Coopera ve Extension Service  Jefferson County

4200 Gardiner View Avenue, Suite 101

Louisville, KY 40213

Phone: 569‐2344

Fax: 569‐1680

www.ca.uky.edu/ces 

March 2021

Highlights Advisory Council Meeting

Estate Planning

2021 KEHA State Meeting flyer Making our mental health a priority

during the pandemic Giving ourselves and others grace

during the pandemic What to look for when shopping the

winter “White Sales” Planning Your Care flyer Beautiful You! flyer Kick Kentucky Cancer Dates to Remember  

Jefferson County Homemakers Advisory Council Meeting The spring Homemakers Advisory Council meeting will be virtual due to restrictions of not more than ten people in a meeting. The date and time is Monday, April 5, 2021, 9:30 a.m. Remember the Advisory Council includes all county officers, county educational chairs and club presidents. These meetings are valuable to your club and it is very important for each club to have a representative. If you are unable to attend, please ask another club officer to attend in your place.

Making Our Mental Health a Priority During the Pandemic During this period of national health crisis, it is critical to prioritize your mental health. It can be helpful to learn more about what mental health means. We can also be helpful to others when we can recognize some of the warning signs around mental health issues. Mental health refers to your emotional and psychological well-being. Many factors in your life influence your mental health. These factors can include your family history, your biology, and events that have happened in your life. The pandemic has been very hard for many people. You or someone you know might be struggling. You are not alone! There are supports, services, and treatment options that can help. Changes in behavior or mood might be the early warning signs of a mental health condition. You should never ignore these changes. It is not always easy to tell the difference between expected behaviors and the signs of a mental health concern. Unlike diabetes or cancer, there is no medical test that can accurately diagnose a mental illness. Some stress that many people might be feeling during this pandemic include the following: Fear and worry about your own health and the health of loved ones  Changes in sleep or eating patterns  Difficulty sleeping or concentrating  Worsening of chronic health problems  Worsening of mental health conditions Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs If a person has any of these warning signs, it does not necessarily mean they have a mental health concern. It does mean they could be at increased risk, though. It is very important to take any of these stresses seriously. There are many ways we can help to make mental health a priority. Here are a few ideas: Talk about mental health issues. This helps to increase awareness. Talking about mental health also helps people to better understand that mental health concerns cannot be ignored. This cause is a priority for millions of Americans, especially during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.  We can advocate for better legislation and policies regarding mental health that can improve lives. There are many needs that are unmet. There is a lack of funding, staff, and a lack of programs and resources in many areas. As a result, treatment and recovery might seem out of reach for many people who are in need of help.  If you think someone might be suicidal, ask them about it. Talking about suicide with someone will not increase the likelihood that they will attempt suicide. In fact, helping a person talk about it can help reduce the risk of a suicide attempt. We can use social media to reduce stigma and help people get needed support. You can use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more to share facts and understanding. Social media can also be a great way to spread kindness and encourage people to seek needed supports. The National Alliance on Mental Illness even uses creative hashtags such as #CureStigma to help spread awareness and hope.  The things we are all experiencing right now in the midst of this pandemic are overwhelming. They may be affecting us more than we even realize. It is OK to talk openly about mental health. It is OK to educate yourself and others. It is OK share our stories. Reference Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). Get the Facts about Coronavirus. Retrieved August 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html. Source: Dr. Kerri Ashurst, Senior Extension Specialist for Family and Relationship Development

Giving Ourselves and Others Grace During the Pandemic For many of us, 2020 has been a year unlike any other. We have had to change our routines, our plans, and our lifestyles. We have felt angry and scared. We have felt uncertain or even numb. Some days we have not even been sure how to feel or what to do. All of this is OK. You are not alone. However, this year has certainly made us feel alone at times. None of us saw this crisis coming, and none of us could have properly prepared for it. When the first headlines came to us, it still seemed far away. We had no idea it would soon affect us all so personally in such a short time. There is not a single person in our country that has not been changed by all of this. However, we are all still trying to process it. We may not even be able to care for ourselves well right now, let alone provide care and love to others well. Social distancing has even caused us to lose out on the basic human need of touch with many people this year. Most of us are in survival mode right now. It has been hard to just keep it together some days. What does it mean to give yourself or others grace right now? Giving grace means admitting that people have needs. It means seeing that we sometimes need to slow down and think about those needs. Here are some questions to think about to help give grace to yourself and others. 1.  What needs can I meet right now? 

2.  What can I do to address those needs? 

3.  What things are out of control in my life? 

4.  What things can I let go of or put off right now? 

5.  How can I reward myself when I accomplish things I need to do? 

6.  Who can I talk to about what I am feeling? 

7.  Who can I reach out to for help?  

None of us are superhuman. We also cannot compare ourselves to others. We just have to do the best we can, but also know that some days that might not be much more than getting out of bed or taking a shower. Here are some tips for giving ourselves and others some grace. Do not put undue pressure on yourself. 

Do not lecture others about how to keep it together. 

Remember that some people may experience long lasting trauma from this pandemic while others will not. 

Any and all feelings you have are OK. There is no right or wrong way to feel. It can change from day to day and even from hour to hour. 

It is OK to fall apart from time to time as you are trying to process everything that has happened this year. 

It is OK to laugh and be happy and to share happiness on social media. Sometimes when others are having a rough time around us, we feel like we should hide something good that has happened to us. It is OK to still feel and share our joy and our good experiences. 

