Council on Aging activities for February

SeniorSpeak theater performance
February 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Join the SeniorSpeak group for a theatre performance on Monday, Feb. 1 at 12:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The performance is an outgrowth of the work participants were engaged in as they rediscovered their voice as older adults. Drawing upon memories, feelings, and life lessons, participants have created a performance piece that incorporates turning points and events that shaped their lives both as individuals and as a group. The piece uses scenes and music as tools to capture key moments. After the performance, all are invited to join a discussion with the performers about the development of the theatre piece and the insights gained in the process.

Meet with an aide to Congresswoman Clark
February 3 at 1 p.m.
You are invited to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 3 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.

Wellness clinic for all ages
February 5 at 10 a.m.
All Lincoln residents are invited to meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods’ Community Building at 50 Wells Road on Friday, Feb. 5 from 10 a.m. to noon. These clinics are funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Sing along to the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Sextet
February 5 at 1 p.m.
Yes, that’s right, there will be some good old favorites for you to sing along to, maybe Ain’t She Sweet or When You’re Smilin’ or All Of Me, like last time, or something completely different. If you prefer, just listen. Or get up and dance. The Lincoln Traditional Jazz Sextet, a fun group of retirees who come together to enjoy playing and providing toe-tapping enjoyment for you, returns to Bemis on Friday Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. If you’re one of the regular attendees, you know what to expect; if you’ve never been before come to find out for yourself.

Lincoln Academy with Cyrus Mizrahi—Persian poetry: the soul of an ancient people
February 8 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Feb. 8 at 12:30 to hear Cyrus Mizrahi discuss “Persian Poetry: The Soul of an Ancient People.” 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.

Build and maintain your home and landscape to be ecologically sustainable
February 10 at 10 a.m.
Ecologically sustainable design, construction, and maintenance of homes and landscaping is often less expensive than conventional methods and result in long-term benefits to your home and your landscape, your family’s health and the environment. Come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. when Angela Kearney of the Lincoln Conservation Department will give principles, ideas, strategies and tips from her book Ecological Design, Construction, and Maintenance Handbook. You’ll learn more about using soil and vegetation in swales, rain gardens, and detention basins to infiltrate and reuse storm water, protecting wildlife habitats, preserving natural landscape features, minimizing land clearing and grading for driveways and parking areas, eliminating the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides, and toxic cleaning agents, and more! Bring your questions and concerns!

iPhones and iPads, part II
February 11 at 10 a.m.
The COA’s program on iPhones and iPads given by Andy Payne in December was so popular that we have asked him to come back. Andy will be here on February 11 at 10 a.m. to give you more information on the operation and features of iPhones and iPads and answer your questions. You are welcome to attend whether you came to the December session or not. If you have tips for using your iPhone or iPad, bring those, too!

Seymour Bernstein: an introduction to the revered piano teacher and composer
February 12 at 1 p.m.
Seymour Bernstein withdrew from a distinguished career performing classical piano music to pursue teaching and composition, gaining both accolades and the gratitude of his students as well as fulfillment and peace of mind. Come experience the life and music of Bernstein when we show the 80-minute documentary “Seymour: An Introduction” on Friday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall with an introduction by Lincoln resident Mariel Bossert. The documentary charts Bernstein’s artistic path and features Mr. Bernstein’s virtuoso playing. Mariel, an accomplished classical pianist, has been personal and professional friends with Mr. Bernstein for many years and he has played often with Lyrica Chamber Music, which Mariel founded in New Jersey.

Senior dining
February 16 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincolnites 60 and older are invited to enjoy a gourmet meal with new friends and old at 11:30 on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at St. Anne’s Church. We have new diners often—please come and give us a try! We need you! 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 us 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, Newbury Court, St. Anne’s, and the Lincoln Garden Club. And the volunteer serving staff consists of your Lincoln friends and neighbors.

Sorting and editing photos with Google Picasa
February 18 at 10 a.m.
Do you have five million photos that need some editing and that you can never find? Then Google Picasa, a free program, is for you. You can make those photos look great, then organize them all into photo albums, search the photos and more! Come find out how to get and use Picasa when Harold McAleer comes to Bemis Hall on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. If you have a laptop with your photos, bring it!

Being mortal: share your insights, thoughts, questions and experiences
February 19 at 10 a.m.
Please join the COA for a facilitated discussion of Atul Gawande’s book Being Mortal on Friday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Alyson Lee, Program Director at The Commons in Lincoln, invites you to join the discussion and bring your insights, thoughts, questions, and experiences. The great thing about this book is that we ALL share the issues raised – how to balance quality of life with medical intervention, what are our values when facing end-of-life, how can we communicate our wishes. According to Time Magazine, Being Mortal “provides a useful roadmap of what we can and should be doing to make the last years of life meaningful.”

