Tag: seniors

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09.02.21 | Community

6 “superfoods” you can incorporate to boost your health

As we continue to change with age, eating healthy can be a vital step in caring for your future self. Taking inspiration from our 9 Ways of Vibrant Living, which you can read more about here, we compiled a list of our favorite “superfoods” you can easily introduce into your diet. These highly nutritious items can be added to a larger meal or snack to boost your health and help to achieve a balanced diet.

Tea

Not only is tea low in calories, it is also a refreshing alternative to coffee, soda and other beverages. Notably high in antioxidants, tea can be a tool for weight management and has anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic (cancer-suppressing) benefits. One study suggested that the regular consumption of white and green teas resulted in a vast reduction of stress for most participants.

Avocados

Avocados are much more than the brunch staple or spread for toast that they’ve become over the last decade. As a great addition to a salad, guacamole or being eaten simply with a pinch of salt and pepper, avocados provide numerous health benefits. Rich in fiber and and healthy fats, avocados can be a great substitute for eggs, mayonnaise, sour cream and even butter.. 

Mushrooms

Mushrooms have been used in Eastern medicine and culture for millennia. They are known to increase the health of the immune system through their many therapeutic properties. After much scientific research, we are learning more about the dramatic positive effects mushrooms can have on preventing cancer, lowering blood pressure and overall increasing well-being. You can incorporate mushrooms into your diet by cooking them along with other vegetables, adding them to salads and pasta or simply frying them with healthy oil. Some of the most popular mushrooms you should look out for at the farmer’s market or grocery store are Portabella, Shiitake, Buttons, Oyster, Enoki and Lion’s Mane. 

Dark Leafy Greens & Cruciferous Vegetables

There is a wide consensus among nutritionists that vibrant green vegetables and those in the cabbage family offer some of the best nutrients and vitamins. These include arugula, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi, radishes and turnips. Most of these are full of zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, fiber, and what seems like a never-ending list of enriching minerals that can reduce the chances of heart disease and diabetes while lowering blood pressure and preventing some cancers. 

Salmon

Salmon is both tasty and full of healthy protein, B vitamins, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. Because of its abundance of rich nutrients, salmon has more health benefits compared to other animal products and is known to help prevent heart disease and diabetes. One way you can enjoy this hearty fish is by baking it with lemons, herbs and a healthy (oil, avocado or sesame).  

Garlic

Garlic packs a punch in flavor and delivers huge nutritional benefits, too. Each clove of garlic contains magnesium, vitamin C and fiber, which are all essential to a balanced diet. Research indicates its effectiveness to support the immune system while reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. One study even found that garlic provides antibacterial and antiviral characteristics. 

However you incorporate these superfoods into your meal planning and cooking regimen, they offer delicious and easy ways to boost your overall health and well-being.

A dinner plate contains salmon, mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, and a mix of other vegetables and sauce.
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08.17.21 | Community

Our Vision for 4108 and 4112 King Drive: A Conversation with Dwain Kyles

As we continue the renovation of the Sage Collective properties at 4108 and 4112 S King Drive, side-by-side buildings in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood, we sat down with Board Member and VP for Legal & Development, Dwain Kyles, to understand the project and how it contributes to Sage’s vision for the future. 

Location is everything

Having owned and operated residential property in the Bronzeville neighborhood for more than 40 years, Kyles understands that these buildings were in the perfect location for Sage Collective..

Intending to add to the great cultural history that King Drive represents, Kyles imagines these properties will also foster secure, welcoming environments for the development and enhancement of intergenerational relationships in the future. 

“We want to be very intentional about building community, and we think that King Drive has an appeal of its own. What we hope to do is add to that appeal by providing tangible, beneficial places for gathering, along with programming that will ultimately strengthen the self-image and empowerment of older adults in the community,” says Kyles.

While the neighborhood itself is a large part of the appeal, the buildings’ adjacency to the historic Metropolitan (Apostolic) Community Church also generated interest and inspiration for the properties’ future. “Given the importance of a spiritual basis for the work we are doing, reflected in our 9 Ways of Vibrant Living, the proximity to this iconic church was a good sign for us,” says Kyles, “and felt like more than just a coincidence.”

The Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church is brightly lit in sunlight on the corner of S. King Drive and E. 41 St.
The Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church, adjacent to the 4108 and 4112 S King Drive properties

Introducing vibrant, high-quality, affordable living within these properties

“Rehabbing the two properties is no small undertaking,” explains Kyles. “Using our passion for vibrant, high-quality, affordable housing as a focus (a topic you can read more about here) we are putting incredible thought and care into the design and build out of the interior spaces. With the support of our board member Mary Frances De Rose, a renowned architectural gerontologist, we have been able to include accessible and supportive living enhancements for future residents of our properties that traditional housing for older adults lacks.” 

“The physical attributes of the buildings are being designed in such a way that we will accommodate some of the desires and conveniences for older adults that are often overlooked. I’m talking about lowering the light switches so someone in a wheelchair can easily reach them, ambient lighting, high-quality cabinetry that is accessible and easier to use, and bathrooms with tastefully designed safety features that will allow our older adult residents to feel both secure and at home,” reflects Kyles. 

The Bronzeville Mural located on 35th Street and State sits directly under the L line.
Bronzeville mural, located on 35th Street and State features the faces of many famous African-American icons

The vision stretches beyond the physical buildings 

Our passion for an exceptional quality of life for older adults goes beyond the physical space, however. This project, like other Sage residences for older adults in underserved communities, will come alive through the integration of interactive and exploratory programming.  

Kyles continues, “While the King Drive properties themselves are a jumping off point, we are focused on the longer-term desire for Sage Collective to serve as a catalyst for real change for our residents and neighbors, government and civic partners, and leaders in the business community by rethinking and redesigning our traditional approaches to providing housing for older adults in our black and brown communities.” 

“We tend to focus on what’s ‘new and poppin’ and what’s the hottest and the latest… while giving little care and attention to those things that have helped us to get where we are, including people. We have seen over and over again that distraction leading to deplorable outcomes and ones that have weakened the fabric of society,” explains Kyles.

Kyles continues, “Our vision for these properties on King Drive — along with all of our ambitious plans for the future — center around creating communities that are rich with diverse ages, families, cultures and experiences. By having the ability to rework the structural barriers hindering intergenerational and cultural interaction and progress, we are capable of establishing environments where there is an appreciation for people of all backgrounds and ages. And when we succeed, we’re stronger as a community, we’re stronger as a neighborhood, we’re stronger as a family,” and most important, we’re stronger as a collective.”

A headshot of Sage Collective's Board of Directors member Dwain Kyles
Board Member and VP for Legal & Development, Dwain Kyles
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07.20.21 | Community

How to Become a Better Listener

Becoming an engaged listener can give you the power to strengthen relationships, validate feelings and empower others. It takes more than just sitting down with someone and hearing what they say to become a better listener, however. Listening is a skill that takes time to practice and master in order to fully appreciate its influence and capability within conversations.

The three C’s of effective listening: compassion, curiosity and courage 

When practicing to become better and more effective listeners, many follow a guide focusing on three main components: compassion, curiosity and courage. The ingredients in this recipe work independently as well as collectively to strengthen the skills needed to become a better listener. Let’s take a closer look.

One of the most important things to show when listening to others in an open and safe environment is compassion. Showing things such as empathy and understanding for someone’s situation—  instead of apathy or disregard — welcomes the opportunity for those sharing to feel more comfortable with the listener, but with their own story and experience, as well.

The presence of curiosity within conversation is also key for displaying interest and affection. Showing your interest and craving to learn more from those speaking can further the feeling of validation and in turn encourage them to continue being open and vulnerable.

You might be wondering how courage comes into play when practicing listening and instead may think it’s more important for speaking. Yet, having the courage to effectively listen to someone often require courage and vulnerability, more so than sharing your own voice. In fact, Winston Churchil famously once said, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

Beyond the three C’s, we should also all aim to apply compassionate witnessing and active listening to become a better and more effective listener.

Compassionate witnessing

Compassionate witnessing, an essential element in effective listening, goes one step beyond being empathetic and compassionate.

