Senior Center News, July 17, 2020

North Central Senior Center, July 20-24

Menu by Earlene DeWinter

Subject to Change

Monday — Unstuffed chicken cordon bleu, potato wedges, vegetables, fruit

Tuesday — Salad, meatloaf, au gratin potatoes, green beans, rolls, pineapple upside down cake

Wednesday — Oven-baked fish, potato supreme, broccoli, blueberry buckle coffee cake

Thursday — Barbecue riblet sandwich, macaroni salad, pork and beans, cookies

Friday — Soup, salad bar, chef’s choice, dessert, milk

The Senior Center’s doors are still closed to the public. We are providing limited services. Help is being given over the phone when possible.

Remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly!!! Maintain your personal space. Stay hydrated.

We want to thank the individuals who are making masks, especially those whom have brought them to the Center. If you are in need of a mask, let us know. We may be able to direct you to a source.

With people getting out and moving around more, remember to use all precautions. If you do not feel comfortable going out, protect yourself and stay home as much as possible. If you do any traveling, especially out of state, remember the 14-day self-quarantine.

There are still a lot of scams going around. Some are being very forceful in trying to get your information. Don’t give them any information. Protect your Medicare and read your quarterly Medicare Statement. Some agents are being sneaky in having things billed to you without you or your doctor realizing it. Also, there will be no new Medicare cards with chips… this is another scam. If you inadvertently give them any information, contact the Senior Center for the tip sheet to protect yourself.

Medicare is doing a survey they need help with, but they will not ask for any personal information. If you are not comfortable with this, continue with not answering the phone. No matter what, do not give personal information out over the phone unless you are sure of the source. If in question, hang up.

The Senior Center is providing medical transportation only for now. Remember to call ahead for Friday’s appointments.

Congregate folks: We continued to provide meals at the Hill County Senior Center while being closed. If you would like to pick up a meal, please be sure to call the Center before 10 a.m. to order a meal. Pick up — grab and go — meals may be acquired at the center at noon Monday through Friday. If you would like to, you may order a meal for one day or meals for the entire week. Please let us know which meals would be preferred ahead of time as it would be beneficial in preparation so we are aware of how much food to fix each day.

50 Self Care Activities for Quarantine Anxiety Relief Medically reviewed by Amy Gorin, MS, RDN

This list of outdoor activities and indoor activities are great things to do when stressed for anxiety relief. Start on these self-care activities while in quarantine!

Here is a continuation of the indoor activities:

25. Knead bread

“I have found that baking with yeast is very therapeutic,” said Adams. “There is something about therapeutic about the whole process from kneading the dough to letting it rise, to baking it and eating it.” Dietitian Erin Hendrickson, RDN, agrees. “I took a sourdough bread-making class a few months ago,” she said. “Baking bread from scratch, along with a glass of wine nearby, has become a weekly tradition I look forward to. It’s a great way to decompress and relax, and of course the end product is delicious!”

Try it: LeSaffre Saf-Instant Yeast

26. Sip a cup of coffee

When I’m feeling stressed, I drink coffee. Sometimes, it’s decaf! It feels so nice to have a warm cup of liquid in my hands, and I find the aroma so soothing.

Try it: Equal Exchange Instant Ground Coffee

27. Stream a yoga class

Lauren O’Connor, RD, enjoys streaming yoga from her home. “It’s kinda cat yoga, because our cats come and go as they please between poses!” she said. “I finally got my big screen TV set up for YouTube to do Yoga with Adriene.” Dietitian Mandy Enright, RD, is a yoga instructor who’s currently offering free online yoga classes.

Try it: Yoga with Adriene on YouTube

28. Do a meditation

“Meditation is a great way to chill out and help decrease inflammation in our bodies during stressful times,” said Levin. “I love to use the Insight Timer app because you can pick the amount of time you have available and a meditation that relates to the stressor in your life. I’ve used the app for daily meditation but have also used it when I get a migraine to help relieve the symptoms. If meditation is new to you, choose a guided meditation and sit back and relax.” Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RDN, owner of Halsa Nutrition, said that she’s a fan of the Headspace app.

Try it: Insight Timer

29. Listen to music

“I listen to music, and then it turns into dancing, which gets the blood flowing,” said Jen Bragg, MS, RD, owner of Bragg Nutrition. “This can be done at home or while walking, or running. You can even have a virtual dance party!”

Try it: Hits & Dance playlist on Apple Music

30. Bake with your kids Courtesy of Deborah Toole

Have a cookie-baking session with your little ones. Or if they’re old enough, leave them to it and grab some alone time! A friend of mine who is homeschooling her kids due to the quarantine let her children make cookies on their own. I thought it was such a cute idea, plus it gave her some much-needed solo time! “I gave the kids all the ingredients for chocolate-chip cookies and a recipe, and returned to my office to work,” she said. “I heard teamwork, math, and giggles. Mistakes were made and they figured out how to fix them.” If you’re out of eggs, try these peanut butter no-egg cookies.

Try it: Happiest Kids Baking Set

31. Take a virtual tour of a museum

Take a tour of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris or the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC from the comfort of your home!

 Try it: Virtual museum tours

32. Embrace your faith

“I enjoy taking moments throughout the day to read a bible verse or listen to gospel music to keep me encouraged,” said KeyVion Miller, RD, owner of The Miller’s Kitchen. 

Try it: Gospel Flow on Apple Music