55 & better 2014

55 & BETTER Wednesday, July 9 & Thursday, July 10, 2014

55 & Better

Wednesday, July 9 & Thursday, July 10, 2014

2014

A supplementary section to:

St. Peter area seniors dig into Social Media

The early warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

inside:


A special project of the Le Center Leader, Le Sueur News-Herald, and

St. Peter Herald.

Publisher:Stephanie Hill

Managing Editor:Suzy Rook

Media Consultants:Kathleen Davies, Kacie Karels,

Stephanie HillAd Design:

Nikkie Gilmore, Mary Jo BlanchardCover Design:Nikkie GilmorePage Design: Nikkie Gilmore

55 and Better is distributed to subscribers and readers of the Le Center Leader, Le Sueur News-

Herald, and St. Peter Herald at no additional charge. All rights reserved. ©2014. All advertising contained

herein is the responsibility of the advertiser. No portion of the advertising or editorial may be

reproduced without permission of the publisher.

55 & BetterMayo Clinic Health System offers comprehensive care to

patients of all ages, provided by a multidisciplinary team

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We treat you as a whole person, caring for emotional,

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To schedule an appointment, call 1-877-412-7575 (toll-free).

Whole-person care at every stage of life

55 and better: Le Center Leader – July 9 Le Sueur News-Herald – July 9 St. Peter Herald – July 10

5.139”x10.5”


Men and women must alter their diets as they age. Portion sizes that young adults might have been able to get away must shrink when those same men and women enter their 30s. And as thirty-somethings head into their 40s, what's on the plate requires more careful consideration than it might have a de-cade ago. �e same goes for men and women over 50, who must take steps to reduce their risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. One of the easi-est ways to do just that is to eat healthy foods. �e following are �ve �avor-ful and healthy foods tailor-made for the over 50 crowd.1. Apples: Apples de�-nitely qualify as a super-food, helping reduce cholesterol by preventing plaque buildup in the blood vessels and, as a result cutting an individ-ual's risk of diabetes con-siderably. In fact, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that eating at least two servings of apples per week can reduce a person's risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 23 percent. Apples also make for a great source of �ber, potassium and vitamin C.2. Blueberries: Blue-

berries help men and women maintain healthy blood sugar levels be-cause they are high in soluble �ber, which lowers cholesterol while slowing the body's uptake of glucose. And despite their relatively small size, blueberries contain more �ber, vitamins and min-erals per ounce than any other fruit.3. Broccoli: �ough broc-coli might not have been your best friend during childhood, you may want to cozy up to this power-ful green vegetable now that you have cracked the half-century mark. Broccoli is loaded with vitamin C. A single 3.5 ounce serving of broccoli contains more than 150 percent of the recom-mended daily intake of vitamin C, which can shorten the duration of the common cold. In addition, a 2013 British study published in Medi-cal News Today found that broccoli may help prevent osteoarthritis, a degeneration of joint car-tilage and the underlying bone that is most com-mon from middle age onward. A similar study from researchers at New York's Roswell Park Can-cer Institute published in the same publication six years earlier found that just three servings of

broccoli per month can decrease bladder cancer risk by as much as 40 percent.4. Fava beans: Fava beans are cholesterol-free and low in fat. Fava beans also may provide car-diovascular bene�ts and help men and women maintain healthy weights. Fava beans are consid-ered "nutrient-dense," a term used to describe low-calorie foods that boast lots of nutrients, and are an excellent source of vitamin B1, which is important for nervous system function and energy metabolism. 5. Oatmeal: Another food that might never make youngsters' lists of their favorite foods, oatmeal is nonetheless a healthy option at the breakfast table. Oatmeal is loaded with soluble �ber, which can reduce cholesterol levels and subsequently reduce a person's risk of heart disease. Also low in calories, oatmeal can help men and women main-tain a healthy weight. �ose who �nd oatmeal a tad too bland for their tastes can double on their superfoods by adding some blueberries into the mix, making their breakfast more �avorful and more healthy. LP143960

5 foods for the over 50 crowd


By PAT [email protected]

Water aerobics have been a lifestyle enhancement for Jan Gimsdal for the last 24 years.

By doing the water exer-cises, the St. Peter woman has been able to remain active into her 70s.

“I had cancer surgery, and they really botched up my back,” Glimsdal said. “And I was in my 50s and having a hard time moving up and down.