Compassionate witnesses understand the act of understanding as key to being a better listener. As a listener, your role isn’t to judge, interrupt or share your thoughts. Your main goal is to create a connecting and welcoming environment where you make the other person feel seen and important. By including compassionate witnessing into your listening environment, feelings and reactions of validity start becoming more familiar to all.

It is also important to enact compassionate witnessing techniques into how we treat ourselves. By making ourselves and others’ words visible and important, we have the opportunity to mold and revolutionize all relationships.

Active listening

Although being a compassionate witness and including the three C’s into your listening habits help you become a better listener, it isn’t enough to just simply sit and listen. Active listening is being fully engaged in the conversation you are a part of, going beyond being a compassionate witness.

There are many aspects of being an active listener, including the use of engaging body language. Opening your body up (not crossing arms and legs, for example) and showing assurance by leaning forward, nodding your head and smiling can all be signs to the speaker you are actively engaging and listening to them.

Another aspect of actively listening includes clarifying and paraphrasing without interrupting the speaker. Clarifying involves asking the speaker for additional information related to what you find interesting or unique in what they are sharing. And in the process of paraphrasing, you have the opportunity to summarize what was said in order to get confirmation and demonstrate that you are understanding the content of the conversation in real time. Both of these techniques are helpful and engaging for those listening, but for the speaker as well.

One of the last things you can offer as an active listener is giving feedback, especially if the person you’re conversing with is open to this kind of change. If they are looking for feedback, it’s important to actively share your thoughts, feelings and constructive advice if you have any.

Becoming a better listener is an ongoing process of building a toolkit of skills and actions, and continuing to draw upon these tools in ways that are uniquely appropriate to any given conversation. And as your listening improves, you’ll come to internalize the mechanics and have endless opportunities to experience the power of reciprocity — the simple pleasure of giving and receiving.

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07.13.21 | Community

How to become a “joyspotting” expert

Similar to taking an awe walk, joyspotting is the intentional act of going out into the world to look for things that spark joy in you. While the word may sound unusual, it’s actually amassed quite a cult following – with entire online groups dedicated to sharing in joyspotting (and their subsequent findings) together. Even if you’re not ready to join an online group just yet, find out how to become a joyspotting expert using our tips below.

The Origins of Joyspotting

Joyspotting is a term first coined by Ingrid Fetell Lee. As a designer, Lee began to notice the relationship between one’s surroundings and their mental health. For example: living in a home filled with bright prints and patterns provides an immediate mood booster. Lee knew this was a counterintuitive principle. So often, society tells us not to derive joy from the things that surround us, but from what’s within us.

In contradiction to this view, Lee sheds light on the relationship between our environment and our emotions, and shares inspiration and resources for living a more joyful life through design in her book, The Aesthetics of Joy. She has also created a website dedicated to this viewpoint, that shares the same name. There is also an online Facebook group that we referenced above, The Joyspotters’ Society.

As Lee became more and more tuned into what caused her joy from her surroundings, she began to develop the habit of intentionally seeking out – or looking to consciously observe – these causes of joy. And hence, joyspotting was born. As she says, “The world seemed to be teeming with tiny, joyful surprises. All I had to do was look for them… It was like I had a pair of rose-colored glasses, and now that I knew what to look for, I was seeing it everywhere. It was like these little moments of joy were hidden in plain sight.” Instead of seeing the world around us as beset with distractors, joyspotting is a way of creating a reservoir of positivity.

Twelve Ways of Joyspotting

To become an avid joyspotter is simple. Look around you and determine something that causes you joy. It could be a pair of colorful, patterned socks worn by the man next to you on the train, or the unexpected sidewalk chalk drawings on a walk around the block. But just in case you need a little bit of help getting started, Lee put together The Joyspotter’s Guide, which outlines her twelve tips for joyspotting. Below, we offer a brief description of those tips.

Look up. Joy often comes from things that float or fly in the sky, whether that’s shapes you find in the clouds, or a stray red balloon. Look down. Maybe you discover a rainbow in a puddle, or a vibrant pair of shoes on a passing pair of feet. Keep an eye out for color. What flashes of blue catch your eye? How does an abundance of green transform the environment? Follow the curve. Life is full of hardness, so where do things get soft around the edges?