Readjust our expectations and our to-do lists. If you are finding you are not able to accomplish daily goals, scale back. 

Prioritize the one most important thing each day. If you can get more done, that is great! But if you can’t get more done, do not get angry with yourself.  The things we are all experiencing right now are huge and overwhelming. They may be affecting us more than we even realize. We are all having to restructure our everyday lives in ways we could not have imagined. It is absolutely exhausting. Our bodies and our minds are just tired. Give yourself some grace. Remember you are doing the best you can. Look for the positives in each day. Respect yourself, and remember that you are human. Reference Harder, A. (2020). Giving Yourself Grace. Retrieved August 2020 from HopeNet at https://www.hopenetwichita.org/2020/giving-yourself-grace/. Source: Dr. Kerri Ashurst, Senior Extension Specialist for Family and Relationship Development

What to look for when shopping the winter “White Sales” It was almost 150 years ago when the Philadelphia department store Wanamaker’s held the first “White Sale.” Store owner John Wanamaker chose to discount his inventory of sheets in January 1878 to increase business in the months following the holidays. Since then, the tradition of the “Winter” or “January White Sale” has been an annual event. Sheets were traditionally only available in white, hence the name “White Sale,” but now, sheets and other linens are made in countless colors and patterns. With today’s retail trends of discount stores, outlet malls, online overstock suppliers, and frequent promotions and coupons, consumers can find sheets on sale almost any time of the year. But it is during traditional “White Sales” when most deep discounts are offered. This is when we can take advantage of better prices and replace worn or old sheets and refresh our beds. Below are a few concepts to consider when purchasing sheets. Thread count, fiber content, and fabric construction Thread count refers to the number of yarns that are woven (or interlaced) up and down and side to side within a square inch. For example, sheets with a 300 Thread Count may have an average of 180 yarns per inch in the up and down (warp) direction, and 120 yarns per inch in the side to side (weft) direction. Most consider that a higher thread count equates to a softer, nicer set of sheets. However, this is not al ways the case.  The quality of yarns that make up the thread count can affect the feel of the sheets. Yarns made from fibers that are smoother and longer may feel more luxurious, creating sheets that may feel better even if the thread count is lower.  Cotton fibers known for their smooth, longer length are grown from the seed type Pima. And even manmade fibers like polyester can be blended with natural cotton fibers to make comfortable sheets as long as the polyester fibers are manufactured in a way that produces long, smooth fibers.  Words like percale, sateen, microfiber, damask, and flannel will often appear on the packaging. These generally refer to how the sheets are woven or constructed and are not always related to the fiber content of the sheets. For example, the question, “Do you prefer cotton sheets or flannel sheets?” is misleading, because flannel sheets are cotton (usually). Flannel is actually the name for a woven fabric with a napped or brushed surface, creating that cozy feel.  Percale fabrics are woven with a “one-over-one-under” yarn pattern, creating a tight structure that is durable and feels crisp to the touch. Percale sheets are usually woven with 100% cotton fibers but can also be made with fibers blended with polyester or rayon/bamboo.  Sateen sheets can be constructed from cotton or cotton/polyester/rayon blended yarns. The silky appearance of this sheet is a result of the yarns in the side to side (weft) direction “floating” over the up and down (warp) yarns. Sateen sheets feel smooth and are less likely to wrinkle, however, their looser weave structure makes them more prone to snags.  Microfiber refers to fibers like rayon (bamboo) or polyester that have been manmade to be finer than human hair. The yarns made from microfibers can be woven in several different ways – including a percale weave or a sateen weave.  Reference https://kenton.ca.uky.edu/files/fcs_-_buying_sheets_home_and_clothing_care.pdf Source: Jeanne Badgett, Senior Extension Associate for Clothing, Textiles, and Household Equipment

The Farm Bureau Building address is 4200 Gardiner View Avenue

(which is off of Gardiner Lane near Poplar Level Road).

This building is difficult to find.

Please call the Extension Office

March

1 – KEHA Awards due

14 – Spring Forward!

Daylight Saving Time Begins

22 – Savings Savvy Lesson

Materials will be mailed

April

5 – Homemakers Advisory Council Meeting Via Zoom—9:30 am (County Officers, County Chairmen and Club Presidents)

26 – Plate It Up! Ky Proud Lesson

Materials will be mailed

May

TBA – Jefferson County Homemakers Annual Day

Valerie Holland Extension Agent for

Family & Consumer Sciences Education

Kick Kentucky Cancer Are you or a loved one managing cancer treatment or in remission? Would you like some information about managing physical and emotional health for you and your loved ones during this time? People might have questions but don’t know who to ask when it comes to maintaining overall health during cancer treatments. According to the CDC, Kentucky has the highest rate of cancer-related deaths in the country. Each year, cancer affects millions of people in Kentucky whether as a patient, caregiver, family member, or friend. The Kick Kentucky Cancer program offers practical information regarding management of cancer treatment and recovery. This program series will be shared virtually on Zoom. To sign up, please send your name and email address to sfawbush@uky.edu or call your Shelby County Extension Office at 633-4593 to sign up. Participants can choose to attend the whole series or just some of the lessons. The Zoom sessions will be at 2 p.m. on the following Tuesdays --- March 9 Lesson 3: Taking Care of Your Mental Health during Cancer April 13 Lesson 4: Caring for Someone with Cancer May 11 Lesson 5: Interacting with Someone with Cancer