“My friend, Maureen Dvorak, a nurse, got me go-ing to water aerobics, and I have never stopped going. It cured my back. I have so much core strength from do-ing water aerobics, I can li� 40 pounds like nothing and move everything around. It’s one of the smartest things I ever did.”

She started out doing wa-ter aerobics while working as a dietician at the Minne-sota State Regional Treatment Center in St. Peter.

She then took classes through St. Peter Commu-nity Education class at St. Peter High School pool in the fall and winter. It became a summer activity when she joined the community educa-tion aerobics class at the St. Peter Outdoor Pool the last two years.

As a member of the com-munity education advisory board, Glimsdal played a part in bringing water aerobics to St. Peter pools.

Water aerobics not only is good exercises, it’s a good social activity.

“When you’re home and retired, you don’t find out what’s going on too well,” Glimsdal said. “But when you come to water exercises, then you’ve got people here

who know stu� and you �nd out when is the Shopko going to open, what’s going on with that mattress store downtown and all this stu� you want to know.”

Through water aerobics, Glimsdal, 75, can participate in more activities than others her age. She enjoys walking, works part-time at Swedish Kontur, is on the HRA board for Parkview Manor and is active in her church.

Bonnie Enz, who has en-joyed water aerobics for more than two decades, said the ad-dition of doing it in the sum-mer outdoors makes it more fun.

“We have a fun group, and the pool outside is wonder-ful.”

Enz, who has knee prob-lems, said water aerobics helps her stay physically ac-tive. “The water takes away 75 percent of the weight on my knees. That’s why I can exercise.”

Glimsdal and Enz take the water aerobics classes led by Emily Phillips on Tuesday and Angie Voit on �ursday at the outdoor pool through Aug. 15.

The advantage of water aerobics and swimming is that they provide a good workouts without putting as much pressure on your joints.

“It’s a lot easier on your body to move around in wa-ter,” Phillips said. “It helps because it’s not so much pres-sure on you. When you’re try-ing to jog through the water, it’s a little bit easier because you don’t get so much stamp-ing. One lady came in and said a�er not doing this for a while, ‘my feet feel really sti�. You’re more �exibile and stronger, especially when you use the weights.”

Voit, a registered nurse at Mayo Clinic in St. Peter and

in her seventh year as an in-structor, said, “�ere’s a lot of people who come with joint problems, and they like how they feel a�er they’re come. There’s no way that I could exercise for an hour straight like this outside. Just be-cause you’re in the water, you don’t feel yourself sweating. Your body stays cool. And if they’re talking, I never tell them stop talking. �at’s their time to come out and enjoy themselves.

In her second year as an instructor, Phillips, who just graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and attend-ed Cleveland High School, already is in good shape as a long-distance runner, vol-leyball and basketball player. But she also enjoys water aerobics.

“It’s a nice change up in a workout instead of just al-ways running,” Phillips said.”

�e drills include walking and running in the water for 10 minutes, using kick boards and kicking for about 10 min-utes, then sitting on the kick board and using their arms. Then they do a 10-minute workout that includes high knee kicks, butt kicks, oppo-

site elbow to opposite knee, bending down and jumping straight up. �ey also lean up

against the wall and li� their legs up and down and side to side to work their abs. Some-

times they do cross country

St. Peter women seek healthier lifestyle with water aerobics

Teacher Angie Voit, front, leads the water aerobics class of Teresa Heath, Bonnie Enz and Jan Glimsdal Thursday at St. Peter Outdoor Pool. (Pat Beck/St. Peter Herald)

See LIFESTYLE on 7C

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Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death across the globe. According to the World Health Organization, ischaemic heart disease, in which blood supply to the heart is reduced, is the leading cause of death in middle- and high-income countries and the fourth-leading cause of death in low-income countries. Perhaps the most trou-bling fact about the prevalence of heart disease is that it can be largely preventable. �e American Heart Asso-ciation notes that there are several ways to easily improve heart health and avoid becoming one of the millions of people to succumb to heart dis-

ease.* Embrace aerobic exer-cise. Aerobic exercise is essential to cardiovascu-lar health. Daily aerobic exercise, which can be as simple as walking around the neighbor-hood, can help men and women lower their blood pressure, maintain a healthy weight and lower their bad choles-terol, which can circulate in the blood and cause blockages that can lead to heart attack.* Adopt a low-sodium diet that's also low in cholesterol. Diet can be a friend or foe with regards to heart disease. A heart-friendly diet that's low in sodium and cholesterol can help you maintain healthy choles-

terol levels as well as a healthy blood pressure.* Monitor your blood pressure. A blood pres-sure reading is a staple of many doctor visits, but men and women should monitor their blood pressure even when they aren't visiting their physicians. High blood pressure does not always produce symptoms, but that doesn't mean it isn't potentially deadly. High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and can contribute to heart and kidney disease. So be sure to monitor your blood pressure and discuss with your physician ways to lower high blood pressure. LS138441

