TTN Bay Area Newsletter

May - 2021

Click here for: SF Bay Area Events Page

UP-COMING TTN EVENTS

Friendship Circle Meet & Greet

Collage Group

Virtual Women in Transition Workshop

Non-Fiction Book Club

SOLO Aging Study Group

TED Talks

Legacy Film Festival

Stroke Awareness

Every Saturday

May 10th

May 11, May 13 (2 part workshop)

May 12th

May 13th

May 19th

May 24th-31st

May 26th

ZOOM

Let's stay connected.

Use ZOOM to hold your meetings, continue your book clubs, TED talks, conferences, and other events.

GOOD-BYE AND GOOD LUCK TO DIANNE McCUTCHEON

Our very active, organized and enthusiastic member of the Steering Committee, Dianne McCutcheon, is leaving us to return to the DC Area with her husband, Jeff. When Jeff was transferred to the Bay Area seven years ago, the one request Dianne made was "we can only move to a place that has a TTN Chapter" as she had been very involved in the DC Chapter and knew the value of meeting new people, making new friends, and discovering activities and social groups in her new place. A group of her Steering Committee friends and Non-Fiction Book club members had a garden party to send her off with our warm wishes.

VIRTUAL WOMEN IN TRANSITION WORKSHOP

Has your personal or professional life been disrupted by changes that have left you feeling adrift? Changes after 50 may mean significant shifts in how we think about our identity, what’s most important to us, and what motivates us. Is it time to explore new possibilities for what’s next, rethink your life and/or work priorities, or make changes in your lifestyle? The TTN Virtual Women in Transition Workshop is just what you’ve been looking for!

Engage in interactive exercises with other women to learn what it means to be in transition, expand your horizons, and create a “next steps” action plan to move forward in your transition journey.

Note: This Workshop is scheduled across 2 sessions: May 11 and May 13, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET. There is another session happening in June.

Visit the Events page to learn more and register for this workshop.

https://www.thetransitionnetwork.org/events/5327/sfba/

SHEILA MALKIND SHARES HER EXPERIENCE OF UNDERGOING A STROKE

And Shares tips on how to be prepared

Signs of Stroke in Men and Women

Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.

CALL 911 and go to hospital.

In May 2020, I woke up during the night with a leg cramp, and stood up and stretched, and went back to sleep. In the morning, I went about some housekeeping activities until that same leg felt ‘odd’ -weak—and suddenly I thought I had developed Parkinson’s Disease, or perhaps was having a stroke, so I grabbed my late mother’s cane I had stored ‘just in case’, called Lyft, and was driven promptly to Davies Hospital’s ER 10 min from my house.

Inside, I was asked to raise both arms – no problem—then to walk. To my surprise, I could not control that left leg, which flailed about. After a lengthy MRI, I was lying on my back on a cot, when a female doctor bent down and softly whispered “You had a mild stroke.”

“That didn’t sound too bad,” I thought. Yet by night-time, my left hand, leg, and foot were numb. After staff’s phone consultation with my family, I was admitted to Davies’ Stroke Unit, where I spent almost a month paralyzed on my left side. I went through a daily regimen of therapies there: physical, occupational, and speech. I think my left eye narrowly missed something bad, but it works pretty well.

After almost a month, I was discharged, and began therapies at home, during the lockdown, through Medicare, and then outpatient PT at Davies, wearing a double mask. Today, I can bathe myself, do a little cooking, housekeeping. The left hand feels like a ham, but works. Luckily, the right hand is my strong one. The leg and foot are still weak, and I need the assistance of a walker. Luckily , I had purchased Long Term Care insurance a while ago, complaining at the cost, but so glad I have it: it has paid for a caregiver. And my son, who lives downstairs has been so very attentive, shopping for me, making my breakfast, -- and so much more.

I don’t know if I will ever be able to walk again, but in the meantime, I have lost some weight, changed to a healthier diet, and still think life is good.

If you think you‘re having a stroke, know the symptoms and call 911 immediately.

P.S.

And the 10^th Legacy Film Festival on Aging, which I produce, is scheduled ONLINE for May 24-31, 2021, with films on caregiving, disability, ability, and fun! SEE ARTICLE BELOW.

THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE

Meet and Greet

Hiking vacations, living in Paris, online shopping frustrations, discovering previously unknown connections, renewing TTN friendships are just some of what is happening on our Friendship Circle/Meet & Greet ZOOM calls.

