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E-Newsletter
December 2021
| Promoting and Encouraging Independence for All People with Disabilities | |
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We're happy to announce the opening of our new satellite office in Gratiot County. Gratiot residents will now have easy access to our staff for assistance with any disability-related matter.
Our office is located in the Wilcox Non-Profit Center at 525 N. State St. in Alma. Office hours vary so please call ahead to schedule a visit. We can be reached at 989-462-0144 extension 1903.
We look forward to meeting you!
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Long-time Bay County resident Sue was living life in her own home just as anyone else would. But, sometimes, "life" throws us curveballs that change everything. Sue had a stroke and soon found herself stuck in a nursing facility. Six months passed and Sue desperately wished to return home, she just didn't know how.
In April of 2021, Heather from DNMM's Nursing Facility Transition team got in contact with Sue. They began to discuss what Sue wanted and ways to help realize those goals. Heather secured funds to have a wheelchair ramp installed at Sue's home and she began to help Sue navigate the bureaucratic challenges of applying for SSDI. They also applied for a direct-care worker to provide needed in-home help.
After a few weeks of work, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, Sue was able to successfully transition back into her own home, thanks to the improved accessibility, SSDI funds, and help from her family members. While they are still waiting for a direct-care worker, Sue is optimistic.
"Things have been going so much better. I can't thank Heather enough." We wish Sue continued success and the happiest of holidays.
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FEATHERS AND FEDORAS RETURNS!
A Roaring 20's Gala Fundraiser
The party of the year is back, live and in-person. Feathers and Fedoras is a Roaring Twenties style evening of dining, dancing, casino-gaming, and live and silent auctions.
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Break out your black silk fedora or your best flapper dress and get ready to Foxtrot the night away!
Find Lady Luck at the casino tables, dance to the rhythm of Stone Street Revival, bid on exciting auction items, enjoy delicious food, and hit the speakeasy for champagne and gigglewaters!
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Join Honorary Chairs for the party of the year:
FEATHERS AND FEDORAS!
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Horizons Conference Center - Saginaw
5:30 - 11:00pm
Tickets are just $50 per person. All patrons receive one drink ticket for beer or wine. Heavy hors d'oeuvres stations are also featured throughout the venue.
If your business would like to sponsor the event or if you need additional information, please contact Matthew Ivan at 989-430-6105.
*Casino tables are for entertainment purposes only and are free and open to the public. No prizes, cash or otherwise, awarded based upon play.*
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SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER AWARENESS MONTH | |
Feeling SAD?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is more than just those winter blues or a seasonal “funk.” SAD is a very real type of depression that is most commonly associated with the fall and winter months.
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Symptoms of SAD can include:
- low energy
- depressed mood
- hopelessness
- irritability or anxiety
- poor concentration
- social withdrawal
- changes in sleep and/or appetite
- loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
What can you do about it?
- Structure. Go to bed at a regular time, and get enough rest. Give focus to eating healthy meals on a regular schedule.
- Make your environment brighter when you can. Open blinds, and sit closer to bright windows.
- Get outside. Go for a walk, take your lunch outside, take short breaks throughout your day and enjoy the sunshine.
- Exercise. A regular exercise routine can help with stress relief, and being more fit can help to increase self esteem. Plus, exercise increases levels in your brain of the same chemicals used in anti-depressant medications!
- Socialize. Connect with the people you enjoy being around.
- Take a trip. Make an effort to plan for vacations during the winter months when possible.
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A couple things to remember:
- We all have tough days and times when life presents us with an increase in overall stress. It’s ok to have a bad day. However, SAD is a type of depression, and if your symptoms do not improve, or even worsen, it may be time to seek professional support.
- Treatment options can include psychotherapy, medications, and even light box therapy.
- Luckily, recovery from any diagnosable mental illness has high success rates, with 70-90% recovery rates when we seek treatment.
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This festive time of year finds many of our homes decorated, inside and out, with symbols of the season. From lighted trees to candle displays, and from strands of garland to lighted porcelain figurines. While many of these may seem all-too-familiar, many may not realize the potential hazards such decorations can create.