Improving heart health need not be di�cult

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Exercise is an essential element of a healthy life-style. Including exercise in your daily routine can lower your risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and exercise can even sharpen mental acuity, reduce anxiety and improve mood. But as bene�cial as exercise can be, many men and women, particularly men and women over the age of 50, who have not laced up their sneakers in years are hesitant to begin an exercise regimen for a variety of reasons, poten-tially putting their long-term health at risk.Regardless of a person's age, beginning a new exercise regimen can be intimidating. But it's especially so for men and women over the age of 50, who might not know where to begin or how to approach adopting a healthier lifestyle. Ac-cording to the National Institute on Aging, the following are a few points men and women should know as they attempt to improve their physical �tness with a more active

lifestyle.* Exercise is safe even if you have not been physically active in a long time. Many older men and women worry that suddenly embracing physical �tness a�er years of inactivity may be det-rimental to their health. But that's only true if men and women don't exer-cise caution at the outset of their routines. When beginning the routine, take things very slowly at �rst, choosing to walk or bike every day rather than hitting the treadmill and adjusting it to maximum resistance. When strength training, start o� with very little weight so your muscles can grow accli-mated to the motions and you can get the exercises down pat. As you grow more comfortable and your body starts to feel more up to the challenges of daily exercise, you can begin to gradually alter your cardiovascular and strength training work-outs to make them more challenging.* Exercise can make exist-ing medical conditions

more manageable. Men and women over the age of 50 who have preexist-ing medical conditions are likely to �nd that exercise alleviates rather than exacerbates their physical problems. �e NIA notes that studies have shown that regu-lar exercise and physi-cal activity can bene�t people with arthritis, high blood pressure and heart disease. But it's still recommended that men and women with preexist-ing medical conditions consult with their physi-cians before making any lifestyle changes. Some conditions may a�ect a person's ability to be active, and it's best to get the go-ahead from a physician before begin-ning an exercise regimen. Doctors may even suggest certain activities that have been known to alleviate particular conditions.* Exercise reduces fatigue, so sitting around to pre-serve strength is not ef-fective. Exercise improves strength and energy levels, so sitting on the sideline to preserve your strength is counterpro-

ductive and could lead to serious medical problems. �e "Report on Physi-cal Activity and Health" from the U.S. Surgeon General's o�ce noted that men and women who are inactive are almost twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are more active. While get-ting adequate rest and giving your body ample time recover from physi-cal activity is essential, your body won't bene�t by avoiding exercise to preserve your strength. However, even moderate physical activity per-formed on a regular basis can reduce fatigue.* No one is too old to exercise. It's not uncom-mon for men and women in their golden years to think they are too old to exercise. Some may feel that their toned down workouts cannot pos-sibly be making much of an impact thanks to the physical limitations old age has put on their bodies, while others may think it's unwise for someone in their 70s or 80s to be physically active. But no one is too

old to exercise, as exercise helps the body stay strong and �t even when you can no longer max out on the bench press or squat hundreds of pounds. Scaling back your exercise routine will be necessary as you get older, but that does not mean you can-

not still enjoy and bene�t from physical activity.Continuing to exercise as you age is a great way to improve your quality of life and stay as active as possible well into your golden years.

LP143949

Exercise and AgingAddressing common concerns about

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skiing or downhills skiing.For more strengthening,

they do some of the same exercises with � oats around their waist) and bar bell weights. In the indoor pool we, they hold on to milk jugs and do arm, leg and ab exer-cises.

“Usually the water is enough resistance,” Voit said. “Some people who are afraid of the water, they can put on aqua joggers, so they can help � oat. I don’t make them do anything they don’t want to do. They can do whatever they’re comfortable with.”

“It can get as intense as you want it to. I do what I can and if they can they do the same thing. Like if they can’t kick and move, they go on the wall and kick there.

