In the Spring of this past year, Senior Coastsiders worked with a graduate student at Stanford University in the Community Health and Prevention Research Program who was interested in learning about the experience of older adults during Covid-19. That study is now complete and a presentation on the findings will happen this Tuesday. Join via Zoom HERE or call in to the Zoom at (669) 900-6833 and use Meeting ID: 825 460 2205.

Emergency Contact listing with Senior Coastsiders If you would like to have someone check on you or a loved one should there be an emergency or power outage, we are here for you. Please complete the online form HERE or come by our office for a paper form. This information will ONLY be used in the event of an emergency to ensure your safety. Please note that by completing this form, you are authorizing Senior Coastsiders to provide your personal information to emergency personnel when necessary.

Senior Coastsiders Cookbook - Cookin' on the Coast We've taken some of the work out of your holiday shopping! This collection of recipes comes from volunteers, participants, and even our own chef! Stay tuned - books will be available for purchase in December.

Mystery Book Club This group meets the first Wednesday of each month (November 3rd this month) at 12:00pm. The group will be discussing Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman. Group meets in person with Zoom option. To connect via Zoom, click HERE (passcode BOOKS) or contact vaughnharrison@yahoo.com. Future books can be picked up at the Senior Coastsiders office at 925 Main Street.

Coastal Arts League Friday Art Classes The amazing volunteer instructors from the Coastal Arts League have resumed classes at Senior Coastsiders! Classes are free and each Friday covers a different topic or medium. Class starts at 12:30pm.

Puzzle Time with Professor Symmons! Challenge your brain cells and master doing a few puzzles every day! Join either in person or through Zoom as we tackle a recent Sudoku, Ken-Ken, and the Crossword puzzle presented in the Daily Journal. Group will be led by Professor Richard Symmons as he guides participants through puzzle strategy - but with the focus on class contributions and participation! Hard copies of the selected puzzles will be available at the Senior Coastsiders office and dining room and will be included in the home delivered meals on Mondays. Group meets every Tuesday at 1:00pm. Participants can join on Zoom by clicking HERE (password PUZZLE) or in person at the center (masks and physical distancing required).

Group Highlight - Let's Talk Coastside! As social gatherings begin to resume, Peninsula Family Service invites older adults age 55+ to come together at Senior Coastsiders for a free weekly in-person discussion group to rebuild our community, find humor in our daily lives and make some new friends. No more missing smiles - we are offering free reusable transparent facemasks to attendees. Facilitator Lea Nahumi will lead lively discussion topics that range from reminiscing about your first plane ride, favorite outdoor activities and your proudest achievements. LET’S TALK meets every Wednesday from 10:30 – 11:30am. (November dates are 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24). For questions, contact Michele @ 650-403-4300, ext. 4371 or mepstein@peninsulafamilyservice.org.

Fraud and Scams Awareness Workshop Presented by Leanne Gueco, Vice President, Bank of the West at Senior Coastsiders

Be on the lookout during this holiday season for fraudsters & scammers looking to steal your identity or money. Come join us on Thursday, November 18^th at 11am, to learn more about popular scams and what to do if you’re a victim of a scam or identity theft. Being more aware & informed of the dangers of scams, will protect your money and information. During the workshop, Leanne Gueco will share the latest security news to keep you up to date on trends. She has over 23 years of experience in the financial industry. She is committed to educating and safeguarding our community from scammers.

Do you shop on Amazon? Did you know that every time you buy something through Amazon, you could be supporting Senior Coastsiders? Visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon.com credentials. Search and choose Senior Coastsiders as your charitable organization and start shopping! Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile!

Fall Prevention Research has shown that regular balance and leg strengthening exercises can prevent falls. The Fall Prevention Coalition of San Mateo County offers a number of resources and information on classes. Check it out HERE.

In early 2022 we are excited to be launching an automated check-in system in partnership with My Senior Center. This new, efficient technology will help us better organize things at the Center. Regular visitors and volunteers will be provided with a small key tag to swipe across a scanner that will be located in the lobby. You will then be able to press the touchscreen to select the activities you’ll be participating in that day. If you participate in Senior Coastsiders activities, please swing by the office to make sure we have your most updated information to enter into the system.

See below for our current class listings and the October menu. For a full list of class descriptions and instructors, click HERE.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our new Pet Buddy Program that we launched to celebrate Tracey Gould’s 25 years of service to Senior Coastsiders. Pets can have such a positive impact on our physical and mental wellbeing and improve our quality of life. 

The holiday season is almost upon us! Having grown up in Africa, many of my memories of this time of year are quite different to those of people who grew up in the Northern Hemisphere. For example, in Africa at this time of year we would be heading into the long, warm days of summer and not be about to end daylight savings and turning our clocks back (which happens on November 7^th this year). In Africa, we would be eating summer fruits and vegetables like watermelon, granadillas (a member of the passion fruit family) and mealies – which in America you call corn! We certainly wouldn’t put marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes and try to pass that off as a vegetable dish! And in Africa we wouldn’t be looking forward to that wonderful and resoundingly American holiday – Thanksgiving. I love this holiday because instead of focusing on presents and fancy decorations the focus is on family, friends, being grateful, and delicious food! We will be having a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal of roast turkey at the Center on Wednesday November 24^th, and I invite you all to join us.

Please forward to anyone you think might benefit from this information!