November workshop included plea for an age-friendly university
Professor Joseph Gaugler, director of the University’s Center on Aging, led UMRA’s November workshop addressing two topics: how to create an Age Friendly University (AFU), and how to keep our brains healthy.
Dr. Gaugler started with a pitch for Minnesota to join the AFU movement, which originated in Ireland. He defined an AFU as a university that gives older adults access to teaching and learning, supports intergenerational activities, offers encore careers, promotes aging research, partners with local retiree communities, and combats ageism. He discussed the AFU core principles and, working with UMRA, how he plans to lead Minnesota in these directions.
Importantly, the Minnesota Gerontological Society has just announced an initiative for Age Friendly Communities.
In the latter part of the workshop, Dr. Gaugler briefly discussed brain health and Alzheimer's disease, highlighting highlighting in his presentation an illustration (see slide No. 22) showing what modifiable factors may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. The most important things we can do to reduce the risk are participate in regular physical exercise, avoid obesity, manage hearing loss and hypertension, stop smoking, and avoid social isolation.
For those who serve as caregivers for someone with severe memory loss, Dr. Gaugler runs an annual day-long conference. You can join the email list for the June 27, 2020, conference by contacting Ann Emery at 612-626-9515 or [email protected].
—Ron Anderson, UMRA Cares Committee
November workshop: How to keep our brains healthy
Tue, November 19 2019, 1:03pm
Dale Shephard Room, Campus Club Fourth Floor, Coffman Memoirial Union
At our November workshop, Joseph E. Gaugler, PhD, will talk about keeping our brains healthy and our minds sound. Professor Gaugler holds the Robert L. Kane Endowed Chair in Long-Term Care and Aging in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Division of Health Policy and Management. He is also the director of the school’s newly relaunched and redesigned Center on Aging.
An applied gerontologist, Dr. Gaugler has won numerous awards for his work on long-term care for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic conditions.
Dr. Gaugler will summarize what we currently know about how the brain changes as it ages. He will then tell us about recent research on life course factors that are associated with the risk of dementia. From this research, he will offer suggestions for things we can do to help reduce our personal risk factors.
—Ron Matross, chair, Workshop Committee
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.