Here are the October activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging.
Hot jazz for a cool fall afternoon
October 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Whether you like your jazz hot or cool, you’ll love the Trad Jazz Sextet free concert on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 2:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This roving band of jazz-lovin’ retirees will have you on your feet dancing one minute, then reminiscing to favorites that will bring back sweet memories the next. Nothing is better for lifting your mood than music, so treat yourself to an afternoon of fun, entertainment, and uplifting old-timey tunes.
Wellness clinics for all ages
October 2 at 10 a.m.
All Lincoln residents are invited to meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods’ Community Building at 50 Wells Rd. on Friday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. These clinics are funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.
Where do we go from here? An aging life care expert can help choose options
October 2 at 10:30 a.m.
Aging lifecare experts are an invaluable resource to help you choose the best options for an elderly relative, a person with disabilities, or yourself. The need to talk with them may arise when there is a change in circumstances or medical or cognitive status, the loss of a spouse, a crisis, when you live far away, or when family members disagree. Come hear more when Anne FitzPatrick Neu, MS of LivHOME comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 2 at 10:30. You will leave with a handout with ideas about when to call these experts for help.
Ron Boisseau’s “slices of life”
October 3 at 2 p.m.
Join Ron Boisseau as he reads and shares with you inspirational short pieces exploring love, politics, nature and more, including slices of his own life and those he has witnessed on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library. Ron will entertain and inspire people of all ages as he brings his unique and insightful perspective to experiences we have all shared as well as those that are fascinatingly unusual. The program is co-sponsored by the COA and library.
Lincoln Academy with John Ravenal: the importance of outdoor sculpture today
October 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 5 at 12:30 to hear John Ravenal, Executive Director of the deCordova Museum, discuss “The Importance of Outdoor Sculpture Today.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.
Meet with an aide to Congresswoman Clark
October 7 at 1 p.m.
You are invited to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. to meet with Anthony Moreschi, Constituent Service Representative for Congresswoman Katherine Clark. He will be available to assist residents with Social Security, Medicare, and MassHealth/Medicaid. You are also welcome to discuss other matters with him that he may be able to help with.
Animals: how they heal us
October 9 at 10 a.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. for a talk by telepathic animal communicator Caroline McNerney (daughter of Lincoln resident Natalie McNerney). Caroline will share her personal experiences of how animals—both wild and domestic—have healed her with their powerful healing method that all can share. Deepen your understanding of the gifts being offered by the cat on your lap, the dog at your feet, the wild bird at your window. Come listen, learn, and share your own stories.
Currier, Beethoven and Brahms at BSO matinee
October 9, leaving at 10:45 a.m.
The Lincoln Council on Aging is offering a trip to Symphony Hall on Oct. 9 for a Friday matinee performance of the BSO. Andris Nelsons conducts Currier, Beethoven and Brahms featuring pianist Paul Lewis. (Symphony Hall is handicapped accessible.) Participants will meet at the Donelan’s parking lot at 10:45 a.m. The non-refundable cost of your orchestra ticket and bus ride is $45.50, partially subsidized by the Hurff Fund. There is also the option of a sumptuous buffet lunch at Symphony Hall for an additional cost of $29.50 including tax and gratuities or you may opt to arrange for your own lunch. This trip is open to Lincoln seniors only. Space is limited. Please make your check out to FLCOA Trips for $45.50 or $75 if you are having the buffet, and mail to Marilyn Buckler, 12 Hiddenwood Path, Lincoln MA. 01773. Your reservation is complete when Marilyn receives your check. Questions? Marilyn can be reached at 781-259-8886 or mbuckler1@comcast.net.
Express your love of nature with watercolors with Jane
October 16 and October 30 at 9 a.m.
Rediscover the joyful soul within you through art and nature in Jane Cooper’s watercolor class. Jane will offer fun dabbling in watercolor painting of scenes of nature, landscapes or some favorite sky. Four classes will be offered at Bemis Hall each Friday and Monday beginning Oct. 16 and then another session of four classes will begin on Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Class is at 1 p.m. on October 23. The cost is $15. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up now as space is limited.
Poetry from “The Widow’s Handbook”
October 18 at 3 p.m.
