What's New at the Senior Center: A Lecture on Question 2

Submitted by Sherry Jackson, Needham COA Associate Director

Learn more about Question 2 before casting your vote. The Needham Council on Aging will host a lecture on the pros and cons of Question 2, which would legalize the use of medication to end the lives of terminally ill patients, on Friday, Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. Attorneys Jim Gross, president of Compassion and Choices, and Patricia Stewart, chairwoman of Elder Outreach Massachusetts Against Doctor-Prescribed Suicide, will both speak on the issue and then take questions from the audience.

This program is free, but registration is required. Call 781-455-7555.

The annual Tribute Lecture is held in memory of Dr. Dorathea Willgoose, founder of the Needham Council on Aging and Senior Center.

Friends’ Trip

Please join the Friends of the Needham Elderly on their November trip to Foxwoods on Thursday, Nov. 8. This popular trip is only $23—including a $10 food coupon or free festival buffet and $15 Keno—so register early to avoid disappointment. Foxwoods Resort Casino and Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut offers a great day out—boasting casinos, restaurants, hotel, entertainment or spa, museum or shops. There is something for everyone. 

Our motor coach will depart from Linden and Chambers, Linden Street, at 7:45 a.m. or 8 a.m. from the Stephen Palmer Senior Center. Casino time will run from 10:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The group will meet in the lobby at 4 p.m. for departure and will return at about 6:30-7 p.m.

Call the Senior Center Trip Desk at 781-455-7555 ext. 209 to make reservations. Full payment is due upon reservation.

Please make check payable to "F.O.N.E" and mail to Needham Senior Center, 83 Pickering St., Needham, MA 02492, Attn: Trips. (No refunds if cancellation is received within 10 days prior to departure, unless a replacement can be found.) Please note: This trip requires 30 passengers to operate, and Foxwoods reserves the right to change the program without notice.

This Week and Coming Up

These free programs are coming up soon at the Stephen Palmer Senior Center and require registration, unless otherwise stated. To sign up, call 781-455-7555.

Walking Club—Walks are designed to offer variety and provide an opportunity to walk with other walking clubs. Walkers will also explore trails outside the local area, with transportation available. Upcoming walks: Friday, Oct. 26 at Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain; Friday, Nov. 2 at Walden Pond in Wellesley; Friday, Nov. 9 at Cowassock Woods and Ashland Town Forest in Framingham.

Rep. Denise Garlick Office Hours—Needham’s state representative will be available to hear your concerns and to answer any questions on Monday, Nov. 5 from 10:45-11:45 p.m. No registration required.

Movies—Come watch a free movie at the Senior Center. Movies start at 1 p.m. Upcoming showings include: “Vertigo” (1958) on Friday, Oct. 26 and “Waitress” (2007) on Friday, Nov. 9. 

Lifelong Learning

Art History: “Vincent Van Gogh”— Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 a.m. Van Gogh’s life is one of the most dramatic, romantic and tragic stories in all of art history. His paintings are passionate, beautiful and they succeed in sharing with us, briefly, the experience of his madness. His career was very short, but his gifts and his influence very great. Join us for a look at his work and the brief but brilliant flame that was his life. Nothing is stranger than the truth. This event will be held at Avery Crossings. No fee or sign-up required.

Book Review of “My Name is Mary Sutter” by Robin Oliveira—Thursday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, this novel centers around a young midwife named Mary Sutter who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Determined to overcome the prejudices against women in medicine, Mary travels to Washington, D.C. to help tend the wounded in the Civil War. Under the guidance of two surgeons, who both have very strong feelings for her, Mary resists her mother’s pleas to return home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sister’s baby and decides instead to pursue her medical career against all odds. This program will be presented by Gail Rice. A suggested donation of $4 is appreciated. Sign-up is recommended.

AARP Driving Course—Monday, Nov. 9, 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. The AARP Driver Safety Program is a four-hour course to provide you with the information you need to tackle today’s driving challenges. You will learn how to deal with aggressive drivers, learn about new traffic laws and rules of the road, how to compensate for changes in vision, hearing and reaction time, and how to handle problem situations such as left turns, right-of-way, and freeway traffic, trucks and blind spots. You will also learn proper use of anti-lock brakes, air bags, and safety belts. In Massachusetts, if you are over the age of 65 you automatically get a 25 percent discount on your insurance. If you are wondering if this class will give you a further discount, you should check with your insurance carrier.

Sign-up is required; space is limited. Call 781-455-7555. AARP member fee is $1. Non AARP fee is $14. Veterans and/or their spouses of any age with military ID are free.  Payment is due on the day of class.

Veterans Appreciation Day

Join us for our annual veterans appreciation event and party on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center. The film, “The Search for

Kennedy’s PT 109,” is a 54-minute documentary movie produced by National Geographic in 2002. Dr. Robert Ballard, famous for discovering the watery remains of the Titanic, unearths the wreck of John F. Kennedy’s legendary World War II patrol-torpedo boat. This intriguing film includes compelling wartime footage and eyewitness accounts of Kennedy’s heroism aboard the ill-fated ship that was cut in half by a Japanese destroyer in the murky waters off the Solomon Islands. After the film you will have an opportunity to reminisce with each other while enjoying homemade hot apple pie. This program is free, but sign-up is required. RSVP by calling 781-455-7555. 

Meeting Regularly

To sign up or learn more about these free programs, call the Senior Center at 781-455-7555.

Low Vision Support Group—The group meets on the third Friday of every month. The group provides an opportunity for newly blind and visually impaired persons to come together to discuss issues relating to their vision loss. The group addresses topics about how to use specialized equipment in the home or on the job; how to maintain independence, aging and vision loss, or the effects of vision loss on family and friends.

Hoarding Support Group—Mondays, 2-4 p.m. Lorraine G., a hoarder herself, has formed this support group for people with hoarding behaviors. She participated in a new approach to this problem with the Boston University Cognitive Behavior therapy treatment program. The support group will be utilizing the book, “Buried in Treasures” by David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee and a workbook titled “Treatments That Work.” There is no fee for this program.

Table Tennis—Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 9-11:30 a.m. All are welcome at any playing level—old pros, intermediates and especially beginners. No fee or sign-up required.

Computer Lessons—Thursdays, 12-3 p.m. Learn about computers in a one-on-one session with an instructor. There is no fee for this class; call the Senior Center to schedule a 45-minute appointment.

Singers Needed for New Group—Tuesdays, 12:45-1:45 p.m. at the Senior Center. If you can read music or can carry a tune, please join us on Tuesday afternoons with Fred Shaw, who will lead us in song as we sing to our hearts’ content. No audition required.

Creative Writing Group—Second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Write your memoirs or try your hand at creative writing. This writing group is for all levels. Free; no sign-up required.