April 29, 2020 Supporting a Balanced and Well-Connected Life Through Active Aging Hello Fridley Seniors!
Today is Wednesday, April 29. Last week, Governor Walz announced that schools would extend distance learning through the end of June. This means that all of the Fridley School District buildings will be closed, including the Fridley Community Center where the Senior Program is housed, until at least June 30. We know this is difficult news for many and for our Senior Center regulars, especially.
Of course, we'll continue to keep you updated on the date when we can safely begin to gather again. When we do open again, it will likely look and feel different than it has in the past. We invite you to both grieve, as needed, and to open yourself up to imagine how we can be a community to each other in new ways. I look forward to what we can create together.
In the meantime, we will continue to provide important resources and opportunities for connection, education and entertainment in this newsletter. Last week, we experienced some technology issues and are sorry we were unable to get the April 21 issue out to you. We've worked out those issues now and don't expect that it will happen again. Because this newsletter was getting a bit long, you will see that we archived some of the information by providing links to old newsletters.
We will also be sending out a paper newsletter to home addresses soon. If you or someone you know would like to receive that newsletter, please email me at Maggie.Chandler@fridley.k12.mn.us or leave a voicemail at 763-502-5150 with a name and address of the person wishing to receive it.
Take good care,
Fridley Senior Program Coordinator Announcements
Tax Updates
Information on Property Taxes:
Resources for Seniors
Grocery and Prescription Delivery » Pickup Services Order online, select date and pickup time, park at the store and they'll bring it out to you. You will need to create an account and use a credit card for payment. Typically, no additional fees for the pickup services.
*Make sure you have the correct store selected and pay close attention to the time slot for pickup » Metro Mobility Grocery and Goods Delivery
Certified Metro Mobility customers can now order groceries and household essentials online from a store that has online shopping and local pick up. Metro Mobility will pick your order up and deliver to your house. The service is free! If you have any further questions about the service, please contact Metro Mobility Service Center: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call: 651-602-1111 TTY: 651-221-9886 Email: metromobility@metc.state.mn.us
» YMCA Food Distribution The YMCA is partnering with Loaves & Fishes and UnitedHealth Group to serve free healthy meals to community members. Pickup is from Noon to 1pm, Monday through Friday at local YMCA's. Click the link below to find the one closest to your home. It says "families", but we have verified that everyone is welcome.
» NorthStar Neighbor Northstar Neighbor exists to spread a message of hope and compassion by serving our neighbors who are at higher risk of COVID-19 complications. We make one-on-one connections between a healthy volunteer who has low COVID-19 risk factors with a senior or other high-risk person in the same community for remote companionship, conversation and help with delivery of groceries or prescriptions. If you are interested in participating in this program, you can email NorthStarNeighbor@gmail.com or call 612-430-8899, or you can visit the Northstar Neighbor website by clicking the button below. » Help at Your Door Help at your door is a non-profit which provides grocery assistance and essential medical transportation to seniors. Once registered, it typically takes between 2-5 business days for your first delivery. The cost for delivery is $15 plus the cost of groceries, though there is sliding feel for individuals over 60 who meet income qualifications. To sign up for services, call 651-642-1892 or email at information@helpatyourdoor.org. » Southern Anoka County (SACA) Food Shelf
» Prescription Delivery
Many pharmacies and insurance companies have options to deliver your prescriptions. If you're not sure if your pharmacy or insurance has a delivery option, you can call them to find out. If you get your prescriptions at Target, this is a CVS pharmacy - see below link. Cub Pharmacy does not officially deliver, but has, on occasion, made exceptions.
*For information on ensuring your have access to your medications during the pandemic, click here.
If You Must Leave the House
» Wear a face covering
» Special Store Hours for Seniors
• Sam's Club: Tuesday and Thursday, 7am-9am. Option for concierge service where an associate gathers your items for you - call ahead for more information.
• TIP: Regardless of the store, if you must go out, go as early as you can - most are restocked over night and less busy in the mornings. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from others, when possible. • New Hours: Bob's Produce (7am-7pm); Mike's Discount Foods (10am-8pm)
Prepared Meal Options: » Lunch to Go - Parkview Villa Highrise » Meals on Wheels
Senior Program Coordinator and Social Workers available to help!
» Senior Center The Community Center is not open, but we are still working (from home)! We are happy to help in whatever ways that we can. If you call the Senior Center at 763-502-5150, please leave a message. You can also leave a message for Alaina (Community Ed Social Worker) at 763-502-5121.
Currently, we have no way to answer our phones, but we are checking voicemail and calling people back. Please leave your name and number and we'll call you!
» ACCAP Our Senior Outreach Worker from ACCAP is still available over the phone or by email to help connect you to a resource or help you fill out applications.. You can call Angela at 763-783-4741 or email at asable@accap.org
Let us know what you've been working on! Please email us a photo or write a description of your projects! Whether you're stitching, weaving, knitting, painting, making paper mache, woodworking, or gardening, we want to feature your talents as a way to connect with each other! Health Tips » COVID-19 Symptoms • Some people experience a sore throat as the initial symptom
It's a good idea to try to find your base temperature (what is normal for you) by taking your temperature a few times when you do not yet feel symptoms. » Exercise
There are several online options for daily exercise!
• Yoga with our beloved instructor, Michael Ledman on Facebook Live. Tuesday and Thursday at Noon are the 45 minute gentle classes. Feel free to call the Senior Center for help accessing the Facebook page and how to pay. $6/session
• Silver Sneakers features over 200 workout videos online which are free for adults over 65 who participate in Medicare Plans! » Telemedicine
Some of you have already been asked to have your doctor visit move online or over the phone during this time to prevent unnecessary exposure to the virus. The National Council on Aging has put together some tips on making your telemedicine visits as beneficial as possible. You can read those tips here. » More Resources
For more exercise resources and information on the importance of hand washing and caring for our mental health, please see the April 14th Newsletter on the Fridley Senior Program website. United Way Help/Crisis Line - 211
If you or someone you care about is experiencing a crisis, calling 211 from your phone will connect you with someone who direct you to appropriate help for your need.
If you are experiencing a medical or safety emergency, please dial 911. Just for Fun!
» Some Good News with John Krasinski If you're needing a break from the intensity of the news cycle, you might try tuning into, "Some Good News with John Krasinski."
You may recognize John from the TV show, "The Office." He's put together a youtube show for this time while we're staying at home - filled with heartwarming news of the wonderful things still happening in the world. » Visit Greece! » Visit the San Diego Zoo! » Join - One Book One Minnesota
» Games Connecting Online
Join us on Facebook! New to Facebook? For instructions on how to create a Facebook account, click on the purple button and I'll show you how! Email Updates
We will be sending these updates weekly by email until the senior center re-opens. Then, we will return to the the monthly newsletter format. If you've already received this via email, you will continue to get the email updates.
If you did not receive this newsletter in your inbox, please join the mailing list! Click the button below to subscribe. (You must click Register New User on the bottom and fill in your information) Fridley Senior Program Fridley Community Center, 6085 7th Street NE, Fridley |