a Doc." Village member Neelum Aggarwal, MD, a cognitive neurologist at Rush University Medical Center, spearheaded both this new monthly dance program and Walk With a Doc which will resume when the weather permits.
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Village members learning new steps at Dance With a Doc.
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Dr. Aggarwal explains, "The beauty of this program is that it is so engaging while providing a full cognitive workout: visual/spacial perception, balance, rhythm, and remembering."
Hugh Brodkey attended Dance With a Doc and said, "It was really fun. The group was enthusiastic, the dance leader was easy to follow and I like how Neelum explains what’s happening physiologically." Chris Hackney concurred. "I’m not the best dancer, but I loved learning a routine with moves that dancers do!"
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Pickleball
Pickleball is a paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.
The Village’s pickleball maven Eloise Barron says, "It’s a dynamic, growing sport – great for people over 60. It gives you both a physical and mental workout – because there is strategy involved. The games are short – only 11 points. I love it because it is social, interactive and forgiving!"
Other ways to sneak up on some exercise
Here are some other opportunities the Village offers to stay fit, socialize, and learn something all at once:
- Architectural walking tours
- Bird Watching
- Wild Flower Walks
- Walk With a Doc
Plus the "just do it" way!
Discounts for Village members:
- CityWide SuperSlow
- Chicago Athletic Club
- XSport Fitness
- Pilates
- NIA (Neuromuscular Integrative Action)
- Balance Chicago
If you want to find out more about the Village or our fitness activities, please email us at info@thevillagechicago.org, or call 773.248.8700.
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Connecting Through Our Community
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You don’t have to be a member to connect with the Village’s network of friendship and engagement. You are invited to join in some of the many Village activities that are rewriting the experience of living life’s “third act” in Chicago:
- Help us plan a Thought Leader series of events for 2020-2021 featuring speakers who represent the latest thinking about life after 50.
- Be a part of the group making plans for our annual benefit – a great party to be held June 22 at the DePaul Music School's Holtschneider Performance Center.
- Bring your experience and knowledge to our committees and task forces:
- Life 3.0 / Future of Work Develops programs for people 50-65 e.g., career transitions, caring for aging parents, finding purpose after retirement, The Future of Work
- Member Services Volunteers who share skills and expertise; or provide rides companionship, and support
- The Ally Program Be a Village-trained volunteer for any member who wants one-on-one support through a health care event.
- The Bridging Generations Professional Board A group of young adults creating meaningful connections among people of all ages through social gatherings and volunteering.
Not here in the winter? Working? Kinda busy? Flexible time commitments (e.g., a fly-by to share some specific expertise; help on a specific project; other short-term commitments) arranged to fit your schedule! Call Jonathan Tague at 773.248.8700.
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Village members and guests of all ages participating in a Trivia Night organized by the Bridging Generations Board.
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The Village 11th Anniversary Benefit
Save the Date - The Village Chicago Is Throwing a Party!
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On Monday,
June 22, 2020
the Village will celebrate 11 years as a member-to- member network of friendship, engagement and services for people over 50.
The celebration will be at DePaul University in the beautiful Holtschneider Performance Center and feature food, drink, spectacular auction items and a performance of popular stage tunes and well-known opera arias by the super talented Lyric Opera Stage Artists.
Wanted: Memorable Experiences for the Auction
Help support the Village by donating a stay at your vacation or second home -- anything from a small cabin on a quiet lake to an apartment in a major city including Chicago for a glamorous staycation.
Also wanted are gift certificates for restaurants, spas, theaters, and concerts.
Contact Susan Wakula at susanw@thevillagechicago.org.
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Photo by Taras Makarenko from Pexels.
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An Update on Village Programs
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At this time, many, but not all Village events in March are being rescheduled or cancelled. We are in the process of contacting all program ambassadors, hosts, and venue partners to assess options on a case-by-case basis. To view our full calendar of an up-to-date listing of our programs,
click here.
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Village Member Pastime Groups
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Are you...
Looking for a new career, about to retire, wondering what's next? Seeking companions that share your interests? Searching for a way to utilize your abilities? In need of occasional help? New to Chicago? Worried about changing needs? An adult child with aging parents?
Village members are part of an inclusive, intergenerational community, connected to others and to the resources that support growth and well-being as we navigating life after 50 together.
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Leadership of The Village Chicago
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Board of Directors
Karen Terry,
President
Nancy Felton-Elkins,
Vice President
Ruth Ann Watkins,
Vice President
Charles G. Cooper,
Vice President
Angie Levenstein,
Secretary
Richard W. Sullivan,
Treasurer
Kathie Kolodgy,
Immediate Past President
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David E. Baker
Donald M. Bell
Patricia Clickener
Thomas C. Eley III
Judith Gethner
Bruce Hunt
Ira Kohlman
Therese Meike
Gail C. Moss
Linda Randall
Leatrice Berman Sandler
Wally Shah
Bob Spoerri
Lois Stuckey
Janet Walters
Melville Washburn
Joyce Winnecke
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Advisory Council
Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD
Robyn L. Golden, LCSW
Joanne G. Schwartzberg, MD
Mary Ann Smith
CEO
Darcy L. Evon
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The Village Chicago is a member-to-member network of friendship, engagement and services for people over 50. We support all aspects of well-being through social engagement, an extensive services and referral network, lifelong learning, health and fitness, intergenerational relationships, work and purpose.
2502 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60614.
773.248.8700
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