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Welcome to the Senior Resource Connect blog. You can visit the blog each Wednesday at 10am for the latest information about aging, caregiving, COVID, and local resources.

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Staying Social As We Age

June 19, 2024
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Did you know that June is National Elder Abuse Prevention Month? Today on the blog we’re going to look at ways to combat social isolation, a big risk factor for elder abuse.  

We’ve all felt lonely, especially since Covid-19. What’s the difference between loneliness and isolation? The Centers for Disease Control define loneliness as “the feeling of being along, regardless of the amount of social contact;” they define isolation as the “lack of social connections.” While someone may have a social network and still feel lonely, they are considered isolated if they do not have any social network. About 25% of older adults (age 65+) are socially isolated. Isolation can have negative effects on the body, such as an increased risk of dementia, higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, and even premature death. So how can we stay social as we age? Where can we go to potentially find new connections? 

 

Community Resources 

 

Education 

 

Gardening Clubs 

 

Senior Centers 

 

Senior Lunch Cafes

 

Libraries 

  • Chelsea District Library (734) 475-8732 
    • Reading Glasses Book Club (meets 1st Tuesday of each month 6:00-7:00pm @ Chelsea Alehouse)  
    • Books & Banter Book Club (meets 1st Thursday of each month 2:00-3:00pm) 
  • Milan Public Library (734) 439-1240 
    • Lethal Lunches (Mystery Book Group- meets 1st Wednesday of each month 1:00-2:30pm) 
  • Northfield Township Area Library (734) 449-0066 
    • Finer Things Book Club (meets 2nd Tuesday of each month 1:00-2:00pm) 
    • Monthly craft events 
  • Saline District Library (734) 429-5450 
    • Walking Yoga (Mondays Noon-1:00pm) 
    • Renovation Yoga (Thursdays Noon-1:00pm) 
    • Monthly Bee-ngo (bingo) 
    • Monthly adult coloring 
    • Monthly craft events 
  • Ypsilanti District Library (734) 482-4110 
    • Mahjong (Mondays 1:00-3:00pm) 
    • Moving For Better Balance with the Ann Arbor YMCA (Wednesdays 10:00-11:00am) 
    • LNGO Fitness (Thursdays Noon-1:00pm) 
    • Chair Yoga (Fridays 10:30-11:30am) 
    • Walking Club (Fridays 10:30-11:30am) 
    • Senior Advisory Board (meets 3rd Thursday of each month 1:00-2:00pm) 
    • Monthly craft events 

 

Memory Care 

 

National Resources 

  • AARP Friendly Voice– Call 1-888-281-0145 and leave a voicemail. AARP staff will return your call. Please note that when AARP calls your caller ID may say “800 Service.”   
    • To speak in Spanish call 1-888-497-4108 
  • AARP Local– Click on “Change City” near the top of the page to find classes and social events near you.  
  • AmeriCorps Seniors (volunteer opportunities) 
  • Red Hat Society (Note: there is an annual membership fee of $35) 
  • SAGE Connect– LGBTQ-Friendly weekly caller program. The program currently has a waitlist. Email [email protected] for more information. 

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Medication Safety 101

March 26th is Epilepsy Awareness Day. You may have heard of Epilepsy, but did you know that it affects an increasing number of older adults? Today on the blog we’re going to explore Epilepsy- what it is, how it affects older adults, and what resources exist in the community. What is Epilepsy? According to the Cleveland Clinic, Epilepsy is a chronic disease where the cells in the brain produce abnormal electrical signals, causing seizures. Approximately 3.4 million people in the United States live with Epilepsy. Epilepsy can be treated with daily medication. Epilepsy & Older Adults Older adults (age 55+) are the fastest growing group of epilepsy patients. It's estimated that there are nearly 1 million older adults living with Epilepsy in the United States. In older adults, strokes may cause symptoms that resemble other health conditions, such as wandering, confusion, dissociating, or the inability to speak (all of which can resemble Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia). Unfortunately, many antiseizure medications put older adults at an increased risk of falling due to side effects including dizziness and loss of balance. Talk with your doctor if you have any concerns about your medication (we’ve also covered basic fall prevention tips on the blog in the past). Managing Epilepsy While seizures can be unpredictable, there are some small steps people with Epilepsy can take that may improve their seizure control and overall health. Stay on top of medication. Missing medication is the leading trigger for seizures. How Can You Make Sure You Take Your Medicine As Directed? via Senior Resource Connect How to save money on prescription medications via Senior Resource Connect Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep deprivation can also trigger seizures. Stay active. Eat a healthy diet and know how certain foods or drinks (e.g., alcohol, caffeine) affect your seizures. Reduce stress. Keep a record of your seizures- what happened before, during and after the seizure, any triggers you can identify, and any patterns you notice. Develop a Seizure Action Plan and share it with loved ones. What To Do If Someone Is Having a Seizure (Stay-Safe-Side) via Michigan Medicine STAY with the person until they are alert and the seizure has passed. Make sure to time the seizure. Make sure the person having the seizure is in a SAFE place. Turn the person on their SIDE to keep their airway clear. Also make sure to loosen any clothing/jewelry that may be tight around their neck. Make sure there’s something soft under their head. When to call 911: If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes. If the person has multiple seizures one after the other. If the person has difficulty breathing, chest pain, or does not regain alertness after the seizure. If the person became injured during the seizure. If the seizure occurs in water. Local & National Resources Epilepsy Foundation’s 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-332-1000 Spanish hotline: 1-866-748-8008 Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan’s Here For You Helpline: 1-800-377-6226 Project UPLIFT via the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan Evidence-based depression management program for adults with Epilepsy. This program runs for 8 weeks and is conducted over the phone. Seizure Response Dogs via Paws With A Cause ($50 application fee) Seizure Smart Mental Health Professional Network- this is a list of therapists that have completed the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan’s training on seizures and mental health. Steve Metz Memorial Grant via The Defeating Epilepsy Foundation Offers a one-time grant in the amount of $1,000 towards a seizure alert dog. University of Michigan Comprehensive Epilepsy Program (734) 936-9020
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