The Meet & Greet is held Saturdays at 11 AM.

A reminder email with a link to the ZOOM meeting will be sent out every Friday. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and check-in.

10th LEGACY FILM FESTIVAL ON AGING

MAY 24-31

PRESENTED VIRTUALLY!

The 10^th Legacy Film Festival on Aging, the only international screen event exploring life in the world of aging, will take viewers to over 30 feature-length and short films from Australia to Sweden, from Hungary to Cuba, and across the US from May 24-31, 2021.

From documentaries on Latinx and Black families in the American heartland city of Milwaukee to films showing men doing the caregiving work, the program encompasses the breadth of caregiving. ENID & MAMI (Dir. Julia Reagan) is an intimate look into the daily life of Enid, a Latinx wife, mother, educator, and pastor as she cares for her mother, who has dementia. TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY (Dir. David Wild) highlights the different perspectives in the daily life of a caregiver, as seen through the eyes of three Black residents in Southeastern Michigan.

The festival also highlights the inspiration to be found in growing old, such as in films featuring Bob Weighton, who at 112 was THE OLDEST MAN IN THE WORLD and 98-year-old cookbook writer Diana Kennedy, who spent six decades writing Mexican cookbooks (DIANA KENNEDY: NOTHING FANCY). ELDER VOICES (Dir. David Goodman) tells stories of Japanese-Americans, European Jews, Muslims, and conscientious objectors, who came of age during the Depression and World War II and reside together in a Quaker retirement community in New Jersey, still living the values and principles that were forged in their youth. There is also a beautiful dance film, and some short shorts about some Fearless Older Australians!

“The stories of aging are the stories of our times,” said Legacy Film Festival on Aging Founder and Executive Director Sheila Malkind. “These films show how the lived experiences of racial justice, women’s equality, family caregiving, war and peace, and other issues of today play out through the eyes of our elders. These are stories of courage and conviction, from events of long ago to the present.”

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT LEGACY FILM FESTIVAL ON AGING

The Legacy Film Festival on Aging aims to educate, entertain, and inspire intergenerational audiences about the challenges and triumphs of aging.

Festival films will screen on demand from May 24-31, 2021.

Ticket prices

Per program: $8

All-fest pass: $50

All programs are presented online

For more information about all the films showing and to purchase tickets, visit www.legacyfilmfestivalonaging.org.

NEW BENEFIT FOR MEMBERS

Join ZOOM Meetings from TTN Chapters Across the Country

During this time of COVID, many of the TTN Chapters across the country are offering their programs to all members of TTN. Some of the programs offered for MAY include:

Boston Chapter: Beyond the Quilts: Sisters in Stitches - 5/14
Santa Fe Chapter: Book Discussion of The Partner by John Grishom- 5/17
NYC Chapter: Decluttering: You Can Do It - 5/18

To see the list of all events available to us, click HERE.

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

SIGS

Boost Your Wellness IQ in 2021

Join Arete Nicholas, RN, M.A., Geriatric Care Consultant, and Hope Levy, a Health Educator and Gerontologist, who will guide a group of like-minded TTN participants in a discussion to enhance their awareness about a variety of wellness topics.

Each month a different topic will be introduced followed by structured learning activities designed to help participants apply and/or think more deeply about the topic at hand. You will also have the opportunity to share your insights and interact with other group members in a supportive learning community. The group will meet monthly during the spring on the last Wednesday of the month.

Mark Your Calendars! The topic for May will be:

Stroke Awareness and How Acting Quickly May Save a Life

May is stroke Awareness Month. We will discuss how to prevent and recognize a stroke and how to act fast. Minutes matter with a stroke and the life you save may be your own.

The ZOOM meeting will be on Wednesday, May 26th from 3:00 pm until 4:30 pm (PST)

To join the ZOOM meeting click HERE.

For more information about this workshop and to register, please contact Hope Levy at hopelevy0@gmail.com

Solo Aging Study Group

As the saying goes, getting old is not for sissies, and aging without close family to rely on is even more challenging.

The Solo Aging Study Group is up and running and is open to new participants. The next meeting is Thursday, April 15th. If you are interested in the study group or want more information, send an email to janicewallace2016@gmail.com

Group Meditation

We are forming a group that would meet monthly and share a meditation session.