Go where the wild things are. There’s always joy to be found in nature, whether it’s enjoying the smell of a rosebush, or listening to birdsong. Seek out symmetry. Where there are mirror patterns, there’s often a surprising sensation of randomness or harmony. Search for signs of abundance. Where do things feel lush and full? It could be a fruit bowl on a family member’s kitchen counter, or a few too many Christmas lights at the neighbor’s house. Joy has a way of spilling over. Watch for weirdness. Where are things out of place, or just out of the ordinary? It’s those standout details that often feel most special.

Zoom in. Focus your attention on the tiniest of details. Notice the invisible. What joy surrounds you that can be felt or heard, but not seen? These sightless observations hold a magic of their own. Similarly, use all your senses! And finally, take the scenic route. The paths you wouldn’t normally take often hold the most surprises, and within those, there’s much joy to discover.

 

Photo of man looking through a spotting scope
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07.08.21 | Arts & Culture

Visiting the Obama Portraits at the Art Institute of Chicago

This summer, the beautiful and inspiring Obama portraits – depicting 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, and first lady, Michelle Obama – will be gracing the walls of the Art Institute of Chicago for just eight brief weeks. With such a limited viewing period, below we’re outlining how to plan your visit to see these seminal works of art ASAP!

Visiting the Portraits

Access to viewing The Obama Portraits is included in General Admission for all Art Institute visitors. However, the exhibition does have a capacity-limit, and entry is first-come, first-served.

Tickets must be reserved in advance online, and entry to the exhibit on the day of your visit will be managed via virtual lines. General Admission tickets are being released in limited, timed batches, as outlined below:

  • Tickets for July 1–15 will be available on June 24.
  • Tickets for July 16–31 will be available on July 8.
  • Tickets for August 1–8 will be available on July 22.
  • Tickets for August 9–15 will be available on August 2.

A limited quantity of tickets will also be available onsite for qualifying groups. Learn more about free admission guidelines at the Art Institute of Chicago here.

Remarkable Works

While many other Presidential Portraits in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery have been traditional, head-and-shoulders portraits painted in classical styles, President Barack Obama took a notably different approach.

Barack Obama commissioned Kehinde Wiley to create his portrait. Wiley is an American portrait artist known for his placement of contemporary (typically African American) figures in the guise of powerful historical figures. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama commissioned Amy Sherald to create her portrait. Sherald is an American artist known for her arresting, otherworldly portraits that document the contemporary African-American experience.

Wiley and Sherald are the first African Americans to be commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to create official portraits of a president or first lady. The resulting works are remarkably contemporary.

In the larger-than-life, head-to-toe portrait created by Wiley, a seated Obama is set against a backdrop of lush greenery. Each plant in the background holds a special significance, including chrysanthemums, the official flower of Chicago. The portrait of Michelle Obama, created by Sherald, was based on a posed photograph and is intentional down to every last detail, from the grey-scaling of Michelle’s skin to the intensity of her direct gaze.

You can visit the Obama Portraits at the Art Institute of Chicago now through August 15, 2021; tickets are available for purchase here.

And for those interested in a fascinating, rich conversation between Michelle Obama and Amy Sherald, hosted by The Studio Museum of Harlem Director + Chief Curator Thelma Golden, you’ll find it here.

 

Photo of Obama Portraits
(L) Kehinde Wiley. Barack Obama, 2018. Oil on canvas. (R) Amy Sherald. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (detail), 2018. Oil on linen. Photo courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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07.06.21 | Community

What we mean when we say “vibrant, high-quality, affordable housing”

There’s a lot of language we use at Sage Collective that’s uncommon for the world of senior living. For example, we prefer to use the phrase “older adults” rather than “seniors” – more on that in this blog post here. When discussing our vision for Sage Collective’s residences, we also use the phrase “vibrant, high-quality, affordable housing.” But just what exactly does that mean?

Everything we do at Sage Collective – from the partners we choose, the programming we design, to the residences we develop – is built upon our foundational philosophy: 9 Ways of Vibrant Living. Read more about this philosophy and how we intend to bring it to older adults in our Vibrant Living Manifesto here. Ultimately, we believe that older adulthood is just another in a series of life’s chapters, and that seniors deserve to live just as joyfully, vibrantly, and fully as their intergenerational counterparts.

