GIVE LOCAL MIDLAND IS TUESDAY, MAY 3rd!

Give Local Midland is a 24-hour online giving campaign for local nonprofit endowment funds. The Midland Area Community Foundation is raising money and awareness for over 50 Midland nonprofits who do incredible and inspiring work in our community. Join us tomorrow, May 3rd, and give where you live during Give Local Midland.

As you know, DNMM has provided independent living support services to people with disabilities throughout the mid-Michigan area for over 30 years. As we look to the next 30 years and beyond, we see an ever-increasing demand for services with an ever-tightening grip on state and federal funding. We need to ensure DNMM will always be there to help people with disabilities achieve and maintain their independence. With your support, we can continue creating accessible and inclusive communities.

How can you help?

1. Please make a donation to support us on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Gifts given during the day will receive a portion of bonus funds - making your dollar go further!

2. Help us spread the word! Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram. Follow the hashtag #GiveLocalMidland to see the buzz. We can't wait to celebrate the difference your generosity will make for our community! #GiveLocalMidland #CommunityEvent

Give Local Midland is TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The event lasts for 24 hours – from 12:00AM on May 3 to 11:59PM.

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

After the last two years of pandemic living, many people are realizing that stress, isolation, and uncertainty have taken a toll on their well-being. 

This year, the theme of Mental Health Awareness Month is "Back to Basics." Our goal is to provide foundational knowledge about mental health & mental health conditions and information about what people can do if their mental health is a cause for concern.

Mental health refers to our emotional and social well-being and impacts how we think, feel, and behave. It plays a role in connecting with others, making decisions, handling stress, and many other aspects of daily life. Everyone has mental health, and it deserves your attention just as much as your physical health does.

Why should I care about mental health?

Mental health is important for all of us. Taking care of yourself is critical to prevent your mental health from worsening – factors like nutrition and gut health, stress, sleep, relationships, trauma, and more can contribute to poor mental health. If your mental health is in a good spot, it is a great time to practice coping skills – ways to help you deal with hard feelings – so that you're better able to handle tough times when they happen.

Is poor mental health the same as having a mental health condition?

You can have times of poor mental health without having a diagnosable condition – just like you can be generally physically unhealthy without having a particular illness. A mental health concern is anything that causes a person to believe their mental health may be suffering. You don’t need to be diagnosed with a mental health condition to be dealing with a mental health concern.

Many people struggle with not feeling “sick enough” to seek help early on in their mental health journey. The average delay between symptom onset and treatment is 11 years, meaning a lot of people spend months or years facing mental health challenges before getting a diagnosis. It is never too early to seek treatment – if you want help for your mental health, you deserve to get it.

What is a mental health condition?

A mental health condition, or mental illness, refers to a set of symptoms that have been identified by the mental health community. People with mental health conditions deal with changes in emotions, thinking, and/or behavior. For some, this means extreme and unexpected changes in mood – like feeling much more sad or worried than usual. For others, it means not thinking clearly, pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy, or hearing voices that others do not. To be diagnosed, the changes in your thinking and emotions must be seriously hurting your ability to do the things you want to do; and sticking around longer than they should – weeks or months, depending on the condition. No matter what kind of mental health condition someone is facing, it's always possible to recover.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON

LIVING MENTALLY HEALTHY

HOMEBOUND COVID-19 VACCINATION AND SUPPORT PROGRAM

If you are a person with a disability or medical condition that prevents you from going to a COVID-19 vaccine clinic, you can receive the vaccination and boosters in your own home.

WHAT CAN DNMM DO FOR YOU?

Disability Network of Mid-Michigan staff can:

• Coordinate/Schedule In-Home Vaccinations
• Arrange for or provide transportation to vaccine clinics
• Provide support by accompanying you to appointments

This program is FREE of charge.

For those requesting an in-home vaccination, a nurse and a medical professional will administer the vaccine and assist with scheduling the second dose and a booster where needed.

SCHEDULE YOUR VACCINATION TODAY!

989-835-4041 ext. 237

SPOTLIGHT ON INDEPENDENT LIVING

Marie likes to have input regarding services that are provided through Disability Network of Mid-Michigan.  Marie happily completes a survey with assistance. She chooses to complete the survey provided by the agency because she knows listing things she likes or giving suggestions for changes improves the quality of DNMM services.

Kathy has lived in Saginaw County for many years working with DNMM Supports Coordination for much of that time. Kathy enjoys shopping at the local stores favoring thrift shops. She loves eating at local restaurants where she enjoys soup and a grilled cheese sandwich but indulging in a piece of pie is her favorite delight.  

She also loves jigsaw puzzles. Kathy is updating her bedroom right now and selected two of her favorite puzzles to have framed and placed on her walls. She is very excited to see the final outcome.

PLANNING FOR AN EMERGENCY

Are you prepared to handle an emergency situation? Do you have a plan?

After the devastating floods in May of 2020, many Michigan residents faced the difficult challenge of trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. Many found themselves in the position of not having a plan for dealing with such an emergency. 

DNMM is excited to once again offer MY3P (My Personal Protection Plan) - an emergency preparedness series that will help you Make a Plan, Build a Kit, and

Be Informed.

May session dates and topics:

• Part One - April 7 - 1:00-3:00pm

Creating My Action Plans and Support Network

• Part Two - April 14 1:00-3:00pm

Creating My Go Kit and Evacuation Plan

Assistive Technology For Your Go Kit

• Part Three - April 21 1:00-3:00pm

Advanced Care Directives

Personal Safety

All sessions are FREE of charge and will be conducted virtually on Zoom. Participants will be given flash drives with all the essential resources to customize their plan.

Class size is limited.

Disability Network Mid-Michigan is proud to once again be the official sponsor of Accessible Services at Dow Diamond. We applaud the Loons organization and the facility staff for working to make Dow Diamond an accessible place where everyone can Dive In! 

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACCESSIBLE SERVICES

AT DOW DIAMOND

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!

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.

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:

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!

989-835-4041

ORDER YOUR FREE AT-HOME COVID-19 TEST

On January 14, the White House announced a new initiative to help ensure Americans have COVID-19 tests on hand in case they are needed. The website to order at-home testing kits - at no cost - is now live and accepting orders. People who do not have internet access or who need additional assistance with ordering can call 1-800-232-0233 

(TTY 1-888-720-7489) to place their orders. 

The Eldercare Locator and the Disability Information and Assistance Line (DIAL) also can assist older adults and people with disabilities with placing orders if they need additional help, connect people to accessible instructions, and help with administering the tests. Both phone lines are staffed Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Eastern). 

Older adults can call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 Monday-Friday or visit the website to chat live or browse resources.  

People with disabilities can contact DIAL by calling 888-677-1199 or by emailing DIAL@usaginganddisability.org. The DIAL information specialists are trained to work with people of various communications abilities, including spending as much time as needed to understand callers. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people can reach DIAL using the 711/Video Relay Service (VRS). To use this free service, simply dial 711 to be connected via text with a communications assistant. (For people who do not communicate through speech, sign language or VRS, email is the best option to communicate with DIAL.)

DISABILITY NETWORK OF MID-MICHIGAN

989-835-4041 | www.dnmm.org