Come to the Lincoln Public Library for an inspiring afternoon as authors read from The Widows’ Handbook: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Survival on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 3-5 p.m. The Widows’ Handbook, published by Kent State University Press in 2014, is the first anthology of poems by contemporary widows distilling their strongest feelings into poetry and memoir. The authors who will be reading include Lincoln resident Ruth Rothstein. The program is co-sponsored by the COA and the library.
Veteran to veteran: a new discussion group
October 19 at 10 a.m.
The Council on Aging invites veterans of all ages to join a new discussion group that will begin on October 19 and be held each first and third Monday of the month at 10 a.m. You’ll have a chance to share stories and memories, talk about aspects of your life and service that are important to you, and learn from other veterans. Jim Hogan, Lincoln’s Veterans Programming Officer, and Pam Mizrahi of the COA will facilitate the discussions. For info, call Pam at 781-259-8811.
Lincoln Academy with Wendy Hubbard: Glorious gardens—Codman Estate landscape history
October 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 19 at 12:30 to hear Wendy Hubbard, Site Manager, Historic New England, discuss “Glorious Gardens—Codman Estate Landscape History.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.
Senior dining
October 20 at 11:30 a.m.
Senior Dining is an elegant, gourmet luncheon served monthly on the third Tuesdays at St. Anne’s church at 11:30 a.m. This month Senior Dining will be on October 20. Senior Dining is a great place to arrange to meet old friends or new ones, and it is meant for all Lincoln seniors no matter what your income or other needs. Please reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 at least a week ahead even if you have previously attended. The cost of each meal is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let the COA know if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, St. Anne’s, Newbury Court and the Lincoln Garden Club. The volunteer serving staff consists of your friends and neighbors.
Mindfulness, gratitude and meditation
October 21 at noon
Learn more about living mindfully in a way that includes both gratitude and meditation in a new free four-week group with Pam Mizrahi on October 21 and 28 and November 4 and 18 from noon to 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The group will do exercises that will help focus your intentions and offer guidance, and share your lives and experiences in discussion.
Have some game-show fun with the METCO Coordinating Committee
October 21
The Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee invites Lincoln seniors to join their Boston- and Lincoln-based students after school on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at the Lincoln Campus for teaming up to play a game show and other fun. To RSVP and learn the exact time and location, please contact lincolnmetco@gmail.com or Michelle Barnes at 617-515-6627. Volunteer chaperones also welcome!
Feeling down? Get checked out at a screening
October 23 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
It can be hard to know if feeling down is a normal reaction to life events that will go away or a sign of depression that needs to be treated so that you can live fully and happily. Residents of all ages are invited to a free confidential depression screening to be given at Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 23 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. You will answer questions and chat with a clinician from The Eliot Center who will suggest whether you might want to follow up with a care provider, either from resources the clinician can offer or your own. The screening, and potentially follow up appointments at the Eliot Center, are offered through funding provided by the Town of Lincoln. No signup needed.
The Justice course: Affirmative action—is it just? An introduction to Aristotle
October 23 at 10 a.m.
Is affirmative action just, or does it unfairly discriminate? Should we compensate for historical injustices such as slavery and segregation? If so, for how long? When a university’s stated mission is to increase diversity, is it a violation of rights to deny a white person admission? Why Aristotle would have been against affirmative action. These are some of the issues which will be considered and discussed in the ninth installment of the Justice course, which will be held at Bemis Hall on October 23 at 10 a.m. Please come and join the conversation! Michael Sandel’s “Justice” course at Harvard is reputed to be its most popular course. Experience it when Steven Perlmutter, a Lincoln attorney, shows a video of a one-hour lecture from the course about the above issues and facilitates a discussion. The course is about what justice, or the right thing to do, is, drawing upon the great philosophers and contemporary issues. Mr. Perlmutter will encourage the exchange of a wide range of ideas about the “justice” issues raised in the lecture and will seek to ask thought-provoking questions that will spark a spirited discussion.
Lincoln Academy with Doug Adams: The Adamses at home
October 26 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 26 at 12:30 to hear Doug Adams discuss “The Adamses at Home.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.
Exploring living well with health challenges group
October 26 at 2 p.m.
Come together with others in a support group for people with health challenges each Monday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. beginning October 26 at Bemis Hall. The group is facilitated by Kitty Stein, Psy.D. This is an informal space where people can share who they are and their life experiences. It will continue indefinitely and people may come into and out of the group as they please.