Participants range in age from their 20s to 90s. While only about a half dozen

women come to the outdoor classes, as many as 20 women and men attend the indoor classes in the winter. “In the wintertime, we have quite a few men that do the 4 o’clock time,” Voit said. � e classes meet from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mon-day and � ursday starting in November when high school swimming is done.

Americinn in St. Peter also has open public swim from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. � urs-day. Cost is $2 for seniors and $3 for all others. In addition to a pool, there is a whirl-pool and sauna. A group of ladies have been going there for about 20 years doing wa-ter aerobics from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Reach Sports Editor Pat Beck at 931-8566, or fol-low him on Twitter.com @SPHSportsPat

Lifestyle: AerobicsFrom Page 4

Jan Glimsdal of St. Peter works her legs and arms in the St. Peter Community Education aerobics class at the outdoor pool Thursday. (Pat Beck/St. Peter Herald)

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Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It is a progressive, degenera-tive disorder that attacks neurons and essentially robs people of their memory and language skills. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's, there are therapies that can slow its neurologi-cal impact. Recogniz-ing the early warning signs of Alzheimer's

can encourage people to begin treatments that can stave o� some of the more debilitating symp-toms of this disease.�ough it's most com-mon among the elderly, Alzheimer's is not a normal part of ag-ing. �e Mayo Clinic says that the reasons behind the inception and progression of Alzheimer's disease are largely unknown. It is believed damage

starts a decade or more before problems become evident. Abnormal de-posits of proteins begin to form the amyloid plaques and tau tangles throughout the brain, and these formations are the hallmarks of the disease. Once-healthy neurons gradually begin to lose their e�ciency and ability to function and communicate with one another. As more neurons die, entire areas

of the brain shrink. �e hippocampus, which is the area of the brain essential in forming memories, may soon become compromised.Millions of people in North America are esti-mated to have Alzheim-er's disease and many others will be diag-nosed. �e following are the most common early signs and symptoms of the disease.* Memory loss: Accord-ing to the Alzheimer's Organization, early memory loss can in-clude forgetting impor-tant dates or repeat-edly asking for the same information. Forgetting recently learned in-formation and having to rely increasingly on memory aids is another potential indicator of Alzheimer's.* Declining cognition: Impaired reasoning or judgment, trouble �nd-ing the right words and visual and spatial issues also may be early indi-cators of Alzheimer's.* Di�culty completing familiar tasks: �ose with Alzheimer's some-times have trouble driving to a familiar location or remember-ing the rules to a favor-

ite game. People who were once good with numbers may now have di�culty balancing their checkbooks, while those who love to cook may have trouble following recipes.* Time confusion: Another indicator of Al-zheimer's disease is los-ing track of time. One may have trouble un-derstanding something that isn't happening in the present. Alzheimer's su�erers o�en forget where they are and how they got there.* Misplacing items: Ev-eryone loses something at a point in time, but those with Alzheimer's may put items in un-usual places. �ey may sometimes accuse others of stealing when they cannot retrace their steps and �nd items.* Decreased judg-ment: Decision-making abilities may be com-promised. A person with Alzheimer's may take unnecessary risks or give away sums of money.* Mood changes: People

with Alzheimer's may su�er from confusion, suspicious feelings, depression and anxiety. A person may upset eas-ily or become anxious outside of his or her comfort zones.Age and family history of Alzheimer's disease are the biggest risk fac-tors. �e liklihood of developing Alzheimer's doubles about every �ve years a�er age 65, says the Alzheimer's Organization. In ad-dition, those with a parent, child or sibling who have developed Alzheimer's are more likely to develop the disease than people with no such family history. A physical and neu-rological exam, which may include blood tests and brain imaging, will be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Individuals can learn more by making ap-pointments with their doctors. TF13B700

