Northside News

The following programs will be offered at Warner Park Community Recreation Center (WPCRC), 1625 Northport Dr., unless indicated otherwise.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 3, 10:30 am, Live music featuring Polkalamity

Feb. 6, 10:30 am, Valentine Bingo (numbers called in Spanish and English)

Feb. 13, 10 am, Foot Clinic

Feb. 11, 10:30 am, NESCO in
Pictures, presentation by Jim Krueger

Feb. 16, 11 am, UW Extension Nutritionist Danielle Curry

Feb. 15, 1‒3 pm, Memory Café

Feb. 17, 10:30 am, Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Party

Feb. 18, 10:30 am, Black History Month presentation on Martin Luther King by Pam Bracey

Feb. 19, 10:15 am, Low Vision Support Group

Feb. 23, 12 pm, Euchre tournament (starts after lunch)

Feb. 25, 10:30 am, Understanding Your EKG

March 3, 10:30 am, The History of St. Patrick’s Day

March 16, 11 am, UW Extension Nutritionist Danielle Curry

March 16, 1‒3 pm, Memory Café

March 17, 10:30 am, Live Irish music featuring Currach

March 19, 10:15 am, Low Vision Support Group

March 24, 5 pm, Come Together Party at the Madison Senior Center

New programs

Pickleball: Mondays, 2 pm, all ages

Ping Pong League: Mondays, 9 am, Tuesdays, 12:30 pm (WPCRC ID card required)

Sewing Club: First and third Thursdays, 10 am

Ongoing programs

Bingo: Every Friday and second Tuesday, 10:30 am, five cents a card (two-card limit per game), cash prizes

Blood Pressure Clinic: Third Tuesday, 10:30 am

Book Club: First Tuesday, 10 am

Card Making Club: Second and fourth Wednesdays, 1 pm

Cards: Euchre, Mondays, 8:30 am; Sheepshead, first and third Wednesdays, 1 pm. Call ahead to ensure numbers.

Case Management: Provides support, resources and services to enable seniors to remain in their own homes.

Chair Yoga/Exercise Video: Wednesdays, 10:30 am

Crafts with Sue: Second and fourth Mondays, 10:15 am

Cultural Diversity: Monthly programs for African- American and Latino seniors

Foot Care Clinics: Four foot clinics each month for individuals who can’t do their own foot care and do not have diabetes. $20. Call 243-5252 for an appointment.

General and Education Presentations: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 am, topics in newsletter.

Home Chore Program: Volunteers are needed to help with cleaning for seniors. Call Trisha at 243-5252.

Nutritious Lunches: Monday–Friday, 11:30 am. Door-to-door bus service is available (50 cents each way). Guests 60 years and older are invited for a suggested anonymous donation of $4. Those under age 60 pay $7.50. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance.

By Brianna Scoville
Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin

The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin (ADAW) would like to recognize Northsider Sandy Schmidt for her remarkable work as a volunteer. Sandy became involved with ADAW after her husband, Jim, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. They became involved in ADAW’s Meeting of Minds program, a weekly cognitive stimulation program for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias or mild cognitive impairment. “I was so grateful there was an organization available to people with dementia,” said Sandy.

Jim passed away in November 2008, and Sandy subsequently became a volunteer with ADAW. “I took a year or so off after my husband passed away. When I started volunteering, I loved it. I truly benefit from it.”

Sandy has been a supportive presence in the group and is always calm and attentive. She welcomes participants for the Meeting of Minds program as they arrive, makes sure they have name tags, pens and paper, sees to their comfort throughout the session, walks with participants who may have physical limitations, assists participants to complete activities successfully, and listens with interest and compassion when participants discuss their personal experiences.

Sandy said that her favorite part of volunteering is “seeing people who are suffering from dementia relate to others that are in the same boat. It is very rewarding seeing the program be so successful. It makes me feel good.”

If you see Sandy on the Northside, please take a moment to thank her for giving her time to help individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. She can be found enjoying a walk, doing tai chi, reading, crocheting, or hanging out with her daughter or friends. ADAW is able to achieve its mission because of the generous efforts of volunteers like Sandy.

The ADAW is a local organization that understands that every person touched by Alzheimer’s or dementia will need support to help navigate the course of the disease. The professionally trained and personally experienced staff offers compassionate understanding of unique needs and helps with direct services, care plans, information and resources in the community.

If you are interested in volunteering, call 232-3400 or toll-free at 888-308-6251. There are many opportunities available including working in the office, assisting staff with a program or support group, helping plan fundraising events, and much more. For more information on the ADAW, visit www.alzwisc.org.

By Paul Rusk
Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin

We are here to help. The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin (ADAW) is delighted this edition of the Northside News is focused on aging. Many are so overwhelmed by dementia and early memory loss that they don’t reach out to the ADAW for assistance. Although devastating, there are many things you can do to lessen the burden and enhance quality of life right here in your community.

When you call the ADAW, you will be reassured by the warmth, friendliness and knowledge of the staff. Our services are available to all, regardless of income or circumstances. It is ADAW’s mission to help you navigate the maze of issues that arise when you or someone you know needs assistance. We can help you understand the nature of the disease and learn strategies to cope and provide care, which can provide a better quality of life for all involved.

The ADAW provides guidance, education, support and advocacy through (a) individual consultations on the phone or in person; (b) early stage support and education, including a Northside Memory Café; (c) caregiver support groups all with professional backup; and (d) learning opportunities, including our monthly drop-in education series that rotates among four Madison libraries. We are the only local Alzheimer’s and dementia organization that has nine social service staff with decades of personal and professional dementia experience.

We are your partner along the journey, often working with families for many years through each stage of the disease. We are proud of the relationships and partnerships we have developed in the community. Call us anytime at 232-3400 or visit www.alzwisc.org.

All dollars we raise stay in Wisconsin, either for our programs and services or for dementia research at UW-Madison. Dane County’s premiere Alzheimer’s Walk (coordinated annually with NESCO’s Applefest) has been at Warner Park since 1999. We hope to see you there Oct. 10 for this year’s Alzheimer’s Walk.