Too often, senior housing lacks the passion and joy of this belief we hold so dear. Based on limited resources, and often bogged down by limited imagination, affordable senior housing is all too commonly not the enjoyable experience that it should be. We’re here to rewrite that narrative.

At Sage Collective, we encourage our residents and neighbors to experience the freedom and joy of choice by providing them with wellness support, cultural exploration, and spiritual enrichment. We’re in a privileged position to deliver on this promise based on the legacy we come from – more on that in this blog post here. From our past experience, we’ve learned the powerful impact that a strong vision and an even stronger culture has on the services and housing products we’re able to provide.

We can’t wait to share this vision with you. Our first residences, 4108 and 4112 South King Drive in the Bronzeville community on Chicago’s Southside, will bring affordable and market competitive housing units to our community, and will be set apart by our vibrant living philosophy and attention to detail and quality. Stay tuned for more details to come.

 

Photo of contemporary residential interior
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06.29.21 | Community

Harness the power of awe by taking “awe walks”

Vibrant life encompasses a variety of experiences, from healthy eating to regular fitness to engaging with the world around us. One particularly effective – and unusual – way to pursue vibrant living is to take “awe walks.” The end-goal of these walks is simple:  to simply inspire awe in those who participate. Let’s dig in.

How to take awe walks

“Awe walks” are a more intentional way to approach something as simple as a stroll around the block. The idea is to go for a walk and seek to experience awe along the way. How the walker chooses to experience awe is entirely up to them. Awe can be found in even the smallest of everyday moments, such as appreciating the flight path of a v of migrating geese above, or marveling at the many colors that make up fall foliage.

The study of awe – how it’s inspired, and the impact it has on a person’s wellbeing – has been a primary area of focus for psychologists since the early 2000s. Just recently, a 2020 study was published in the journal Emotion examining the impact of awe walks on a population of older adults.

In the study, sixty older adults took 15-minute awe walks for a period of eight weeks. Perhaps the most exciting finding of the study was the increasing feelings of compassion and gratitude in the control group that took such awe walks. Compared to the normal-walk-talking counterparts, the awe walkers were much more focused on observing the world around them.

“One of the key features of awe is that it promotes what we call ‘small self,’ a healthy sense of proportion between your own self and the bigger picture of the world around you,” explained Dr. Virginia Sturm, lead investigator and associate professor of neurology and psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California at San Francisco.

You can trust the science – or you can just as easily try it out for yourself and see what awe you uncover.

View from above of people taking a walk
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06.01.21 | Community

Starting an indoor herb garden is easy — here’s how

It’s easiest to eat healthy when you cook delicious, fresh, and flavorful food — and incorporating fresh herbs into your home cooking is a great way to add that extra burst of flavor. Lucky for us, you don’t need an advanced green thumb or even a backyard to grow these fresh, delicious herbs yourself, right from the comfort of your own kitchen – here’s how.

Picking Your Plants

There’s a wide array of herbs that will grow and thrive indoors all year round. These plants include basil, chives, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Decide which flavors are your favorite to incorporate in your cooking, and start off with 3-4 different plants. Each plant’s needs will vary slightly, so be sure to plant each herb in its own separate pot so you can adjust your care routine accordingly. 

You’ll often find herb plants, such as basil, available to you in your local grocery store’s produce department. Alternatively, visit your local garden center (Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards are all great resources for this) for a wider array of herb plants to choose from.

The Right Conditions

There are several things that any plant needs to thrive. Before you begin the process of purchasing and planting your fresh herbs, you should determine where in your household the herbs will live. Herbs prefer a lot of sunlight — six hours of full sunlight each day is ideal. Therefore, you should choose the sunniest spot in your home as the location of your herb garden, prioritizing locations that are close to the window, rather than the center of the room. For example: window sills are the perfect spot for an indoor herb garden! Once that’s settled, you can move onto actually planting your herbs.

First you’ll need the right pot. For indoor herbs, be sure to choose a container with ample drainage. You can tell which pots have appropriate drainage by checking for holes in the bottom of the container; these holes will allow water to escape the soil as needed.

