Vital Living News
March 2019 

Giving Gratitude
Picking up prescriptions, making meals, going to medical appointments, shoveling the sidewalk, keeping a family member, friend or neighbor safe. These are just some of the things family caregivers can find themselves doing. 

We want to take a moment to thank you, our community's caregivers, for all that you do. If you find it would be helpful to have some additional support, East Side's new Family Caregiver Coach/Consultant Parichay Rudina, LISW, has worked with caregivers in a variety of situations to get support, problem-solve, plan for the future, make decisions and manage the stress that caregiving can create. 
 
While there can be some universal challenges and joys, every caregiving situation is unique. Parichay is here to work with families and individuals who want to change their caregiving situation or who are looking for a supportive person to talk with. 

Call Parichay at 612-787-4085 or email her at prudina@esns.org.

Vital Living Team
VitalLiving@esns.org
612-787-4086                  

Vital Living is supported in part by a Live Well at Home grant from the MN Department of Human Services. 
In This  Vital Living Newsletter...
Caregiving: Gain Emotional and Practical Support
Classes: Maintain your Wellbeing
Events: Lifelong Learning
Engagement: Connect through Volunteering
Resources: Tools for Staying Independent
Vital Living Caregiving
Caregiver Support Group
Friday, March 15 ( 3rd Friday of the month)
10:00 AM - 11:30 PM
Support groups are a great place to get ideas for what to do in difficult situations, learn from other caregivers, and be in a room with people who "get it."

C a regiving Consultation
If you're uncertain about what to do next, looking for more information about available resources, want to change some part of your relationship with the person you're caring for, or just need to know that you're going in the right direction, meeting with Parichay can be helpful for you.

Start by calling Parichay about your situation and what your primary concerns are. Based on that conversation, she'll describe some options for support so you can decide what will work best for you. Call today!

More to come for caregivers!
Look for more opportunities to get support at East Side, including support groups, classes for caregivers, social activities and a chance to get the person you're caring for involved with exercise, socialization and fun!

For more information, call Parichay at
612-787-4085 or email prudina@esns.org.
Vital Living Classes
Tai Ji Quan: Moving For Better Balance 
Mondays & Thursdays March 4 - May 23
10:00-11:00 am
This Tai Chi class reduces risk of falls by improving balance, muscle strength, flexibility, and mobility through mindful movements in a slow, flowing motion. The class meets twice a week on Monday and Thursday mornings for 12-weeks.
A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls
Thursdays,  March 14 - May 2, 1:00-3:00 pm
Maintain independence and improve balance! In this awar d winning workshop, participants will learn to view falls as controllable, make changes to reduce fall risk at home, set goals for increasing activity, and exercise to 
improve strength and balance. This eight week interactive program meets weekly for two hours. 
Living Well with Chronic Conditions 
Tuesdays, March 12 - April 16, 1:00-3:00 pm
Monroe Village Apartments, 1900 Central Ave NE
Living Well with Chronic Conditions  helps you discover healthier nutrition options and exercise choices; learn how to improve communication with your family and healthcare professionals concerning your health and well-being; find practical ways to deal with pain and fatigue; and develop skills to get the support you need. This class meets two hours a week for six weeks.
To register for Vital Living classes, call 612-787-4083 or email VitalLiving@esns.org. Classes are held at East Side Neighborhood Services (1700 Second St NE, Mpls. 55413) unless otherwise noted. The cost of these classes is based on ability to pay.

Evidence-based health and wellness workshops/classes are sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Agency of Aging (MAAA) in the seven county metro area.  East Side is a community partner in MAAA's Juniper initiative. yourjuniper.org  
Vital Living Events
Dementia Education and Awareness 
East Side's Dementia Education and Awareness Coordinator, Nate Cannon, will be offering informational sessions open to the public in the coming weeks. These one hour sessions will be offered at locations at the times below, and are  designed to provide key messages about dementia and how to support t hose with memory loss living in our community. Mark your c alendar for your preferred date and location! Call Nate for more information at 612-787-4007. 
 