Do you love meditation, feel the benefit in your life, and want to share it with others?

We would love to speak with you about helping us get a meditation group started. Would you be willing to help lead this group?

If you're interested in joining our group or would like to lead this group, contact Janice Wallace at:

janicewallace2016@gmail.com

The Special Interest Artists Group is focusing on Collage as an art form. Monthly prompts will be shared and then the group will get together over Zoom to show our collages and give each other support.

Artists will be asked to submit photos of their collages at least two days before the meeting so that a slide show can be prepared.

For future meetings, members of the group will take turns providing prompts either around themes or styles, or materials.

The Collage group meets the second Monday of the month at 3:00. The next ZOOM meeting is Monday, May 10th. The May collage will include materials from nature.

If you are interested in joining this group, email Gail Benton Shoemaker at gailbentshoe@igc.org for further details.

Groups With Openings

Artists Group - if interested in joining this group please contact Gail Benton Shoemaker at gailbentshoe@igc.org
SF Movie Goers - if interested in joining this group please contact Mae King Go at mkgo@earthlink.net
East Bay Non Fiction Book Club - if interested in joining this group please contact Sandi Blair at sandrablairsf@cs.com
Travel Partners - if interested in joining this group please contact JaniceWallace at janicewallace2016@gmail.com. Group meets in locations all over the Bay Area

Groups That are Currently Filled

BUT THAT ARE OPEN TO ALL DURING THE QUARANTINE

SF TED Talks - contact Gail Benton Shoemaker at gailbentshoe@igc.org. The next TED talk meeting will be on Wednesday, May 19th at 7:00 pm. If you would like to join us on ZOOM for this discussion contact Gail Benton Shoemaker at the email address above.
SF Non-Fiction Book Club - contact Nancy Ware at nanwebware@sbcglobal.net The non-fiction book being discussed on Wednesday, May 12th is The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story of Football, Incarceration and Resistance in WWll America, by Bradford Pearson. If you would like to join us on ZOOM for this meeting, contact Nancy Ware at the email address above.

***

NOTICE: Many SIGs have membership limits because they meet in private homes or have other logistical constraints. Since most SIGS are currently meeting on-line, the Steering Committee thought it would be appropriate to open up ALL SIGS to any member who would like to join. Email the contact person of any of the groups to hear more about what they are doing during the quarantine.

***

What's your passion?

Any member can start a special interest group. If you have an interest that is not represented by a new or existing group, contact Janice Wallace at

janicewallace2016@gmail.com to create a group description and recruit other members to join you.

For more information about other new groups as well as information about existing groups, see the Special Interest Page on our website.

***

All Special Interest Groups in-person meetings have been canceled due to the "Shelter-in-Place" order. We encourage you to stay connected through ZOOM to continue meeting face-to-face virtually! For questions about how to set up a Zoom meeting, email Janice Wallace at janicewallace2016@gmail.com

THE READERS' CORNER

And Other Media

Many of you have shared interesting articles and videos that have been appreciated by our readership. To encourage this sharing, we have created a monthly column called Readers' Corner. Submit your articles to Nancy Ware at nanwebware@sbcglobal.net

As we are all hunkering down, and there is time to explore new things, we invite all our members to share how they are coping.

Stay healthy.

S.F. poet laureate promotes citizen poems every day on the city library website. San Francisco Senior Beat shares three that reflect on aging.

In 2020, when Kim Shuck was selected as the city’s Poet Laureate, the San Francisco Public Library planned to publish a poem of hers every day during her tenure. Instead, Shuck proposed they use the website to give voice to lesser-known Bay Area poets. Calls to former poet laureates and poetry instructors brought in thousands of poems. The three poets profiled here are among the hundreds whose poems were published on the library’s site.

To read the full article click HERE.

OLLIE SF OFFERS ON-LINE COURSES

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is offering a series of Mini-courses on a wide variety of topics. These courses are open to non-members of OLLI. The following mini-courses are being offered in MAY.

The Restless Genius of Benjamin Franklin
The Musical Worlds of Frederic Chopin
The Aging of the World's Population: How It Happened and What It Means for Society
Patti Smith: Rock ’n’ Roll Poet
San Francisco’s New Deal Art: Controversy, Neglect, and Restoration
iPhoneography: Take Your iPhone Photography To The Next Level

For more details on these and other offerings click HERE.