�e early warning signs of Alzheimer's disease

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It is 2 a.m. and that cough and stu�y nose you have been battling is still keeping you up. You reach for the nighttime cold relief medicine only to �nd it expired a few months ago. If you take a dose to ease your symp-toms, will you be putting yourself at risk?�is situation is a rela-tively common occur-rence. Many medicine cabinets are stocked with over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription medications that may be past their expiration dates. It is a good idea to routinely discard expired medicines, but if you happen to take a drug that has passed its expira-tion date, you will most likely su�er no ill e�ects.According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, the expira-tion date on a medicine is not the dates when a drug becomes hazard-ous. Rather, it marks the period of time a�er which a drug company can no longer guaran-tee the e�cacy of the medication. Since 1979, drug manufacturers sell-ing medications in the United States have been required by the Food and Drug Administration to stamp an expiration date on their products. �is is the date until which the manufacturer can still guarantee full potency of the drug. Expiration dates also may be a marketing ploy. Francis Flaherty, a retired FDA pharmacist, has said drug manufacturers put expiration dates on products for marketing purposes rather than sci-enti�c reasons. It doesn't make �nancial sense to a

company to have prod-ucts on the shelves for years. �erefore, most drug manufacturers will not do long-term testing on products to con�rm if they will be e�ective 10 to 15 years a�er manu-facture.�e U.S. military has conducted their own studies with the help of the FDA. FDA research-ers tested more than 100 over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Around 90 percent were proven to still be e�ective long past the expiration date -- some for more than 10 years. Drugs that are stored in cool, dark places have a better chance of lasting because the �llers used in the product will not separate or start to break down as they might in a warm, humid environment. Storing medicines in the refrigerator can prolong their shelf life.Although a pharmacist cannot legally advise con-sumers to use medication

past an expiration date, most over-the-counter pain relievers and drugs in pill form should still be �ne. Certain liquid antibiotics and drugs made up of organic mate-rials can expire faster than others. For those who still want to err on the safe side, routinely clean out medications from cabinets once they expire. However, if an ex-pired medication is taken by mistake, there's little need to worry about po-tentially adverse e�ects.

Are expired medications safe?

4th

Senior ExpoSt. Peter Community Center

Save the DateSeptember 18th, 2014

This program is made possible with funds provided by the St Peter Tourism Visitors Bureau.

Albuquerque Balloon

Fiesta Tour!

Join us on our upcoming October tour to Albuquerque to see the beautiful Balloon Fiesta! This

great tour includes two nights lodging in Albuquerque and three nights in Santa Fe! Watch hundreds of

brilliantly colored hot air balloons soar through the sky in early morn, and later at dusk, we’ll see the surreal balloon glow, lighting up the evening sky! Call us at

931-3310 for more information on this unique fall getaway!

Upcoming Events:

Nicollet County Bank

Saints Club Events

220 South Third Street St. Peter · 931-3310

www.nicolletcountybank.com

July 24Mystic Lake Casino Day Trip

August 13 “Ring of Fire” at Plymouth Playhouse

August 28Minnesota State Fair Day Trip

September 25 Treasure Island Casino

& Riverboat CruiseOctober 1

“Hello Dolly” at Chanhassen Dinner Theater


By PAT [email protected]

Why should senior citizens get into social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and You-Tube?

Deanna Schabert, of Cleve-land, and Marlene Mielke, of Kasota, like to get on their computer for news and infor-mation about the world, but their main reason for getting on line is their heartline — they like to connect with fam-ily and friends on Facebook.

�ey wanted to know more about Facebook and other so-cial media, so they attended a program presented by five students from the Gustavus Adolphus College media and society class on Wednesday at the St. Peter Senior Center in the Community Center.

On Facebook for nine months, Schabert, 71, says it’s mostly to keep up on her two children and four grandchil-

dren.“I go on about once a day,”

Schabert said. “I want to see what my grandsons put on it. I want to get caught up right away what they’re doing.”

She also likes to follow friends across the country such as high school classmates. She followed one friend on Face-book on a two-year ride to the Arctic Circle in a fundraiser to �ght cancer.

“�ey had a picture on ev-ery day,” Schabert said. “It was pretty interesting to follow.”

A retired nurse, Schabert said, “I spend a lot of time on the computer. I enjoy it.”

But she’s careful to not let everyone know about her in-teractions on Facebook. She controls that by privacy set-tings. People can let the whole world know about themselves on Facebook or just one per-son.

“I use privacy settings, so not everybody sees it,” Scha-bert said. “I can write a note to

my grandchildren, and it just goes to them on chat.”

After attending the social media presentation, Schabert said she’s going to enter the Twitter world.

“I’m going to try the tweets,” Schabert said. “It’s just one of the new things. I want to try it to see if I can do it. Not that I’ll use it much. I just want to get on, and I will try and send a Twitter to one of those grand-sons.”

It takes practice for anyone, especially seniors, to learn how to use social media or a com-puter in general. But Schabert �nds a way.