Community responses to acts of hate: learning from Bedford’s experience
October 28 at 10 a.m.
Any community can experience acts of hate. How a community responds can make the difference between whether it grows stronger, wiser, and more caring and welcoming of diversity, or more fractured, apathetic, unwelcoming, and isolated. Come to a very special “Fireside Chat” on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall when Robert Bongiorno, Chief of Police in Bedford, discusses a recent incident of anti-Semitism there and how the community came together to offer a positive response that promoted diversity, tolerance and dialogue. The discussion will be facilitated by Sharon Antia. All residents are invited to come together each fourth Wednesday at 10 for the “Fireside Chat” on a current topic of importance.
Have lunch and a manicure at Minuteman High!
October 28 at 11:15
Come to Minuteman High School on Wednesday, Oct. 28 to have lunch in their Fife and Drum restaurant, get an orientation by Interim Assistant Principal George Clement, shop at their bakery, and, if you like, get a manicure! All services provided by students. Arrive by 11:15 for a lunch of salad, bread, dessert, coffee, and your choice of baked haddock or Tuscan chicken. Then stop at the bakery before heading home or going for a manicure between 1 and 2 p.m. The cost of the meal is $12 (including tax and gratuity) and a regular manicure is $3. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up by October 21 as space is limited, and indicate your meal choice and if you plan to have a manicure. Transportation is on your own.
Medicare open enrollment insurance update
October 30 at 10 a.m.
Find out what changes could affect your Medicare coverage and how much you will pay in 2016 when Don Milan and Anne Meade, Lincoln’s counselors from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE Program that provides health benefits counseling for Medicare enrollees, come to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 30 at 10 a.m. This is an important time to be sure you understand and are satisfied with your health insurance benefits. Medicare open enrollment period—October 15 to December 7, 2015—is your opportunity to change your Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and Prescription Drug Plans, effective Jan. 1, 2016. Representatives from most major supplemental health insurance plans (Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts, Fallon, and AARP/United Health Care) will have 2016 information for Medigap, Advantage and Part D plans. It is a unique opportunity for you to learn about their products and get answers to questions. Also present will be representatives of Prescription Advantage (Massachusetts’ secondary prescription assistance program), Priscilla Leach (Veterans Service Officer) and Anthony Moreschi, Constituent Services Representative for Congresswoman Katherine Clark.
Save the date
Adams National Historical Park trip on November 5
Join the COA on Thursday, Nov. 5 for a visit to the Adams National Historic Park in Quincy. The trip will depart from the Lincoln Mall at 8:45 a.m. by comfortable air ride bus. The tour on the National Parks Trolley will visit the birthplaces of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and the Old House at Peacefield where four generations of Adams lived. After the tour you will have a buffet lunch at an Indian restaurant across the street. After lunch you will visit with a guide the church and final resting place of the two presidents. You will return to Lincoln about 3:30 p.m. The tour involves some walking, and one flight of stairs up and down at Peacefield and at the church. The cost of the trip (including the buffet lunch) is $28. This trip is limited to 25 people and the cutoff date is October 30. This trip is subsidized by the Hurff Fund and is open to Lincoln residents only. Please include along with your check, your address, phone number and email. Send checks, made out to FLCOA TRIPS, to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Questions? Please contact Donna at 781-257-5050 or donna@ecacbed.com.
Reagle Holiday Gala trip on December 12
Revel in holiday joy as you experience over two hours of enchanting Christmas cheer at the Reagle Music Theater’s Holiday Gala in Waltham on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. You’ll enjoy a breath-taking spectacle including a full orchestra and 150 talented performers featuring Yuletide songs and pageants of the Parade of Wooden Soldiers, Santa’s Workshop, a Victorian Christmas and more. Ice cream and drinks are available at the venue. Signup begins November 1. The cost is $36 per person. For more information, call Claire Mount at 781-259-8695.
Got conflict? Save November 13 for a mediation workshop
Do you have serious disagreements with friends or family? Learn how conflict arises and strategies for making the best possible resolution at a free workshop with experts from the Community Dispute Settlement Center at 1 p.m. on November 13. Please sign up now by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. Workshop funded by Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.