More than 16,000 injuries involving holiday decorating resulted in emergency room visits in 2019, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 230 home fires each season involving Christmas trees.
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Here is a good checklist to follow to ensure your family's safety during the holiday season:
- If using an artificial tree, check that it is labeled “fire resistant”
- If using a live tree, cut off about 2 inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, remember to water it and remove it from your home when it is dry
- Place your tree at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources, making certain not to block doorways
- Avoid placing breakable ornaments or ones with small, detachable parts on lower tree branches where small children can reach them
- Only use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and choose the right ladder for the task when hanging lights
- Replace light sets that have broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections
- Never nail, tack or stress wiring when hanging lights and keep plugs off the ground away from puddles and snow
- Turn off all lights and decorations when you go to bed or leave the house
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TOYS FOR TOTS
Help Make The Season Bright
Disability Network of Mid-Michigan is happy to announce our Midland office is an official drop-off location for the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program.
From now until December 10th, you can stop by our office at 1705 S. Saginaw Road in Midland to donate a new, unwrapped toy. You can help bring the joy of the holiday season to a family in need!
The mission of the Toys For Tots program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
We fully support the US Marine Corps Reserve's goal of delivering, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.
Since 1947, Toys For Tots has distributed more than 548 million toys to over 251 million children!
DNMM office hours are Monday - Thursday from 8:00am to 4:30pm and on Fridays from 8:00am to 3:00pm. We are closed on Saturday & Sunday. For more information, please call 989-835-4041.
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SENSORY-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT | |
Join the Midland Symphony Orchestra for a holiday concert with Broadway star Erica Spyres! This supportive and welcoming environment features slight modifications to the performance environment to make the concert accessible to those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental and physical disabilities, sensory processing disorders, PTSD, and for other sensory-sensitive people and their families.
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Winter has returned to Michigan and that means it must be hockey season! And after a year-long absence during COVID, the return of our beloved Saginaw Spirit has never been more welcome.
DNMM is proud to be a small part of that return as a sponsor of accessible seating at the Dow Event Center. We look forward to working with the center and the Saginaw Spirit toward making hockey games and other events fully accessible. Come on out and enjoy a game with us! Catch the Spirit!
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WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER YOUR MEDICARE/MEDICAID QUESTIONS | |
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Do you need extra help paying for your Medicare Part D prescription plan?
Call us to see if you are eligible for the Low Income Subsidy for Medicare Prescription Drug coverage. We can help you with screening questions and do the application over the phone in as little as 15 minutes!
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Do you need help paying your Medicare premiums? Call us today to see if you qualify for the Medicare Savings Program. Our certified MMAP Specialists can assist you with checking your eligibility and doing the application over the phone.
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Did you know there are many preventative health and screening services included with your Medicare coverage?
Some of the things you may be eligible for include:
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Screening:
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
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Testing and services:
- Nutrition Therapy
- Glaucoma
- Mammograms
- Tobacco use cessation counseling
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These are just some of the many services you could access. Call today for more information and a full list of preventative health benefits!
CALL US TODAY! WE'RE HERE FOR YOU!
1-800-782-4160
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STATEMENT OF INCLUSION
Inclusion is a universal human right for all people, regardless of race, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other discernible quality. To be inclusive is to promote a sense of belonging, respect, and value for who you are as a person. It is about equal access and opportunities for everyone. Inclusion is an integral part of our Independent Living philosophy and of our agency's vision of accessible and inclusive communities.
DNMM offices have been, and continue to be, places of solace, understanding, and information for all. We are committed to promoting and protecting diversity and inclusion, within our offices, among our community partners, and throughout the 15 Centers for Independent Living in Michigan.
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ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
DNMM advocates for the removal of barriers to independence and full inclusion of people with disabilities throughout the Mid-Michigan area. DNMM pledges to ensure accessibility. Each year, DNMM conducts a review of its own architectural, environmental, attitudinal, employment, communication, transportation, and other barriers that may exist which prohibit full access to our services.
If you have any issues of concern regarding the accessibility of DNMM services and facilities, we encourage you to share that information.
Please click here to contact us.
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DISABILITY NETWORK OF MID-MICHIGAN
800-782-4160 | www.dnmm.org
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