“Some of it I try to do on my own and if I can’t get it, one of the kids show me,” Schabert said. “I’ve kind of got Facebook down. �e Tweets and similar stu� it’s, ‘Oh?’ It doesn’t come easy.”

Schabert also does a lot of emailing and Googling for spe-ci�c subjects.

“I look up medical condi-

tions, anything I’m researching such as automobiles, vacation things, ordering from Ama-zon,” Schabert said.

At the presentation, she learned how to write to some-one in a privacy mode and what hashtags (#) mean.

“I never knew what that meant,” Schabert said. “I’ve heard it forever when you lis-ten to the news, hashtag this and hashtag that. It’s a little

clearer now. It meant that if you’re doing a search, like for the Beatles or a song or some-thing, you name it and �nd out more about the subject.”

On Facebook for three years, Mielke, 69, also likes to connect with friends and family and share photos and information.

“I contact with a lot of class-mates on Facebook,” she said. “It’s just to share pictures and

undate on what’s going on in people’s lives.”

A retired o�ce manager of information and education at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in New Ulm and St. Paul, Mielke said, “Once in while there’s some-body you used to work with and you kind of try to connect with them, and I have.”

Mielke, who has two sons and five grandchildren, also

St. Peter area seniors dig into social media

In the comfort of her living room, Deanna Schabert of Cleveland looks on her laptop on the Facebook site to check up on and interact with family and friends. (Pat Beck/St. Peter Herald)

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said she follows her nieces and nephews, and one grandson just got on Facebook at age 14.

“The boys put things on Facebook, one more than the other, about goings on with their families or some types of music that they like and want to share,” Mielke said. “You can see di�erent tapes and music and what they’re involved with.”

Mielke also likes to follow news in general.

“I like to keep up with things in the world,” she said. “I’m a news junkie, too, so I’ve got to know what’s going on. I don’t play games. I don’t know how to chat.”

Ten seniors attended the presentation by the Gustavus students. �ree students talked about social media, and two explained how to use it.

“To participate fully as citi-zens, we need to be able to not just consume media messages but also create and share them,” student Brianna Furey told the group. “In a world increasingly in�uenced by social media, it’s important to have multime-

dia communication skills and how to use these skills in order to engage in the civic life of a community.

“We’re not saying that social media is replacing face-to-face and all the other forms of com-munication or that it’s more important. But it’s a fact that it’s becoming a bigger thing in today’s world.

“�e media has such a big in�uence today, so it’s impor-tant to understand and inter-pret the meaning and where your news and other informa-tion is coming from. You want to be in control of what you’re viewing and how your involv-ing yourself on line. For ex-ample, there can be misleading advertising out there especially in relation to health care.”

Reach Sports Editor Pat Beck at 931-8566, or follow him on Twitter.com @SPHS-portsPat

Reach Sports Editor Pat Beck at 931-8566, or follow him on Twitter.com @SPHS-portsPat

7 WAYS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA1. Keep in touch• Family (share pictures, communication, plan events and get togethers with multiple members of family at once)• People you never thought you’d connect with again (childhood friends, college friends, co-workers)• Mobility problems? Social media can “bring the world to you.”2. Research and Learning• Cultivate hobbies or business ideas• Find useful and reliable sources of health information• Keep mind active by taking online courses and reading online books, posts, articles• Get news quicker and more tailored to your interests (follow your favorite local and national news on Facebook and

Twitter to get info quicker and to get extra info)3. Get Questions Answered• Reach out via Twitter, Facebook, videos, blogs and live chats to get quick answers to questions4. Entertainment• Videos, movies, e-books, articles, blog posts, social games, etc5. Start a New Business or Grow and Existing One• Sell crafts, give advice to others, freelance writing, blogging6. Share Knowledge• Share knowledge, thought, and experiences with others, blog about what life was like growing up or how things

have changed during your lifetime, network online and o�er advice and mentoring to younger people, share and discuss news.

7. Take Advantage of Sales and Online Opportunities• Follow your favorite business and brands and save money by taking advantage of promotional opportunities (there

are freebies and discounts that are only available through email or social media sites/apps)(Source: Gustavus Adolphus College Media and Society Class)

MORE INFORMATIONTo make a Facebook account, go to the form at www.facebook,comFor more infomation and tips, go to http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/facebook-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html To set up a Twitter account, go to www.twitter.com


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