Breathe, relax, and de-stress your way to better well being
February 19 at 1 p.m.
Stress is a risk factor for many conditions and diseases, but you don’t have to let the weather, or life’s challenges in general, get you down. Learn some practical, easy-to-remember techniques and strategies for reducing your stress, relaxing your body and mind, and enhancing your well being when Catherine Collins comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. She’ll show you a variety of ways to both begin a relaxation practice that you can do every day as well as calm yourself down when you find yourself getting overly upset. Catherine Collins is a registered nurse and a master’s level nurse practitioner with 30 years experience in health care. Co-sponsored by the Lincoln Council on Aging and the Lincoln Department of Parks and Recreation.

Lincoln Academy with Jim Hogan—religion as a reason for the Revolutionary War
February 22 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Feb. 15 at 12:30 to hear Jim Hogan discuss “Religion as a Reason for the Revolutionary War.” 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.

See the sculptures of Cyrus Dallin at a museum in Arlington
February 23 at 10 a.m. , Mall
The celebrated American sculptor Cyrus Dallin created the Museum of Fine Arts’ iconic sculptures “Appeal to the Great Spirit” and Boston’s “Paul Revere,” all while living and working in Arlington. Join the COA for a trip to the Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum in Arlington on Tuesday Feb. 23, with a snow date of March 1. You will experience a private tour of this exquisite collection of sculptures, coins, medals, and paintings. Find out more about his special Lincoln connections! The Doherty bus will depart from the Lincoln Mall at 10 a.m. After the museum tour we will have lunch together at your own cost at a nearby restaurant in Arlington Center returning to the Mall by 2:30 p.m. The non-refundable cost of the trip is $7 per person made payable by check to FLCOA Trips and sent to Rob Todd, 126 Old Concord Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Please include your phone number and email address. Group size is limited to 25 and reservations must be made by February 19. Any questions contact Rob Todd at 781-259-8820 or hmbt@comcast.net.

Fireside chat: where Christianity, Judaism, and Islam meet
February 24 at 10 a.m.
Come join other Lincoln residents as we expand our understanding of the commonalities and differences a.m. ong Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and deepen our respect for each other’s faiths when the Fireside Chat meets on February 24 at 10 a.m. here at Bemis Hall. The Fireside Chat, which meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday at 10 a.m. , is an opportunity for residents to get together for a respectful discussion of important current topics using questions and answers. This month the special guest will be Mary Lou Lovecchio of the Daughters of Abraham, a group of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women who come together to learn about each other’s faiths through books and discussion. The discussion is facilitated by Sharon Antia.

Downsize to make your possessions fit your life
February 26 at 1 p.m.
We all go through life collecting stuff until our possessions become a collection of things that can overwhelm us, complicate our lives, and keep us from moving forward. “Downsizing” is an opportunity to choose what to bring into the life you have now and the life you want, whether or not you need to move into a smaller space or you just want to feel more relaxed and in control. Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. to hear Lyn Spaeth of Transformations, Home Staging and Interior Redesign. She will discuss the process of downsizing, how to choose what to keep and where to dispose of what you no longer want or need, and how not to be exhausted by the time you’re done! Bring questions and concerns!

Lincoln Academy with Mark Hopkins—where the Amazon begins: assessing the health and future of the Peruvian rainforest
February 29 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Feb. 22 at 12:30 to hear Mark Hopkins discuss “Where the Amazon Begins: Assessing the Health and Future of the Peruvian Rainforest.” 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.

Share your love of knitting at our weekly drop-in
Winter is the perfect time to indulge your love of knitting. All knitters are welcome to come to Bemis Hall Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. for a knitting drop-in for you to get help with problems from other knitters, ask questions, or get encouragement to finish projects. All levels of knitters welcome. Nancy Constable facilitates the group.

Save the date: graduation of the New England Assistance Dogs Society
Join the COA for a wonderful outing to the NEADS graduation on Sunday, April 10 at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School in Fitchburg. You will have a chance to watch these expertly trained dogs in action as they demonstrate their skills in aiding their new owners. You will also hear from their owners as they share the wonderful impact the dogs have had on their lives. The trip will leave by a Doherty’s bus from the Lincoln Mall at 11:30 a.m. and you will have a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant. The graduation is planned from 2-4 p.m. The bus will return to Lincoln between 4:30 and 5 p.m. The cost for the trip is $10 for the bus and driver’s tip. Lunch is on your own. Send a check made out to FLCOA/Trips to Sally Kindleberger 14A North Commons, Lincoln, MA 01773. Call 781-259-1169 to reserve a spot.