Second, it’s important to choose the right soil for your herb. Most herbs do best with a standard indoor potting mix, and will be even happier if that mix is one that advertises good drainage. 

As we mentioned above, be sure to plant all your herbs in separate, individual containers. This ensures that when it comes time to water, you can check the soil of each pot and only water the plants that are in need of added moisture at that time. Because most herbs live in loose, fast-draining soil, you should check your plant’s soil every day (or every other day) to see how much moisture it has retained. Herb plants do best when their soil is slightly moist, but not soggy. Too much watering, and you’ll drown your plant.

When it comes time to harvest and enjoy your fresh herbs, always take in moderation. Regular pruning is good for your plants, but too much at once, and your plant won’t be happy. 

Overall, the more time you spend caring for your herb garden, the better you’ll learn to understand your plants needs. And as you care for your plants, they’ll care for you too, by providing healthy and fresh flavor to all your meals!

A window sill herb garden
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02.02.21 | Community

What We Mean When We Say “Older Adults”

You’ve probably noticed that at Sage Collective, we use the term older adults to describe our audience. But if you’ve ever wondered why exactly we use the term older adults, today we’ll take a closer look at the language and what it means to us.

Contentious debate surrounds the usage of alternative phrases like seniors, senior citizens, elders and elderly. For example, what do you think when you hear the word elderly? For most, it conjures images of someone frail and dependent. While one older adult could have health that renders them bedridden, another older adult could just as easily be ready to run a marathon. Weighted terms like elderly render such distinctions meaningless. 

Overall, the term elderly is outdated and ageist. The word has created a stereotype around aging that negatively influences the way older adults are perceived and therefore treated in our society. Consider too, the implications of words like seniors and senior citizens — we don’t call the younger generation juniors or junior citizens, right? 

Older adults aptly captures that this is indeed a population that is older — but without the hard underscore of the word old. Categorically, the phrase also leaves room for the many nuances of older adults’ varied experiences. There is no implication or preconceived notions of health, disposition, etc., attached; it’s simply a way of classifying an age group overall.

We also use the term older adults to celebrate the next chapter in aging adults’ lives. We believe that like any stage in life, older adulthood brings with it exciting and unique opportunities to learn, grow and thrive. The phrase brings with it a liberty and freedom for older adults to divine their own fate and lifestyle — and to embrace a life of vibrant living (if they should so choose). 

We want to hear from you too — what do you think of the term older adults? What does it mean to you? Let us know over at Sage Collective’s profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

An older adult woman holds a DSLR camera with a hooded zoom lens up to her face, in the act of taking a photo
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01.19.21 | Health & Wellness

What to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine

The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have both been authorized by the FDA for emergency use — and many more pharmaceutical companies will follow suit. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccination is a vital tool in helping to stop the pandemic, building protection and keeping individuals from getting COVID-19. But what should you actually expect during your appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

It Will Take Time

For starters, it will take some time for the vaccine to become available to most people. As COVID-19 vaccine doses are being doled out across the United States, Chicago has already administered upwards of 60,000 vaccine shots. These administered shots have gone to health care workers and long-term care facilities as part of Phase 1A of Chicago’s vaccine rollout plan. Once completed, the city will move onto Phase 1B: where older Chicagoans and certain frontline workers will be vaccinated. 

Understanding How It Works

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use new mRNA technology. As the CDC explains, mRNA vaccines instruct our cells to create a (harmless) “spike protein.” The spike protein is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19. Once your body creates the spike protein, it recognizes the protein does not belong and begins to build an immune response and antibodies. These antibodies stick around and will help fight off COVID-19, while the spike protein is eventually eliminated by your body. 

What to Expect 

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are injected in the upper arm muscle and require two injections, 21 days and 28 days apart, respectively. After getting vaccinated, you may experience flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, tiredness and headache, as well as slight pain and swelling at the injection site. These side effects — if you do experience them at all (and many do not) — will subside in 1-2 days. 

When the time does come for your own vaccination appointment, always remember that routine processes and procedures are in place to ensure the utmost safety throughout the experience. It’s perfectly normal to experience anxiety and nerves, but being as informed as possible about the process will help to remedy that. 

A small vial of liquid with a label reading "COVID-19 Vaccine"
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