Dear Ashby Village members, volunteers, and our larger community,


With 2021 just upon us, much is already happening. Following is a list of information, offerings and upcoming events to support your health and well-being.

Ashby Village bids farewell to Erik Whitaker, Program and Member Support Manager for the last 18 months. Erik had to move out of state due to family circumstances. We're grateful for his support and wish him well. His responsibilities have been assumed by appropriate staff and volunteers as we begin consideration of any adjustments that might best assist us to meet current needs and opportunities. Recruitment will begin shortly.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information

As of yesterday, January 14, both Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health announced that they were beginning to schedule vaccinations for any person over 65 years of age (Kaiser) or 75 years of age (Sutter Health). Call for scheduling:

Kaiser members - call (866) 454-8855
Sutter Health patients - call (844) 987-6115

Both warn that telephone wait times on the phone are long and the vaccine is currently in short supply, so be prepared and don't get discouraged. Sutter Health patients who are enrolled on Sutter’s Myhealth Online can also schedule a vaccine appointment online.

Both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are also inviting residents to register so that they can be notified when it’s time for them to be vaccinated, based on their personal characteristics and the availability of vaccine:

  • For Alameda County's Resident Vaccine Notification Form CLICK HERE. Review Alameda County's COVID-19 Vaccination information here.

  • For Contra Costa's Vaccine Appointment Request Form, CLICK HERE. Review Contra Costa Health Service's COVID-19 Vaccination information here.

Finally, for a collection of links to recent media articles, federal and state websites with the latest information on the COVID vaccine (as far as we know), CLICK HERE. This list has been compiled and provided by Ashby Village partner UC Berkeley Retirement Center (UCBRC).

Ashby Village recommends that you contact your primary care physician directly if you have any additional questions about your personal circumstances and how best to receive the vaccine.
Individual and Group Therapy Available

The Wright Institute Older Adult Counseling and Psychological Services (OCPS) offers individual and group therapy for older adults and, last summer, Ashby Village announced a partnership that made these services available FREE to members. Appointments for both the initial session and ongoing services will be made directly with the Wright Institute and these services will be provided by licensed supervised psychology and counseling trainees.

This program is is also now offering a second online group: Coping with COVID-19. The current pandemic can increase feelings of loneliness, sadness, anxiety, and worry, and this support group provides a confidential forum to talk with others facing similar challenges.

To Get Started:

Phone: (510) 239-2017
E-mail: OCPS@wi.edu

Embracing Change Series Presents:
Hearing Loss and its Effect on the Brain, Cognitive Function and Social Relationships

January 26, 2:00pm – 4:00pm


Join us to hear Professor Meg Wallhagen, PhD of UCSF to learn about hearing loss, its effect on the brain, cognitive functioning, and social relationships. Learn about the many ways hearing loss can be corrected through hearing aids, other amplification options, and better communication techniques. Read more here.
Villages Family Caregiving Webinar Series
All sessions will run from 10:00am – 11:00am

Many Village members provide care and support to our loved ones. In an effort to deepen knowledge, understanding and capacity of family caregivers, Village Movement CA will be hosting this FREE series.

  • Jan 28 – Family Caregiver Challenges and Opportunities – Dr. Donna Benton, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology (Register here)
  • Feb 18 – How to Start A Caregiver Support Group - Pasadena Village Caregiver Support Group (Register here)
  • March 18 – Caregiving for a Loved One with Dementia – Wayne April, Pasadena Village, Alzheimer’s Assn (Register here)
  • April 21 – Love in the Time of Chronic Illness: Active Strategies for Caregivers and Care Receivers – Barbara Kivowitz, San Francisco Village (Register here)
Accessibility Improvement: Automated/AI Captioning Is Now Available for All Ashby Village Virtual Events

Ashby Village is continually working to host more inclusive, accessible events, and are pleased to announce the availability of Automated/AI captioning for our events. To ensure that this is enabled for any event please request an accommodation to info@ashbyvillage.org no later than three business days prior.
If you have questions, please call the office [510-204-9200] or email us and someone will get back to you.

Wishing you a healthy, connected and hope-filled year to come.

- Ashby Village and its Member Support Teams