Service and Outreach

Cares Committee recommends two local meditation centers

Of the many places to find meditation classes in the Twin Cities, two that have attracted UMRA members are the University’s Center for Spirituality and Healing and the Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis.

Volunteer Opportunities: Help people with memory loss and their caregivers

Memory loss is frightening for all of us. The Lyngblomsten Care Center in St. Paul offers programs to assist both clients suffering from memory loss and their caregivers. There are two ways you can help.

2018–19 PDGR grant awards: from prevention science to folklore

Nine grants totaling nearly $36,000 have been awarded to individuals who applied for 2018–19 funding from the Professional Development Grants for Retirees program.

Volunteer Opportunities: Be a 'Help at Your Door' volunteer

Volunteer to change lives; help seniors and individuals with disabilities maintain their independence and continue living in their homes. Help at Your Door volunteers assist with transportation, home support, groceries, and in many other ways. 

Cares Committee continues series on meditation and mindfulness

Thinking that meditation can only be learned by sitting with a personal guide? That personal guide can come to you via your smartphone. 

2018-2019 PDGR Abstracts

2018 Awards. In February, 2018 a subcommittee of the UMRA Grants Committee reviewed 10 applications for the Professional Development Grants for Retirees and recommended that 9 be approved. In March, Allen Levine, Vice President for Research announced the recipients of the 2018 Professional Development Grants for Retirees . The recipients represented the fields of Medicine, Art History, Indian Studies, Education, Design, Indian Studies, Information Studies, Graphic Arts, History, and Psychology. 

Volunteer Opportunity: Usher at Rarig Theater

Volunteer to be an usher for Rarig Theater productions of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and As You Like It.  Choose from six productions scheduled between March 29 and April 1.

Cares Committee offers Newsletter series on meditation and mindfulness

Whether eager to learn or skeptical of the practice of meditation, you will find the book Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics offers a beneficial experience.

Volunteer Opportunities: History Day judge, mock trial juror

Serve as a history judge for school kids. Or as a juror for budding lawyers at a mock traffic trial. Everyone will learn something, and the students will thank you!

Volunteer opportunities—URVC offers a “Cocktail of Volopportunities”

If you're looking for ways to use some of those special skills you developed during your career, or to follow a special interest, URVC offers a mix of opportunities this month. Judge a middle school debate tournament, become a tutor/mentor for a young person, scan documents for a digital archive, usher at the Rarig Center theaters, or help pack or distribute fresh produce at a major food warehouse.  

Better Balance (Tai Ji Quan) Class at Wilder

Beginning Jan. 22 (2018) Wilder Services for Aging will teach a mild exercise class designed to reduce the risk of falls by improving muscle strength, flexibility and mobility from practicing coordinated movements in a slow, circular, flowing motion.

The workshop will run for 24 sessions, from 10:30 to 11:30am every Monday and Wednesday at Wilder, 650 Marshall Ave, St. Paul. It is free but a donation of $60 is suggested. No prior experience is necessary. Please register by Tuesday, Jan 16.

Volunteer Opportunity: Participate in research to improve balance

Many elderly people risk falling and breaking a hip as a result of poor balance. If you are at least 70 years old and not involved in a physical activity/exercise program, you are invited to participate in the new Ready–Steady program, offered by the School of Nursing. Help find the best ways to avoid accidental falls through strength-building and balance exercises. Compensation provided.

Exploring alternative transportation? Share your experiences

As the Cares Committee has been exploring alternative transportation options, they have encountered some successes and some frustrations. They invite readers to share their experiences and recommendations with others. 

Professional Development Grants for Retirees—2018 update

Ten applications were submitted by the December deadline for the 2018 Professional Development Grants for Retirees program. The approved proposals will be announced in March. 

From the Cares Bookshelf

The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters, by Emily Esfahani Smith, explains a growing new movement within psychological research that is fundamentally reshaping our understanding of the good life. It’s a very readable book for academics and non-academics alike.