Edina: 
     March 11th at 1:30pm: Southdale Library
      April 9th at 1:30pm: Southdale Library          
     April 17th at 10:30am: Southdale Library        
     May 14th at 6:30pm: Southdale Library
Minneapolis:
     March 19 at 12:30pm: Trinity Apartments
     May 20 at 6:30pm: Sabathani
     May 23 at 1:00: Nakomis Library
St. Louis Park:
     April 16th at 6:00pm: St. Louis Park Library
     April 22nd at 2:00pm: St. Louis Park Library
 
Dementia education is supported, in part, by a grant from the MN Board on Aging.
Vital Fitness
Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30am
Drop by for East Side's Vital Fitness group! The group meets weekly in East Side's gymnasium for a variety of exercises that improve balance, strength, and coordination. First time participants are always welcome! There is no cost to participate. Contact Carmel with questions at 612-787-4086. 

Nutritious Lunch 
Monday - Friday, 11:30am-12:00pm
Join friends for a warm, nutritious meal in our bright, welcoming community room, hosted by Volunteers of America. For older adults 60+, the suggested donation per meal is $4.00. Please make your reservation three days in advance by calling Dawn at 612-787-4093.
Vital Living Engagement
Connect Through Volunteering
Living a vital life includes community involvement. Our life experiences and interests are valuable and needed to help others. Have you thought about getting involved but don't know where to start? Each month, we will highlight ways to engage in the community and share your expertise and passion.
Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign
East Side's High Rise Mobile Food Shelf, Senior Food Shelf and Glendale Food Shelf are raising food and funds during the month of March as part of the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign. In 2018 we distributed nearly 1.1 million pounds of food through our three food shelf programs! 

How can you help? Please donate non-perishable food items and/or cash/check at any of our four locations:
ESNS headquarters, 1700 2nd Street NE, Minneapolis
Senior Food Shelf, 1801 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis
High Rise Mobile Food Shelf, 554 N 8th Avenue, Minneapolis
Glendale Food Shelf, 92 St. Mary's Avenue SE, Minneapolis

Donations can also be made online at www.esns.org/donate
Your contributions are matched proportionally by Minnesota FoodShare, so the more we raise in March the more we receive from Minnesota FoodShare.
Every donation counts!  Questions? Call Rob at 612-787-4111.
Eastside Meals on Wheels
Can volunteering fit into a busy week? Yes! An organizati on serving NE/SE Minneapolis and St. Anthony Village with a flexible and very accommod ating schedule is Eastside Meals on Wheels. They are a local, independent non-profit serving hot meals to seniors and those with disabilities every week day. They operate almost entirely with volunteers. They are looking for individuals to help with meal delivery, plan events, and to serve on their board. 
For more information, go to www.eastsidemeals.org or call 612-277-2529.
Resources for Vital Living
Accessible Transportation
East Side Neighborhood Services provides assisted transportation to older people living in North, Northeast, Southeast Minneapolis and St. Anthony. 
Type of trips: Doctor, hairdresser, bank, pharmacy, nursing home visits, 
errands, senior dining and shopping.  We are also available for grou p outings.
Cost: We use a sliding fee
Available: Monday through Friday, 8am - 4pm
Call: Reservation line 612-787-4012
Work Readiness  Training for People 55+
East Side's Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides work readiness training for people 55+ years old. SCSEP addresses the practicalities of job hunting for older adults: bus routes, distance to travel, hours, handicap accessibility, resumes, job hunting skills, and interviewing skills, as well as increasing your self-confidence when looking for jobs.

Participants are placed into training sites to develop new job skills. Our training sites provide real life work readiness opportunities for our participants. SCSEP's goal is for older adults to feel confident enough with their new job skills to find unsubsidized work. Contact John for more information 612-787-4090, JRichard@esns.org 
Nutritious Meals Delivered
Eastside Meals on Wheels delivers meals to homebound persons living in NE and SE Minneapolis, and St. Anthony Village.    Contact Eastside M eals on Wheels at 612-277-2529 or via email at info@eastsidemeals.org to register.
The HOME Program  i s a service of Senior Community Services. Older adults living in Hennepin County in need of snow removal or light housekeeping should contact 952-746-4046 or  home@seniorcommunity.org . Older adults outside of Hennepin County should contact the Senior Linkage Line at 1-800-333-2433 for information about services in their area. 
East Side Neighborhood Services
612-781-6011 
1700 Second Street NE,  Minneapolis, MN 55413