NEWSLETTER                                                                            MAY 2021  IN THIS ISSUE - A Message from the Executive Director - Trusted Advisor -Village Movement CA - myNurse.ai - Webinar June 2 - Featured Volunteer - Nicki Edwards - Board Member Spotlight - Sally Kruger - SLOCO Seniors - Fraud Prevention - My Neighbor Friend - by Amy Iscold - Younger Seniors - by Tauria Linala - Benefit from Zoom Activities

From the Executive Director   Kerry Sheets “When we share experiences—through action, story, or service—we help build strong communities. And that’s something to celebrate! In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities.”   ...  Administration for Community Living   Thank you, volunteers, members, donors, and Board of Directors for sharing your energy, time, finances, expertise and passion to build SLO Village into a strong community during an historically challenging time. Because of you, we were able to meet all of our members’ requests, including visits and calls to isolated members, grocery shopping, prescription pick-up and delivery, transportation to medical appointments, restaurant pick-up and technology assistance to connect to family, friends and activities Another reason to celebrate is the addition of our new Office Manager and Activity Coordinator, Corene Canaan. She likes to be called, “CC.” If you haven’t met her yet, she is answering the office phone Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m to 2 p.m. Watch your email for announcements about new activities. You will see her there! I look forward to resuming our activities, connecting in person and building relationships.    Trusted Advisor Charlotte Dickson - Executive Director Village Movement California Are You Managing A Chronic Health Condition? Villages are about empowering older adults to live well-connected and healthy lives. We know this can be challenging, especially when you need to manage a chronic health condition. Clinical studies show that you'll be more successful in improving your high blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic conditions when you use tools to track your progress and follow up with care providers between visits. You may have been on top of things before Covid-19 made it difficult to see your doctor. You may be asking yourself, “How do I find someone to help me manage my chronic healthcare problem on my own terms, in my own home?” Village Movement California, representing the 45 Villages in our state, and a trusted advisor for SLO Village, is working with myNurse.ai to answer this question. More about the relationship… MyNurse.ai creates customized care programs for older adults with chronic conditions.  When an older adult enrolls, they are considered a member. MyNurse.ai provides them with smart devices such as blood pressure monitors to take, track, and transmit vitals on a regular schedule. MyNurse.ai also assigns them a personal licensed clinician who tracks and interprets their data, checks in with them regularly to provide encouragement, and makes sure they have everything they need to manage their condition. MyNurse.ai works with the member’s primary care physician to share all data and progress. They strictly follow confidentiality laws to protect members’ health data. MyNurse.ai is a covered benefit with Traditional Medicare to minimize out-of-pocket expenses. More about myNurse.ai …    Telehealth Webinar To learn more about how myNurse.ai might help you or someone you know, mark your calendar for our June 2nd informational webinar. RSVP here… Featured Volunteer - Nicki Edwards By Megan McGreen When SLO Village volunteer Nicki Edwards, picks up members Claude and Melba Alvis for their physical therapy appointments, Claude often looks straight at Nicki and simply says, “I have four questions for you.” He’s been thinking about what he wants to talk to her about and Nicki is thrilled that another interesting discussion is about to begin. “I look forward to seeing both Claude and Melba,” says Nicki, a retired nurse and administrator. “We have great discussions about health and education since Claude is a retired principal from San Luis Obispo. We’ve talked about homeschooling during the pandemic and all sorts of things.”Read More. ..   Board Member Spotlight - Sally Kruger I've been involved with SLO Village since the very first interest meeting was held!  I phoned the Village-to-Village Network (national organization) for more information and found that GALA had joined and planned to start a Village in SLO.  I made some phone calls, invited my neighbors to that first organizing meeting and the rest is history. I've been married to my partner Gene since 1963.  He picked me up on the beach at Lake Tahoe and asked me to go for a ride in his boat. We were married two years later, three days after President Kennedy signed the married man's draft exemption act during the height of the Vietnam War. His boss gave him three days off and told him to go get married!  Read More... May 17 @ 10:30 Fraud Prevention Presentation My Neighbor Friend By Amy (Amarilis) Iscold I moved to SLO three years ago and my first self-appointed task, once boxes were unpacked and books lined the shelves, was to build community. I have turtle-like tendencies and love to pull the walls of my home around me and snuggle in with a good book and a cup of tea … and snacks. I love snacks. But even turtles need connections and people they can count on. And, as a collector of stories – written and told – talking to people is one of my favorite pastimes. I took it slow, sorting through new acquaintances for those who might become friends. Turtle-paced. Nurturing the connections that showed promise. Not knowing that the first person I met in my new home would become my closest SLO friend. The day after we arrived, while I was unboxing, there came a knock on our door.   Read More ... Younger Seniors By Tauria Linala “Younger Seniors.” That doesn’t ring chimes with everybody. Anyone prefer “Older Adults?” Face it: Boomers and all people who are aging … many of us are having a good time of it. I’m happy to say I’m 65. I enjoy exercise, hiking, dining and dancing. My sister is the one who likes yoga. I meditate. Not everyone is happy, no matter what age group. I think we all acknowledge that things could be better, and we are on that path. If you aren’t doing ok, I’m here to let you know that I will listen. What do I love about SLO Village?  Read More… Members Benefit from Zoom Activities By Meredith Bates and Megan McGreen SLO Village Board Members and Volunteer Coordinators Seniors are often stuck at home and physically isolated from friends and family, especially during San Luis Obispo County’s shelter-at-home orders.  SLO Village’s Zoom activities have expanded opportunities for members to connect with each other to help ease the negative effects of isolation.One member remarked, “I have hearing loss and I can turn up the volume on my computer and hear better than when meeting in-person.” She enjoys seeing other member’s faces close-up on the computer, which is not possible for her during in-person gatherings.   As a bonus, Zoom screens usually include the names of individuals, which assists those with mild memory loss during conversations. Haven’t heard of SLO Village?  We are a vibrant community working together to create a better experience of aging. Villagers enjoy social events, activities, educational opportunities and get assistance from vetted volunteers to help with transportation, technology, and home & garden maintenance services to make aging at home easier and more enjoyable. SLO Village in-person activities moved to Zoom during the pandemic and many SLO Village participants are actively engaged with one another remotely. SLO Village looks forward to once again connecting members and volunteers for in-person social engagements, like coffees, movie nights and luncheons. We are seeking volunteers and members in Estero Bay and San Luis Obispo. Want to learn more? Please call our office, 805-242-6440, email us (office@slovillage.org) or visit our website – SLOvillage.org. Watch our video to learn about the Village Movement SLO Village is a vibrant community working together to create a better experience of aging. We are a membership organization focused on empowering older adults to continue living successfully in their own homes and communities as they age. Our members are encouraged to participate in social events and activities. We also provide access to vetted volunteers who help with transportation, technology and handyman services to make aging in place easier and more enjoyable. 805 242-6440 -  Office@slovillage.org - PO Box 15038 San Luis CA 93406